If you take the art of karate seriously, if you put in the time and show it the proper respect, it will teach you more lessons than you could possibly imagine. It will add a depth to your life that you would be hard pressed to find elsewhere. Karate is a long and winding journey, with peaks and valleys, roadblocks and fast lanes, and unexpected twists and turns.

People of honor are deeply connected to the community in which they live. They contribute meaningfully to the life of that community, and they take pride in being a member of it. More than anything, they take the values of their community with the utmost seriousness. Nothing matters to them more than doing the right thing.

If you want to test someone’s humanity, don’t look at how they interact with powerful adults from whom they have something to gain; anyone can pretend to be humane if they stand to improve their reputation, accrue wealth, or otherwise make some kind of material windfall.

To be a good person is to have a certain something: that something is called virtue. But this raises the question, what is virtue?

At the Independent Martial Arts School, we often remind our students that karate is about more than punching and kicking. Ultimately, karate is about being a good person. Rarely, however, do we pause and think about what that really means.

So maybe you’ve forgotten all your material. Maybe you’re not in very good physical shape. But that is what coming to class is for. Just bring yourself. Whatever the state of your karate, you are always good enough to be here.

Furthermore, there is someone in the community who needs you. You may or may not ever know who that person is. But just by showing up, you are going to reassure someone. Or challenge someone. Or make someone feel less self-conscious. Please come. You are doing something good for yourself, but probably for someone else too

As Martial Artists, it is important to remember that the self-defense skills we learn are a safeguard against violence and fighting, not an invitation to them. We train in Kenpo and Jiu Jitsu in the hopes that we will never have to use them. We learn Karate to strengthen our bodies and minds, not so we can use them to overpower anyone, but so that we might be in a position to protect ourselves or those we love in case someone wishes to do them harm.

Classes like these are more important than ever. With the #MeToo movement, we’re seeing more of a need for women to support one another and come together as a unified driving force. We need to break the cycle of inequality and build confidence in girls from a young age. Young women must be taught that their body is their own and theirs to control: and that they have the power within them to grow to be leaders even beyond the dojo! In addition, our female students have the opportunity to prioritize the material that we feel is important to us and relevant to the encounters we have faced, and could realistically face in the future.

It makes me exceedingly happy to now be able to offer apparel with our logo on it. We’ll open the store a few times per year with choices to reflect the season. Wear your IMAS gear with pride, if someone should ask you about it – tell them all of the great experiences you’ve had and the friends you’ve made.

2020 has shown us that we have the grit to weather the storm, and then some. We have consistently gained new white belts, and promoted many ready students up the ranks. We have great plans for the future too. Dozens of black belts are working together right now to update the curriculum, digitize thousands of pictures from our history, revamp the weapons program, expand Tomoe Gozen, relaunch Enshudo, and even prep the tournament rules.

Today, the Black community celebrates Juneteenth, and it is today that the IMAS wishes to join them by reflecting, learning, and taking action against racism and in the fight for racial equity.

Practicing at home can be a fun and rewarding experience. When you have to teach and critique yourself, you really need to focus. That focus pays dividends!

Hanshi Marsh offers up some recommended reading while we practice social distancing. It’s the first in a series and starts out with three books ranging from a good option for children to an encyclopedic read. He’s in the process of getting copies at the dojo for our own library for when we return to class. Stay tuned for more!

We are introducing a new class for female students. All ages and ranks are welcomed to train at a monthly class run by female black belts. This class is designed to be a welcoming and safe place to learn Kenpo, and a chance for our female students to part of an amazing community.