The Past, The Present, & The Future
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TBT: When I opened our dojo, in October of 2000, I opened as Daimyo Martial Arts. I still love that patch. My best friend Paul, who was my partner at the time, and I chose the words to communicate that excellence is achieved through extreme focus on our goals, while perseverance is key because nothing worth achieving ever comes easy. We chose honor as the third element, partly due to our training as Army officers and because we believe that true excellence can only be obtained with honor and any other success is fleeting. The Samurai in the crest symbolize the passing of knowledge from one leader to another and continual evolution of knowledge as each leader combines what he or she learns and synthesizes that with their own unique experience and intuition to make it one’s own. I chose the Daimyo as the avatar of our dojo because I saw this leader as somewhat of the Renaissance man of Japan; not only a great martial artist but also leaders, teachers, and generals over the Samurai, the Japanese equivalent of the knights of medieval Europe. They lived by the code of Bushido and were the mightiest and most loyal of warriors but also musicians and poets. Anyway, the point is that I liked the name because, since the founding of that first dojo I have always wanted our school and program to be about more than just the kicking and the punching, but also a school of noble success warriors, leaders in the community who develop other leaders.
As Krav Maga became more and more the base of what we do we became Krav Maga Martial Arts many years later but, while I am super proud of the practical real world self defense we teach, I still believe that we do so much more.
I am super proud of our leaders and in fact just had an idea. I am reinstating the Daimyo patch today, only to be worn by our most senior leaders in our dojo. It’s a hats off to our history and the leaders who earn the patch, and the next evolution in the story that is our school.
By the way, hats off to all my Daimyo Blackbelt that have gone off to be great leaders in the world, in the military, mission work and more, as well of course to those that have come home to help sow into the next generation of leaders. You all bring honor to us in all that you do.
The Past, The Present and The Future
That patch is a blast from the past. The past can be an important thing, so long as we use it to inform our present and create a future, rather than choose to live there. Our past is especially important to learn from. Each and all of us have victories, but also hardships, heartaches and downright failures there. We need to learn from all of these so the experience is never wasted.
But now, we need to talk real about this present. What we are going through right now, as individuals and families, as a dojo family, and as a community and a country is hard and nothing that we planned for.
In all the training evolutions thus far, I never planned and prepared for what we’re going through. Thank God, He did prepare me with a love of leadership and lessons throughout my past that have helped equip me for what we face today.
I’m sure if you take the time to take an honest assessment that your life has done the same for you.
So let’s stay focused and positive and use this present to create the best future possible for each and all of us!
Proud to share a foxhole with you!
Steve
Student, Sensei, Shihan, Grand Master and continually learning, fighting and doing my best. Just like you.
With Shihan Harley and his first board break. Daimyo Martial Arts circa 2000 or 2001
Speaking of The Future
This coronavirus world of closed dojo and being stuck at home isn’t going to last forever! In fact I think it’s almost done!
This is a great time to plan for the summer and even the fall!
Save now and see you then!
KMMA 2020 SUMMER CAMP 10 Week Summer Fun Card
KMMA Summer Camp 2020 Early Enrollment Special
KMMA 2020 Fall Krav Camp
KMMA Fall Instructor Boot Camp