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United Martial Arts Centers: Health Benefits of Meditation

Meditation Health Benefits: What it does to your body

I started my meditation training in 1977 at college when the Transendental Meditation craze was in full swing and have been meditating everyday twice a day ever since.

Mediation is a very important part of training.

The benefits are great.

We hear it all the time: Meditation can improve our creative thinking, our energy, stress levels and even our success. Prominent martial artists, businessmen, musician, and politicians cop to the practice. Would it work for you?
"It did to my mind what going to the gym did to my body -- it made it both stronger and more flexible," said Dr. Hedy Kober, a neuroscientist who who studies the effects of mindfulness meditation, which she has practiced for 10 years, at her lab at Yale University. She admitted during a TED Talk that she started meditating to deal with a break up, but found that it helped her handle stress and unpleasant feelings in all areas of her life.
Studies show that meditation is associated with improvement in a variety of psychological areas, including stress, anxiety, addiction, depression, eating disorders and cognitive function, among others. There's also research to suggest that meditation can reduce blood pressure, pain response, stress hormone levels and even cellular health. But what does it actually do to the body?
For one thing, it changes our brain. The cells and neurons in the brain are constantly making new connections and disrupting old ones based on response to stimuli, a quality that researchers call experience-based neuroplasticity. This affects the neural circuits of the brain, which in turn affects how we respond to situations. It also affects the actual structure of our brains -- thickening some areas and making others less dense.
"Think of the end of a neuron as a hand, with thousands of 'fingers,'" said Dr. Sara Lazar, a neuroscientist at Massachusetts General Hospital who studies mindfulness meditation. "The number of fingers relates to the number of interconnections between neurons and that number can change -- one reason it can change is due to stress."

For more information about Taekwondo, Martial Arts, Mediation or weight loss please contact
Grand Master Edmund Ciarfella 845-987-1853
United Martial Arts Centers
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United Martial Arts Centers Weekly Updates 12/16/13

Hope you are enjoying the Winter Wonderland

We have a lot going on this week at United Martial Arts Centers
1. FOCUS: Reveiw and Tip Testing for Graduation Friday
2. GRADUATION: Friday 6:00 pm please arrive at 5:30 to check in and warm up
Please remember to bring 5 guests to witness your testing
3. HOLIDAY POT LUCK PARTY: Friday immediately following Graduation. Please invite family and friends to join us.
4. UMAC IS CLOSED 12/23-1/3/14 have a great vacation
5. WELCOME BACK SPECIAL TRAINING CLASS SATURDAY JAN. 4TH 10-12PM

Please follow us on Facebook www.facebook.com/umacfans
Subscribe to our YouTube Channel and watch great martial arts videos www.youtube.com/umackwanjanim
TEXT UMACVIP to 72727 to get Snow Day Closings and Specials to your phone

Make it a great week
Sincerely
Grand Master Edmund Ciarfella
United Martial Arts Centers
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United Martial Arts Centers Office Party*

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United Martial Arts Centers: Benefit of Drinking Green Tea

Benefit of drinking green tea: The proof is in -- drinking tea is healthy, says Harvard Women’s Health Watch

September 2004

Although tea drinking has been associated with health benefits for centuries, only in recent years have its medicinal properties been investigated scientifically. The October issue of Harvard Women's Health Watch recognizes the healthy power of tea while helping readers get the most out of their cups.
Tea's health benefits are largely due to its high content of flavonoids — plant-derived compounds that are antioxidants. Green tea is the best food source of a group called catechins. In test tubes, catechins are more powerful than vitamins C and E in halting oxidative damage to cells and appear to have other disease-fighting properties. Studies have found an association between consuming green tea and a reduced risk for several cancers, including, skin, breast, lung, colon, esophageal, and bladder.
Additional benefits for regular consumers of green and black teas include a reduced risk for heart disease. The antioxidants in green, black, and oolong teas can help block the oxidation of LDL (bad) cholesterol, increase HDL (good) cholesterol and improve artery function. A Chinese study published recently in the Archives of Internal Medicine showed a 46%-65% reduction in hypertension risk in regular consumers of oolong or green tea, compared to non-consumers of tea.
The October issue provides a few tips to get the most out of tea-drinking:
Drinking a cup of tea a few times a day to absorb antioxidants and other healthful plant compounds. In green-tea drinking cultures, the usual amount is three cups per day. Allow tea to steep for three to five minutes to bring out its catechins. The best way to get the catechins and other flavonoids in tea is to drink it freshly brewed. Decaffeinated, bottled ready-to-drink tea preparations, and instant teas have less of these compounds.

For More Information please contact Grand Master Edmund Ciarfella at United Martial Arts Centers 845-987-1853 www.umacenters.com

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$5 Donation gets you 2 weeks of Classes Belt In A Bag

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Benefits of Martial Arts for Kids At United Martial Arts Centers

Karate Kids: The Benefit of Martial Arts
With a bloodcurdling cry, your 6-year-old leaps into the air in a karate kick, raising your hair and blood pressure simultaneously. Before you panic and pad the walls, try channeling this urge into a martial arts class.


Activities like tae kwon do, kung fu, and aikido are a fun way for both boys and girls to achieve fitness and focus. Some parents may think they also promote violence, but that's a myth, according to experts. The martial arts actually help teach self-discipline and socialization skills. In fact, many parents whose children have attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) report great success with these programs because self-control and concentration are exactly the skills underdeveloped in ADHD kids.


A typical hour-long class begins and ends with a bow to the teacher, or master. After a warm-up, students practice the art's particular skills, which may include kicks, punches, and blocks. Each requires concentration and strict attention.


Progress is often marked by the belt system, which takes the beginner from a white belt through a variety of colors until black. Testing for each new level, generally every three months, is a good exercise in setting and achieving goals.


But, say experts, it's the respect kids learn, whether from bowing or standing still and waiting for the next command, that can be the most important benefit: It often carries over into school, helping to improve behavior and even grades, according to recent research.


"Six is usually a good age to start classes," says Mimi Johnson, M.D., a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics' Committee on Sports Medicine and Fitness. By that time a child should have enough muscle control to punch and turn properly and safely -- essential to getting a real kick out of the martial art he chooses.

For More Information please contact United Martial Arts Centers 845-987-1853
Or try our EZ TRIAL PROGRAM One month of Classes and a Uniform no obligation or strings attached.  www.umacenters.com


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United Martial Arts Centers: Get Ready to Set Goals

On Your Mark, Get Ready… (to Set) GOals!

Get “Snorganized” in 2014…

By:  Hope Stuart

 

January is a great month for making goals that are SMART,

getting the new year off to a great start!

Ah yes, January… time for reflecting on the past and looking forward to a new year with new aspirations and resolutions.  From organizing your children to setting goals that are SMART, this article will prepare your thoughts and things for all the January happenings.  By the time you are finished, you will be well on your way to forming good habits supported by goals that are not only meaningful and realistic, but timely and smart.   So get ready to be inspired and transformed into a person who has good habits and organized children.  January 2014 is sure to be a memorable month as you transform yourself into a person who finds success in the little accomplishments that translate into worthwhile goals.

Just How Long Does it Take to Make (or Break) a Habit?

According to Michael Rosengart in a March 2012 issue of Examiner.com, a habit is a behavior that follows a specific situation and involves almost no thought or decision making.  Keep in mind that habits can be good habits, such as getting up to exercise each day or bad ones such as eating ice cream late at night.

While most research points to habits taking about a month to form (anywhere from 21-28 days), recent research is leaning toward almost 3 months (66 days) for habits to be formed.  The discrepancy of time between one and three months can be explained as simply as this:  it is much easier to form bad habits than it is to establish good ones that become a transformative aspect of our lifestyles.  Of course, we all know that anything worth achieving takes time and… good things come to those who wait.  It also has to do with a term I have coined… “practice makes permanent”.  We need to give ourselves time to work good habits into our daily lives in order for these good habits to crowd out the “bad” ones and become a permanent part of our lifestyle. 

When you begin to develop your goals, it is important to keep this information about habits in mind.  More often than not, goals develop into habits that have the power to transform our lives.  Whether it takes one month or three, aren’t you worth it?

What Exactly is a GOal?

A goal is an accomplishment that people of all ages work toward achieving.  Goals may be short-term or long-term in nature, depending upon your overall objective that you wish to accomplish.  Goals should be timely and meaningful to you or someone close to you.  Goals should also be realistic and relevant.  They should also be challenging, yet achievable and should include an outcome that can be measured in order to for you to track your overall progress. 

Goals can focus on just about anything that is pertinent in your life such as:  health, work, relationships, charity, family, spirituality, education, organization, and so on.  Do you have a goal in mind?  If not, now is the time.  On your mark, get ready… (to set) some GOals!

There’s “Snow” Goals Like SMART GOals!

Whether you develop a goal related to health and wellness or one that tackles your cluttered living space, your goal must be measureable and include steps that will determine your progress.  An effective way to ensure progress toward any goal is to make your goals SMART GOals.  As opposed to regular goals, SMART GOals are:  Specific, Measureable, Attainable, Results-driven and Timely. 

· Specific – simplistically and clearly define what you are going to do

· Measurable – include a unit of measure that helps you determine your progress

· Attainable – should be slightly challenging, yet achievable

· Results-driven – focused on outcomes by measuring progress

· Timely – linked to a timeframe that determines when the results will be achieved

 

Tracking Your SMART GOal with Action Steps

 SMART GOals enable you to track your progress due to the clearly defined outcomes and measures that are inherently included within.  By breaking down your goals into smaller action steps, you increase your ability to track your progress and achieve your goal.  Action steps are the things you must do on a daily, weekly or monthly basis that are directly associated with your goal. 

The method of tracking your progress can be as simple as using a scale and a calendar to track your weight loss over a period of time.  It can be as simple as using stickers to as complex as using an Excel worksheet.  Think about using technology to your advantage, especially if you can download a free app on your phone. 

There’s “Snowthing” Like Organized Kids!

Developing SMART GOals shouldn’t be an activity that is exclusive to adults.  As a matter of fact, supporting children in the goal making process is a terrific habit to develop at an early age.  Keep in mind, good and bad habits are developed and formed at varying intervals.  By capitalizing on the formative years, parents have terrific opportunities to instill good habits in their children that come with lifelong benefits.  Children can have goals related to reading, homework, exercise… the list of goal making possibilities is endless. 

Getting your children to develop good habits related to organization is a terrific real world         application of the SMART GOal process.  From organizing their rooms and toys to organizing their backpacks and sports equipment, there are an array of venues in which parents can nurture their children’s organizing abilities. 

First and foremost, it is important to include your children in the process of developing organization goals and action steps.  Procedures are only sustainable when expectations are consistent and all stakeholders are involved, including your little organizers.  Your children should develop these action steps with you in order to take meaningful ownership over the process.  Make sure the expectations are challenging, yet attainable. Attach measures that are linked to timeframes that your children can relate to.  Finally, revisit the organization process to determine progress and possible adjustments.

Let’s Get Your Children “Snorganized”!

So… what does the process of organizing your children look like?  Let’s bundle our ideas and roll out our plan:

Goal:  To keep an organized and clean room for one month.  This includes making my bed each day and putting toys and clothes (both clean and dirty) in their proper locations.

Action Steps: 

1. Inventory all the stuff in the room.  This includes everything from toys and clothes to art supplies and sports equipment.   Start grouping like items during the inventorying step.

2. Determine what stays in the room and what goes in the donation bin or garbage.  Donating to those in need is a great experience for children!

3. Group like items into bins, drawers, baskets and containers that work for each space.  Don’t forget to label storage areas.

4. Make the bed and place dirty clothes in the hamper.

Once the room is cleared of clutter (with like items stored in their proper locations), organized and cleaned to meet the goal’s expectations, a picture is taken to serve as a measurable model of the final product.

How Are We Measuring Up?

Once the rooms are organized, cleaned and picture “permanent”, it is important to determine how your children are maintaining their SMART GOal for the established timeframe.  Regardless of the timeframe chosen, it is necessary to track the status of the room(s) at varying times throughout.  Once a week would probably be best, perhaps on the weekend when there is time to revisit storage procedures and locations, as well as time to tidy up, if necessary.  Using the picture is a good way to compare the model of the room with the current status of the room.  Have each child place a sticker or smiley face on the calendar for every time their rooms are found in tip top shape.  Turn it into a contest…. the child with the most stickers gets a reward for their dedication to the SMART GOal.  Perhaps the winner earns a special day with mom or dad, a trip to the library, or the privilege of choosing the movie to be watched during family movie night.

 There’s “Snowone” as SMART as You!

The process of establishing SMART GOals is a super smart and effective way to ensure your resolutions last throughout 2014 and beyond.  SMART GOals will help you (and those close to you) develop good habits that have longevity, coupled with long lasting benefits.  Remember, practice makes permanent.  On your mark, get ready… (to set) GOals!  You will be so glad you did!  Here’s to a totally terrific 2014!   

For more information about SMART GOals, refer to this link: 

http://www.hr.virginia.edu/uploads/documents/media/Writing_SMART_Goals.pdf

 

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United Martial Arts Centers Lounge: Weekly UPdates 12/9/13

UMAC IS OPEN TODAY

FOCUS: Combinations and Sparring Please bring your safety gear
NERF WAR AGAINST HUNGER: Friday 6-8pm Admission $20 or a Donation to the Food Pantry (Non perishable goods) Bring your own weapon and ammo
GRADUATION APPLICATIONS DUE: Friday (Late Fee $10)
BELT IN THE BAG: $5 Donation to the Food Pantry gets you 2 weeks of classes and $500 in coupons to local businesses
UMAC DRAGONS BUDDY BASH: Thursday 5:30pm bring a buddy to class and share the fun
HOLIDAY BLOW OUT SALE:  Saturday ONLY All Martial Arts Merchandise and apparrel in stock only will be sold at deep discounts

Here is a great Article that was in the Times Herald Record about UMAC and the Belt in the Bag
CLICK HERE TO READ IT NOW

Please LIKE our Fan Page www.facebook.com/umacfans
Subscribe to our Youtube channel for great Martial Arts Videos www.youtube.com/umackwanjanim
www.umacenters.com
TEXT UMACVIP to 72727 for Emergency School Closings

Make it a great week
Sincerely
Grand Master Edmund Ciarfella


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United Martial Arts Centers: 30 Things to Start Doing for yourself

1. Start spending time with the right people. – These are the people you enjoy, who love and appreciate you, and who encourage you to improve in healthy and exciting ways. They are the ones who make you feel more alive, and not only embrace who you are now, but also embrace and embody who you want to be, unconditionally.
2. Start facing your problems head on. – It isn’t your problems that define you, but how you react to them and recover from them. Problems will not disappear unless you take action. Do what you can, when you can, and acknowledge what you’ve done. It’s all about taking baby steps in the right direction, inch by inch. These inches count, they add up to yards and miles in the long run.
3. Start being honest with yourself about everything. – Be honest about what’s right, as well as what needs to be changed. Be honest about what you want to achieve and who you want to become. Be honest with every aspect of your life, always. Because you are the one person you can forever count on. Search your soul, for the truth, so that you truly know who you are. Once you do, you’ll have a better understanding of where you are now and how you got here, and you’ll be better equipped to identify where you want to go and how to get there. Read The Road Less Traveled
4. Start making your own happiness a priority. – Your needs matter. If you don’t value yourself, look out for yourself, and stick up for yourself, you’re sabotaging yourself. Remember, it IS possible to take care of your own needs while simultaneously caring for those around you. And once your needs are met, you will likely be far more capable of helping those who need you most.
5. Start being yourself, genuinely and proudly. – Trying to be anyone else is a waste of the person you are. Be yourself. Embrace that individual inside you that has ideas, strengths and beauty like no one else. Be the person you know yourself to be – the best version of you – on your terms. Above all, be true to YOU, and if you cannot put your heart in it, take yourself out of it.
6. Start noticing and living in the present. – Right now is a miracle. Right now is the only moment guaranteed to you. Right now is life. So stop thinking about how great things will be in the future. Stop dwelling on what did or didn’t happen in the past. Learn to be in the ‘here and now’ and experience life as it’s happening. Appreciate the world for the beauty that it holds, right now.
7. Start valuing the lessons your mistakes teach you. – Mistakes are okay; they’re the stepping stones of progress. If you’re not failing from time to time, you’re not trying hard enough and you’re not learning. Take risks, stumble, fall, and then get up and try again. Appreciate that you are pushing yourself, learning, growing and improving. Significant achievements are almost invariably realized at the end of a long road of failures. One of the ‘mistakes’ you fear might just be the link to your greatest achievement yet.
8. Start being more polite to yourself. – If you had a friend who spoke to you in the same way that you sometimes speak to yourself, how long would you allow that person to be your friend? The way you treat yourself sets the standard for others. You must love who you are or no one else will.
9. Start enjoying the things you already have. – The problem with many of us is that we think we’ll be happy when we reach a certain level in life – a level we see others operating at – your boss with her corner office, that friend of a friend who owns a mansion on the beach, etc. Unfortunately, it takes awhile before you get there, and when you get there you’ll likely have a new destination in mind. You’ll end up spending your whole life working toward something new without ever stopping to enjoy the things you have now. So take a quiet moment every morning when you first awake to appreciate where you are and what you already have.
10. Start creating your own happiness. – If you are waiting for someone else to make you happy, you’re missing out. Smile because you can. Choose happiness. Be the change you want to see in the world. Be happy with who you are now, and let your positivity inspire your journey into tomorrow. Happiness is often found when and where you decide to seek it. If you look for happiness within the opportunities you have, you will eventually find it. But if you constantly look for something else, unfortunately, you’ll find that too. Read Stumbling on Happiness
11. Start giving your ideas and dreams a chance. – In life, it’s rarely about getting a chance; it’s about taking a chance. You’ll never be 100% sure it will work, but you can always be 100% sure doing nothing won’t work. Most of the time you just have to go for it! And no matter how it turns out, it always ends up just the way it should be. Either you succeed or you learn something. Win-Win.
12. Start believing that you’re ready for the next step. – You are ready! Think about it. You have everything you need right now to take the next small, realistic step forward. So embrace the opportunities that come your way, and accept the challenges – they’re gifts that will help you to grow.
13. Start entering new relationships for the right reasons. – Enter new relationships with dependable, honest people who reflect the person you are and the person you want to be. Choose friends you are proud to know, people you admire, who show you love and respect – people who reciprocate your kindness and commitment. And pay attention to what people do, because a person’s actions are much more important than their words or how others represent them.
14. Start giving new people you meet a chance. – It sounds harsh, but you cannot keep every friend you’ve ever made. People and priorities change. As some relationships fade others will grow. Appreciate the possibility of new relationships as you naturally let go of old ones that no longer work. Trust your judgment. Embrace new relationships, knowing that you are entering into unfamiliar territory. Be ready to learn, be ready for a challenge, and be ready to meet someone that might just change your life forever.
15. Start competing against an earlier version of yourself. – Be inspired by others, appreciate others, learn from others, but know that competing against them is a waste of time. You are in competition with one person and one person only – yourself. You are competing to be the best you can be. Aim to break your own personal records.
16. Start cheering for other people’s victories. – Start noticing what you like about others and tell them. Having an appreciation for how amazing the people around you are leads to good places – productive, fulfilling, peaceful places. So be happy for those who are making progress. Cheer for their victories. Be thankful for their blessings, openly. What goes around comes around, and sooner or later the people you’re cheering for will start cheering for you.
17. Start looking for the silver lining in tough situations. – When things are hard, and you feel down, take a few deep breaths and look for the silver lining – the small glimmers of hope. Remind yourself that you can and will grow stronger from these hard times. And remain conscious of your blessings and victories – all the things in your life that are right. Focus on what you have, not on what you haven’t.
18. Start forgiving yourself and others. – We’ve all been hurt by our own decisions and by others. And while the pain of these experiences is normal, sometimes it lingers for too long. We relive the pain over and over and have a hard time letting go. Forgiveness is the remedy. It doesn’t mean you’re erasing the past, or forgetting what happened. It means you’re letting go of the resentment and pain, and instead choosing to learn from the incident and move on with your life.
19. Start helping those around you. – Care about people. Guide them if you know a better way. The more you help others, the more they will want to help you. Love and kindness begets love and kindness. And so on and so forth.
20. Start listening to your own inner voice. – If it helps, discuss your ideas with those closest to you, but give yourself enough room to follow your own intuition. Be true to yourself. Say what you need to say. Do what you know in your heart is right.
21. Start being attentive to your stress level and take short breaks.– Slow down. Breathe. Give yourself permission to pause, regroup and move forward with clarity and purpose. When you’re at your busiest, a brief recess can rejuvenate your mind and increase your productivity. These short breaks will help you regain your sanity and reflect on your recent actions so you can be sure they’re in line with your goals.
22. Start noticing the beauty of small moments. – Instead of waiting for the big things to happen – marriage, kids, big promotion, winning the lottery – find happiness in the small things that happen every day. Little things like having a quiet cup of coffee in the early morning, or the delicious taste and smell of a homemade meal, or the pleasure of sharing something you enjoy with someone else, or holding hands with your partner. Noticing these small pleasures on a daily basis makes a big difference in the quality of your life.
23. Start accepting things when they are less than perfect. – Remember, ‘perfect’ is the enemy of ‘good.’ One of the biggest challenges for people who want to improve themselves and improve the world is learning to accept things as they are. Sometimes it’s better to accept and appreciate the world as it is, and people as they are, rather than to trying to make everything and everyone conform to an impossible ideal. No, you shouldn’t accept a life of mediocrity, but learn to love and value things when they are less than perfect.
24. Start working toward your goals every single day. – Remember, the journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. Whatever it is you dream about, start taking small, logical steps every day to make it happen. Get out there and DO something! The harder you work the luckier you will become. While many of us decide at some point during the course of our lives that we want to answer our calling, only an astute few of us actually work on it. By ‘working on it,’ I mean consistently devoting oneself to the end result. Read The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
25. Start being more open about how you feel. – If you’re hurting, give yourself the necessary space and time to hurt, but be open about it. Talk to those closest to you. Tell them the truth about how you feel. Let them listen. The simple act of getting things off your chest and into the open is your first step toward feeling good again.
26. Start taking full accountability for your own life. – Own your choices and mistakes, and be willing to take the necessary steps to improve upon them. Either you take accountability for your life or someone else will. And when they do, you’ll become a slave to their ideas and dreams instead of a pioneer of your own. You are the only one who can directly control the outcome of your life. And no, it won’t always be easy. Every person has a stack of obstacles in front of them. But you must take accountability for your situation and overcome these obstacles. Choosing not to is choosing a lifetime of mere existence.
27. Start actively nurturing your most important relationships. – Bring real, honest joy into your life and the lives of those you love by simply telling them how much they mean to you on a regular basis. You can’t be everything to everyone, but you can be everything to a few people. Decide who these people are in your life and treat them like royalty. Remember, you don’t need a certain number of friends, just a number of friends you can be certain of.
28. Start concentrating on the things you can control. – You can’t change everything, but you can always change something. Wasting your time, talent and emotional energy on things that are beyond your control is a recipe for frustration, misery and stagnation. Invest your energy in the things you can control, and act on them now.
29. Start focusing on the possibility of positive outcomes. – The mind must believe it CAN do something before it is capable of actually doing it. The way to overcome negative thoughts and destructive emotions is to develop opposing, positive emotions that are stronger and more powerful. Listen to your self-talk and replace negative thoughts with positive ones. Regardless of how a situation seems, focus on what you DO WANT to happen, and then take the next positive step forward. No, you can’t control everything that happens to you, but you can control how you react to things. Everyone’s life has positive and negative aspects – whether or not you’re happy and successful in the long run depends greatly on which aspects you focus on. Read The How of Happiness
30. Start noticing how wealthy you are right now. – Henry David Thoreau once said, “Wealth is the ability to fully experience life.” Even when times are tough, it’s always important to keep things in perspective. You didn’t go to sleep hungry last night. You didn’t go to sleep outside. You had a choice of what clothes to wear this morning. You hardly broke a sweat today. You didn’t spend a minute in fear. You have access to clean drinking water. You have access to medical care. You have access to the Internet. You can read. Some might say you are incredibly wealthy, so remember to be grateful for all the things you do have.

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Martial Arts For Children Warwick NY

United Martial Arts Centers Summer Camp Makes Kids More Resilient

Summer Camp Makes Kids Resilient
Camps make kids put away the makeup, stash the iPads, get a little sweaty and even a little frustrated while having fun and making new friends, are the kinds of camps that offer children the best of what they need. Looking at those experiences from the vantage point of my research on resilience, I know that camps help our children develop great coping strategies when they provide seven things all children need:

1) New relationships, not just with peers, but with trusted adults other than their parents. Just think about how useful a skill like that is: being able to negotiate on your own with an adult for what you need.

2) A powerful identity that makes the child feel confident in front of others. Your child may not be the the fastest swimmer, or the next teen idol when he sings, but chances are that a good camp counselor is going to help your child find something to be proud of that he can do well.

3) More confidence. Camps help children feel in control of their lives, and those experiences of self-efficacy.  Children who experience themselves as competent will be better problem-solvers in new situations.

4) Respect for themselves and others. Camps make sure that all children are treated fairly. The wonderful thing about camps is that every child starts without the baggage they carry from school. They may be a geek or the child with dyslexia. At camp they will both find opportunities to just be kids who are valued for who they are. No camps tolerate bullying (and if they do, you should withdraw your child immediately).

5) Physical Fitness. At camp kids get what they need to develop physically. Ideally, fresh air, exercise, a balance between routine and unstructured time, and all the good food their bodies need.  A good camp is also about helping children find healthy lifestyles.

6) Purpose. Perhaps best of all, camps offer kids a chance to feel like they belong. All those goofy chants and team songs, the sense of common purpose and attachment to the identity that camps promote go a long way to offering children a sense of being rooted.

7) And finally, camps can offer children a better sense of their culture. It might be, or a special camp program that reflects the values of the community that sponsors the camp, or maybe it's just a chance for children to understand themselves a bit more as they learn about others. Camps give kids both cultural roots and the chance to understand others who have cultures very different than their own.
That's an impressive list of factors that good camp experiences provide our children.. Add to that experience the chance for a child's parents to reinforce at home what the child nurtures at camp, and maybe, just maybe, we'll find in our communities and schools amazing kids who show the resilience to make good decisions throughout their lives.

For more information about the United Martial Arts Centers Summer Camp Program please call 845-987-1853 or visit www.umacenters.com
United Martial Arts Centers was voted 1^st Place BEST MARTIAL ARTS SCHOOL in the Hudson Valley 2013 Times Herald Readers Choice Award and has been running summer camps and after school programs for the past 15 years.

For more information please click this link


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United Martial Arts Centers: 8 Great Holiday Safety Tips

Grand Master Edmund Ciarfella

8 Great Safety Holiday Shopping Tips

Holiday Safety Shopping Tips
1) Do not leave purchased items visible in the car-leave them in the trunk.
2) While shopping in the evening hours may be less crowded, there are also additional potential risks involved. Park in areas where there is lots that have adequate lighting. Consider shopping with someone rather than going alone.
3) Make sure purses and wallets are secure on your person and you are aware of their location at all times.
4) Keep the amount of available cash you have at a minimum or separate it into different pockets or locations on or about your person. This way all of it is not lost if your purse or wallet is misplaced or stolen.
5) Credit cards offer convenience and security, however, keep track of all cards and keep receipts to compare to your monthly statement.
6) Remain aware of your surroundings at all times and move to and from your vehicle with confidence and "purpose". Have keys ready before getting to your car so you do not have to search for them while standing near it.
7) Report suspicious people or activity to law enforcement immediately!
8) Most important is to reduce your own vulnerability and do what you can to minimize the possibility that you could be a victim of a crime or accidental loss.

Be Proactive and start martial arts training TODAY
EZ Trial One Month of Classes and Uniform no obligation or strings attached
See why United Martial Arts Centers was voted 1st Place BEST MARTIAL ARTS SCHOOL in the Hudson Valley




For More Information please contact United Martial Arts Centers
153 Rte 94 Shoprite plaza
 Warwick NY 10990
www.umacenters.com
www.facebook.com/umacfans
845-987-1853
 

United Martial Arts Centers Lounge

United Martial Arts Centers Weekly UPdates 12-2-13

United Martial Arts Centers Lounge

I hope you had a great Thanksgiving!

Here are your weekly Updates and News for the week of 12/2/13

1.  FOCUS:  Self Defense
2.  NERF WAR AGAINST HUNGER - 12/13/13 6-8pm Proceeds donated to the Warwick Food Pantry
3. UMAC Holiday Graduation & Pot Luck Party 12/20/13  Please bring a covered dish.
4.  CYBER MONDAY SAVE 20% off on ALL Online purchases.  At check out use THE CODE CYBER20
CLICK HERE TO SHOP NOW AND SAVE 20%
5. BELT IN A BAG: 2 WEEKS OF KICKBOXING OR MARTIAL ARTS CLASSES FOR $5 DONATION TO THE FOOD PANTRY.
Bag Includes
FETCH: 10% off Dinner
LA PETITE CUISINE: Free Crepe
MAID TO ORDER: 20% off Monthly House Cleaning
DOWN 2 EARTH: 10% off Healthy Meal
VILLAGE BILLARDS: 1 Free Drink with Table Rental
APPLE A DAY: 1 Hour Organization Consultation
UMAC FREE BIRTHDAY PARTY
And more
$600.00 Value for $5 donation to the Food Pantry

Please LIKE our Facebook Fan Page www.facebook.com/umacfans
Please give us a great review on Google www.google.com/+umacenters
TEXT UMACVIP To: 72727 to get weekly updates to your phone and Emergency School Closings


Make it a great week,
Sincerely
Grand Master Edmund Ciarfella
United Martial Arts Centers
845-987-1853