Find No Enemy

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

Samurai Karate Studio

Columbia, SC  29229

803-462-9425

samuraikaratestudio@gmail.com

Bully - A Movie

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

Where Are The Tar Sands

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

Eating Healthy Is Good Self Defense

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

Samurai Karate Studio

Columbia, SC 29229

803-462-9425

samuraikaratestudio@gmail.com

Sensei Chris Feldt Receives CPR Certification

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

Samurai Karate Studio

Columbia, SC 29229

803-462-9425

samuraikaratestudio@gmail.com

Follow SKS On Twitter

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Occasionally, you might find special events, photos, video and more!

Click HERE to find our Twitter page!

Sensei Chris Feldt
Samurai Karate Studio
2000 Clemson Road
Suite # 9
Columbia, SC 29229
803-462-9425
samuraikaratestudio@gmail.com

Styles of Martial Arts

  

There are many styles of martial art's to chose from today.  Depending on what your interests are, you have a wide variety to learn self defense from.


Of course, I happen to believe karate is one of the best, partly because it involves both kicking and punching with emphasis on good stances and power.  That is the style I teach at my school, Samurai Karate Studio.


The truth is, virtually every martial art has something positive to offer the beginner student.  What's probably the most important is the connection the student has with the instructor and the philosophy of the school.  You train many years to achieve your black belt, so it is necessary that you feel comfortable with the school and the type of program they teach.


Here are a few styles to consider:


1.  Karate --  Karate loosely translated means "empty hand".  It was developed in Okinawa in the early 1920's and 1930's.  Gichin Funakoshi, founder of Shotokan karate, is generally credited with having introduced and popularized karate on the main islands of Japan.  After World War II, many service men stationed in Okinawa were able to train in the system.  Karate is a striking art using punching, kicking, knee and elbow strikes, and open-handed techniques such as knife-hands.


2.  Aikido -- Aikido is a Japanese martial art developed by Morihei Ueshiba  with the goal of defending yourself without hurting your attacker seriously. The idea behind Aikido is to redirect the force of the attack rather than opposing it head-on.  In other words, you use the attackers energy to defend yourself, including various joint locks and throws.  While a very harsh system initially, as Morihei aged, he saw the value in developing a "peaceful" system that could prevent someone from being assaulted, yet wasn't punishing on the attacker.


3. Tae Kwon Do -- TKD is loosely translated as "the way of the hand and foot".  Kicking and board breaking are a substantial element of this art.  The style was developed in Korea, where today, it is a national sport.  In the United States, it is one of the most popular styles, which is largely due to the TKD association which has done a very good job promoting the style.


4. Kung Fu --  Kung Fu is one of THE oldest martial arts, originating in China hundreds of years ago. It was an art developed for hand to hand combat.  What makes the style unique, is the art mimics animals, popularized by the movie Kung Fu Panda.  This is a very beautiful style using by power and grace in it's movements.


5.  Krav Maga -- Krav Maga is the official self defense system of the Israeli Defense Forces, and has been taught to hundreds of law enforcement agencies and thousands of civilians in the United States.  Krav Maga is a simple, effective self defense system that emphasizes instinctive movements, practical techniques, and realistic training scenarios.


6.  Jiu-Jitsu -- There are really many forms of Jiu-Jitsu, but certainly the most popular style is based on the Gracie family.  This is a legendary family from Brazil, that created a system of fighting primarily from the ground.  This is a wrestling kind of style that uses locks, bars and chokes to disable an attacker.  This style is very popular today with The UFC and the military offering this style of training in the Army.


Of course, there are many more styles of martial art's than the ones listed above, these are just a few of the more popular styles today.


All styles offer something of value when it comes to learning self defense.  The important thing is to find a style that suits your tastes and needs.


Once you achieve the rank in one of the styles, many students will train in other styles just to compliment their self defense skills.