K.S.K. Martial Arts E-Newsletter

www.TKENTNELSON.com

April 2010

***FILIPINO MARTIAL ARTS CAMP***

On July 16-18 K.S.K. Martial Arts will be hosting a FILIPINO MARTIAL ARTS CAMP!

Video Preview: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxLsEogDQx8&feature=channel

This awesome training opportunity will be a 3-day event focusing on the weapons of the Filipino Martial Arts.

All seminars will be taught by Guro T. Kent Nelson, founder of K.S.K. Martial Arts.

This Camp Will Feature:

1. Over 15 hours of Weapons Seminars

2. Three nights of Tournaments

3. Two Bonfires

4. Certificates of Completion

5. On Site Camping Available... and more!

For an exciting video about this event, as well as Full Details, please visit out website by clicking on the like below.

http://www.tkentnelson.com/MAseminars_events.html

We'll see ya there!!!

For questions please contact us at (517) 853-9856

www.TKENTNELSON.com

NEW DVD SINGLE STICK: Phase-2

Video Preview: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbInIWsK0Mw&feature=channel

It’s finally here. Armas-Kali Affiliate Curriculum SINGLE STICK: Phase-2 on DVD. This information charged video will take you through both offensive & defensive techniques, teach you step by step flow drills with the right and left hands, and introduce you to disarming on the open side. It's 90min of action packed techniques that will elevate your Kali to the next level.

This DVD, combined with the SINGEL STICK: Phase-1 and the DOUBLE STICK: Phase-1 make up the entire curriculum for achieving your first rank in the Armas-Kali affiliate program on video. You can purchase this awesome series by going to the “Products” page on the Martial Arts branch of our website. Click the link below and it will take you right to it!

http://www.tkentnelson.com/MAproducts.html

START YOUR OWN AFFILIATE GROUP

Want to get involved with training with us, but don’t live in the area? We just may have the answer your looking for! Go check out the Martial Arts branch of our website and click on the page call “How to Start Training With Us”

Click HERE: http://www.tkentnelson.com/MAaffiliate.html

On it you’ll find a short informational video on how to get involved training with us from a distance. The video will cover how to start, the learning process, ranking & promotion, and group support. You’ll find even more information written down below the video.

WOMEN’S DEFENSE & PERSONAL SAFTEY PRESENTATION

On June 15 (Tuesday) K.S.K. Martial Arts, LLC founder T. Kent Nelson will giving a special presentation on Woman’s Defense & Personal Safety.

In a fun and informative manner Self Defense Expert T. Kent Nelson will cover such topics as:

* Not being seen as a potential victim

* Rape Prevention

* Assault Survival

* Stranger-Danger

* Parking Ramp/Lot Safety Tactics

* Signs of an abusive partner

* The mistakes we all make

* Safety & awareness in your home or out in public and more.

(Times & location TBA) For more information on this event visit the “What’s New” page of our website by clicking on the link below:

http://www.tkentnelson.com/MAnew.html

NEW PROMOTIONS

This month K.S.K. Martial Arts, LLC founder and head instructor, Guro T. Kent Nelson, was presented a Synergy Martial Arts Instructor’s Certificate. The rank was given to him by his Private Instructor and good friend Shawn Kitzman.

Kitzman is the founder of “Synergy”, and has an excellent Mixed Martial Arts program. Based out of Brighton,MI. he not only has an immense passion for MMA and self defense, but also has an incredible in-depth understanding of the small nuances that really brings the material together, along with the ability pass on that information in a realistic context.

KSK & SMA are proud to be related Martial Arts Families.

Check out their website at www.SynergyMA.com

SIFU DAVID HATCH SEMINAR

On the 25th of this month Shawn Kitzman, Founder of Synergy Martial Arts, hosted a special seminar taught by Sifu David Hatch. Sifu Hatch has achieved such accomplishments as earning various instructor levels in Kali, Balintawak, Eskrima, Jun Fan Gung Fu, Wing Chun, Savate, Jeet Kune Do and JKD Grappling. He is also the founder of Attributive Martial Arts. www.AttributiveMartialArts.com

This seminar was held in Brighton, MI. and focused primarily on Filipino Stick fighting (Kali) and Chinese methods of hand trapping (Wing Chun & Jun Fan Gung Fu). In attendance were members of both K.S.K. Martial Arts and Synergy Martial Arts. This was a smaller seminar allowing for a more individual attention and more details to be focused on. Sifu Dave, and his wife Simo Lynda, put on a great seminar and we at KSK look forward to the next one.

K.S.K. MITT HOLDING WORKSHOP

This month Guro T. Kent Nelson and four members of the KSK family were invited visit the Karate & JiuJitsu club held at the West Lansing Church of Christ. They were asked to share some of their knowledge on Boxing & Kickboxing techniques using the focus mitts. Although most of the participants had never experienced this type of training, the group was extremely enthusiastic and did very well.

We here at KSK would like to the thank Todd Jones, member of both KSK Martial Arts and WLCC Karate & JiuJitsu, for setting up this night of sweat-drenching fun. We would also like to thank the group’s founder, Sensei Mike Romero, for both his blessing and encouragement for this event to happen.

K.S.K. Martial Arts E-Newsletter

www.TKENTNELSON.com

March 2010

DVD: COMING SOON!!!

During the month of March we have been hard at work preparing the newest installment of the Armas-Kali Affiliate Curriculum DVDs, SINGLE STICK: Phase-2.

We are happy to announce it is almost complete and may be available in April!!! This DVD will cover Defensive & Offensive techniques, training drills, Right & Left templates for the Box-Sumbrada flow, five disarms and how to find those disarms in random flow. Over 90min. of hard hitting Kali action, broken down and easy to learn.

This DVD combined with the other two previously released (SINGLE & DOUBLE STICK: Phase-1) will complete the needed curriculum for achieving your first Instructor or Student rank in the Armas-Kali Affiliate Program.

TRAINING CAMP: COMING SOON!!!

Start making room on your calendars! Currently Guro T. Kent Nelson is working on the details for holding the first K.S.K. sponsored “Filipino Martial Arts Camp”.

And by “Camp”, we mean camp. This 3-day event will be out in the country and feature available On-Site space for both Tents and RV’s in order to help people save money on overnight accomodations. Running water, Electricity and a Restroom will all be available on site to those who choose to “Camp-Out”. Motel accomodations 10min. from training grounds.

The camp will feature seminars through out the day by Guro T. Kent Nelson on various Filipino Weapons such as Single & Double Stick, Single & Double Knife, Espada Y Daga, and even some Filipino Staff. In the evenings we will be holding a free weapons tournement (participation optional) and even a bon-fire if the weather is nice.

This will be a great training opportunity for those who are studying the Armas-Kali Affiliate program. Any rank, system, and experience level are welcome.

Look for this event to be held sometime in July. There will be significant discounts for preregistration. More details to follow. Come join us for 3-days of training and FUN!!!

DVD: DOUBLE STICK: Phase-1

Preview: http://www.tkentnelson.com/MAnew.html

Last month we announced the newest DVD release in our Armas-Kali affiliate curriculum, DOUBLE STICK: Phase-1. This DVD will take you through everything in the curriculum for this section of the training, covering Mirror Image Drills, attack patterns for both open and closed positions, footwork, range and free flow drills. Filmed in professional grade digital, for a crisp clear picture, this DVD features interactive menus, smooth transitions, quality sound and all techniques have been separated into their own chapters, allowing you to skip right to whatever you want.

This DVD is perfect for someone either starting off in a weapon art, or wishing to learn the Armas-Kali system from the ground up. It is also great for an experienced martial artist looking to add on to their weapon training.

A Perfect Blend of PRACTICAL & EFFECTIVE Combined with ARTISTIC FLOW.

In this volume you will be learning quick application techniques, which with minimal training, you can use to directly defend yourself in a life or death situation. This DVD can be used for both personal study and Affiliate Student or Instructor ranking material.

You can check out a preview for this awesome DVD on our website by clicking on the link below, and of course you can always order it through our Products Page.

http://www.tkentnelson.com/MAnew.html

RANK PROMOTIONS

We here at KSK Martial Arts would like to give a special congratulations to Cliff Schartzer, who achieved his INTERMEDIATE: Level-1 rank in the art of Kai-Shin this month.

Cliff is a very dedicated student who began his training here with us back in 2006 as a private student in our knife curriculum. He has since progressed into the full Kai-Shin & Armas-Kali programs and rarely misses a training night. He has driven through blizzards to get to class and has trained with us on the hottest and most uncomfortable of days. Always willing to help another fellow student learn and grow, Cliff has made himself a very valuable member in the KSK Family. Keep up the great work Cliff!!!

(attached is a picture of this promotion)

INOSANTO INSTRUCTOR CAMP (March)

This month Guro T. Kent Nelson and three of his private instructors, Sifu David Hatch, Simo Lynda Hatch, and Shawn Kitzman traveled across the country to Marina Del Ray, CA. together to attend the March Inosanto Instructor Camp.

This four day camp started out each morning with a class in Jiu-Jitsu, instructed by none other than Jean Jacques Machado, one of the five founding brothers of Machado Jiu-Jitsu. It was then followed by a full day of Kickboxing, Trapping, Silat, Panantukan, and Filipino Martial Arts weaponry taught by the legendary Guro Dan Inosanto himself.

During their visit Nelson & Kitzman had the opportunity to accompany Sifu & Simo Hatch to a special invitation-only meeting at the home of Balintawak Eskrima Grand Master Nonato “Nene” Gaabucayan. While there, Gaabucayan shared and demonstrated some of the teaching methods of his specific Balintawak curriculum.

Sifu Hatch studied privately for over a decade with Balintawak authority Manong Ted Buot, who trained directly under Balintawak founder Grand Master Anciong Bacon. Kitzman & Nelson were also lucky enough during this trip, to have a few extra training sessions with Sifu Hatch where he shared some of his own Balintawak training methods with them as well.

February 2010 Newsletter

K.S.K. Martial Arts E-Newsletter

www.TKENTNELSON.com

February 2010

NEW DVD RELEASE !!!! DOUBLE STICK: Phase-1

Preview: http://www.tkentnelson.com/MAnew.html

We are proud to announce the newest DVD release in our Armas-Kali affiliate curriculum, DOUBLE STICK: Phase-1. This DVD will take you through everything in the curriculum for this section of the training, covering Mirror Image Drills, attack patterns for both open and closed positions, footwork, range and free flow drills. Filmed in professional grade digital, for a crisp clear picture, this DVD features interactive menus, smooth transitions, quality sound and all techniques have been separated into their own chapters, allowing you to skip right to whatever you want.

This DVD is perfect for someone either starting off in a weapon art, or wishing to learn the Armas-Kali system from the ground up. It is also great for an experienced martial artist looking to add on to their weapon training.

A Perfect Blend of PRACTICAL & EFFECTIVE Combined with ARTISTIC FLOW.

In this volume you will be learning quick application techniques, which with minimal training, you can use to directly defend yourself in a life or death situation. This DVD can be used for both personal study and Affiliate Student or Instructor ranking material.

You can check out a preview for this awesome DVD on our website by clicking on the link below, and of course you can always order it through our Products Page.

http://www.tkentnelson.com/MAnew.html

NEW SEMINAR SNEAK PEEK VIDEOS

This month we posted Seminar Sneak Peek #10. It features Guro Kent teaching a disarm with the single stick & dagger. All 10 of these sneak peek videos have been posted on the “What’s New” page of our website (martial arts branch)

Click Here To View These Videos:

http://www.tkentnelson.com/MAnew.html

K.S.K. Teaches the INGHAM COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT

On February 3rd & 4th T. Kent Nelson, and assistant Officer Mike Schwanbeck, were brought in to teach the Ingham County Sheriff's Department our newest course for Law Enforcement, "CUTTING EDGE: Subject Control & Stress Inoculation". This course focused on not only how to control an actively aggressive individual, but also featured special drills designed to teach the officers Fear Control, Gross Motor Skills and increase reactionary response under high stress situations/scenarios.

This was a special teach-the-teacher course, and was exclusively for all the Defensive Tactics Instructors of the Ingham County Sheriff's Department. When it was all over, the course was so well received that ICSD added many of our drills into their official defensive tactics curriculum, which is taught to every member of the department.

Much of this special course was filmed during the training, and in time we will have a promotional demo video for all of you to see... so keep an eye out for it!

We here at KSK Martial Arts / CUTTING EDGE Defensive Tactics, have a high degree of resect for the dangerous job our law enforcement officers do every day to help keep the rest of us safe and we are proud to help provide the training for their own personal protection.

ANOTHER NEW LAW ENFORCEMENT VIDEO TRAINING TIP

Another of our tips have been posted by CorrectionsOne.com, the #1 online resource for Corrections Officers. You can find them by going to www.CorectionsOne.com and scrolling down to the box titled "Featured Columnists" and clicking on "All Columnists" in red, and then clicking on the CUTTING EDGE/T. Kent Nelson pic. Or you can go directly to it by clicking on this link: http://www.correctionsone.com/writers/columnists/cutting-edge/

YOU MUST BE A REGISTERED CORRECTIONS OFFICER TO VIEW THE VIDEOS ON THIS SITE.

If you are NOT registered, you can still view it from BLUtube.com by clicking on the links below:

CUTTING EDGE #7 Tactical Training Tip

http://blutube.policeone.com/Clip.aspx?key=7F9E9541E24A1EE8

NEW: K.S.K. MARTIAL ARTS Fan Page on www.FACEBOOK.com

As many of you FaceBook users know, you can find KSK Martial Arts founder Kent Nelson, and become friends with him on FaceBook. This month KSK is proud to announce the launch of the official K.S.K. Martial Arts, LLC fan page. For continuos updates on KSK activity, events, messages, discussions and more, log on to us and become a fan. You can also find several different photo albums as well as over 20 videos.

Check out and join out fan page by clicking on the link below:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/KSK-Martial-Arts-LLC/255000163173

NEW BLOG/DISCUSSION TOPIC

You can find our latest topic of discussion, entitled “Analyzation of a REAL fight” on the Blog Page of our website: http://tkentnelson.blogspot.com/ or on the Discussion tab on our KSK FaceBook Fan Page: http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=255000163173&topic=12577

This is great topic centered around a video link containing an actual fight on a bus that was caught on camera. There is a ton of good stuff to learn about a real fight here, so visit us and contribute your thoughts and comments. We’d love to hear from you!

NEW NETWORKING SITE FOR FILIPINO MARTIAL ARTISTS

Now you can keep up with Sensei-Guro T. Kent Nelson on a brand new networking site for those who are interested in Filipino Martial Arts. Look him up on “Stick & Knife Fighters From The World” You can go right to his profile page by clicking on the link below:

http://stickfightingart.ning.com/profile/TKentNelson

This is a great place for video of actual weapon based Impact & Edged weapon attacks on people caught on camera from around the world.

You can also find him on these other sites.

MartialMatrix.com (designed for all martial arts) GROUP NAME: KSK Martial Arts / Armas-Kali & Kai-Shin

MyFMA.com (designed for Filipino Martial Arts only) GROUP NAME: Armas-Kali & Kai-Shin / KSK Martial Arts

BladesOfLife.com (designed for blade arts only) GROUP NAME: KSK Martial Arts / Armas-Kali & Kai-Shin

Silat.TV (designed for Silat based techniques only) GROUP NAME: KSK Martial Arts / Guro T. Kent Nelson

GOOD LUCK MIKE ROMERO!!!

This month Sensei Mike Romero, a Judo & Karate stylist, and good friend to KSK Martial Arts, moved from Michigan to Georgia in the pursuit of creating a better life for his wife and family. There was not a dry eye in the dojo when Sensei Mike's students presented him with a white belt, on which each one signed their name. For those of you who attended last years KSK annual BBQ (the Kai-Shin-Dig), you no doubt experienced his amazing skills with the grill.

Mike's short time here in michigan produced a lot of friends and students for him, and his presence will most certainly be missed by many.... especially at this years Kai-Shin-Dig.

Good Luck Mike!

CONGRATULATIONS TO JERRY KRAMER

KSK Martial Arts would like to say Congratulations to one of our direct students, Jerry Kramer. This month he and his wife celebrated 33 years of marriage together. May you and your wife have 33 more great ones together Jerry.

Analyzation of a REAL fight.

At the bottom of this post is a link to a video clip of an actual fight on a bus that was recently released on YouTube. There is valuable information to learn form it.

WARNING: The video clip is violent and features explicit language and comment.

Here are some of the great learning examples one can draw form it:

1. I think its a great example of how Forward Pressure can also be Termination.

2. Great example of quickly the actual "physical" elements of a fight can start.

3. Great example of How quickly a fight can end, and how much damage can be caused in such a short amount of time.

4. It's a great example of the right tools used for close quarter combat (no room for kicking or grappling).

5. Notice the power generated form the wider stance. More squared like Muay Thai, or the famous Boss Rutan MMA stance.

6. Also how boxing/striking is used most effectively as an initial offensive technique IF you decided you are going to be the aggressor and take this fight to the top-level.

7. Great example of how the other individual could not Box back once the fight began due to the forward pressure, thus illustrating that sparring is not fighting, and fighting is not sparring.

8. Notice the age of the man throwing the punches (67 years old). A great example that Martial Arts isn't just for kids, and that one can survive a fight using the both technique and strategy (Forward Pressure). You're NOT too old to train!

9. Most importantly its Great example of how feeding into another's aggression and stupidity only leeds to bad things.

I was going to place in this discussion a comment about, "Please try to ignore the racial insinuations and terminology that are used leading up to the fight", however I do not think they should be ignored, because they are the most telling indicators of how one finds themselves in this type of situation, by allowing yourself to be controlled by emotion and not intellect. Regardless of the outcome, this fight would not have happened if it were not for the ignorance and lack of self control by both participants.

I think there is a lot to learn from this video on many levels, just click on the link below:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRqSYQ0SfF0&feature=player_embedded#

We'd love to hear your feedback!

Genius vs. Stupidity

"The difference between genius & stupidity is that genius has limits."

I love this quote and it is the first one written in my B.O.W. (Book of Wisdom). I take this as implying that genius is the top, the finish line, can't get any smarter. Thus once you have reached the level of genius, you are doomed to stop growing, and once you stop growing there's nowhere to go but down. Therefore once we start to view ourselves at that "genius" level in whatever field/subject we choose, we are then cutting ourselves off from even entertaining the need to learn more... thus making that our stopping point, and we are now stagnant, allowing others to surpass us as time goes by and the world around us changes. If we are stagnant, we cannot evolve with those changes, thus limiting our options. Therefore... genius has limits.

I also take this as a warning and reminder, that stupidity is limitless.

Sensei-Guro T. Kent Nelson

How's the health of YOUR mind?

Health.  Usually when we think of this concept we are bombarded with images of eating salads and hitting the stair-master, and while these are parts of health, the angle I want to address is health as an overall life-long concept.  Health is more than just what we eat, or how many miles we can run (if any at all),  but instead to me, health is a mind set, and it practiced in every decision we make.

The benefits of proper eating and regular exercise are nothing new at this point and I don't really feel the need to go into them.  More importantly to me, health exists in the way we think.  How we think dictates how we live our lives.  Negative thoughts and energies only lead us down negative roads.   If we tell ourselves "This is impossible", "I can't do that", "There's no way that'll happen", then it never will, because if you believe in those words you are only giving yourself permission not to try, not to push your self to see what you can truly accomplish. 

If we don't believe we can do something, then we lose motivation... after all, why bother, right.  Once we lose motivation we then become sedentary with our physical actions and complacent with habits in life style.  Once we are complacent we no longer move forward and we stop growing as individuals, and much like a tree, if we're not growing, we're dying.

I see it all the time in my line of work as a Paramedic.  Many of our calls are for people who have caused much of the problem they needs us for.  People who have laid around and eaten or smoked themselves right into heart disease, diabetes, cancers, obesity and other problems.  People who have joint problems due to excessive weight, so they don't move around much, which causes them to turn everything they eat to fat, which in turn causes the joint problem to worsen.  It's a difficult cycle to break from, both physically and mentally.

Most of these types of people suffer not only from unhealthy bodies, but also from unhealthy minds.  It is the negativity in their minds that leads to the actions that cause the physical problems.  A lot of these people we're told as children by those around them that their never gonna amount to anything, that they are stupid for having dreams and life would be easier if they just gave up on them and excepted the real world.

Negative words like that can be seeds.  When those seeds are planted in our minds, it is our negative actions that will water them and make them grow and make them become stronger. Negative begets negative.  

Thankfully, positive seeds work the exact same way.  We need to shed ourselves of those that tell us we can't do something, or laugh at us, or shoot down our dreams.  In order to succeed and be healthy we have to surround ourselves with positive people.  Like minded people who support you and believe in you.  Once those positive seeds are planted, and you begin to see yourself make small accomplishments, you will want to strive for more, and you will begin to do things to water those seeds of positivity in your mind.

When you accomplish things you develop pride in yourself, and you re-enforce that things can happen if you push yourself and make them happen.  This gives you a reason to keep your body moving and keep your mind healthy.  This also allows you to deal with obstacles, adversity, and tragedies in your life and find the inner strength to pull you through.

Like I said, I see people in my line of work all the time who have given up on life.  People who are in their 50 and sixties that say things like "I'm too old"  and look back at their younger days like it was the only time they were capable of enjoying what life has to offer.  Truth be told, life will off what ever take from it.  If you believe life has nothing to offer, then you'll never take anything form it worth living for either.

Three of my heros' in this world are Guro Dan Inosanto, Sensei Tadashi Yamashita, and Taika Seiyu Oyata.  Not because they are my martial arts instructors, but because they are all in their 70's or just under seventy, and they are still the smoothest, fastest, sharpest people in the room at whatever seminar they are teaching.  They have positive attitudes toward life and the rewards you can reap from it.  These men did not start out as the top authorities in their fields, but they all believed they could accomplish it, and took the steps to make it so, despite waht others may have thought along the way.  They we're not going to let the words of any other person stop them from where they wanted to go, and where they wanted to take their arts..  These men are good examples of healthy minds.

In conclusion, I'm sure that as you are reading this right now you can think of something you would like to achieve in your life, big or small, so the real question is... is your mind healthy enough for you to accomplish it? 

-Sensei T. Kent Nelson