Martial Arts Maximum!

Mr. Holgerson is hosting a martial arts tricking small group at Manna Church! We will be meeting this Monday February, 11th at Omega Gymnastics located at 4145 Ferncreek Dr, Fayetteville, NC 28314, right near Ramsey St. and All American expy from 7:30pm to 8:30pm. Bring your friends, some comfortable clothes, and get ready for a great evening!

Health Benefits of Martial Arts

You may have heard once or twice before about how Tae Kwon Do and Martial Arts build strong character development traits and life skills such as Integrity, respect, perseverance, honor, confidence, etc…, but sometimes the health benefits are slightly overlooked.

In conjunction with the physical exercises of Tae Kwon Do such as kicking, punching, footwork, stances, and blocks, come numerous benefits for your health and body. Done consistently, the movements and exercises associated with each class help relieve stress and anxiety by releasing the endorphins and toxins trapped inside your body. When these are released, it allows your body to think more clearly and to create a better flow of oxygen and blood to your brain and muscles. Many times during class the instructor will remind you to breathe correctly and to not hold your breath. This may seem like common sense, but when your body is tired and fatigued your mind becomes fatigued as well.

Some adults choose not to participate in martial arts due to a number of reasons, one being the fear of injuring themselves. In each class at Empower Martial Arts we start with the proper warm up and dynamic stretches for the activities and movements that will be done during the main portion of the class. This insures that your muscles and tendons are ready to be worked, strengthened, and toned to avoid possible injury or reinjure. The end of each class time is also spent on static stretching and tactical breathing to relax the muscles and improve flexibility. We also strongly encourage stretching throughout the day and drinking water to avoid possible cramps or tightness.

If you’re looking to feel better, move better, breathe better, and even lose some weight while getting in shape, contact (913)-754-6570 or e-mail tj_holgerson@hotmail.com for more information!

 

What does it mean to be a Martial Artist?

I wish there was a simple answer to this question that would sum it up so well that there would never be any controversy. Unfortunately the term “martial arts” is taken many different ways and is interpreted differently by all cultures with martial art styles.

EMA views a martial artist as someone who is confident, disciplined, shows self-control, and is greatly respected by others. It’s doing the right thing even when nobody is looking (integrity). It’s stepping out of your comfort zone and overcoming obstacles that cause you to grow physically, and mentally. It’s helping others repeatedly without asking anything in return. It's taking care of your body. It’s being a peace warrior. It’s knowing how to defend yourself and avoiding fights all together. It’s not easy, it’s not always fun, it’s not always painless. If it was, everyone would achieve the rank of black belt.

At EMA we do not practice meditation, but I do believe in taking time to rest, quiet yourself, stretch, and BREATH! Doing this is essential to relieving stress, calming anger, and creating a clear conscience to be able to think clearly at all times.

We strongly encourage questions throughout classes to clarify the small details that will help all students learn not only the physical skills but the art as well.

A martial artist should strive to acquire all of these traits to better himself/herself as well as those around him. For more questions contact TJ Holgerson at (913)-754-6570 or tj_holgerson@hotmail.com.

 

The big topic of SAFETY

As our great nation begins another year, many changes are still to come. Not even 10 full days into 2013 and there has been another school shooting. This incident took place this morning 9:00am, at a High School in California's southern San Joaquin Valley. The full story can be found at http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/01/10/16449709-two-reported-shot-at-california-high-school?lite.

Empower Martial Arts is putting together a safety check to insure all measures are taken to protect the students and their families. These checks are put in place to eliminate any chance of possible child abuse, sexual abuse, dangerous situations outside of class, dangerous situations that could occur inside of class, and many other safety threatening areas.

EMA wants every student and family to feel safe and confident in the instructors during every class! For more information contact Mr. Holgerson at tj_holgerson@hotmail.com.

Creating S.M.A.R.T. Goals

This is a great article from topachievement.com on SMART Goals

Creating S.M.A.R.T. Goals

Specific

Measurable

Attainable

Realistic

Timely

Specific: A specific goal has a much greater chance of being accomplished than a general goal. To set a specific goal you must answer the six “W” questions:
*Who: Who is involved?
*What: What do I want to accomplish?
*Where: Identify a location.
*When: Establish a time frame.
*Which: Identify requirements and constraints.
*Why: Specific reasons, purpose or benefits of accomplishing the goal.
EXAMPLE: A general goal would be, “Get in shape.” But a specific goal would say, “Join a health club and workout 3 days a week.”

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Measurable - Establish concrete criteria for measuring progress toward the attainment of each goal you set.
When you measure your progress, you stay on track, reach your target dates, and experience the exhilaration of achievement that spurs you on to continued effort required to reach your goal.
To determine if your goal is measurable, ask questions such as……
How much? How many?
How will I know when it is accomplished?

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Attainable – When you identify goals that are most important to you, you begin to figure out ways you can make them come true. You develop the attitudes, abilities, skills, and financial capacity to reach them. You begin seeing previously overlooked opportunities to bring yourself closer to the achievement of your goals.
You can attain most any goal you set when you plan your steps wisely and establish a time frame that allows you to carry out those steps. Goals that may have seemed far away and out of reach eventually move closer and become attainable, not because your goals shrink, but because you grow and expand to match them. When you list your goals you build your self-image. You see yourself as worthy of these goals, and develop the traits and personality that allow you to possess them.

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Realistic- To be realistic, a goal must represent an objective toward which you are both willing and able to work. A goal can be both high and realistic; you are the only one who can decide just how high your goal should be. But be sure that every goal represents substantial progress.
A high goal is frequently easier to reach than a low one because a low goal exerts low motivational force. Some of the hardest jobs you ever accomplished actually seem easy simply because they were a labor of love.

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Timely – A goal should be grounded within a time frame. With no time frame tied to it there’s no sense of urgency. If you want to lose 10 lbs, when do you want to lose it by? “Someday” won’t work. But if you anchor it within a timeframe, “by May 1st”, then you’ve set your unconscious mind into motion to begin working on the goal.
Your goal is probably realistic if you truly believe that it can be accomplished. Additional ways to know if your goal is realistic is to determine if you have accomplished anything similar in the past or ask yourself what conditions would have to exist to accomplish this goal.
T can also stand for Tangible – A goal is tangible when you can experience it with one of the senses, that is, taste, touch, smell, sight or hearing.
When your goal is tangible you have a better chance of making it specific and measurable and thus attainable.

Healthy Eating Tips For Kids From A Kid

Happy New Year From Empower Martial Arts!

What an exciting time to celebrate the triumphs of 2012 and welcome in a new year of possibilities. EMA is ready to take on 2013 with force, optimism, and faith that God will continue to provide.

Jumping into a new year is a great time for goal setting, not resolutions necessarily, as those are merely a blind hope for success. Take the time today to write out SMART goals (Specific, Motivating, Achievable, Relevant, Trackable). Be sure to include short term goals, long term goals, academic goals, physical goals, and relational goals as well. Map out a game plan to give yourself every possible chance to succeed.

Looking back at the natural disasters, shootings, hate crimes, and losses so many have experienced in the last year, EMA is working on reaching out to the community and setting a good example for our future generations. Many prayers are continually lifted this holiday season to the families of Newtown, Connecticut who are spending these holidays for the first time without loved ones and dear friends.

In the midst of the sadness, happiness, triumphs, struggles, and whatever else life throws at you this year, always rejoice in what you have and don’t take anything for granted.