QUAD TOWN                    Vol. 43        No. 19                              May 13, 2008

Advisor

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It’s All in the Preparation

Pictured (R-L) Mike Drezal, John Scott, Lisa Bottino, Arthur Battle and Jonathan Schmitz

Hamden: Recently several students from the Academy of Kempo Martial Arts in Hamden and Trumbull were promoted to their advanced ranks. The test was held at the Trumbull Academy where junior adults and adults performed their martial arts movements for Grandmaster Brian Hanson a Ninth Degree Black Belt. “This is a very important time in our students’ martial arts careers; this is where they usually make the decision to go all the way.  All the way means to their Black Belts,” said Frank Ciarleglio a Fifth Degree Black and Instructor at the Hamden Academy. “At these levels of Adult Green Belts through Brown Belts it becomes more serious, the workout become more intense, and it requires more of an understanding of the martial arts movements, because it’s all part of preparing for the Black Belt,” Ciarleglio said. The martial arts at the Academy is broken down into three categories, traditional, practical and competitive martial arts. The traditional martial arts is where the students go over designated patterns that they learn at each level to help with body strength, conditioning and flexibility. The practical martial arts is where the students learn self-defense movements and work these movements in a simulated attack situation so they can handle themselves in a self-defense situation whether it is a physical confrontation or a mentally abusive one. The competitive martial arts is where the students learn to do their movements and prepare for tournaments. However, when the students are not training for a tournament the focus switches to having a greater understanding of how to use their martial arts movements in more of a free style of fighting, whether it is traditional or practical martial arts. Sparring is a major part of this and is where the concentration is on skill and movement as well as timing and distance, very important concepts to understand for the practical portion of the martial arts.

At the Academy of Kempo Martial Arts it not just about rank it is about quality. “It’s about teaching our students how to stay healthy whether its defending themselves against an attacker, having a better outlook of oneself or being in better physical condition. It comes down to quality,” said Ciarleglio. The Academy of Kempo Martial Arts would like to congratulate these students for their achievements; Green Belt Lisa Bottino, First Degree Brown Belts Mike Drezal and Arthur Battle, Second Degree Brown Belt John Scott and Third Degree Brown Belt Jonathan Schmitz.

You can find more pictures and information on previous belt promotions at www.academyofkempo.com, or contact them at 288-9990.

PAGE 16           THE ADVISOR        MAY 13, 2008

"It's all about Quality"