The Summer Zombie’s

Hey FC Parents and Kids,

A lot of you have been talking about the issue of kids and the amount of screen time that consumes their days over the summer. Here are a few tips for keeping screen time to a minimum.

Remember that the Systema Youth Program continues right till August 11th this year – So keep bring the kids for training.

Tips to Keep Screen Time to a Minimum 

Consciously and with purpose use your screen. Try to avoid using your screen as a habit of something to just pass the time. If you need to pass the time, look outside, go for a walk, read a book, draw, paint, close your eyes… the list is endless.

Set some boundaries for time. If you just want to watch something for a laugh, set a timer for a specific time. Again, you are adding more of a conscious decision to this.

Set boundaries for your subject. If you need to research something go ahead, but avoid the rabbit hole.

Keep stock of your kid’s emotions before and after screen time. If you notice a big difference you need to act.

Try to project into the future 10 years if you’d like this photo to be put on social media.

You as a parent, need to also be mindful of your own screen time. Kids notice everything. They hear and see everything. If you want them to have minimal screen time, then you have to do it yourself as well.

Have a good discussion about the dangers of social media as well.  Bulling, sexting, online predators are all important points to cover.

Have screen-free times set in your daily routine. For example, no screens at the dinner table. No screens at bedtime. On the weekend, if the weeknights are too hectic, have time together to explore the beach, the park, a board game, paint or draw together, read a good book together, etc.

Hope this helps,

emmanuel

No One Sits on the Bench

Many kids have the chance to experience the benefits of Martial Arts early on, however a big number of children abandon their martial arts training when reaching the teen years in order to participate in school sports.

Although there are many lessons to be learned from team and individual varsity sports, the ‘make the team’ model often favors the more physically developed players while alienating the late bloomers.

Coaches have access to a endless supply of players that renews itself each year, the big and strong get picked and get to play while the less physically developed watch from the bench, this leads to a even greater disparity in skill development as the season goes by.

At the FightClub , our mats are packed while the benches are empty, all kids get equal ‘playing time’. Naturally some kids develop their skills and physical abilities earlier than others but we personally find that many kids who start out with underdeveloped athletic attributes such as strength, speed and size, end up blooming onto some of the finest technicians we have in all of our programs.

If your child is an athletic wonder who is able to stay ahead of the game with his natural talents, athletics may very well bring out the best in him or her. But if your child’s full of potential to be nurtured through disciplined and diligent training then bring them for Systema training at FightClub.

Parents talk to your friends and neighbours – If they have kids between the ages of 5-14 getting them to try classes in the summer, don’t wait till September. Just forward them this email (systema@fight-club.ca) or give them my number (416-200-0200) and have them call me directly. 

Summer Training & Trying Archery

Hey FC Parents,

School may have end but not FightClub! Training and fun continue throughout most of the summer break. So keep bring the kids for training …

Plus …

Many of you have asked me about having your kids try archery over the summer break. The month of July is the perfect time! If you know anyone who would be interested in Archery please forward them this email.

Now is the time to begin your archery journey!

For more information about the Archery Program please visit my website at http://www.fight-club.ca/toronto-archery/. Forward them this email and have them contact me at archery@fight-club.ca

How to get started?

Step 1: e-mail: archery@fight-club.ca with request to participate in the archery program

Step 2: Complete 2 – 60 minutes -Introductory Archery lessons – Cost is $100 (Bow and arrows provided)

Step 3: Successfully complete our Archery Club Safety Test

Step 4: Sign up and become a full member to use the range and participate in Friday training session (in September).

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The Introductory Archery Sessions at FightClub are designed to provide those who have never experienced archery to start from the beginning and get basics of shooting including; General Archery Information, Ten Basic Steps to Shooting, Equipment Advice, Range Etiquette and Safety Rules.

Lessons are open to adults and children (8 years of age and over). The beauty of archery is that it is open to all children & adults of any ability.

Hope to see you on the range!

emmanuel

Canada Day Long Weekend

Hey FC Kids & Parents,

This weekend is looking great. Hope you get outdoors and enjoy it. The youth classes will be closed this Saturday and Monday for the Canada Day Long weekend.  

Don’t Make Your Kids Narrow

We live in a world of increasing specialization. Doctors don’t even specialize in oncology anymore, now they specialize in particular cancers.

Make sense, right? Hard skills, clear roles, every single thing pointed toward that one goal. There is no doubt this is good for a resume. But it turns out it’s not necessarily good for a kid’s brain or their future.

Kids need to learn a variety of things and how to make connections between them. You can see by the way I teach the kids at FightClub that creativity and variety in classes is one of my hallmarks.

Modern work demands knowledge transfer: the ability to apply knowledge to new situations and different domains… Research on thousands of adults in six industrializing nations found that exposure to modern work with self-directed problem solving and nonrepetitive challenges was correlated with being “cognitively flexible.”

And this is what we see in top performers. Yes, they specialize, but they have wide-ranging interests, providing a good amount of mental crop rotation to keep their cognitive soil fertile.

Ever meet someone who is a total one-trick pony? Great at their role, terrible at everything else? Don’t let your kid be that. Bring them to Systema Training at FightClub and expose them to a great variety of skills and knowledge that far exceeds other activities they will do this summer.

See you on the mats,

emmanuel