Potomac Kempo

Chris Santillo

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About Kempo: Shaolin Dragon

Potomac Kempo - Dragon CharacterThe Dragon of the East

In the West, Dragons have long been depicted as evil creatures that raid villages, hoard treasure and commonly end up being killed by valorous knights. Despite the use of the same name, Chinese Dragons could not be more contrastive. They differ substantially in appearance but more to the point they are almost universally benevolent. Dragons were first depicted in statues and carved into jade more than six thousand years ago. Since that time they have come to play an important role in Chinese culture and — to our point — the martial arts. This verse from a popular song by Hou Dejian illustrates how intertwined the Dragon is with Chinese culture

In the Ancient East there is a Dragon
Her name is China
In the Ancient East there is a people
They are all the heirs of the Dragon [Read more…] about About Kempo: Shaolin Dragon

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You can’t always get what you want

You can’t always get what you want.

But if you try sometimes,

well you just might find,

You get what you need.

— Rolling Stones

Devin studied Kempo many years ago. I knew his Sensei and enjoyed reports from both of them about how well Devin’s training was going — until it wasn’t.

Devin was an early bird and always got to work crazy early in the morning. He would then schedule Kempo lessons in the early afternoon to make sure that he didn’t get pulled in to any meetings. With great joy he would say “Sorry, Joe, I can’t today. I have an appointment this afternoon. Make sure someone sends me the minutes.” A Kempo lesson is a much better way to spend your time than in a meeting, to be sure.

This worked really well until there was a meeting that he just couldn’t miss. Devin called his Sensei to apologize and canceled his lesson. His Sensei didn’t seem phased, “No big deal, maybe we can do it tomorrow.” he said. Devin thought this was amazingly kind and thanked him profusely. Unfortunately he stopped studying Kempo just a couple of months later.

What happened was simple. He could no longer skip meetings with the explanation that he had an appointment — he knew that he could reschedule it whenever he wanted. He got pulled in to more and more meetings and eventually stopped even protesting. His attendance at the dojo became abysmal and he eventually quit. Once he saw that his Sensei did not prioritize his lessons, he found it hard to do so himself.

It’s unfair to blame his Sensei for his quitting but we can’t ignore the effect his actions had. At the end of the day the goal — unrealized in this case — is for a Kempo student to reach their highest potential and everyone involved needs to support that goal or it won’t happen. This includes the student and Sensei — of course — but also friends, family and classmates. They say it takes a village to raise a child, well I say it takes a village to help someone earn a black belt.

Master Chris Santillo

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Student Profile: Cheryl

Potomac Kempo - CherylIn 2006, when Cheryl was a busy working mother, she often found herself at the dojo – dropping off and picking up her son for class at Potomac Kempo. One day, Master Chris Santillo stopped her.

“When are you coming in?” he asked.

His question caught Cheryl off guard. All she ever saw at the dojo were the youth classes, and she had a hard time imagining herself in her son’s class. “I didn’t really think about adults doing karate,” she says. And by that point, she had all but forgotten about a karate class she had taken in college, at the University of South Alabama.

“I decided to take that class as an elective, and I ended up loving everything about it,” she says. “Then I got into physical therapy school, and I didn’t have time for anything extracurricular. Then it was graduating, getting a job, having kids… And I didn’t think about it again until my son showed interest.”

Not too long before Master Santillo’s question, Cheryl had been at her job – at a geriatric rehabilitation center in Alexandria, working with a physical therapy patient. They were working with the parallel bars, and Cheryl was on the floor. She went to stand up, and she had to pull herself off the floor, using the bar. “I felt so weak,” she says. “I was looking for something to help change that.”

Potomac Kempo - ChinaOnce Cheryl realized there were separate classes for adults, she agreed to give Kempo a shot. “ I forgot how challenging it was. My first group class, I did one push-up, and I thought I was going to die,” she says. “And I realized, this is such a good idea. I don’t want to end up like one of my patients when I am 80.”

Now in her seventh year of Kempo, Cheryl, 50, is a second degree black belt. She looks forward to training and finds that the practice has benefited her in countless ways. She has never struggled with weight issues, but she knows that her balance, flexibility, overall muscle tone and posture have all improved. “I think I carry myself better,” she says. “I definitely feel more confident.”

She has even become more comfortable speaking in front of a group, thanks to all the practice speaking to students. “I was always terrified of that, and it has really improved,” she says. I feel myself not getting red from the face up now.”

Potomac Kempo - CherylKempo has also helped Cheryl manage her time better. She used to be a workaholic and had trouble getting everything done during normal work hours. Because nothing at her job was ever really finished, she would often stay late. Now, going to class is a priority for her. “I have to manage my day better to get there,” she says. “And one of the things I love about it is that it’s fun and doesn’t feel like work – like going to the gym and doing the same old thing. I don’t want to leave work and go do what feels like more work.”

Cheryl’s son – now 21 – made it to the black belt level as a teenager. In their house, the entertainment room turned into the family dojo – with swords, katanas, a punching bag and a makiwara board. On family vacations, they often practiced on the beach in the sand. When they went to Ireland last summer, Cheryl practiced her moves underwater in the pool and found that the water resistance offered a new challenge. “The Irish people didn’t know what to make of me,” she says, laughing. “But Sensei tells us that whatever you need to do can be done in whatever space is available. There is enough space in a hotel room to do a Kempo, no problem.”

Cheryl goes to group classes three days a week, with instructor training and her private lesson on Tuesday and on Saturdays she teaches. Most challenging are the physical demands. “And that’s a good thing,” she says. “You want to try to take yourself to another level. But you have to be smart about it. I’m not 20 anymore… Everyone has to set their own goals.”

Potomac Kempo - CherylShe says one of the reasons she gets excited about training is that she loves interacting with other students. Even though each persons’ experience with Kempo is individual, Cheryl enjoys the camaraderie and says everyone is encouraging and supportive. The biggest misconception, she says, is that the sport is only for elite athletes or those in the military.

“It doesn’t matter what your shape is,” she says. “And no matter what your goal – confidence, weight loss or even speaking ability – it’s a terrific sport. I’m just a normal average mom, and I can’t believe where it has taken me.”

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Your Dojo

Dojos exist for a lot of people and for a lot of reasons. ‘Dojo’ literally means ‘Training Hall,’ it is a place where you learn martial arts. Nothing could be more mundane. But somehow — and I don’t claim to fully understand it — a dojo is something more, it is part of people’s lives.

A dojo exists because of, and for, the students. A sensei is merely a facilitator, the one who knows how to punch and kick. It is the students that create the essence of a dojo. A sensei with no students is not a sensei at all, but a student without a sensei is a still a student, one seeking guidance.
Potomac Kempo opened its first dojo on July 7th, 2003. On that day, we had no students and no essence. Each day takes us further from that day and closer to where we are headed. Today only gives a vague impression of where that might be. Those impressions, however, leave me optimistic.
I see students spending time before and after class getting to know their fellow students, exchanging views of Kempo and their reasons for studying it. I see students helping other students to learn; adults helping the kids’ class and students — adults and kids both — helping their peers. I see students helping to make the dojo a place that we can all be proud of, cleaning up after themselves, and helping their classmates who haven’t figured it out yet . . . I keenly remember one student with a light in his eye saying to me, “I finally realized, this is my dojo.”
Remember, it is your dojo.

Master Chris Santillo

Potomac Kempo

Potomac Kempo - Dojo

 

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A Kempo Story

Let me tell you a story about a 9-year-old girl.
Yesterday morning, her alarm went off. She got out of bed and went to school. She got there on time because she has learned to be disciplined. While in class other kids were talking and passing notes but she remained focused on her lessons because she has learned how to focus. When it was her turn to present to the class she stood up calmly and spoke effectively because she has learned to be confident. After school other kids invited her to hang out and watch TV; instead she did her homework and went to the dojo to practice Kempo because she has learned the benefits of nourishing her mind, body and spirit. Later, after she had studied and exercised, she relaxed and visited with her friends and family. Then she went to bed with a smile on her face.

Let me tell you another story, this one is about a gentleman in his mid-thirties.
He got up this morning and went to work. He got there on time because he has learned to be disciplined. . . . .  Well, you can probably figure out the rest.

Perhaps these stories sound contrived but the point they make is a valid one. The paths of our lives don’t happen by accident. We make choices every moment of every day and those choices affect everything. Choosing to read a book today will affect the chance of you getting into college or getting your next promotion. Who you choose to spend time with today will affect who your friends are 20 years from now. Choosing to work out and be healthy today will affect how you feel on your 80th birthday.

If this sounds like pressure, it shouldn’t. It’s opportunity. There are choices you can make right now to help you become healthier, happier and better.

What are you waiting for?

Master Chris Santillo

Potomac Kempo

Potomac Kempo - Story