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!