We used to say at all time, "Make sure that you learn how to fight standing first and then go to learn the ground." But today that is not necessarily the way people do it. You can be a Gracie who is very good on the ground and then later devote yourself to mastering stand up fighting. Calasanz said all the time immediately after he saw the Gracie’s winning all the fights on the ground. He just said, "What will happen when some of the strikers come along?" They came along very fast and today the Gracies have been forced to stress on becoming strikers too.
He taught his students the importance of a well-developed and natural power. He repeats this phrase at all time, "Don't go to the ground but if you do you will fight on the ground, that was why Calasanz spent a lot of time teaching rolling, falling, grounding, but also in the early 80's he experienced CHI SAU which is the main part of fighting under the wing chun system, at this time he said doing CHI SAU standing is as good as doing CHI SAU on the ground, but still it requires a lot of hard work, unless you are born with a gift for the martial arts, or have some natural skill and ability. Today Calasanz says he is one of the first to really see what is the meaning of being a well balanced martial artist and that is almost 75% of MMA today.
I remember this guy, Daniel, who came from Georgia. He was recommended by this boxer, Vito, who knew Calasanz very well and in fact fought Calasanz when he was close to 190 and Calasanz was only 145 pounds. Vito was considered one of the most promising boxers in Norwalk. He was a very tough guy. The day that he fought Calasanz all his coaches were there saying how Vito is going Pro but things did not go too well for him. After the fight he went and got married and decided to have kids. Meaning he did not pursue a career in boxing afterwards. Calasanz describes Vito as a very tough boxer and one of Calasanz best friends. Anyway, he brought Daniel from Georgia, who was training and fighting for the Gracie’s. Vito said, there is not a better striker than Calasanz because he knew Calasanz very well, so again, he sent Daniel go and train with him. For Calasanz it was a pleasure to meet this young promising fighter who someday I believe that he will be very good, he took just one week of training in Connecticut with Calasanz, the idea of Vito was, if you want to strike hard and be super strong, but above all do it fast then go to Calasanz in Norwalk CT. It takes Calasanz 2 to 4 weeks to increase 25 to 35% of natural striking power in a fighter of any level.
Again I have seen already over 20 ideas where exercises and equipment / techniques have been used and Calasanz knows that probably 95% of the idea came from people watching him demonstrating his ability since the early 80's. There is no doubt in Calasanz mind that he is a performer and a real fighter. Anybody wanting to know more can read a brochure of Calasanz a life time of lessons.
Showing posts with label Stamford Karate. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Stamford Karate. Show all posts
Friday, April 24, 2015
Monday, April 13, 2015
Simplicity is King
Calasanz Martial Arts Center has been in Norwalk for over 3 decades. When you set out to get started learning a martial art either for sport or for recreation you have to ask yourself why it is you would go to any particular school.
Let me be honest here. No matter what school you go to your first visit to a school / gym / dojo is going to be exciting and you're going to be very excited to get started. There is something inside every person that is awakened when you bear witness to and experience these different activities. You automatically can think to yourself, "Wow, I can do that!" or perhaps more inquisitively you might ask yourself "That looks so easy, why don't I do that?" and let me tell you, it is very simple. It is no secret as to how or why people are capable of what they do. It is just a matter of setting the mind to do it and going to do it. Even if you start out with very little skill keep in mind that everyone crawls before they walk and walks before they run. The only difference between those who can and those who can't is action. It is not so difficult to understand what makes someone great at what they do. It is, simply put, a matter of continued discipline, dedication and revision.
What makes our approach so effective and the reason why our school has been able to remain here is because of the simplicity and the approach we take to training. Come to Calasanz to take something home with you. Train to beat the competitor without competing. Learn the basics. Keep your training simple. Calasanz has been teaching and working with people and within the martial arts exclusively for decades and his skill and knowledge cannot be denied. If you want to come somewhere to learn something right this is the place. It is somewhere you will learn about yourself and you will learn the methods to improving your coordination, flexibility, power, grounding and technique developed by Calasanz over his career.
Countless people have come through to learn something here and left with something they will remember forever. Fledgling athletes improving their balance and coordination come to excel in their sport after training here for periods as short as 2 months. Great athletes even come here to improve and to become dominant on the field and court. Martial Artists come here to improve their fighting skill and broaden their horizons becoming well balanced and more open. There is something for you here no matter what you're looking for.
So when you want to learn how to kick, when you want to get into kickboxing for example, when you want to try something new and branch out to a new style of martial art, this is your school. You can learn it all here. We have trainers who teach Karate, Kung Fu, Boxing, Kickboxing, Muay Thai, Wing Chun, BJJ, Fitness and Self Defense. There are countless avenues to take with your training all ready to be taken. Take the first step and call or email to schedule a free trial or just stop by during business hours. We are open 7 days a week!
Let me be honest here. No matter what school you go to your first visit to a school / gym / dojo is going to be exciting and you're going to be very excited to get started. There is something inside every person that is awakened when you bear witness to and experience these different activities. You automatically can think to yourself, "Wow, I can do that!" or perhaps more inquisitively you might ask yourself "That looks so easy, why don't I do that?" and let me tell you, it is very simple. It is no secret as to how or why people are capable of what they do. It is just a matter of setting the mind to do it and going to do it. Even if you start out with very little skill keep in mind that everyone crawls before they walk and walks before they run. The only difference between those who can and those who can't is action. It is not so difficult to understand what makes someone great at what they do. It is, simply put, a matter of continued discipline, dedication and revision.
What makes our approach so effective and the reason why our school has been able to remain here is because of the simplicity and the approach we take to training. Come to Calasanz to take something home with you. Train to beat the competitor without competing. Learn the basics. Keep your training simple. Calasanz has been teaching and working with people and within the martial arts exclusively for decades and his skill and knowledge cannot be denied. If you want to come somewhere to learn something right this is the place. It is somewhere you will learn about yourself and you will learn the methods to improving your coordination, flexibility, power, grounding and technique developed by Calasanz over his career.
Countless people have come through to learn something here and left with something they will remember forever. Fledgling athletes improving their balance and coordination come to excel in their sport after training here for periods as short as 2 months. Great athletes even come here to improve and to become dominant on the field and court. Martial Artists come here to improve their fighting skill and broaden their horizons becoming well balanced and more open. There is something for you here no matter what you're looking for.
So when you want to learn how to kick, when you want to get into kickboxing for example, when you want to try something new and branch out to a new style of martial art, this is your school. You can learn it all here. We have trainers who teach Karate, Kung Fu, Boxing, Kickboxing, Muay Thai, Wing Chun, BJJ, Fitness and Self Defense. There are countless avenues to take with your training all ready to be taken. Take the first step and call or email to schedule a free trial or just stop by during business hours. We are open 7 days a week!
Thursday, October 23, 2014
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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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.
=====
Download The Calasanz System
Address: 1A9tTQ14gwJcH8QAsL6eQNc5XhcEFUd9VY
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