Senior Wing Chun Do

Chi Sao (Sticking Hands)

Wing Chun Do is an art that states: Can be used by any person, no matter of age, gender, or physical condition. Here is an excellent example of putting that claim into practice. 

For this 78-year old Dearborn resident, Dominick Martinelli never thought he would become a martial artist when he first joined a Wing Chun Do class in 1995.  Martinelli decided to try his hand at learning a self-defense system and has been going twice a week for over twelve years. Martinelli says, “Coming to wing chun do fits right into my lifestyle.  I like learning something while I work out. I always feel good after a class. As long as I feel good, I’ll keep on coming.”

Closing after an opponent

His instructor, Rocco Ambrose says, “Dominick came to us when he was 64 years old and was an enthusiastic student from the start. He told me that training in the martial arts helped him become strong and more focused; especially at a time when he felt he was losing his strength.  Someone would be in for a big surprise if they ever came up against Dominick.  Dominick is a great role model. He embodies what an active lifestyle can do and he understands the healthy impact of a life long exercise program.”

Chief Instructor Rocco Ambrose & Dominick Martinelli

A few years ago, Martinelli retired from General Motors after forty-nine years but quickly found activities to fill up his time.  He is learning tai chi and goes dancing four to five times a week learning new dance steps like ballroom and salsa dancing. “I really enjoy dancing, you meet great people and dancing is good exercise.”

Working on a drill

Martinelli says, “I have always tried to lead a healthier lifestyle. I stayed away from cigarettes, although I occasionally smoke a cigar or have a beer on special occasions. I eat right and get lots of exercise.”

By following Dominick’s example, other seniors can successfully combine critical elements of an active lifestyle. Because he enjoyed his work, he retired later in life. Working helped him to maintain active hours, keeping him on a schedule; getting up early, eating regularly, and scheduling other activities around his working hours. He also found a low impact exercise program with high impact results, his martial arts class, which helped him partly restore and maintain his strength, balance, flexibility, coordination, and endurance. In addition, his new love of dancing has added an aerobic component to his physical activities.

Quick trap and a strike 

Studies show that exercise is safe for people of all age groups and that older adults hurt their health far more by not exercising than by exercising. In general, men over 40 and women over 50 should check with their doctor before doing vigorous activity. Older adults, regardless of age or condition, benefit greatly by increasing their physical activity to a moderate level, which is among the healthiest things you can do for yourself.

When asked what he has gotten out of his martial arts experience, Martinelli says, “I found out that I still could generate power and strength. It motivated me to try new things. At the same time, I’m learning something about self-defense, keeping active and interacting with people much younger than myself. I like learning and I do the things that make me happy.” 

 

  Block and a strike. 

Stranger Safety Program

We just did a program about stranger safety and  awareness at H.R. Elementary School, K-4th grade. Watching this program is such a rewarding experience.

Not only because of the great presentation made by Rocco Ambrose, that is just the beginning. He engaged the children through so many avenues that his presentation was a real thrill ride. He created such an exciting atmosphere of learning that every child in the auditorium (and there was 325 of them) wanted to participate and were fully vested in the process.  Their attention was complete. His talent to teach and enthrall an audience of all ages was apparent.

Then there is the other side of the equation, the kids themselves.  Watching their reactions to the program is fun to watch, because the children are having great fun. Their enthusiasm is infectious. Soon more and more hands go shooting in the

air in unison, begging to be chosen. The kindergartners were as attentive and as impressive as the fourth graders. The synergy created by teacher and student is amazing. 

That's why I think that this program is such a success.  It gives the message of stranger safety to children in a way that speaks to them.  The steps are easy to follow. The children understand the steps and have fun learning them.   They are eager to participate, an integral part 

of the process, helping children retain this vital information longer. 

After the presentation, the principal of the school told Mr. Ambrose that one particular first grader that had volunteered was language delayed.  She was amazed that this little boy understood every word and every direction. He performed every step correctly, except the last one.  So Mr. Ambrose had asked him back to make the correction, clarified his directions, and asked him to do it again. No hesitation at all, the first grader did what he was asked to do.  

By creating an exciting atmosphere of learning, every child can focus on the message of stranger safety. Kudos to Mr. Rocco Ambrose for an excellent program.

Rocco Ambrose has made this presentation to area schools and organizations for over fifteen years.  Thanks to Diane Webb, Wayne County Commissioner, for bringing his program to schools in the Wayne County area.  

Blown Away

We recently held a junior black belt test at our school.  We hold them twice a year. Sometimes the number of junior black belt candidates varies from two juniors to as much as six. But this day, we had only one candidate ready, Lindsay. After the test, her mother sought me out, looking awestruck and proud. She had to tell me that she had no idea that this test was going to affect her and her husband is such a profound way. They were blown away.  

Mom had sat in on many a class while her daughter trained. She’s watched Lindsay train and thought the junior black belt test would be more or less the same thing she witnessed every week. She wasn’t prepared for the magnitude of the moment. Lindsay’s parents kept expressing their gratitude over and over.

It was one of those gratifying moments that affirm everything we strive for when training young people in the art of Wing Chun Do.  When parents tell me that they were blown away, I know we are doing something right.  I sometimes worry about what parents think of our teaching method.  I’m not worried about our method just sometimes their perception of what we are doing.  Lindsey’s parents’ outpouring of support and gratitude and the connection I felt really touched me. Even though some parents sit and watch during class, they sometimes don’t understand what the ultimate goal is.  They think and their children may think it’s the black belt. Full realization comes to them the day of the test. They begin to understand what Lindsay has accomplished and what she has gained.

The number of people there to watch and support Lindsay blew mom and dad away. Besides Lindsay’s family, every parent that had a child wearing a black belt was there.  Every black belt was there, and most of the children student body ages 5-14 and their parents.  Our children and adult classes are separate but many of the adults came to watch Lindsay test, too.  Everyone understood that this was special; a junior black belt in Wing Chun Do Gung Fu, an event that should not be missed.  

The poise and complete concentration they saw in their child’s face throughout the test, blew mom and dad away. The test can be up to two hours long. You can see that Lindsay is in the zone, complete focus on the task at hand and her concentration never waivers. She is listening intently to her instructor, Sibok, for his directions, when he works with her, and when he gives her a variety of opponents of different weights, ages, and gender.  Her focus is complete and this blows everyone away.

Her technique was quick, smooth, and powerful.  For a slight 11 year old, (she said she would be turning 12 in two weeks, thank you very much) she showed her superiority over all her opponents. Every take down, throw, or escape was fast and precise. Typically, during a test, you can see the wheels turning in the kids’ heads while they think a technique out. But Lindsay showed no hesitation in executing technique.  Her response was immediate, spontaneous and just flowed out of her. It blew everyone away.

By now she has demonstrated all her kicks, her striking and blocking skills, her break falls, her rolls, her bag work, her trapping skills, her grappling skills, her reading skills, and her conceptual knowledge of Wing Chun Do.  Now it’s time for kumite, which means she has to apply her skills in competitive situations against different opponents. She has to demonstrate kumite in two separate applications.   First is applying her grappling skills against her opponents. Second is applying her Wing Chun Do skills wearing headgear and gloves. Her ability to defend herself, to take advantage of openings, and the ability to use offensive skills precisely and effectively, blows everyone away.

What also blows everyone away is that throughout this process, we are all having fun. Lots of laughter, jokes, highlights, and awe further drive the exciting atmosphere.  The joy of what is happening starts to spread. The positive energy in the room grows. The respect of her teachers, parents, students and her peers, at what this little girl is accomplishing is immense. They begin to realize that this is more than just a black belt test.  This is a rite of passage.

Then Lindsay performed the Sil Lim Tao, a wing chun form that consists of a salutation and eight loops. The room falls silent, not a sound is heard while they watch every move she makes. Lindsay takes her time with each technique, and her precision and focus is beautiful to watch. Thunderous applause erupts when she finishes with her bow.

Finally her test is over.  The last thing she has to do is read her essay aloud. She reads what becoming a black belt means to her and what she has discovered about herself. 

Now for the symbol of all she has been working for, her black belt.  It is tradition and part of ceremony that her sifu (instructor) ties the black belt around his student’s waist for the first time. She watches intently while Sibok ties her belt.  I always liked this part of the ceremony, because every new black belt student watches just as intently. They don’t look up at family and friends until the knot is finally tied and Sibok gets up. Then Sibok presents Lindsay, our newest Wing Chun Do Junior Black Belt and everyone is blown away. 

All Girl Class

The demographic of today’s class was different than the usual.  After we bowed in, I realized that the students today were all girls, nine of them to be exact, ages 8-13. This has never happened before. No male students, which means, that for the girls, the male cootie count was almost non-existent. There was a noticeable change in their demeanor.  The girls were more relaxed, socially ignited, and very happy to be a crew of all female martial artists. It was going to be interesting to see how this dynamic would play out. 

One of my favorite things about teaching children martial arts, is not what I am about to teach them, it is what I am about to observe and learn from them.  And with this group of budding female martial artists, I knew I was about to gain a new insight, if only I could get them to stop grinning at each other, grabbing each other’s hands, and talking a mile a minute.

I decided to drop the usual curriculum and concentrate on anti-abduction techniques we present at our women’s self defense seminars.  When I told them we were learning “secret girl techniques” they were “tickled pink.”  Sorry, I had to say it. They practiced grab escapes, kicking drills that target the knee, and targeting the eyes to set up their get away. As always when lessons are over, I asked what game or drill they would like to play before going home, wondering what an all girl crew would pick?

Surprise! One of the girls, petite L, wanted to play Battle Ball, a variation on the game Dodge Ball.  All the girls really wanted to play, which surprised me.  In Battle Ball, you stay in the game if you block the incoming ball with a kick, an arm block, a catch, or by punching the ball. After a while we throw in a second ball.

At first I thought this was an unusual request for the girls. The boys always dominate when playing Battle Ball and always make sure to get all the girls out first, even going so far as to double team to do it.   (By the way, is this a secret unwritten boy rule or just thousands of years of genetic code?”)

But then it hit me. (Pun, intended.) The girls never get a chance to finish a game. In reality, they barely get any game time at all, let alone ever be the last one standing.  Without the boys there, they could compete on an equal footing within their own peer group. It meant that this time, at last, the winner was always going to be a girl.

The dodge balls we use are super-spongy and soft.  Some of the boys can make those things fly, so it can sting a little, but nothing like the cannonballs of rubber that we used to hurl at one another when I was a kid.  Those things could drop you where you stood.  “Stretcher please!”

Before, the girls rarely got the chance to experience the full range of drama that is the game of Battle Ball. I assumed that the girls would step it up a notch and show a more competitive spirit because this time, there was a real chance to win. But they fell into the same pattern as that when playing with the boys. It seemed automatic, running away, hiding, and throwing the ball from too far away or without aiming at a target. I thought, “Come on. What is there to be afraid of?” and then the cliché bubbled up,  “You all throw like girls anyways?” Boy, am I sexist or what? Only one of the eight girls played full out, and she dominated the game. Of course, it was petite L. who had asked to play it.

I felt frustrated because this was not what I had expected. Here was a chance for the girls to be more assertive; to take a chance, but a few didn’t even try. I assumed that since there were no boys that the girls would alter the way they played the game. But they played the game exactly the same. Those that didn’t try automatically believed there was no chance to win.  The girls that made an effort but played it safe rarely won, but their hope burned eternal. The girl that didn’t think twice when an opportunity presented itself, won.

I took the game a step further. I gave each of the girls a ball and we picked one girl.  She had to block everything coming in.  No turning and running, no hiding behind another classmate.  We did this over and over again until they could stand there fearless and block every ball coming in.  Then the girls practiced going after the ball, to take the chance to grab it before the other person.  They practiced holding onto the ball and getting very close to their opponent and targeting.  A second ball was introduced to increase the difficulty. After the game, we talked about fear, assertiveness, confidence, awareness, cunning, and technique.  The difference was that they were now playing with their eyes open and willing to face whatever was coming at them, not shutting their eyes and running away. Did it sink in or will they revert immediately to the same patterns when the game goes co-ed?

But wait, the girls didn’t try to hurt one another did they? The boys’ ability to hurl the ball like a stinging missile with the hope of hearing that wonderful “smack” sound coming off someone’s face, was their eternal joy. This element of the game was missing. Under these conditions would the girls revert to their old ways?

This class makes me think about starting a class for the girls only.

Awesome Nomination for Nickelodeon's Parents' Pick Award

Just got notice that our school was nominated for Nickelodeon's Parents' Pick Award for 2009. Nickelodeon is usually known for their annual Kids' Pick Awards, but this year they are offering parents a chance to cast their vote for the best of the best in thirty different categories, including best museum for families, best playground or park, best martial arts class and more.

The businesses have to be family friendly and based on recommendations from Nickelodeon's local city editors that live and work in the cities they cover, in conjunction with the sites' user feedback. I have to thank students and their families for some of the great testimonials they have given about our school. It is because of you that we have been nominated for this award.

It would be nice to get the recognition and of course we would love to win the award for 2009. But knowing that we have impacted the lives of so many of our students is very rewarding on its own. Thank you.

Ellie Belen

I Did It

It’s always an adventure when I get new students especially the four to six year old crowd. I’m wondering what type of personality will I be dealing with today. When we first meet, the children can be really quiet or unsure of themselves and of me. They can be totally undisciplined making my class chaotic and definitely less productive for everyone in the coming days. Others are thoughtful and aware, others are living perpetually it seems in “cartoon land.” Some are so gregarious, dancing around with joy all the time or bold with boundless energy that makes me just weak with “oldness” just watching them. It makes me feel a little guilty that I have to temper down all the enthusiasm so that we can get down to work (and play).

Yesterday, I met a little girl with her hair up with lovely wispy spirals of hair falling around her face. I’ll call her Lacey. She sat down on the mat with her hands in her lap looking quietly at me with big saucer eyes waiting to see what was going to happen next. She reminded me of a character in a book I once read to my son, one that had pictures of lovely woodland fairies tending to the flowers and the trees. Her five-year-old brother, the bold one, kept me well informed on the latest Spongebob episodes along with a long list of all the things he could do and show me if I was willing to watch. The class went well and everyone had a good time.

The following day in class, I decided to pass on to my assistant the Lil’ Dragons that were seasoned veterans and concentrated on the newbies. They get special attention and I get to evaluate their physical skills and needs. Still quiet and thoughtful, Lacey listened carefully to my directions. She performed well and seemed pleased with her work, but still didn’t say much at all.

Before the end of each class we play a skill game. Today we play rope swing. The children stand on a blue square mat and swing, Indiana Jones style, across “the lava”(red mats) to the blue mat on the other side. They then run around the perimeter of blue mats back to the line for their next turn. Lacey couldn’t figure out how to pick up her legs and swing. On her next turn, when she leapt, I lifted her by her belt, and she safely landed on the mat on the other side. On her next trip, she wanted to try herself and made it. She surprised me because she started chanting, “I did it.” Then emphatically say, “I DID it!” She celebrated all around the perimeter of the mat; emphasizing a different word in that powerful sentence each time she said it. On her next turn she made it again. Again she shot up her hands and kept saying over and over, “I did it.” But she said it to no one but herself. Extraordinary!

Most children quickly look to their parents to see if mom and dad had witnessed their great feat of heroism or athletic prowess. You heard the line a thousand times. “Watch me, mommy. Waaatch Meee.” Or look to me as their coach and instructor for approval, encouragement, and some quick high fives. I was expecting the typical reaction, looking to someone else for confirmation, but Lacey’s reaction was new. It didn’t even occur to her to look for anyone else. She was reveling in her triumph, by herself. She didn’t need outside approval or applause. She was applauding and self-encouraging and repeating a powerful phrase that I am sure she will say a thousands of times more in her lifetime. I did it!

A Little Heaven of Earth

Initially, this was not my thing. After a whole year of cajoling, badgering and exhorting the virtues of the learning to kick someone’s butt properly, Rocco, my husband, finally persuaded me to join the martial arts school he was attending. The school was 40 miles away. Yikes! Being the only other adult female in the class, disturbing. So I grabbed Little Sister, because I’m a chicken, and forced her to go with me.

Rocco loving the art so completely decided he would one day become an instructor and open his own school. I wholeheartedly supported his entrepreneur ambitions and helped part time in the evenings by signing up students, selling equipment and office work.

By this time, working at the bank (my full time job) was sucking all of the life out of me. I worked there for twenty years. What was once an engaging, fulfilling, and comfortable life as a banker became a dreary, anxiety filled, demanding, and demeaning life as a tool.

The final straw came at a manager’s meeting. When one of the manager’s complained that he hadn’t seen his toddler daughter for four months, the president of the company told him so what? In essence it was either a choice between family time versus building a career. I was shocked, but not surprised. I thought of my own son, now twelve and realized I didn’t have much time left with him.

After a whole year of cajoling, badgering and exhorting the virtues of teaching others how to kick someone’s butt properly, Rocco finally persuaded me to join his martial arts school full time. So here I am at the age of fifty, teaching children classes and I have been doing that for the last nine years.

My lifestyle has changed completely. I was with my son and husband blissfully living life our way together. Good people who love their children, who live life well, and live life with love, surround me. I get to play everyday with kids of all ages, especially my 4-6 year olds. Rocco, David and I have built a community of students and friends that support and encourage each other. Over half of them have been with us for over a decade. We try to make a difference in the lives of our students, to gain the confidence they need to live life to its full potential and to live it without fear.

This is my little piece of heaven on earth.