All posts by jpmartialartsacademy
AUGUST 2016 STUDENT OF THE MONTH: JAYSMAR LOPEZ
We are pleased to announce that Jaysmar Lopez is our August 2016 Student of the Month. Congratulations, Jaysmar!
Our Student of the Month for August is Jaysmar Lopez. Jaysmar is 9 years old, and has his Green belt in Karate. He is working on his Purple Belt. Jaysmar was seven years old when he first began karate classes. Jaysmar lives with his family in Mattapan, and he learned about JP Martial Arts because he and his Mom drove by the school frequently and saw classes going on through the window. Jaysmar wanted to learn how to defend himself, so one day he came in with his Mom and signed up for classes.
Jaysmar says he likes sparring and the weapons class the best. In Kobudo (weapons class) he is working on his nanchaku skills and kata. He says learning kata is the most challenging thing for him about karate. Jaysmar recently came back to karate class after taking a break for a while, and we are very happy to have him back. Jaysmar says he is very happy with the classes, the teachers, and the friends he has made.
Sensei David has this to say about Jaysmar: “Jaysmar has been with us for over two years. He is an excellent student and also a scrappy student. He trains hard and lets nothing hold him back during training. He is also one of the nicest students we have; more recently he has been helping new students learn techniques. Jaysmar took a break and he was missed. It’s great having him back and training. Congratulations Jaysmar and keep up the great work!!”
STUDENT OF THE MONTH: DAN DOUGLAS
We are pleased to announce that Dan Douglas is our July 2016 Student of the Month. Congratulations, Dan!
Dan Douglas started training Brazilian Jiu Jitsu at JPMAA in January of this year. This is Dan’s first experience with any form of martial arts. His son, Brandon, was one of our first students in the kids program when we opened in 2013. Watching Brandon training for the past three years made him want to join also. It took Dan almost 3 years of watching his son train and telling himself that he wanted to do it.
Here’s what Dan has to say about his experience:
“I kept making excuses for myself and pushing it off, but once I finally started it was the best decision that I could have made – I just wish I did it sooner!
I first learned about JPMAA when I was living in Jamaica Plain and happened to stop in with my son in 2012 while the place was still being put together. I signed him up for classes and it has been part of our lives for 3 years now.
I love the discipline and commitment BJJ has. I love that BJJ can have certain goals that I can achieve, but also a lifetime of learning that I can keep growing on. I love learning new things and sometimes pushing my body to different limits, and BJJ can do all of this for me.
Training in martial arts has helped me feel better about myself mentally and physically. Every week I really look forward to going to class and learning new things. Also the energy I get from just excising. I could never really get into exercising at the gym or at home because I would just get bored of the same old thing, but with martial arts I am always learning new things and putting them to use in class.
The staff, students and atmosphere are all my favorite things about JPMAA. It really feels like a home away from home for me when I am training. The whole staff make it a great place to train and learn, and it shows with all the respect that everyone gets and gives.
My goal for training is to stay fit and look as young as I feel. Also I feel like after joining that I have a life long goal in martial arts. I want to make this part of my life and keeping training, experience new things and learn as much as possible.
I would just like to thank you for choosing me for student of the month, it really means a lot to me. I want to thank all the other students and teachers that make this experience so good for me.”
STUDENT OF THE MONTH: TWYLA SCHRAN
JP Martial Arts September 2015 Student of the Month
We are pleased to announce that Twyla Schran is our September Student of the Month.
This month’s Student of the Month, Twyla Schran, is 16 years old, and a Junior at Meridian Academy here in Jamaica Plain. She earned her Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Blue Belt this summer at the age of 16 – the youngest age a student is allowed to earn a Blue Belt, by IBJJF rules. Twyla also trains in Karate at another dojo, where she is a Junior Black Belt (the black belt for those who go through the kids program; the next step is the adult Brown Belt).
Twyla is an all-around martial artist. She is strong and flexible, because she strives to be very technical, she is fun and challenging to roll with, and a great competitor.
We asked Twyla to share some of her thoughts about her training in martial arts, BJJ, and at JP Martial Arts.
When did you first begin training at JPMAA?
I started in the fall of 2013. I had been wanting to try out BJJ for a while beforehand, but never got around to signing up. Then my best friend started classes at JPMAA (back when it was Mass Bay BJJ) and the opportunity to train with her was the motivation I needed to check it out. I’ve been in love with the sport ever since.
Do you train primarily BJJ or Karate, or both?
That’s an interesting question for my case. I’ll have to go with both.
Do you have prior martial arts experience in your life?
Yes, I’ve been training in American Kenpo karate (at a separate dojo) for almost seven years now. I love how complimentary it is to train both striking and grappling martial arts.
What motivated you to want to start training in martial arts?
Honestly at first karate was just an after school program that seemed interesting. Like, homework club on Mondays, crafts club on Tuesdays, karate on Wednesdays. Why not? I took the classes on and off and didn’t really get into it until fourth grade, when a boy (who trained with the same dojo much more intensely that I did) overheard me talking about karate to a friend, and he walked over and told me that girls can’t do karate. That was when I got my act together.
How did you first learn about JP Martial Arts Academy?
I live very close by! My family watched its gradual assembly, and it was downright tantalizing having a martial arts studio that near to where we live. I love being able to walk to and from classes.
What do you like most about training in the martial arts? Everything. Even the parts that are less fun, or even painful, really only help build confidence and toughness. I like knowing what I’m capable of. I love moving and being active. And the mental puzzles that you have to solve while rolling or doing kata or learning new technique… it’s so satisfying to accomplish goals, and to be able to watch yourself progress and develop as a martial artist.
How has training in martial arts changed or improved your life?
I was a very shy kid. Starting karate made me more comfortable with myself, more confident. I became less afraid of making noise and taking up space. And that’s really only gotten more and more prominent as time has gone by. Criticism doesn’t freak me out as much as it used to. I have a mental toughness that I can only attribute to martial arts. I don’t get intimidated very easily anymore… I’ve even found that talking to new people is easier as I’ve gotten more confidence in myself. But maybe even more importantly than the knowledge that I can take a beating and still be strong enough to keep going, is the patience that comes from spending hours practicing and meditating. It’s harder to get angry, to hold grudges. A lot of that part comes from jiu jitsu. You know, being able to roll with the flow.
What do you like the most about training at JPMAA?
The environment, everyone is so friendly and open. The karate dojo I come from takes the “martial” part of martial arts very seriously. Rules and protocol all over the place. The transition to a dojo where you can really talk with the senseis during class was bizarre.
What are your goals for your training?
I’ve recently been competing through NAGA (North American Grappling Association) and the IBJJF (International Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Federation), and I really enjoyed it. I want to compete a lot more, maybe even travel a bit, to roll with people who train differently than I do and to see more of the huge community of BJJ. Other than that, I just want to get stronger and learn more, there’s always more to improve on.
JP Martial Arts owner and head instructor David Shim has this to say about Tywla:
Twyla has been with us since the early days of our school. I would often see her training with her mother Elin in our BJJ classes with our previous instructor. I could tell that Twyla was serious, and I also learned that she has a black belt in Karate at another dojo. I have had the pleasure of teaching her BJJ for the last 10 months or so, and I have learned what a strong competitor she is (and also how flexible and physically strong she is!). This past summer, Twyla turned 16 and we were able to award her Blue Belt. As a Blue Belt, Twyla has competed in a NAGA competition and the IBJJF Boston Open, winning second and first place respectively in her division. In the recent Boston Open tournament, Twyla submitted her opponent (who had traveled from Brazil for this competition and who was ranked 3rd in her division there). The submission took 43 seconds. Twyla is hard working, humble, and earnest. I enjoy rolling with her, and I look forward to helping her train for future events. Needless to say, she represents us well!
Congratulations Twyla!!
STUDENT OF THE MONTH: ANGELA JOHNSON
We are pleased to announce that ANGELA JOHNSON is our JPMAA June Student of the Month.
Angela has been with our Dojo since we opened in 2013. She came in wanting to do kick boxing; we did not have that class but she liked the karate classes. Angela began at White belt, but because she had had previous martial arts experience and knew Kata (especially the Heians) she quickly earned her Green Belt. Angela received her promotion to Purple Belt in May 2014. She Is liked and respected by all as an excellent training partner and a formidable sparring opponent!
We asked Angela some questions about her training and her experience at JPMAA:
When did you first begin training at JPMAA (or Mass Bay BJJ)?
I joined in January 2013. I started out with a free trial and then I never left!
Do you train primarily BJJ or Karate, or both?
Primarily Karate.
Do you have prior martial arts experience?
Yes; I started out in Tae Kwon Do when I was 11 years old and did that for around a year before having to let it go. In the eighth grade, my school district brought in martial arts as a PE substitute and I was able to continue doing MA through this program called Kickstart, which is affiliated with a style called Chun Kuk Do. I trained in Chun Kuk Do from 13 to 17 and advanced to red belt before, unfortunately, burning out. I also did competition sparring, kata, and demo.
What motivated you to first start training in martial arts?
Actually, my mother put me in martial arts (and swimming) as a way to deal with asthma. Being that I was obsessed with martial arts as a movie genre, I thought it was a great idea.
How did you first learn about JP Martial Arts Academy?
I’ve lived in JP since Aug 2012 and would walk past the dojo while it was in its building stages. I made a mental note of checking it out at the beginning of the following year.
What do you like most about training in Karate?
I like training in karate because I think there’s something really beautiful about going through steps for kata and then exhibiting hidden strength through sparring. I think my explanation makes kata and sparring sound like they’re worlds apart when they’re really two sides of the same coin.
How has training in martial arts changed or improved your life?
I think it’s made me a calmer, more centered person and has allowed me a positive space to channel emotions. Having martial arts in my life really helped me keep myself in check as a teenager.
What do you like the most about training at JPMAA?
I like the open, familial atmosphere. JPMAA is definitely a come-as-you-are dojo, and I’ve never felt uncomfortable or judged for how I look, how I present myself, etc. I think of my dojo mates as family.
What are your goals for your training?
Mentally: Patience and persistence. I can be a bit impatient, which is why I often try to learn many other things at the same time, which causes my actual goals for the next belt to fall by the wayside. Training kind of forces me to remember that I am not involved in a race and that if I am to learn something well, it will take time. Physically: Locking down some kata for one of my weapons (tonfa and bow).
JP Martial Arts owner and head instructor David Shim has this to say about Angela:
She works hard in class and I know that she has had to balance a college and graduate student life with her training. No small task that! She is a fierce competitor and she is known as “Killer 4” (“Killer” is a title that has developed for those of the female students in our school who when you go against them, you know you are in for a butt whoopin’). Angela is a terrific student and training partner. If you want to know where the holes are in your stand up game, spar with Angela and she will be more than happy to show you!!
Congratulations Angela!!!!
BRAZILIAN JIU-JITSU TAKEDOWN SEMINAR: FRIDAY JUNE 19TH
BRAZILIAN JIU-JITSU TAKEDOWN SEMINAR:
GEORGE “GORO” BIRKADZE
FRIDAY JUNE 19TH 2015 AT 4-5PM
GEORGE BIRKADZE is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and MMA Instructor at Combat Sports, Boston. He has a Black Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, as well as Black Belts in Sambo and Judo. George is also a dancer and teaches ballet.
PRICE: 20$
TO REGISTER: CALL OR STOP BY JP MARTIAL ARTS ACADEMY.
KIDS CLASSES!
TIP OF THE WEEK
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MARCH Student of the Month: Jennifer Tisdell
Jennifer Tisdell: JP Martial Arts Student of the Month
JP Martial Arts Academy is pleased to name Jennifer Tisdell as our March Student of the Month. 
Jen was one of the first people to walk through the Academy door when we first opened in January 2013, and she quickly became one our most dedicated students. She originally walked in for the first class of the Saturday morning self-defense series offered at the time. She had no prior experience, but had had an interest in karate as a child. Jen also said that because she takes the T and walks everywhere, she had been thinking about looking for some self-defense classes, when one day she walked past our newly opened Academy and came in to try out self-defense class. Not long after that Jen took her first Karate class, her first Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu class, and became one of our first members in February 2013.
Jen has continued to train in both Karate and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. She earned her both her BJJ Blue Belt and her Karate Purple belt in September 2014.
Jen says, “What I like most about training in martial arts is the varied exercise and the fact that I’m learning something new every time I attend class. Martial arts training has allowed me to continue to exercise regularly without getting bored. Also, I have had the opportunity to meet people that have a similar interest as I do and make new friends. My confidence and awareness have gotten stronger since I began training; I feel I have confidence to avoid unwanted situations.
“I love the instructors and the other students and JPMAA. The instructors are knowledgeable and helpful, and the Academy has a very collaborative, friendly and relaxed atmosphere. After a busy and stressful day at work, I know I will have a great workout.” As an added note, last year Jen moved from Medford to Jamaica Plain to be closer to the dojo. That’s dedication!
Jen’s goals for her training include continuing to learn the history of martial arts and to become stronger and make the movements a part of her everyday life. She also plans to continue her training to earn her Black belts in both Karate and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
This is what David Shim, JPMAA owner and Head Instructor has to say about Jen:
“Jen is an awesome student. Since the start of our school she has taken both karate and BJJ. She has a blue belt in BJJ in a purple belt in karate. She works diligently and attends so many classes. When she can she helps with the little kids which is always appreciated. I look forward to her attaining higher belts.”
JPMAA extends our sincere congratulations to Jen for her achievements to date, and we look forward to helping you continue your martial arts journey at JP Martial Arts. Congratulations for being named our March Student of the Month!
JP MARTIAL ARTS ACADEMY 