Welcome Back!

We are back for Fall 2019. Class times:

Sat. 10:30am – ages 4-6

Sat. 11:15am – ages 7-9

Sat. 12pm – ages 10 and up

Welcome, The Kids Community @ 284!

I am now teaching at an after-school program at The Community House in Hamilton, MA. I'm hoping to get a lot of participants, and have lots of fun. Welcome, kids and parents!

Curriculum Updates

I'm in the process of editing this blog to reflect the recent curriculum changes. It will take some time, so please bear with me. In the meantime, you can refer to the poster with curriculum info that is posted on the wall just outside the gymnastics room.

Welcome Fall 2018!

Classes resume Sat. September 8th!

Updates and curriculum changes are underway for the upcoming session. This won’t affect you much if you’re new. To the returning students, don’t be discouraged by the changes. It will be a good thing! I am cutting down the number of forms and techniques that need to be learned for each rank; nothing new will be added. This means that students will spend more time perfecting what they are learning, instead of always throwing new material at them to learn. Quality over quantity! If you are a returning student and had to learn more things for your rank, think of it that you got to learn stuff that I will no longer be teaching, which is really cool! Newer students will be doing just as much work, but will be spending more time perfecting one form at a time instead of learning many. I believe this will be a better experience for everyone. Happy training!

-Sensei Kristalyn

Beyond Black Belt

This article I wrote many moons ago and submitted to Martial Arts Illustrated magazine, as part of my instructor certification requirement. I came across it recently and thought I'd share it here. Let me know if you have thoughts or comments on it!

-Sensei K

BeyondBlackBelt.pdf

We're Back!

Classes resume on Saturday, Sep. 6th... same time, same place. Wednesday classes also added. Great to be back, see you in class! 👊

Academic Achievement

Kids in Martial Arts statistically do better in school. 🎓

Here's why. For many children, especially under age 10, school is not a top priority. Many don't like it, they think it's boring or too hard. They do just enough to pass, even though they are capable of more. Kids want to have fun with their friends, play video games, play sports, etc.

Then maybe they try martial arts. It's an environment that fosters self-discipline, focus, goal-setting, confidence, all while having fun and being active. Most of the time they don't even notice they are gaining these benefits; they are too busy kicking that bag, learning a cool defense technique, and striving to impress Sensei.

For those kids that stick with martial arts for a year or more, something remarkable happens. The dojo is a place where hard work is rewarded, every rank is well earned, and only the dedicated make it to black belt. Suddenly these kids have a fire and drive in them to give 100%, perfect a technique, and earn that next rank. This ends up being carried over into other things in life, including school work. Then that C or D student who was once doing just enough to pass because that's all that was required of them, suddenly is striving for A's and B's. They start putting their all into everything they do.

Even though some kids quit martial arts before making it to black belt, the benefits will last and serve them well throughout life. Get your kid into martial arts today! 👊