Confidence

 Confidence is so important for everyone, especially for our youth.   Are people raising children to live in their basements for the rest of their lives or are they raising children to be independent?   Most of us would say we see some of both types of young people.   Learning to stand on your own two feet with confidence at a young age is a very importanct skill.   Not only will it help you be a good student, it will help you resist the bully, the gossip and any other difficult people you encounter.  

How do you develop confidence?   It comes from many sources, but particularly from mastery over information and  mastery over skills.  Practice is essential.  Myamoto Musashi, the greatest Swordsman in Japan stated, : "Even if a man has no natural ability, he can be a warrior by sticking assiduously to both divisions of the Way."  Meaning: You do not need to be born with a special gift. Hard work and focused repetition are the great equalizers.  In other words, practice, practice, practice.

Learning something new and becoming good at a new activity are great for developing confidence.  Not an arrogant attitude, but an attitude of quiet competence and the ability to help someone else.   Having the knowlege to teach someone else is a great confidence builder.

Martial Arts is a great way for children and adults to build confidence.  Mastery over the techniques, material and the history of the style are great ways to become confident.  Learning to lead class and learning Self Defense skills help with confidence.

Start a unique journey for yourself and your family.   Guerrero's is starting a Summer Enrichment program on June 6, 2026 at 5:00 PM.  In this class, you will have the opportunity to learn both Shotokan and Aikido.  Go to: www.guerrerosshotokankarate.com for further details and to sign up for this great class.

Using Summer Effectively

 Summer is a great time to get involved in a new activity.   Adding a new learning experience will enhance your enjoyment of the summer season and may become an activity you wish to continue year around.

At Guerrero's Shotokan we will start a 6 week Summer Enrichment program on June 8 and will continue through July 13, 2026.   It involves a class that will be part Shotokan and part Aikido.  The student will learn about both Martial Arts and will begin to learn to combine important concepts of the two styles.  This class will be a great learning experience, great exercise and a great confidence builder.   If you think you are too out of shape, too old, too stiff etc, rethink those self images.   You can come in and take class at any age or physical status.   You will go away with a feeling of accomplishment.   A 6 week class is a great activity for the whole family.   Summer is a wonderful time to share experiences with your family and friends.

Go to: www.guerrerosshotokankarate.com to sign up for this unique class.   We love meeting new people and helping them experience the wonders of Martial Arts.  Our Instructors are background checked and certified to work with all ages.  The school is a life time member of Karate for Christ.   

"If you can dream it, you can do it. "  Walt Disney

                                                                  Summer Activity

 Summer is almost here and now is a good time to plan activities for your family.   Have you considered the benefits of a Martial Arts class?   Martial Arts provides some benefits you may have overlooked.   For children, it not only provides physical activity, coordination and balance skills, it also develops goal setting, self control and self esteem.  Everything I just mentioned is good for Adults too, and can assist Adults in their careers. Add those skills in with self defense and you have a great activity for your children or your entire family. 

Why not try something new with a few hours a week this summer?  You may be thinking, "I'm too old to start doing Karate."   Let me assure you that Karate is a great activity for all ages and all levels of physical ability.   If you have not been active for a long time and have stiff joints and weakness in your muscles, Karate is great Physical Therapy.  Plus, all the activities can be modified in a way that you can do them.   Trust me, if you continue, your joints will be more pliable and you will get stronger.   Karate is a full body work out.  Do you have a stressful occupation?  Karate is a great stress reliever.  Come in and punch and kick a wave master and you will notice a sense of relaxation in your mind and your body.

Fill out the form on our website: www.guerrerosshotokankarate.com and start your own Martial Arts journey.  We would love to have you and your family as part of our Dojo family.  You can call us at 816-224-4447 if you prefer.

What does it mean to be a Black Belt?

 

Being a Black Belt encompasses many things.  Number one, it means you are a hard worker and you don't give up.   Those two entities are extremely important.  

As you approach the level of Black Belt, you will hopefully realize that the practice and discipline are more important than the Belt itself.   Some students ask, "How do I get a 

Black Belt?"   My answer is always the same, "Don't quit."  That's it.  If you attend classes, do the work, learn to help the lower belts learn their material; the Black Belt will come.

A Black Belt should know how to work with and teach different age groups and different belt ranks.   A Black Belt is willing to help others and to share their own knowledge.

In the past, for the Old Masters of Shotokan, training was everything.  They gave up everything to train, including family time and physical wellbeing.   We should not forget those that came before us, they played an important role in our training today.  The people that came before us are an inspiration because their training was so intense.   Some students actually lived with their Instructor and worked for him/her.

In a traditional Dojo, earning the rank of Black Belt definitely means you have put in a great deal of time and sacrifice to reach this level.   It also means you have learned a great deal about yourself as you have traveled the journey.  The journey to Black Belt is fascinating.   You will learn that you are tougher than you know.

I have also heard Instructors describe the Black Belt as a "White Belt who never quit."  This is absolutely true.   A Black Belt will continue their own training and learning beyond the rank.  

The bottom line is, if you are a white belt and you don't quit, the Black Belt will come to you.

Most instructors look for a student's improvement to achieve each rank promotion rather than expecting perfection.  Needless to say, as you spend years practicing, your techniques will become better and better and more powerful.

2025 would be a great year to begin your journey in Martial Arts.  Remember, you can do more than you think you can and you are tougher than you know.  You will learn some very important things about yourself along the way.

Call Guerrero's Shotokan at: 816-224-4447 to begin your journey.  You can find us on the internet at: www.guerrerosshotokankarate.com.  We are located at: 1607 South 7 Highway Blue Springs, Missouri 64014

                                       Karate in 2025

Karate is a great activity for people of all ages.  The training promotes balance, coordination and flexibility.   All of these are important as children grow and as adults age.    You can make the choice to age well by starting Martial Arts training.   Not only will you improve your physical abilities, you can learn to defend yourself at the same time.   

Small children and older Adults can learn low kicks for self defense and can train to perform powerful punches.  Even older Adults with knee or other joint issues, can find techniques they can do.   In other words, Karate can be modified to fit the Student.

Have you ever thought about trying Martial Arts?  If so, let 2025 be the year you step out of your comfort zone and start training.  

Call Guerrero's Shotokan Karate at: 816-224-4447 and learn how you and other members of your family can get started in a quality Martial Arts program.

Guerrero's Shotokan is located at: 1607 South 7 Highway, Blue Springs, MO.

You can find us on the Internet at: www.guerrerosshotokankarate.com.

 Merry Christmas wishes to all!  Guerrero's hopes that all of our families and friends have a blessed Christmas.

To help you and your family fully celebrate the good news of Christ and Christmas, the Dojo will be closed 12/23/24 through 12/27/24 and again on 12/31/25 for New Year's Eve and New Year's Day 1/1/25. We will be open 12/30/24 and all students of all ranks are welcome to come in and train.

We look forward to seeing everyone back in 2025.

 How do we become happier?

As we approach Thanksgiving, one thing all of us can do is take stock of our lives and look at all the blessings we have.   When you focus on all that you have in your life, the problems are less important.   Our ancestors considered themselves to be blessed if they just had enough to eat and a place to sleep.   Most of us have so much more than the bare necessities.

Guerrero's Shotokan is thankful to have been in business for 18 years and are grateful for all of our students.

Since we are approaching Christmas, we are having a Holiday special:

First month tuition of $49.95 and a free Gi!  Call us at: 816-224-4447 to start your own Martial Arts journey.