The IN Colors of the Season: Black, Blue, and above all BROWN!

Black and Blue EVERYWHERE and BROWN around my waist! YEAH!

This Thursday was a big day for me and it's been a long time in the making.

My Brown Belt test took almost 2 hours and Sensei meant what he said when he said he was going to be hard on me and it was going to be a true test of what I had learned over the past 6 years. It began with covering kicks, punches, katas, terminology, technique, and how I apply them and make them work together. I also had to answer questions about martial arts, how it affects and changed my life, how I apply it's principles to real life, etc. from area Black Belts and Masters, Sensei Aaron Bailey, Instructor/Guro Chuck Pippin, and Silat Grand Master Mushtaq Ali. I also had to demonstrate my teaching ability on one of the youngest little guys in the program, Jarrett. He did a great job! Then came what Sensei called the "cruel and painful part" of the Brown Belt Test. Fighting. I had to fight Black Belt Instructor for Innovative Martial Arts, Chuck Pippin and then my Sensei Aaron Bailey for a total of 5 minutes straight. If I may be so blunt, they really worked me over good. They did not go easy on me and when they made full contact, I felt it and I have the "trophies" in black and blue to show for it! (love them!) I have to say though, I felt good about it and I think I gave them a good fight. I did have one of my VCD attacks at the very end and couldn't breathe, and where my vision went to tunnel vision, and I was getting dissy, but they helped me through it.

The last part that was required of me, was to share with everyone in a 3 minute speech on what Martial arts means to me.

What My Martial Arts Mean To Me


To most people, martial arts is just a sport. With me, it is my passion. Without the arts, I do not know what I would do. With only 6 years experience my abilities have tremendously expanded and I have gone places that I had only dreamed of going and perusing.
It all started here in the traditional karate, kyokashin-kai or also known as Ro-Ken. With the skills Masoyama taught Robert Kendall and the skills he taught to Sensei, I had the best start of my martial arts career that I could wish for. With the fundamentals and the discipline for about 2 years, I was out doing tournaments and exploring my love and passion for the arts when I was only about 9 years old. I had just started trying out new martial arts and decided to start with the Chinese style of WuShu, where I was invited to join the full force demo team. There I went with the team performing all over west Michigan. Then is where I was noticed by a very special person. This person was grand master WuBin. He must have seen something in me, because he invited me to go and train with him in the summer of 2005 when I was only 10 years old in China at the WuBin WuShu training center. And with me on the trip was a new found, world class coach, and now my grand master, Bong Jornales. And that was only one stair step in my road to success. I had just started training with him, just in private lessons to get me into the advanced classes. And to his surprise, I caught in no time at all and was taking in information like a sponge. Within a month, I was in on the advanced classes on Monday nights. With his help, I started and improved not only in the Arnis Sikaran Jornales System, but also in the traditional Philippine full contact stick fighting. Within only one year, I was training for the WEKAF (also known as World Escrima Kali Arnis Federation) regional, national, and world championships. First was the regional championships, where I swept all my divisions, which gave me the chance to go to the Nationals, where I also swept all my divisions, and got a official seat on the u.s national team. Then, in July 2006 it was time to really put my training and knowledge to the test. It was time for the world championships in Orlando, Florida. There I competed in traditional multiple weapons, and fought in the full contact double stick fighting division. I left that day with two world championship titles under my belt. That was the best feeling I had ever felt! And I know that I would not have been able to do it if in were not for the wonderful coaches I had to give me the knowledge I needed. But when I got back, the training did not stop for one day. While doing at least 2 performances all over Michigan, and not months after the worlds, I was introduced to Mushtaq Ali by one of my coaches. I did not realize until I started training, that I was being trained by one of the best kept secrets in the world. With training with him in the style of Silat, I grew to love what he has been teaching me.
Now, all this leads right now where I am training for the WEKAF 10th world championships. I am currently training 5 days a week. And pursuing my love for the arts. Without martial arts I do not know what I would do. Even though I miss out on going to the mall, going to birthday parties and all those thing that normal teenagers do, it is my passion and I am willing to give up what I have to, just to be able to train and expand my knowledge. I have learned not just the moves, but the knowledge and discipline to take me into my bright future. But, my martial arts is nowhere near done. I have a whole life ahead of me and I plan to make it the best that I can…that means that I will be in the arts and pass it down to the generations to come so that maybe, I will brighten kids lives like all my instructors have brightened mine.
I plan to make a difference and pursue my dreams no matter what obstacle may come in my way. I here to make a difference, I am here to learn true way of the martial arts.