Reply:  Dreams are goals we set and proceed to achieve.  Some happen more quickly than others.  The goals that are not easily obtained can only be achieved with patience and determination. Train hard and adapt your attitude to encompass the following characteristics of “champions in training”. Replace self-defeating thoughts with  proactive and positive  self fulfilling thoughts.

As Martial Artists, we set high goals to maximize our growth. Achieving a Black Belt gives one direction as it is a target which you can see yourself achieving successfully .  When you shoot an arrow in the sky, you aim it in the direction of a target.  The target does nothing but stand there without purpose waiting to get hit!  We all have the choice of being an arrow or a target in life.  It is easier to overcome despondency or short term setbacks if you have  clarity of your long term goals and desires.

You should-

·  select appropriate exercises that will not aggravate your back.  Low impact aerobic exercise, swimming or walking is recommended

· warm up first by doing  stretching exercises that increase blood flow to your back muscles making them less likely to strain

· if  necessary, adjust the exercise to ensure that it does not cause you pain while you are doing it

· obtain approval from your medical adviser prior to undertaking the exercise

· be aware of your posture.  It is important to maintain good posture even when you are not exercising and not to slouch

· be cautious when doing any twisting exercises

· if you are using weights, limit the weights to not more than 10 – 20% of your body weight

· limit your exercise workout when you have severe back pain and rest

· consult with your medical adviser if the pain persists

Question:
Dear Shihan Warren, I don’t have time to work out. What do you suggest?

Answer:
Exercising on a regular basis brings a multitude of benefits, both from a physical and mental perspective. Exercise releases endorphins in our bodies which produce a feeling of well-being. You should –

1. Schedule a workout time as if it is an important appointment that cannot be cancelled. Don’t allow anything to distract you during this time and don’t make any excuses not to keep your “appointment”.

2. Regard your workout as important and as habitual as brushing your teeth or taking a shower.

3. Determine when your energy levels are at its “highest” and make a time to exercise accordingly, for example, if you are a “morning person”, wake up half an hour earlier.

4. Do not regard a workout as something to fit into your hectic life, but rather as something to help you “cope” with your hectic life.

5. Undertake a training schedule for yourself, which you know you will be able to sustain and enjoy.

Q: Now that my children are back to school, what can I do about possible bullies?

A. It is unlikely that your child will come home and tell you that he is being bullied at school. Therefore as a parent, it may be necessary for you to detect from your child’s behavior if s/he is being bullied at school in order to remedy the problem. Bullying can make school a nightmare for children. It is necessary to give your child the knowledge as to what constitutes “bullying” and the tactics necessary to avoid it or to put an end to it when it does happen.

• You should point out the difference between telling and tattling. Tattling is telling on someone else to get them in trouble, while telling is seeking help for yourself or someone else who is experiencing problems, be it physical or emotional.

• Encourage your children to tell you, a teacher or another adult that they trust when they feel they are being bullied. Assure your child that you will handle the problem with sensitivity and in a manner that will not exacerbate the problem.

• Children are more of a target when they are alone. You should encourage your children to make friends with other children. Victimized children often have low self-esteem and find this difficult to do. Teach them how to reach out and make friends with other children who are alone.

• A great way to build self-esteem is to enroll your child in karate or other self-defense program. Rather than build aggression, it will teach your child to be more assertive and make them feel better able to defend themselves. Victimized children are often timid and therefore a target for bullies.

• Be aware that in today’s society, bullying does not only take place on the playground, but also exists on-line through email or instant messaging. Make your child aware of the dangers of this form of bullying as well.

Shihan Warren Levi BPhysEd (Hons) holds a 6th degree Black Belt and can be contacted at 516-569-0808 for your FREE TRIAL LESSON or send an e-mail to warrenlevikarate@gmail.com or visit www.warrenlevi.com.

Reply :

No, not at all, it is never too late and it can only be beneficial to you.  How we continue to age is related to the healthy choices we make each day in our life and martial arts can play a beneficial role in keeping you healthy and agile as you age as well as keeping your brain alive.

Our modern lifestyle differs from that of our ancestors in that it is faster, louder and there is a surplus of information coming at us from all angles.  This often results in us being burdened by excess overload which causes us to lose clarity and to find ourselves becoming forgetful. As we get older, we often unnecessarily accept this as part of the normal aging process.

Martial Arts is one of the oldest forms of movement and is an excellent modality to ensure that we maintain agility in later years and preserve mental focus, clarity and memory.

Each movement requires:

concentration = clarity of thought

reasoning = of the movement (eg whether you are attacking of defending)

exactness = correlation between mind and movement

perfection = engaging the mind to control the body

health =  your whole system (organs, muscles, sinews, joints) benefits by each karate movement which also aids circulation and digestion

body alignment = consciousness of mind & body

This connection between the mind and the body keeps the body agile and the brain active, stimulated and alive.

(P.S.  60’s is the new 40’s: I hope to see you training in our dojo soon and karate chopping your way to health and vitality!).

Warren Levi holds a 6th degree black belt in Shotokan Karate. He has a Bachelors degree in Physical Education/Exercise Physiology. He has won numerous World titles. Shihan(Master) Warren can be contacted at Warenlevikarate@gmail.com or 516-569-0808.

Reply:

The kata (forms) aspect of the karate training is a sequence of basic fighting techniques against an imaginary opponent. It is muck like what boxers call shadow boxing. Each movement and technique has a purpose. Each fighting movement flows into the next fighting technique without a break. It requires personal endurance, great discipline, many years of training and constant repetition to master each kata.  Once a level of technical proficiency has been achieved, the kata takes on a new meaning which will become second nature to the karate student.  It will enable the karateka (student) to be able to develop a state of awareness so as to sense the movements of his/her opponents and to react with instinctive blinding speed and absolute control.

The methodology behind kata training is to make the karateka feel uninhibited because s/he is working against an imaginary opponent and therefore does not have to fear being injured or injuring someone else during training. During this process, the karateka develops and refines his/her motor skills, coordination, stances and breathing.  The karateka becomes aware of a strength that s/he was perhaps never aware of and the outward display and underlying rhythm of the kata becomes secondary to the manifestation of the inner power of the karateka.

In addition to the defensive aspect, kata training provides an excellent cadio vascular workout resulting in a fusion of fitness, flexibility, agility, mobility, strength and balance.

Shihan Warren Levi holds a 6th degree black belt in Shotokan Karate. He has a Bachelors degree in Physical Education/Exercise Physiology. He has won numerous World titles. Shihan Warren can be contacted at warrenlevikarate@gmail.com or 516-569-0808.

Reply: Yes, it is possible.

As in everything in life, there must be a BEGINNING, ie this is the transition from NOTHING to SOMETHING. The fact that you are querying if you can change your mindset is “SOMETHING”. (Compare this to the idea that a house cannot be built unless there is the initial thought process to build a house).

The next step is to process this “beginning”.  Determine what will be a realistic sustainable fitness program for you to achieve your goal of “starting” to enjoy exercise, and undertake the task to persevere with this fitness program for 3 weeks. Keep repeating to yourself that you love exercising and visualize how much better you will feel exercising than being idle. The brain takes approximately 21 days to let go of an old belief and to instill a new habit. (After deciding to build a house, plans will have to be drawn; bricks will have to be laid one-at-a-time and patience and hard work will have to be put into practice in order to build a foundation).

After persevering for the 3 week period referred to above, focus on how good you feel about yourself and the improvement in your fitness levels.  (The bricks that have now been laid one-at-a-time will be starting to take on the shape of a new house and there will be motivation and enthusiasm to complete the task of the initial decision to build a home).

Shihan Warren Levi holds a 6th degree black belt in Shotokan Karate. He has a Bachelors degree in Physical Education/Exercise Physiology. He has won numerous World titles. Shihan Warren can be contacted at warrenlevikarate@gmail.com or 516-569-0808.

I don’t think anyone truly understands when I say karate saved my life.  I was 25 years old, 5’7”, 230 pounds, and completely depressed.  I had Fibromyalgia, a chronic pain, chronic fatigue disorder, and I barely left the house, let alone my bed.  I lacked confidence, discipline, drive, and I was unemployed.  Now, less than 3 years later, I am faced with the prospect of earning my black belt in Shotokan Karate.

I got a part time job about then, around the same time that my parents started working out at Warren Levi Karate.  “Purely for fitness,” they said.  After a few weeks, Warren began introducing karate into their routine, and they were thrilled.  They asked me to join them, and I decided to try it out.  After the first two weeks, I was hooked.  I joined in my mother’s private lessons, and by the end of the first month, I was practicing moves in my room nightly.  About a month later, I applied to graduate school to become a teacher.

Slowly, my confidence began building.  I had never been good at sports, and yet I found that these moves were conquerable.  Sensei Warren would introduce a move; a set of blocks or strikes, that at first seemed unmanageable.  We would try and try again, and slowly we would master each move.  If one week a kick was weak because of lack of balance, by the next week, I would be able to do it better.  A year later, I began my observations for my masters in teaching.

My body began changing around the time I picked up a second day of training per week.  I was losing weight and feeling much better every day.  My mother and I kept training and practicing, and raising ranks in belt colors.  The aspect of discipline became more and more apparent.  We needed to bow twice, once when entering the dojo, and once when stepping onto the floor.  We bowed to our instructor as a sign of respect, and when he told us to do something, we did it as quickly as possible.  As time went on, we talked less and less during instruction, and listened to and followed commands more and more.  There was syncope in my life between the respect commanded by my sensei, the teachers I was observing, and my professors in school.  There was no doubt that my training in karate improved the discipline I had for teachers in other areas of my life.

On mornings I have karate, I jump out of bed and quickly dress.  There are few days when I sleep very late.  I have been an elementary school teacher for 2 years, and I always complete my work on time.  Overall, I have lost over 60 pounds, and feel significantly better.  The drive that karate has given me in everyday life is apparent.  My students have the discipline for me that I have had for my teachers.  Karate has added motivation, discipline, and confidence to my life.  Obtaining my black belt is a symbol of the hard work that I have put into karate, and the rest of my life.

One of my beliefs as a teacher is to instill in my students a love of lifelong learning.  One of my friends recently asked me if I was going to quit karate after receiving my black belt.  My answer to her was that I would never quit karate, because as you can see, karate saved my life.

Discipline, humility, pride, concentration, respect, confidence, adaptation, courage, obedience, knowledge, personal growth, obsession, thirst for more.

The above words are what come to mind when I think about the training to get to black belt.  I started karate with the idea of trying to get fit.  In the past I had done aerobic classes, dance, ballet and many different forms of exercise.  Karate seemed to be a logical progression for me.  I never, ever dreamt I would be go as far as I did, and never realized how rewarding it could be.

Discipline

Karate requires the discipline to practice, practice, practice.  You can never, ever get to the state of perfection.  It is a lot like life.  The more you learn, the more there is to learn.  The more you perfect, the more perfection you need.

Humility

Karate is a humbling experience.  Every time I think “I got it”, I don’t always get it.  Striving for black belt has taught me to be humble, and trying hard all of the time.

Pride

I am proud of my achievements.  I strive to do better and better, and always improve myself, but I am proud of myself.

Concentration

Karate has taught me the art of concentration.  Blocking out all other people, thoughts and stresses.  When I enter the dojo, I am concentrating on first stretching out my body so I am in peak shape, and then remembering Japanese, Kata, Kumite and all of the pieces that put together a black belt.

Respect

I have learned respect for other people’s ability.  Seeing the beauty of the art of Karate is awe-inspiring.  Another great area of respect is for my sensei’s.  It is powerful to have respect for those that teach you an art.

Confidence

I am much more confident about myself and my ability to handle dangerous situations, but along with this confidence comes humility also.

Adaptation

I am not 24.  I am not even 44.  My body, while in good shape, is older than some of the other black belts.  I am learning to adapt.  This is not easy for me.  I think like I am still 20, and I do not want to give in to the fact that I am not in perfect working order.  I have to adapt my kicks because my knees hurt, and if I do not stretch enough, my body lets me know for days.

Courage

I cannot believe that I stand in front of others and actually fight.  I have the courage to go up against those that are better than me.  This is a courageous feat that I am proud of.

Obedience

Obedience is the act of carryout commands.  I love the rules of karate.  I enjoy the rituals.

Knowledge

I love learning.  I learned Japanese commands, I learned the steps to many Kata’s and I love the increased awareness that this knowledge has given me.

Personal Growth

One of the most fun parts of becoming a black belt is learning with my daughter Jill.  We take lessons together, and it is a wonderful bonding experience.  One that has made a great difference in our relationship.
Obsession

Karate has become an obsession.  Before I go to sleep, my mind will repeat a kata.  When I am in the shower, I see that I am doing kumite.  Standing in line at a grocery store, I will start to go into different stances.  It is an obsession, but a fun one.

Thirst for more

It does not end here.  There is always room to improve a stance, to sink lower, to do it better, to learn a new kata.  There is always more and that is fun.

Question:

My 9 year old son started karate classes and in a short period of time I have already noticed a vast improvement in his concentration and his ability to focus. My son now wants to quit. I am very disappointed as I also wanted to quit a sport as a kid on a few occasions in the past, but am very glad that I persevered. Do I allow him to quit?

Reply:

If you are of the opinion that this is a temporary phase that your child is going through you should delay your child quitting karate. It is not uncommon for students to become temporarily discouraged when they have to meet the challenge of the increased focus, discipline and concentration required in order to learn new skills to acquire a higher belt ranking. Karate provides a systematic method for students to acquire the ability to meet these challenges and if you are able to encourage and motivate your child to persevere, not only will your child benefit physically and mentally, but you will be instilling the following valuable life lessons in your child:

1    the importance of setting goals and meeting them. To do this, encourage your child to carry on karate until he attains the next rank. This will motivate your child to achieve a goal and if he still wishes to quit once he has attained the next rank, he will be quitting at a point when he is confident and has a sense of achievement;

2    to be committed to see tasks through;

3    to not quit when he is not winning;

4    patience to accomplish goals;

5    an abililty to believe in himself and to turn an achievement into a reality.

These life lessons will benefit your child in the future whether it is to meet the challenge of obtaining a higher rank belt or to pursue an academic achievement, or generally, to overcome a difficult challenge in life.

Oss,