Strong Heart Academy is happy to announce our Kids Martial Arts Camp.  If you are looking for a fun summer activity for your kid we are having the camp from June 24th through the 28th from 9am until 3:30pm.  The age range for the kids will be from 4-12 years old.

The kids summer activiies will be Yoga, Martial Arts, Jiu-Jitsu, Crafts, and a Movie Day.  So if you are looking for a a summer activity for your child to attend, that teaches respect, discipline, and fun please call 602-487-9828.

Strong Heart Academy is proud to join Caio Terra's Association.  Caio Terra is a 6x World Champion and has won the Pans in 2011, 2012, and 2013.  We are happy to have his expertise and guidance.  To see his most recent news his website is http://caioterra.com. 

Mike Martin will be teaching from a women's self defense seminar on Saturday, May 4th from 9-12pm. This will cover Rape Defense, Weapon Defense, and how to prevent attacks. The seminar will be located at 3426 E. Bell Rd Phoenix, AZ 85032. We are firm believers that women should be able to defend themselves and we hope you take advantage of this seminar. Call us at 602-487-9828 to reserve a spot in the class.

According to RAINN (Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network) http://www.rainn.org/statistics
-44% of victims are under age 18
-80% are under age 30
-Every 2 minutes, someone in the US is sexually assaulted
-Each year, there are about 213,000 victims of sexual assault
-97% of rapists will never spend a day in Jail
-Approximately 2/3 of assaults are committed by someone known to the victim.
-38% of rapists are a friend or acquaintance.

Strong Heart Academy was at the Fitness Farmers Market on Feb 16th.  We had Tiny Tigers, Kids Karate, and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu demonstrations.  The event promotes health and fitness as well as farmers markets.  If you want to get in shape or want to get farm fresh foods please check out their events.  They have an event the third Sunday of every month.  The schedule can be found on www.CityCenterofCityNorth.com.  Please show up and support the local farmers markets. 

The Kids Karate class has had its last graduation of 2012.  The kids karate and tiny tigers have worked really hard to earn the next belt!

In Brazilian Jiu Jitsu circles it is understood that the Purple Belt is an elite belt.  Evan Gongora started Brazilian Jiu Jitsu classes in summer of 2005 with Mike Martin who just gave him his Purple Belt.  Evan has taught kids classes, competed, and spent years elevating his bjjj game to a higher level.  Blue Belt is the first advanced belt and is where most people give up.  Evan spent years at the Blue Belt and has made it to the next level. 

To get the Purple Belt he had to pass a test demonstrating his knowledge of bjj.  The second requirement was to go through a gauntlet.  Some schools give out belts but Mike believes in the gauntlet for advanced belts.  The gauntlet for a Purple Belt is facing an advanced belt for 1 minute from every position and they  are allowed to punch.  Evan was allowed to defend using bjj only as self defense.  After that he had to face everyone in the school from lowest to the highest belts for approximately an additional 25 minutes.  Congrats to Evan for hitting this milestone and doing a great job showing his heart at the gauntlet. 

This is the story of my my student who embodies the name of my Martial arts school, Strong Heart Academy.  Ian tried two martial arts schools before he came to Strong Heart Academy.  He started as a Tiny Tiger, a program for 4-6 year old Karate students. 

Ian was rushed to the hospital with severe headaches after joining our martial arts school.  The C.A.T. scan revealed a tumor on the brain stem (Cavernous Malformation).  If the tumor wasn't removed it could bleed again and Ian would lose all his motor skills.  After surgery he was on a ventilator for two days.  When he woke up he couldn't speak ,walk, or sit!

He endured 8 hours a day, 5 days a weak of therapy for months.  When I visited him in the hospital I brought him my favorite kung fu movie to entertain and to motivate him.  When he came back to our Karate class he was a white belt and had to start over.  His balance and motor  skills are still slow to this day.

I failed him at one point and would not go easy on him, because I knew the world wouldn't be easy on him.  Failing seemed to make him more determined to get his black belt.  After 3 years of struggle he earned his Black belt his summer!  I have never met a person child or adult who has the determination that Ian has!

Ronee Dizon has been fighting as an amateur for Ultimate Combat Fighting Challenge and is 3-0.  On July 20th 2012 he fought at Rage in The Cage 162 and won his first fight by TKO.  Ronee has been wrestling for 5 years and is working toward his BJJ Blue Belt.  He used his wrestling and bjj skills to neutralize his opponents ground game and his opponent suffered a concussion after the first round was over.  Congrats to Ronee for training hard and winning his first professional fight.