Obesity and Diabetes are on the rise...

As a progressive martial arts instructor and school owner, I am consistently looking for new ways to spread the values of the martial arts to others. It is important for me to reach as many children and adults as I can so they too can reap the rewarding benefits of a the martial arts lifestyle-as I have for nearly 20 years. Nowadays, children are getting less and less physical activity. P.E. programs are being cut to additional "academic" classes, and society is getting fatter as a whole. The blessing of our electronics devices allows us to automate so many ordinary tasks in our lives. This also makes us lazy. According to a resourceful book that I am reading Change Your Brain Change Your Body, half of women in the United States have over a 35 inch waist, while half of men have over a 40 inch waist, and according to the American Obesity Association 127 million adults in the U.S. are overweight, 60 million obese, and 9 million severely obese. These numbers are alarming as we are facing a diabetes epidemic in our country.

 

In Change Your Brain Change Your Body, the author-Dr. Daniel G. Amen focuses on the importance of brain health because it controls all of your body's functions.  Your brain controls when you pick up the remote rather than the leash to take your dog for a walk. He also adds that people turn to quick fixes and fad diets whereas they should look within to train on how to modify behavior. You probably know someone who struggles with their weight that has tried numerous diets, pills, and workouts without long-term success. Maybe they lose some weight initially, but because life is so demanding, they revert back to their old habits after a few weeks to a month. I know people who have struggled with this too, and as a martial arts instructor, I have the ability to help those who struggle by providing the mental, physical, and spiritual benefits that come through training in the martial arts.     

To tell you the truth, I dream about what Johnson's TaeKwonDo Academy's place could be in its community. I am passionate about what I do and love helping others reach their fitness goals. I would welcome any advice on how we can assist in the awareness and prevention of a problem that can not be overlooked-Obesity and its link to diabetes.

If you are reading this article and have a personal connection to this issue, and if you have some suggestions on how we can partner with other organizations to assist in Diabetes prevention, give Johnson's TaeKwonDo Academy of Cary a call at (919) 469-5555. You can also e-mail me, Bryson Johnson, at brysonjohnson@tkdcary.com.

 

--Johnson's TaeKwonDo & Leadership Academy of Cary is a progressive martial arts school that is dedicated to training students to manifest the martial arts philosophy in their daily lives. Bryson and Melissa Johnson own and instruct at their academy ful-time. Conveniently located near Apex and Morrisville, Johnson's TaeKwonDo teaches its students to take their skills out of the dojang and into the world.  

Persevering for a cause...

William and Orville Wright were passionate about the prospect of controlled flight. They used the proceeds from their bicycle shop to fund their research and development- so their team did not have the deepest pockets. William, Orville, nor any one on their team had a college education. Contrastingly, Samuel Pierpont Langley was given a grant from the war department in the amount of fifty thousand dollars to develop the first 'flying machine'. He held a seat at Harvard and worked at the Smithsonian, and even hired the some of the greatest minds of the day to work on the project. Then why have we never heard of Samuel Pierpont Langley? AND why did he not succeed over the wright brothers? It is not that he didn't have intelligence, funding, or support. In fact, he had plenty of money. He had the same access to the same materials-if not better, and it seemed that everyone was rooting for him.  

The key difference between the Wright brothers and Samuel Pierpont Langley is that Langley wanted to be rich and famous. The Wright brothers wanted to change the world! AND in the end, the Wright brothers did take flight in Dayton, Ohio on December 17th, 1903.

To his disappointment, Samuel Pierpont Langley was not going to be first. Nor was he going to be famous. So, he threw in the towel shortly after the Wright brothers made their discovery.

This is one of the great stories of American ingenuity, innovation, and the DREAM that so many NON-Americans and Americans alike have talked about for over 2 centuries.

As martial arts educators, it is our goal to inspire our students to become better human-beings and to encourage them to never give up on their dreams. Our purpose should be elevated-much more than the pursuit of money. To run an operation it requires money, but if that is what drives you, you will be easily broken and will quit when the road of life shows obstacles ahead.

At Johnson's TaeKWonDo, we are not just instructors teaching karate. We motivate students to take their skills that they learn in the martial arts school and to apply them to their daily lives. Only then will you be receiving the full benefit of a martial arts education. We must train our students to manifest the martial arts philosphy in their daily lives.

Try a class at Johnson's TaeKwonDo academy in Cary (Apex, Morrisville, Cary Area karate) where we strive to teach the student more than just punching and kicking.

The mat is small, the world is big...

There exists an incredible story of an awe inspiring human being who was forced to drop out of school due to lack of funding. His dilema could have been solved for a mere $80! Living in a family of 20 people, William Kamkwamba from the South-East African country of Malawi, farmed during the daylight hours and studied at night. William would read books on windmills from his LOCAL library. William felt that his village could benefit from the windy conditions in his town, if only he could harness it. So, he set out to learn how to construct a windmill that could then either either pump water or generate electricity for his village. He was only 14 years old. It took William 2 months.

 

What a wonderful piece. It is just a reminder of the fact that we are so blessed with formal education in our country. We are so blessed with the stability of food , shelter, and covering. We are also blessed with our own indivual talents, skills, and abilities. 

I asked myself recently, "What it is that I do?" Fairly simply, I thought "I teach martial arts." I went on to ask, "How do I do it?" Well, I have a school, a uniform, mats, training equipment, and I charge tuition so that I can run my operation." This is where many organizations stop. The "business" model is complete. Let's open our doors. They answer the what and the how, but not the WHY.  So, I pondered for a moment, and then asked myself the very question. Why do I do what I do? I am an able-bodied soul who could do any number of things. The hours I work are long. The pay is decent, but not the motivation. This is a very difficult question for some folks to answer. Not for me.  

As Martial Arts Instructors, we teach our students to focus, to be more disciplined, to channel agressive energy, to always work to self-improve oneself, and to be caring, kind, and compassionate citizens.

What if we taught our students even more than what resides on the mat. What if we taught our martial arts student to utilize these life skills as a tool to not only help themselves, but to help the world?

In my center right now, there could be a student amongst us who could change their community-even the world! Someone that may just need a little more encouragement or inspiration that will someday lead to HUGE SUCCESS. How would that make me feel? I would be proud. That is our mission at Johnson's TaeKwonDo & Leadership Academy. That is the WHY.   

The Difference...

People often ask me how Johnson’s is different than other martial arts schools. I reply that Johnson’s is unlike any other martial arts school in the Cary/Apex/Morrisville area. Let’s examine the martial arts academy closely.

1.)    Johnson’s TaeKwonDo is a husband and wife team with over 36 years of combined experience.

 

Our biggest competitors in Cary, Apex, and Morrisville have center managers that are working for the owner. The owner often does not even teach their classes. Why does this matter?  Well, as someone who began training for their 10^th birthday gift and has been consistently training and passionate about the martial arts for almost 20 years now, I am also passionate about teaching. No matter what the future holds for our academy, we do not wish to step away from the mat and become book keepers. Because of this, My wife and I teach the majority of the classes at our academy-even with 20 other instructional staff members. It is not that we can’t, it is that we won’t. Because, No one will do as well as those who have the most to lose. Think about the small businesses to which you are a patron. What attracts you to them? Also, think about those businesses that have someone behind the counter that really has nothing invested in the business and has nothing lose. This is a nightmare for anyone who runs a business.

 

I will give you the perfect example. My wife and I went to a local Cary Italian restauraunt on a Sunday evening recently. The service was ok, but the food was sub-par for that type of establishment. (Potatoes were cold, steak was burnt when I asked for medium-well, etc.) Knowing the answer already, I asked the server if the partner chef was cooking tonight. She of course replied no. She even added that the sous chef was not working either. It turns out that the number 3 chef was running the kitchen, and it showed. Often-times, it is the person who has the most to lose that will give you the best service. It seems that the 3^rd chef was just looking for a paycheck.

 

2.)    Johnson’s TaeKwonDo is the highest-rated karate school in Apex, Cary, and Morrisville, North Carolina. Take a look at our 5-star reviews online. We are also one of Google’s Favorite Places for Cary, North Carolina.

 

3.)    Johnson’s has an exclusive leadership curriculum where students of all ages engage in project-based leadership and learn how to manifest the martial arts philosophy in their daily lives. These projects involve students as young as 4 years old that plan projects for their community. In fact, every Friday night, Johnson’s TaeKwonDo has a Leadership Hour (Free for all students) where students will engage in experiential leadership training. Some of the projects that kids have had to plan, involve others, and coordinate have been:

1.)                      An SPCA project that a 7 year old conducted where he taught his fellow students to make dog toys out of old t-shirts.

2.)                      A craft project headed by a 7 year old girl that wished to do something nice for residents of a retirement home

3.)                      An Autism Society of North Carolina project managed by a 10 year old black belt that involved passing out brochures for the Autism Society, collecting donations, and having a car wash for the charity.

4.)                      A 5k run and rainwater barrel auction headed by a 16 year old girl who raised money for the World Wildlife Federation.

These are just a few of the projects that our karate students have performed in their community for the good of  the COMMUNITY and the REPUTATION of our school. Other schools in our area and the United States have charity as part of their schools. You have to be careful though. I know of one school in particular in our area that has a community program where students raise money so that kids who can not afford class can attend class for free. The catch is that the school still gets paid for classes. This is not the way I want to help the community, NOR the way we run our business. Our school does not in any way directly benefit from the work that our students perform.

We benefit indirectly. Because at Johnson’s TaeKwonDo, the student is the result! What I can get you to achieve, what I can get you child to accomplish is our service! What better way to inspire others to join your school than to walk the talk. Our goal at Johnson’s is to make all of the claims in every advertisement for martial arts schools across the globe a reality- not just a bunch of false promises.

5.)                      Lastly, our Cary martial arts school uses no-pressure selling. As of this blog posting, we have a 3-month trial program with no strings attached that allows a prospective student to train in our program as many times per week as they would like. Some other schools limit you to 1 time per week. We want for our prospective members to have the greatest chance of success possible before committing to our programs. We even will offer a free trial lesson before the 3-month program to make sure that the student likes the training first. Some other martial arts school employees in the Cary, Apex, and Morrisville area are salesman first and martial artists second. In fact, many parents and students have come to our school after attending trials at other karate schools, and they said that it was like they were being pressured to buy a house or car.

At Johnson’s we are not like that. Rest assured. I sleep soundly at night knowing that I keep the best interests of my students in mind.

The Black Belt...

The "Black Belt" Terminology is not used exclusively in the martial arts. For example, Six Sigma, a business management strategy, uses belts to rate those certifed - with black belt referring to the highest belt that one can achieve. Many who have lectured in the past have referred to the black belt as a metaphor for excellence in life. One can be a "black belt" chef or a "black belt" taxi cab driver. The term black belt can simply refer to those who excel in any field. The question that remains is, "How do we, as master instructors, maintain the honor, dignity, prestige, and reputation of THE BLACK BELT in the martial arts?"

I have seen a shift in the martial arts industry over the last 20 years since I began my training where Karate schools are awarding black belts with little work, little substance, and commitment. As martial arts school owners, many have watered down their curriculum to a point that our martial arts ancestors, the General Choi's, the Maeda's, the Funakoshi's are turning in their graves.

For the black belt test, some schools require their students to break bricks with their heads, to walk on coals, and to hang elevated from fish hooks that pierce the back-some really eccentric stuff. Then, there are those that require the student to break a piece of balsa wood and do a pattern. To say the least, there is a huge divide between these 2 extremes.

I believe that the black belt test itself should be demanding. In fact, it should be the most physically demanding event for even the best prepared. The black belt test should require the applicant to be in THEIR top physical shape. When I refer to THEIR, I mean that everyone has limitations. You wouldn't require someone in a wheel chair to perform a jump kick, because that is outside of that person's limitations. My instructor also wouldn't require me to jump 30 feet high would he? What I am trying to say is that the black belt test is a personal experience where your instructor will attempt to bring the VERY best out of you, and YES, sometimes your best will not be good enough. But, with time, almost anyone who trains hard enough, without giving up, can achieve a black belt.

The issue is that many martial arts instructors are leaning toward the balsa wood and performing the pattern for their level of black belt test, and this is ruining the meaning of the black belt. We must find some middle ground.

Of course, I have mentioned only one aspect of the black belt test- the physical. If we test a student on physical performance alone, we are short-changing them and falling short of our intended purpose as instructors. Some believe that the black belt test should last over a longer period of time; that the test is a daily affair. The test is in the preparation.

As instructors, our goal should be to live up to all of the marketing hype that exists in the Moneysavers, the radio, and tv campaigns:"At XYZ Taekwondo academy, we build leaders, we are a black belt school, families that kick together stick together!" Sound familiar?

                    -Johnson's TaeKwonDo is a Cary, Apex, and Morrisville martial arts school that is run br Bryson and Melissa Johnson-instructors with 36 years of combined experience. They are the highest-rated Apex, Morrisville, and Cary karate school with an 'A' Better Business Bureau rating and the highest ratings of any TaeKwonDo school in their area.

karate morrisville, nc

What is Martial Arts?

Martial Arts can represent different things to different people. Some believe that the Martial Arts promote violence, aggression, and combat. Some feel that martial arts are just for kids, and they do not want to practice alongside children.

Over the past few years, there has been more and more interest in Mixed Martial Arts and those teaching traditional methods of self-defense like Karate, TaeKwonDo, and Kung Fu have incorporated other forms in their schools to stay relevant.  If you know anything about Bruce Lee's philosophy, he believed in not conforming to any one style. He felt that this limited oneself in battle. When you train in multiple arts, You become more comfortable in a wider variety of self-defense situations (i.e. on the ground, standing up, etc.)

So, what is Martial Arts?

Karate is Karate, TaeKwonDo is TaeKwonDo, KungFu is Kung Fu. They all have certain levels of uniqueness. However, their teachings are very similar. Let's take for example my art of expertise:TaeKwonDo. Developed over 4,000 years, TaeKwonDo as we know it was named so in 1955. As practicioners of the art, we base our practice on the teachings of the Hwa Rang Do-elite warrior scholars under the 24th king of the Silla Dynasty in Korea during the 6th century. The Hwa Rang Do followed a code of nine virtues that they used to guide them in training and combat: Humanity, Courtesy, Trust and Friendship, Goodness, Loyalty, Honor, Knowledge, Courage, and Conscience. Because of these guiding principles, they were respected even amongst their enemies.

While Tae Kwon Do practicioners are guided by the current tenets of Taekwondo (based on the 9 virtues), those that train in other traditional arts also have principles by which they are guided.

Martial Arts is not about fighting. Yes, Mixed Martial Arts training centers focus more exclusively on this than the traditional arts. But, mixed martial arts training by itself does not cause this. What creates the arrogance, the exploitation of women, and the bad language that you see in the spotlight on television is a sport with too few regulations: full-contact cage fighting. Folks, this is not martial arts. This is not even mixed martial arts. What has happened is that people who promote these full-contact fights fall prey to the profits of the hungry fans of the combat sport. The fans like scantily clad women. They like people beating the tar out of each other. They like the language, and they like watching the sport while getting drunk. This is not martial arts.

Martial Arts is about training to become your best. Martial Arts is about Honor, Courtesy, and Integrity. Martial Arts is Self-Defense. Martial Arts is much more than punching and kicking.

At Johnson's TaeKwonDo Academy, our school teaches more than just the punch, the kick, and the throw. Our Cary/Apex/Morrisville area location teaches students to manifest the martial arts philosophy in their daily lives. The mantra of our school is "Out of the Dojang, Into the World!"