We bought our empty building on January 1, 2000. Previously, I’d been teaching Karate for Kids and Adult Taekwondo at the Town and Country Dance Hall, here in Paris. Before that, I taught out at Crestwood school through Lakeland College, up on the square briefly, and also down at the gymnastics center.
In fact, I’ve been teaching martial arts here in Paris since May 2, 1987. Two more years will make 30 years! I received my 6th Degree Black Belt back in 2005, and became a Master Instructor in 2006. I’ve also gotten interested in Brazilian JiuJitsu (grappling), and finally received my Purple Belt just last week after 10 years of training. Now I’m turning my focus back to Taekwondo and working toward my 7th Degree.
Cross That Ocean One Paddle At A Time
Posted: February 26, 2015
I love it when I come across a really good quote. One that puts things in perspective. The kind of quote that gives us that extra understanding to figure things out just a little better.
So I’d like to continue my series of great quotes, this time from two adventurers. The first is from perhaps the greatest explorer of all time.
“You can never cross the ocean until you have the courage to lose sight of the shore.” -Christopher Columbus.
Former Navy SEAL to speak in Paris
Posted: February 25, 2015
Navy SEALs have gotten a lot of exposure recently, due to the blockbuster movie American Sniper. When added to the big news about the capture and killing of Osama Bin Laden, people still have a great desire to learn about this clandestine special operations group of warriors.
SEAL stands for Sea, Air, and Land, because SEALs operate in all three areas. As a result, they go through what is the most difficult training anywhere. Their training program is called BUD/S, which stands for Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL.
A surprisingly small number of people make it through the 21 week course, which is broken into three 7-week stages, not counting a 3 week prep course which is mostly physical. As the weeks go on, more and more people voluntarily drop out, with the total number of people dropping often exceeding 50% of the class. Of course, physical injuries also play a toll on each class.
Give Yourself The Time You Need
Posted: February 11, 2015
It seems like we switched over to the New Year just yesterday. But can you believe it’s been almost a month and a half? The older I get, the faster time flies.
By now, we’re used to writing the “15” on our checks. Old habits are hard to break, right? If your like me, you probably wrote “14” a couple times. But necessity drives change, and given enough time, we’ll catch up.
I wonder what other changes we’re making that are starting to stick. This is the time when I see lots of new members at the gym. Unfortunately, not all of them will stay with it.
Persistence Pays Off With Brazilian JiuJitsu Promotion
Posted: February 11, 2015
I had something neat happen this morning. I was doing some Brazilian JiuJitsu (BJJ) training at the gym with my friend and coach when he said he had to make a call.
He came back with the phone and said it was our head coach in Nashville, TN, and he wanted to talk with me. As we were talking, he said he wanted to congratulate me on reaching my Purple Belt!
For a moment, I was speechless (pretty unusual, I know). I’ve trained with him in the past, and even visited his school in Nashville. To hear him recognizing my accomplishment was quite an honor.