MIMA Blog

Congratulations to Mercer Island Martial Arts, winner of our 2012 Readers' Choice poll for favorite Martial Arts School!

Mercer Island Martial Arts, which got just under half of the poll's 6,6,76 votes, practices a mix of traditional and modern martial arts, and is a proudly-local institution in the Town Center. Black-belt master instructors MeLisa Turcott Strongheart and Krista Wells also hold degrees in psychology, enabling them to incorporate positive psychology and recreation therapy into in

Congratulations to Mercer Island Martial Arts, winner of our 2012 Readers' Choice poll for favorite Martial Arts School!

Mercer Island Martial Arts, which got just under half of the poll's 6,6,76 votes, practices a mix of traditional and modern martial arts, and is a proudly-local institution in the Town Center. Black-belt master instructors MeLisa Turcott Strongheart and Krista Wells also hold degrees in psychology, enabling them to incorporate positive psychology and recreation therapy into in

http://mercerisland.patch.com/articles/readers-choice-what-s-the-best-kids-martial-arts-school-on-mercer-island

Last week I (Cameron) helped out with the Japanese cultural center benefit luncheon. It was at the Westin in Seattle. I spent lots of my extra time making the origamis. I did this because I wanted to help Japan's tsunami relief. Some of the pieces sold for thirty dollors. I made 37 origami's to donate. Igot to miss part of school for this. At the registration table I demonstrated my origamis there. There were a lot of people watching me. All of a sudden there was a lady out of the crowd that got

Most people don’t ask me this question outright, but I know they are thinking it: Does self-defense really work?

That’s like asking the Sham-Wow guy if his towel really holds 12 times its weight in liquid, right? Hey, I welcome the believers and doubters alike, and I have more to offer you than my belief in the
effectiveness of self-protection measures. But first, let’s figure out
why it’s so hard to believe a woman can fight back and win.

I believe that doubt over the effectiveness of self-def

Time again for fun 5 word Friday.  This time list your favorite places to go on the Island.

My name is Anzia.  I am a girl scout and I am allergic to dairy.  I love animals, not to eat them but to hug them.  I am a vegan.  This time of year Girl Scouts are selling cookies to raise money for their troops.

This year the Girl Scouts in this area chose not to sell any of vegan cookies offered.  I did not want to sell cookies made from animal products, so I chose to do something different.   Last Friday night my Mom and I baked three different cakes.  Those cakes were a carrot cake, a Samoa

I call you Renee’s sister for a very good reason! Even though, we’ve only known each other for about a year, I consider you to be one of my best friends. You are so caring in regards to your friends. You have always listened to my rants and raves too, and I honestly don’t know how you and Renee can stand me! We talk almost every day as well, about some of the most random things as well (I swear I’m not copying and pasting the other post); that it always helps brighten my day a bit (transitioning

Hello!!  For those of you I haven't met yet, I'm Claudia Vlcek.  I'm a second degree black belt who's been involved with Martial Arts for 26 years.  I love everything about taekwondo and have a ferocious hunger for knowledge, learning, and answers.  

With that being said feel free to email me with any questions and/or comments about Mercer Island Martial Arts.  Or if there is someone/ something involved with the dojang that you would like to know more about.
For instance, recently you've probably

My best friend of 8 years, and someone I consider my sister, even though we’re not related at all. You have always listened when I needed to talk to someone. You are one of the kindest, sweetest, caring and most understanding person I have ever met. Even though you and your husband both live in Arizona, you have always been a phone call, e-mail, and/or instant message away. We have literally talked every day since the day we met. We talk about some of the most random things (cheese comes to mind

If you ever want to be inspired, sit with a group people who want to make a difference in the lives of others.

If you listen well, you will hear hope, vision, strength, empowerment, needs, drive, creativity, compassion, kindness and most of all love.

Thank you... you know who you are.

Five word answer:

List 5 healthy foods that you like to eat.  

yes, always looking for ideas:)

 We teach self-defense --and self-defense is found in the simplest of things. Kindness, for example is a beautiful form of self-defense. Good food --and the appreciation of it; there’s a fine, fine kind of self-defense.

 

Oh, and how about love of community? Participation in --and love for --one’s community is a kind of self-defense that’s impossible to put a value on. And my favorite kind of self-defense is found in a simple rule, The Golden Rule, which I like with a bit of a twist:

Respect othe

We are involved in a rather revolutionary project involving a change in the what, when, why, and how of teaching people of all ages about self-defense. The project has been launched with my martial arts teacher’s association, The One Hundred (The 100), and involves a concept coined Intelligent Curriculum.

The idea of an "Intelligent Curriculum" is a process where web-technology is applied to teaching people about the depth and scope of self-defense as it applies to today’s world. For example, th

One beautiful afternoon last summer, the little ninja and I (or more correctly, the little Messi at that particular moment), stopped by the Park on the Lid to work on our soccer skills before heading down the hill for TKD.   We were going through our usual drills a little pass & run, some fancy footwork and shooting.   There was a goal set up and we were taking advantage of it.  Call me optimistic but I am reasonably certain that even casual observer would have been able to tell we were taking p

Ok, for everyone playing along (thanks by the way, I think this is great).

Today's Five Words are on:

My five favorite things that I do, have done, or love to do at MIMA classes?

Remember:   five words only:)

As, many may be aware of there are many benefits to practicing the art of mediation but recent research suggests that those benefits are even more.  A recent article in the New York Times sparked my interest and I thought that I would share it with you:

How Meditation May Change the Brain
By SINDYA N. BHANOO

Over the December holidays, my husband went on a 10-day silent meditation retreat. Not my idea of fun, but he came back rejuvenated and energetic.
He said the experience was so transformatio

You didn’t start your study of the martial arts to “go through the motions” of it all, did you? Of course you didn’t, but look around you in your next class and I’ll bet you spot a number of your classmates doing that very thing, going through the motions. It’s human nature to get distracted, to multi-task, and wander off course.

To deepen and strengthen your practice so that you stay on the mark and make reasonable progress, I offer you these 10 time-tested, Tom-tested tips:

1. As often as you c

How about this week we try another one:

Write below in the comments, 5 words which describe what makes a great teacher.

Remember only 5 words!