
When we stand in the dojo (training hall) we have some rules. But the purpose of these rules is not to make everyone the same, but to allow each to express their own self more freely.
We must own our own physical bodies… We must exist right here, right now… When we have our body and mind in order, everything else will exist in the right place, in the right way.
But usually, without being aware of it, we try to change something other than ourselves, we try to order things outside us. But it is impossible to organise things if you yourself are not in order.
Studying books on karate is a kind of food for your brain. Of course it is necessary to take some food for your brain, but it is more important to be yourself by practicing the right way of life (karate).
Referring back to the story of the hole in the ground (majority of people will say the hole is too deep, never their arm is too short) you must practice coming back to ourselves. Not blaming the external world without 1st looking at the internal. Time spent training is time away from your everyday life, what happens before you train is forgotten, what will happen after you finish training is forgotten. This time is your time, to focus on the now, to focus on you now. A timeout from the worries of your world. Train the correct mind set, to be focused, to be strong, to be determined, to be confident, to be self aware, to be present in the here and now. Practice the correct form, practice the correct mindset. Practice become habit and habit become a way of life, if the practice is right…

At Elite Karate Academy we teach students to stand with good posture, to project confidence, even if they don’t feel it. To show a “poker face”, a neutral face showing no emotion. Don’t let the bully see they are hurting you. We believe no child chooses to be bullied, students are thought it is never their fault and the should always tell someone and keep telling until the bullying is stopped.
Nurture friendships. Bullies seek out kids who lack connections or who are isolated. Meanwhile, kids who have friends are less likely to be bullied than those who are alone. Even one significant friend at school can greatly reduce the likelihood that your child will be bullied. And even if your children are still targeted by bullies, having friends will make it easier for them to overcome bullying if it does occur.
How to deal with the Verbal types of bullying?
Verbal bullying. Ignore it. With role play students are taught to walking away with a poker face and tell someone.
Be confident. Shown good body language over bad posture, where do they learn good posture? It is important parents follow through on in class lessons by monitoring their child’s posture. Knowing they can defend themselves makes students walk better and carry themselves with more confidence.
- Look confident (assertive body language) by standing tall and holding your head up.
- Don’t cry and run off. Instead move closer, turn sideways, and have non-threatening eye contact.
- Keep your facial expressions neutral. Don’t look sad and don’t look angry.
- Hold your arms beside your body. Don’t hold your arms up like you want to fight.
- Make your assertive comment and then walk off confidently.
Specific Strategies:
- Make an assertive statement: With a serious face and a strong but calm voice say, “Stop it!” or say, “This is a waste of my time. I’m out of here.” (walk off confidently) – Or say some other appropriate comment, but do not provoke the student who bullies
- Fogging—(admit the characteristic) soft verbal comebacks. For example, “Allan, you sure are fat.” You could say, “You’re right, I need to lose weight.” (walk off confidently)
- Admit the Obvious—point out that the bully sees the obvious— “Wow! He noticed I have big ears.” (walk off confidently)
- Broken record — repeat “What did you say?” or “That’s your opinion.” or “So.” (Then, walk off confidently)
- Confront bully concerning his/her spreading lies/rumors. (walk off confidently.)
- Expose the ignorance of the student who bullies you. For example, if he is bullying you because of your medical problem or disability, tell him the facts about it. (walk off confidently)
- Give permission to tease– “Well, it’s okay to say what you want. It doesn’t bother me.” (walk off confidently.)
- Use sense of humor (do not make the bully feel like he/she is being laughed at). For example, if the bully says, “You sure do have big ears.” You could say, “I know, sometimes I feel like I am an elephant.” (walk off confidently)
- Make an asset of characteristic. For example, one boy was teased because he lost his hair because of cancer treatments. He said, “Well, I guess Michael Jordan and I are alike, we both don’t have much hair.” (walked off confidently)
- Throw something and run when you are at risk of being hurt or you are in danger.
Stay positive.
Safety in numbers. Avoid danger spots. What should u do if u see a danger spot or bully?
Tell someone. ALWAYS.
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- having a pleasant but blank facial expression. Note: If you keep a ‘poker face’, the bully will not be able to tell how you are feeling. This is important, as a bully wants the person who they are bullying to feel hurt, sad, confused, upset or angry (or a combination of these). If you remain emotionless you will not provide any feedback to them
Keep out of their way. It might be possible for you to avoid whoever’s bullying you. This can mean travelling a different way to school, or avoiding the places they hang out. This isn’t giving in to them – just getting on with life and taking care of yourself without them getting in the way or wrecking your day.
Most bullying happens when adults aren’t around, such as in between classes, at lunch or recess, after school, and online. Still, bullying rarely takes place without an audience – kids are around to see bullying 85 percent of the time. But even though they see it, kids usually don’t try to stop bullying, and may even be unknowingly encouraging it.
Most of the time that kids witness bullying, they stand by passively. This causes bullying to last longer because it reinforces the bullies’ power and status, two reasons that people bully. Most kids don’t want to watch bullying, and don’t want it to happen at all. But many kids don’t know how to do this and worry that by stepping in they might become the next victim. These worries, and witnessing verbal and physical abuse, take a toll on bystanders.
Possible Effects on Bystanders:
- Feel angry, helpless, and guilty.
- Don’t feel safe where bullying takes place, like in certain hallways in school, on the bus, in the park, or online.
- Fear of becoming the next victim
Two out of three kids want to help when they see bullying, and helping out is one of the most effective ways to stop bullying and prevent it from happening again. When friends help out, 57 percent of the time bullying stops in 10 seconds (Hawkins, Pepler, and Craig, Social Development, 2001).
There are effective and safe ways for kids to step in and help others being bullied.
Some work better in certain situations than others. You can help kids decide when to use each method by role-playing bullying situations with them. Remember to emphasize that kids should only step in when they feel safe.
- Walk away. This shows bullies that their behavior is not funny or okay.
- Speak up. Tell bullies that what they are doing is wrong. By saying, “that’s not funny, let’s get out of here” or something similar, kids can stand up for each other. This may also give other bystanders the confidence to speak up or walk away.
- Be a friend. Sometimes kids get picked on because they don’t have any friends or anyone to stand up for them. When kids befriend someone being bullied, bullies are less likely to pick on them. Friendship can also give children the support and the confidence to stand up for themselves.
- Ask others to help. When more kids stand up to bullies, the bullies will be more likely to realize their actions are not okay.
- Partner with the victim and remove her from danger – Go stand with the victim physically, turn the victim away from the bully and walk her off in the other direction — towards adult help. Say “You look upset” or “I’ve been looking for you” or “The teacher sent me to find you.”
- Get help – Bullies love an audience. Get the other kids on your side by waving them over to you, yelling, “We need your help.” Confront the bully: “You’re being mean.” Then walk away: “C’mon, let’s go!”
- Get an adult. Sometime kids who are bullied are scared to ask an adult for help because they think it will make the bullying worse. Kids can help by telling an adult what is happening, or going to speak to an adult with kids being bullied.
- Directly teach your child respectful self-assertion. Kids need to know they can get their needs met while being respectful of other people. Give him words to stick up for himself early on:
- “It’s my turn now.”
- “I want a turn now.”
- “Hey, stop that.”
- “Hands off my body.”
- “It’s not okay to hurt.”
- “I don’t like being called that. I want you to call me by my name.”

Welcome to Elite Karate Academy’s Anti Bullying Program. This Program is designed to teach our students how to deal with bullying without resorting to violence. Building their confidence and self-esteem so as to stop them being bullied in the first place. If you are a parent reading this, I need you to get involved. Ask your children the questions in this blog, help reinforce their learning by asking what we covered in that class’s mat chat.
Embrace your Inner Freakiness. Bullies try and make you feel different, that you’re not normal or not as good or not as deserving to a standard the bullies set. But you are normal and are good and deserving and you know what you can be different and should be different. We all feel a little freaky inside our heads sometimes, a little different, a little not understood. But that’s ok. Embrace it, own it, be proud to be different.
Self-esteem is a core component of bullying prevention. Kids with a healthy self-esteem are more confident and capable. Self-esteem also can help prevent bullying. Bullies are often looking for an easy target – someone who will react to their taunts and teases. As a result, they often steer clear of kids that are comfortable in their own skin. Even if they are targeted by bullies, kids with a healthy self-esteem have an easier time coping with bullies.
Nurture friendships. Bullies seek out kids who lack connections or who are isolated. Meanwhile, kids who have friends are less likely to be bullied than those who are alone. Even one significant friend at school can greatly reduce the likelihood that your child will be bullied. And even if your children are still targeted by bullies, having friends will make it easier for them to overcome bullying if it does occur.
(Ask) What is bullying?
Bullying is when someone keeps doing or saying things to have power over another person. Bullying is breaking the Golden Rule!
(Ask) What is the Golden Rule?
The Golden rule is not treating other people the way you would like to be treated.
(Ask) Is it ok to bully someone?
(Ask)Who can name types of bullying?
• Physical Bullying
Verbal Bullying
Cyber Bullying
Social Bullying
Mental Bullying
(Ask) Have you been bullied in the past or is being bullied now?
(Ask) Who Gets bullied?
Why do people get bullied?
Bullies want to hurt you, so don’t let them know they have hurt you. If they hurt your feelings, tell an adult about it and write about them in a journal/diary. Don’t hide your feelings and thoughts. There is no reason you should be ashamed. The hurt caused by bullying is stressful, so take care of yourself by eating right and exercising.
Students who don’t want to mistreat others out number those who do. You have a lot of power. You don’t have to ignore bullying. You don’t have to laugh. You don’t have to do what the bully says. Take a stand against bullying and help each other to have the courage to make your school be free of bullying.
Bullies want to have power and control over you. So don’t look like an easy target. Stand straight and tall, with your shoulders back and head up, walk in a relaxed and energetic way. Don’t let the bully see you sad and cry. Learn assertiveness skills. Your words have power. Visit www.bullyfree.com to see examples of assertiveness skills. These will be taught in class over the coming weeks.
(Ask) How does being bullied may you feel?
Put responsibility for bullying where it belongs. Most of the time, kids tend to blame themselves when they are bullied. The falsely believe they did something to cause it or that something is wrong with them. As a result, victims often don’t tell anyone about the bullying and try to change how they look or act in order to avoid being bullying. Instead, teach kids that bullying is a choice made by the bully. And, the bully is completely responsible for his actions. No one caused him to behave that way including your child.
(Ask) Is it ok to fight? When you should fight?
Our Club policy on fighting is they must only resort to fighting in order to defend themselves from someone who is currently physically attacking them. Starting a fight or using karate outside of the Academy may result in disciplinary action or suspension from the Academy if continually repeated.

We train both sides
We train both sides in Karate, in order to have both sides strong. You don’t know from which side an attack may come from and if you are going to be able to defend yourself, you need to be able to counter from any position, not just your favoured side.
We all know that the left side of the brain controls the right side of the body and vice verse. And as every beginner knows, they may have a strong or weak side. By training both sides we become ambidextrous, favouring neither left nor right.
If one side of the body gets stronger, what of the part of the brain that controls it? Does it under go changes? Does it get stronger? Body and mind are two separate parts of you. But they are also one. They can simultaneous be two and one. Both are dependent and independent of the other at the same time. This is not a contradiction but a very Zen point. We can talk about one and exclude the other, or we can talk about how both work together. They are two sides of the same coin.
Body controls mind and the mind controls the body. If you get tired physically your mind should urge you on. If you are tired mentally, physical exercise will allows make you feel better. A Sensei’s role is to push you beyond your physical limits, allowing you to discover new limits, or realise there are no limits if the mind is willing.
Tough physical training strengthens the mind. Regular correct training builds spirit. Built up over time this spirit endures. When the body gives up, the mind pushes on. When the mind starts to fail, this habit, the spirit, lifts you up to continue. Train physically to be strong in your technique, to strengthen the mind and forge an indomitable spirit. Then on the mats and in life you will be unbeatable, unbreakable and a success in whatever you do.

ELITE KARATE ACADEMY NEWSLETTER SEPTEMBER 2017
Welcome to our September Newsletter. This email newsletter will hopefully keep you up to date with all you need to know about what’s going on in Elite Karate Academy over the coming months. Please feel free to share this newsletter with family and friends, I hope you find it informative. Feel free to comment on our Facebook (insert link here) page with comments and be sure to like our page while you’re there. Sign up for our newsletter at https://www.elitekarateacademy.com/contact-us/
News – Updates – Events
- If you wish you can now pay your fees by Credit/Debit Card or set up a Standing Order, simply ask for a standing order form to complete the next time you are in the dojo.
- Half-Price Sale in September for new members in Child/Adult Karate Classes, Cardio Combat Boot Camp, and Beginner’s Stick Fighting.
- As of 1st September 2017, absolutely no class credit will be given without prior consent. Unfortunately, every summer a minority of parents abuse my goodwill. You cannot go swimming or to the cinema and pay later, so too with karate classes. Students, especially below green belt, who owe class fees will be made to sit out the class. Do not put me or your child in this situation.
- Parents now get an email 7 days before fees are due and another email the day the fees are due. Students will also receive a card on their last prepaid class.
- Donations for St Vincent de Paul of clothes, bedding, toys, books, household items, DVDs etc. as always may be dropped off at the dojo anytime.
- Sunday 24th September 2017, we will once again be running our annual birthday party in September. I’m delighted to confirm once again we will be having our Bouncy Castle and the famous Sumo Suits, Face Painting and BBQ.
- That so many of you recommend our Academy is a great source of pride for me. Please go our Facebook page and write a review your club and it may be posted on our website.
- As always parents are invited to join either our Cardio Combat Fitness Boot Camp or Stick Fighting Classes. Ask Sensei about a FREE TRIAL.
- I have Elite Karate Academy T-shirts back in stock in all sizes from child 5-6 through to adult XL
- I have a few remaining issues of September’s Irish Fighter which features the Expo and students. Issues cost €3 and can be bought while stock last.
- Coming Soon – Parent/Child Seminar to teach you how to train your child at home. Free Adult Self-Defence Class in October more details soon.
Student of the Month
Starting with July’s James O’Neill, each month student of the month will be added with a short profile to an archive on our new website. Click here to follow.
Picture Competition
Once again, I am running a Picture competition. The prize will a professional unfilled Punching Bag worth €40 to hang in your home. To enter simple post a karate themed picture on our Facebook page before 8th September. All entries will then be subject to a public vote from 9th September till 15th September. The picture with the most likes wins. The picture can be anything you like but must feature a current student wearing their Elite Uniform. Its only for fun, so get your thinking hats on, and I can’t wait to see what you come up with.
Get Fit – Lose Weight Before Christmas
This September we’re offering Half Price on 10 classes in our Cardio Combat Fitness Classes to any new participant. Class are high intensity interval training adapted for your fitness level and are designed for fitness and weight loss. The class consists of karate, circuits, core and ab work and is ideal for beginners. Participants must be over 15 years of age and not tried the classes before in order to avail of the offer. Click here for more details
New website
I launched launching a new upgraded website in July. This new website features much better information on our style, history and lineage for our members, incorporating all the grading requirements for each grade on both the junior and adult syllabus. We also have an extensive archive on all the programmes we teach in class throughout the year to help students and parents outside of class. Each week new blogs are added teaching various aspects of the martial arts some not covered in class. Click the links to read about
Dojo Kun Programme – Most clubs dojo rules consist of no shouting, no chewing gum etc. Our Dojo Kun program teaches your child 25 rules of life. These rules teach your child how to follow and make their dreams come true, through hard work, passion and dedication.
Elite Karate Academy teaches our students how karate training can improve their lives. Read more in our blog section below.
Word of the Week – Our word of the week program teaches 14 core values to your child in a 5 minute ‘mat chat’ within their normal class. Your child will grow as people not just stronger and fitter. Read the lessons in our blog section.
Our 14 words are: Courtesy, Growth, Honesty, Obedience, Courage, Sincerity, Humility, Perserverance, Honour, Loyalty, Self Control, Knowledge, Respect, Integrity.
Elite Mental Training – This program teaches students the mental strategy of fighting, topics introduced can be used in all areas of life, reducing stress and increasing mental well being. Read some lessons covered in our blog section below.
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Anti Bullying Programme – We teach your child how to deal with bullying in a non aggressive way without having to resort to violence. A great program for boosting confidence and self belief. This starts in September.
Testimonials Request
That so many of you praise our Academy is huge source of pride to me. Please write a review/testimonial here. They will then be added to our website. Student / parents or both may write a review and you may write a new one if you wrote one before.
Each Month I will be posting teaching videos on our Academy’s channel on the grading syllabus for students to train at home. These videos will have points for parents to watch out for in order that they may help their child learn and improve quicker.
Passport Fees
Any Student who got their grading Passport for the first time last September, it is now due for renewal. Renewal Fee for the year is €10 and can be paid in class. Students cannot grade without an up to date passport.
Zen Tip
Seek not to know the answers, but to understand the questions.
Fitness Tip
One small change a week or month, increases your chances of success. Big changes are harder mentally and physically to cope with. Need inspiration? Are you drinking enough water? Do you have water beside you while reading this? If no you may not be getting enough. Start with one glass more of water per day and over time slowly increase the amount you drink.

Nice Article with some good photos from The Clondalkin Echo Here.


50% OFF NEW PARTICIPANTS 10 Classes only €30
Unleash your inner warrior.
A HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) boot camp featuring martial arts pad work, core and circuits training.
If fitness is a battleground, welcome to the front line.
Ideal for beginners, as every participant pushes themselves as hard as they want.
You don’t have to be a champion to train like one.
Ideal for weight loss or general fitness, watch your confidence grow as you get fitter, push yourself regardless of fitness level and watch the calories burn off. Join a group of fun like minded people
Wednesday 8.15-9.30pm
Saturday 10-11.15am
Contact us for a 1st time free trial. Phone/Text 086 822 4902
Price per class €10 non-member. €8 member
10 Classes 50% off in September 2017 €30


