Bobby Lawrence Karate

Concentration in Karate Training

2009-08-18T12:02:00.002-06:00

Why is concentration so important in karate training?

The first prinicple taught at Bobby Lawrence Karate is respect, respect for self, others, and eventually other things. Respect is associated with the third energy center, Rei in Japanese. Through this energy center we set clear boundaries. Through this and the second energy center we harness the power of our ki'ai.

The second principle taught at Bobby Lawrence Karate and the one discussed in this blog is concentration. Concentration is the ability to focus on one thing. There are two types of concentration or focus, white dot and black dot. Most of us are familiar with white dot focus and that's where begin. Picture a white dot on a black background. The white dot represents what you are focusing on. The black back ground represents everything else, the things you are not focusing on. For example if your school teacher were talking, you should listen to him or her and not to a whispering buddy. Or when you're playing footbal and attempting to catch a pass that's in the air on its way to you, you focus on the ball and ignore the defensive back's attempt to ruff or mess you up. This is white dot focus.

Concentration is a fundamental skill to be practiced early and throughout your training at Bobby Lawrence Karate. Concentration helps us learn faster. Just last Saturday while teaching another black belt a self defense technique, metaphorically referred to as Delayed Sword, it was amazing to watch her struggle with the technique until she relaxed and started concentrating on one point, i.e., her partner's neck or throat area. From that point forward she picked up the technique easily and quite competently.

The second type of focus is black dot focus. This is much harder to understand, but once understood opens up a whole new world and way of training in karate. The idea here is to focus your eyes on one point but instead of excluding all other stimuli you increase your awareness. It is said that ultimate awarenss is true enlightenment. I practice karate as a vehicle for me to become enlightened. If you want to train like me, then when you practice karate focus your eyes on one thing but think of nothing or no thing and become aware of everything. It may sound like mumbo jumbo, but it's really fun to try. In fact, I challenge you to try it in your very next class. And let me know how it works.

Bobby Lawrence

Practice Karate Without Self Criticism

2009-08-15T10:48:00.003-06:00

I prefer to practice karate like the masters of old. For them and me it was a means of enlightenment. One of the keys to practicing this way is to practice without self criticism. In the modern world where ego wants us so badly to be number one, we often miss the subtle value of seeking enlightenment through practicing our karate without self criticism.

Just today in my class one of my black belt students while learning a new self defense technique started chiding herself for not being able to pick it up as quickly as she would have liked. As a seasoned teacher I reminded her that the goal of karate is perfection of character or enlightenment and that it is more easily obtained when we practice non jugdment, even to ourselves. I continued, though that's kind of a zen concept Jesus said much the same when He cautioned his disciples against judging others.

Bobby Lawrence, Founder Karate Kwon Shu

Respect in the Martial Arts

2009-08-01T12:30:00.001-06:00

From the very beginning, martial artists realized that respect was essential to their practice in many ways. How would you like your practice partner to use excessive force while you are trying to learn a technique? What if a student decided he didn't have to follow the master's instructions? What if the best fighter decided he would treat people wrong just because he could?

Indeed, one of the first things we teach a new student is how to show respect. If student is not willing to show respect and obey the rules of karate, then they cannot be taught.

The most common way to signify respect in martial arts is with a simple bow. Even when we bow to the master, we are not saying that we worship him, but rather that we respect him, his curriculum, and his teachings.

Many children, once they are a certain age, learn that their parents are not perfect. This can be a hard blow because many children have nearly an attitude of worship for their parents. At that point, they have two options. They can love them and continue to respect them. Or, they can rebel.

I hope you are one that can forgive your parents, role models, and heroes for not being perfect. That you will be able to see the good in them and how much they really care for you. That you will be able to accept them as they are and learn from their mistakes. All this while still giving them all the respect they deserve.

Let the Black Belt within you break free!
For a great Martial Arts Program, check out www.BobbyLawrenceKarate.net

Repetition in Martial Arts

2009-08-01T05:57:00.002-06:00

Do you ever learn something that you know will help you in your life, but you don't apply it? Sure, maybe you try it once or even twice. Yet, for some reason, even though you learn something intellectually, and even though you know it is good for you, it just doesn't become part of your life. Funny creatures, aren't we?

One way to make something become part of you is through forced repetition. I know, it's not easy, but for a limited time, while you are excited about the goal or the outcome, force yourself to do the thing over and over until you become a different person – a person with this particular habit. Once you have established the momentum, it will take less effort to keep it going.

Many routines, patterns, and habits are good for us and give us structure, but be careful not to over structure your life. This is called getting in a rut. It leaves no room for creativeness, spontaneity, and improvement.

For example, broccoli is good for you, but it's bad to eat just broccoli for every meal. Doing kicks and punches the same way every day would get very boring and suck the fun out of your martial arts practice. Fortunately, there are innumerable ways to practice your basics and systematically build on them. If you can't think of some fun drills, ask your instructor to help you.

Remember, if you want a pattern to become part of your life, you have to become the kind of person that has that particular habit, and forced repetition is the key to becoming that person.

Let the Black Belt within you break free!
For a great Martial Arts program, check out www.BobbyLawrenceKarate.net

When Children Fight

2009-06-06T08:06:00.001-06:00

Dealing with fighting children is a huge challenge. Here are 5 basic guidelines that are easy to memorize and remember in the moment of frustration.

1. You Are in Control

Don't get caught in the emotion when solving a fight between kids. Remember that you are in control. There are many tactics for keeping yourself calm in tense situations. Count to ten (if there is time), take a deep breath, think of a happy time or something good the children have done, etc. The point is to find something that works for you.

Once you are clam, separate the fighting children physically, like a boxing referee. Calmly stop the verbal accusations. In order to stop the evil eyes, face pulling, and gestures, you will need to divert their attention to something besides each other, such as having them focus on a family picture or listen for a cricket.

2. Disarm and Set the Tone

Look each one in the eyes and sincerely say, "I love you." This reminds them and you that you really do love them and want to help them overcome the situation and you aren't just a mad authority figure dolling out a punishment. You can even give each one a hug or elaborate on wanting to have a happy family.

Usually they will still be mad and reluctant to let go of their anger. That's fine. They have adrenaline in their veins and it must be used. Jumping jacks, push ups, and hitting a punching bag are all good ways to use up the adrenaline.

3. Start With Feelings

Instead of asking what happened, first ask how they feel. Once they have expressed how they feel, ask them why they feel that way. At first it will be difficult to keep both from talking at once and from accusing each other. Reassure them that each will have a turn to talk.

4. See Other's Point of View

If your children are over 5 years old, help them see the situation from the other person's point of view. Remember, who is right and who is wrong is not as important as what we learn from the experience.

5. Discuss the Consequences

If one or both children are at fault, discuss the natural consequences of their actions and any punishment that may be required. At this point, even a spanking will not psychologically damage the child. They know you love them and don't want to punish them. It is mechanical rather than passionate.

Remember, your children aren't perfect and neither are you. Don't be too hard on them or yourself. Every conflict is a learning opportunity.

On the other hand, your children have unlimited potential. If you teach them how to learn from fights and conflicts as a child, they will have a skill they can use throughout their lives.

Let the Black Belt within you break free!
For a great Martial Arts program, check out www.BobbyLawrenceKarate.net

Target Areas

2009-04-14T20:15:00.002-06:00

When you are facing an attacker that is bigger and stronger than you are, there are a few martial arts principles that can help level the playing field. One of these tricks is to strike certain target areas. For example, being poked in the eye hurts worse than being punched in the shoulder. Am I right? Before you start thinking about how hard you can hit or kick, it might pay to focus on where to hit and the best way to make contact.

In life, this can be likened to having a plan created from an effective vision. Every person should strive to be a leader, no matter what roles they play in life. I have heard it said that the man who knows how will always have a job. The man who knows why will always be his boss.

The vision for a company comes from a leader that has foresight, analyzes and predicts trends, and is willing to take responsibility for important decisions. These leaders are important because the choices they make will shape the destiny and profitability of the company.

Families also need strong leaders to create a vision and make decisions. However, their decisions are far more reaching because their choices shape the character of family members. From a broader perspective, our individual family decisions are shaping the moral fiber of our society.

What kind of leader are you? Do you know the targets you are striving for? Do you execute decisions with power and accuracy? Take a few minutes to reflect and meditate about your work and family decisions. It's never too late or too soon to make changes.

Let the Black Belt within you break free!

For a great karate program, check out www.BobbyLawrenceKarate.net

Laws and Principles of Nature

2009-02-04T17:13:00.000-07:00

Contrary to the popular belief of movie directors in Hollywood, martial artists don't fly or defy the natural laws of the world we live in. Instead, we learn principles of motion that help us understand how to use natural laws to our advantage. By using these principles, we can learn to hit harder, confuse our enemy, get our opponent off balance, maintain proper distance, and break through boards. Once you understand the principles, there is no magic.

What role are natural laws playing in your life? Are you fighting them or using them to your advantage? Let's start with something basic, such as gravity. When we pack on extra pounds, it seems gravity is working against us, pulling us down and sapping our strength. However, we use the same law of gravity when we do weight training, which makes us stronger and more energetic.

The law of the harvest says that we should plant our garden, nourish it, and cultivate it. Then we can have confidence that the plants will actually grow and bare fruit. This law can work against us if we fail to follow the proper pattern. If we wish to reap a bounteous harvest, we must make the law a part of our life. Of course, this law applies to more than just gardening.

Take a moment to think of areas you might be trying to “break the law” or areas where you could use the laws of nature to your advantage.

Let the Black Belt within you break free!
For a great Martial Arts program, check out www.BobbyLawrenceKarate.net

Karate Teaches Respect

2009-01-18T21:34:00.002-07:00

Respect means to reverence, recognize value in, appreciate, or think highly of someone or something. In martial arts, we respect our instructors because we know they have studied and practiced for many years to attain their state of proficiency. We are grateful that they are willing to share their knowledge and skill with us. We know that if we are diligent in following their instructions and example, that we will become better people, better martial artists, and better warriors of peace.

Karate instructors are just one example of people we respect. Everyone in the human family deserves some amount of your respect and for various reasons. Having this respect for all mankind keeps us humble and helps us learn from everyone we meet.

I have noticed that in today's world, many people, especially in the rising generation, either do not have much respect, or don't know how to show it. As a society, we have plenty of room for improvement. Try these simple ways of showing respect and see if it doesn't make a big difference in your life.

1.When someone is speaking to you, listen.
2.When you commit to do something, do it.
3.View everyone you meet as a fellow human with precious emotions, desires, ambitions, challenges, strengths, and accomplishments.

When we discover that we have more similarities than differences, we start to care. Caring warrants respect. If everyone treated each other with respect, the world would be at peace.

Let the Black Belt within you break free!

For a great Martial Arts program, check out www.BobbyLawrenceKarate.net

3 Secrets to Keeping Resolutions

2009-01-04T08:55:00.002-07:00

I love making New Year Resolutions. I think I have a tendency to be more optimistic than realistic, but I like that about myself. In my martial arts training, I have found three goal achieving secrets that have made a huge difference in all areas of my life. If you can do these three things, your goal / resolution attainment ratio will jump dramatically.

3 keys to accomplishing any goal:

1. Stay focused on the final outcome.
2. Enjoy the journey.
3. Have faith in yourself.

First, focusing on the final outcome gets you through the rough times when the discipline and hard work seem overwhelming. Let's face it, sometimes you just have to force yourself to do things you don't like to do.

Second, you must find a way to enjoy the majority of the journey. This may take some creativity or an attitude change, but if you aren't having fun, you can only force yourself to do something for so long. If you can't be happy while working on a goal, what makes you think you will be happy once you achieve it?

Third, you have to actually believe that you have the mental, emotional, or physical capacity to accomplish what you have set out to do. In the back of their mind, most people doubt their full potential. This is why we break big goals down into bite size chunks. Keep breaking them down until you believe without any reservation that you can absolutely conquer them.

I hope these 3 secrets to goal achieving help you become the person you wish to be. We only have a short time here on this earth, let's make this an awesome year.

For a great Martial Arts program, check out www.BobbyLawrenceKarate.net

Smile

2008-12-27T16:37:00.002-07:00

Everyone has heard that martial arts is intended to be used only for defense and never for offense. However, parents are often concerned that if they enroll their child in martial arts program, that they will become bullies or will only know how to solve problems using violence. The opposite is true. A child that does not feel threatened does not need to be a bully. A child with confidence has more problem solving options than the child that can only react out of fear.

One thing my instructor encourages, both through word and example, is the principle of smiling. A smile can diffuse a situation before it escalates. A smile can make friends before they become enemies. A smile portrays confidence and radiates a positive energy. Yes, a smile is crucial to the proper practice of martial arts. It also makes the grueling workouts much more enjoyable.

In the workplace, people that smile have a higher chance of getting promoted. They are more likely to be satisfied and excited about their job. They usually get more done in a workday. They have better overall health records.

So, take a deep breath and put a smile on your face. Have a great week.

(Check out http://www.bobbylawrencekarate.net)

Developing Natural Talents

2008-11-30T10:05:00.003-07:00

What if a karate student is naturally good at punching and has really good balance and posture, but has a difficult time moving quickly when sparring. Some people may tell you to focus on your weak areas and work on them until they are as good as your strong areas.

It is true that you have to improve your areas that are lacking in order to be well rounded. However, there is also something to be said for focusing on your natural abilities. Everyone comes into this world with their own unique blend of talents. Developing these talents and sharing them with those around us is where we will find our greatest joy.

If I have a sloppy side kick, perhaps I will work really hard on it for ten minutes and come back to it a couple of times during my hour long workout. If I were to spend the entire hour just working on my side kick, pretty soon, practice would become a drudgery and I would find myself making excuses not to practice at all.

Spending most of your time developing things that come naturally will boost your self-esteem and give you strength and increased hope during the time you spend improving your weak areas.

Take some time this week to identify your strengths. What are you naturally good at? Promise yourself that you will spend time doing these things. Have a happy life!

(Check out http://www.bobbylawrencekarate.net)

Fall 2008 Black Belt Test

2008-11-03T18:12:00.003-07:00

Friday, October 24th was a day many karate students will remember for the rest of their lives. The All School Black Belt Test was held at Willowcreek Middle School in Lehi, UT. After many years of training and hard work, this is the crowning moment when you are recognized as one worthy to wear the black belt and represent the BLK organization.

To be a black belt, we must condition our bodies. That means rigorous exercise both in and out of class. We must master technique. That means internalizing and making them second nature, so that even when our bodies are exhausted, our muscles can still perform without hesitation.

We must condition our mind. Extreme focus and mental discipline are required. This trait is extremely valuable. This is what today's children will need in order to succeed and excel in tomorrows competitive world.

We must condition our soul. As peaceful warriors, we must be able to see the good in all people. We must be able to fight fiercely, but without hatred. The soul indeed is a difficult animal to tame.

I hope you have the opportunity to see these fine students in other areas of their life. I am confident you will be impressed with their candor. That is the bigger picture of Bobby Lawrence Karate, to create leaders with integrity in this generation and for generations to come.

Congratulations to our new black belts. Congratulations to those who added another stripe to their belt. Mr. Ken Ruano of the Sandy school received his 6th degree at this test. He is truly an inspiration to all of us that follow in his footsteps.

www.BobbyLawrenceKarate.net

Scargore - The Audio Production

2008-10-15T19:00:00.001-06:00

Mr. Ruano, the head instructor of the Sandy school, has created a fun and entertaining audio production. It will soon be available on CD and will have it's own website.

"Scargore The Letters" is a nostalgic 1940's style radio production, set in the 1700's in Europe in the deep dark forest. Your entire family will be held in suspense as the voices and audio affects carry your imagination to a mysterious land of long ago and far away.

Stay tuned for the official release just in time for Halloween.

5 Ways Karate Can Defeat a Bully Without Fighting

2008-10-15T18:44:00.002-06:00

What is a bully? A bully is someone who uses force or the threat of violence to coerce another into action or non-action. A bully abuses others physically, mentally, or emotionally. They come in all ages, races, and genders and from all walks of life. Manipulation is the way of the bully.

How can karate help us defeat bullies without fighting?

- First, karate makes us feel confident. We know that if a confrontation does come to blows, we have a good chance of winning or escaping. We have been trained to know what a fight is like and we are less afraid of it.

- Second, we see the good in all people. We realize that even bullies are humans with needs, desires, and frailties, just as we are. We are able to see through enemy's eyes. This deflates the power of the bully in our mind.

- Third, if we build upon the confidence principle, we are able to generate more creative options. Our problem solving skills are strengthened in both a mental and physical way.

- Fourth, karate helps us to see our own strengths and weaknesses. Knowing yourself helps you make better decisions.

- Fifth, and most importantly, we look inside at our own behavior. Are we behaving in a way that attracts bullies or allows them to dominate us? Even worse, are we being a bully in any way to anyone else?

If you are being bullied or if you have acted as a bully, talk to your karate instructor. He or she can give you specific advice for your situation. Remember that as students of Bobby Lawrence Karate, you are expected to hold a high standard and to set an example of Black Belt Excellence!

BLK Opens in Saratoga Springs

2008-09-02T17:01:00.002-06:00

On August 25th, 2007 Bobby Lawrence Karate (BLK) opened a new location at the Smith's shopping complex in Saratoga Springs. BLK has a strong tradition of instilling self confidence, respect, and a success attitude in its students. It has also produced some of the top ranked martial artists in the world.

Master Lawrence has been teaching karate and perfecting his system for three decades. Everyone that knows him holds him in high regards. He is always a positive influence in people’s lives.

Master Lawrence's fun, personal, and upbeat approach to self-defense makes his classes perfect for kids, but also great for teens and adults. The style he teaches, called Kwon Shu, is a combination of Kenpo, Jujitsu, Shotokan, Tae Kwon Do, Kung Fu, Boxing, and others, taught in a way that brings out the strengths of each individual.

JD Larson continues Master Lawrence's tradition as the head instructor for the SS location. He is a black belt and has studied under Master Bobby Lawrence and his son Dallas Lawrence for several years.

Classes are currently offered for all age groups from 3 – 6, 7 – 12, and 13 – Adult.

BLK is excited to bring their service to the people of SS and EM. They believe that their teachings will produce a healthier, happier, and more responsible next generation.