By Shelley Cooke
“In martial arts, as in life, the journey matters more than the destination.” (Martial Arts Master)
Many of us remember the film “The Karate Kid,” a beloved classic martial arts movie that was first released in 1984. Not only did it provide a captivating plot with lots of action, it also conveyed wisdom for the ages centered around finding balance and harmony. Energy Martial Arts Academy in the Centennial Plaza bases its teachings and instruction on exactly those principles.
The academy was established in 1997 by Grand Masters Saki and Nevasartian. Its original location was across the parking lot from where it is currently situated. The academy now serves the Scarborough, Pickering, Durham and Greater Toronto Area.
The Scarborough campus offers 52 classes per week that are geared towards children as young as 4 years old to adults 99+ years old. The programs are divided into four categories including Energy Kids (4-6 years old), Youth Martial Arts (7-12 years old), Teen Martial Arts, and Adult Martial Arts.
What students learn
The benefits of each program vary depending on the age group. The Energy Kids program is designed for youngsters to gain physical skills and interpersonal skills. As well, they learn focus, self-confidence and discipline while getting a full body workout.
The Youth programs teach students how to defend themselves physically while also building mental and emotional skill sets. These skills will help them to overcome challenges in school and to make healthy and balanced lifestyle choices.
The Teen programs provide an outlet for students to release energy through technique and gross motor skill activities. Teens will feel safe, confident and challenged to become the best version of themselves.
The Adult programs offer students several benefits from losing weight to building muscle, and learning self-defence. The classes are high energy, which provide a total body workout, as well as camaraderie with other adult students. The one thing all of the programs have in common is that they help students build lifelong mental and physical strength while training in a confidence-building environment.
After-school program
Energy Martial Arts also provides an after-school program. There are approximately 43 students enrolled in the program ranging from 4-12 years of age. They have their own buses that pick up students from all of the elementary schools in the area and beyond: West Rouge, William G. Davis, Charlottetown, Centennial, St. Brendan, William G. Miller, St. Michel, Elizabeth Simcoe, and Alexandre Dumas.
The after-school program is currently facilitated by Lucy Black and Rania Mahmood who run the classroom and provide academic and social activities, as well as snacks. This program is open to anyone requiring after-school care.
Instructors
The programs are run by the director of Energy Martial Arts Academy, Zack Golden, who also teaches some of the adult classes. In addition to Lead Instructor Gotla, there are approximately 10 assistant instructors who either have their black belt or are training for it.
Chief Instructor Sanchez teaches several classes that are mostly based on traditional practices which originated in Korea. These include karate, kung fu and judo. Other classes he teaches involve more modern techniques such as kickboxing, grappling and wrestling. Sanchez stresses the importance of being non-competitive and focusing on character development, self-discipline and respect. “Everyone is on their own journey of inner strength/power,” he said. He reinforces that martial arts teaches students “to unleash their hidden strength by pushing past their limits and stepping out of their comfort zone.”
Philosophy of martial arts
Despite the different forms of martial arts, they all share a common philosophy and that is the pursuit of self-improvement, the importance of discipline and respect, and the goal of achieving harmony with yourself and with others. According to Sanchez, martial arts are intended to “ignite passion and purpose and to use those skills to become a better person every day.” Through devoted practice, students undergo personal growth, fostering self-confidence and mental clarity.
The history
Martial arts have existed since the beginning of human civilization. The earliest records date back to ancient China where combat styles were used for training in warfare and self-defence. Eventually, martial arts spread across Asia and later became popular in Europe and America.
The most popular form of martial arts is karate, originating from Okinawa in the 17th century. Another form that became widely practiced is judo, which started in Japan in the 19th century. It is now an Olympic sport with many practitioners competing professionally all over the world. The newer type of martial arts practiced nowadays is called mixed martial arts (MMA). It combines elements of boxing, judo, kickboxing, jiu-jitsu, wrestling and more. It uses a combination of striking and grappling techniques to defeat opponents.
Above: Energy Kids students practising their punches. This program is designed for children ages 4-6 to gain physical and interpersonal skills. They also learn focus, self-confidence and discipline while getting a full body workout. Below left to right: Instructor David and Instructor Klopp with advanced students; Two advanced students practising push blocks; Bowing ceremony is how each class starts and ends.