Proper training in the martial arts can help people learn the traits and skills that will make them successful in their lives.  Regular practice with mindfulness, focus, calmness and perseverance over time leads to amazing life-skills and healthy habits that affect many aspects of our lives.  Experts have uncovered the traits that lead people to success, and they can ALL be gained in the dojo or martial arts gym. 
Recent studies have been done by psychologists and psychiatrists to find out which character traits are shared by successful people.  They found that, aside from natural potential like intelligence and talent, three personality traits were key.  These are:
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Conscientiousness – Conscientious people are careful about the things they do.  They are organized, plan ahead, arrive on time, have a thoughtful and careful approach to things, stick to their schedule, set goals and do everything possible to achieve them. 
Grit – People with ‘grit’ are willing to work hard and “grind” through challenges.  They rise to the level that life throws at them and are driven to succeed despite hardship.  Gritty people get the job done.
Courageous Control – Also known as ‘Fearless Dominance’, people with courageous control can stay calm under pressure and get the job done.  They are not intimidated by situations or people and navigate through difficult challenges.  With structure and a sense of honor, these people tend to be very successful and great leaders. 
These traits are all woven into the classes at ZenQuest. In fact, THAT is what ‘ZenQuest’ is all about!  We might use slightly different words and even hide some of these principles for kids, but they are there: 

Mindfulness – This is just another way of saying conscientiousness.  We talk about mindfulness and mindful movement a lot in our classes.  Essentially, once you step on the mats everything you do should be done with focus, purpose and care.  This leads to focus, purpose and care in our daily lives over time. 
Perseverance – In training we often refer to ‘grit’ as perseverance.   This is an essential part of any martial art worth it’s salt.  In order to be successful in Karate, Muay Thai, Jiu-jitsu or MMA, hard work and dedication is required.  Some martial arts schools promote students on a schedule regardless of their progress and growth, but rank or status should be earned and not given.   In Okinawan, grit is called ‘gambarimas.’  There is a saying there that highlights their approach to challenges in life ”fall down seven times, stand up eight times.”
Calm Focus – Most martial arts incorporate practicing to be calm and focused in training or courageous control.  In Thai Kickboxing they call this ‘sabai.’  In Okinawan Karate they call it ‘fudoshin’, and in Brazilian Jiu-jitsu it’s called ‘tranquillo.’  In each art the idea is the same, to be very calm and methodical under pressure.  Although this can be challenging at times, it allows a person to perform well regardless of what difficulties are put in front of them.

Cultivating traits like mindfulness, perseverance, and calm focus are essential for being successful in the martial arts and in LIFE!  This applies to people of any age, but is especially important for children.  Establishing these qualities early can improve the quality of life, for the rest of their lives.  Through dedication and regular training in the Dojo these important life-skills can be learned and reinforced.

On Saturday, October 26 Demian Maia earned bragging rights by defeating Ben Askren.  The bout was Demian’s 26th time in the octagon and the main event of the UFC’s Fight Night in Singapore.  Maia’s game plan and execution was nothing short of brilliant, solidifying his place in grappling and MMA history.
Demian spent the majority of the first two rounds using striking to keep Askren at a distance.  Although known for world class Jiu-jitsu, Demian had the edge striking and landed several strong punches in that mode.  This forced Ben to resort to trying to take Demian down, which Maia more successfully sabotaged early on.  About half way through the third round Askren took Demian down, and the BJJ master went to work.  After blocking Ben from achieving a dominant position, Maia put Ben on his back and started working towards the mount.  As Demian slowly gained position Ben ‘bellied out’ and turned his back to Maia.  Demian eventually sunk the rear choke in and Ben began to tap right as he passed out. 
Demian’s strategy of keeping the fight standing and frustrating Ben with strikes was a great way to deplete Askren’s gas tank as the bout progressed.  Forcing Askren to struggle for the takedown also took their toll on the wrestler so that, when the inevitable grappling match on the ground came, Maia was not only more skilled, but was also fresher. 
This was Demian’s 27th win in MMA and 11th submission finish in the UFC.  With that, Maia surpasses Royce Gracie in total submissions, moving him into second place behind Charles Oliveira at 13.  Congratulations to professor Demian on an incredible win!

Round 4!  ZenQuest is offering another round of sponsorships for it’s fight team!  Sponsoring the team is a great way to support the fighters, coaches and gym...AND a way to get your own name out there, too.  Fight-team sponsorship funds are used to cover expenses including training, travel, meals, licensing fees and equipment.  With several new fighters preparing to make debuts soon, these sponsorships are super important.
In addition to the pride and satisfaction associated with helping Team ZenQuest in pursuing it’s goals, sponsors are recognized in several ways.  Frist, sponsors are displayed in ZenQuest’s monthly newsletter, on our social media platforms, and on the front page of the ZenQuest website.  Next, sponsor names or logos are included on all “fight banners”, which are proudly displayed at each event that the fight team participates in, and at other special events.  Sponsors also appear on "Walkout" style T-shirts worn by the fighters, coaches, and supporters at competitive events, and for interviews and other appearances. 
There are several different levels of sponsorships available.  They range from those appropriate for individuals, to something more for businesses or groups.  Higher levels offer more opportunities for advertising and exposure for businesses. 
This is your chance to support the premier MMA fight team of the Berkshires!  To arrange for a team sponsorship contact coach Connie or Mark in person or call 413-637-0656.  Sponsorships of similar levels are placed based on a first come first served basis. 

We do our best to provide a clean, positive, healthy and safe training environment for everyone.  We also encourage everyone to lead a healthy and productive life to the best of their ability.  With that, we discourage smoking and do not allow smoking in or around the facilities.  This includes vaping, e-cigarettes or any other type of smoking.  Students who do choose to smoke should not do so immediately before training, as this may interfere with their immersion and introduce unneeded risks for them and others.  Students should also be considerate and take steps to insure that they, their uniforms, and their training gear do not smell of any kind of smoke.  We appreciate your cooperation and understanding on this issue.

To keep pace with ever increasing expenses, the tuition at ZenQuest is being adjusted slightly.  The basic adult tuition will increase by $10 per month, with typical discounts for three, six or twelve month enrollments and Easy Pay.  The basic children’s tuitions and basic adult family rate will increase by $5 per month.  Children’s family rates will remain unchanged. 
These tuition rates will take affect November 1st, 2019.  All payments before then will be under the old rates, so students and parents may want to consider taking advantage and committing to longer enrollments up to that point.  This is also a good time to consider enrolling in our Easy Pay payment plan.  Doing so will lock in existing tuition rates for as long as you remain enrolled in it. 
To enroll in Easy Pay or for any questions related to tuition please contact us or stop at the front desk.  Thanks.

Our super popular ZenQuest sweatshirts will be available again soon!  These are black with the school name on the front, and our three core martial arts noted on the back.  They will be available in children’s and adult’s sizes up to XXL at a costs of $45 each.  T-shirts with the same design will also be available in the next order for $28 each.
New custom Karate Gis will also soon be available.  These will be high quality uniforms similar to those we’ve done in the past, but will now feature three patches rather than printed designs.  We expect these to be available within the next 8 to 10 weeks at a cost $70 each.
We also have custom ZenQuest ‘Board Shorts’ and training shirts or rashguards available at $45 each.
Please let us know if you’d like to pre-order any of the items coming.  Special thanks to everyone who has pre-ordered for being patient.

ZenQuest’s Muay Thai Guru, Mark DellaGrotte, dropped in for a two hour seminar back on Saturday, September 28th.  As always, he provided an incredible opportunity to learn about the ‘Art of Eight Limbs’ that is Muay Thai.  About twenty students showed up for the two hour clinic, which proved to be packed with important principles and strategies of the art.
Among the material covered in the clinic were eight essential defensive tactics like knee blocks, leg checks, parrying, pivoting, ‘hollowing-out’ and ‘fading’ or leaning back.  Toward the end of the seminar Kru Mark had the participants drill something he calls the ‘Vegas Shuffle’ where one partner would ask the other for combinations of punches and kicks and then throw an attack towards them to get them to execute one of the essential defensive maneuvers covered earlier.
At the end of the clinic, Kru Mark had Coaches Connie and Mark demonstrate a short version of a ceremonial ritual called the ‘Wai Kru’ for the group.  This is a traditional dance like routine to show respect to ones teacher and organization.  When the demonstration was over Kru Mark promoted Coaches Connie and Mark to Blue Monkol (headband.)  Kru Mark also asked them to accompany him on his next trip to Thailand in 2020!
Thanks to everyone who participated in this amazing training, and congratulations to Coaches Connie and Mark!

Demian Maia will step into the UFC octagon for the 26th time soon to face Ben Askren.  Askren, with a record of 19-1, is a grappler with heavy wrestling experience.  This should prove to be an interesting challenge for the Jiu-jitsu wizard, who’s made wrestling a big part of his strategies in recent times.  Twelve of Demian’s 26 wins in the Octagon  have been by submission. The bout will be the main event in the UFC’s Fight Night on October 26 in Singapore.
This could be Demian’s last MMA fight, capping off a long career of using Jiu-jitsu and essentially ‘restraining’ many of the best fighters in the world.  This after a very successful run in grappling competition, earning five world titles and winning the prestigious ADCC. 
Best of luck to professor Demian in Singapore!

The Back-to-School season is here and so is the time to start planning for activities for the kids.  The fall and winter seasons have historically been the busiest time for children’s classes at ZenQuest.  During this time we do our best to organize those classes to ensure a healthy and positive environment for everyone and ask parents to do their part by designating which classes their kids will be attending.   
This year we’ll be doing our children’s ‘Fall Registration’ a little differently  For many years we have sent a packet to families via ‘snail-mail’ and, in more recent times by email, too.  Now, for the first time, we’re eliminating the snail-mail and going electronic!  This should be more efficient for everyone and reduce paperwork in the process. 
We recently sent an email to all families with students aged 14 and under.  The email included a link to our website where parents can indicate class choices for their kids during the busy season.  Forms were also included for those who prefer to simply complete hard copies or return them via email.  These forms are also available at the ZenQuest front desk for your convenience.
 Parents can visit the website or submit forms at any time now that the link is up, but early registration is encouraged due to the anticipated volume of students this year.  Classes are being filled on a ‘first come, first served’ basis, and indicating which classes are preferred in a timely manner is the best way to reserve classes for kids.  This applies to ALL youth students, whether new, returning or already attending classes.  For new or returning students, registration must be validated with tuition payment.   
A current class schedule will be included in the information provided, but we don’t expect any changes to the schedule of children’s classes at this time.  Remember that ‘Partial Participation’ discounts are reserved for students age eight years old and younger.  Kids age thirteen or older are eligible to attend unlimited Adult classes including Karate, Jiu-jitsu, Thai Kickboxing, and Strength & Conditioning. 
Please let us know if you have any questions about any of this, and look for your Fall Enrollment email soon.  We will look forward to another great season of fun and learning at the oldest and best martial arts school in the Berkshires!!

For the third year in a row, ZenQuest has been voted “Best Martial Arts Academy” in the Berkshires!  The honor came by way of the areas biggest news publication, the ‘Berkshire Eagle.’  The Eagle boast a total audience of over 200,000 between their print and online presence.  Every year they ask their readership to vote on local businesses to determine which are best in the area.  We were surprised to receive the award in 2017, partly because we weren’t fully aware that ‘Best Martial Arts Academy’ was a category. 
This is an amazing honor when one considers that there are about twenty martial arts schools and clubs in Berkshire County.  When asked about why he thinks ZenQuest is considered best, co-owner and chief instructor Mark Flynn said “We just do all we can to provide the best facility, environment and instruction possible for our students.  We especially pride ourselves on having a friendly and positive environment for everyone. It probably doesn’t hurt to have affiliations with some of the best organizations in the world for each of the martial arts we provide, too!”