What makes a good Karate Instructor Great?

I’ll tell you what makes a Great Karate Instructor

A great Karate Instructor is a mentor that has a knack for making people think they are better than they think they are...... They force you to have a good opinion of yourself..... . They let you know that they believe in you..... They make you get more out of yourself. And once you learn how good you really are.... You never settle for being anything less than your very best.... how good you really are, you never settle for being anything less than your very best.........– Anonymous

What makes a good Karate Instructor Great?



Sort of an important question, right?

I've seen Instructors who worked for hours on their lessons, who were Masters in the field fail miserably, and I've seen Instructors who, if you gave them five minutes before they walked in to glance over their material, they could run a class for three hour on any topic under the sun.

In the end, what makes a great Instructor? I wish I had a magic eight-ball that allowed me to figure this one out, but it's something I've really given some thought to... and I think what follows are at least some interesting ways to think about the Martial Arts.

So what makes a great Karate Instructor?

1) Passion for Martial Arts. This can manifest itself so many ways. I'm the "High energy - jump around the room" kind of Instructor, and sure, that comes from a lot of passion, but some of the best Instructors I've known have had a passion that students had to be quiet to catch onto. For me, when I was an assistance Instructor, watching teachers like Mike Anderson, Jeff Nitsche and Dennis Symington teach with their quiet passion and brilliance was important in my development as an Instructor.

2) Love of kids. You laugh, but it's true! I've seen people come in and talk about teaching and talk about how much they love their subject and know about their subject, but they never mention the kids. Worse, we had an interview once where the Instructor clearly knew his stuff, but he basically admitted that his classroom management style was fear and intimidation. Not the person I want teaching the kids I care about.

3) Love of their subject. Again... pretty important.... I spent years watching the class because to watch teacher explain Jujitsu, Judo Throws or Self Defense techniques, for me, to understand how you could have a passion for something that was always a mystery for me. Great Instructors not only love their subject, but they love to share that joy with students.

4) Understand of the role of a Karate school in a child's life. The Dojo is more than the sum of the classes your Karate kids take. It's a time to grow, explore, try on identities, and find joys that might just last a lifetime. Sometimes the best teaching happens in the lobby before or after a class, leading the warm up’s for the very first time or being singled out to demonstrate their jump front kick in front of the class. The best Instructors know that they are Instructors for much more than the time they are on the mat.

5) A willingness to change. This one gets overlooked sometimes, I think. I've written about this before, but it bears repeating. We talk about how Karate schools transform kids, but I think they can transform Instructors. If you expect kids to be changed by their interaction with you, it's got to be a two-way street.

6) A work-ethic that doesn't quit. It's a hard, draining job that will demand all that you can give sometimes. You've got to be able to have some balance in your life, but there are very few Instructors who can be effective by cramming everything they need to do into an hour.

7) A willingness to reflect. You've got to be able to ask why things went the way they did... both on the good and the bad days. And you have to be able to admit when the reasons it went bad were because of what you did, not what the students did. (Equally important is the understanding that often things go right because of what the kids brought to the table, not because your lesson plan should be bronzed.) Teaching Martial Arts requires a willingness to cast a critical eye on your practice, and yourself...

8) Organization. I have to give my wife Mrs. Candice Boggs credit for this. She keeps my life organized. I have learned to be good at this (Secret... Use your Calendar)... My staff knows what to expect, they know I am going to be organized and have a structure to our Karate School. We teach something different every day and we still make it creative and spontaneous and interesting. I can only imagine how much better of a Karate Instructor we would all be if the structure of everything you did was just a little more organized.

9) Understanding that being a "great Instructor" is a constant struggle to always improve. Goshin Karate & Judo Academy is beginning its 20th year. I'm pretty proud of what I've accomplished, and I think I've had some moments of great teaching in my career so far, but I also still see some the holes in my teaching -- and I still want to get better... I learn something new every day. The only thing constant is Change. And when I think I have got it perfect, just imagine what new challenges will face me on that day.

10) Enough ego to survive the hard days. The tough days will leave convinced that you can't teach or the world is too hard for these Karate kids or the work is too much or whatever the problem was that day... you have to have enough sense of self to survive those days.

11) Enough humility to remember it's not about you. It's about the Karate kid. If your ego rules your classroom, if the class turns into "Me -VS-. Them" or if you can't understand that a sixteen year old might be able to tell you something you don't know, then don't teach. Or at least, don't teach Karate here at Goshin Karate & Judo Academy.

12) A willingness to be part of the Community. Sure, there are some Martial Arts schools that cover the windows and keep their class a secret and do what they want, but I think that send a strange message to the kids and the Parents. Karate Instructors are part of our community, and a great Instructor should be willing to work to make the community a better place.

I wish I could say that I was good at all these things. I wish I could say that I even knew every place I needed to improve. I don't... but for me, to question my own sense of what makes a good or better yet a Great Martial Artist or Karate Instructor as some claim to be.

Someday I hope to be that person - but for now it is work in process

I was inspired by Chris Lehmann

http://practicaltheory.org/serendipity/index.php?/archives/8-What-makes-a-great-teacher.html

Roger


Mr. Boggs - Sensei
Goshin Karate & Judo Academy
6245 E. Bell Road #120
Scottsdale, AZ. 85254
480-951-2236

http://www.GoshinKarate.com/
http://www.GoshinCares.com/
http://www.GoshinGirls.com/
http://www.goshingear.com/

http://www.yourworthdefending.com/
http://GoshinKarate.blogspot.com/

Providing Instruction/Lessons in Martial Arts, Self Defense, Judo, Jujitsu, MMA and Karate, for Kids, Teens and Adults in the Cave Creek, Phoenix, Scottsdale and the entire north valley of Arizona since 1991.

Goshin Karate Scottsdale - Goshin Action Hero

Karate Kids are Action Heros

As children, we admired men in shiny suits and women in masks who anonymously saved the everyday people from immanent disaster and impending doom. Somewhere along the path to adulthood, we put away our comic books and action movies in favor of a grounded existence.

Yet heroes exist everywhere you look.

The young man walking the elderly woman across the street; the timid kid who stands up to a bully for his unjustly persecuted classmate; the selfless volunteer serving soup at the local homeless shelter.

In each of our lives, we are given opportunities everyday to make a choice; we can choose to live in the ordinary and do what most of the world around us does: keeping our heads down and marching on toward success.

Or we can make a different choice, in the moments when given the opportunity, to be a hero. Not the kind bearing capes and boots, but the kind that makes a real impact on the community around them.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As a martial arts instructor, here in Scottsdale Arizona....  Goshin Karate and Judo Academy  -- We are not only teaching our students the physical elements of an ancient practice; we are also teaching them a lifestyle.

We are guiding these young Heroes in Waiting. It is our hope that martial arts instill in them the ability to be the kind of human beings who make those right decisions, in the moments when given an opportunity.


Roger
Mr. Boggs - Sensei
Goshin Karate and Judo Academy
6245 E. Bell Road #120
Scottsdale, AZ. 85254
480-951-2236

http://www.GoshinKarate.com/
http://www.GoshinCares.com/
http://www.GoshinGirls.com/
http://www.goshingear.com/

http://www.yourworthdefending.com/
http://GoshinKarate.blogspot.com/

Martial Arts Teacher shares his secrets

  I Have Learned

I've learned....
That the best classroom in the world is at the feet of an elderly person.

I've learned....
That when you're in love, it shows.

I've learned..
That just one person saying to me, "You've made my day!" makes my day.

I've learned....
That having a child fall asleep in your arms is one of the most peaceful feelings in the world.

I've learned....
That being kind is more important than being right.

I've learned....
That you should never say no to a gift from a child.

I've learned....
That I can always pray for someone when I don't have the strength to help him in some other way.

I've learned....
That no matter how serious your life requires you to be, everyone needs a friend to act goofy with.

I've learned....
That sometimes all a person needs is a hand to hold and a heart to understand.

I've learned....
That simple walks with my father around the block on summer nights when I was a child did wonders for me as an adult.

I've learned....
That life is like a roll of toilet paper. The closer it gets to the end, the faster it goes.

I've learned....
That we should be glad that life doesn't give us everything we ask for.

I've learned....
That money doesn't buy class.

I've learned....
That it's those small daily happenings that make life so spectacular.

I've learned...
That under everyone's hard shell is someone who wants to be appreciated and loved.

I've learned....
That to ignore the facts does not change the facts.

I've learned....
That when you plan to get even with someone, you are only letting that person continue to hurt you.

I've learned....
That love, not time, heals all wounds.

I've learned....
That the easiest way for me to grow as a person is to surround myself with people smarter than I am.

I've learned....
That everyone you meet deserves to be greeted with a smile.

I've learned....
That there's nothing sweeter than sleeping with your babies and feeling their breath on your cheeks.

I've learned....
That no one is perfect until you fall in love with them.

I've learned....
That life is tough, but I'm tougher.

I've learned....
That opportunities are never lost; someone will take the ones you miss.

I've learned....
That when you harbor bitterness, happiness will dock elsewhere.

I've learned....
That I wish I could have told my Dad that I love him one more time before he passed away.

I've learned....
That one should keep his words both soft and tender, because tomorrow he may have to eat them.

I've learned....
That a smile is an inexpensive way to improve your looks.

I've learned....
That I can't choose how I feel, but I can choose what I do about it.

I've learned....
That when your newly born grandchild holds your little finger in his little fist, that you're hooked for life.

I've learned....
That everyone wants to live on top of the mountain, but all the happiness and growth occurs while you're climbing it.

I've learned ...
That it is best to give advice in only two circumstances; when it is requested and when it is a life-threatening situation.

I've learned....
That the less time I have to work with, the more things I get done.



Roger

Mr. Boggs - Renshi
Goshin Karate and Judo Academy
6245 E. Bell Road #120
Scottsdale, AZ. 85254
480-951-2236

http://www.GoshinKarate.com/
http://www.GoshinCares.com/
http://www.GoshinGirls.com/
http://www.goshingear.com/

http://www.yourworthdefending.com/
http://GoshinKarate.blogspot.com/

Karate Kids in Scotssdale Arizona -- Eat Right - National Nutrition Month

During National Nutrition Month, the Key to a Healthful Diet is Improving Your Nutrition from the Ground Up


It’s common knowledge that a healthful diet is an important part of a healthful lifestyle, but most people have trouble figuring out what to do when planning a complete diet overhaul. During National Nutrition Month®, the American Dietetic Association reminds everyone that an easy way to focus on eating better is to start with the basics: build your nutritional health from the ground up.

“By starting slowly and giving yourself a good foundation, you can work towards a healthier life,” says registered dietitian and ADA spokesperson Toby Smithson. “Change doesn’t have to be dramatic to make a difference.”

Smithson suggests ways to improve your nutrition from the ground up:

1.Focus on fruits and veggies: “Take a good look at your current diet and you’ll probably realize you’re not eating enough fruits or vegetables,” says Smithson. “Add a serving each day to one meal and increase it every few weeks. Adding more of these foods into your diet is important whether you buy frozen, fresh or organic.”

2.Look locally: From farmer’s markets to community-supported agriculture, you have many options to find new, fresh foods in your area. “This can be a great way to eat well and support your community at the same time,” Smithson says.

3.Make calories count: “Too often, people think of foods as good or bad and that only those on the ‘good foods’ list are okay to eat,” says Smithson. “When you’re choosing between options, focus instead on the one with more of the vitamins and nutrients that you need. Sometimes, foods with fewer calories aren’t always the healthiest options.” To figure out how many calories you need to achieve a healthy weight, visit www.mypyramid.gov.

4.Test your taste buds: A healthy eating plan emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat or fat-free dairy and includes lean meats, poultry, fish, beans and nuts. “Those are the basics, but within this wide range there are always opportunities to try new things and find new favorites,” Smithson says. “Expand your horizons. Try a fish you’ve never eaten before or find a new vegetable recipe. By testing yourself, you might find new healthy favorites to add to your regular grocery list.”

5.Trick yourself with treats: “A healthful diet doesn’t mean deprivation,” says Smithson. “If you have a sweet tooth, have fruit and yogurt for dessert. If you want a snack in the afternoon, have some trail mix or nuts. There is no reason to go hungry just because you’re making healthful changes.”

For more tips on building your healthful diet from the ground up, during National Nutrition Month and all year long, visit http://www.eatright.org/  and click on “For the Public.”

Roger


Mr. Boggs - Renshi
Goshin Karate & Judo Academy
6245 E. Bell Road #120
Scottsdale, AZ. 85254
480-951-2236

http://www.GoshinKarate.com/
http://www.GoshinCares.com/
http://www.GoshinGirls.com/
http://www.goshingear.com/

http://www.yourworthdefending.com/
http://GoshinKarate.blogspot.com/

Providing Instruction/Lessons in Martial Arts, Self Defense, Judo, Jujitsu, MMA and Karate, for Kids, Teens and Adults in the Cave Creek, Phoenix, Scottsdale and the entire north valley of Arizona since 1991.

PROVIDING INSTRUCTION: Karate for Kids Arizona Karate Lessons Arizona Karate School for Kids Child Karate Phoenix Martial Arts for Children Arizona Karate Scottsdale Kid Karate Arizona Karate for Child Self Defense for Women Martial Arts North Phoenix Martial Arts Arizona Cardio Kick Boxing Class Kick Boxing Cave Creek Kick Boxing Arizona Tae Kwon Do Scottsdale Karate Cave Creek kids children families Arizona Self Defense

FREE - Child Safety Workshop - April 24th

Kids don’t need to be told the world is a scary place.

They watch the news and hear adults talking.

Rather they need a class that will walk them

through the steps to deal with these situations.

Instilling Confidence is
the Best Ways

To prevent Child
Abduction and
Kidnapping

FREE - Quick Defense

Child Safety Workshop”

April 24th 2009 2:00 - 3:30pm

http://www.goshinkarate.com/kidsafe.html

Phoenix is called the Kidnapping Capital of the USA. and ranked #2 in the world! Last year there were 368 abductions reported, compared with 117 in 2000. Police say the real number is likely much higher, since many go unreported.

THAT IS ONE MISSING PERSON A DAY!

Is your child going to become the next statistic?

Now is the time to do something. It only takes an instant for a child to be injured or abducted. Empower your children with the knowledge and skills; to help them learn to protect themselves and stay safe.

Our seminar is a unique, comprehensive, anti-bully, anti-stranger, anti-predator program that stresses SAFETY! The Goshin Kids Quick Defense “Child Safety Workshop”, was established in 1991 to teach awareness about child safety, and to encourage communication between parents and children.

As a FREE community service, our trained Self Defense Experts will teach your children how to stay safe in today’s fast-paced world as well as how to respond properly to many potentially dangerous situations. .

This event is limited to the first 18 kids so CALL TODAY at 480-951-2236 to find out about our Goshin Kids Quick Defense “Child Safety Workshop”

http://www.goshinkarate.com/kidsafe.html


Roger


Mr. Boggs - Sensei
Goshin Karate & Judo Academy
6245 E. Bell Road #120
Scottsdale, AZ. 85254
480-951-2236

http://www.GoshinKarate.com/
http://www.GoshinCares.com/
http://www.GoshinGirls.com/
http://www.goshingear.com/

http://www.yourworthdefending.com/
http://GoshinKarate.blogspot.com/

Judo Gene LeBell's - Grappling World

WHAT A GREAT BOOK..... 

Gene LeBell is one of the greatest submission grapplers to ever wear a pair of wrestling tights or judo gi. What he has forgotten about grappling would make anyone an expert. Judo Gene is known as a master hooker and shooter in professional wrestling - a hooker is a wrestler who specializes in finishing holds, while a shooter is a wrestler who grapples for real.

Judo Gene's book on submission grappling, "Gene LeBell's Grappling World - The Encyclopedia of Finishing Holds", should be considered THE book to read for those who want to know more about submission grappling.

This book has taken Judo Gene years to write, and it is his legacy to the world of grappling. It is a massive text on the art of finishing holds, and contains over 600 pages outlining in great detail more than 950 finishing holds. Among the 600-plus pages are chapters on grips and handles; catches and grabs; foot and leg controls; arm bars and shoulder locks; wristlocks and twists; straight leglocks; ankle bends and twists; chokes; and necklocks and cranks. Many of the techniques shown in the volume are old, never-before-seen pro-wrestling techniques. These holds were used by the Ancient Greek and Roman pankration grapplers. This book explains why Gene LeBell is known as "The man of 10,000 finishing holds."

Never in the long and storied history of grappling has such a technical treasure been available to the general public. It is doubtful there will ever be another grappling text containing so many unique and devastating finishing holds.

This is the best book ever written on the art of submission grappling. This manual is a must for all serious martial artists, self-defense students, and grapplers. "

In a 50+ year career of high falls and fist fights, "Judo" Gene LeBell has crashed cars, jumped motorcycles, wrestled bears, incited riots and fought some of the toughest men in the world. He was an AAU National Judo Champion and a Professional Wrestling World Heavyweight Champion at a time when wrestling was more about survival than show business.

In this ONLY authorized autobiography, Gene gives us an insiders view of his childhood, movie sets, wrestling rings and Japanese dojo where he made his living and built his reputation by dishing out pain and punishment.

He was there during the "Golden Years" of martial arts growth in the U.S. and shares intimate experiences with legends like Sugar Ray Robinson, Muhammad Ali, Elvis Presley, Ed Parker, Bruce Lee, Andre "The Giant," Lou Thesz, Hulk Hogan, George "Superman" Reeves, Burt Reynolds, Chuck Norris and many others.

http://www.genelebell.com/product-31.html

Roger

Mr. Boggs - Sensei
Goshin Karate & Judo Academy
6245 E. Bell Road #120
Scottsdale, AZ. 85254
480-951-2236

http://www.GoshinKarate.com/
http://www.GoshinCares.com/
http://www.GoshinGirls.com/
http://www.goshingear.com/

http://www.yourworthdefending.com/
http://GoshinKarate.blogspot.com/

Are you losing your Marbles

3900 MARBLES or How Many Saturdays Do you Have Left??

The older I get, the more I enjoy Saturday mornings. Perhaps it's the quiet solitude that comes with being the first to rise, or maybe it's the unbounded joy of not having to be at work. Either way, the first few hours of a Saturday morning are most enjoyable.


A few weeks ago, I was shuffling toward the garage with a steaming cup of coffee in one hand and the morning paper in the other. What began as a typical Saturday morning turned into one of those lessons that life seems to hand you from time to time.

Let me tell you about it.

I turned the dial up into the phone portion of the band on my ham radio in order to listen to a Saturday morning swap net. Along the way, I came across an older sounding chap, with a tremendous signal and a golden voice. You know the kind; he sounded like he should be in the broadcasting business. He was telling whomever he was talking with something about "a thousand marbles." I was intrigued and stopped to listen to what he had to say.

"Well, Tom, it sure sounds like you're busy with your job. I'm sure they pay you well but it's a shame you have to be away from home and your family so much. Hard to believe a young fellow should have to work sixty or seventy hours a week to make ends meet. It's too bad you missed your daughter's dance recital" he continued. "Let me tell you something that has helped me keep my own priorities." And that's when he began to explain his theory of a "thousand marbles."

"You see, I sat down one day and did a little arithmetic. The average person lives about seventy-five years. I know, some live more and some live less, but on average, folks live about seventy-five years."

"Now then, I multiplied 75 times 52 and I came up with 3900, which is the number of Saturdays that the average person has in their entire lifetime. Now, stick with me, Tom, I'm getting to the important part. It took me until I was fifty-five years old to think about all this in any detail", he went on, "and by that time I had lived through over twenty-eight hundred Saturdays. I got to thinking that if I lived to be seventy-five, I only had about a thousand of them left to enjoy. So I went to a toy store and bought every single marble they had. I ended up having to visit three toy stores to round up 1000 marbles. I took them home and put them inside a large, clear plastic container right here in the shack next to my gear."

"Every Saturday since then, I have taken one marble out and throwing away. I found that by watching the marbles diminish, I focused more on the really important things in life."

"There is nothing like watching your time here on this earth run out to help get your priorities straight."

"Now let me tell you one last thing before I sign-off with you and take my lovely wife out for breakfast. This morning, I took the very last marble out of the container. I figure that if I make it until next Saturday then I have been given a little extra time. And the one thing we can all use is a little more time."

"It was nice to meet you Tom, I hope you spend more time with your family, and I hope to meet you again here on the band. This is a 75 Year old Man, K9NZQ, clear and going QRT, good morning!"

You could have heard a pin drop on the band when this fellow signed off. I guess he gave us all a lot to think about. I had planned to work on the antenna that morning, and then I was going to meet up with a few hams to work on the next club newsletter.

Instead, I went in the bedroom and woke my wife up with a kiss. "C'mon honey, I'm taking you and the kids to breakfast." "What brought this on" she asked with a smile." "Oh, nothing special, it's just been a long time since we spent a Saturday together with the kids. And hey, can we stop at a toy store while we're out? I need to buy some marbles."


Kind of make you think..... 


Roger


Mr. Boggs - Sensei
Goshin Karate & Judo Academy
6245 E. Bell Road #120
Scottsdale, AZ. 85254
480-951-2236

http://www.GoshinKarate.com/
http://www.GoshinCares.com/
http://www.GoshinGirls.com/
http://www.goshingear.com/

http://www.yourworthdefending.com/
http://GoshinKarate.blogspot.com/

Self Defense – And Much More

If your child wants to learn martial arts, says a karate champion, you should know how to choose a good school.

Self Defense – And Much More

An estimated 6.4 million people - up to 60 percent of them boys and girls aged 4-12 – are enrolled in martial arts classes in the U.S. today. What are these young people learning?

Speaking as someone with 30 years under his black belt, I’ve witnessed countless young martial-arts students learn far more than self-defense. I’ve seen shy beginners make dramatic gains in assertiveness and self-esteem. I’ve seen other children, who once found it difficult to focus, develop their attention spans so they performed better in school and at home. And I’ve heard from parents and teachers who told me how the strong emphasis on good manners and respect for others in martial-arts training resulted in improved behavior across the board. (Not surprisingly, parents often say they appreciate the values taught more than they do the defensive skills.)

Here are some tips in choosing a karate school:
• Consider your child’s readiness and level of interest. Instruction can begin between the ages of 4 and 6, with 5 being the norm. While the martial arts are fun, mastering them is a serous endeavor involving basic coordination, maturity and motivation. (Note too that youngsters over 13 generally take adult classes.)

• Define clearly what you and your child hope he or she will gain. If recreation is the goal, a program at a community center may suffice. But if the goal is to learn self-defense and/or stimulate personal development, I recommend a professional school certified by the National Association of Professional Martial Artist (NAPMA), which ensures that it is fun, safe and effective. Classes usually are small and age-specific and begin with a no-belt program, so no child feels inferior or out of place. In addition, much of the serious self-defense training is postponed in favor of more age-appropriate and fun activities.

• Visit the schools that interest you. Observe how the instructor handles students. Be on the alert for those who try to achieve obedience and subservience under the guise of “humility” and “respect”. Likewise, military or commando-type language should never be used with children.

• Ask about testing. When they test your child for rank, is it done in front of the class, or do they pretest first so that your child never fails in public?

• Trust your instincts. The school you choose should be well kept, with a family atmosphere and lots of smiles from all concerned. You should fell confident that the staff is dedicated to providing excellent, kind instruction.

The reward for your care in choosing the best martial-arts school will be a healthy, happy child with self-confidence and discipline that will serve him-or her-well throughout life.

By Joe Lewis..... Joe Lewis-a Marine veteran of Vietnam and former world heavyweight champion in both karate and kickboxing-teaches martial-arts instructor, including those who work with children. He was named “greatest karate fighter of all time” by “Karate Illustrated” magazine. Lewis is based in Wilmington, N.C. For information kit on martial arts, write: NAPMA, 3950 Third St North, Dept. P, St. Petersburg, FL 33703



Roger
Mr. Boggs - Sensei
Goshin Karate & Judo Academy
6245 E. Bell Road #120
Scottsdale, AZ. 85254
480-951-2236

http://www.GoshinKarate.com/
http://www.GoshinCares.com/
http://www.GoshinGirls.com/
http://www.goshingear.com/

http://www.yourworthdefending.com/
http://GoshinKarate.blogspot.com/