Product of Legends

We gain strength, and courage, and confidence by each experience in which we really stop to look fear in the face... we must do that which we think we cannot.

-Elanor Roosevelt-

It's said that the world was built on legends.

 And that legends are a way of understanding things greater than ourselves.

 Forces that shape our lives, events that defy explanation.

 Individuals whose lives soar to the heavens or fall to the earth.

This is how legends are born.

The Myth of Experience

People think, the more experience you have the better you'll be at something.
This is only sometimes true.

In the world of sales and marketing for example,
 it's easy to find people with twenty or more years of experience.
What if they have two decades of experience but only one of learning ?

I see this at martial arts camps all the time. 
Joe Lewis would often voice his disappointment to me
 about different practitioners who were like this.
On their resumes though, show they have alot of experience !

Some times the teacher, 
always the student


Many people go through their careers and lives doing the same thing the same way.
The people who get ahead are the innovators, trail blazers. 
Not, imitators who get by with repeating the old ways of doing things.   

Take responsibility for change within yourself, and your life.
If you fail, try harder in NEW WAYS.
When unforseen circumstances come into play,
embrace them and try something else.

You don't need more experience ........

You're ready NOW  !!

What you need is more COURAGE !!

The Tradition of Change...

The way you train is the way you fight.....

  the way you fight is because of the way you train.

This military pearl applies to every aspect of warrior arts.

 As modern day soldiers, we learn to adapt and modify our tactics,

 training, and procedures to address various combat and situational environments. 

 Warrior skills as outlined by Sun Tzu in the Art of War 

are as applicable today as they were centuries ago in ancient China.

 The situational environment often dictates  defensive/offensive focus

Traditional values in M.M.A. ?

More than 500,000 Americans are currently registering for lessons in  Martial Arts each year. The majority of these clubs and schools teach only fighting and self-defense techniques,  This type of training enhances the negative personality traits of already delinquent people.

Traditional martial art philosophy emphasises respect for others,

 humility, confidence, responsibility, honesty, perseverance, and honor.

 This philosophy is integral to traditional Martial Arts training sessions.

Looking back at the early Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC),

 we can see some disgraceful performances by various TMA practitioners.

 Why do these legendary fighting-systems that served well for generations

  seem to have deteriorated into arts that will cause the average fighter to fail in the cage? 

Do "sport" martial arts have certain techniques that traditional ones don't? 

There are limiting "Rules" in sports that many say is the cause of this debate. 

What is the real reason for their losses?

         PROPER PLANNING  PREVENTS PISS POOR PERFORMANCE

 Conditioning, Ground work, Sparring & Cross Training

are the keys to RMA and MMA success !!!

TMA have always had their own way of conditioning.

 To be a good overall martial artist you will need strength,

 endurance, flexibility and devotion. 

These can come from many forms of training.

 Calisthenics, running, heavy bag work, jump rope, swimming, 

and sparring are effective ways to get into shape. 

 If I do get taken down, 

I feel confident enough to survive on the ground.

 Try Judo, BJJ, Wrestling, Sambo, and Indian-wrestling.

 To be a better TMA fighter, expand your ground-fighting range.

 Think about to going outside your current art.

 Kickboxing, full-contact Karate, Boxing, Muay Thai and Sanshou are examples of how "traditional" martial arts have successfully trained for serious fighting.

 Sparring is essential for an artist's growth.

 Cross-training is vital to increase your arsenal

 and to remove the limitations of your current perspective

- Bruce Lee-

Everything old is new again

We have been eating like  cavemen and training like Beasts for as long as I can remember. 

Funny how everything old is new again, training methodologies like H.I.I.T. and the Paleo diet have been a staple of 'serious' martial artists and athletes since I began training at age 9.

Please don't ask how long that is ....lol.

I guess fitness is like fashion,

 if you hold on to your bell bottoms long enough they'll be back in style with your skinny ties.

Funny, 'educated' opponents of both the diet and the training methodology

 will begin telling us soon  that they are dangerous and 'gym science'. 

The point ?

Train hard eat clean it's not a fad it's a lifestyle ....Nuff said !

Fellowship of Valor

Fellowship of Valor

I am fascinated by friendships.

Not the acquaintances you see occasionally or Facebook friends who wouldn’t recognize you on the street.

I’m talking about your real people.

The people who know and love the deepest parts of you.

 Their soul sees yours.

They’re the kind of people you can talk to about how hard it’s been to meditate lately or what’s really going on in your marriage. They’re the kind of people you call for a ride when you get a flat tire and they’re the ones who affirm and support all the “weird” things about you that make other people uncomfortable.

They’re your inner circle people. The heart of your life.

To me they are my brothers and sisters in the J.L.F.S., my REAL people !!

Worry looks around, fear looks back,

 faith looks up, guilt looks down,

but we look forward.

The only ‘official’ Joe Lewis Fighting Organization has the daunting task of carrying on the legacy of our fallen mentor, friend and instructor. In order to carry a positive action we must develop a positive vision.

There is no chance, destiny or fate that can circumvent, hinder or control the resolve of a determined soul.

Education is the passport to the future,

for tomorrow belongs to those who
 prepare for it today.
-Malcom X-

The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains.

The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.

Let’s honor our inspirational teachers from this years JLFS conference.

    Renzo Gracie                 Bill "Superfoot" Wallace            Michael Jai White
 Dr. Roger Greene                     Phil Maldonato                       Danny Dring

Bob Mauro                           John Maynard                       Tom Updegrove

    Jim Graden                            Kevin Hudson                       Ronnie Copeland

John Graham                           Mark Graden                            Terry Dow

The will to win, the desire to succeed,

the urge to reach your full potential... These are the keys that will unlock the door to personal excellence.
-Confucius-

Joe Lewis inspired us to be the the yardstick of quality.

 Some people aren't used to an environment where excellence is expected.

We at JLFS reward it, this years award winners are….

Gallantry Award - Robb Buckland

Promoter of the Year - Craig Smith

Instructor Of the year - Steve Snyder

Pound for Pound Fighter Of the Year -  Leagh Rogers

Pound for Pound Fight Trainer of the Year –  Bob Mauro ( 2 time winner)

Bob Mauro was nominated for Instructor of the year and  promoter of the year.

In contrast to the "black belt as master" stereotype, a black belt commonly indicates the wearer is competent in a style's basic technique and principles.

Since in many styles a black belt takes approximately three to six years of training to achieve, a good intuitive analogy would be a bachelor's degree: the student has a good understanding of concepts and ability to use them but has not yet perfected their skills. In this analogy a master's degree and a doctorate would represent advancement past the first degree.

Rank is earned not given

Congratulations to:

       JLFS BlackBelts                     Superfoot BlackBelts

Ken Smith 1st Degree                                             Jack Whitley 1st Degree

Kevin Hudson 7th Degree                                       Steven Taylor 1st Degree

William Calhoun 1st Degree                                     Jay Taylor 1st Degree

Shannon Stevenson 1st Degree                             Shannon Stevens 1st Degree

Justin Hailey 2nd Degree                                       Michael Jai White 1st Degree

Jordan Bunch 1st degree                                          Grant Campbell 1^st Degree

                                                                                            Maria Snyder 2nd Degree

                                                                                               Rob Payne 1^st Degree

The greatest way to live with honor in this world

is to be what we pretend to be.

-Socrates-

Never , never, never forget

The Joe Lewis Legacy

The two best days of Joe's life were at age 48 

the births of his son Joseph Cameron Lewis,

 and two years later his daughter Kristina Ruth Lewis.

To Joe his kids were the most important accomplishment in his life.

Please suport their continuing education.

http://joelewisamericankaratesystems.com/

http://joelewislegacy.com/

To be yourself 

in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else

 is the greatest accomplishment.

-Ralph Waldo Emerson-

I wrote this August 30, 2012.....

Tomorrow I fly to see my Friend and mentor Joe Lewis for what is probably the last time.
 His courage, integrity, wisdom and friendship will live within me forever.

 I will take him with me to every class I teach or attend.

I will continue to honor his memory all the days of my life. 

I am who I am today because of his inspiration.
 Through me he will continue to inspire the hearts and minds of all who's lives I touch.

He asked us to
 'Innovate not Immitate'.....
That's what I will do !!

My mentor and friend Grand Master Joe Lewis,
 passed away peacefully at 10:45am on Friday, August 31st,
 with his family at his side as I sat on the runway in Portland, Oregon to go see him.

Mr. Lewis fought a valiant 13 1/2 month battle with brain cancer. 

His vision will live on in the hearts and minds of all whose lives he touched.

Good Bye and God Speed Joe Lewis
we love you Rest in Peace. 

http://fearsltd.blogspot.com/2012/08/mentor-master-friend.html

That hand is still on my shoulder.....

In the JLAKS (Joe Lewis American Karate System) ,

and NCCM (Non-Classical Combative Methodologies),

 there are no formulas, no recipes.

 In JLAKS there are a minimum of required skills,

 performed in an unlimited amount of ways.

It is conceivable that a long time ago a certain martial artist discovered some partial truth. During his lifetime, the man resisted the temptation to organizee this partial truth, although this is a common tendency in a man’s search for security and certainly in life. After his death, his students took his hypotheses, his postulates, and his method and turned them into law. Impressive creeds were then invented, solemn reinforcing ceremonies prescribed, rigid philosophy and patterns formulated, and so on, until finally an institution was erected. So, what originated as one man’s intuition of some sort or personal fluidity has been transformed into solidified, fixed knowledge, complete with organized classified responses presented in a logical order. In so doing, the well-meaning, loyal followers have not only made this knowledge a holy shrine, but also a tomb in which they have buried the founder’s wisdom.

-Bruce Lee -

We have been left with a great responsibility , let's not screw it up !!

In the mean time lets not forget.

It's said as long as the living still speak your name you continue to live.

A year and a day ago my Master, My Mentor, My Friend....

Joe Lewis lost his battle with brain cancer. 

Speak his name, do it today do it every day.......

Never, never, never forget it !!!!

Joe Lewis 

Legends are forever