SBGi’s Kids Martial Arts Coach’s Profile: Craig Leto

Posted by admin on Mar 1, 2013 in Kids martial arts classes | 0 comments

Kids martial arts coach’s Profile: Craig Leto

In this series we are profiling the kids martial arts class coaches. This week we will learn a little bit about coach Craig Leto.

What did you do before you started BJJ/SBGi for fun or as an activity (sport, hobby)? Do you still do it?
– Before I found BJJ I was into Kickboxing and Biking. I still bike but I don’t spend much time doing striking stuff.

How long have you been training?
-3 years

What other disciplines do you study, if any?
-MMA

How has studying this discipline helped you?
-It really makes you appreciate how timing and proper technique can overcome strength and size.

What about SBGi is different than other places you may have trained?
-The coaching style; SBGi is the only gym I’ve trained at where you feel really involved in the learning process. There is more of a collaborative feel to how we train.

What’s your day job?
-Computer technician

Name something you’ve never done that you want to do?
-I would like to climb Mt. Hood.

What are some practical/daily applications to learning martial arts that you’ve learned besides self defense? Have you ever had to use it for self defense?
-Balance and coordination. I haven’t had to use BJJ in a serious self-defense situation but training in any “alive” combat sport will give you the confidence needed to stay focused and safe if the time comes.

How has learning and training at SBGi affected you in your daily life?
-I have traveled to great places to train, met interesting people and have some good friends because of SBGi.

What’s your favorite ice cream flavor?
-Coffee!

What’s your favorite food and why?
-Thai food. The spice; It must flow.

If you could describe yourself in a haiku what would it say (use of three lines of up to 17 syllables;[1] most commonly, 5, 7, 5)?
– I want to ride my bicycle
Do I have all my gear?
Pajama Party

What kind of experience do you have working with kids besides kids class at SBG (could be babysitting, volunteering, mentoring, nieces, nephews)?
– I was a camp counselor in high school and did my share of babysitting younger cousins.

What’s your favorite part of teaching/working with kids?
– The sense of intrigue they have is amazing to me. Somewhere along the line of becoming an adult most people just start accepting things and stop asking “Why?”

Did you study any martial arts as a kid?
– I did Soo Bahk Do A.K.A Tang Soo Do for about 5 years.

What qualities do you admire most in children?
-Their endless supply of energy and cheeky shenanigans always makes me smile.

What is your favorite martial arts movie?
-Return of the Dragon

What is your guilty indulgence pop song that you’d be embarrassed to admit you like?
–Call me maybe. ( As performed by Jimmy Fallon and The Roots.)

 

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SBGi Kids Martial Arts Coach’s Profile: Trent Shadduck

Posted by admin on Feb 20, 2013 in Kids martial arts classes | 0 comments

Kids Martial Arts Coach’s Profile: Coach Trent

This is the first in a short series to profile the kids martial arts coaches at Straight Blast Gym in Portland, OR. I sent all the coaches the same list of questions. Here are the answers for inquiring minds that want to know…

What did you do before you started BJJ/SBGi for fun or as an activity (sport, hobby)? Do you still do it?

*Before SBG, I played baseball mostly as an outfielder. I wrestled for a little while and also did some climbing.

How long have you been training?

*I have been training at SBG since November 2011.

How has studying this discipline helped you?

*Learning jiu jitsu has taught me to set realistic goals and has humbled me as a person.

What about SBGi is different than other places you may have trained?

*SBG is a very relaxed and laid back atmosphere making it a great place for me to train.

What’s your day job?

*I am currently a full time student at PCC.

Name something you’ve never done that you want to do?

Something I want to do that I’ve never done is jump out of an airplane (with a parachute of course).

What are some practical/daily applications to learning martial arts that you’ve learned besides self defense? How has learning and training at SBGi affected you in your daily life?

*The biggest benefit I’ve seen in learning BJJ besides self defense, is the effective way it can be used as a relaxation technique. Rolling with higher belts has taught me to not get caught up in winning, but rather focus on what you can get better at.

What’s your favorite ice cream flavor?

*My favorite ice cream is the cold and frozen kind.

What’s your favorite food and why?

*My favorite food is bacon. Mmmm.

What’s your favorite part of teaching/working with kids?

*My favorite part of working with kids is how funny they can be without knowing it. I did not study martial arts as a kid for any significant amount of time. Overall, kids are great students who can give you new perspectives once you get past the short attention span.

What is your favorite martial arts movie?

*Favorite martial arts movie is Kung Fu Hustle.

What is your guilty indulgence pop song that you’d be embarrassed to admit you like?

*I hate pop music.

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Kids Martial Arts and Character

Posted by admin on Feb 13, 2013 in Kids martial arts classes | 0 comments

Kids martial arts classes developing character

This is the definition of character as described by dictionary.com:

char·ac·ter [kar-ik-ter] noun
1.the aggregate of features and traits that form the individual nature of some person or thing.
2.one such feature or trait; characteristic.
3.moral or ethical quality: a man of fine, honorable character.
4.qualities of honesty, courage, or the like; integrity: It takes character to face up to a bully.
5.reputation: a stain on one’s character.

Bullying has been a growing concern for many parents in the last few years. There have been many instances of kids being bullied into hurting themselves and generally making things difficult for families and schools. Another reason having kids in martial arts classes is a good idea is that they can build character to know how to handle situations where bullying can be a problem. Some of the things that many people have a concern about is whether teaching martial arts will give the tools of Brazilian jiu jitsu, or whatever art they study, to bullies. It’s true that there are many kids martial arts schools that promote the “might is right” ethos but there are just as many kids martial arts schools teaching respect for others and respect for the art the children are learning.

“Dad, he’s too small!”

My daughter is 6 years old and she has a 2 year old brother who is a bit of a bull in a china shop. There have been times he is aggressive and I’ve mentioned that she can lightly practice her jiu jitsu with him to help protect herself. She has the presence of mind and the respect for the martial art, thanks to her coaches, to know that it’s still too rough for her to practice with her 2 year old brother. To me that shows the acumen with which the coaches are working to teach the children respect for the art and respect for each other.

Building character in kids martial arts classes

This is the definition of character I am using:qualities of honesty, courage, or the like; integrity: It takes character to face up to a bully. I think that more often than not the children model these qualities form other kids in class and from their coaches as well. In my daughter’s kids martial arts class she is learning it’s essential to understand and critically think about what you’re doing in the moment. She’s in a safe environment to learn and can look at things with coaching and with experience. It’s important for her to have the feedback from her partners and her coaches because it builds character and respect for those in her kids martial arts class. When she doesn’t do well it’s a learning opportunity to get feedback and hopefully she will someday reach a stage where she can help coach others. I certainly try to encourage her at home to teach it to me because teaching someone else something helps build that character. I may not be in her kids martial arts class but I can tell she enjoys it because she remembers and tells me about what she learned. I also ask purposefully to reinforce what she has learned and have her recall the days lesson.

 

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Kids Martial Arts and Confidence

Posted by admin on Jan 29, 2013 in Kids martial arts classes | 0 comments

Kids martial arts classes and failure

I think that building confidence is the art of failure.

I know it sounds counter-intuitive but stick with me for a minute. I think that building confidence is building competence in what you do and in order to find out what that is you have to proceed down a new path that is unfamiliar. In essence you have to learn what you don’t know and that entails not being good at something the first time. Building confidence is about feeling secure in who you are, in what you do. There are a lot of people who need to feel confident and need to feel like they can win. Whenever this idea pops into my head I always go back to a Sam Harris article: The Pleasures of Drowning.

There’s a good story in it of a master aikidoka who apparently is so confident in his technique of felling opponents without touching them that when he engages with someone who is not a complicit student or follower he has a stark experience. It’s unfortunate that it had to happen that way but in the end my guess is that the master probably learned a lot about his art.

I don’t necessarily advocate that kids should fail on purpose because failing, or succeeding for that matter, without any struggle isn’t beneficial. It’s a fine line because failing often can be discouraging and winning all the time will create a hubristic demeanor. We all experience this in our stages of life: in some cases we feel defeated and in other cases we feel overly confident.

Kids martial arts and cleaning your room

I notice that my child has gained a lot of extra confidence in her kids martial arts class and it has worked for her and against her some times since starting. Some days when I tell her to clean her room she will argue with me about the merits of cleaning her room and it becomes almost ontological when she debates. In the end she still has to clean her room. I’ve been able to leverage what she learns in her kids martial arts class so that she will clean her room to practice. She will clear a space on the floor where once was a mess of toys so we can roll and she can teach me what she has learned in her kids martial arts class. She was sure of herself and confident prior to taking kids martial arts class, I feel fortunate she has that personality trait. Occasionally, however, hubris surfaces somewhat profoundly. There are times when she, too, has a stark experience with reality. The way I approach it when she is discouraged or upset about something is to be sure that she is aware that sometimes you win and sometimes you lose, but she can continually learn and grow from those experiences. I see that she is learning humility and gaining confidence in her ability to learn in her kids martial arts class. There’s real value in that ebb and flow of learning from mistakes and feeling good about when you work hard to keep moving forward and reaching a new level…that builds confidence.

She just thinks it’s exciting and fun.

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Kids Martial Arts and Compassion?

Posted by admin on Jan 11, 2013 in Kids martial arts classes | 1 comment

Can kids martial arts training help your child be more compassionate?

I often wonder how compassion has entered the consciousness of many martial artists. It seems to be a theme that runs through many different martial arts. Compassion, as defined by Merriam-Webster, is: sympathetic consciousness of others’ distress together with a desire to alleviate it.

Click here for more info on Kids Martial Arts at SBGi in Portland

I think there are many reasons to have your child enrolled in kids martial arts training, I’m just uncertain if compassion is the first thing that parents think of as a reason. There are a lot of parents who don’t want their children in any kind of kids martial arts class because they think of it as fighting, and they don’t want to encourage fighting. This comes up often in different discussions and I think that it is somewhat merited. There is plenty of glorification of violence and various characters are portrayed as being a master of a certain martial art. A lot of bad movies and TV shows are out there. I feel fortunate those weren’t the kinds of movies I liked.

Movies, Kids Martial Arts = Kung Fu Theatre

I remember staying up to watch Kung Fu Theatre and watching Bruce Lee in Fists of Fury. I loved it! I loved the story and was wholly, emotionally invested in the protagonist. There are also the spaghetti westerns like Maginificent 7 and Fistful of Dollars which I, as I grew older, found out were based on the old Kurosawa samurai movies Seven Samurai and Yojimbo. I suppose you could throw in Star Wars as well which is a story initially based on another old Kurosawa film called The Hidden Fortress. There’s always a good guy and a formidable bad guy.

I think some people think if they enroll in kids martial arts training the children will grow into being bullies….

I read a good piece on a fighter today that I found intriguing because it seemed the furthest thing away from being a bully. What grabbed me to follow the link to the original piece/interview was reading this quote:

“It’s important to be playful and I think that’s the key to success, not just for athletes but for everyone; also to be calm and composed. The better you feel, and the more at ease you are with everyone and everything, the easier it is to focus; also your brain functions quicker, and you have more ambition, energy and self-confidence,” -Gunnar Nelson Ultimate Icelander

Kids Martial Arts can be compassionate and lots of fun

Another point that Gunnar Nelson said in the interview that struck me was when he says “They think maximum result during training is necessary and can’t stand to lose to training partners. That to me is a mistake and it is generally a bad idea to stand on a pedestal. If you do that, you’ll miss out on so many things you could learn. During training sessions, I’ve been beaten up numerous times, by fighters I would easily take inside the ring. It’s okay to give up sometimes, because it means you’ll come back stronger.”

To me, that is compassion and it makes all the sense in the world. It’s similar to when I’m playing chess just for fun and I want to see where a move takes me without concern for winning or losing. I just want to see how the game evolves and both of us playing can learn. However, I also see how it may be a little strange for people to hear someone say something like “it’s okay to give up” without the context. When you’re playing there is competition but when it’s fun people lose track of keeping score as they keep it playful. Just having fun is enough to enjoy the endeavor-whatever it is you are doing.

Kids martial arts training should be fun. When it’s fun the kids don’t want to stop playing, which is essentially learning and guiding each other. I know my daughter loves it. In her kids martial arts class she learns about friendship, respect, and has lots of fun playing games. She’s currently in a class of mixed levels and she seems to learn from her fellow students as well as her coach. This is a dual bonus because she’s learning on two levels: (1) there is some form of mentorship and passing on what they know to each other and (2) they are role models for her to play a similar, helpful role for her younger sibling as a big sister and future students who will follow and take a kids martial arts class.

If I asked her she would just say that her kids martial arts class is fun…

But I see compassion (and fun).

Click here for more info on Kids Martial Arts at SBGi in Portland

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Learning to be comfortable when you’re uncomfortable: kids martial arts classes at SBGi

Posted by admin on Jan 3, 2013 in Kids martial arts classes, Kids martial arts classes - Parents point of view | 0 comments

The last kids martial arts class of 2012

So we’re at the beginning of a new year and everyone is looking forward to an exciting 2013. I noticed at the last kids martial arts class that many were on vacation. We were very happy to be able to go to class and it was very considerate for the coaches to hold it for the kids.

 

Click here for more info on Kids Martial Arts at SBGi in Portland

I was able to get to the kids martial arts class early because I caught an early bus by accident. It was nice to be out and about a little, it kept things normal for the kids during vacations. The coaches were really great, hanging out with the kids and though the kids focused on playing (a lot) they got some good rolling in. I was a proud father, I have to say, because of the way my child performed in class. It has been a short time but she has learned a lot and retains a lot as well. The kids martial arts classes are so much fun for her that she remembers having fun and what games they played. This has, in turn, revealed some interesting attributes of confidence and humility at the same time.

John Wooden is often quoted saying “Sports don’t build character…they reveal it.”

I try not to be a helicopter parent and interfere with the coaches when she’s in her kids martial arts class. I check in with coaches because I know my daughter and how she can behave. It’s always nice to hear feedback about how I can help her in her kids martial arts class. I’ve talked to coach Amanda, who leads the kids martial arts classes at SBGi, about her progress probably more often than necessary. My daughter really enjoys going to her kids martial arts class and seeing her coaches and classmates.

On the last day of her kids martial arts class for 2012 she was matched with another student who she thought she wasn’t good enough to roll with but coach Craig assured her it was a good idea to try something that might be uncomfortable, that she was safe. She was concerned because he is a higher ranked belt and she had the awareness to know that he had been going to classes longer than her.

After class he reported that she practiced and rolled with her partner a few times in her kids martial arts class. He said that she accepted the challenge but didn’t last very long in the first match. Each successive time he noticed that she would last a little bit longer, learning from the previous match, and he continued to encourage her, coaching her through each successive match. She listened and became more comfortable with her own uncomfortable situation. She did well, learned she could hang with a higher ranked classmate, and had a great time. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that her higher ranked partner was also an amazing leader for her-he didn’t completely overpower her with skill but also did not make it easy in any way. It’s as if he knew that letting her “win” wouldn’t help.

I can understand that there are different ways to run kids martial arts classes and there are technical standards that adhere to levels/ranks; however, there are some amazing things that happen when you have a good group of people. At the SBGi kids martial arts class it’s an open and accepting environment to learn for everyone. The coaches teach kids martial arts class and also teach/participate in adult classes. There are intangibles that are understated because they are simple details that make a huge difference. My daughter exhibited humility, confidence, and courage because she had a good coach, and a good partner, in her class that exhibited humility, confidence, and competence. I imagine that she will continue to grow and learn in her kids martial arts class and it will help her outside of class. She will someday model those for her younger brother and other kids as well.

 

“Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently.” -Henry Ford.

  Click here for more info on Kids Martial Arts at SBGi in Portland

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