NEW GOALS FOR 2007

For this year we have set many goals and we are well on the way to accomplishing most of them. As always the beginning of the New Year brings many new challenges. This year is not any different from the past. Along with a renewal of what is important to us it is also a time of growth. As we are working to achieve our goals this renewal will take on many forms, the most important for this year will be based on health. I am looking forward to both a western and an eastern medical approach towards a healthier life.

As we look at these opposing views of the medical world we hope to focus on a healthier life style for ourselves as well as our students. It will be through this information that we will be able to accomplish these goals. We will at the same time be focusing our attention on the martial aspect of these medical viewpoints. It is through this understanding of the body that we will be able to add power and focus to our martial arts strikes.

To this end we will be taking two paths. Both will be traveled at the same time. One path is of course to a healthier life and a stronger body. The second path will be to understand how to make strikes more power full, which makes the movements more effective. Through these two paths the physical and the mental can be united to form the one, which is a healthy and effective martial artist.

This will be accomplished by a continued training in our style of Kenpo Chuan. Coupled with a body conditioning, Iron Palm, Iron Bell, brick work and stretching. At the same time we will be working with the concept of the yin-yang, meridian and acupoint concepts as well as all forms of Easter medical practices.

All of this training will take place as we also continue our Qi-gung training. All of this year or however long it takes to accomplish these goals. Our focus will be on uniting the internal and external concepts of our art. As this all takes place I will continue to add these ideas and concepts to our training schedule. So that you will get a better idea as to where the students at Prokenpo Martial Arts will be advancing in there training schedule.

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“A NEW PATH IN LIFE OR JUST THE CONTINUATION OF THE RIGHT PATH”

Life would be nothing if it were not for the choices we are faced with.  Every moment of everyday we are faced with choices, from the moment we awake to the moment we fall asleep.  This is the natural order of things, it is through these choices that our lives are defined.  Each choice leads to another and so on and so on until we make our final choice to join our maker for life is only a path to him.

I also believe that if one is following his true path in life, that when it is needed a teacher will make himself/or she know to him.  There are teachers of all the parts of one’s life, that teacher could even be a painting or a written word or hopefully a person.  If you are true to life and open to that which is around you at all times then that teacher will be awaken within you.

I believe that I am first and foremost a teacher , but as a good teacher I have to first and foremost be a good student.  As a student I have to be open to learning and seeing through others eyes.  It is through the use of other people’s eyes that we are taught our greatest lessons in life.  I have my own studio because it is through the eyes of my students that I am learning some of the best lessons in Kenpo Chuan Fa that I have experienced.

The other part of my nature is that I very seldom believe that I have to explain myself. The choices I make speak for themselves.  As I make these choices I am prepared to be responsible for the outcome of each one.  I am accountable for my actions but that is usually only between my maker and myself.

I have become aware through other peoples comments that I need to make public that which is very private.  “It is not a small thing that I take on a teacher and it is never a small thing to me to make a commitment.” I have hoped that others would have let that be what it should be, but I guess that was not to be.

I will now make this statement that should not have had to be made.

I have taken Si-gung Antwione Alferos as my teacher, with the hope that through his eyes I will develop myself, my art and most importantly my students to a much, much higher level of skill.  I have made the commitment to be his Senior Disciple and the protector of the Family that we are forming.  We have co-founded an Association that I believe will help our family and all of my students to reach the level of artistry that I have set forth within my
own studio and my system of Kenpo-The Georgion method of Kenpo Chaun FA.  My studio has always been my martial arts family and as the head of that family I am responsible for their development both in and out of the martial arts.

Si-gung and myself are set on a path of many goals, which the fighting arts are only a small part.  Even thought it is still a very important part.  It is through honor, loyalty, duty and respect of and for each other and our vast knowledge, and the guidance of our elders within the arts that will develop our path together.

“I have stated the obvious because some people can not or will not see that which I see so clearly.  Without loyalty and duty to family and our elders what is the value of life?”

BE CAREFUL OF YOUR THOUGHTS

After living for fifty or sixty years you start to think you know most of the answers concerning life’s special occurrences. As we go on through life with the special belief’s we think we understand, believing that our cups are never full of the knowledge governing these special events. And that we are pretty powerless to change there out comes. We by chance (if there is really anything that is by chance), see or hear or read something that is so simple yet so profound that we are set back. This new idea seems so simple that a ten year old can understand it yet as you reflect on it, it seems so profound that it can transform a nation.

I would like to take a moment to share such an event with you. I do not say this lightly, in a moment of deeper insight I realized how profoundly simplistic yet complex an idea can be. I do not know if this was authored by Grand Master Jaime Basquez, or not, but I will forever be thankful to him and Grand Master Lucky Luciano for sharing it with me.

• “Be careful of your thoughts, for your thoughts become your words.”
• “Be careful of your words, for your words become your actions”.
• “Be careful of your actions, for your actions become your habits”.
• “Be careful of your habits, for your habits become your character”.
• “Be careful of your character, for your character becomes your destiny”.

With these simple thoughts you then have control of your words, actions, habits, character and your destiny. If you then develop your thoughts in a positive manor you develop your words. Your words then become the guide of your actions, which shape your habits, which ultimately show your true character, which becomes your destiny (which is the result of your character). As long as your path is guided by morality, spirituality, respect, duty and honor. Then your control will be strong and your destiny will be pure.

If nations would also follow this lesson, then there destiny would not only be in there hands but would reach levels not even dreamed of.

Later,

Professor Georgion.

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What is inner-strength and how does it apply to the martial arts?

As with any good question the answer may seem simple and actually be very complex.

Inner-strength is that quality that some refer to as a backbone. The strength to stand up for what you believe in. The strength to do what you believe is right no matter what others believe.To live yor life as a man or woman not as if you are a child and that you are always responsible for your actions.

In the martial arts this can be seen how you work with and treat your students. In competition this can be seen in how you conduct yourself in and out of the ring and how you relate to the judges. In the street this can be seen in how you stand up for yourself and others.

The term martial arts refers to martial meaning fighting and arts meaning way, the fighting way. How do you conduct your fighting ability? There is a home for sports karate and it has a valuable place in america.If sports karate is taught at face value then it is all right. It is not good however If sports karate is taught and sold to the public as a martial art, a fighting way and the people that learn sports karate and are lead to believe that is self-defense.

The inner-strength if the martial arts comes form the buildign of honor,loyalty,respect of life,respect of elders and most importantly self respect. Then within the training the student will build their inner strength as well as their physical strength. Qi-Gung training incorperated into your system is very important to the inner strength training of your students.

When training students in the martial arts we should encompass the physical as well as the mental training in the fighting arts. Our goals are the conditioning of the mind, body and spirit. This trinity is the building blocks of life as well as the martial arts.The body is controlled by the mind and the spirit is the force that drives them both.

In the near future we will be covering many of the techniques and ideas we are using to build this within our students.

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AMERICAN MARTIAL ARTIST

It seems that as always we Americans fall into our own trap.  The way we live our lives, the freedom's that we have become the trap that destroys our way of life.  With all of this freedom comes the worst freedom of all, the freedom to forget our past.  The freedom to not to be responsible for our own actions or the actions of the people around us,  that there actions do not reflect our own actions.

As American Martial Artist's we seem to easily fall into this trap of forgetting where and how our arts were brought to us.  American's are good at using words and not backing them up with our own actions.  In the Army we had a saying, you should not only be able to "talk the talk", but you have to be able to "walk the walk". This basically means that you have to be able to back up your words with your actions no matter what the out come of your actions may be. To take responsibility for your own actions.

In the martial arts, we as instructors can site our own lineage, the ancestors that have brought us our martial arts knowledge.  This then gives us an air of the  debt we owe our students, but not the scope of what that debt really means.  Can we really understand the time and effort that it took to bring our Martial Arts to us.  What our ancestors had to give up to get the understanding that they passed on to their students.

I have been teaching and training in the Martial Arts for over thirty-two years.  I have also been involved with tournaments for most of that time.  Through that time I have met many people and judged ten's of thousands of students.  The trend with most American tournaments is labeled Sports Karate.  This in its self is not necessarily a bad thing.  Sports Karate seems to be running a poor parallel to the Chinese Wushu practitioners.  This seems to be a poor mix of some Karate and some Gymnastics.   The use of flash without a continuous flow, and a lack of balance coupled with a lack of Martial Arts content seems to be the norm.

The use of Sports seems to be used by some studios to chase the buck not to build the proper martial attitude. Through the chase of the buck the teachings of Honor, Loyalty, Respect and the Martial Family are going by the way side.

I see the lack of respect for the Art's and the Senior Black belts who judge these students on a daily basis.  A student is only a copy of there instructors and as such I judge the instructor by the student. Without the teachings of the Martial Family of duty to the system and the other students, without the value of Honor and Respect I can not see a bright future for the Martial Arts as a whole.  The Respect, Honor, Loyalty, Commitment and Family have to be more than just words.

We as Instructors have to walk the walk, take responsibility and hold ourselves and our students to a higher value.  That we may need to weed out the bad apples no matter the lose of money we may suffer from our actions.  To understand that we teach Martial Arts and the true spirit of a Warrior.  This spirit needs to be forged in competition not lost in the flash.

I challenge all Martial Artists to rebuild thier own Martial Arts Family with an eye to the future.  Where Respect, Honor, Loyalty, Spirit and the Family are the ultimate goals.

Professor Tom Georgion

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SPEED AND POWER

At some point in their training all serous Martial Artists (in one way or another), ask themselves what are the components of speed and power. Speed and power are the main principles of any martial arts technique. These two factors are the ones that are the most important to the success of the technique.

I also believe that most serious Martial Artists are looking for the easy fix or most commonly the mystical secrets of the past masters (going back many generations to the beginnings of their system). In doing so most of the practitioners of the arts believe that these so called secrets died with the ancient masters. With this belief student’s growth within their art is either slowed down on even halted. But is this really the truth or just a stumbling block. I believe it is the latter case so we will explore these components of speed and power.

The seeds of speed and power are burned within the proper use of technique taught correctly to the student by the masters of their systems. The components of speed and power are very simple and are rooted within the proper action of the body. The correct use of timing and the proper understanding of distance become paramount in developing both speed and power. Mr. Edmund K. Parker, founder of American Kenpo, said you increase speed and power by rounding the corners and oblonging the circles. This simple statement holds a much larger truth and within it holds the roots of your growth. Yet this is only the beginning of our quest to develop speed and power.

As we start our search to gain speed and power within our techniques we must start at the beginning. This is a process that happens every time we learn a new technique. The student needs to learn all the basic movements within the technique. Then the student through the guidance of his master and through the proper application of basic’s develops the proper movements. Through the knowledge of the technique both physically and mentally the student will naturally develop both the speed of movement and the power of the strikes. This then becomes the basic speed and power of that technique and will only increase slightly over years of practice.

Now we can breakdown the components of speed and power and developing them within each technique. We can then develop the real speed and power behind the technique. This I believe is what we all have believed in as the so-called secrets that the master only handed down to the chosen few. Lets then break each of these down so that the secrets will not be secrets.

Professor Tom Georgion

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HAPPY NEW YEAR

I hope the new year finds all Martial Artist up to the challenge's of the future.  It seems we are needed (Martial Artist) more as time goes on.  We can hide within our own schools or we can become leaders in the structure of the morals needed by the younger generation.

With war and the talk of war all around us and with the moral decay of our youth, our job (if we are up to the challenge), will be very trying.  As teachers our responsibilities to our students become more then to just teach Martial Technique.  We can no longer teach by word (do what I tell you not what I do).  We as teachers need to lead our students by example.  We need to set the standard we live by and then live that way.

To that end, this corner is dedicated.

The first step, January 1st, 2003, and if you choose the second step will be January 2nd, 2003.

Professor Georgion

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YEAR END THOUGHTS

Throughout my training in the martial arts, there have been many saying's to guide my efforts.  One was practice does not make you perfect but only perfect practice can bring perfection.   Another saying was you always have to give one hundred percent in your practice.   And yet another states that the only secret in the Martial Arts is practice, practice, practice!!! Each system, each school, even each instructor will have their own sayings, and yet they all have a common thread.

The thread is not a secret it is really the truth of the mind or more precisely the use of your mind.   The mind relates to the will and the will is the guide for the spirit.  All training in the Martial Arts relates to the internal guiding and strengthening the external.  In most Martial Arts this is the hidden part of the training, in a good art this is the advanced training, in a not so good art this is the accidental training over a long period of time.  Whether an instructor knows how to make this happen or it comes about as an accident it does to some degree still happen.

In the Kenpo system the student primarily learns and develops through the use of an external system.   This system is used to develop both the mind and the body through the use of the fighting spirit.  With the addition of Qi-Gung training the internal life force can be developed, strengthened and finally projected through the different weapons.  This training then can be used as a shield to protect the body when you are being struck.   Lastly and most importantly it can be used to heel the body from within.

As we further our training at Prokenpo Martial Arts these ideas will be further revealed.  Our students are our primary responsibility.

Professor Georgion

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THE BIRTH OF A NEW SCHOOL. 

What does it mean and where may it develop.

A new studio is like a new child that is born into an already developed society.  How will that child develop and grow within that society.  Will the child grow to be strong and healthy or will its development be weak and sickly.

As the Father thinks of his newborn child, is how the owner thinks about his new studio.  The education of the child, taking care of the child's needs and the child's advancements in his life.   How will the child grow to become more than just the Child.  How the Father will be able to care for the child even if something happens to the Father.  How will the child grow so that he will be able to develop his own family so that the Father will become a Grandfather.

The society of American Kenpo Karate is the style of the New Child.  The name of the new child is Prokenpo Martial Arts.  Within the style of American Kenpo, Prokenpo Martial Arts will grow and develop.  It will become strong both from within and from without.   The tradition of American Kenpo is the ability to change to fit the needs of the people it serves.

American Kenpo of the 60's and 70's is growing and developing into the needs of the 21st Century.   Prokenpo Martial Arts will be there to fill the needs of those people.  The strength, morals and the family unit will be the keys to the growth of the New American Kenpo Karate system.

Self defense will be its face and the family will be its heart.  Its strength will be its wisdom and through this all its growth shall deliver many children.  The children will have many children and I will be a happy Grandfather.  To this end Prokenpo Martial arts will serve its students and grow to its full maturity.

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WHAT ARE THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE MARTIAL ARTIST SOCIETY?

In this day and age where it seems that no-one believes they have any responsibilities.  That they don't have to be held accountable for their actions.  That it is the responsibility of some other entity to take care of our (Martial Artists) responsibility to those we teach.  

Are we as Martial Artists to be held to a higher degree of moral responsibility then the average person? Or are we to follow the path of the sheep in our society and be part of the herd, lowering our need for morality as our society grows.

I have been a Martial Artist for over thirty years, and I believe that we (Martial Artists), need to be accountable, to be responsible to teach the moral end of the human condition.  Our students come to us to learn self defense and in truth Self Defense (to protect ourselves), from the evil of an immoral life style is as important as defending against a physical attack.

As instructors we should say do as I do, instead of saying do as I say.  We are the leaders of our students and as leaders we should lead from the front lines of society.  We need to be examples not only of proper Martial Arts Techniques (forms, sets, fighting principals, etc) but also in our personal as well as social lives.

As Martial Artists, words like commitment, human respect, loyalty, equality and morality should be our life style as well as what we require from our students.  As we live so we should teach and expect the same from our students.

We as teachers can not expect from our students that which we are not willing to live up to ourselves.

PROFESSOR GEORGION

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TEACHING

IN THE MARTIAL ARTS, THE PATH OF A TEACHER IS DIFFERENT, YET IT IS ALSO THE SAME AS BEING A STUDENT.  TEACHING THE MARTIAL ARTS IS REALLY NOT ANY DIFFERENT FROM TEACHING ANY OTHER SUBJECT.  THE STUDENT AND THE TEACHER SHOULD WORK TOGETHER TO DISCOVER THE TRUTH OF THE MATERIAL BEING TAUGHT.  IT IS IN THIS DISCOVERING OF THE TRUTH THAT THE PATH OF THE STUDENT AND THE TEACHER BECOME THE SAME.

THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECT OF BEING A TEACHER IS THAT OF RESPECT.  RESPECT IS A TWO WAY STREET, IT STARTS WITH THE STUDENT SHOWING HIS/HER RESPECT FOR THE TEACHER AND AT THE SAME TIME THE TEACHER NEEDS TO SHOW RESPECT FOR THE STUDENT.  AS THE STUDENT STARTS TO LEARN IT BECOMES THE INSTRUCTOR WHO DEVELOPS THE AMOUNT OF RESPECT THE STUDENT SHOWS HIM/HER.  THE ATTITUDE OF THE INSTRUCTOR HELPS TO DEVELOP THIS RESPECT.  TEACHING SHOULD BE A GROWING EXPERIENCE FOR BOTH THE TEACHER AND THE STUDENT.  TELLING PEOPLE HOW GOOD YOU ARE OR HOW GOOD THE ART IS REALLY BACKFIRES AND WORKS AGAINST YOU.  STUDENTS ARE REALLY SMART PEOPLE AND THEY WILL KNOW HOW GOOD YOU ARE AND HOW GOOD THE ART IS, BY YOUR TEACHING ABILITY AND HOW YOU MOVE.  STUDENTS WILL DO WHAT YOU DO NOT WHAT YOU SAY, THEY WILL COPY YOUR ACTION, THIS IS JUST A TRUISM.

TEACHERS (INSTRUCTORS) SHOULD CHOOSE THE WORDS THAT THEY USE WHEN INSTRUCTING THEIR STUDENTS VERY CAREFULLY.  REMEMBER THAT YOUR STUDENTS LOOK UP TO YOU AND THEY WOULD LIKE TO BE AS GOOD AS YOU ARE.  FROM THE BEGINNING OF YOUR TEACHING EVERYTHING THAT IS SAID TO THE STUDENT SHOULD BE OF A POSITIVE NATURE.   IF A NEW STUDENT HAS TAKEN SOME KICKBOXING CLASSES AND HIS/HER KICKS DO NOT LOOK VERY GOOD THE WRONG WAY TO TEACH IS TO SAY TO THE STUDENT "YOUR KICKS REALLY LOOK BAD FOR A KICK BOXER." INSTEAD THE POSITIVE WAY WOULD BE TO SAY YOUR KICKS ARE NOT BAD, BUT IN OUR STYLE IF YOU EXECUTED IT THIS WAY, THEY WOULD WORK BETTER.  OR IF YOU HAVE TAUGHT A STUDENT A FORM AND THEY HAVE WORKED ON IT, THE WRONG WAY WOULD BE TO SAY "WHAT IS THAT? IT LOOKS TERRIBLE", THE RIGHT WAY WOULD BE TO SAY "YOUR FORM IS ALL RIGHT BUT IF YOU CHANGE IT HERE AND HERE, WORKING ON YOUR MOVES THEN IT WOULD BE BETTER".  MAKING THE STUDENT FEEL THAT ALL HIS PAST TRAINING HAS NOT BEEN A WASTE OF TIME, BY ALWAYS BEING POSITIVE ABOUT THE STUDENTS DEVELOPMENT, YOU CAN GUIDE THE STUDENT THROUGH HIS/HER PERSONAL GROWTH.

WITHIN THE MARTIAL ARTS, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO DEVELOP YOUR STUDENTS KNOWLEDGE OF THE MARTIAL ARTS, BETTER HOW THEY MOVE, BETTER THEIR PHYSICAL ABILITY, DEVELOP THEIR SELF CONFIDENCE, ETC. TO GUIDE THE STUDENTS MIND IS A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF THE INSTRUCTORS JOB IN TEACHING.

TEACHING IS NOT FOR EVERYONE, SOME PEOPLE ARE VERY GOOD AT WHAT THEY DO YET HAVE A PROBLEM CONVEYING TEACHING TO OTHER PEOPLE.  IF YOU ARE OF THIS TYPE OF PERSON THEN TEACHING MAY NOT BE FOR YOU AND IT MAY BE BETTER FOR YOU TO REMAIN A PRACTITIONER IN THE ARTS AND LEAVE THE TEACHING TO THOSE PEOPLE THAT CAN PUT IT ALL TOGETHER.

PROFESSOR GEORGION

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