Rochester Phoenix Martial Arts
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Master level instruction for all students. Call or text Leigh at (585) 354-8946 to get started.


Training When You Have Kids

1/19/2017

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​Parents in particular have a hard time making class sometimes. As a new parent, I understand now why making it to class can be difficult when you have little ones. I own a dojo and I've had to miss training because Asher needed me! But, I think I've got some strategies for making it to class when you've got kiddos.

Bring Em!

We are very kid friendly. There are things at the dojo that most kids can't resist, like foam swords, punching bags, a pull up bar, and kick shields. I've seen kids entertain themselves for an entire adult class - and still not want to leave - by playing with those objects alone. Our dojo is one big open space, so you can keep an eye on them while training. Water breaks, class breaks, and partner rotations all give you a chance to check in as well. We also have a desk where kids can work on homework or read while you're training.

Get them Involved

We have a family class that is free for members to attend every Saturday. Kids can practice with their parents and get an idea of what martial arts are all about. We have later kids classes that happen right before adult classes start up. One of our instructors brings his son to the kids class and then stays for the adult one while he watches. It's a great way for the whole family to get involved.

Timing is Everything

There's only so much you can do to time out naps and other activities for little ones. If Asher happens to tire himself out around five thirty, I know I'll make the Basic Jiu-Jitsu class. Sometimes he does, sometimes he doesn't. But I do everything I can to get the timing. It isn't a science, but getting him to sleep, or planning other kid activities to allow yourself time to train is possible. We have another student who drops his daughter off at her guitar lessons while he trains.

Managing kiddos and training isn't always easy. We've tried to make it easier with our scheduling and relaxed, kid friendly environment!

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Finding a School - Openess

1/12/2017

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I know finding a martial arts school can be very difficult. While I'm partial to Rochester Phoenix Martial Arts, I realize we aren't right for everyone. Still, I wanted to do some posts on things to look for. I've been training in the martial arts for a LONG time, and I can usually spot good schools pretty quick. This post is on openness. It's a quality I think is important and that separates good schools from bad ones.



Real modern martial arts training should not be clouded in mystery. We don't meet for secret magic training sessions with secret magic scrolls to enhance our secret magic skills. Sorry if I ruined the martial arts for anyone just now.



Can You Watch Classes?

We encourage potential students to watch classes. We encourage parents to watch their kids in classes. We encourage significant others to come watch their loved one in classes. There are no secret magic skills an instructor is teaching to your eight year old that you can't be allowed to see. If a school discourages viewing... RED FLAG! As a parent myself, I'd run from a school that wouldn't allow me to watch the class.



What Are the Parent Organizations?

That weirdo in the Wal-Mart parking lot can go ahead and open up a martial arts school in his basement if he was so inclined. There are no regulations for operating a dojo. Unfortunately, there are frauds out there. One way to avoid fraudulent instructors is to look into the parent organizations associated with the school. These keep up quality control, provide ranking guidelines, and instructors normally need to be certified through them. If there are no parent organizations, at least question and research the instructor's credentials.



How Easy is it to Contact the Owners?

Brennan and I live in an apartment. We have cell phones. We don't live on some mountain top fortress in the middle of nowhere. When students or parents want to talk to us, we're there! I always try to respond to texts, emails, and phone calls right away. We also try to check in with students and parents on a regular basis. If the head instructor/school owner is never at the dojo and doesn't respond when you try contacting him/her, probably a bad sign.  
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Finding a good school isn't easy. There are still a lot of outdated notions about martial arts and training. Hopefully this series of posts will help clear some of that up. Even if you aren't from the Rochester NY area, the same points apply.  
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Training Beyond Your Own Dojo

1/11/2017

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​Should your training begin and end with your own school? For many people, coming to class and training in their own school is enough. However, extra training can be extremely beneficial for so many reasons.

Additional training can take many forms. Seminars, open rolls, and tournaments are just a few examples. Why are these events so important to your training?

They Keep Things Fresh


As you train and start working with others, you start figuring things out about your training partners. We all have habits, and the more you work with familiar people, the more you can anticipate just how he or she will react. By training with new people, you can better tell if your techniques are working properly. A technique will work differently on someone who has no idea it's coming.

They Put Things Into Perspective

Maybe you're the biggest guy in class. Maybe you're the smallest. Maybe you're the oldest. Maybe you're the youngest. By traveling to another school, you can seek out others with similar or different body types than you're used to. I'm used to working with people a lot bigger than me in our classes. At first I was getting a little discouraged because it seemed like everyone was better-- Until I went to another school that had several women my size. I held my own! Suddenly I didn't seem to be doing nearly as badly as I had been thinking I was.

They Prevent "Martial Inbreeding"

This is a term I use for when people substitute anticipation/expectations for technique. In other words, is something working because it's legit? Or because Sensei says it will work and it's working for everyone else? Other instructors and high ranking individuals may have new ways of looking at things or interpreting techniques. By going out and experiencing new ideas - even if you don't agree with them - you keep adding tidbits of understanding and knowledge to your belt. This keeps your martial world growing, expanding, and evolving.

There are so many more reasons to venture outside your school walls. I'll tackle more in another post. 

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A Brief Uniform Guide

1/10/2017

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One of the fun things about martial arts - for kids and some adults - is the cool uniform you get to wear!

We have uniforms for a few reasons. One is because it's traditional, and the martial arts celebrate tradition and history within the classes.

However, the uniform also has a very practical use as well. In arts like BJJ and Judo, the uniform is designed to withstand the rigors of training. It won't rip when grabbed and yanked. It also helps keep things fair in competition. If one person has a loose fitting uniform, it will make it far easier for their opponent to grab it and complete their throw or sweep.

In Karate, a thick uniform acts as a training tool. Listening to the SNAP sound that a uniform makes when you throw a technique helps indicate how sharp and strong the punch or kick was.

Aikido has a unique uniform as well. Since it doesn't need to be as strong as a Karate or Judo uniform, these are a lot lighter. The sleeves are short enough to not get in the way during weapon work. The knees on the pants are reinforced for some of the kneeling work.

The uniforms might seem odd and confusing at first, but they are important! We can help get you the perfect uniform for whatever training you decide to take on.
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New Location!

6/7/2016

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This is pretty old news at this point, but things have been crazy and busy this last year!

​We moved from our old location on Monroe Ave to 107 Norris Drive. We are actually still very close, only about a mile or so away from the old dojo. This new location is right by Cobbs Hill Park. Now that the weather is getting better, you can count on some pretty sweet outdoor training sessions!

​The place we are in now used to be an embroidery shop. They had these giant industrial sized sewing machines in there. It was somewhat difficult to picture it as a dojo.

​Since moving in we've given the walls and the floors a new paint job. Our mirrors were hung, along with a white board for training notes. We spruced up the changing rooms, matted the training floor, and hung up our punching bags. We also added a pull up bar to our bag hanging apparatus.

​Future improvements: we will be adding to our mat space, providing additional pull up bars, adding a markiwara area, and giving some TLC to the outside of our facility. We also want to make some sweet wooden screens and create a beautiful kamiza.
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The Dreaded "McDojo"

6/15/2015

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Having moments of dread is something I'm getting used to, being a new business and dojo co-owner. It doesn't matter if it's an exploding toilet or a surprise class full of brand new students: Sudden moments of fear seem to pop up on a semi-regular basis. One of those moments happened to me Sunday evening after watching an episode of Star Trek.

I suddenly found myself wondering if the only way to be successful as a business owner was to compromise and become a McDojo. One of those schools that hand out black belts like candy, that breed overconfidence and sloppy technique, one of those schools that gives Karate a bad name. I started picturing classes that resembled a Saturday afternoon at Chuck E Cheese. What if that was the only way we could make it? 

Things have a way of working themselves out. We had our first kids BJJ testing and decided to test our kids the same way adults were tested. The students had to get out of a difficult position. Pass or fail, they would either succeed and break free of the hold or they would give up and fail. I was nervous about it. This was a difficult test and parents would be watching. However, the students were phenomenal. They worked incredibly hard and refused to give up, even when class technically ended. Brennan and I were incredibly proud.

It was then I realized  that I didn't need to worry about becoming a McDojo. While some students may want to be placated with advanced belts without the time or work, I believe most do not. Parents and students alike are not dumb. They know quality. Deep down they know if a rank was truly earned or just handed out. While it may seem difficult at times, most students want the work that comes before an accomplishment. They recognize when a rank is truly earned and when they are being patronized. I struggle sometimes trying to find ways to make the hundred thousandth time a student has done Seisan Kata interesting and engaging. But students like the journey. They enjoy putting in the work and then seeing the end result. 

There will be some students who just want the belt. They will train for a few months and inevitably leave and find a dojo that will provide them with a pat on the head and a belt around their waist. There will also be students like our kids who recently tested in BJJ. We don't need to compromise our standards, in fact we refuse to do so and it isn't even necessary.
 
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Traditional and Modern Dojos

5/27/2015

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Recently I've been reading a book called "In the Dojo" by Dave Lowry. The book offers an in depth look into the etiquette, rituals, and history of the Japanese Dojo. Lowry's observations combined with some conversations I've had from students who had once trained in MMA gyms got me thinking.

I've heard many martial artists proclaim themselves to have "traditional" dojos and used this to justify borderline abusive behavior. Some example include making kids do knuckle push-ups on hardwood floors, refusing water to students in a sweltering dojo, and striking students with the intent of causing physical damage. Does abuse make a dojo traditional? Especially since similar conditions can be found in MMA gyms. Some people think the kind of martial arts offered decree if a school is traditional or not. However, arts such as Muay Thai still have a rich tradition and history despite being found in many MMA gyms.

Lowry suggests that it is a subtle attitude and philosophy within the dojo that makes a dojo traditional or modern. I like this notion. A traditional dojo is based off Japanese military history. One element I partially like is the emphasis on training up everyone to their fullest potential. If we look at how a military unit trains, the army is only as strong as their weakest person. Therefore, attention is equally divided amongst the beginner, novice, and advanced students. 

Modern and/or sport based dojos have different goals. Unlike traditional dojos, a gym needs just a few very talented individuals to compete and do well in tournaments. A consequence of this is that students who do not already have a strong skillset or natural ability may get neglected. The attention of the instructors is not necessarily equal.

We've tried to develop a dynamic martial arts academy. While we have arts commonly found in MMA gyms, we are undoubtedly a traditional dojo. You can train here and fight MMA or get your accredited rank in Isshin Ryu Karate. You can be a naturally gifted athlete or need reminding on your left and right. Everyone here has our respect and attention.


#BJJ #Rochestermartialarts #RochesterMMA #Rochesterkarate #Rochesterdojo #Rochestermuaythai #RochesterBJJ
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Summer Camps!

5/20/2015

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We will be offering 2 summer camps!

Kids will have a chance to train in Karate, Aikido, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and Sword! We will also have teambuilding and leadership games and activities. This is perfect for kids already in our program, it will give them more intensive training in the arts they love. However, the camps are open to non-members as well. This will give your kid a chance to experiment and try out a variety of martial arts.

The camps are:

July 20th - 24th
9:00 AM - 3:30 PM

August 24th - 28th
9:00 AM - 3:30

-Kids need to pack a peanut free lunch
-Snacks and drinks provided
-Regularly scheduled classes will continue to meet

*fee: $200

Family Discount Available: 15% off one full camp membership or when registering for both camps

Call us to register! 585-354-8946
You can also stop in and meet us. We love visitors :)

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Holiday Hours

12/19/2014

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The Dojo will be closed December 24th - 26th, but will reopen Saturday the 27th.
We will also be closed December 31st - January 2nd, classes will resume on Saturday, January 3rd.

Some instructors might be holding small classes while the dojo is closed, if you want extra training ask your specific instructors.  

Have a happy Holiday!!!!
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The journey here

11/25/2014

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For the past few months Brennan and I have been playing the role of construction workers more than martial arts students. We are thrilled to finally put our hardhats away and tie our belts back on! It has been a long journey to get here, and we have overcome burst water pipes, exploding toilets, stacks upon stacks of carpeting, and the exciting world of Certificate of Occupancy inspections. We've also learned a lot. I now know how to tile floors, build walls, and the difference between an impact driver and a drill! :) :D 

 I want to thank everyone for their support through this process! We could never have done it without the help and encouragement from our fellow training partners, friends, and family. 

Classes have finally started! All our active martial arts programs are accepting new students. Karate, Aikido, Muay Thai, and Brazilian Jiu-jitsu are steadily growing. We are also working with some truly awesome kids in our Karate, Aikido, BJJ, and Sword Kids Programs.  

Here are some pictures of our progress. The dojo still isn't exactly where we want it to be, but each day we get a little closer to our final vision for Rochester Phoenix Martial Arts. 
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Get in touch immediately to schedule an appointment or get more information by calling or texting Leigh at (585) 354-8946
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