Aqabah Karate's Quarterly Newsletter - Jan/March 2011 Edition

Check out our schools quarterly newsletter for the first quarter of 2011. I wrote two articles for this edition. The first was a recap of the awards ceremony we just had last weekend and the second was about the importance of self-defense. Check it out and let me know what you guys think! Happy ready!

Open publication - Free publishing - More aqabah karate

Lineage...

Due to the number of martial arts school and instructors in any given area, it is difficult to know who is qualified to teach, who were their teachers, is their training solid, etc. Many people are always looking to invest in a solid individual especially if investing means time and money. No one wants to train with someone who has no idea of what they are doing regardless of how many degrees that person has or how fancy his/her school may be.

It is because of this reason that I believe lineage is an important factor in one's training. Knowing who you are training with and who they trained under and so on and so forth is a vital aspect to growth as a martial artist.

I believe it is a source of...

1. Pride.
2. Confidence.
3. Honor.

You always want to surround yourself around individuals that will benefit you and help you in all facets of life, and your martial arts instructor(s) are no different.

Because of this, I decided to look into my own training and instructors and see how many links are there between myself and the original source and write down my history to date. It was a very interesting and fulfilling project that definitely gave me something to be proud about.

So here is my lineage in the (3) main styles I have practiced over the years and my current rank.


Tang Soo Do - 1st Degree Black Belt

Hwang Kee – Hyun Chul Hwang - Charles Ferraro - David Sgro – Muhib Rahman (3rd Degree) – Hernan Guadalupe

(Picture of Grandmaster Hwang Kee)

UPDATE: As per my discussion with Sah Bum Nim Muhib, I have a even more direct lineage. (Sweeeeet!!!)

Hwang Kee - Jae Chul Shin - Muhib Rahman (1st and 2nd Degree) - Hernan Guadalupe

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu - 1 Stripe Blue Belt

Mitsuyo “Count Koma” Maeda – Carlos Gracie – Helio Gracie – Royce Gracie – Jeremy Lafreniere – Jay Ferrari - Hernan Guadalupe

(Picture of Grandmaster Helio Gracie)

Fu Jow Pai - Sum Kup

Wong Bil Hong – Wong Moon Toy – Wai Hong Ng – Paul Vizzio – Hernan Guadalupe

(Picture of Grandmaster Wony Moon Toy. No picture of Grandmaster Wong Bil Hong available)








*Bold represents the original source of the art.

I really encourage everyone to take a few minutes and look into their lineage. It is a great way to familiarize yourself with the history of your training and your instructors' training.

If you don't know who your instructor trained under, then ask him. Ask him about the history and stories of his training and get to know where you are getting your information from.

For myself, seeing where I am in this history made me feel like I am part of a bigger and more meaningful journey and now I get to share this with my students as they move up the ranks.

So go ahead and see what your history looks like.

Updated: Our Future Black Belts!!

It has been over 11 years in the making ever since Aqabah Karate started its first classes on a cold floor in the multi-purpose room and cafeteria of Dar-us-Salaam.

11 years ago, Aqabah Karate was a mere club focused on a single age group.

Now, we have over 120 students from 5 to 65 years with classes for male and female students!

I remember coming to Dar-us-Salaam one weekend from New Jersey, way before I even thought of moving to Maryland, and seeing Sah Bum Nim Muhib giving a speech about an open house or demo they were going to host (I believe this was back in 2004-2005). I did not know Sah Bum Nim Muhib at that time. He was just another face trying to promote an event to me. I never imagined that he would become one of my greatest friends and beloved brother in Islam. I also never imagined that I would too become one of Aqabah Karate's students years later.

Life is a beautiful journey and you never know where it will lead you and who you befriend along the way.

So remembering that day, when Aqabah Karate was announcing the start of a martial arts program, to now being part of an 11-year project with over 120 students, a full-time, state-of-the-art facility, and professional instructors, is an amazing and joyful thought.

With all the success, wal-hamdulillah, that Aqabah Karate has experienced from the start and that which I have witnessed since 2009, I must say that this upcoming event is probably the most exciting for me.

The event I am referring to is the one above, our 1st EVER BLACK BELT CLASSING. Now, for those who don't know what I am talking about, it is the grueling physical, mental, and emotional test that a Black Belt Candidate undergoes in an attempt to succeed and finally earn his/her Black Belt.

To this point, our Black Belt candidates have persevered through years of training, tests, and pressure to simply earn their right to be evaluated for their Black Belt and finally the day has come for 3 very special gentlemen.

Zakaria Korme
Arbaz Khatib
Uthman Eberle

This is a very very special event for Aqabah Karate. To see your students go from white belt through the trials and tribulations of training to preserving onto their Black Belt candidacy and now, the chance to test for their 1st Degree and be part of our first in-house Black Belt Class, is a wonderful experience.

What is even more wonderful is that two of our students, Zakaria and Arbaz, started training at the age of 5 years old. Now, after 8 years, they are grown young men testing for the Black Belt. Words can't describe what it's like for me, I can't even imagine to think how Sah Bum Nim Muhib feels since he's been there from the beginning.

It sort of feels like your child is about to graduate from college (smiling :-D) that's as best as I can describe it...hehehe!

Well, what I wanted to share with you is...

Of this two-day test, there is a portion that is open to the general public. We wish to invite all the community members to experience a live demonstration of our candidates.

The open portion of the test will be held on Sunday, May 22th, 2011 at 3:00pm insha'Allah.

We hope that many of you can attend and share this experience with the instructors as well as the candidates themselves.

It will be an amazing experience insha'Allah!!!

We hope to see everyone there...until then HAPPY KICKING!!!

The belts don't make the Martial Artist!

This week is our Gup testing week (aka Belt Promotion week) at our Dojang. It started with the weekend Tiny Tigers and yesterday our brave and strong women endured a 2-hour test for their next rank.

After the test was over, some of our sisters posted on Aqabah's Fan Page how they felt they did. I am sure everyone was nervous and are worried about the results (my wife included since she also tested for her next gup).

Because of this, I wanted to share with everyone a few words about testing and belts in general. It is short and sweet...

"Remember the belt does not mean anything, it simply holds your pants up. The road to Black Belt is not represented by belt colors and stripes. It is represented by hard work and perseverance. Whether you passed or failed, that's not the point, the point is you continue to push forward. That makes a true martial artist!"

With that said, we are proud of each and everyone of you for embarking on this journey known as martial arts, few begin and even fewer complete the journey.

Remember you are defying the odds by simply having the energy and desire to attend classes and train.

Regardless of the outcome, everyone is AWESOME!!! There is no belt color that can measure awesomeness, not even Black Belt....

Here is another gem you guys can appreciate that will put things into perspective if my words failed to do so... ;-)


"Mental bearing (calmness), not skill, is the sign of a matured samurai. A Samurai therefore should neither be pompous nor arrogant." ~ Tsukahara Bokuden

and

"Given enough time, any man may master the physical. With enough knowledge, any man may become wise. It is the true warrior who can master both....and surpass the result." ~ Tien T'ai