June 2019 by MASuccess

JUNE 2019

JUNE 2019 â&#x20AC;¢ $5.99 US

MASUCCESS

www.MASUCCESS.com

OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE MARTIAL ARTS INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION

THE COLLECTED WISDOM OF

DAN

INOSANTO The Last Living Bruce Lee Protege

ISSN 2380-561 7(PRINT ) 2469-6889(ONLINE )

BUILDING A GREAT DEMO TEAM! HOW FRIENDLY COMPETITION BEATS BOREDOM! 5 STEPS TO CONDUCTING WINNING WORKSHOPS

Unique and Unleashed.

Mackensi Emory Signature Series Kama

Team Paul Mitchell Karate Member 59x World Champion

CenturyMartialArts.com • (800) 626-2787

2019 Distinguished guest

PRESENTED BY:

SPONSORED BY:

CONTENTS FEATURES 30

THE COLLECTED WISDOM OF DAN INOSANTO! BY

T HE

JUNE 2019 DEPARTMENTS

COLUMNS 40 BLACK BELT LEADERSHIP BY

NG UYEN

“ TOM”

The Second “B” Is for Balance

E DI T O R S

A lifetime of martial arts has taught this four-time Black Belt Hall of Fame Inductee plenty of lessons! Learn from this living legend who’s a direct protégé of the late, great Bruce Lee at this year’s Martial Arts SuperShow in Las Vegas.

44 IN THE CLASSROOM BY

DAV E

Why Choose Martial Arts for Children? Part 1

18 HEAR FROM YOUR PEERS

62 TURNING POINT BY

BUILDING A GREAT DEMO TEAM! BY

J US T I N

L .

FO R D

No smoke and mirrors here! This article takes the mystery out of what makes for an amazing demo team performance: the kind that not only showcases your students and their skills, but also inspires the people in your community to start taking lessons from you! It’s a win-win-win for you, your students and your future students!

12 IN THE KNOW

KOVAR

HERB

B ORKL AND

Steve Doss: Showing Off Bruce Lee Moves in the Early-1970s Navy

04 FROM THE DIRECTOR’S DESK

G RI G G S

66 YOU MESSED UP! NOW WHAT? BY

KATHY

OLEV SKY

Don’t Be Caught Off-Guard with Credit Card Chargebacks! Part 2

86 CONSULTANT’S CORNER

22 PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT 24 THE MAIA REPORT 26 MARKETING RESOURCE

B Y M A I A C O N S U LTA N T ADAM PARMAN

Connect with a Major Movie for a Marketing Bonanza!

88 MASTERFUL RETENTION BY

C HRI STOPHER

68 SCHOOL SHOWCASE

RAPPOL D

How Is Toughness Taught in the Modern Martial Arts School?

HOW FRIENDLY COMPETITION BEATS BOREDOM! BY

DE B

C UP P L E S

Repetition is critical to the improvement of technique. But finding ways to disguise the same old thing can diminish enthusiasm from both students and instructors. Injecting new life into old techniques, however, is not as difficult as you might think. Try this approach.

90 THE KICK YOU NEVER SAW COMING BY

B ETH

A .

B LOC K

Say “Cheese”

92 THE LEGAL LANDSCAPE BY

PHI L I P

G OS S,

96 INSPIRATION OVATION BY

MASUCCESS

ESQ.

Never Marry Pen to Paper Without Knowing the Consequences!

KAREN

EDEN

Fall Down 150,000 Times!

JR.,

MAXIM OF THE MONTH I am a student of whoever I can learn from. — RASHAD EVANS

ESK

30 52

74 JUNE 2019

FROM THE DIRECTOR’S DESK

Combat the Summertime Slump by Winning the Retention Battle BY FRANK SILVERMAN

MAIA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

“Assuming you’re focused on new-member enrollment, a focus equal in importance during the summer is retention. It does no good to open the front door to a new student only to lose one through the back door.”

MASUCCESS

n a recent column, I discussed the need for focusing on enrollments during the summer months. Even though summer enrollments are often less than stellar, it’s important that we work towards getting new students. I suggested ways to capture the low-hanging fruit: siblings and parents. Assuming you’re focused on new-member enrollment, a focus equal in importance during the summer is retention. It does no good to open the front door to a new student only to lose one through the back door. There are quite a few reasons that summer retention is difficult. First, you are competing with the swimming pool and the season’s extended daylight hours. As much fun as it is to train in martial arts, in the summer months, staying out late and playing with friends is big competition. There’s no getting around heat and nice weather being an issue for many students. Just as important is the fact that families break their normal routines with out-of-town vacations. This alone is a big cause for dropouts. To help close the back door, here are my best suggestions for each of the three issues mentioned above. Of course, there are many ways to combat a high quit rate (specifically teaching great classes and great martial arts). In addition to those basics, here are three proven ideas that work to combat the summer blues. Tip #1: Hold Events The first tip, relevant to the long days and the swimming pool, is to conduct events. Make sure your studio is packed with things to do that are related to martial arts but also on the fringe. For example: • Host a “Spirit Week” during the week of 4th of July, where participants dress in red white and blue. • “Plain Clothes Day:” Train in gi pants and t-shirts or while wearing shoes (more like in real life). • Host pizza parties, movie nights and more types of special events. You may have less participation per event, but hosting more events means reaching more people. The more active your members are, the less likely they are to quit.

Tip #2: Keep Your School Very Comfortably Cool Beat the heat! This is simple. Heat causes quitting. I’m not talking about students here. I mean the parents. If your school is too hot for parents to sit in for their child’s class, they will eventually stop coming. Make sure your air conditioning units are working at full capacity. Have fans up and running if the AC can’t keep up. Offer free cold water if the heat index is off the charts, and make sure the water fountain is available to and working for all attendees. Tip #3: Postcard Special Now, how about the summer vacations that seem to derail members? The best way to combat this — but impossible, of course — is to not allow summer vacations. That typically doesn’t fly, so the next best thing is a postcard special. Ask all members to send postcards to the studio when they travel. Offer a small gift for receiving a postcard. Limit gifts to one per student. Gifts can range from a keychain, a $2.00 gift certificate to your pro shop, or even a $5.00 discount on a future event. Post all the postcards on a school wall for everyone to see. At the end of summer, draw a winner from all the postcards for a free private lesson. This will incentivize people to come back to the school, to see the postcard display and receive the prize. All three of these above suggestions are meant to keep your students “your students” during the dog days of summer. For great back-to-school ideas and more on retention, join us at the Martial Arts SuperShow at the Bellagio in Las Vegas in July. Sign up by calling the Martial Arts Industry Association (MAIA) at (866) 626-6226 or register online at www.masupershow.com. e m Contact Frank Silverman at teamcfck@aol.com. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook @franksilverman.

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글

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STAFF F R A N K S I LV E R M A N I S T H E E X E C U T I V E

MELISSA TORRES IS THE DIVISION

Director of the Martial Arts Industry Association,

Manager of the Martial Arts Industry Association.

and the owner and operator of 11 martial arts

She is a practitioner of kung fu san soo, Cage

schools in Orlando, FL. He’s also the author of

Fitness and yoga. She is passionate about helping

Business Is Business: Passion and Profit in the

FROM THE DIRECTOR’S DESK

Martial Arts Industry. Follow Frank on Twitter and Facebook @franksilverman. Contact him at

school owners succeed and achieve their goals.

THE MAIA REPORT

She can be reached at mtorres@masuccess.com.

fsilverman@masuccess.com.

DAVE KOVAR OWNS AND OPERATES A chain of successful martial art schools. Additionally,

NGUYEN “TOM” GRIGGS, ED.D., IS

he operates Pro-Mac (Professional Martial Arts

a sensei in Japanese jujitsu at TNT Jujitsu under

College), dedicated to helping martial artists

Hanshi Torey Overstreet in Houston, TX. He’s the owner of Lead Connect Grow, LLC. Organizations

BLACK BELT LEADERSHIP

IN THE CLASSROOM

become professionals in Business Management, Mat Mastery, Sales Mastery, Wealth Management

hire him to develop black belt-level professionals

and Cutting-Edge Classroom Concepts. In 2010,

in the areas of Teams, Leadership and Conflict

he was the recipient of the Martial Arts Industry

Management. Feel free to email him at

Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award. Contact

tom@ntgriggs.com.

him at dave.kovar@kovars.com or check out his blog at kovarsblog.kovarsystems.com.

HERB BORKLAND WAS ONE OF

CHRISTOPHER RAPPOLD IS THE

Jhoon Rhee’s original white belts at America’s

founder of a successful martial arts organization,

first taekwondo school and, later, a closed-door

Personal Best Karate, headquartered in Norton,

student of Chinese “soft” styles pioneer Robert

MA. He’s a five-time world karate champion and

W. Smith. For three years, starting on ESPN, he

TURNING POINT

is currently the executive director of the world-

hosted the weekly Black Belts TV show. He did the screenplay for Cynthia Rothrock’s HBO-featured Honor and Glory and is an Inside Kung-Fu Hall of

MASTERFUL RETENTION

Fame martial arts writer. He can be reached at

MASUCCESS

sponsorship. Rappold is the author of the landmark reached at founder@personalbestkarate.com.

ADAM PARMAN IS A MARTIAL ARTS

BETH BLOCK, A 4TH-DEGREE BLACK

Industry Association (MAIA) consultant and

belt in karate, is the president of Block Insurance

owns two prosperous schools in Atlanta, GA.

in Orlando, FL. Block has protected businesses

He’s had the distinct honor of working for some

that serve children for the past 24 years. She is

of the best professionals in the industry. He

team supported by sport-karate’s longest-running MAIA program Retention Based Sparring. He can be

herbork@comcast.net.

CONSULTANT’S CORNER

renowned Team Paul Mitchell, a championship

can be reached for questions or comments at aparman@masuccess.com.

THE KICK YOU NEVER SAW COMING!

the writer of Martial Arts Minute, a weekly riskmanagement newsletter. You can reach her at (800) 225-0863 or beth@blockins.net.

STAFF MASUCCESS IS PUBLISHED BY

SARAH LOBBAN IS THE ASSOCIATE Publications Editor for the Martial Arts Industry Association. She has trained and fought in MMA and

VOL. 20, NO. 06

JUNE 2019

muay thai, and currently trains in jeet kune do. She

IN THE KNOW

can be reached at slobban@centurymartialarts.com.

MAIA LLC, 1000 Century Blvd., Oklahoma City, OK 73110;

MANAGING EDITOR

John Corcoran

(866) 626-6226.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR MARTIAL ARTS INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION

Frank Silverman MAIA DIVISION MANAGER

Melissa Torres

KATHY OLEVSKY AND HER HUSBAND, Rob, own and operate Karate International in North Carolina. Kathy is the managing partner in their five-school operation. She’s an 8thdegree black belt with 32 full-time years of

YOU MESSED UP! NOW WHAT?

teaching and operating martial arts schools. She can be reached for questions or comments at kathy.olevsky@raleighkarate.com.

MAIA ASSOCIATE PUBLICATIONS EDITOR

Sarah Lobban M A I A I N T E R N AT I O N A L C O N S U LTA N T S Kurt Klingenmeyer Robby Beard Mike Metzger Jason Flame Adam Parman Antonio Fournier Shane Tassoul ADVERTISING DIRECTOR

Jan Szijarto ART DIRECTOR

Todd Bane GRAPHIC DESIGN

PHILIP E. GOSS, JR., ESQ. IS A

THE LEGAL LANDSCAPE

Kaily Prince Bridgette Rabe

Stacy Robertson JohnPaul Widener

member of the Florida and several other Federal Bar

COLUMNISTS & CONTRIBUTORS

Associations. Phil welcomes any e-mail comments

Beth A. Block

Mike Metzger

or questions at PhilGosslaw@gmail.com and will

Herb Borkland

Kathy Olevsky

attempt to respond personally, time permitting.

Deb Cupples

Christopher Rappold

Karen Eden

Melody Shuman

Jason Flame

Frank Silverman

Justin L. Ford

Shane Tassoul

Antonio Fournier

Melissa Torres

Philip E. Goss, Jr., Esq.

Robert Young

Nguyen “Tom” Griggs Diana Lee Inosanto Kurt Klingenmeyer Dave Kovar

KAREN EDEN IS A 6TH-DEGREE

Sarah Lobban

master of tang soo do. She’s a broadcast journalist

INSPIRATION OVATION

who has appeared nationally on CNN, FOX and

CORRESPONDENTS

Animal Planet as well as on local affiliates

Perry William Kelly (CANADA) Stefan Billen (GERMANY) Herb Borkland (VA) Andre Lima (CA) Karen Eden (CO) Terry L. Wilson (CA) Mark Junday (UNITED KINGDOM) Keith D. Yates (TX) Andrea F. Harkins (AZ)

for NBC and PBS. Karen is also a published book author and magazine columnist who has written for or been featured in every major martial arts magazine globally. Contact her at renedenherdman@gmail.com.

Return postage must accompany all manuscripts and photographs submitted to MASUCCESS, if they are to be returned, and no responsibility can be assumed for unsolicited materials. All rights for letters submitted to this magazine will be treated as unconditionally assigned for publication and copyright purposes and as subject to the editorial staff’s right to edit and to comment editorially. MAIA, its owners, directors, officers, employees, subsidiaries, successors and assigns are not responsible in any manner for any injury that may occur by reading and/or following the instructions herein. As publisher, MAIA makes no endorsements, representations, guarantees or warranties concerning the products and or services presented or advertised herein. We expressly disclaim any and all liability arising from or relating to the manufacture, sale, distribution, use, misuse or other act of any party in regard to such products and/or services. MASUCCESS is a trademark of the MAIA. © 2019 MAIA LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. The mission of MAIA is to grow, promote and protect the martial arts industry, and to provide benefits to its members to help them become more successful.

PUBLISHER

David Wahl JUNE 2019

SHARPEN YOUR PROGRAM WITH A KAMA CURRICULUM Mackensi Emory started training with the kama when she was 9 years old. Now, the 59-time World Champion wants to show you all her secrets with the blade in this wide-ranging masterclass. Learn the weapon yourself or have an instructor train with Mackensi so you can implement the kama in your school.

THEFLOWSYSTEM.TV

IN THE KNOW

BY SARAH LOBBAN

MAIA ASSOCIATE PUBLICATIONS EDITOR

WORDS OF WISDOM

“

GOALS ACHIEVED WITH LITTLE EFFORT ARE SELDOM WORTHWHILE OR LASTING.

”

— JOHN WOODEN

MARTIAL ARTS TRIVIA 1

What Brazilian martial art was developed by slaves brought from Africa?

Which martial arts system is Grand Tuhon Leo T. Gaje the official “Keeper” of?

True or false? The art “Bartistu”’s name is a combination of “jujitsu” and the creator’s own surname.

Which country is the martial art subak from?

2) Pekiti-Tirsia Kali

3) True – it was created by Edward William Barton-Wright.

4) Korea. MASUCCESS

ANSWERS: 1) Capoeira

YOU ASKED

IN THE KNOW

DO YOU HOST LOCK-INS/SLEEPOVERS (ALL NIGHT) OR, INSTEAD, JUST EVENTS THAT END EARLIER IN THE EVENING? WHY? STATS SPEAK

Yes, we host sleepovers about four times per year, because our members enjoy them as well as my staff. I trust my team and we have systems in place to make it a lot smoother. The parents also trust us, based on our numbers at each event. And to counterpunch opposition to this question: I’m not one to be turned off by the idea that “something can go wrong and my business could come crashing down.”

IN 2018, SUMMER CAMP BUSINESSES GENERATED REVENUE OF APPROXIMATELY

$3 BILLION SOURCE: IBISWORLD.COM

— M E L O D Y S H U M A N , S K I L L Z W O R L D W I D E , S T. P E T E R S B U R G , F L

If the staff can handle it and are properly trained, a sleepover is a great tool for retention and friendship-building.” — T O N Y F O U R N I E R , F O U R N I E R ’ S L E A D E R S H I P K A R AT E C E N T E R , P O RT L A N D , M E

Earlier events in the evening, typically, Friday 7:00–11:00 p.m. These are easier on the staff and less liability than sleepovers or lock-ins.” —MIKE METZGER, CHAMPIONSHIP MARTIAL ARTS, ORLANDO, FL

We did sleepovers three times per year in the 1980s and ‘90s, but haven’t done one since 1999. There’s a whole new level of liability that comes with sleepovers. We do Parents Night Out instead. These events go from 6:00-10:00 p.m.” — D AV E K O VA R , K O VA R ’ S M A RT I A L A RT S & F I T N E S S , S A C R A M E N T O , C A

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HEAR FROM YOUR PEERS

1 2 3

DO YOU OFFER A 401K FOR EMPLOYEES?

YES

I DON’T HAVE EMPLOYEES

DO YOU REQUIRE YOUR INSTRUCTORS TO SIGN A NON-COMPETE AGREEMENT, IN THE EVENT THEY MOVE TO START THEIR OWN SCHOOL?

YES

DO YOU OFFER PAID TIME OFF FOR EMPLOYEES?

YES

I DON’T HAVE EMPLOYEES

#WEARBRAVEBEBRAVE YOUR JOURNEY BEGINS HERE LEARN MORE AT in f o.Cen tur yMar tial A r t s.com/ Tr ainBr a ve

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

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Century’s dipped-foam Student Sparring Gear has been the go-to equipment for hundreds of martial arts schools to carry in their pro shops, supply to their students, and

require in sparring and training! One of the perks of this gear is that all the pieces are readily customizable, so every kick, punch and block is stamped with your school’s logo!

Another great thing about Century Student Sparring Gear is the variety! Now we’re adding one more color to the mix: Neon Green. This electrifying color is sure to brighten your students’ day! The Neon Green option is available with Student Sparring Headgear, Gloves, and Boots.

a For more information on this and other great Century products call a helpful Century Sales Representative at (800) 626-2789 or visit www.CenturyMartialArts.com.

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school’s logo? An embroidered black belt to commemorate a master’s promotion? We have you covered! And that’s not all we do. From keychains to backpacks, patches to weapons displays, we offer methods of customization perfect for any product. Plus, many of our items have no minimum order requirements! We’re constantly adding new customizable items and ways to customize.

a To learn more, contact a Century Customers Account Specialist at (800) 626-2787.

MASUCCESS

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PARTNERS IN EDUCATION

REFERRAL SYSTEMS In this mini-course, you will learn the value of offering

MAIA Consultants Mike Metzger and Shane Tassoul

rewards to your students who are referring new members.

break down how you can become partners with your local

MAIA Consultants Mike Metzger and Shane Tassoul show

academic schools. They will show you step-by-step how this

you how to communicate your referral system in your school

system can generate leads and provide valuable content

and keep it at the forefront of everything you do. Also

to your community. Also included are done-for-you school

included are downloadable desk cards, VIP passes, table

supply drive posters, school brochures, flyers, scripts for

tents, banners and more.

how to partner with your local principal, and more.

THE HOLIDAY MINI-COURSE Create the biggest feel-good event of the year for your students with the Holiday Mini-Course by MAIA Lead Consultant, Mike Metzger. Learn how to set up, prepare and host this once-a-year celebration, the Holiday Event! Also included are appointment planners, email and phone scripts, student appointment sheets, holiday flyers, social media images and more.

a To learn more, visit MAIAHub.com/courses or contact a sales representative at (866) 626-6226. JUNE 2019

THE MAIA REPORT

An Interview with a Children’s Program Expert BY MELISSA TORRES

MAIA DIVISION MANAGER

“We are here to help make your job easier and more enjoyable. All you need to do is have an open mind to working with children. Making a difference in a child’s life is one of the best feelings, and a great purpose in life.”

MASUCCESS

Recently, a poll ran on Century’s Facebook page asking how many schools have a children’s program and, if not, the reasoning behind choosing not to offer one. Children are a huge part of the martial arts industry, and teaching them is an opportunity to instill the life skills they need early on. One person who has dedicated her life to teaching kids is SKILLZ and PreSKILLZ creator Melody Johnson You may know her as Melody Shuman but she got married last year and recently changed her name (Congrats Melody)! I asked her a few questions that pertain to teaching children, for those of you who have been curious about the topic! I don’t have the space here to lay out the full interview, so hop over to the MAIA Blog at MAIAHub.com to read the rest! If you have specific questions I didn’t cover, please feel free to ask on Century Preschool Network’s Facebook group page and tag Master Johnson. She’ll be happy to respond! Melissa Torres: What is the most rewarding part of your career? Melody Johnson: There are limitless rewards for being a children’s martial arts instructor. With that said, I would have to say that black belt testing days are the most rewarding because I get to watch my students reach a level that most kids don’t accomplish. I earned my black belt when I was 13, and it was the single best day of my life up to that point. I imagine my students have the same feeling when they tie that belt on for the very first time. MT: What would you say to a school owner who has never worked with children before and may not want to? MJ: I don’t blame you! Working with children is an art, too. Just like it takes time to develop skills in your martial art style, it takes time to grasp how to work with children in various stages of development. The good news is that we are here to help make your job easier and more enjoyable. All you need to do is have an open mind to working with children using an approach that is different than working with adults. Making a difference

in a child’s life is one of the best feelings, and a great purpose in life. MT: What are some ways a school owner can get more 3to 6-year-olds on the mat? MJ: I recommend schools start in-house. Most likely you have a decent amount of current adult students who have children this age, as well as students who have younger siblings. Then work referrals. There aren’t a lot of activities available for children this young, so we have an advantage there as well. Adding details and simple registration pages to your website, making social media posts, sending out emails, making end of class announcements, doing face-to-face discussions, and handing out flyers are very simple and affordable to do. From there, adding in preschool affiliations and online marketing will fill your classes. MT: What are the benefits of having a children’s program? MJ: The biggest benefit is the impact a great children’s martial arts program has on the individual students. The success stories give many people a very rewarding purpose in life. The underlying benefits, besides additional income, are more students, more opportunities for your staff, and a pool of prospects to groom into staff as they get older. MT: What would you tell someone who is interested in incorporating a children’s program, but doesn’t know what to expect? MJ: I would tell them to seek an expert for guidance. There is no need to reinvent the wheel when it comes to children martial arts training and instruction. For example, my SuperShow preconference event, Ultimate Preschool Instructor Course, is a great place to start because I share the most important details to help make your job easy and more enjoyable. You’ll leave the event feeling educated and motivated to get started! For the full interview, visit MAIAHub.com/blog e m Melissa Torres is the Martial Arts Industry Association Division Manager and can be reached at mtorres@masuccess.com.

WHEN YOU’RE READY, WE’LL BE HERE. Systems for recruitment, retention and referrals

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DO YOU KNOW... THE 7 STEPS FOR TEACHING A DRILL? THE COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT TEACHING CHILDREN? METHODS FOR TEACHING CHILDREN THAT WORKS BEST FOR THEIR DEVELOPMENTAL STAGE?

MO S T S C HOOL S DO NO T H AV E T HE B A SIC UNDER S TA NDING OF C HIL D P S YCHOL OG Y A ND T HE PR OPER WAY OF T E A C HING 3 - T O 6 -Y E A R - OL D S .

T H A T ’ S W H Y C H I L D D E V E L O P M E N T E X P E R T, M E L O D Y S H U M A N DE V E L OP E D T HE ULT IM AT E C HIL DR E N ’ S C UR R IC UL UM .

HEY GUYS! I want to personally invite you to attend my pre-conference event, “The Ultimate Instructor Development Workshop for Anyone Teaching 3- to 6-Year Olds”, at the 2019 Martial Arts SuperShow! Last year, we hit record attendance numbers and I don’t want you to miss out. This workshop will break down how to teach your youngest students, using age-specific methods that will not just get them engaged for one class, but will start to lay the foundation for learning and retaining martial arts-applicable skills. Learn specific methods to teaching young children and creative drills you can take home and implement immediately! Even if you have never taught children, this can even become your favorite class! Visit MASuperShow.com for more info. I hope to see you there! -

Melody Shuman

P.S. If you are already a PreSKILLZ member, you will get one ticket to my pre-con plus a bonus hour of behind-the-scenes training for free!

THE COLLECTED WISDOM OF

DAN

INOSANTO A lifetime of martial arts has taught this four-time Black Belt Hall of Fame Inductee plenty of lessons! Learn from this living legend who’s a direct protege of the late, great Bruce Lee at this year’s Martial Arts SuperShow in Las Vegas. BY THE EDITORS

On July 24, 1936, Dan Inosanto was born. As a 4th-grader, he received his first exposure to the martial arts when his uncle taught him te [the Okinawan word for “hand.”]. In college, he studied judo, then dabbled in the Korean, Okinawan and Japanese striking arts. “The exposure to the various schools in the beginning taught me not to be one-sided, because everyone had his own philosophies and each school seemed to have its good points and bad points. When I learned from Bruce [Lee], we never classified whether a technique was from taekwondo or boxing. If it was usable, we used it.” —Dan Inosanto While he was stationed at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, Inosanto was impressed by a kenpo brown belt he met. Specifically, he liked the fluid manner in which the martial artist moved. As soon as he was discharged, Inosanto relocated to Southern California. “In 1961, I started taking kenpo from Ed Parker at his Pasadena school. At that time, kenpo reached my expectations of what I was seeking in karate. I was looking for a self-defense and also a bodyconditioning sport. I became fascinated by the martial arts field and how there could be so many different ways of fighting.” —D.I. At age 28, Inosanto received his 1st-degree black belt in kenpo after three years under Parker. On his master’s suggestion, he began training in the blade arts of kali and escrima. His teachers included John Lacoste and Angel Cabales. “There has always been a stigma that if you fight with a sword, it’s a gentlemanly duel, but if you pull out a knife, it’s a dirty fight. Now, we are pointing out that there is an art to this also.” —D.I. Inosanto met Bruce Lee in 1964 at the 1st International Karate Championships in Long Beach, California, where Inosanto was competing. The more he learned about Lee’s fighting philosophy, the more he longed to study under him. But Lee was a man on the go, with one foot in the East and one in the West. So, Inosanto spent his time learning various arts in Southern California. He quickly discovered that what he was doing was a far cry from what Lee advocated for self-defense. “What they were teaching — the forms, the blocks, the posturing — wasn’t realistic. The means to get good at self-defense became the ultimate end. Their teachings didn’t seem to have any direct relationship to self-defense, although it probably taught me to be graceful and helped with my coordination, posture and smooth, correct body movements. [The instructors were] attempting to teach how to fight without actually fighting.” —D.I.

DA N I NO SA N T O

At the 1965 Salt Lake City Regional Karate Championships, Inosanto, representing Parker, placed second in the lightweight black belt division. A year later, Inosanto finally got to start training with Lee. Slowly, Dan Inosanto, lover of all things martial, became Dan Inosanto, lover of all things practical. “It wasn’t until I started learning jeet kune do under Bruce [that] I found a style that used all three important aspects of fighting (speed, power and deceptiveness). Bruce was able to take all the pieces of the puzzle and make them fit together in an integrated system. “Bruce took something from everybody. He liked Muhammad Ali’s footwork and admired his outside fighting. He liked [Rocky] Marciano’s short punches. He used to study all the knockout punches of Joe Louis. “It’s not that he embraced Western boxing completely. He felt there were many flaws in boxing, too. But he also felt that out of all the arts in the hand range, boxing had more truth than, let’s say, karate. Not that karate was all flaws — he saw the truth in karate, too. Boxing, he felt, was over-daring, whereas he found karate to be overprotective.” —D.I. And, most importantly, Dan Inosanto, martial arts philosopher, was born. “A man doesn’t excel because of his style. It’s only when a man can go outside the bounds set by his system that he excels. If a martial artist can practice a style without being bound and limited to his particular school, then and only then can he be liberated to fit in with any type of opponent.” —D.I. While studying under Lee at the Los Angeles JKD school, the path Inosanto walked didn’t get any easier in terms of philosophy. “By that time, I had stumbled across many partial truths, and I had become more aware of workable and unworkable techniques. Being a die-hard kenpo man, I found myself confused and frustrated. I began to actually rebel against jeet kune do. I was bound by loyalty to my former instructor and his style. “Looking back on it, I really didn’t want to see the truth in selfdefense. I began to mentally criticize the informal and unstylized way JKD moved, kicked, punched and trained. Yet, I found myself using what I had learned and liking it better than kenpo, finding it more functional, powerful, faster, freer and, above all, the easiest style to express.” —D.I.

His ultimate acceptance of the JKD way led him to further analyze the fighting arts of the world to see where they might fit into the big picture he was developing — always while keeping his mind open. “Karate is mainly a stylized form of punching and kicking. Judo is a throwing, grappling and choking sport. Wrestling is grappling, and boxing is a punching sport. All of these arts or sports are highly effective in their range of distance. What boxers call the ‘in-fighting range’ is never reached in a karate tournament, because the referee usually separates the combatants before they reach this stage of fighting. But in reality, isn’t this where real fighting begins? “If a good boxer learns jeet kune do’s bridging, he needs only his hands to be effective. A proficient wrestler, using jeet kune do’s techniques, can tie up the majority of the classical martial artists. An experienced fencer, if he learns jeet kune do techniques, can become very skilled with his outside range.” —D.I. When Lee shuttered his school in L.A.’s Chinatown, he left his students to train with Inosanto, who was forced to tread the fine line between carrying on what his master had taught him and continuing JKD’s evolution. It was especially true after Lee passed away in 1973. “We use pretty much the same kicks that Bruce handed down, but I would say kicking has evolved in a subtle way that is taking place even now. When I was training with Bruce, we used a lot of side-kicking, low side-kicking and angling of the side kick. [Now] we go more with hook kicks and round kicks. “We use material that’s similar to muay thai [Thai kickboxing]. You can block with the kicks, and you can obstruct with the kicks. Muay thai has added to our understanding, as have [Burmese] bando and [French] savate. They added more. More doesn’t mean better, but more gives you an understanding of more types of attacks.” —D.I. Inosanto began using the term Jun Fan gung fu to refer to the art Lee taught him, and the term “jeet kune do” to refer to the path for personal growth. In the 21st century, the kali component remains an important part of his path. Mostly because of its practicality, but also because the art is more than just combat. “People don’t [always] want to learn weaponry, but 80 to 95 percent of all confrontations on the street involve a weapon, either blunt or bladed. If you have no training with a weapon, you won’t even have a clue about how to defend yourself.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 39

CHILDLIKE

CURIOSITY BY DIANA LEE INOSANTO

When Dan Inosanto is your father, you’re taught to see the world through a different lens. My world was filled with color, diversity and the pursuit of open-mindedness. What was the personality trait that kept him open-minded and his skills sharp all these years? It’s quite simple: It has been his childlike curiosity. My father has always had such an eccentric curiosity. You know how there are computer geeks, video game geeks and comic geeks? Well, my dad is foremost a martial arts geek — and I mean that in a good way. My father comes from a family of educators — his parents were history and English teachers, primarily. They instilled in my father the pursuit of knowledge and wisdom, encouraging him to understand and study different cultures. His pursuit manifested into the world of martial arts. It wasn’t that he just got to hit, kick or choke someone out — not at all! I learned from him that every great martial art is intrinsically married to a culture and a unique history. My father has long taught martial arts combined with a history lesson. From his example, I learned that history could explain why a particular art was formed and evolved the way it did. This childlike curiosity is the current that flows through his veins, making him the walking encyclopedia of knowledge that he is today. As a researcher and advocate of numerous styles and systems, he has been able to help the military, law

enforcement, even the Dallas Cowboys during the days of coach Tom Landry and MVP Randy White. And we all know of his contributions to some of Hollywood’s top stuntmen and fight choreographers. His influence is worldwide. Yet, despite this, my father still looks at himself as the perpetual student — always learning and growing. He is not afraid to check his ego at the door and put on a white belt to learn a new system. I suppose this is why the Machados and some of the Gracie family members have embraced him all these years. But ultimately, my father is a humanitarian. As a child, I would ask him why he committed so much of his time to the study of martial arts — and why I had to learn. He looked at me and said, “Because I hate violence. I hate it so much and what it can do to innocent people. That’s why I try to learn many answers to how to combat it, so people have a chance to survive and live. “That is why I want you to learn — because I know I cannot always be there to protect you. So, you must learn to protect yourself. All people must learn to protect themselves. This is what drives me to keep learning.” We can all take a lesson from my father to stop and humbly listen to that childlike curiosity and let it take us on a journey that will broaden our horizons in life.

DA N I NO SA N T O

JUNE 2019

THINGS YOU DIDN’ T KNOW ABOUT

DAN

INOSANTO • When Bruce Lee died in 1973, Dan Inosanto — along with Lee’s brother Robert and close friends, actors James Coburn and Steve McQueen — served as a pallbearer. • In 1975, Inosanto, Richard Bustillo and Jerry Poteet collaborated to create a jeet kune do technique poster. The same year, Inosanto released a Super 8 film that covered angles of attack, trapping and use of the short staff. • Inosanto has acted in many films and done stunts and choreography for many more. In 2008, he played the jiu-jitsu master of one of the main characters in director David Mamet’s Redbelt. • Notable students of Inosanto include Denzel Washington, Forest Whitaker and Anderson Silva. • Inosanto is regarded as one of the United States’ foremost krabi krabong (a Thai weapons-based art) experts. He studied under, among others, Col.

Nattapong Buayam, a former Thai special-forces instructor. • Inosanto’s interpretation of kali made the list of the top 10 self-defense arts, according to Black Belt contributing editor Dr. Mark Cheng. “The Filipino system taught by Dan Inosanto is far more than just the sticks and knives that the casual observer sees,” Dr. Cheng wrote. “ Including every possible weapon and range of combat, Inosanto’s system is one of the most sought-after and imitated arts in the world when it comes to practical self-defense.” • Inosanto is a four-time Black Belt Hall of Fame inductee: 1977, Special Recognition Award; 1983, Instructor of the Year; 1988, Weapons Instructor of the Year; and 1996, Man of the Year. That puts him in the same category as Chuck Norris, the only other martial artist who’s been inducted four times.

DA N I NO SA N T O “The late grandmaster Floro Villabrille said, ‘Kali is you, and you are kali.’ What that means is that kali isn’t limited. It gives you the ability to do whatever you have the skill, creativity and intelligence to [do] in combat. That also means that kali has the potential to help you grow and evolve in your outlook, understanding and ability as a fighter and a human being.” —D.I. As always, he keeps an eye on trends in the martial arts world, such as the rise of grappling and then MMA [mixed martial arts]. “Jeet kune do is about being multidimensional. If a person is not multidimensional, he cannot really function [now]. In the 1950s, style went against style, and everybody punched the same. But nowadays, people strike differently, they attack differently. Some people are grapplers, some are strikers and some are a combination. The structure that fit so well in one decade may not be the structure you would use in the next decade. “However, you have to start someplace. A person doesn’t just become adaptable. He needs a structure, and the structure Bruce gave it was Jun Fan gung fu.” —D.I. As anyone who’s studied the grappling sketches in [Bruce’s book] Tao of Jeet Kune Do will attest, ground-fighting is not unheard of in JKD. Inosanto just increased the emphasis. “Bruce had already incorporated grappling techniques from Japanese jujitsu — including locks on the ground and throws — into his repertoire. The only thing that wasn’t the same as what we do today is that we would just sort of punch and kick and take each other down, but once we were down and had put the lock on, we didn’t try to escape. “[Bruce] was researching different wrestling moves he thought would work with JKD. These techniques weren’t taught in the Chinatown school. But in our own personal training, we did a lot of one-on-one techniques and he did have locks. At the time, he believed — rightly so —that a lot of things like kicking and punching could be done strictly from the stand-up position. But he did throw people to the ground. He was a very good thrower and an excellent takedown practitioner — and he did a lot of locking.” —D.I.

Technique, however, is not the most important lesson of JKD or the other martial arts Inosanto practices and teaches. “Sifu Bruce had many ‘no fail’ techniques and principles, and they changed on a regular basis. [But] the one that never failed was his quest for self-expression through self-discovery. That’s because self-expression and self-discovery lead to self-perfection physically, mentally and emotionally. “The never-ending process of self-expression and the belief in oneself [determines] what students choose to execute at any given time will work. I could list an encyclopedia of techniques that Bruce used and favored from month to month and year to year. But that wouldn’t benefit anyone as much as the true lesson and meaning of his art. “What worked for Bruce may not work for everybody else. Different attributes like size, speed or even age will determine what you can use. You may learn four or five ways to counter a hook, but you may still get hit with the hook. It doesn’t mean the technique is inferior; it’s just that you’ve got to work on your own attributes, your own timing, your own positioning. “I always liked a saying my mother gave me: ‘A failure is the fire that tempers the steel, thus producing a fine product.’ You need the setbacks. Setbacks make you want to learn. Bruce was correct when he said, ‘It’s from the old that you have security, but it’s from the new that you grow and learn to adapt.’” e —D.I.

m For more information about Dan Inosanto, visit inosanto.com. Through the newly enhanced MAIA website, you can access nearly any piece of information, from A to Z, about what you want to help grow your school. Visit www.maiahub.com to also find other great features available only online.

Because of Inosanto’s foresight, modern JKD students hone their ground skills, as well as their stand-up arsenal. “The people that are in jeet kune do have adapted to learning how to survive on the ground. Most of them have at least trained in shootwrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, [and] Greco-Roman or some kind of freestyle wrestling to balance themselves. I like to have all my students exposed to shootwrestling because it is a very good art and will make them more well-rounded.” —D.I.

JUNE 2019

BLACK BELT LEADERSHIP

The Second “B” Is for Balance

BY DR. NGUYEN “TOM” GRIGGS

“How many of us have rebuked someone for acting in a way that we allowed them to do?”

MASUCCESS

In this column, I continue using an acronym that spells out BLACK BELT, using words that relate to teams and leadership. This month, I’ll address the second “B,” which stands for balance. In this regard, we are discussing balancing benevolence and self–focus within your organization(s). Benevolence is one of our tenets at TNT Jujitsu here in Houston. Our instructor, Hanshi Torey, often emphasizes the merits of being kind, but he also warns that kindness should have limits. As leaders and business owners, your profits and business development are important. Many of us, however, struggle and even lose sleep over making difficult decisions. Honestly, there’s nothing wrong with putting your fiscal and physical health first. I remember my parents having a couple of regular customers at their liquor store who always wanted a discount or favor. My parents were quite kind about it — until the day when one of these customers asked for his usual discount and my parents said no. He insisted that they work with him, given his loyalty and “all of the business” he’d brought them. My folks again denied his request, explaining that they had to run a business. Apparently he couldn’t handle being told “no.” He revealed his ugly side, which resulted in his being banned from the store. My parents had another experience with an employee who was constantly 10 to 15 minutes late for her shift at our motel business. She was having problems at home, so my parents gave her some latitude. They would cover her shift until she arrived. One morning, my parents both needed to attend an important meeting and informed her in advance that she needed to be there early, if not on time. As usual, she was late, which delayed my parents’ departure. They reprimanded the employee, resulting in her angrily lashing out at them and immediately quitting. My parents had to work her shift, so neither could attend the meeting. Now, to be fair, the young lady had life challenges that she couldn’t have been expected to overcome immediately. Life problems are common, but my parents enabled her unprofessional behavior under the guise of being kind. Had they been a little more self–focused, the employee could have become more dependable or found somewhere else to work. How many of us have rebuked someone for acting in a way that we allowed them to? Aren’t you equally, if not more, culpable for enabling unprofessional and bad behavior? Again, I’m advocating balance, so you can decide how firm or benevolent to be with others. The standard

should be goodness, fairness and consistency. Please think of benevolence as an “extra” that generally should be earned or otherwise merited. Here are few guidelines to consider when you have qualms about how benevolent or firm you should be with someone: 1. The person. Who is this individual to you and what is his or her role in your business? Is this person an employee, vendor or client? Factors like their age, any special challenges they are experiencing, and how important they are to you and your business should all be considered. 2. The action. Is this person asking for a discount because they feel entitled to one, or are they struggling financially? Were they late one time because of an honest mistake, or are they chronically tardy? If he or she has done something fairly serious, then I hope you have appropriate protocols in place. But look at the action or request for what it is. 3. Their history. How well do you know this person? How long have you known them? Do you see a pattern? Perhaps this person’s actions indicate something more troubling. Discussion and an emphasis on mutual transparency is essential. Do not be afraid to ask tough questions, even if it makes both of you uncomfortable. 4. The impact. How will this person’s request or action impact your business? Giving a discount or an extra day off may be fine. But someone acting inappropriately while representing your business can be hazardous. Take the time to understand the implications of someone’s request or actions. Once, an employee was arrested for shoplifting while wearing one of our fully branded cleaning aprons. The police used the phone number on our apron to let us know that the employee had been arrested. Leaders have to work with others and make the best decisions possible. Communication, respect and trust are vital to making tough but meaningful decisions. The key is to respond with logic and appropriate emotion. But focus on creating a sense of balance. To paraphrase Maya Angelou, people may not remember what you said, but they will always remember how you made them feel. Do your best, be the example and take care of yourself. e m Nguyen “Tom” Griggs is a professional consultant/

speaker in the areas of Teams, Leadership and Conflict and can be reached at tom@ntgriggs.com.

l a a

This y Achie artists an or to be Lee h legac profou

Our s legen Gaje, syste teach law e as ten Congr world

lifetime achievement award guro Dan Inosanto This year, we are honored to present the Lifetime Achievement Award to two exceptional martial artists! Our first recipient is Guro Dan Inosanto, an original Bruce Lee student and one only a few to be named an official Jeet Kune Do instructor by Lee himself. Guro Inosanto carries on the modern legacy of Jeet Kune Do, and his teaching has had a profound impact on our industry. Our second Lifetime Achievement Award goes to legendary Kali martial artist Grand Tuhon Leo T. Gaje, Jr. He was the first to bring the Pekiti-Tersia system of Kali to the United States and begin teaching it. He has also worked to train military, law enforcement and security personnel, as well as tens of thousands of students around the globe. Congratulations and thank you to both of these world-changing martial artists.

PRESENTED BY:

grand tuhon Leo T. Gaje, jr.

S P O N S O R E D B Y:

ÂŠ 2019 MAIA, LLC # 16313

IN THE CLASSROOM

Why Choose Martial Arts for Children? Part 1

BY DAVE KOVAR

“As a child progresses through the ranks, they are given a series of challenges. As a child experiences success in these endeavors, this success helps them to more easily face other fears, therefore helping them to become more courageous.”

believe that martial arts has the answer for nearly every challenge that a child might face. Whether it be bullying, obesity, a short attention span, a lack of athletic skill, low confidence or poor self-image, martial arts can help. I’m guessing you feel the same way. Although martial arts is growing in popularity, I don’t think the general public really understands how great it is for children. It is up to us to get the word out. One of the ways that we can do this is to be able to articulate the benefits of martial arts for children. Over the next couple of months, I’m going to share with you some of the scripts that we use with our team to role-play conversations about the benefits of martial arts training. Let’s get the word out so more children can benefit from training, and, in turn, help our schools.

How Can Martial Arts Help Children to Become More Courageous? Some kids are naturally fearless. They were just born that way. Others can be quite timid. Some children have had bad experiences that have made them fearful. Either way, it is important to understand that true courage isn’t fearlessness, it’s overcoming fear. And that’s exactly what martial arts teaches children to do. As a child progresses through the ranks, they are given a series of challenges that are within their ability to overcome. Some examples might be board breaking, sparring, performing selfdefense techniques on a larger opponent or demonstrating solo in front of their peers. As a child experiences success in these endeavors, this success helps them to more easily face other fears, therefore helping them to become more courageous.

How Does Martial Arts Develop a Child’s Confidence? One of the ways that training in the martial arts helps children to become more confident is by showing them how to set and accomplish short-, medium- and long-term goals. This is done through the progression of belts. As a child experiences success in training, that success naturally transfers outside the school as well, making them more likely to set and achieve other goals. Remember, success is the backbone of confidence. Martial arts training also helps children face their fears in a safe, nurturing environment. As a child learns to defend themselves, they become less threatened by those around them. Then, instead of sending out signals that say, “I am weak; I’m not sure of myself; I’m a victim,” they start sending out signals that say, “I’m strong; I’m confident; I am a nice person, but don’t mess with me.”

How Does Martial Arts Help Develop Focus, Concentration and Self-Control in Children? Very few things teach children to develop focus, concentration and self-control better than martial arts. To begin with, a good martial arts class is usually quite fun. That makes it easier for a child to focus and concentrate. During training, children learn to control their bodies through general exercise, powerful movement, stillness, posture and breathing. Once they learn how to do this in martial arts class, these skills become more readily transferable to other activities. Also, there is a strong emphasis put on understanding three rules of concentration: focusing your eyes, focusing your mind and focusing your body. Next month, we will continue our discussion in Part 2 of this column. e

Why Martial Arts Is Good for Shy Kids Martial arts is the perfect activity to help shy children come out of their shells. It starts with small things like learning to look people in the eye, learning to stand straight and to speak clearly. Eventually, children progress to more advanced movements. As they begin expressing themselves physically on the mat and become more outgoing in class, it automatically carries over into other areas of their life.

MASUCCESS

m You can contact Master Dave Kovar at dave.kovar@kovars.com.

FREE Checklist: Here’s exactly how I generate 250 new paid trials. Every month.

FREE Checklist: Here’s exactly how I generate 250 new paid trials. Every month. Generating dozens of paid trials isn’t rocket science. You just need to know what actions to take, then you need to take them. Simple.

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month to hit 40-60 new paid trials per month per location. Across all 5 locations, that’s 200-300 new paid trials per month.

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- Grand Master Cheong Park, Park’s Taekwondo Federation

Get it now! No email or info required. bit.ly/more-new-trials

Generating dozens of paid trials isn’t rocket science. You just need to know what actions to take, then you need to take them. Simple. I’ve put together a killer 17-point checklist of exactly what I do every month to hit 40-60 new paid trials per month per location. Across all 5 locations, that’s 200-300 new paid trials per month. I’d like to give it to you at no cost. I believe the rising tide lifts all sails. The more schools grow, the more martial arts spreads. You don’t even need to opt-in or anything to get it. It’s in our private Facebook group “Martial Arts Business Growth.” Head to the link below, join the group, and get the checklist now. Cool? - Grand Master Cheong Park, Park’s Taekwondo Federation

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schedule-at-a-glance 2019 MARTIAL ARTS SUPERSHOW

M A I C B

SUNDAY, JUNE 30 Pre-Conference Events

MONDAY, JULY 1 7:00am - 6:00pm

Registration Desk Open

8:30am - 9:00am

New Attendee Orientation

9:00am - 1:30pm

Martial Arts Business Forum

2:00pm - 6:30pm

Tradeshow Floor Open

3:00pm - 4:00pm

Workshop with Guro Dan Inosanto and Grand Tuhon Leo T. Gaje, Jr.

5:00pm - 6:30pm

Welcome Reception

7:00pm - 8:30pm

General Session

D S C $

M 6 W

TUESDAY, JULY 2 7:00am - 6:00pm

Registration Desk Open

7:00am - 8:00am

Early Morning Workouts

8:00am - 6:00pm

Tradeshow Hours

9:00am - 4:30pm

Seminars Scheduled

D S C $

WEDNESDAY, JULY 3 7:00am - 6:00pm

Registration Desk Open

7:00am - 8:00am

Early Morning Workouts

8:00am - 5:00pm

Tradeshow Hours

9:00am - 4:30pm

Seminars Scheduled

B & I T W

Billy’s BoomBoxing Workshop Session

D S

™

Billy’s BoomBoxing™ is a new and exciting workout and curriculum for the martial arts schools. The workout consists of 8 basic Martial Arts moves combined with upper body boxing Kata techniques. It is a high intensity workout, joining cardio-kickboxing, boxing and mixed martial arts, performed to music specifically designed for BoomBoxing. Boxing bags and hand pads are used for striking. For those joining the BoomBoxing Workshop, please bring your own boxing gloves, if you have them.

Date & Time: Tuesday, July 2, 6PM-9PM

Cost: $125

Billy Blanks

Pre-Conference Events MAIA University Advanced Instructor College For Black Belts

MAIA University Instructor College

Martial Arts Business Forum

Harinder Singh

Frank Silverman

Dave Kovar

Date & Time: Sunday, June 30, 2pm-8pm Cost: $199

Date & Time: Monday, July 1, 9:00am-1:30pm Cost: 2 people for $99

Date & Time: Sunday, June 30, 2pm-5pm Cost: $129

Martial Fusion 6-Hour Power Workshop

The Ultimate Instructor Development Workshop for Anyone Teaching 3- to 6Year-Olds

BJJ Workshop Presented by Gameness

Guillermo Gomez Date & Time: Sunday, June 30, 11am-6pm Cost: $99

(Break from 2pm-3pm)

Melody Johnson

Date & Time: Sunday, June 30, 2pm-5pm Cost: $99

Bo Staff & Kama Instructor Training Workshop

Rafael “Formiga” Barbosa & Joao Gabriel Rocha

(Bonus Hour for PreSKILLZ members 5pm-6pm)

Date & Time: Sunday, June 30, 2pm-5pm Cost: $99

The Legends of Kali II

Mackensi Emory, Robby Beard, & jackson Rudolph Date & Time: Sunday, June 30, 2pm-6pm

Cost: $99

Apolo Ladra, Dan Inosanto, & Leo T. Gaje, Jr. Dates & Times: Saturday, June 29, 3pm-8pm Sunday, June 30, 8am-1pm Sunday, June 30, 3pm-8pm

Cost: 2 Sessions - $299 3 Sessions - $350

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ClickFunnels Seminar Room

TUESDAY

KURT KLINGENMEYER

KINNICK MCDONALD

AKSELL NICOLAIDES

WEDNESDAY

ADAM PARMAN

STEPHEN REINSTEIN

DUANE SPIRES

LAUREN SPIRES

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TUESDAY

MIKE CHAT

ERIC THE TRAINER

GK LEE

CHRIS RAPPOLD

Spark Minds Seminar Room TUESDAY

NGUYEN TOM GRIGGS

KELLY MURRAY GRYS

HAKIM ISLER

RICK RANDO

ROBYN SILVERMAN

MICHAEL SIROTA

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WEDNESDAY

FARID DORDAR

Zen Planner Seminar Room WEDNESDAY

DON GULLA

ERNIE KIRK

CARLOS MACHADO

TOM PATIRE *Subject to change

MAIA Seminar Room

TUESDAY

MELODY JOHNSON

MIKE METZGER

BILL STORM

SHANE TASSOUL

WEDNESDAY

ROBBY BEARD

BILL CLARK

DAVE KOVAR

CRIS RODRIGUEZ

Morning Workouts

TUESDAY

BILLY BLANKS

WEDNESDAY

BILL WALLACE

ERIC THE TRAINER

ALAIN MOUSSI

Century Seminar Room TUESDAY

MIKE DILLARD

DAMON GILBERT

HARINDER SINGH

WEDNESDAY

RAFAEL “FORMIGA” BARBOSA

JOHN HACKLEMAN

APOLO LADRA

JOAO GABRIEL ROCHA

BENNY “THE JET” URQUIDEZ

Afternoon Workshops MONDAY

LEO T. GAJE, JR.

TUESDAY

DAN INOSANTO

MACKENSI EMORY

WEDNESDAY

JACKSON RUDOLPH

ANNIKA KAHN *Subject to change

BY JUSTIN L. FORD D E S I G N E D B Y B R I D G E T T E R A B E & K A I LY P R I N C E

No smoke and mirrors here! This article takes the mystery out of what makes for an amazing demo team performance: the kind that not only showcases your students and their skills, but also inspires the people in your community to start taking lessons from you! Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a win-win-win for you, your students and your future students!

“

THE MANY BENEFITS OF A GREAT DEMO TEAM Do you hear that? It’s faint, but it sounds like a heartbeat. Is that. . .the sound of your school? While your students can be likened to the heart of your school, the reputation of your school can be considered the heartbeat. It is the echo of your success. If your “heartbeat” is weak, then your school is likely on the decline to death. Simply put, your reputation comes from word of mouth. And you should be aware that people will talk about everything! This includes the cleanliness and appearance of your school, what happens on the training floor and, especially, how your students act wherever they go outside your walls. One of the most potent methods for advertising/promoting your school and spreading a positive reputation is to have a standout demo team. Having a dedicated group of students who are picked to demonstrate their skills at events and festivals is integral to any school interested in growing a larger local presence. A stellar demo team can be a truly amazing part of your school because it brings with it so many direct and indirect benefits. Besides recruiting new students, it can bring the local media spotlight on

MASUCCESS

your school while also elevating the performance of all other students within your school. Students not on the team will often work harder for the chance to join. Flash back to high school and you may remember the feeling that hits them. It’s akin to when you would try to get the privilege of sitting at the “Cool Kids’” table at school. Being a part of the public face of the school and performing in front of crowds of people can be an exciting prospect for your team. It doesn’t matter whether the demo team leads Chinese Lion Dance performances, showcases flips and tricking, or is simply a group of your younger students demonstrating their basic techniques. It works for all arts and styles. Such a team also presents retention power. Sometimes, that’s all it takes to motivate a lackluster student into putting forth more effort and continuing his/her training at your academy. That one aspect of your school might truly connect to a student and become the only difference between them quitting as a beginner and training for many years. And who knows? Connect well enough and one day he/she may become an instructor or school owner like you! It’s not only for the students who seem to have one metaphorical foot out the equally metaphorical door, however. Even your top students will benefit greatly from having a team they can look up to and be a part of. As we know, everyone benefits from having somebody to look up to in their lives.

DEMO TEAM

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Be mindful of who you choose to bring into your performances. If your team is by invitation only, invite students who you know will be able to handle the responsibility or would do well in stepping up to meet the challenge.â&#x20AC;?

JUNE 2019

Avoid the Horrors of Monotone Movements! Can you imagine being forced to listen to a song that had the same beat and pitch, same rhythm and same monotone

nation of yin and yang, you can highlight a fast and flashy

singing voice throughout the duration of the piece? It would

combination with some slower, more power-heavy move-

be torture!

ments. For example, the big and bulky bodybuilder in karate

The problem is, martial arts public performances often fall

class can showcase his strongest form right before the

into “Monotone Movements:” moves that look aesthetically

weapons expert comes out and whips his nunchaku around

too similar and have the same rhythm and pacing. Here,

like helicopter blades!

the smallest of changes can make the biggest impact on

6. Change the spacing. The final thing to remember to change

an audience, turning a boring performance into something

is space. That means your team must have a good sense of

dynamic and memorable.

spatial awareness. Good choreography isn’t just about how

The first thing to focus on changing is the angles. You

you move, it’s also about where and how you stand. Keep in

want to mix up where your strikes are coming from. If you

mind the space used and shapes made by the performers’

have a long combo that moves in a linear manner, for ex-

positions. Are they lined up, staggered out or circled up?

ample, you have several options for breaking the aesthetic

Just as a fighter has to be a master of controlling the

boredom:

distance and angles between them and their attacker, a

1. Change the direction. Add some different strikes that

choreographer needs to have a good grasp of space as well.

change the direction.

Watch the position of each performer and be mindful of the

2. Add another movement. Specifically, to the beginning or end of the series that changes the direction of their focus. 3. Change levels. Throw some strikes up high and some strikes lower. You want to be able to surprise the audience a bit as to where the next move will be coming from.

amount of space the routine, the performers, and their individual movements take. You can switch up the perception of the entire routine simply by moving them farther apart or closer together. If possible, you can also disregard the boundaries of your performance zone. If you can have your performers come

4. Change levels and angles. You can have your demo per-

on stage from within the crowd or send a prop out into the

formers change both these attributes for a lively, exciting

audience, that is all the more engaging.

routine. Certain performers can simply turn to face a different direction or do things on a different level as everybody else.

5. Change the pacing and timing. Like the opposing combi-

MASUCCESS

Audience engagement is key!

DEMO TEAM There’s a reason superheroes have been so well-received by both children and adults all these years. The worlds and heroes crafted by comic-book pioneers like the late Stan Lee inspire many people to become the best versions of themselves possible, all the more so if the hero they look up to is relatable. No, demo-team members can’t fly or morph into superhuman beings. But they do get to act as “superheroes” to other students. They get to step into the role of your school’s top-tier group others can admire and aspire to join. Let’s look at the keys to a super performance!

THE PERFORMANCE Do you ever watch something and absolutely love it for no reason that you can clearly define? You are simply left with a good feeling about what you watched. Believe it or not, that isn’t too unusual. Most people can recognize negative things in a performance more easily than positive things. Think about how much more natural it is to call somebody out on their imperfections and tell them what they need to improve. A lot of horrible bosses in the business world illustrate this quite well, unfortunately. It is simply easier to see what is missing or done improperly. True perfection often has elements that are nearly imperceptible. That’s not to say nobody notices if things are done right, but rather, it is less obvious. If you go into a restaurant and everything is clean, that can easily go unnoticed as there is nothing to catch your eye. Everything is where

“One of the most potent methods for advertising/ promoting your school and spreading a positive reputation is to have a standout demo team. Having a dedicated group of students who are picked to demonstrate their skills at events and festivals is integral to any school interested in growing a larger local presence.” it’s supposed to be. On the opposite end of the spectrum, if there were dirty dishes left over on tables and food spilled on the floor, those messes would catch your eye. The concept applies to most of our human lives. I’m sure you can easily recall some horribly bad movies seen, foods tasted or experiences had. Weigh those against the memories you can recall that scale between average to great and, usually, you’ll find the less-than-stellar memories are more visceral. Our goal is to create a routine and perform it in a manner so clean — with perfect synchronicity, good focus and power and correct technique — that nobody catches a mess-up or mistake. Allow them to see only the positive standouts: the creativity of the routine and its music choice, the smart choreography, the showmanship, the engagement with the crowd, etc. Allow the audience to leave energized and excited by the professional atmosphere you and your team created.

BUILDING THE TEAM: WHAT’S IN A BRAND?

Extroverts and introverts. That’s how humans are often socially classified. They are people who prefer company and those who enjoy solitude. However, even the most introverted person would go stir-crazy in solitary confinement. As human beings, prolonged boredom and isolation don’t sit well with us. Even though everybody needs their occasional “alone time,” almost everybody has a problem with spending the entirety of their time completely alone. People need people, whether they like it or not. Having a team that represents your school well brings a healthy dose of pride and sense of community to everybody involved with your location, even the parents of your younger students. If you’re proud of the team you are on or the school you are a part of, you’re going to do everything you can to bring out the collective best and help it grow for the better. That means they need to be recognized almost as a brand. Start by recruiting the best. Your demo team should be the gold standard. They get to represent everybody else in your school, teachers included. If they seem lazy or unorganized, well, you can probably guess what people watching them will think of your school and your level of teaching. Form a real team. The first key to having a good team is that they have to be a team! The saying, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together” rings true here. A sense of camaraderie does more than simply strengthen social bonds. It strengthens the performance. Keep in mind that it’s not just synchronized moves that showcase their camaraderie and professionalism. Giving members a special uniform or team name can help anchor that feeling of unification and accomplishment for making it onto the team. Determine the team’s size. How big do you want the team? There are pros and cons to both large and small teams. If you have smaller numbers with more advanced students, it’s easier to wow crowds with more difficult moves while maintaining synchronization. It’s also usually easier to build close teammate bonds between each member. If you have a large crowd of students from every rank and age, you can impress the audience with powerful basics. It can also convey to an audience showcase that anybody, no matter who the person is, can achieve amazing things.

“If you have smaller numbers with more advanced students, it’s easier to wow crowds with more difficult moves while maintaining synchronization. It’s also usually easier to build close teammate bonds between each member.” 58

MASUCCESS

All of this goes into choosing the type of persona you project. Neither is wrong. The decision goes to you and what you want to showcase. Your responsibility is to guide your team to greatness and demonstrate the best of their abilities. That said, you aren’t alone in making that happen. There is a dichotomy of obedience and leadership that each team member holds in balance. Let’s look at the most important thing your team needs to know.

BUILDING THE TEAM: RESPONSIBILITY

Ego. Laziness. Fear. These can become the sins of a demo team. It is all too easy to let a good performance create ego, a difficult routine create laziness, or a planned major demonstration make someone too afraid to perform properly. The key to eradicating each of these is to anchor the individual team members in the humility of being responsible for their team. And yes, even a seven-year-old can accept a degree of responsibility in this way. No matter the age, let them (and their parents, if they’re younger students) know that they are responsible for staying on top of their training outside of scheduled practices. They must keep their uniform performance ready, and know what position to be in during the routine. Now comes the hard part. Take a moment to think. Breath deep, then actually give them that responsibility! Don’t be afraid to delegate! You cannot be like the compliant mom in the supermarket who keeps bending her rules each time her child asks for something, then ends up nearly having to take a loan out just to pay for all the candy her kid dumped in the shopping cart! Let them know there are actual rewards and consequences for their actions. It is just as much their team as it is yours. If they never trained, they all would have some very terrible performances. It’s as simple as that. Following this, be mindful of who you choose to bring into your performances. If your team is by invitation only, invite students who you know will be able to handle the responsibility or would do well in stepping up to meet the challenge. Some students will surprise you! Of course, that’s not to say younger students can’t perform. You can scale the responsibility to the age and ability of your group. The expectations of a black belt are a far cry from the expectations of a five-year-old underbelt. Let’s look at the different ways to make your demo team truly engage the audience and leave everybody captivated by their professional performance.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;A stellar demo team can be a truly amazing part of your school because it brings with it so many direct and indirect benefits. Besides recruiting new students, it can bring the local media spotlight on your school while also elevating the performance of all other students within your school.â&#x20AC;?

â&#x20AC;&#x153;As you weave a story for your audience, keep in mind that the most memorable parts for the audience will be the beginning and the end. Like a good book, set the tone right at the start and finish strong!â&#x20AC;?

DEMO TEAM

CHOREOGRAPHING THE MOVES: TELL A STORY To the world around us, everything we do projects a piece of who we are and what we think. As a school, that’s often used as a form of advertisement, showcasing what your school focuses on. Each type of martial arts school has a certain look to it that gives a glimpse into what is taught there. It is not molding to a stereotype. Rather, it is understanding what perception you are giving your onlookers and guests. An MMA gym, for example, is going to look very different from a traditional Okinawan karate school. If you’re an MMA gym, maybe you have concrete flooring, cages or rings for fighting and hanging heavy bags. If you’re a traditional karate school, maybe you have wooden flooring, a shrine to show respect to your style’s master, and traditional training implements like a makiwara (wooden punching post). That isn’t an absolute rule. But it is something that a smart business owner will often think about. There’s a perceivable difference because you are trying to show what your school represents and how your students train. It’s the same thing with your performances. Tell a story with your movements. At very least, you must understand what story you are unwittingly telling. If your performers take the stage slightly slouched and looking toward the ground, they project low confidence in their abilities. If they walk on with relaxed shoulders, smiling eyes and open gait, they project a feeling of casual passion and enjoyment for what they get to do. If they walk on with eyes focused straight ahead and walk close together, well, that’s a team with a mission of success! As they continue to demonstrate, pay attention to the persona they project, the look in their eyes, the gait they walk with, smoothness and openness of their movements, and the sounds they make all go into their appearance. As you weave a story for your audience, keep in mind that the most memorable parts for the audience will be the beginning and the end. Like a good book, set the tone right at the start and finish strong!

MATCHING THE SOUND: SMOOTH SAILING Aren’t TV commercials the worst annoyances? Unless you’re using them as the time to grab some snacks or a drink, they can be jarring. You can be totally captivated by what program you’re watching, then be abruptly interrupted at the best part by an ad for car insurance. It takes you out of the experience. That’s how it can feel if you have lots of downtime in your public demo performance as well. That waiting time where you’re switching one group out with the next, or where you wait for the music to hit a certain cue, can be worse than having to wait all summer to find out who shot J.R. in the old TV show Dallas!

To make the performance run smoothly, there should always be something happening. That’s not to say the performance needs to look like it was performed by the Energizer Bunny on a double-shot of espresso. You can have slower moments. You can even have the performers stop for several seconds. But be sure that even during pauses, they are still performing. As much as possible, everything should have a purpose. If you pause, it should be to add anticipation, maybe for the fast combo with the entire team that is about to happen or as the next group is getting ready to come marching in. Transitions matter. If one group of performers is about to finish its last combo, find interesting ways to have the next group take over the stage. Understand what moves go to which cues in the song. Having a clear timeframe is important in communicating the moves and keeping everything going. If you can tell a student that his/her combo needs to be finished by a certain beat, you are on the right track. That consistency is important. If we practice the performance 20 times, but we start on a slightly different note or phrase each time, it’s almost like practicing 20 different performances one time each. As you can imagine, mastery is going to be rather difficult in that situation.

SUMMARY Following these tips takes practice and conscious effort, just like many things in business and in martial arts. If you continue to keep these in mind, you and your team will improve dramatically. You’re going to seem more professional. You’re going to be more engaging to crowds. You’re going to get more people interested in taking classes under you so that they, too, can one day join your team of “superheroes.” Everybody has his or her own individual reason for starting their training. Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, Power Rangers and the Ninja Turtle are the common names on the list of catalysts for aspiring martial artists. Do things right and maybe your team can join that elite list! e

m It all started with a passion. That’s what led Justin L. Ford to go on to study multiple martial arts and eventually become Head Instructor of a successful American karate school in suburban Georgia. When not sharing his passion in the classroom, he shares martial arts knowledge via his blog, cupofkick.wordpress.com. He can be contacted by way of email at ford.justinlee@gmail.com. To read hundreds of articles and columns vital to your school business, visit the Martial Arts Industry Association’s website at www.maiahub.com. Through this constantly enhanced website, members can access an enormous quantity of useful information on just about any topic from A to Z.

JUNE 2019

TURNING POINT

Steve Doss: Showing Off Bruce Lee Moves in the Early-1970s Navy BY HERB BORKLAND

“In this inspiring monthly column, we examine the pivotal point in a prominent black belt’s career that took him or her onto major success in martial arts business, sports or films.”

mong other distinctions, cardio kickboxing and Impact Fitness entrepreneur Steve Doss grew up down the street from kickboxing pioneer Jim Harrison and knew pre-fame Chuck Norris. He trained with Bill Wallace at Elvis Presley’s legendary co-owned Tennessee Karate Institute and, in Corpus Christie, learned from pioneer karate champion Pat Burleson. Herb Borkland: Where did you grow up, and what did your dad do? Steve Doss: I grew up in Kansas City. Dad was a business man. HB: How did you first hear about martial arts? SD: Jim Harrison lived next door. His school was across the street from the high school I went to. He ran two floors: one for judo, the other for karate. Sparring was a bunch of men beating each other up and bleeding. Harrison’s [style of] kickboxing was holding up your hands like a boxer and jumping around. I was a little scrawny guy and I was scared to death, but I took some classes. I never saw Jim, but I took karate from Steve Mackey. I met Chuck Norris when he just got back to the States and competed in Jim’s first tournament.

Later, while in the Navy, I was stationed in Corpus Christie and worked out with Pat Burleson and Demetrius “The Golden Greek” Havanas. I had won state championships and was the number-one brown belt in Texas. But, that first night with the Greek, I went back to being a peon. I got my black belt from Demetrius. He’s the reason I stayed in martial arts. When he died, I opened my own first Austin, Texas, school in 1984. I was the guy that introduced cardio kickboxing. I did about a thousand seminars in most every city. By the way, the inventor wasn’t me, and it wasn’t (Tae Bo creator) Billy Blanks, either. It was a friend’s wife; she called it “Karobics.” Ever since Jhoon Rhee invented musical forms [in 1975], they used music to do karate moves. One day, I was on a commercial flight, thinking that I could do the same thing with kickboxing. I was talking to some women and they were fascinated. One girl said, “Call it cardio kickboxing.” Yes! So, I started classes and we were the sensation of Austin—cover of the newspaper, different locations cropped up, lines out the door. I gave seminars, did VHS training tapes and a marketing manual. Big international fad! HB: Future? SD: Now I’m with World Kickboxing Champ Abel Villareal’s Karate Club. We do a 30-minute Impact Fitness workout, which is exactly what customers want, to tone and burn body mass. e

HB: Turning point? SD: I joined the Navy in 1975 because I thought they’d send me to Japan to learn karate. It was the heyday of Bruce Lee movies, and everybody wanted to learn martial arts. But nobody knew them — except me. In boot camp, I was using hand combinations and kicks. I went from [training with] Jim Harrison to Bill Wallace. We were stationed outside Memphis, and I’d trade watches so I could go take classes at the Tennessee Karate Institute founded by Bill Wallace, Patrick Wrenn, Elvis Presley and Red West. I trained there from November ’75 until May ’76.

MASUCCESS

m Herb Borkland is a veteran black belt who can be contacted at herbork@comcast.com.

KICKING! INTRODUCING

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5:25 PM

YOU MESSED UP! NOW WHAT?

Don’t Be Caught Off-Guard with Credit Card Chargebacks! Part 2

BY KATHY OLEVSKY

“The timeframe allowed by Visa and Mastercard to dispute a single charge is 180 days. When it comes to recurring charges, however, the cardholder has much more leeway. The time frame allowed to dispute recurring charges involving the same transaction data is left up to the bank that issued the card.”

MASUCCESS

’ve been operating a martial arts school full time for 45 years. I think I may have made every mistake that can be made in this business. The reason I’m still in business, I believe, is because I asked for help. I learned quickly that others before me had already found solutions. In this reality-based column, I’ll point out key mistakes I made in my business career, which are common errors among school owners, both large and small, throughout our industry. Then I’ll share the solutions I applied to overcome them.

more aware of this Chargeback/Dispute Program creating less security in monthly membership enrollments. Our students know they are obligated to the martial arts school by Membership Agreement Contract, but they can still dispute the charges. In any case, our income is now at risk, so we have decided to take steps to help minimize our possible loss: 1. Proper documentation. We need clear membership contracts, permission to debit with an imprint of the client’s card, and their agreement by signature as well as a clear cancellation policy. In last month’s column, we discussed credit card 2. Extreme customer service. We currently stay in touch chargebacks and a case of “Friendly Fraud.” My school had with all of our clients by phone or email once a week for the experienced several transactions being reversed due to a first 100 days and once per quarter after that. In addition, customer dispute. we have clear promotion requirements with instructor In most of the cases, our students actually participated notes on their class cards. in the classes they were disputing, and had expressed 3. Easy cancellation. Even though we have term no issues. My research into chargebacks and credit card memberships, we have made it easy to give a 60-day transactions turned up some interesting facts and helped notice to cancel. From now on, when someone questions me create a plan to keep my income secure. the 60 days, we’re just going to let them out of it to avoid According to David DeCorte with Chargeback911, “The possible disputes. It is better to let them cease payments timeframe allowed by Visa and Mastercard to dispute than to have them go back and dispute, say, six months of a single charge is 180 days. When it comes to recurring previous payments. charges, however, the cardholder has much more leeway. 4. Bank drafts. The obvious solution is to stop collecting The time frame allowed to dispute recurring charges payments by credit card. We have found that our current involving the same transaction data is left up to the bank generation of customers often don’t even have checks, that issued the card.” although they do have checking accounts. Most use He adds, “For example, a cardholder could enroll in a online banking. service involving monthly charges. Then, after two years, With a little education, we help them access their he could decide to dispute those transactions. If the person checking account information. However, our program used the same cardholder information that entire time, manager does not want to miss a sale by refusing credit the bank may allow them to dispute all two years’ worth of card payment. After enrollment with a credit card, we offer historical transactions.” them $25 off their first month’s tuition if they return with DeCorte also says, “At Chargeback911, we’ve identified checking account information or a bank withdrawal form the recurring billing model as a definite risk factor for before the first payment is due. Friendly Fraud. This business model can be highly lucrative. While suffering four chargebacks in 2018 is not But it’s vital that merchants maintain careful transaction threatening the existence of our business, the possibility records and engage in chargeback representment when of one of our students claiming an entire year or two appropriate.” of membership fees is very concerning and a reason to On one of Chargeback911’s reports, their research indicates take action. e that 60 to 80% of chargebacks are due to Friendly Fraud, cyber shoplifting or other abuse. m Kathy Olevsky can be reached for questions or In 2019, we decided we needed more information. We comments at kathy.olevsky@raleighkarate.com. imagined a world where consumers become more and

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9 ÂŠ 2019 MAIA, LLC # 16610

School Showcase June2019

School Owner

Crosby Broadwater III School Name

UMAD - Universal Martial Arts Dojos Location

Augusta, Georgia Style/Discipline

The Chuck Norris System, Chun Kuk Do

What is your school name, and how did you choose it? UMAD- Universal Martial Arts Dojos. UMAD is a catchy name you won’t forget, and it’s for those who said we could never get to this point. It’s is also for our style of martial arts, Chuck Norris’ System: Chun Kuk Do - the Universal Way.

What is your school’s motto or student creed? “Why do we study? To learn from the past, to develop myself to my maximum potential, and to gain as much knowledge as possible. Why do we train? For a focused mind, healthy heart, and an unstoppable spirit.”

What is your personal teaching philosophy? To teach each person with respect regardless of age. We teach respect by giving it.

How long have you been teaching? Seventeen years.

Who or what inspires you? My mother. She made me into the man I am today. Superheroes, especially Batman, Black Panther, and Goku. I want to be the superhero to our students, a beacon of high moral code. I’m also inspired by Grand Master Chuck Norris and Master Mike Dillard, who had humble beginnings, as we do.

What is something unique that your school or your student body does well? Our studio is family-operated-and-owned. We do all advertising, teaching, promotions, pro-shop sales, website editing, logo design, commercial shoots, stock photo shoots, and program building. And designed and built our academy and are completely on our own and 100% financed.

What do you find most rewarding about working in the martial arts? Seeing our students become their personal best regardless of age. Making a positive impact in our world and educating people that martial arts is much more than kicking and punching, but builds relatable life skills.

What is your favorite inspirational quote? 1 Timothy 4:12: “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.”

If you could give one bit of advice to fellow martial arts school owners, what would it be? Treat everyone uniquely and with compassion. Always have respect, empathy, and integrity, and give one-on-one. Teaching martial arts should be looking for the best in each person and bringing it out, and leading by example on and off the mat.

JUNE 2019

We Are Looking for Schools To Present In Our School Showcase.

If you’ve ever thought about seeing yourself and your school featured in the pages of MASuccess Magazine, now is the time to act! Simply email Sarah Lobban, slobban@centurymartialarts.com and let us know that you’d like to be considered for the School Showcase. Sarah will send you an application to complete and return. All applications will be reviewed by the Editorial Board, and will notify you if you are selected.

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HOW FRIENDLY COMPETITION

BEATS BOREDOM! Repetition is critical to the improvement of technique. But finding ways to disguise the same old thing can diminish enthusiasm from both students and instructors. Injecting new life into old techniques, however, is not as difficult as you might think. Try this approach.

DEB CUPPLES

AT TEMPTING TO DISGUISE REPETITION Inspiration sometimes comes from the most unassuming places. It may be hard to believe, but the inspiration I had for putting a new face on old teaching techniques came from a story that I was told, many years ago, in my teens. It’s a simple story about innovation to motivate out of desperation. (See sidebar story, “Where Inspiration Began.”) However, before I share this story with you, I have to let you know that this wasn’t my first attempt to rev up classes, nor will it be my last. I’ve had a lot of failures and some successes, but I never stop trying to make things better. Today, I’m sharing one of my successes (maybe one day, I’ll share some of my not-so-successful attempts).

WHY YOU NEED CRE ATIVIT Y

Students get bored much more easily these days. While I’m certain I don’t need to get into the fast-paced lives we live or the instant gratification that some people expect, I feel that I need to at least acknowledge that it exists. Incentive found through competing inspired me and brought life into how I get students to practice basic techniques when the same old repetition isn’t cutting it anymore. Basically, I asked myself how could creativity overcome the expectation that repetition is boring? How can we convince our students that hard work can be fun and rewarding in a world that’s so much different from the one in which we grew up? Well, let’s take a look — an honest look — at how some of us are still teaching. We all know the drill: The instructor tells the class to spread out on the mat. Then he or she demonstrates a specific technique and counts out repetitions while the class performs that technique. Students oblige the instructor and repeat the techniques as is expected, and class goes on as usual. Although the repetition of basic techniques is necessary, it gets tedious and boring for students who are used to a quick fix. And while we aren’t really here to cater to every little boredom complaint, we have to recognize that bored students are less likely to do their best and more likely to think twice about returning to class if there doesn’t seem to be relief from repetition. We want our students to do their best and we certainly hope that they look forward to their next class. So, instead of falling into the rut of teaching basics the same old way, inject the following fun, competitive activities into your classes every once in a while and watch your students come alive. You’ll not only infuse your students with energy, but you will find yourself more excited to get on the mat with the anticipation of a successful class is about to come together right in front of you. CONTINUED ON PAGE 80 MASUCCESS

JUNE 2019

BY DEB CUPPLES Here’s the story that crept back into my mind some 30-plus years later, and how it helps me keep the fire burning during classes when I’m not teaching anything new, but sewing down the seams of basic training. I was told the following story when I was in my teens and it has stuck with me since then. It’s a simple story about a small town and how one man’s creativity saved the economic futures of many families. This story took place many years ago, although it could have taken place in present day, now that I’m thinking about it. It’s timeless! There once was an old industrial, blue-collar town with a large manufacturing facility. Nearly every person, at some point, had been employed at this facility. And if you weren’t employed there, your mom, dad, uncle or cousin was. ABC Manufacturing Facility manufactured widgets and had a long history of having top-notch leadership and high-volume production. Unfortunately, the factory had long ago hit its high point and was now in danger of closing down due to poor performance and subsequent outsourcing. Attempts over the last five years to increase productivity at the factory included several different management changes. They not only failed to reinvigorate current employees, but also sickened morale and impeded production. It seemed as though, one-byone, employees of the plant lost their drive. And once they did, it didn’t take very long to extinguish the spark that was left in doing mundane tasks day-in and day-out, by the same people, at the same stations. One cold winter day, news started to get around that the plant was in danger of closing. Although everyone probably already knew it was inevitable, this is when things began to get worse. Workers were no longer showing up on time and were asking to leave early, in addition to calling in and using up sick time. They were literally sick and tired of doing the same thing over and over again. They had lost the drive to do their best.

THE MYSTERIOUS NUMBER 63 Things looked bleak until one day, the morning shift arrived and found a bright orange “63” spray-painted on the ground. It seemed like nobody knew what the number was for, or who put it there. It was a mystery! It was the topic of discussion during breaks with employees guessing what on earth that number could stand for. “Is it the number of days until the plant closes?” “Is it the number of employees being let go this week?” There wasn’t a single guess in the positive direction as to what this number was. As the afternoon crew came in, the morning crew pointed out the number on the ground and created that much more curiosity for the incoming shift. Just as the first shift hypothesized about the mysterious figure, so did this shift. They were captivated, confused, and mostly worried about just what that number could symbolize. As the afternoon shift finished up their tasks and were getting ready to leave, the night crew was coming in. As the first shift shared with second shift, so did the second shift share with the third, alerting them to the bright orange “63” on the ground. This is when Gary, a lifelong employee, spoke up and let the afternoon crew know that he was the one who spray-painted the number on the ground. Astounded and looking somewhat relieved that it was one of their own who painted the number on the ground,

they begged him to tell them what it was for! That’s when he revealed to the crew who had finished their shift that it was how many complete widgets they had assembled during the third shift last night. And with that simple explanation, he clocked in and took his place on the manufacturing line. You can imagine the relief that the outgoing crew felt, along with a sense of urgency to return and show Gary that they didn’t find his little graffiti very funny! They would show him how many widgets a good crew could put together during a shift and it certainly wouldn’t be a measly 63! Well, at the end of the night, Gary crossed out the “63” and painted an even larger “71” next to it, again in bright orange paint. He had inspired his own team to be 10% more productive just by revealing the idea behind the number in the first place. The morning shift came in. Now that word had gotten around about the puzzling number on the ground, they, too, pushed a little harder than usual. At the end of their shift, they crossed out “71” and replaced it with “74” — and proudly bragged to the afternoon shift. This went back and forth for about three weeks until the number that was on the ground was “175!” Gary’s creative idea had nearly tripled production! Further, it cost him nothing more than a can of spray paint and the belief that he could make a difference with a little bit of friendly competition.

FINDING COMMONALITY HELPED TO FIND A SOLUTION You might not think that a manufacturing facility and a martial arts school have much in common, but they do. And while I can’t take credit for Gary’s creative vision to motivate an entire manufacturing facility, I can certainly apply his methodology in a similar way to persuade my students to find new vitality in seemingly monotonous techniques. Think about it. Both manufacturing personnel and karate students perform the same tasks over and over again. They both have the same employees/students attending shifts/classes every week. They both need employees/students to stay in business and they both expect someone to lead them to success. While it is inherently more obvious to a factory employee why he/she needs to repeat their tasks day in and day out, it is not necessarily as obvious to a martial arts student. A factory worker knows that he/she needs to repeat tasks to receive a paycheck; however, a student training in martial arts doesn’t always understand that he or she needs a similar repetition to improve techniques over time. It can be very difficult for some students to understand the idea that, until practice occurs regularly and repetitively, they will not improve. In fact, most students will not practice outside the classroom. It is for this reason that repetition is key to success and that we, as instructors, need to provide a variety of lessons featuring the same technique. This approach is key to insure the future success and subsequent promotion of our students. This connection of factory employees and martial arts students is a perfect analogy to explain why we need to derive creativity from repetition. It’s good for us to think about motivation, success and determination and to change the perception from boring to blazing. Everyone can benefit from one small idea, from one man, from one story.

HERE’S WHERE IT ALL COMES TOGETHER Start out by asking your class to line up for basics and count out two or three different techniques to warm them up. Now, it’s time to tell them you have a great idea. Really pump it up and get them excited for something new. Once you have got your class ready for this powerful new alternative to basics boredom, you’re ready to get moving! You will need to divide your class up into teams, making sure that they are evenly distributed with a mixture of ranks and ages. You’ll need team captains or leaders for each team. I like to choose team leaders by asking the class questions like, “Who made their bed today?” Or, “Who used good manners today?” If you have an older group of students, change the criteria for choosing team leaders to something like, “Who decided to be polite in traffic today?” Or, “Who helped someone at work feel appreciated today?” Feel free to use your own ideas; these are just some suggestions to get you started. Once I’ve chosen a few leaders, I have them pick their teams. However, I steer clear of the normal way of picking teams, where kids pick their friends and their favorites and then the same kids get picked last. I try to even up the teams by asking the team leader to pick someone who is older than them, taller than them, a higher rank than them, etc. This way, in my head, I’m creating teams that each have equally varied skill levels, ranks and ages. Next, you need to set up your Century Wavemaster bags or arm students with Century Body Shields and have each team line up in front of their team’s bag. After you’ve got them lined up, let them decide who is going to first, second, third and so on. If you choose a Body Shield, decide ahead of time if you’re going to rotate students to hold the shield or if one person is going to hold the shield during the entire exercise. If you choose the same person to be the pad holder, be careful to ensure that they are up to the task. Now, it’s time to instruct your teams that, one at a time, each student is going to step up to the bag and perform a roundhouse kick. Then, without putting their kicking leg back on the floor, repeat the kick over and over while the rest of the team counts out the kicks. I chose roundhouse kicks as an example technique. Of course, you can tailor this “game” to any technique you feel that your students need to practice more. Once their kicking leg touches the floor, or the technique doesn’t measure up to standards, that student’s turn is over and he or she moves to the back of the line. This is a good time to demonstrate what you consider good technique and what would disqualify a kick, so that everyone is on board with the rules. You won’t have to stop the competition to answer questions about whether something is allowed. It’s always best to give a good, clear idea about expectations beforehand. Tell your team that the next student in line does the same thing until time is up. I have found that five minutes is a good amount of time for each student to have at least a few turns at kicking the bag before the game is over. You should also ask for a few parent

MASUCCESS

volunteers to write down how many consecutive kicks each member of the team has performed. Students waiting in line are instructed to stand in a horse/front/ back stance or do push-ups or some other stationary task to keep them active while cheering on their teammates. At the end of five minutes, the parent-volunteers tally up the individual kicks into a combined team score. Each of the volunteers announces the grand total for their team, emitting a round of applause on each team’s score. Finally, the winning team receives a round of applause and bragging rights for the highest number of kicks! The excitement in the room will be something that everyone will remember.

A FEW MORE TIPS A little tip to keep the energy level high during this exercise is to announce when each minute has gone by. Then begin to let everyone know when there is one minute left, 30 seconds left, and, finally, when only 10 seconds remain. At this point, everyone starts counting down: “Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one!” Make sure that you keep an eye on students who aren’t doing well and stand by them to encourage them. You can even help them with balance if you think it will boost their confidence. Just make sure you help each team equally to keep the playing field fair.

“You will need to divide your class up into teams, making sure that they are evenly distributed with a mixture of ranks and ages. You’ll need team captains or leaders for each team.”

THE BOT TOM LINE IS NEWLY MOTIVATED STUDENTS Disguising repetition as a challenge between students, or teams of students, is the perfect way to infuse new energy into a technique that students have been practicing for years. In keeping with the sidebar story about the manufacturing plant (see “Where Inspiration Began”), I created a competition between students to see how many roundhouse kicks a group of students can perform compared to another group of students. After realizing how very motivated and pumped up the winning team was, I decided to put that number up on the bulletin board for the next time we have a roundhouse-kick competition. This drill not only gets repetition done in a fun way, but also fosters teamwork. Students who would normally complain that they are too tired to do 25 kicks are now begging to have just 30 more seconds to see how many times they can roundhouse kick the bag. JUNE 2019

ADDING FUTURE COMPETITION You can further this competition by adding up the total amount of kicks by all teams and telling the next class that the previous class performed 413 round kicks today. Then tell them that you think that this class just might be able to beat that number. Would they like a chance to say that they outkicked the 5:00 p.m. Thursday class? I guarantee that you will create a renewed passion for whatever technique you choose. This drill will become a highly requested activity in your martial arts school. If you’re looking to increase attendance in a certain class, announce that it’s going to be “Team Kick Day” next week during the 6:00 p.m. class on Wednesday. Tell students to come hydrated and ready to out-kick their classmates. It’s a good camaraderie-builder for everyone involved.

USE VARIET Y TO SPICE THINGS UP Start to trust and use your own creativity for the next variations. Next time around, you could choose a different technique, or ask for combos. Make sure that you consider your class demographic while coming up with variations. If you choose a class with higher ranks and really want to ramp up the workout and the energy, choose a switchkick combination. For example, have students warm up with basic round, side, front and hook kicks. Then have them perform and repeat a front to side kick using the same criteria as the original game. You can then move on to any combination that makes sense for your style of martial arts. Of course, in a lower-ranked or younger class, you want to stick with something simpler, that students actually have the ability to perform well. What you don’t want to end up with is a bunch of unprepared students who now feel humiliated; that’s the opposite of what you’re trying to achieve here! You want to encourage, not discourage, with this fun activity. Keep it simple at first. But then, as its popularity grows, continue to branch out into new ways of re-inventing this game. You’ll always have something to fall back on when it comes to practicing the same old thing.

“ While we aren’t really here to cater to every little boredom complaint, we have to recognize that bored students are less likely to do their best and more likely to think twice about returning to class if there doesn’t seem to be relief from repetition.”

MASUCCESS

WHAT INSPIRES YOU? I’ve shared a little anecdote in my sidebar about what inspired me to create something new for my students. It was a story about determination and perseverance and how one person’s idea can make all the difference. You should take a few minutes to think about what you did to turn yourself around when you “hit the wall” the last time you were training. Was there a story behind it? Was there a mentor who helped to give you some extra encouragement? Maybe there was something in your past that helped you to persevere through the monotonous, but critical, training that you needed to get to the next level. Uncover creativity through your own personal successes. It doesn’t have to be a complex idea. In fact, it should start with something very simple, like kicking a bag over and over again and turning it into a competition. There’s some creativity hiding in there somewhere; you just have to dig around to find it. While these ideas come easy to me, I know that not everyone is able to come up with new ways to teach. But that doesn’t mean it’s impossible. Talk with your instructors, parents, friends, peers and ask them how they find their inspiration. You never know where your next idea will come from and the excitement that it might bring to your classroom. e

m Deb Cupples, 4th-degree black belt, is the founder and chief instructor of Community Karate and Fitness in Colorado Springs, CO. Her inspiration to infuse enthusiasm in teaching martial arts is endless. She can be reached at: MrsC@CommunityKarateandFitness.com. To read many more insider tips about becoming a better instructor and successful school owner, visit the Martial Arts Industry Association’s website at www.maiahub.com. Through this constantly enhanced website, members can access a massive amount of useful information on just about any topic from A to Z.

JUNE 2019

Clean Mats = A Full House Getting new students and keeping the ones you have is always on the mind of a martial arts school owner. And in this age of virulent super bugs like MRSA that can have potentially very serious and even fatal consequences, you must have a good hygiene protocol in place to protect your athletes as well as yourself and your school. Kenclean Plus is a hospital use disinfectant cleaner that kills the germs you need to kill while leaving behind a clean, fresh fragrance that lets your students know your school is clean, Kennedy Clean!

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Connect with a Major Movie for a Marketing Bonanza!

BY ADAM PARMANMAIA CONSULTANT

“These movie tie-ins are lowcost, potentially high-profit opportunities.”

MASUCCESS

earning how to properly market your martial arts school can often be confusing, expensive and frustrating. As small business owners, we are consistently being approached about new advertising opportunities that promise results, but offer no proven track record. While nothing in life is guaranteed, I’ve found that there are some basic steps to marketing Hollywood movies that can help align your school’s name with larger national brands like major movie franchises and movie theaters. These movie tie-ins are lowcost, potentially high-profit opportunities. Just about every action film, including the mega-budget summer releases, contain plenty of martial arts fight scenes which makes the promo tie-in very credible. Follow these easy steps to avoid common mistakes and generate new students for your school. Step #1: Get a Booth While doing demonstrations in the front lobby of a theater might cause an inquiry or two, it doesn’t guarantee the success of an enrollment. For best results, you must have the opportunity to collect lead information. You need a booth in the lobby of the theater showing the movie, so you can invite patrons to register to attend a “movie-themed” workshop at your martial arts school the following weekend. To get permission, speak with the manager of the theater and ask what you can do to get approval. Offer to promote the movie to your students in exchange for the theater letting you have a booth during the movie’s opening weekend. Make it clear to the manager that you plan to pack the show in exchange for the booth. Then, plan a day with your interested students to see the film during a matinee. If it’s a nationally branded theater chain, you may need to pay for the opportunity to have a booth. Keep in mind, to get the best results you sometimes need to be willing to spend the money. Larger theaters primarily use a company called National CineMedia for all on-screen advertising and weekend marketing booths. Prices for the weekend booths vary depending on the movie, date and location. Make sure to negotiate that you’ll be the only martial arts school present for that date and location. Additionally, if you negotiate multiple weekends at the same time, you can often get a better rate.

Step #2: Make your booth interactive. Give people a reason to check out your table. While many school owners prefer to use a prize wheel at their booth, I find a photo opportunity works best. It doesn’t leave me an obligation to give away anything. Dress a mannequin in a costume based on the movie’s wardrobe or use a photo backdrop as the perfect stage to get people to visit your booth. Explain to those passing by about your movie-themed workshop and let them sign up to attend on a clipboard, iPad or tablet. Step #3: Promote your workshop beyond the movie theater. I’ve found social media to be a great way to get additional leads to commit to coming to the workshop. Create a social media ad that links to a landing page where people can register for the movie-themed workshop. To create the landing page, contact your website company or use one of the free online formmakers available to small businesses. Step #4: Confirmation is the key. You must learn to follow up with your leads to get the desired results. I suggest emailing everyone that registers for the workshop immediately with event details, including directions to your school, and the date and time of the event. Additionally, call to confirm attendance at least two days prior to the event. On the day of the workshop, send out a second email and text message to all the prospect’s phones to remind them about the event. This will help ensure you generate maximum attendance for the event. Step #5: Make your workshop generate enrollments. To get the most out of your marketing, you must learn to convert leads into enrollments. Use your moviethemed workshop to showcase your martial arts, while also selling the parents and spectators on the benefits of your program. After the workshop ends, announce a group enrollment offer as a call-to-action. Explain that because this is a special group rate, the offer is only good if they sign up today. Make sure the presentation is clean and simple. The biggest mistake any school owner can make is offering a lot of options during that enrollment announcement. This confuses the buyer, leaving them with the desire to “think it over” and leaving you without an immediate enrollment. Now that you know the steps to making the most out of your movie theater promotions, get out there and take advantage of any upcoming blockbusters featuring martial arts action. When one hits theaters, flood your school with new members! e m Reach Adam Parman for questions or comments at aparman@masuccess.com.

MASTERFUL RETENTION

5 Mistakes that are Killing Your Sparring Program

BY CHRISTOPHER RAPPOLD

“Everyone’s responsibility is to help everyone else get better. When sparring becomes purely competitive, and a student’s feeling of accomplishment is tied into winning, there is a very limited number of people who will leave feeling good.”

hen I walk into a school and see two or three high-level students training at the prime time (4:00 pm to 8:00 pm), with no other members in sight, my eyebrows raise. When I see a class full of students who are not performing the technical skills correctly, I get restless. Each of these extremes are different, but, in both cases, the school owners or instructors are probably making one of the 5 Mistakes that can sabotage a sparring program. So what are the 5 Mistakes? Well let’s take a look at each one so you can make certain you aren’t making them. Mistake 1: Teaching offense first. Sparring is learning how to move with another partner. To do it well, a student needs to be able to relax. They can only relax if they feel safe. Instructors have to remember to perceive safety though the eyes and feelings of a beginner. Help everyone feel safe by teaching defense first. Mistake 2: Developing speed and power while sparring. The purpose of sparring is to help learn timing, distance and the familiarization of both you and your partner’s movement. To do this in a safe manner, train with touch pressure and speed that doesn’t exceed half speed. Save speed and power for Wavemasters, kicking shields, focus pads, etc. Remember, both NFL and UFC athletes practice their skills with touch pressure when they are training with each other. If they didn’t, they would be hurt before they ever showed up for the game on Sunday or the pay-perview event on Saturday night. Mistake 3: Spending most of the time free-sparring. Free sparring in proper proportion is very valuable. What I often find is that due to the lack of a well-laid-out curriculum, instructors default to letting the students free spar all the time. Switch your ratio to spending 80% or more of the time letting the students practice isolation drills so they can properly understand how to execute the techniques correctly. This will improve their understanding, confidence and control. Then, when they weave what you have taught them into free sparring, their chances for successful execution of a technique are dramatically improved.

Mistake 4: Teaching everyone in class the same. Instead of making each student try to keep up with the best student, or dropping the whole class to the level of the new student, use drills that allow everyone to work on the same skill, at his or her own pace. At Level 1, teach the drill stationary with no resistance. When a student can do the drill 8 out of 10 times correctly bring them to Level 2. At Level 2 the students can start to cooperatively and predictably move around. When the students can do this correctly, they are allowed to practice at Level 3. Level 3 is when an appropriate level of off-setting and resistance is allowed. This will start to give the student the feel for what it would really be like against a resisting opponent. Everyone’s practicing the same technique, but how they are practicing it is very different and it is controlled by the instructor. Mistake 5: Focusing on winning over progress. The measure of whether a student leaves feeling like he or she had a great class comes down to if they walk away feeling like they are better at their skills than when they walked in. Everyone’s responsibility is to help everyone else get better. When sparring becomes purely competitive, and a student’s feeling of accomplishment is tied into winning, there is a very limited number of people who will leave feeling good. Most of the students will leave feeling defeated. Keep everyone focused on the feeling of progress as their win and watch how many more students enjoy the experience. Functional martial arts sparring can and should be enjoyed by all. If that is not true at your school, consider making some adjustments. Your student body will love it and you will deal with a lot less discouragement, injury and complaints as your enrollment naturally grows. e m Chris Rappold can be reached for questions or comments at founder@personalbestkarate.com.

MASUCCESS

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THE KICK YOU NEVER SAW COMING

Say “Cheese”

BY BETH A. BLOCK

“The father used facial-recognition software to search for his ex-wife and daughter. Modern technology got him what he wanted. That picture gave him the key to locating his daughter. Within a week the girl was gone. Dad had kidnapped her.”

MASUCCESS

ur industry provides lots of opportunities to take photos: everything from the first class to private lessons, extra activities and rank promotions. Many of us have covered the photos we take in a photo release. If you haven’t already done this, I strongly suggest you add this to your enrollment form. Most of us have not thought about the pictures our families take of their kids. Those pictures usually include other people’s kids. Our photo release doesn’t cover those pictures since we didn’t take them. Every studio has children enrolled from single-parent homes. We get the enrollment form signed by that parent. Do you think about liability issues from the absent parent? One of your fellow studios was stuck in the middle of a dispute between parents over a picture. A girl of seven years old was enrolled by mom. The enrollment director had mom complete all the paperwork. Mom indicated on the enrollment form that no pictures of the girl could be taken or used in the studio’s brochures or anywhere online. The studio was very careful to make sure the girl’s picture was not taken. Mom would occasionally snap pictures of her own daughter. Nobody thought anything of it. Mom had coached her daughter to turn her back on anyone taking a picture unless it was mom herself. The girl had vigilantly followed those directions over the years. Time passed and the student’s progression followed the ordinary track of rank promotion. She worked hard and advanced in her physical and mental mastery of the art. Mom was supportive and low-maintenance for the instructors. The time for her black belt test was approaching. This studio included special prep classes for black belt candidates. Community service was also a requirement for advancement. At the end of one afternoon of community service, another candidate’s family was snapping pictures of the group. The group had been serving homeless people in

a food bank. The young girl was busy talking to a family with three children, so she didn’t see the smart phone in somebody’s hands. A short two hours later, the picture was posted on Facebook. The other parent had put it on their own page. The parent was so proud of the humility their child had shown throughout the day. Now the studio found out why mom wouldn’t permit her daughter’s picture to be taken. The girl’s father held religious beliefs that prevented pictures being taken. Life with this man had become abusive, so mom had taken her daughter and run. Although Dad didn’t believe in pictures, he did use facial-recognition software to search for his ex-wife and daughter. Modern technology got him what he wanted. That picture taken by the other parent gave him the key to locating his daughter. Within a week the girl was gone. Dad had kidnapped her. In her grief, mom sued the studio. They had not stopped the girl’s picture from being posted on social media. This made its way through the courts. It turned out this studio was in a state that held them partially responsible. The studio was found to be negligent because they didn’t tell mom that other parents might post her daughter’s picture. An attorney from your state will let you know if you can be held negligent this way. Regardless of your state’s civil laws, it’s easy to add a sentence or two to your enrollment form. Those sentences would just be a simple statement of your inability to control other people’s pictures and social-media postings. Not everyone wants to say cheese. We don’t always know why not. e m Beth Block can be reached at (800) 225-0863 or beth@blockins.net.

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THE LEGAL LANDSCAAPE

Never Marry Pen to Paper Without Knowing the Consequences!

BY PHILIP E. GOSS, JR., ESQ.

“Should you voluntarily dissolve your corporation, you can never reinstate your corporation to active status, no matter the fees or penalties you are willing to pay. You will incur personal liability as the last officer and director of the corporation.”

here is a very interesting and useful Internet

company. In that event, all is not lost, as you will be able

tool that I recently became acquainted with:

to reinstate the company by paying the past due required

the Wayback Machine. Obviously, this tool is

fees, plus, at least in Florida, the sum of $500.00 per year of

not something related to actual time travel.

dissolution. This should remove you as a defendant and protect

However, it allows a look back into the vast world of the

your personal assets. While this sum seems egregious, it is far

Internet. This tool, maintained by a not-for-profit public

better than being personally sued.

entity, is basically an Internet archival service. Should you

The absolute worst thing you could have done or could ever

require something that was previously published on the

do, and which is the lesson of this column, is to file voluntary

Internet, this tool can take you there.

articles of dissolution! These are documents that you file with

I recently used this tool to prove that someone partially pilfered my client’s Internet web content. Simply amending or deleting the content of web pages does not erase what was a part of the Internet in days gone by. Many times in our business and personal lives, an incorrect

your state’s Department of Corporations, voluntarily ending the existence of your corporate entity. Many people who fail to seek legal advice believe this is a logical and necessary step. However, should you voluntarily dissolve your corporation you can never (at least in Florida and

filing can be remedied. Who among us has not filed an

many other jurisdictions) reinstate your corporation to active

amended tax form or corrective deed to remedy an innocent

status, no matter the fees or penalties you are willing to pay.

mistake? Amended filings are very common.

And, in this event, you will incur personal liability as the last

However, there are several documents that, once filed, cannot be walked back from. One example in my home state of Florida is the filing of

officer and director of the corporation. File this action under fundamental error! Another example of actions that, once performed, cannot

voluntary dissolution of corporate entities. To review, you

be reversed under normal circumstances is the execution of

operate under a corporate umbrella to protect your personal

most legal documents for the purchase of goods and services.

assets. Maintaining corporate structure and filing appropriate

As discussed in prior columns, there is an urban legend which

and required reports keep that protection in place.

many people believe to be universally true. That all written

Should you cease operation of a business that was operated

transactions or contracts automatically are governed by a

under a corporate structure, I always suggest that you

built-in right of rescission wherein, for a period of time, you can

maintain the corporation for a period of time exceeding by at

decide to terminate your obligation thereunder with no penalty

least one year the longest statute of limitations your state

or liability.

provides that a party can sue your defunct company. This

Every state is different in what does fall under a right of

provides cheap insurance. In Florida, depending upon the type

rescission. But it is my strong advice that you never sign a

of corporate entity you initially chose, you will not pay more

contract or obligate yourself to do anything that you are not

than $150.00 per year. Additionally, a null tax return may be

100% ready and willing to do.

required along with other basic filings. What do you get for this effort many of you may believe to

The hands of time cannot be stopped or reversed. Take no steps or actions that cannot be amended! e

be unnecessary? If your old company is sued, absent a personal guarantee or allegations of fraud, the company should be the sole defendant. So, what happens if you simply cease paying the annual

m Attorney Phil Goss, Jr. welcomes any email comments or questions at PhilGosslaw@gmail.com and will attempt to respond personally, time permitting.

fee? If this happens and the company is sued, you will likely be named as a defendant, as after approximately six months of past due fees, the state will administratively dissolve your

MASUCCESS

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Section_1.indd 5

1/4/19 5:25 PM

As school owners, we know that poor retention costs you thousands of dollars each and every year. The most common reason students quit, whether expressed or not, is that students are afraid of sparring. Having a clear sparring curriculum and methodology that empowers students will allow your school to solve this costly problem.

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INSPIRATION OVATION

Fall Down 150,000 Times!

BY KAREN EDEN

“Nathan figured out that he has jumped a minimum of 350,000 times in his [skating] life. As impressed as everyone who heard that was, they were taken aback when he followed it up with, ‘That means that I’ve also fallen at least 150,000 times, too.’ That statement stunned me.”

MASUCCESS

lympic medalist and World Champion figure skater Nathan Chen has a claim that, to this day, no other person in history can make. Nathan is the only figure skater to ever complete six quad jumps in competition. He has officially been deemed “the Quad King.” A quad, or quadruple, is a figure skating jump with at least three, but fewer than four, revolutions. It is the jump that separates professional skaters from champion skaters. On average, Chen has practiced four hours of figure skating a day since the age of three. He is now 19 years old. One day, Nathan did the math and figured out that he has jumped a minimum of 350,000 times in his life. As impressed as everyone who heard that was, they were taken aback when he followed it up with, “That means that I’ve also fallen at least 150,000 times, too.” That statement stunned me. As a society, we like to praise our champions, often without knowing that failure that is part of any winner’s story. The bottom line is, you can’t be good at figure skating without falling — a lot! I’ve often noticed around babies that they, too, fall a lot when first learning how to walk. Some babies will get right back up. Others will sit there and cry, waiting for someone stronger and more capable to come along and pick them back up. These babies aren’t hurt. There’s just something about falling that’s so frustrating and embarrassing, we feel it even at our most primitive level. As a mother, I would often stop myself from consistently running to pick my baby up every time his butt hit the floor. Everything was fine and he learned how to pick himself up. It’s a lesson in life we all have to master if we want to survive. As an instructor, I relate this story to my own black belts who teach under me. Sometimes, we have to let our students fall because it’s the only way they are going to learn how to be better. I myself have fallen many times, and not just in martial arts. I’ve fallen in business; I’ve fallen in relationships. I’ve fallen so hard at times I’ve literally had to stay down there for a while to try and figure out what just happened. In true Nathan Chen form, I, too, have had many successes in my life, but half of the times I tried to be successful, I fell down.

Olympic gold medalist Nathan Chen in mid-quad jump. So, if by chance you should ever see me in a photo, smiling while holding a trophy or plaque, just know that behind the success is a ton of falling. I had to get good at what I do, too, and I’ve got the bruises to prove it. Today, I’m a proud martial arts instructor who has successfully helped hundreds of karate students fall down and pick themselves back up. I don’t help them up when they fall, either. As a matter of fact, sometimes I have to turn my head so they don’t see me laughing. As for Nathan Chen, the young Olympic contender who isn’t afraid to talk about failure, he’s got a lot more falls ahead of him. But it’s refreshing to see that he has mastered the art of failure so gracefully. You see, you can’t win if you don’t pick yourself back up, and you can’t pick yourself back up if you don’t first fall. e m You can contact Master Karen Eden at renedenherdman@gmail.com.

The Bigges t E vent in the Indus try is scheduled at the Bell agio Hotel.

Hotel Alert: You may be contacted by hotel discounters claiming to be association with the Martial Arts SuperShow, using high pressure tactics in offering accommodations. Many of these companies are known to engage in fraudulent behavior. To book accommodations at the Bellagio, we recommend using the reservation link on the MASuperShow website or call in your reservation at the number listed above using the Group Code: SMAR0619

GROUP CODE SMAR0619 REGISTER ONLINE: MASUPERSHOW.COM | Phone: 888.987.6667 S at ur day, June 2 9, $ 2 39.0 0* S unday, June 30 - T hur s day July 4 , $ 14 5 .0 0* *Plus resort fee and tax

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