Sensei's Swingle Intro Letter in our Student Manual - Karate Fit USA LLC | Lawrenceville, NJ

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Sensei's Swingle Intro Letter in our Student Manual

Dear Student,
This manual is provided to help guide you to a better understanding of the Martial Arts and yourself. Whether an adult or a child, whether training for exercise, fun and focus, or whether interested primarily in self-defense or sparring, martial arts training brings countless and lifelong benefits to participants.  This manual contains much information and all the requirements needed to earn your black belt, but will continue to evolve and should be supplemented with your own learning. Like any book, it is the result of the experiences and thoughts of the author(s). Let it be a guide for you instead of a substitute for your own experience and discoveries.
I would especially like to thank the late Sensei Harp, and all the people at Harp Karate who helped me get started on my journey many years ago. Much of this Manual is inspired by (appropriated from!) the Harp Manual from decades ago. The foundation I was given back in the 1980s allowed me to keep an open mind as I trained in different styles in the U.S. and Japan, learning new techniques and approaches while acknowledging the common threads that connect the various arts. My hope is that I can similarly help you as so many have helped me.
Too many waste time with talk, trying to analyze and find shortcuts. To truly understand yourself and realize the benefits of the martial arts, there is no more valuable teacher than practice and personal experience. Just make sure it is proper practice (ask an instructor if unsure), to avoid bad habits. As I was taught growing up, "In the dojo, talk with your hands and your feet, not with your mouth."
Regardless of age or gender, whether an athlete or someone who has never tried a push-up, everyone has a starting point, and everyone can start setting and achieving goals to improve.
Martial arts are unique: we need others to help us improve, but we don't measure ourselves against others. We do not earn Orange belt by "beating" a Yellow belt; we attain Orange by "beating" where we were as a Yellow belt. Just as everyone has a different start point, everyone should have different goals and expectations.  We all have the ability to learn and grow if we put in the effort!
The Promotion Requirements detailed in this Manual are also meant to be a guide to help you know what to work on. Requirements may be modified as appropriate to challenge and motivate your progress, and the belts you earn are an outward sign of completing those requirements and a signal that you are ready for new challenges and techniques.
Most train hoping to get their Black Belt. That is understandably a worthy goal, but do not be so fixated that you fail to learn the many lessons that each step toward that goal has to offer. During your journey you will experience many rewarding feelings of accomplishment, and surely many obstacles. The overcoming of obstacles is what gives the satisfaction, and sets you up to meet the next, perhaps more difficult challenge. You will experience times of great enthusiasm and accomplishment, times of low energy and setbacks, and times when no matter how hard you try you do not seem to move forward. These are called "plateaus" in your journey.
Do not be discouraged by setback and times of little reward - persevere! Similarly, do not dwell on your successes too much: Be happy with your accomplishments but realize a new cycle of challenges is coming.
It is like riding a wave to the shore: As you ride, you feel exhilarated being thrust along through no effort of your own, but eventually the wave reaches the shore and the ride ends.
To ride another wave, you must swim back out against the current and waves. It isn't easy, but in your mind you understand the reward that awaits your effort.
Eventually you realize that in order to ride a faster and stronger wave, you have to swim out farther against stronger resistance, but the rewards for your extra efforts will be far greater.
It is the same with Martial Arts.
If you think that when you reach the rank of Black Belt you will be the same person, simply wearing a different color belt, you are greatly mistaken. Dedication to the martial arts changes you!
The requirements listed in this book are the minimums to which you should aim. Always strive for more - never be content with doing just enough to get by. If you do not limit your goals, your rewards and accomplishments will similarly be limitless.
The word "Sensei" means "one who has gone (lived) before." My purpose is to serve as a guide for you, and help you know what to practice and how.  I can point the way, but I cannot carry you. You must walk the path yourself.
The time you spend in practice, whether in the dojo or elsewhere, is time and energy invested in your SELF. Your SELF is the center of your life. When all else is stripped away - your money, your house, your job and all your possessions, you will still have your SELF.  If your center is strong you will live in harmony, and you will never fail where you truly attempt to succeed.
While it is important to develop and take care of your SELF, you should of course not be selfish. Remember all those who helped you, whether family, instructors, fellow students or others, and try to give back by helping newer students, asking if there is something you can help out with at the dojo, etc. Another unique aspect of the martial arts is that the more experienced and "good" practitioners tend to be the most humble, as they realize that you only get to the advanced stages because of a lot of people supporting your hard work and progress.
Mark Swingle  
"Sensei Swingle"  
Shihan, Master Instructor  
Kids Martial Arts Classes - try for free!

Kids Martial Arts Classes - try for free!

Thank you for your interest in Children's Karate / Martial Arts Classes. We have separate classes for different age groups and experience levels, allowing us to have group-appropriate content and activities. We also sometimes use our two different rooms to focus on subgroups within a class. Our students learn to protect themselves, express themselves, and grow as people and as martial artists.

We focus on self-development and fitness through self-defense, but in an age-appropriate, safe and fun manner. -This is why some of our Instructors have been with us for 10, 15 and even 20 or more years, often themselves starting as a Little Ninja!

We always offer a free trial, either in their group or private mini-class if preferred, and we offer a New Student Special to allow for an extended risk-free chance to confirm they want to continue training longer-term with us.

Thank you for contacting us. We will follow up with you as soon as we can to answer any questions you might have and to schedule your free trial class! You can also call or text 609-690-9060 for more info, and can pre-register for your trial class at www.karatefitusa.net/signup

Adult Martial Arts - Try a Free Class!

Adult Martial Arts - Try a Free Class!

We offer Adult classes for all ability and experience levels, sometimes using our two rooms and offering variations to challenge Beginners and Advanced students and properly direct the material.

We focus on self-development and fitness through self-defense, but in a safe, fun and effective manner. Our classes include Karate, Weapons and Small Circle Jujitsu techniques, with both solo, partner and group work.  Training brings mental and physical health benefits, and increases confidence to help improve your life outside of karate as well - even if you hopefully never need to use the many techniques you will learn!

Please come in for a free trial, either a regular group class to see what that is all about, or we can also arrange a private mini-class if preferred. We then have a New Student Special to allow for an extended risk-free period to reconfirm you like our approach and look to continue longer-term.

Thank you for contacting us. We will follow up with you as soon as we can to answer any questions you might have and to schedule your free trial class! You can also call or text 609-690-9060 for more info, and can pre-register for your trial class at www.karatefitusa.net/signup