Posts Tagged ‘Karate School’
Spartan Strong!
Sensei Javier Lozano Jr “flexing” during a chilly morning for the Spartan Race Military Sprint.
As a teenager and young adult, I use to compete professionally on a national circuit, traveling to various Karate tournaments throughout the United States.
On occasion, I’ve had a student or parent ask why I don’t compete anymore.
My answer, usually — I’ve lost the interest to compete at that level.
Here’s the main issue. When you compete at a high level, where the competition is VERY difficult, and you NEED to be training regularly, something has to give. When I was young, I had no commitments to anyone. No steady girlfriend, no job that DEPENDED on me, etc. Yea, I taught Karate for a friend, but again, it was part-time. My money made went to my tournament competitions. Now, I’ve got a Karate and fitness school to operate, students to teach, an employee to mentor & monitor, responsibilities to my community, and a beautiful wife that I’m in love with.
When I competed, I trained at all hours of the day because I didn’t like to loose. I wanted to achieve success. And success was winning my fighting divisions. So, I got a bit crazy… When you were sleeping, I was training. When you celebrated a Holiday, I was running outside. I trained before AND after Karate classes. I knew, every time I stepped into the ring I was more prepared then the person across from me. Granted, there were times I lost, but at the end of the day, I gave it my all.
See, when I competed, it was an obsession. I wanted to win and succee more then anything else. When I removed myself away from competition, I tried to comeback a few times, but things weren’t the same. I just couldn’t get back into the swing of things. My calling had shifted.
Now, fast forward to today…
I enjoy supporting my students when they compete in tournaments. Coaching them. Helping them. Inspiring them. All of that. Being a leader for my students, and shaping their lives is a big motivator for me.
So, where am I going with all of this???
Well, I never said that I’m not competitive… I just don’t have the same desires for Karate competitions when I was younger.
Reebok Spartan Race Military Sprint
On Saturday May 4th 2013, a bunch of our fitness clients at Summit Fit Dojo all signed up for an Obstacle Course Race called the Reebok Spartan Race. I ran this race last year with my wife and a bunch of our fitness clients, and so we did it again this year. It has now become an annual event for Summit Fit Dojo members. This is a great way to dig down, deep inside of you, and see what you’re made of. Not the same as a Karate tournament, but the mental toughness training that I get from it is an adrenaline rush.
The Spartan Military Sprint, hosted in Ft. Carson, CO and created by the amazing soldiers stationed at that base, created this course, with the Spartan Race team putting their twist of obstacles too.
This was a 4.5 mile “mud run” that had nearly 30 obstacles, which included unorthodox obstacles, such as the famous spear throw, army crawling through mud – under barbwire, climbing over 8 foot walls, flipping tires, and carrying a ruck sack weighing about 150 lbs up and down a mountain.
Yes, I paid for this event, and really enjoyed it — minus the burpees.
Burpees???
See, Spartan Race has a rule if you don’t accomplish an obstacle, you have to do 30 burpees. No joke. 30 burpees, then you move on. So, if you’re not physically strong or mentally strong, this race can be draining.
Last year, as a rookie to obstacle course racing, I completed the course in 2 hours and 38 minutes. I did it with my wife, and many other Summit Fit Dojo members. We ran as a team and finished as a team. Sorta. Some people were ahead of us, and some behind, but we tried to finish strong — together.
This year though… I had a personal goal. I wanted to finish the race in under 2 hours.
When I got through the Gladiator Pit (Spartans trying to hit you with large gladiator sticks), I finished my race in 1 hour and 44 minutes.
Not bad for being sick too!
Anyways, where I’m trying to take this is that, though I no longer enjoy the high level of competition from Karate tournaments, I still enjoy personal competition that pushes me physically and mentally. I’m a competitor and truly enjoy the achievements of success.
If you, or anyone else is interested in trying one of these fun and exciting Obstacle Course Races, I’d recommend getting in touch with Summit Fit Dojo’s Fitness Program Director – Lynn Voorhees. We have been able to create an amazing fitness program that will help you achieve any of your fitness goals — including races.
We will be going as a team to Copper Mountain in August to run the Warrior Dash, so get your shoes on and start running!
- In the waiting pit, getting ready to start the race.
- And, still waiting to run… mind youit was a bit cold!
- And we’re off!!!
- I wondering if I should run this race… NOT!
- The first 4 finisher of our Summit Fit Dojo team!
- Me, kissing my prize.
- Another shot of kissing my prize ;-)
Kids Karate Classes
Karate classes for kids will teach your child the necessary confidence and discipline to succeed in life.
So The Dojo of Karate has one of the best Kids Martial Arts Programs in Broomfield and Westminster, Colorado. Hands down.
You’re probably thinking I’m making one BOLD statement…. maybe…
Is it because I’m the Head Karate Instructor??
Nope.
It’s because I do 3 important things to get the best out of my Karate students. These three key tools that I use while teaching Karate sets The Dojo of Karate apart from all other Martial Arts schools in Colorado.
The other reason I know The Dojo of Karate offers one of the best Children Karate Programs is that our kids walk away sweating and smiling and our parents enjoy the Life Skills our kids learn in class.
So, here are the 3 things The Dojo of Karate does to make our Martial Arts school offer the best kids program in the Westminster / Broomfield / Thornton area.
1) Lead By Example - Why is this so important? So many kids have false role models that they begin to display poor actions, demonstrate bad attitudes, and act VERY inappropriate. In order for students to perform at their best, as a Martial Arts instructor, I need to lead by example AND ask my students to do the same for others. We are all responsible for our own actions. But, by acting like a leader our actions can be good ones. All of my current Karate students are required to help a new students in class by being their partner for the day. This teaches our new students the ropes about our school and my current students to be LEADERS in our school. I than lead by example by demonstrating what I need to see as an instructor. For instance, if I want kids to be nice to their parents, I am always polite to the parents in our school by always saying “yes sir”, “yes ma’am”, “no sir”, “no ma’am”. Why? Because I want the kids to hear it too. If Mr. Lozano does it, it must be cool!
2) Build Confidence – If you ever want the best out of someone, build their confidence. And, if you ever want the WORST of someone, break their confidence. Confidence plays a huge role in performing well in life. As a Martial Arts instructor that is looking for the best of my students, I need to be building their confidence. The more confidence my students demonstrate the better they do AND the more they want to shine in Karate class, at home, and at school. The Dojo of Karate builds your childs character by developing their confidence.
3) Mat Chats – OK, you’re probably thinking this is weird. But, it’s not… Did you know as a parent, if you spend about 10-15 minutes weekly with them talking about various topics from respect, to goals, to humility that you can influence them even more? It’s true. As parents you have more influence in your child’s life than you can imagine. At The Dojo of Karate we understand that. This is why we have daily Mat Chats in EVERY class to discuss different topics for the week. This reinforces what you’ve been talking about with your kids at home. This week has been about Timing. How is timing important in Karate, at home, and in the classroom…?
There you have it. These are the 3 main reasons The Dojo of Karate is the best Martial Arts school in Colorado. It’s not because I’ve been training in Karate for over 22 years, teaching kids for nearly 19 years, and hold numerous awards. Nope. We like to focus on the Life Skills, but we happen to relate to them through Karate… that simple.
Don’t believe us about being the best Karate studio in the Westminster and Broomfield area. Take me up on my word and try out our program. I’m sure your kid will be leaving with a smile too 
Javier Lozano, Jr.
Owner / Head Instructor
NASKA World Champion
Certified Personal Trainer
Child Safety Instructor
3rd Degree Black Belt
Broomfield Adult Karate School
Karate isn’t just for kids, but also for adults. Our adult karate lessons are a great way to release stress.
The Dojo of Karate teaches traditional Karate and combines it with modern training to help develop with your conditioning, endurance, self-defense, strength, and flexibility.
On top of that… training at our Martial Arts school is just plain fun.
Our Adult Karate Program is will give you a great workout. Probably something better than your boring routine of hitting the weight room after work.
We combine our traditional Karate classes with sparring too. This is a great way to develop your kicking and punching skills, in a controlled format, by working with a partner.
Any adult interested in trying out our Karate program gets 2 FREE weeks of Karate classes, so you can make sure our program is a fit.
Women Self-Defense Class Offered By Westminster Karate School
Westminster, CO (April 2, 2013) — The Dojo of Karate will offer a six hour women’s self-defense class on Saturday, April 20, 2013 starting at 9:00 a.m. Cost for the self-defense class is $75 and is open to women who are at least 18 years old.
“I took this class because I’m a runner and I often find myself running by myself on one of the many trails in Broomfield and Boulder,” said Deanne Kasic, Broomfield resident and avid runner. “This class has given me a plan on how to react in the event that I was attacked while out on a run. This class has also taught me that my response to an attack needs to be second nature and that self-defense is something that one must practice on a regular basis.”
“The Dojo of Karate wants to help give back to the community by offering residents of Broomfield, Westminster, Thornton, and other surrounding areas the opportunity to learn effective, simple, and reality based skills,” said Chief Instructor Javier Lozano, Jr. “Participants in this class can expect to learn: how an attacker thinks when selecting their victims, how to execute proper self-defense techniques that are proven to injure or slow-down an attacker when performed properly, how to escape from various grabs and chokes, and how to defend themselves from different assault positions.”
Learning reality based self-defense skills is important in every Women Self-Defense Seminar.
“People always ask me, ‘don’t you need to know some sort of secret move to disable your attacker’?” said Lozano. “The answer is no. In the event of an attack the victim probably won’t remember all of those technical moves that work great for lifelong practitioners. During the heat of the moment, when the adrenaline is rushing, people usually freeze because of anxiety and are not going to remember all of those technical moves.”
Chief Instructor Javier Lozano, who is the owner and head instructor of The Dojo of Karate, will be teaching this women’s self-defense course. Lozano is a Certified Level II Self-Defense Instructor with one of the leading self-defense organizations in the country, and a Certified Child Safety Instructor, one of the few instructors officially certified in the State of Colorado. Lozano also holds the rank of 3rd Degree Black Belt and has over 22 years of Martial Arts experience, including more than 19 years of teaching knowledge. Lozano is also a former professional athlete, winning a NASKA World Championship Title and CKA Colorado State Champion Title, both in fighting.
People interested in obtaining further information regarding the women’s self-defense course can at www.adultselfdefense.com or contact Chief Instructor Javier Lozano, Jr. at (303) 920-4500.
2nd Annual – The Dojo of Karate Championships
Inner School Karate Tournament Rules
Please remember we are enforcing The Dojo of Karate Etiquette’s to all participants and spectators. If you have any questions, please refer to your copy handed out last week during classes.
The goal of this tournament is to teach our kids the importance of Sportsmanship, Determination, Integrity, Respect, and the Competitive Spirit of Sport Karate.
With that said, we want to lead by example so Karate students behave the way a true martial artist should behave – with integrity.
Competition Times
The tournament will take place on Saturday, February 5th at The Dojo of Karate.
Please arrive about 15 minutes before your start times.
Competitors that are in the Lil’ Ninjas – Beginners and Advanced programs and competitors in the Children Beginners program (White and Gold belts) will participate from 9:00 AM to 10:30 AM.
Competitors that are in the Children Intermediate program and Children Advanced program (Orange to Brown belts) will participate from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM.
All competitors will compete in their Forms and Weapons division first, followed by the Sparring or Bunny Ears divisions.
Volunteers
To make this tournament operate smoothly, we will need approximately 12-16 volunteers to help judge competitors, keep score, and run times in the Forms, Weapons, and Sparring divisions.
Even if you do not know what to look for in a competitor’s performance or how to keep score, we will teach you. It’s very simple to follow and understand.
Volunteer training will take place on Friday, February 4th at 6:00 PM. So, if you put yourself down to volunteer, please be here no later then 6:00 PM.
We will teach you how to judge a Forms or Weapons performance and how to call points in sparring matches.
Note: If you attend your child’s Karate classes on a regular basis, then you will understand on how to be a judge.
Forms & Weapons Competition
Competitors will perform a Kata that has been taught to them in class, in front of a panel of 3 judges. Each judge will then give a score based on the competitors’ performance. The score will be added up, and the competitors with the three highest accumulated score will receive one of the following places: 1st place, 2nd place, or 3rd place. All other competitors that do not receive a placing will get a Finalist Medal.
Sparring Competition
We are operating our sparring competition like a “Spar-A-Thon”, meaning students will spar for approximately 2 hours, accumulating points throughout every match. They will have a chance to fight between 8 and 12 matches throughout the day… maybe even more.
Matches run for 1 continuous minute, while competitors score as many points as possible during each match. Points will be tallied on their index card where they will accumulate points throughout the Spar-A-Thon.
At the end of the tournament, competitors will turn in their index card to be rewarded a medal for achieving certain milestones.
To earn a medal competitors must reach the following point totals.
Gold Medal – 35 points
Silver Medal – 25 points
Bronze Medal – 15 points
Finalist Medal – 14 points or less
NOTE: The person that scores the most points in the tournament will win the Grand Champion Trophy.
This sparring competition format teaches each competitor the importance of setting goals and working towards achieving them. It will also help develop their confidence and determination.
Bunny Ears Competition
Students that are in the Lil’ Ninjas Beginners program or Children Beginners program will compete in a Bunny Ears competition.
The format is nearly the same as sparring. For each time a competitor pulls another competitors bunny ear (belt loop) they achieve a point.
Matches go on for 1 continuous minute, while points are tallied up during their entire competition. At the end of the tournament, competitors will turn in their index card and receive a medal for the amount of points scored in their competition.
Below are the following points a competitor must score to achieve a medal:
Gold Medal – 30 points
Silver Medal – 20 points
Bronze Medal – 10 points
Finalist Medal – 9 points or less
We are looking forward to all students competing in the 2nd Annual – The Dojo of Karate Championships.
Best of luck to all competitors.
By PDBLINK BlinkLoans