Somerville martial arts studio takes on bullying

By Rich Tenorio
SOMERVILLE, MA - Teaching children and adults how to deal with bullies, a Union Square martial arts studio is working on anti-bullying programs for this year.
At Villari’s Self-Defense Center of Somerville, Master Brad Rogers began the year with anti-bullying programs on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Almost 20 people attended, with the majority being children. The session lasted for over two hours.
Master Rogers, who holds a fifth-degree black belt in Shaolin Kempo Karate, called bullying a “huge” problem in the US today.
“People take their lives over it,” he said. “A lot of people are handling it the wrong way. Everyone’s focus is on the problem -- bullying -- instead of the solution -- behaviors that deter bullying. Nobody needs to bully anymore if everybody’s friends.”

All together now!

One Pinan ... GO!!!

The karate students of Villari's Self-Defense Center of Somerville, Mass. practiced the One Pinan form as a group on Monday night. Working as a group, you learn to stay in step with your fellow students. This activity helps us become less self-centered and more group-focused.

Five creatures, five fighting styles

The karate students at Villari's Self-Defense Center of Somerville, Mass. practiced techniques associated with five animal fighting styles -- dragon, crane, tiger, leopard and snake -- on Thursday night. These techniques ranged from powerful tiger thrusts to swift leopard strikes to slithery snake moves to in-flight crane swoops to mighty dragon movements. It was quite a menagerie of techniques!

Burpee Battle

Defying gravity!

Our warmup during karate class on Monday night included squat thrusts, which are a little like burpees. Both involve starting from a squat and jumping. With a squat thrust, when you land, you add a plank position and a pushup before going airborne again. We did 10 of them. I'm not sure I won any style points!
I have also done burpees in the Great Woods Road parking lot at the Lynn Woods Reservation with the Stone Tower Spahtens obstacle-race training group on Sunday mornings. For the cartoon, I thought I'd add a crane, as the jump sort of fits in with the motions of the crane. Daisy the Westie watches in the middle.

Tiger Claw

"Then imitate the action of the tiger..." -Shakespeare

Don't forget to twist your hand (or paw) in completing the Tiger Claw strike!

Leopard Strike

A kitty with punching power!

This cartoon shows the Leopard Strike in karate, done by an actual leopard (who just happens to have a black belt!).