Evolution of Wrestling:)

Doing live TV interviews are always a drag, especially if you have a limited vocabulary like mine, but I decided to help a former student out. Since none of his coaches could make the interview, he thought of me and asked if I would talk about wrestling for his club. He went on to tell me that wrestling is very similar to what we do at Evolve. I spent a couple of hours at their practice last Friday and was really impressed. The training was very similar to what we do with our kids and I couldn't help but compare the two.

I am a huge fan of wrestling and in my mind it is the hardest of all scholastic sports. The practices are usually two hours long or longer and I believe that if we made any of our prisoners do this type of workout, the human rights groups would be shouting that it is cruel and unusual punishment. Wrestling teaches self-reliance, self-confidence, and life skills; utilizing the power of positive goals, without making excuses for failure. There is no one else on the mat but you and your opponent.

Evolve's kids' program only has long training sessions on Saturday's, and those are open only to the kids in the Master's Club. The rest of the classes are only one-hour long. Despite this, I feel that our program teaches the kids so many more skills that will give them a head start in life. These life skills include discipline, self-control, patience, confidence and courage. I am not saying that wrestling does not provide these things, but I do believe that what we teach focuses more on this type of character development.


One of the main things I have noticed missing in wrestling is the respect factor, which I personally think is one of the first building blocks of life skills. Most of the kids I met at the practice , except for the one who had trained with me, had no idea how to greet or talk to an adult properly. Teaching that you should respect your elders and show it through your communication skills is something that is often overlooked in today's society.

As most of you already know, I do Personal Security work for some of the wealthiest people in the world, and their social settings are always a bit intimidating. I believe that my ability to make the client feel comfortable is the main reason why I am able to thrive in these settings. I am still being requested even though my price is one of the highest in the security business. While I use specialized security skills in order to make my client's feel safe and secure, I also use interpersonal skills on a daily basis. These communication skills allow my clients to feel like they can relax around me. I have learned that communicating respect is very important in society.

Self-defense is another thing that I really think makes our program stand out, even against other Martial Arts academies in the area. One of the most common things I hear is " my son earned his Black Belt at _____ Academy and I want him to really learn how to defend himself so I brought him to Evolve" . Self-Defense is one of the main priorities in all of the programs we offer, but we also stress conflict resolution, personal responsibility and avoidance of confrontation. If a kid or adult has to step into the world of physical confrontation I want them to have the tools necessary to come out on top. This is very different from most other martial arts schools, where punching the face will get you disqualified or punished.

At Evolve, there is a belt system that acknowledges kids for the work they put in. This teaches goal setting and rewards you for the goals you reach. In wrestling the only rewards are in the tournaments. This can be a harsh reality because some kids, no matter how hard or how long they train, will never win at tournaments. Does this mean they are not winners? Of course not. That is why at Evolve it is a hard path to Black Belt, but it is one that is attainable for everyone who can pass the intro class. The definition of success is "the completion of anything intended." In other words, success is finishing what you planned to do.

The wrestling program and our Young Adults program were very similar, but observing it did make me feel a lot better about what we do for our kids. I truly believe, and have proven through my former students, that we try to give positive building blocks for life skills. I have been teaching in the DC area for about twelve years and since that time I have had kids go on to become some of what society would say are some of the most successful occupations- Lawyers, Doctors, Police Officers, Fire Fighters, Military Special Forces Soldiers etc… In order to become any of these things, you have to have good life skills. Did Evolve Academy have a part in any of this? I would like to think so !

Religion and Politics

Two things you should never talk about. That is what I have always been told and I do keep it out of my Academy, but since this is my blog, I guess I can express some views. I will not say who I voted for or what my religion is – I don’t think it is important. What is important is what kind of person you are. Some of my closest friends are on the other side of the aisle with their party and their religious beliefs. My mom is Buddhist and my dad is Baptist, but they are both great individuals. That is a gift I was given from my parents at an early age – they did not try to force me to believe in their religion, but they let me experience everything and let me decide. My sister became Catholic and my brother Protestant… I will let you guess what I am:)

I only bring religion up because I have had people question me on the Evolve name. Does that mean I believe in Evolution and not Intelligent Design? No, it has nothing to do with the argument. I believe everything advances, like in the automobile industry –

The first vehicle to move under its own power for which there is a record was designed by Nicholas Joseph Cugnot and constructed by M. Brezin in 1769. A replica of this vehicle is on display at the Conservatoire des Arts et Metiers, in Paris. I believe that the Smithsonian Museum in Washington D. C. also has a large-scale model. A second unit was built in 1770 which weighed 8000 pounds and had a top speed of 2 miles per hour and on the cobble stone streets of Paris this was probably as fast as anyone wanted to go. Now we drive around at 65 mph with everything at our fingertips.

I came up with the name thinking about how I have seen the growth and advances in Martial Arts. Much like the automobile industry, we have made great advances – we have Evolved.

But maybe I should have used one of these names-
advance, derive, disclose, educe, elaborate, emerge, enlarge, excogitate, expand, get, grow, increase, mature, obtain, open, result, ripen, unfold

Then no one would have confused it with a Religious argument that I never even cared about or paid any attention to. I think Evolve Academy sounds way cooler than Advance Academy. I think religion should be separated from Martial Arts but some see it differently than me, and I respect their beliefs. One of the MMA clothing companies that sponsors local fights is named “JESUS DIDN’T TAP”. Check out their site, and make sure your speakers are turned up:)
https://www.nosubmit.com:40009/myoffice/storeonline/default.aspx?orgId=13972&category=2581

I was thinking about that clothing company and I think Jesus would do Jiu Jitsu. Jiu Jitsu means “The Gentle Art”. I think Jesus would avoid confrontations, but if he had to use force, I think he would try to do it without hurting the individual. Also the kimono is very similar to the pictures of the robe Jesus wore. I also find it sort of ironic that we have a move called the crucifix. I am sure you guys can think of more reasons why this art fits Jesus.

Now about another subject I should not be talking about. Am I a Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, Independent or something else? I will let you guess, but I will tell you that I voted. I think voting is really the only time for my voice to be heard. It is the foundation for our democracy that many have fought and died for. Many people around the world have no say in who governs them, but we do. Even though it is not simply the popular vote that decides the election, it is still important cause it represents the voice of America. The day after the votes were tallied was a memorable one.

There are a lot of times in my lifetime that I will always remember. Some are more vivid than others, things like the hostages being released in 1981 from Iran or the wall coming down in Berlin, things like the Shuttle tragedy and 9/11 are forever etched in my memory. November 5, 2008 is one of those days -- that was the 1st day for an African American president. It won’t matter where I am in 20 years, but the day will always be a vivid memory. The excitement and the joy that was on display was something I will never forget.
For American history, this is a turning point. There will always be racism in America, but the majority of Americans have just proven that race does not matter. This is one reason I say that even if you voted for McCain or someone else you can still feel proud that America has moved forward in some ways. Only about 44 years ago, people were separated by the color of their skin. Our Declaration of Independence was written in 1776 and it said “all men are created equal” but that was not true until the 1960’s.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:
Institutionalized racial segregation was ended as an official practice by the efforts of such civil rights activists as Clarence Mitchell, Jr., Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King Jr., working during the period from the end of World War II through the passage of the Voting Rights Act and the Civil Rights Act of 1964 supported by President Lyndon B. Johnson. Many of their efforts were acts of non-violent civil disobedience aimed at disrupting the enforcement of racial segregation rules and laws, such as refusing to give up a seat in the black part of the bus to a white person (Rosa Parks), or holding sit-ins at all-white diners.
By 1968, all forms of segregation had been declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court and by 1970, support for formal legal segregation had dissolved. Formal racial discrimination was illegal in school systems, businesses, the American military, other civil services and the government. Separate bathrooms, water fountains and schools all disappeared and the civil rights movement had the public's support.
So if you are a Republican, Libertarian or another party don’t be a hater:) You should still feel proud of America and remember what John McCain said in his concession speech-
“I urge all Americans ... I urge all Americans who supported me to join me in not just congratulating him, but offering our next president our good will and earnest effort to find ways to come together to find the necessary compromises to bridge our differences and help restore our prosperity, defend our security in a dangerous world, and leave our children and grandchildren a stronger, better country than we inherited.”

Since a lot of people are very sensitive about religion and politics, I am sure I hurt someone’s feelings, but it was not my intention.