If you scan the classes I teach at POW! currently, you would never know how much gratitude I have for traditional martial arts - the non-reality based and non-combative martial arts. I guess now at 40, I have spent almost as many years in the aforementioned arts as I did traditional martial arts. I started traditional martial arts at 9 years old and stuck with them until about 34, which is when POW’s curriculum dropped them from the program (times changed). I began learning my first combat driven sport at about 18 years old. I did everything in secret. In the 80s and 90s there was very little tolerance for training outside of your one school. But I knew I wanted to do karate, tae kwon do, kickboxing– all of it. That I was certain of –and so I did.
So POW! really began because of traditional martial arts and its tournaments. As a childhood competitor, I was envious of everyone else’s style. Because my favorite style changed with my mood, I decided that I would train in all of them, (in theory) as soon as I was old enough to drive myself. So fast forward and BAM!, POW! was opened 11 years ago (this March).
This past Friday, I went to the AKA Grand Nationals to watch my 11 year old cousin compete. So naturally, I took it as an opportunity to feature this amazing competitive arena that has launched so many of my colleagues into careers in the martial arts industry. Without the opportunity to compete in traditional martial arts (vs MMA fighting) forms, weapons, musical forms and even point fighting, many of us would have never been inspired to make a living doing martial arts.
- Gia Spencer Wilson, Owner of www.Superkickskungfu.com
- Ho Sung Pak, Martial Arts Actor Drunken Master II, Teenage Ninja Turtles
- Tony Marquez, Owner www.Extremekungfu.com, Martial Arts Stunts & Acting
- Teri Lee, Owner Of a West Coast Ernie Reyes School (www.erniereyes.com)
Here is a look at some of the competitors from Friday night’s competition. I hope you appreciate how amazing the sport is and the athletic ability required.
Posted on January 15, 2012
0