Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

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Yeah Lizzie!!!!!

For everyone who wasn't there and didn't see, Lizzie was tested for and passed her 1st Dan Black Belt Test. She did an awesome job of it too and impressed everyone with her great smile after smile while she did her techniques. For a partner she had her Dad to throw around.

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my Thesis on "Loyalty"

“Loyalty”

by Steve Sutton

What is Loyalty? What does loyalty mean? An example of loyalty I’ve seen. What does loyalty mean to Martial Arts.

¹Loyalty is the quality or state or an instance of being unswerving in allegiance to a cause, ideal, custom, institution, or product. ²Allegiance is the duty someone owes to someone or something. Loyal Fathers and Mothers make sure there family and house are taken care of and that they provide for them for food,shelter, clothing and schooling. Loyal teachers make sure they’re in class at the right time and are there for the students an do their best to teach them what they know. If your best friend gets a kick me sign on his back do you say nothing or do you stand up for him. If you know a friend is going to get fired at work you have an duty to your friendship to let him know.

When I was in the Army, loyalty was not only expected of each member of the armed forces but if you decided not to be loyal you could be shot on the spot in time of war. When your in a fox hole with others it helps to know that they’re loyal to the cause. Loyalty is so hard to find in our country now days. People are always searching for something new and more exciting. Even in marriages it is hard to find two people who lived with each other for longer than 5 years now days. My wife and I have been married for 15 years this month. I think our loyalty to each other is proven itself. You don’t go 15 years in something without some turmoil. But you don’t last fifteen years by quiting either. You see it all the time in the work place especially. People start with one job and move on when something doesn’t work out for them. People are less willing to make changes in themselves and choose to move on to something that might fit them more. My wife works as a Customer Service Manager. She is always seeing new people come and go on the job. Why is it so hard for people to stick to one thing for any great length of time? I’m not saying that I’m better than anyone else. I have decided not to stay in the Army for more than 5 years and choose to make a life up here in Michigan with my wife. America has many options out there for young people these days and maybe it’s too much for them to decide on just one thing.

In Martial Arts now days there are a lot of people who start and the move on. You’ll never get to black belt or beyond by giving up. Staying loyal to a Martial Art means you have to sacrifice some of your free time every evening to practice. It means staying later after class to go over forms. My wife asked why I’m one of the last ones out the door in Hapkido. I feel a duty to being there not just for myself but for the others who choose to spend their time and effort there. I’ve been at my present job for 7 years now. I enjoy my job very much. But sitting at a desk all day long and not exercising much wasn’t helping my health any. I started looking for something to help me get in shape. What I’ve found was something much better. I never heard of Hapkido before. I never thought I would be breaking patio blocks or anything like that, but I never stop learning what can be done when you put your mind and body into it. I can’t imagine why I missed Hapkido before. If I would of known that it was here earlier I would of joined long before. I can’t go back and change what has happened before, but it is never too late to start on something, for the rest of your life.

1Taken from Webster’s Dictionary Online http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?va=loyalty

2Taken from Webster’s Dictionayr Online http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?va=allegiance

Last belt testing the Cho Dan Bo's (at that time) broke some patio blocks. Here's a picture of my brick breaking demo.

Hapkido in Fenton

This weekend was awesome in every way. I was nervous in waiting for it to come about but after 4 hours of testing at World Martial Arts in Fenton Mi the 5 of us from Northern Martial Arts in Charlevoix passed our Black belt test. Richard and Rachel Christener, Spensor Bruce, Jake Waterman, and myself (Steve Sutton). The hardest part I think was trying not be be nervous. Now I can work on helping Lizzie with her requirements for black belt as she has just earned her Cho Dan Bo Rank. Boy this is getting real exciting. Soon We'll be a family of black belts. I can't wait until my children earn their black belts. I'm so proud of them for all the effort that they put into Hapkido.

Northern Martial Arts

Check out new picture from our last belt test.


Northern Martial Arts

Sparring Night!

I'm getting back into the sparring thing. I'm getting over the mishap I've put my self ito with trying to get off Blood Pressure. I think that if I concentrate on eating right like eating for greens, and vegetables and more Potassium I'd have more energy. I did great yesterday and didn't loose energy until the very end of the two classes.

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Belt Testing For New Year

Belt TestNorthern Martial Arts recently had a belt testing in which several students advanced to higher rankings. The belt testing was overseen by Chief Master Dave Weatherly, 8Th degree black belt and head of World Martial Arts, located in Fenton Michigan.

New yellow belts:Daniel,Michael,Rachel & Natalie Nessberg,Noah Worgess,Sean McGee, Aaron Spiegle,Andrew & Emma Hindle,Jake & Daniel Rosenthal.

New Blue Belts: Rob Vanderslik,Sue Boyko. New Red Belts: Jackson Robbins, James & Tina Sutton. New Brown Belt: Lizzie Sutton.

Helpers: Rachel & Richard Cristner, Mr. Shanor, Mr. Seymour, Steve Sutton.

Northern Martial Arts is located in Charlevoix. New students are always welcome and for more information please contact Mr. Tim Bruce at (231) 675-4414.

Black Belt Testing Coming up!!!

Yeaoh it is really getting close now. Black belt testing is coming to Fenton in May. Don't know which Friday night. Carol is going to make sure that she has the day off so we can all stay down there at the Days Inn Express. Go swimming and celebrate afterwards. I'm working real hard at getting Lizzie ready for her Cho Dan Bo testing which will come up soon also.