The ‘Back-To-School’ season is here again and at ZenQuest that means organizing our children’s classes for the busy season.  We do this in order to keep reasonable limits on these classes and insure a positive experience for each student.  After an unusually busy summer it is more important than ever for parents and older kids to reserve their classes at this time.
Youth students and parents must notify us at their earliest convenience which classes they will be continuing with this fall.  Starting September 1st, student lists will be created for each youth class in the schedule, with limited space available.  So, it is essential that we get you onto the appropriate class lists.  Students aged thirteen years or older are eligible to transition to Adult classes (including Karate, Jiu-jitsu, Thai Kickboxing, and Strength & Conditioning.)  These classes do not need to be reserved. 
Students and parents can reserve their classes by any of the following ways:
¨    By speaking to someone directly at the front desk
¨    By sending an email to train@zenquestmac.com
¨    By calling us at 413-637-0656
 
Please remember that class reservations and lists are made on a ‘first come first served’ basis.  Waiting lists will be generated for classes that reached their limit.  Students who are not able to attend their first choice for classes right away are encouraged to choose alternative classes until space opens up in their preferred classes.
Also, remember that class reservations will only be effective with an active student enrollment.  Reservations for students not currently enrolled must be accompanied with tuition payment to restart the student’s membership.  Remember, too, that ‘Partial Participation’ discounts are reserved for students age seven years old and younger.
As of September 1st, youth students will be limited to a maximum of three classes per week in each program.  This is to balance enthusiastic individual attendance with allowing a maximum number of students to attend.  Also, parents and students need to be careful to prevent ‘burnout’ in younger students.  This still allows most students to attend as much as six classes per week between Karate and Jiu-jitsu.  
We are still using precautionary sanitizing and cleaning, and asking students to exercise intelligent personal care (refraining from attending classes when sick.)  Face coverings remain optional and students who are more comfortable wearing them are encouraged to do so.  With these measures students can safely reap the benefits of the learning, physical activity, and socialization at ZenQuest. 
There are no changes to the current class schedule, except that Cobras students will have the option to attend the Friday evening Uechi-Ryu class.  As always, please let us know if you have any questions or concerns going forward. We will look forward to another great season of fun and learning at the oldest and best martial arts school in the Berkshires!!

The next round of ‘Advanced Concepts’ clinics for Karate and Muay Thai are scheduled as follows:

• Uechi-Ryu Karate (Brown Belt and above) -- Saturday, September 23
• Sityodtong Muay Thai (3-Stripe White Prajiet and above) -- Saturday, September 30

 
These clinics are a great opportunity for our intermediate and advanced students to practice advanced techniques and strategies in their chosen art.  ZenQuest’s AC clinics are provided to enrolled students at no extra cost. All eligible students are encouraged to attend.
 

The ZenQuest building will soon be getting a fresh coat of paint!  Repairs and preparations are currently being made to the structure’s wood siding so that new paint can be applied.  This is no small feat as the building is about equal to two average sized houses. 
For years the property had been somewhat neglected under it’s previous owners.  However, in December of 2021 ZenQuest officially became the owner of the building, and repairs and improvements began almost immediately.  Along with the painting effort other projects are also in the works, including soon there will be a new front entrance door!   
The entire painting project is scheduled to be completed in 2024.  The current goal is to complete half of the project this year and the second half next year.  When completed the building will be a darker blue with white trim.  Students should feel good about the efforts being made to bring them the best facility possible for their training.
Special thanks to Matt Moreau for his help with this!

Many people begin their martial arts journey with energy and enthusiasm.  They may have a goal of getting into better shape, gain self-defense skills, or achieving to a certain belt level.  Many students will quit before ever really getting to their goals, though.  This can happen for different reasons.  Let’s take a look at some secrets to making real progress and getting to your goals in the martial arts.
Regular Attendance - Probably the single most important thing that we can do to be successful in the martial arts is simply attend classes on a regular basis.  Most of us are able to look at our schedule and pick two or three times each week that we can set aside for training.  Even with a busy schedule or rotating work shifts, we can usually sort it out from week to week to get our training time in.   
Support System - Having friends and family that support, or at least accept your commitment to the martial arts is critical   to your success.  Sometimes the people close to us need to be reminded that this is important to us, reduces our stress, and keeps us physically and mentally healthy.  Regular training will improve the quality of our lives and the lives around us, and  help us live longer, too. 
Positive Attitude - At any point in our journey it’s important to keep a positive outlook on our training, our partners, and our teachers. We all have bad days now and then, but a bad attitude is a direct line to failure.  Being optimistic and bringing some enthusiasm to training will not only keep our own energy up, but contribute to an environment that people enjoy being in.
Coachability - One key to longevity in the martial arts is the ability to listen to constructive input from our coaches and senior students. Sometimes we have a tendency to shut down when someone tries to help us improve because we feel like we already know it or just prefer another way.  But, we need to remember that people with more experience probably know a little more and can help us to improve. Instead of shutting down we need to see these as an opportunity to grow and get better.
Adaptability - Most of us do start our martial arts journey with some goals in mind.  These can vary from one person to the next, but will very likely change as we progress.  It is important to adjust our goals periodically, especially once we achieve intermediate and advanced levels in our training.  It is very common to get to a certain level in our training and get to the ’_____ Belt Blues.’  This can happen at any of the levels we reach, but it is usually just a time when we need to refocus and grind through whatever is getting us down.  The best goal to have is to simply enjoy the training and realize that it will improve the quality of our lives and the lives around us.
We may be faced with other challenges in our training over time including changes to the gym, staff, or training partners. Having the ability to adjust and adapt to these will enable us to continue to enjoy the benefits of training for many years.
Surviving Setbacks - From time to time things will happen that will make it difficult or even impossible to train.  This can be an injury or illness, financial challenges, or a change in our family life.  Usually, with some effort, we can work around the setback and continue to train.  In a case where this just isn’t possible, we should focus on working through our situation and do our best to return to training as soon as we can.
Working Through Valleys - Our progress in the martial arts will rarely be in a straight line. Instead, it will be filled with peaks, valleys, and plateaus along the way. Some days we will be bursting with energy and feel like we’re making great progress.  On others we will feel like we’re wasting our time or even slipping backwards.  The crazy thing is that often in the times when we feel like we’re doing poorly that we are learning the most, and we are likely on the verge of real progress. Remember that identifying a need for improvement is the first step toward improving.  Adults can generally deal with this well, but when children have a bad day or experience a bit of burnout they may feel like they don’t ever want to train again.  In this case their parents can help them understand the peaks and valleys and encourage them to continue.
Minimize Drama - Since the martial arts are based in human interactions, we all need to keep healthy relationships with our training partners and instructors.  This means being friends with the people there, but also...keeping them in the ’friend zone’.  It is not healthy developing feuds with other students or instructors, OR flirting with or dating other students.  This kind of thing will likely result in one or more students leaving the gym.  Students should also avoid falling into ’cliques’ of friends as this will alienate other students and often breed negativity. 
Sometimes a student will enter the dojo who has a personal culture of toxicity.  Sometimes that student will start out saying and doing the right things.  However, before long they reveal themselves to be someone who enjoys causing drama and making trouble in the gym.  When someone begins to do this it is OK to try to gently correct the situation but, if that doesn’t work it’s best to inform an instructor and let them handle it.  These students usually wind up leaving the gym.  
Stay Humble - As we gain more experience we need to stay grounded and be careful not to let the skills and abilities we gain go to our head. This is especially true when we naturally start to take on some leadership responsibilities in our art.  As a more experienced student it is important that we model good technique, behavior, and attitude in training. As someone who newer students will look to as an example, we should carry ourselves in a way that is ’down to earth’ and helpful towards others.
Patience - In long term training we may be faced with some disappointments or frustrations. These can be anything from not receiving a stripe or belt when we think we should, to simply feeling like we’re not progressing the way we should.  The best thing to do when this happens is relax and refocus on what we can do to make that thing that we want happen, and less on the expectation that we’ve given ourselves.  As long as we do our best to follow the habits noted and enjoy the training, the rest will take care of itself!

ZenQuest kicked off another round of it’s Advanced Concepts clinics on Saturday, August 29 with AC Jiu-jitsu.  This time the focus was on something called ‘Shoulder Guard’ where an opponent can be controlled by locking the shoulder from a ‘Butterfly’ position.  From there different positions and submissions can be set up and executed. 
At the end of the mini-seminar some students were leveled-up based on hard work and dedication, including: Levi Giumarra to 1-Stripe Yellow/White belt, Andy McMahon to Blue Belt, Borey Booker to 1-Stripe Blue Belt, Jennifer Somerville to 3-Stripe Blue Belt, Herb Gregg to Brown Belt, and Matt Gerlitz to 3-Stripe Brown Belt. Congratulations to all!

By Prof. Mark
 
I recently traveled to Miami, Florida for the 2023 Demian Maia Affiliate training camp.  The camp went from July 6th to 10th with several hours of intense training each day.  The training consisted mostly of advanced Jiu-jitsu strategies, but also focused on business and marketing principles for success in running a martial arts gym.  Now that Demian has retired from fighting in the UFC, he is more focused on growing his own academy, and helping his affiliates do the same. 
This camp was amazing in many ways. I was able to reconnect with some guys that I haven't seen since before COVID.  I was also able to meet some new friends, and that's always great. 
The training was incredible.  It included takedowns, positioning and submissions of course.  In many cases Demian drew upon his extensive experience in Mixed Martial Arts to refine and improve strategies in Jiu-jitsu for self-defense and competition. 
This was my first dive back into the intensity that Jiu-Jitsu requires on this level and I am happy to say that my body held up well.  Over the last three years I’ve been struggling with a nasty injury and surgery, and I am very happy to be really getting back to it.  By the way, the injury was from doing roadwork to stay fit during the pandemic quarantines…not the martial arts.
Everybody in the group was super cool at helping me bring my game back up to where it should be.  My training partners all did a fantastic job of balancing setting a challenging pace with staying technical and not pushing too far.  I have a new level of trust and appreciation for Team Demian, and I will never forget it.
In addition to the amazing training the group was able to get out and enjoy some R&R, visiting some great restaurants, beaches, pools and sights.  I was also able to room with the boss and that was a blast, too.  We talked a lot about ways to make a gym the best it can be, and shared some ideas and laughs.  He insisted on driving everywhere, which provided more opportunities to chat and brush up on my familiarity with Brazilian music, too.
Thanks to all of the guys at the camp, and special thanks to Mestre Demian Maia for an amazing camp!  

In traditional Japanese and Okinawan martial arts it is common that each student receives a name plaque or ’nafuda’ to be hung in the dojo.  The plaque is hung in a display called the ’nafuda-kake’  which has all of the names of the students and teachers organized in the order of lowest rank levels to highest.  As each student progresses through the rank system of the art, they watch their name plaque move further and further up in levels.  This is a great way for students to see their progress in their training, and know everyone’s place in the dojo hierarchy.
As part of ZenQuest’s ’Spring Cleaning’ the name plaque display for it’s Uechi-Ryu students was reorganized and updated.  Since moving to the school’s current location all of the ranks were placed on the same horizontal line on the upper part of the west wall.  However, due to the need to accommodate more names another line was added above that one.  Now, all Dan or black-belt ranks will reside on the upper line and all Kyu or colored-belt ranks will be placed on the lower line.  
One new rank was added to the display to accommodate Sensei Mark’s promotion to 8th degree black belt or Hachidan.  This is the first time in the history of the school that someone has achieved that rank (going back to 1972!) 
Another new rank was added to the display for 7th level or Nanakyu (Blue Stripe.)  Until now, students received the nafuda at 6th level or Rokkyu (Blue Belt.) The change comes due to Senseis Connie and Mark feeling that younger students should be rewarded with their name plaques sooner than they generally had been.  So, ZenQuest’s Uechi-Ryu students currently with the rank of blue-stripe are now being awarded a nafuda name-plaque to hang on the wall.  Newer students can also look forward to getting their ’nafuda’ a little sooner, and students with them already can feel good about the growth of the school. 
We recently had several students receive plaques for achieving Blue Belt, too.  When a student receives the name-plaque and places it on the dojo wall, its kind of a big deal.  They are considered to be not only representing their own progress, but also their family name.  So, students and families should feel a great sense of pride as they watch the name-plaque progress up through the ranks.
So, congratulations to all of the students receiving name-plaques!  Please continue and keep up the good work.

Our annual ‘Spring Cleaning’ was held on Sunday, June 25, this year.  Technically, this one happened in early summer, but that didn’t stop people from making it a big success.  No less than twenty adults and five children showed up to participate, which may be a record turnout. 
The group worked for over two hours giving the gym a thorough dusting, washing, and reorganizing.  This ritual goes a long way to keeping the facility fresh and clean beyond the weekly cleanings that normally happen.  So, virtually everything in the place was washed and renewed.  This originally started out as something that Senseis Connie and Mark would do, but others joined in at some point and it became a ‘thing.’   
ZenQuest provided some breakfast treats and drinks for the cleaning crew.  After the event several of the participants went for a lunch at the new restaurant ’Antimony.’  There the group enjoyed some good food, a live band, and some laughs of course.
Huge thanks to everyone that joined in on this year’s Spring Cleaning!  The gym is a better place to train now thanks to you all!

In March of 2020 we were all hit with a global pandemic.  Lockdowns were imposed, economies were shut down, and travel was brought to a grinding halt.  Despite this over 767 million people would eventually be infected and over 6.9 million have now died from COVID19 throughout the world.  The CDC also reports that about 40% of adults in the U.S. have had COVID19, and nearly 1-in-5 of those report lingering health concerns or ‘long COVID.’
In the post pandemic world many people struggle with a variety of impacts from the COVID19 situation.  Aside from the physical effects from ‘long haul’ damage, others have persistent mental or emotional complications.  In a 2021 study performed by the NIH nearly half of Americans reported symptoms of mental disorders increasing since the pandemic.  These can include anxiety, depression, substance abuse, and a general feeling of hopelessness. 
Experts say that this is caused by a combination of factors including isolation, high levels of stress, loss of control, lost jobs, domestic distress, lost savings, and even lost loved ones.  On top of that, the threat of getting sick or even dying from the disease itself was a tremendous strain for many people.  This is further complicated by a lack of activity, unhealthy eating habits, and excessive Screen time.  
When nearly ALL the people in the world have suffered through a crisis like this there can be difficulties in getting back to normal due to the collective damage that has been done.  Even after the pandemic has been declared over there is a ‘silent epidemic’ of mental illness that affects millions of people worldwide to varying degrees.  An unhealthy culture can linger with so many people recovering from different emotional challenges.  One of these is called Agoraphobia, or an irrational fear of being in crowded places or even leaving the home.  Another is called Social Anxiety Disorder, or the fear of being watched or judged by other people.  A ‘victim’ mentality may also affect people, where they feel that the world is against them.  When these all become woven into our population they can persist for a long time without some healthy perspective and efforts to regain normalcy in our lives. 
This can affect every age group among us, either directly or indirectly.  However, studies show that teens and preteens have been most affected by all of this. The pandemic hit as teens and preteens were entering a time when many critical life and social skills were developing. Being thrown into all the complications that came with the pandemic has resulted in difficulty, delay, and confusion in some of these critical skills for them. 
One way to gain some better perspective on all of this is to realize that we are the survivors.  Although we have been inconvenienced, damaged or even broken by the pandemic, but we have made it through.  We’ve weathered the storm and survived it.  Focusing on our losses and hardships of our past will rob us of our success and happiness going forward.  There comes a time when it is best to put the past behind us and move on.  We will do well to start living in the moment and planning for the future.
Now, most people are aware of PTSD or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, an affliction that affects millions of people around the world.  It is where people have difficulty recovering from hardships and trauma from their past, sometimes to the extreme.  However, there is another condition that survivors of stress and trauma can develop that is called ‘Adversarial Growth.’  This is becoming highly motivated and driven to succeed or even thrive DESPITE the losses and hardships that we’ve had to endure.  This is a powerful survival instinct that we must tap into if possible.  We need to realize that the quality of our lives depend on our ability to get motivated and improve things for ourselves.  The German philosopher Fredrich Nietzsche said it best with ‘What doesn’t kill me makes me stronger.’
Those of us dealing with lost loved ones should realize that, although they are gone, they would probably not want us to flounder and suffer without them.  They would most likely want us to be successful and happy for the rest of our lives.  We should think in terms of making them proud and honoring them in that way.
Those of us who continue to struggle and cannot seem to rise up out of the ashes in the post pandemic world should seek the help of mental wellness professionals.  There are now in-person and telehealth options available for mental wellness services.  The old-school stigma of negativity surrounding this type of help is nonsense and should not interfere with us getting to a better place in our lives.  As with any other medical problem, seeing a qualified professional for the remedy is the move.
Lastly, martial arts training is an amazing way to work our way into a better headspace post pandemic.  Experts agree that physical activity and getting into better shape helps us function and feel better in our day to day lives.  Many of the activities in the martial arts have a therapeutic value to them which allows us to vent our frustrations and stress.  All of the arts at ZenQuest put an emphasis on mindful movement which improves our ‘mind-body’ connection over time.  We also will gain stronger willpower and better self-control which can lead to healthier lifestyle habits. 
Unlike many other fitness options, martial arts training by its nature also has social elements to it.  ZenQuest prides itself on providing a friendly environment that welcomes people from all walks of life.  Many of the activities involve working with partners which can lead to lasting friendships.  In fact, the Okinawans have a term ‘Butomo’ or ‘Buji’ meaning war-friend or war-blood.  This is a reference to lifelong friendships developed through training in the martial arts together. 
What could be better to help us through a difficult time than having some good friends that we can talk to?

Prior to the pandemic ZenQuest held an annual spring cleaning day to give the dojo a good cleaning and some basic maintenance, too.  This started out as something that Senseis Connie and Mark would do, but others joined in at some point and it became a ‘thing.’  Last year we resumed the tradition and we will hold the 2023 Spring Cleaning on Sunday, June 25.  Technically that will make it early summer cleaning, but whatever. 
This year will mostly be dusting and cleaning as usual, with some paint touch-up and installation of new lights in the front training room.  If enough people show up to help there is also some work to be done on the outside of the building.
The start time for this will be 10 AM and is expected to go for two to three hours.  Morning treats will be available for the participants, and a lunch at the new restaurant ’Antimony’ is planned at the conclusion of the event.  So, please join us!