Thank you dad for your service in WWII!
Thank you to all the brave men and women currently serving and those that served before!
I will NEVER forget!
Happy Memorial Day!
Sensei Chris Feldt
Columbia, SC 29229
803-462-9425
samuraikaratestudio@gmail.com
Scott Sonnon is a world class martial artist and physical fitness expert. He has been involved in creating some very cutting edge workout routines that combine body weight strength training, flexitilbity and cardio.
He also has a very fine philosophy about training and living life to your highest potential.
Here is a quote that I recently read from him that I love!
"First, they pay no attention to you or your idea. Then, they scoff and dismiss it as nonsense. Then, they attack your idea to discredit you. Then, they claim they've been doing it long before you "made a fortune" by commercializing their idea. Then, you win.
Don't expect people to shower you with adulation. Don't do it for the pat on the back, or the plaque on the wall. Because you're going to need to thicken your skin if you truly have something of value to contribute to the world.
Do it because it's the right thing to do. Do it because you want to bring value to others MORE than you want to receive recognition from them.
Being original and unique often means standing alone. Be strong enough to be original. Be courageous enough to be uniquely you."
Sensei Chris Feldt
Columbia, SC 29229
803-462-9425
samuraikaratestudio@gmail.com
I saw this from Facebook page Live Laugh Love.
The art of living is neither careless drifting on the one hand nor fearful clinging on the other. It consists in being sensitive to each moment, in regarding it as utterly new and unique, in having the mind open and wholly receptive.... Alan Watts
Sensei Chris Feldt
Columbia, SC 29229
803-462-9425
samuraikaratestudio@gmail.com
I have been doing some research trying to focus on eating a healthier selection of food and limit my intake of sugar. For me, this has been a herculean task, as I have been drinking soda since college and admitedly, I am addicted to it.
I also have been trying to limit my passion for fast food! Another habit that started later in high school.
When I was growing up, I hardly ever ate any fast food, and I think my mom did a pretty good job of giving us a variety of fruits and vegtables. However, as the years went on, I developed some really bad eating habits.
In doing my research, one of the interesting things I have come across is a paleo lifesty, which looks at how our ancestors historically ate and exercised and recommends a similar lifestyle and diet.
I recently came across this chart, which really does a nice job of explaining the thought process behind the "paleo craze"
There are many excellent books on paleo, I would recommend you start with The Paleo Solution.
Enjoy the chart!
Learn more about the Paleo Diet.
Sensei Chris Feldt
Samurai Karate Studio
Columbia, SC 29229
803-462-9425
samuraikaratestudio@gmail.com
Okay, take 30 seconds to show your commitment to end bullying now.
If you or anyone you know is a victim of bullying, I am here to help. Please call me at 803-462-9425.
Don't wait, before it's too late!
We have lost too many children to bullying already!
Sensei Chris Feldt
Columbia, SC 29229
803-462-9425
samuraikaratestudio@gmail.com
Millions of kids are relentlessly demeaned and physically attacked at school every day. Parents of victims and educators say that a change must take place and everyone can help. Below is a list of resources to help stop bullying and cyberbullying.
For Everyone:
The Bully Project, and 'Billy' Movie: The documentary film that sparked a nationwide movement to stop bullying offers stories of those who were bullies and resources for parents, teachers, kids and communities for how to deal with and stop bullies on their website.
"Bully," which follows the lives of five U.S. students who faced bullying on a daily basis at school, including two who commited suicide as a result, will be in theaters on March 30, 2012.
Stop Bullying Now!: A resource website sponsored by the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services that addresses the warning signs of bullying, how to talk about bullies, how to report bullies and cyberbullying and offers a 24-hour help hotline for victims at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
For Children and Teens:
Teens Against Bullying: Specifically created to help teens learn about bullying, how to appropriately respond to it and how to prevent it.
Kids Against Bullying: Specifically created to help elementary school children learn about bullying, how to appropriately respond to it and how to prevent it.
STOMP Out Bullying!: A national anti-bullying and cyberbullying program for kids and teens.
National Youth Advocacy Coalition: An advocacy organization for young people.
Trevor Project: A national organization that provides crisis intervention and suicide prevention for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth. They also offer the Trevor Lifeline, a 24-hour, national crisis and suicide prevention hotline for LGBTQ youth. The number is 1-866-4-U-Trevor.
For Parents and Teachers:
PACER's National Bullying Prevention Center: Offers resources for how to teach kids of all ages about bullying, state laws and what parents can do if their child is being bullied, and peer advocacy groups.
Education.com: Bullying at School and Online: A resource for both teachers and parents on how to help a bullied child.
Teaching Tolerance: Bullying: Offers guidelines and activities for teachers to help teach students K-12 about bullies.
The Human Rights Campaign's Welcoming Schools Guide: A guide to help school administrators, educators, and parents or caring adults make sure that their elementary schools welcome all students and families. Targeted at addressing family diversity, gender stereotyping, and name-calling in K-5th grades.
GLSEN, Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network: Works with school officials to ensure that transgender, gay and lesbian students are not harassed or bullied.
Family Acceptance Project: Launched out of the Marian Wright Edelman Institute at San Francisco State University, this organization works to decrease major health and related risks for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) youth.
If you or anyone you know is a victim of bullying, I am here to help! Please contact me right away so that I can help give you the tools to help defeat the bully in a non-physical kind of way.
Sensei Chris Feldt
Columbia, SC 29229
803-462-9425
samuraikaratestudio@gmail.com
As a member of the UBBT and the 100, one of the things our team coach, mentor and friend, Tom Callos, has taught us, is that the martial art's means more than just kicking and punching.
Okay, I know what you are thinking!
I practice karate and bujutsu with the intention of taking down my attacker in quick successive movements that will disable, possibly injure. However, the reality is, we train, so that we NEVER have to use our martial arts.
In this world where bullying has become common place, with young desparate children taking their lives out of fear and pain, I think the time is NOW to do something about it.
Think about it
If we treated each other with kindness and respect, there would be less conflict!
Yes?
Imagine, our politicians in Washington, treating each other with civility, respect and yes, even kindness, our country would probably be in a better place.
Yes?
What if we all agreed to perform 3 acts of kindness a day.....that would be a 1,000 acts of kindness for the year. Multiply that by your family, your work place, your neighborhood, your community, your town......
You get the picture!
The world would be in a different place.
Yes?
It all starts with YOU!
Start today!
Lead the way and watch the ripple effect when you do something kind for someone. Ask them to pay it forward!
How cool would that be?
Sensei Chris Feldt
Columbia, SC 29229
803-462-9425
samuraikaratestudio@gmail.com
As a master teacher, I am always looking for ways to improve myself, my school and those in my sphere of influence! I follow several influential blogs that communicate healthy ways of living, leading a more spiritual way of life, or just how to be a better person.
One blog that I follow almost every day is ZEN HABITS!
Here is an excellent article on parenting.
Enjoy!
There is no such thing as stress-free parenting.
A reader requested that I share my thoughts on stress-free parenting, as the father of six kids. And while I have learned a lot about being a dad, and finding joy in parenthood, I also know that stress-free parenting is a myth.
Parents will always have stress: we not only have to deal with tantrums and scraped knees and refusing to eat anything you cook, but we worry about potential accidents, whether we are ruining our kids, whether our children will find happiness as adults and be able to provide for themselves and find love.
That said, I’ve learned that we can find peace.
Peace isn’t a place with no stress, but a place where you take the stress as it comes, in stride, and don’t let it rule you. You let it flow through you, and then smile, and breathe, and give your child a hug.
There is a Way of the Peaceful Parent, but it isn’t one that I’ve learned completely. I’ll share what I’ve learned so far, with the caveat that I don’t always follow the Way, that I still make mistakes daily, that I still have a lot to learn, that I don’t claim to have all the answers as a parent.
The Way is only learned by walking it. Here are the steps I recommend:
I like all kinds of music, and you might even be surprised to hear that I even like Hip Hop. I must admit, I am selective with which artists I listen to, because often times the lyrics focus too much on sex, violence and drugs.
But, there are some real GEMS out there.
I recently came across this video from Karma Tube, of a song sung by Akala. Akala's lengthy hip-hop poem is somber and clear-eyed in its disappointment with race-relations, global politics, and contemporary culture. And yet it retains both hopefulness and an action-plan. "The only way you can change anything," he slams, "is to look in the mirror and find no enemy."
Find No Enemy
If you want to join a group of like minded individuals, who want to make a difference in their lives and the lives of others, please stop by our karate school and see what we are all about!
Sensei Chris Feldt
Columbia, SC 29229
803-462-9425
samuraikaratestudio@gmail.com
I am very excited about the release of a new documentary, called BULLY. It has been in the works for several years and it is scheduled to be released March 30th.
The story tragically follows up a community where bullying appears to be rampant and one boy decided to take his own life because he had been bullied so much.
This has been happening throughout our country the past couple of years, as school districts are trying to take action to protect our children. The reality is, the schools can only do so much. Parents, family members, friends -- ALL of us need to take responsibility and get involved and help those children who are victims.
Together we CAN defeat the bully.
Watch the trailer below:
During the past month, I have worked with one of my local elementary schools, where I taught 4th and 5th graders how to deal with bullies in a non violent way.
It's not that hard.....we just need to take the time to teach our children to develop their own tools for dealing with a bully.
If you or someone you know, is a victim of bullying, please contact me personally and I will help.
Don't wait to call before it's too late!
Sensei Chris Feldt
Samurai Karate Studio
Columbia, SC 29229
83-462-9425
samuraikaratestudio@gmail.com
At Samurai Karate Studio, we practice environmental self defense!
For the record, I'm not some environmental "whacko". I just believe we ALL have a responsibility to protect and conserve our planet's natural resources. To me, this is just smart SELF DEFENSE.
I realize the US economy and the world's, for that matter, is addicted to oil. And we currently need oil to keep our country moving forward. However, I believe we can develop our oil resources in a smart way, with less impact to the environment. Of course, we need to be developing alternative fuel sources at the same time, so that eventually, we can become less dependent on oil.
There is currently a lot of controversy about the tar sands of Canada. I wanted to find out more about them.
If you follow my work, you know I am a huge fan of TED, an online lecture series that covers a wide range of topics. In the video below, you will meet Garth Lenz, who is an award winning conservation photographer whose work has been seen in shows around the globe. Recently he appeared at a TEDx event in Victoria, BC Canada with his exhibition, The True Cost of Oil.
Through Lenz's photography, this exhibit showcases the beauty of some of Canada's pristine environments—and the dire impact that tar sands oil extraction has on them.
I really had no idea of the complete devastation to the environment that these mines are responsible for. Nor did I realize they are encroaching of some of the most pristine rain forests located in the north.
I often remind my students that we practice our self defense techniques over and over - so that hopefully, in the event we were ever attacked, we would be prepared to defend ourselves from harm.
Well, I think we need to consider taking action to DEFEND ourselves (and our planet) from the devestating consequences of extracting oil from these tar sands.
How?
Start by aking action and calling your state Congressman or Senator - to voice your concerns about the tar sands, before it is too late. Get involved. Stay informed.
That is good self defense!
Yes?
Sensei Chris Feldt
Samurai Karate Studio
Columbia, SC 29229
803-462-9425
I recently read an executive summary, from the Environmental Working Group, also known as EWG, which listed the top vegtables and fruits that were found to contain a lot of pesticides in them.
Modern farming relies on many pesticides in order to improve crop yields and protect the land from many harmful insects or diseases. Unfortunately, the average consumer doesn't relize that many of the pesticides remain on the products, despite washing.
While the tests typcially reveal trace amounts that are considered harmless, the concern is the long term impact of eating food with these chemical residues and how they can damage our bodies.
EWG listed the top vegtables to avoid, or try to buy organic, and they also listed the products that typical have no or very little pesticide residue on them. I have copied the graph and posted it below.
At Samurai Karate Studio, I include Diabetes awareness and healthy eating as part of our Black Belt training. For some people this might seem strange, however, I believe we have to defend ourselves from disease, just as much as we do from a bully or an attacker.
The reality is, most of us face a greater danger from disease, than assault.
If you would like more information on the good work this group is doing, you can visit them at EWG.
Sensei Chris Feldt
Columbia, SC 29229
803-462-9425
samuraikaratestudio@gmail.com
I completed a challenge course over the summer and received my 2 year certification in CPR and AED training. Honestly, this is a requirement of the University of South Carolina, as all professors teaching courses in the physical education program must be certified.
However, I believe learning CPR is just good self defense, as you never know when you might need to use it. Consider some of the statistics I reviewed at the Women's Heart Foundation:
Heart Attack Facts
1.5 million heart attacks occur in the United States each year with 500,000 deaths.
More than 233,000 women die annually from cardiovascular disease.
A heart attack occurs about every 20 seconds with a heart attack death about every minute.
Sudden death is more common among women with heart attack.
The National Registry of Myocardial Infarctions (New England Journal Med., 22Jul99) reports that women have a worse outcome than men after having a heart attack. Data showed that women under the age of 50 had twice the mortality of men after having a heart attack. Variances likely reflect increased severity of the disease in younger women.
Almost 14 million Americans have a history of heart attack or angina.
About 50% of deaths occur within one hour of the heart attack ––outside a hospital.
There is a 6% to 9% early mortality from heart attack for those who survive long enough to reach the hospital.
From 1983 to 1993, heart attack deaths fell about 30% overall but have not fallen nearly as much for women.
Studies show the most common time for a heart attack to occur is Monday morning. Saturday morning ranks second. Another common time is during the early morning hours, when blood platelets are stickier.
Deaths from cardiovascular diseases in women exceed the total number of deaths caused by the next 16 causes.
60% of women erroneously listed cancer as the leading cause of death among women. Deaths from all cancers in the USA are half as common as deaths from cardiovascular disease.
Only 31% of women know that cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the USA.
On the average, women take 2-4 hours longer than men to respond to symptoms of heart attack, limiting the beneficial use of some newer treatments like clot busters that work best within the first hour after onset of pain or discomfort.
Chewing an uncoated aspirin right away, at the first sign of chest discomfort or distress, can reduce the amount of damage to the heart muscle during a heart attack.
Costs related to heart attack exceed 60 billion dollars per year.
Heart attacks continue to be one of the top 10 killers for men and women in the United States. I think it only makes sense to train as many people as possilbe, particularly, since the first few minutes of a heart attack are critical to the survival rate. Knowing CPR and how to use an AED might just save the life of someone you know and love!
If you would like more information, you should contact The American Red Cross for dates and times of their classes. Certification usually takes 2-3 hours depending on your knowledge or experience in CPR and generally costs around $50.
Sensei Chris Feldt
Columbia, SC 29229
803-462-9425
samuraikaratestudio@gmail.com
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Sensei Chris Feldt
Samurai Karate Studio
2000 Clemson Road
Suite # 9
Columbia, SC 29229
803-462-9425
samuraikaratestudio@gmail.com
