Not Wrong | Just Different

The best martial artists are those with open minds.  While every person has a style that speaks to them it is hard to be respected as a person or martial artist if there is not acceptance of others' ways and an openness to learning new approaches and methods.

It is commendable and demanding of respect when a person decides to dedicate themselves to a specific art and work within that sect of the martial arts community.  Yet it is deplorable when this same person scoffs and sneers at others efforts within a different sect.

While it is no doubt true that certain styles or approaches are more effective there is still validity within the practice of those so-called "less effective" styles.  Each person must decide for themselves why it is they practice.  After all, Bruce Lee did say that in the end all knowledge is self knowledge, including knowledge of martial arts.  Upon continued dedication the practitioner learns about himself in ways of which he was previously ignorant.  For example you will learn by taking just one kickboxing class how flexible / inflexible you are.

Getting back on point, when it comes to the different approaches, styles and training methods of different martial arts it is of course still another thing all together to come to blows and to fight.  That is to say that there can be a big difference between what you train for and the way a fight can go, especially out in the real world where there are any number of objects within the environment let alone the possibility of concealed weapons or firearms.

Now I could go on and say how useless it is for someone to spend their life learning empty hand forms and that they should instead take krav maga or Aikido to learn about disarming and control through joint manipulation.  But it would be against common sense to say that it is useless to learn a form.  For it has its own beauty and use there within.  Discipline, control, learning body mechanics through movement and developing strength, power, flexibility and muscle memory of technique and perhaps the public performance of this form would even inspire others to seek out and enjoy the world of martial arts.

So what is the best and most effective martial art?  It is a trick question.  First you must ask yourself, "What is my goal through practice?"  From there you poke around and decide which art is a good fit for you.  Take note now as well and don't let yourself get brainwashed as so many do within their own space.  The first martial art you dive into will forever be a large part of your life but don't let it weigh you down or cloud your mind when branching out to something new or conversing with someone with background in a different style.  There is much to be learned but it is difficult for that learning to occur through closed doors.

Take your knowledge from school to school always filling your cup more and more.  Remember what you learn and be open to receiving more and more.  Again, when two martial artists meet it is not that there is one wrong and one right.  They are simply different and it is through appreciation and acceptance of this difference that both can learn and grow.

How Much Do You Want to Learn?

Would you like to approach your training in a multifaceted way by learning the Calasanz System Combined? Depending on your learning ability and experience this could be better for you. Or would you prefer to learn something in a more specific capacity? Such as: Boxing, Karate (Goju Ryu), Wing Chun Kung Fu, Chinise Boxng, Recreational Boxing, Cheng Chuang Long Fist, or Pau Fa-Yoga.


Regardless of what you choose to study or how you decide to approach your own training we always give as the core of our training and the #1 method that is unique to our training and our school, Physical Art. This is a unique and all inclusive approach to elite fitness ability and training designed to improve the body in a multitude of aspects through the movements and exercises. Physical Art has proven effective in improving balance, breathing, coordination, strength, power, grounding and flexibility. It is what makes our school unique. All of our students regardless of their program learn to some degree these methods of training. Improve your ability on all levels and reap the benefits of an all inclusive exercise regimen.









He was born with a gift all based on the logical understanding of the human body, that is based on the core, the power of the core and movements all used for their different purposes.

How much do you want to work out? It is very important to understand that Calasanz as a trainer teaches you how to work out, and how to do it smart. Come to Calasanz because you want to take something home with you. This is a place of 15,000 square feet. We have a huge space for people to come train whatever they choose. We welcome all styles and schools of training. Come here to learn something, to be yourself and most of all to take something home with you!

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Exhausted Lifestyle and Unhealthy Diet Cause Depression to Be More Severe

You are exhausted but you have so many problems that you cannot afford to be exhausted, so what do you do?

It’s very simple, flip the switch to the “mental” part of your brain. Now that the mental part is active you must tell yourself four things:

“
- I am a determined person

-  I have desire

-   I can make decisions and

-    I have the passion to do what I do best.
”
Besides the mental, another thing must be on your mind and that is the "physical". If you only turn on the mental, you will probably be able to function for a while but eventually you will crash at some point because that physical part is turned off.

When the physical is turned off it means you are weak, unhealthy, and you are going back to being exhausted or easily exhausted. With this it is all getting worse and it is getting so bad that it is bringing you down into depression.

We do not take depression as seriously as we should, it is one of the worst illnesses a human can have.

When a person is depressed, life means nothing to them. 

A depressed person could hear about another person jumping off a bridge; to the depressed person it is just something that happened and it has no effect on them at all.  That is because their brain is not functioning the way it should. There is no mental control, they are still unhealthy, they are still eating bad food, and they cannot look and see forward; that there is life ahead of them.  If a very depressed person could see just a small sample of their future they would not do anything to cause themselves harm but usually by the time they realize they made a mistake, it is too late.

For example, if a depressed person decides to take his or her own life by jumping off a bridge, that feeling in the air must be a terrorizing one. If someone could freeze time and suspend that person in mid air and give them the choice again that person would choose to go back and not jump.

Being healthy, meaning having a good diet and exercising regularly, is a huge step in the right direction towards helping people to better cope with depression.

You can be a very determined person with desire, talent and lots of passion, but if you are unhealthy because you do nothing physically sooner or later you will crash and burn. Crashing is like going into depression, besides, when you crash it means that a hint of depression already existed in you to begin with.  

But that's okay!  Depression is very common and it manifests itself in different ways and can crop up for many different reasons including through something as simple as inaction!  And if you are suffering, or think you might be suffering from depression please don't hesitate to seek professional help!  Remember, seeking the help you need is a sign of strength, not weakness!  It is popular now for people to correct the imbalance through chemical medication and it is a testament to the creativity and brilliance of the human mind that such a development in the field of medicine is even possible.  Some might even say a miracle.  While it may be a necessary, helpful and a 100% proper solution for some it is not a blanket solution and should not be taken lightly!  Mind altering drugs are just that and the full extent of their impact is truly hard to judge keeping in mind the existence of unknown unknowns on top of all the scientific evidence that may or may not be available.  

In the end one must weigh the pros and cons for themselves and act accordingly.

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What is Physical Arts?

Let us make it simple here. 98% of those who go to a gym or do any other sort of training are not in touch with their age.


If you are 18, 20, 23, etc... you can do anything, but still young people can get hurt if they do not do it right or are careless. What happens here is the fact that there are many people over 40, 50 and 60 years old. If you are older you cannot do all the things that young people are doing here.


Just for you to know, learn how to do it right.  Learn about your body.  Then remember and don't forget, there is not age.  Just train properly.  Learn to know your limit.  Learn to do it right and take it home with you.  It is in fact very important and it is what makes Calasanz and his system so unique.  Come to Calasanz because you want to take something home with you.


The first link on this post, I can never get enough of it or her. I can watch it her all day. Why? She is the type of person that listened. She respected what she was learning, she wanted to learn it and she knew how much it did for her. Many others did the same, but she was unique in respect to style and character. She is remembered at Calasanz forever.

Today there are many who have learned and continue learning the skill and concept of Physical Art under Calasanz.

Long ago men started also training and doing these movements the same as the women I trained. Physical Arts for a while was done mostly by women, primarily on the 90's. Today physical art is being done by men, women and children.

"Come to Calasanz because you want to be coordinated, you want to be strong, balanced, poised, grounded etc. Come and Learn Physical Arts under the Calasanz System"

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Calasanz Martial Arts

507 Westport Avenue

Norwalk, CT 06851

203-846-3321
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Style Development (Pt. 1)

When it comes to developing a style or more accurately when it comes to developing YOUR style we are not talking about a certain school of thought or training regarding Martial Art.  We are talking more broadly about expression.

As you undertake, for example, the study of a traditional Martial Art such as Karate you will learn how to express a punch in a certain way.  Someone who is learning from a boxing coach will also learn how to throw a punch but it will be expressed differently according to the rules and norms of boxing.

Students of any Martial Art can show you a leading hand attack within the realm of that Martial Art be it a closed fist punch of Karate, open hand strike of any particular Kung Fu or the darting finger of Wing Chun.  Each strike has its purpose and usefulness in any given scenario yet the core movement and basics of each strike remain the same while the differences are expressed in the delivery into that space to be occupied furthest from the body.  That means that 98% of the movement is the same.  The difference is the hand or structure that is breaching that open space and initiating contact.

Strict adherence to a particular style is necessary when formally learning Martial Art and should be followed if tradition is where you place value.  After all, many schools and masters have been training within certain parameters for quite some time and their practice and knowledge is not to be brushed away without thought.  However, it is important to separate formal learning from the reality of a fight.  A formal Karate practitioner would have a great time getting his teeth kicked in if he were to go into a fight and expect to win by going through the specific set of movements executed in the specific order he learned in training.  Remember, traditional forms are simply the building blocks and tools to be used during a fight.  It is up to the practitioner to put the proper movements and techniques in their proper place and in proper time during those fleeting moments of combat to become victorious.

But this still begs the question.  How do you develop YOUR style?  The best advice I can offer is that you start with something that interests you.  Start with something that you like.  Don't get hung up on the usefulness or lack there-of of a particular style.  If you like it and you are practicing with focus there are more personal benefits that come with regular practice than can be written here.  Master something.  It takes time, patience, drive, discipline, determination and consistency; all of which are necessary in order to express something well and all will be useful qualities when/if you do decide to branch out to other styles or schools.


One pitfall that is very common, especially within those formal traditions, is the strict adherence to said tradition.  You cannot develop a style within a person unless they want it.  Yes, you've been perfecting your boxing punch for years and it is phenomenal. But that does not discredit or devalue the expression of a Karate punch.  It is not a question of one being wrong and the other right.  They are both right within their own realms.  Despite their being at least 80% the same they are just different punches.


So when you go developing it is important to use what you've learned and apply it to anything else you might take up.  You meld them.  Can you be a great boxer and go through a beginner Karate form?  Yes.  It doesn't make you any less of a boxer, it just means you have more tools at your disposal mentally and physically.  If you take boxing lessons and close your mind completely to the possibility of another style being valid or valued it is like a self inflicted lobotomy and only limiting development.

=====



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Calasanz' Students Go to Olympic Trials : Win Gold and Silver

Taken From an Audio Recording from one of Calasanz' Students.
(names removed for privacy)

==========

"Calasanz' knowledge... Calasanz has so much knowledge in the Martial Arts man.  He told _____, 'You're not ready for the tournament.  You're not going.'  See he didn't want to take no for an answer.  He insisted.  Even the day before the tournament I was sparring with him.  He was going crazy trying to kick me and trying to... you know.  And I was there just blocking.  Calasanz got mad at me and gave me ... I think it was 50 push-ups because I didn't want to counter punch.  I didn't want to hurt ____ to stop him from going to the tournament.  It was crazy man."

"Spinning roundhouse kick... I saw the kick coming miles away.  I could have called him on the phone and said, '____, you got a spinning roundhouse coming.  Get your hands up.'  But it was too late.  I mean I saw the kick coming when the guy was lined up and then the first spin....  I like the guy, but... if you can't walk the walk don't talk the talk.  You understand?"

"When did you go?"

"When? Ehhh ... What year was it? 1996.

"It was nice man.  I was fearless.  I didn't care.  The fights were pretty much easy  'cause the system and the way we fight and in tae kwon do, the way they fight it's different you know.  They rely a lot on their kicks.  I tried to play their games for the first 2 seconds.  The guy started jumping around.

The first one started jumping around and I just countered him.  He went with a spinning kick which is very popular in tae kwon do and I hit him with a counter round kick.  Boom.  I knocked him out."

"To the head?"

"Yeah."

"The second one was the same thing.  The second one I move up to him, I shuffled.  I shuffled.  We used to do a lot of shuffling here.  I shuffled and hit him with a round kick.  He went down."

"The third one threw a kick at me.  I blocked it.  Then I hit him with a round kick.  It was all round kicks.  It was 3 round kicks.  3 knockouts."

"The 4th guy I was supposed to fight was a guy from here because he was beating everyone from his end and he bowed out to me because Calasanz didn't want us to fight.  So I ended up with the first place.  The gold.  He got the bronze medal.  Excuse me, the silver.  Yeah, [the forth guy was a student from Calasanz and he bowed out to me because we had a rule that whenever we end up facing each other at a tournament, the student who had been training the longest gets bowed out to and get the points.]"

"That was the trial, did you end up going to the Olympics though?"

"I didn't go because I tore my ACL playing soccer.  I had to have a surgery on my left knee."

"Did anybody else go (to the Olympics) from here?"

"I was the guy with the first place.  The other guy won the silver medal.. you know what's crazy I think they found out that he was from here, they didn't give him the medal.  They said they ran out.  If you know you're supposed to have so many fights how can you not have enough medals?  It's all bullshit."

"Was it because they didn't like the fact he was training here?"

"Well they knew we were students from here.  But we didn't go to the tournament under this school because it was a strictly Korean tournament; Tae Kwon Do tournament."

"How many went?"

"4 of us... 5. Yeah."

==========

The Simple Way

Taken from an audio recording of Calasanz

"But there is only one direction that is going to be done and delivered and that is the simple way."

- Calasanz

==========

This is uh... something that I want to talk about first of all to bring it to the attention of Frank Dux even if I don't mention his name I just want to be able to tell him, "Read it."

Just like how ________________ has written before about me as a kid, I knew probably Martial Art since I was born but didn't know that it was Martial Art or Boxing that I was doing until I got to the city when I was 14 or 15.  That was the time that I first went to a school and took my first class.  As I was watching, everything that they were teaching did not make sense to me because it was just brutal.  They were just hitting each other.  The first day I remember sparring and they would throw a front kick or round kick at me and I was using techniques of closing the gap to block them.  Lifting my leg and blocking the kicks.  For me it was nothing new.  It was something that I realized later on that I was born with.


I did not go back to take a class at the school or to train with Rafael Martinez their Master / head trainer or any of the other trainers there for about 3 months.  After I came back from 3 months I could beat anyone there, but I could have beaten anyone there even on my first day.


You see, on my own I was already doing movements within the traditional forms and katas.  I remember including some of those movements in a kata I put together in 1987 for a form we call "Bojitsu Ni".  I remember Matellen Coves was performing a weapons kata put together by Tameyoshi Sakamoto, Bojitsu Ichi, but traditionally it was just too short.  He was performing it perfectly but it was just too short and he was not winning.  So I took that same form or kata that was related to kobudo and I elaborated on it to put together the Bojitsu Ni.  In less than one year, or probably 3 or 4 tournaments he was number one in weapons Nationally and number one in New England for many of the other things that he was doing.



Now, Belts.

So, belts are not so important for me, but it is important and I do use them in our system.  You want to have a black belt in Physical Arts under our system.  Why?  Because that is just a little taste of what is the most well balanced system in the world.  Anything that we do we can divide a belt into whatever; 14, 300, 400... we can divide our belt system into any number of different levels by using our skill to bring people to the equivalent of a black belt and that could be in Karate, Kung Fu, Chinese Boxing, American Boxing, Wing Chun Ground Fighting... even for Boxing we have a black belt equivalent over here.

So belts are more of a respect for me.  I respect the Martial Arts more than anyone out there.  I spent a fortune in Martial Arts just out of respect for the teacher.  "Here you are Moy Yat.  I'm gonna give you a lot of money because you're teaching me the Wing Chun system.  Then I am going to teach it."  We had worked it out such that I knew that after three months of training under Moy Yat I would be certified to teach, and I did.  And Moy Yat did not care because he knew what was the skill that I had.

He said, "No, no, no.  Why put Calasanz in a class to pay $50 and spend 10...15 years doing 小念頭?"  No.  Somebody sent me to 梅逸 (Moy Yat) and in 1 year I had the system of Wing Chun.  Even myself, I had many students teaching 3 months after learning Wing Chun, Patrick Wilson, Pamela and many others.  So belts are important for me as a respect.  So many instructors like Mr. Chow in Wing Chun.  Frank Dux in all that he did.  Lee... in reality I retract that word, I don't want to mention that guy... but many others.

Whenever I went to a new school I had a way of talking with and working with their head instructors and owners.  They would say, "Oh, Calasanz, why don't you get a black belt in our system?"  You see, I can be a black belt in one day.  My obsession was so excessive and my skill was so beyond that I could reach that level in a very short time.  I remember when I went to Lee, I talked to George and taught him some of my skill and then he gave me in just one week all of their forms of Tae Kwon Do.  It was easy for me because I did TKD in the DR and I knew how to deliver all the kicks as TKD as well as in the style of Goju Ryu karate.

So when I went to this guy on the Post Road to learn Hapkido the first thing I said was, "I want to do this because I came to this country to be Bruce Lee.  I want to be well balanced.  I am good at Goju Ryu but I don't want to confuse what I learned.  I want to be at least the equivalent of a brown belt."

But I could be the equivalent of a brown belt of any system if I wanted because that was my skill.  I was born with it.  I spent a lot of time in school but I devoted to this after my formal study for the love of it.  I have 24 diplomas in all sorts of different fields.  But I devoted myself to Martial Arts because its what I wanted to do.  It was my obsession and my passion over anything else.

Now, all these writings and recordings that I am doing here are related to one thing.  Respect.  I love to have a belt from many different systems just to have it out of respect.  But the fact is that belts are not so important for me, however, I like the respect of it.  And that is one thing that I want people to understand.  If someone offers me a belt, I want it.  But at this moment I have a system.  I have a system that I need and for me to accomplish my system and to leave it here; to give it to the world before I am gone I would need probably... easily, 10 lives.  If I am going to be 90 years old then I need another 90, another 90, another 90 and so on in order to leave it.

Calasanz and Tameyoshi

So I am concentrated on what I am today and on what I know today and this is the skill that I want to leave in the world.  Then to the world I leave those names that I respect and there are many of them, but one of them is Frank Dux.  Another, Moy Yat.  Another, Tameyoshi Sakamoto.  Another, Victor Lillianao and of course ____________.  But anyway, this is the fact of belts.  I don't mind getting a belt from anyone.  I don't mind learning today.  Today is June 12th 2014.  I do not want to learn a new self defense technique.  I have so much already that if I could leave behind at least one percent I would be so happy in life.  I want to talk about skillful people like Frank Dux for example, who is for real.  Moy Yat if he would be alive.  Tameyoshi if he would be alive.  Rafael Martinez.  Rafael Alvarez and many others.  I love to share.  I love kata.  That I want to learn a new form or a new self defense technique or a new elbow.... look, I can portray an elbow strike in 20 / 30 different directions.  But there is only one direction that is going to be done and delivered and that is the simple way.

We created our name by delivering 1 punch and 1 kick.  A side kick that no one, no one could block and no matter who it would be, an MMA fighter in the UFC... we could apply that sidekick to any fighter beautifully.  The System Kick we called it.  A kick coming from a short distance with lightning speed and power with the heel.  My guys just made people... you could call it shit.  Maybe there is a different word that Alan can find but... that just made them... it was a kick delivered to the gut that just made them... you know.  This is how we created the name.  So we don't need so much about that, but again, respect.

Anybody tomorrow that contacts me, "Oh let me get a belt in your system."  and I will spend 1 hour with you and give you a belt.  But the belt is really not what is helping you.  It is of course the time spent and what gets retained that is really important.  Anyone can wear a belt, not everyone can throw a good kick.  I don't have to do that but I respect those that love the Martial Arts.  I respect those that love the Martial Arts and do the Martial Arts for real.  No bull-shit.

Still I expect that this be written in a way that does not offend anyone.  Bull-shit could be misinterpreted as someone who is not too good as a fighter but is good at teaching and helping kids to be confident at something.  We don't criticize anyone.  And certainly teachers such as that are not bull-shit.  Martial Arts can be a lot of things.

It's like I told Kenny Lamara who said to me, "Calasanz, my kid goes to this school.  I don't know why I didn't send him to you."

I said, "Kenny if you sent him to me he wouldn't be with me."  He wouldn't have stayed with me because in those times I was tough on them.  I was tough an anyone.  It didn't matter their age or anything.  So those schools over there that take their time to teach a kid just how to feel it.  It's okay.  Its okay.  Good luck.  It's like Bas Rutten said, "I respect you."  You have a 3rd degree black belt in ____________, and I respect that.  But I wouldn't respect you if you say now you're gonna step into the UFC or if you want to step into the ring with me because that would be an offense.  You don't have to be a killer in order to have a black belt and have another Martial Art as a hobby.  You don't have to be a killer.  You can just be.  You can enjoy.  You can enjoy the Martial Art.  You can do the Martial Art soft but you must be careful when you open your big mouth.  [jokingly]  You know, don't say that.  But yes....

You know, this is what Bas Ruttan said.  Alan, the minute you see and follow him you will be inspired by him.  Every word that comes from his mouth is something that you want to save.  He is one guy that is the same type as me.  That is just logical.  Everything works.  Don't criticize some school because the guy just throws a kick and didn't do anything with the kick.  No.  They are enjoying that.  You see?  That helps them.  That is what makes TKD today.  That is why there is the big killer TKD and the other ones.  Okay?

So that is related Alan, that is what I want and probably I give you some time tomorrow, I want that you write that and even words can come even from your own development; your own skill.

I respect.  

I don't want belts.  I do not want to learn anything.  I just want to see if I can leave before I am gone to the world 10 to 15 percent of the most simple Martial Arts in the world.  This is all I care about today.  But I do care about respect.  I do care about sharing with people and so on.  This is what I want.

==========

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Prevention and Longevity

"As you go along you'll probably find this a very very nice topic to write because it helps people to understand that we are not just martial artists or whatever. We are people who know more than just that. Live longer. Prevent."

Taken from an audio recording of Calasanz

==========

You know, there is something that I respect in the way my Father thinks and in the way his mind works.  He's always had the belief of preventing problems.  He's the kind of guy who would do whatever it takes to prevent a tragedy.  If he has to yell he's going to yell.  If he has to spank he's going to spank.  Just prevent at all costs.  And I respect that.  His approach is just completely logical and then, even if an accident happens he has a mindset that I just respect.

Okay.  You're going to love this.  When I was young, about 10 years old, I would go to gather wood.  At that point there wasn't the prevalence of technology that there is today.  I would take the machete, chop the wood and bring it home to make a fire so that we could cook.  I probably had about five years like that before technology started appearing all over and finally reached all these places.  And just to get you a perspective, just to let you know we were living at that time as middle class without a stove.

So I went out to gather some wood.  I got to the tree and started cutting.  For just one swing I was not paying attention 100% and  *Boom*  I chopped my hand below the thumb.  The blade nearly went clean through.  My entire thumb was opened up and I held it bleeding as I ran home.



Now, if I went to my mother she would be screaming and crying "Oh my God! My son is going to die! Oh my God!  Oh my God!"  But my father, in his own kind of genius reacted differently.  He took my hand immediately, "Let me see."  he said.  And went to work.

"Hold on Jose.  That is nothing.  It's already done, we're gonna cure."  he said almost shocked that I wasn't screaming or anything.  He goes and takes salt, lemon, a variety of medicinal tree extracts or whatever and wraps it up.  My entire thumb was open, almost completely gone.  I did not care what he did.  I had already cut it.  He dressed it with those things, wrapped it up to protect it and within three days I was healed.  No scars, no marks no nothing.  No doctors, no anastesia.  You know, it was like the Wild West or the Revolutionary War where they would amputate or treat or whatever.

Hah, I can hear my mother now screaming, "Oh my God!  Oh my God my son is dying!" and my father yelling back.  "Shut up!  It's already done!  Now we're gonna cure!  What?!  No screaming!  No crying!  For what?!  It's already done!"

So, that is the mindset of my father and I respect that about him a lot.

So these are the facts about preventing.  You do everything you can to prevent, but when something goes completely wrong you jump and get to fixing it.

It's like when I spoke with you about depression.  People don't take it seriously.  Your parents see you depressed and they say, "Ah, get yourself to work."  Look, if you see your kids depressed, you jump.  If you see your friend depressed, you jump.  Do something.  Depression is the worst illness on the face of the Earth but nobody cares.  Anxiety is the same.  Why?  Because everybody one way or the other gets depressed.  Everybody one way or the other gets anxiety.  But did your mother ask you, "How long does your anxiety last?"  Did she ask you how long the depression lasts?

Look, right now if I get depressed I'm gonna kick it out in 10 minutes.  Why?  Because I am in shape.  Being in shape and eating well gets you out of that.  But what about if you are eating like shit?  Those people when they get depressed how long does it last?  1 day?  2 days?  A week?  Months?  Longer than that?  What about people born to be depressed?  Still their parents don't care until they drop dead or kill themselves or whatever.

You remember that I mentioned to you about J.S.? [Name abbreviated for privacy]  She's the only lady that in 1 day learned the entire 20 arm dummy.  I tried with Charles but I had to stop because his mind was blowing up.  J.S. 's mind was going and going and going and going and going and going.  She is the daughter of one of those famous inventors from Westport.  Since she was 15 I would call her all the time.  "Are you okay?  Are you okay?"  She was the first in her family to train Martial Arts with me and then she told me about her mother.  They called her the most beautiful person in Westport.  She was like a model.  Beautiful but depressed.  Divorced.  I could never get her here.  I told you before about her.  The day I scheduled her was on Monday and I had her scheduled for Thursday morning I believe about 10 o'clock.  So she had several days to get it together and get here.  I was waiting and waiting and waiting.  I tried to get her here earlier but I decided just to wait.

That same day, I believe, was the day that she hanged herself.

I was calling and calling and calling.  7 days later was when they found her.  Up to today I believe that if she would have opened the door and trained with me she would still be alive today.  If her daughter, J.S., would not have come over here for 3 or 4 years probably she would not be alive today.  Not long ago she called me, "Calasanz I am working out.  I am good.  I am healthy and eating well."  J.S. is going to be about 35 this year I believe.

 Okay?  So preventing.  Preventing.

Another example.  It just happened here in town locally.  Three kids just in high school died.  This is the thing that makes me angry, seeing how they died.  These kids were doing everything right, wearing seat belts, not drinking.  Probably the only thing was they didn't have parents telling them, "When its snowing go in the right lane.  Don't follow the trucks when it's snowing.  They have good tires and you do not.  They don't care, they just have a destination.  Stay safe.  Don't go so fast that if you start to slide you cannot stop the car because if you do you know you're going to crash." or whatever.  You know...  Probably I couldn't go on the road because I'd drive so slow everybody would be honking, "Hey move it!" slamming their horns.

You will see it.  If you go to channel 12 you will see it.  People doing it just like that.  It's snowing and slippery and everyone is going 40 or 50 miles per hour.  Some maybe more.  If it's snowing and slippery I don't care what sorts of tires I have, I would go 30... 20... 25... 15... heck, probably I would leave the car behind and go walking.  I'm gonna prevent that accident.  But is that a real life to live?  Probably not, but that is my belief that parents do not talk to their kids about preventing or at least not enough.  Parents must go reminding at all times.  There was no reason for that accident of those three kids.  Now one kid, very popular, from Staples is dead at what... 17?  18?  And two more of his friends.

I remember when I left the farm to go to the city.  About 90% of the children followed me and came with me.  That was the love that the people in my community had for me.  When I got to the city my father would be calling at all times.  "Don't do this.  Be careful.  Don't go to that place.  If you go, you go protected.  Go with someone.  Okay, be careful, be careful, be careful.  But remember if they call me that you are sick, or you have an accident the first thing I'm going to ask is, 'Does he live?'"  If yes, okay he would get onto the horse or into the car depending where he is immediately and go.  If somebody would call him that I had an accident that wasn't prevented or whatever, "Okay, I'll be there in the next 2 days or so."

Thinking on this topic I am reminded of one of my friends.  One of my best students, P.M. [name abbreviated for privacy]  He was one of the first to invest in my school, in my name.  He was from a family in New Canaan.  This guy was the best guy.  Alan, he did it all for me.  I mean the guy just loved me.  He would drive me wherever , hold boards, he'd do anything for me.  And for me to know that he is dead because the family gave up on him.  It's very hard to take.  He was into carpentry with one of the best families in the town, but his family did not care.  When I finally heard that he overdosed I called the family and they hung up the phone on me because they gave up on him.  "Better of dead." they said.  They said, "You die or put it together."  And it was very hard to take.  The family gave up on him.

This is America you see?  When you are in the DR it's a different story than being an American.  In America they just move on.  They let you go.  They take care of you at first but if you go doing drugs they're gonna try to help you.  They're gonna try.  But it gets to a point that the typical American person is gonna say, "You know what?  Survive.  If you survive and use your brain then you're gonna be very successful."

If I have a kid I'm gonna try.  I'm gonna try to do the best I can and never give up. 
If I give up it's because I'm gonna put him in jail or... I'm not going to say it here...

So you see, that is my belief.  If I'm gonna give up could be that I say, "You know what son, I want you dying happy.  What is that you're doing?"

"Dad, I'm addicted to drugs."

"How much drugs do you want today son?"

"Dad I want one pound."

"Oh.  Here you are.  Come get it.  Do you want to take it all at once?"

You know.  Like that.

But when it comes to the American approach there's something very smart about it.  You know, some one just being in that condition, being depressed or an addict or whatever, they can bring 3 or 4 people with them.  You can kill your mother.  You can kill your dad.  You can kill your sister.  Even when they are just trying to cure you.

And that is a smart way if you look at how Americans work.  If you look at it, it is not that they are doing something very wrong.  All they're saying is, "All of us are going to drop dead trying to cure you because we feel that you don't have a cure.  So what about if we survive and we let you decide for your life."  Nothing is wrong with that.  But my judgement is that I do not give up.  And when I give up then I want the person to go happy.

Today I am part of one of the largest families in the DR.  In my family I was one of eleven children and now all of my sisters have 3 or 4 kids and my brothers all with children of their own.  Then we can count the grandchildren, probably there are 35 or more in our family in all and up to today it is a pure family.  There hasn't been one tragedy.  No one has been in trouble with the police or the law or whatever.  It is a pure family to this day and all is based on one thing:  

Preventing.

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Inspired by: Calasanz

Education vs. Motivation

"Education is received extrinsically,

                              Motivation comes from within."

When it comes to training anything with any degree of seriousness it is necessary to take the time to become educated on the topics involved.  And in order to see that training develop into any degree of competence a certain amount of motivation must be in play.

We take an example of say... someone training to become a helicopter pilot.  In learning how to fly a helicopter one does not simply jump into the cockpit and start randomly toggling the controls expecting the thing to take off (although this may occur for an exceptionally lucky individual).  There is classroom study, independent study, a general understanding and knowledge base that must be absorbed and retained, at least on a rudimentary level, prior to a successful flight.  There are flight simulation exercises, practice programs and a great number of training tools utilized by the student in order to earn the receipt of his flight license proper.

As a general statement education is important and incredibly helpful prior to becoming proficient in any new skill, hobby, or activity.  As purveyors of a completely unique fitness program and body development system our first job is to educate the user to the best of our ability about how to really use the system and of course about common peaks and pitfalls.  When someone really learns a technique or exercise and becomes educated about it, that education will serve them for the rest of their life.

 Motivation on the other hand is equally as important, but plays another role.  An art student for example could read and learn about every brush technique known to man but without the motivation to pick up the brush and begin experimenting with and experiencing these techniques first hand his artistry only lies latent within.  This is where motivation enters.  Motivation can occur from any number of influences: a family member, a friend, a character, an athlete, a quote, a conversation, even... yourself.  Yes, indeed you are the most powerful tool you have to motivate yourself.  Yet many still struggle with taking action remaining content in lethargy or shackled by grandiose inertia.  This occurs on a widespread basis usually spawning from a lack of self-confidence or no desire for self-achievement / progress.  To those : BREAK OUT AND DO SOMETHING!  You will more than likely be pleasantly surprised.

Our approach is to take primarily an educational role.  As we continue and develop into what we are becoming one of our goals is to plant a seed.  This seed may flourish if nurtured properly and indeed can grow rapidly beyond belief.  Or this seed may lie dormant within forever.  As we release our system locally to our attending students and outward to the corners of the globe digitally we hope to provide enough information for anyone to become super human and to give them the means to educate themselves thoroughly enough to spark the necessary confidence in individuals to act and let their gains and their progress motivate them intrinsically.

As a learned pupil you will have all the means necessary to achieve your personal goals the only things left are easy, dedication and practice.  (I always think of the old Nike addage "Just Do It!")

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Calasanz Remembers Moy Yat

Taken from an audio Recording of Calasanz

 

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I remember I was looking for northern styles of Chinese kung fu.  I already had read about Wing Chun Kung Fu and I knew that two of the main styles in China were Long Fist, that is Cheng Chuang Long Fist and of course Wing Chun I knew about because of Bruce Lee.

My friend Angel said to me, "No, no, no.  Go to Moy Yat.  He was a classmate along side Bruce Lee."

Moy Yat

So I went to Moy Yat.  I went to his school in China Town and immediately paid $50 dollars.  They put me in front of the mirror...  I remember it so clearly.  We were in front of the mirror and they put me into a stance like a pigeon, the traditional Wing Chun stance, and showed me the first few techniques.  The lesson was Tan Shuo, with the left hand, heun, and chamber and then the same with the right hand.

"Okay, that's it for today."  they said.  I responded almost in disgust, "That's it for today?  You must be kidding.  You must not know who am I."
I started doing pushups, exercises... the incredible, doing all these things.  They got angry, but they let me stay there.

You see, when I came to this country with that dream of being Bruce Lee nobody was going to stop me.  Nobody stopped me.  I was the craziest little bastard, little gorilla, chimpanzee, black cat, cheetah... unstoppable.

During my first few weeks at Moy Yat's school I became well known very quickly.  People would come in to fight the Chinese; you know back then it was different from how it is now.  I remember specifically two occasions.  There was one guy, he must have been about 6' 4, easily 3 times my size.  He came in and we ended up doing Chi Shuo.  We were trapping and hitting each other for over an hour, but neither one of us said 'Uncle'.  It was one of the only times I would take punishment, I delivered a fair share of punishment to him as well.

While I was doing Chi Shuo with this guy the Chinese were all around looking, talking, murmuring among themselves out of the sides of their mouths behind open hands.  You see, at this point I was new at Moy Yat's school and didn't have any training in Chi Shuo, I was just reacting to him.  Fortunately, I already had the necessary skills involved from training with George Wood.  He would hold two sticks and I would rotate with the two sticks as he held them for me.  So that gave me the ability of chi shuo.  I must have ended up winning because the guy never came back. 

The other occasion took place, when a guy came in, again, to fight the Chinese.  He was sweeping and flipping them onto the floor like nothing.  They were landing very hard.  Luckily it was a wooden floor because they were landing very, very hard.  He was unimpressed.  "I come to Moy Yat and this is how they fight?"  Understand, a lot of the people training there had never even seen the dummy, let alone hit it.  They never did anything but Siu Nim Tau and rotating in chi shuo, so they couldn't take a shot, they could not fight.  He came over to me and I said, "Try doing that to me. "  When he came and delivered that kick to sweep me I did exactly what I did in the Dominican Republic.  I grounded my leg.  He came to sweep me but failed because I had grounded my leg so well and immediately I countered him.

*Boom*  

You should have seen the Chinese when I came through the door the next day.  They started whispering; I remember one lady, this one little girl in particular, I will never forget.  She was the best of the best, probably only 75 pounds but she moved like a little cat.  She watched me non-stop, but I hear her murmuring still to the others, 'wshewsewshs... 10th degree black belt.' as she looked at me out of the corners of her eyes.  "This guy is black belt, he's 10th degree black belt, watch out for this guy shwhshsh."  They just talked and talked and talked.

Later on, Jon, a guy who worked for Moy Yat and who was responsible for bringing some of the bigger names in Martial Arts at the time to the school, came to me and said, "Go talk to Moy Yat."  So I went to the office and sat down there.  Moy Yat tells me, "Calasanz, we already know the skill you have."  He said, "Pay me this much and in 3 months you can teach, in one year you will have a certification and a picture with me."  It was exactly like that.

I went directly to Steve James, my boss at Victoria Station.  I said, "Steve, if you give me Saturday opening at 7 am and closing at 5 in the morning I can take wing chun with Moy Yat."  At that point I was the number one bus boy / waiter / employee there.  He said, "Of course Calasanz."  And I worked.  I worked all day and night, 22 hours.  By the time it was 5 in the morning I had about 7 or 8 hundred dollars cash plus whatever my hourly pay was at the time.  I had made the money for Moy Yat working at Victoria Station on a Saturday in just one day.


So I paid Moy Yat what he asked along with a $500 dollar fee which was what he charged anyone just to touch the dummy.  Normally nobody can see the dummy.  It was kept in a back room; maybe you could see it looking through a crack in the door, but it was kept away from the main area.  The minute anyone gave him the payment he led them to the room, took a key and locked the door.  I remember he led me there and locked the door and turned to me and said, "Okay Calasanz.  Now we go."  I'll never forget that.  At this point I am being trained privately by Moy Yat.  A lot of people who used to go there say, "But I never saw Calasanz there."  It's because I was in the back room working on the dummy.  The first day he gave me 'section 1' of the dummy and said, "Do section 1 as many times as you can.  Spend one week on section 1, then I can give you the entire dummy in 1 day if you want."  Exactly like that.

Here, this is a real story now.  This is real.  This is exactly how it happened.  When I finished there I spent 3 days just hitting the dummy.  I looked down at my arm there was nothing there.  It's all gone, all the hair on my arm gone, the skin almost gone.  It looked exactly how it looks when a snake peels its skin.  All the skin is gone, just peeled.  Think about it... hit the dummy for 1 day and still that is not going to happen.  I spent three days hitting it.  So now maybe you can understand what was the extent of the obsession that I had, that I hit the dummy enough to peel my arms entirely.  That was me Mr. Alan.  This is how, and that is the obsession that I had with being better than Bruce Lee.

Once I had completed that year we went to this cannoli place in Chinatown.  He was supposed to bring the picture and the diploma but he must have forgotten them.  Years later in 1988 I had him here for a seminar and even after calling him again and again to remind him,  "Make sure you bring the diploma."  he still didn't bring it.  You know, maybe if we do everything we can it could be that it is still over there.  Maybe someone in his family or someone over there has it because I know he would not break it or get rid of it.

Later on I figured out why he didn't want me to go and get the diploma.  Previously I had paid him no insignificant sum of money for a video of him on a projector doing the 3 forms.  Siu Nim Tao, Chum Kiu and Biu Tze.  I have the projector sitting right here in my office.  Not too long ago a good friend and long time student of mine, Mario, went to take a video of it from the projector so we could have it digital or whatever.  Ends up that on it was one of his students, a child maybe 11 or 13 years old, who was studying there at the same time as me doing siu nim tao.  So it wasn't even all three forms or done by him.  I wouldn't mind getting the forms from a kid anyway but that was a lot of money for Moy Yat to do it.  Anyway, probably he didn't want me coming and asking about that too if I went to get the diploma. 

Moy Yat, he was a good instructor.  He did what a good instructor does, you know.  He realized who I was.  He did not go and say, "Calasanz let me try to give you a lesson." and beat me up, not that he could have anyway at that point.  I respect him but he never had the capacity of giving me a lesson like that.  But he could have said that.  Instead he called me and said, "I'm gonna teach you."  That's what a good instructor does.

It's like me now.  When I see someone like that, dedicated and has passion for the Art I don't go trying to beat them up.  I want to raise them up.  For example, now I am building some of the youngest and most well rounded martial artists, the youngest masters I call it.  It's tremendous what someone with that sorts of mind-set, dedication, passion, desire and devotion to the Art is capable of learning and achieving even at a young age.  It's Incredible.

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Alignment through Bodily Awareness and Martial Art

It is no secret that Bodily Awareness and Martial Art go hand in hand.  From continued practice any student can develop proprioception, exteroception, balance and grounding to an astounding degree over time.

Hand-eye coordination will become greatly enhanced.  Awareness will be amplified.   Awareness not only of yourself but also of your surroundings will pour in and be reflected through your action.  Confidence will radiate from you naturally through how you carry yourself.

When it comes to Calasanz' Physical Arts exercises these qualities are being absorbed and developed during concentrated and focused training.  Again, you must be careful.  As you train pay attention to your body and the signals it is giving you.  While a bit of "pain" normally accompanies the exertion and eventual exhaustion of muscles and tendons it is important to remain cognizant of what is too much or too far or too incorrect.  Stubbornness, ignorance and negligence will lead to injury.  Train smart.  Listen to your body.  Make adjustments.  Keep your wits about you and do not take anything on blind faith or false belief alone.  Revisit your technique regularly with honesty and integrity towards improvement and perfection.

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