Starting a new year is a great time to get some ideas for making some improvements in our lives. Many of us commit to resolutions for doing better in different areas like diet and nutrition, physical fitness, stress and anxiety, bad habits, and of course...progress in the martial arts!
But let’s be honest, sticking to these commitments can be tough. Studies show that many resolutions are lost and forgotten by February. Don’t worry, though! With the right approach, we can make real progress towards our goals. Here are some tips for success:
 
1. Set Realistic Goals It’s great to dream big, but our resolutions should also be realistic. Instead of saying, “I’ll never eat junk food again,” try, “I’ll eat more fruits and vegetables every day.” Setting smaller, achievable goals makes it easier to stay on track and feel good about our progress.
2. Be Specific Vague goals like “I want to get more fit” or “I want to get better at Kickboxing” can be hard to follow. Instead, be specific about what you want to do. For example, say, “I will exercise for 30 minutes three times a week” or “I will make a routine of 3 classes a week.” Well defined goals are easier to achieve because then we know exactly what to do to make them happen.
3. Write It Down Writing our resolutions on paper or in a journal makes them feel more real. Put a list somewhere that you’ll see often, like on the fridge or phone. This will remind us of our goals and keep us motivated.
4. Break It Down Big goals can feel overwhelming. Break them into smaller steps. For example, if our goal is to run a 5K, start by walking or jogging a mile. Then gradually increase the distance. Small steps add up to big changes. In terms of the martial arts, we can focus on individual techniques and strategies that are challenging or required for our next stripe or belt.
5. Track Your Progress Keep track of how you’re doing. You can use a notebook, an app, or even a calendar. Celebrate your successes, no matter how small. Tracking progress shows you how far you’ve come and keeps you motivated.
6. Stay Flexible Life happens, and plans change. If life gets in the way and you miss a day, week, or month don’t give up! Adjust your goals if needed and keep going. Return to your routine when you can. Remember, progress is more important than perfection.
7. Look For Support Tell friends or family about your resolutions. If they’re good friends they will cheer you on and help you stay committed. You might even find a buddy or family member with similar goals. Working together can make it more fun and consistent.
8. Reward Yourself Give ourself a reward when you reach a milestone. It could be a fun activity, a small treat, or a relaxing break. Rewards make the journey enjoyable and give you something to look forward to in the short term.
9. Focus on Why It Matters Remind yourself why your resolution is important. Maybe you want to be healthier, feel happier, or save for something special. Keeping our “why” in mind will help us stay motivated, even when it gets hard.
 
So, remember, the new year is a chance to grow and improve our lives! By setting realistic goals, staying flexible, staying positive, and celebrating our progress, we can make our resolutions work. It’s not about being perfect—it’s about doing our best and achieving our goals. Happy New Year!

On Saturday, December 7th we kicked off our latest round of ‘Advanced Concepts’ clinics with a presentation for Demian Maia Jiu-jitsu. For this one we focused on strategies from a position called 'Deep Half-Guard.' Several students earned promotions including: Levi Giumarra - 3 stripe yellow/white belt, Todd Dort - 3 stripe blue belt, Chalice Mitchell and Jennifer Somerville - purple belt, Chris Kupernik - 2 stripe purple belt, Glenn Giumarra and Russell Moody - 3 stripe purple belt, and Mike Reis - brown belt. Congratulations to everyone!
Additional clinics are scheduled as follows:
 
· Uechi-Ryu Karate (Brown Belt and above) -- Saturday, January 11
· Sityodtong Muay Thai (for 2-Stripe White Prajiet and above) -- Saturday, February 1
 
These are a great opportunity for our intermediate and advanced students to learn and practice advanced techniques and strategies in their respective art(s). All are scheduled to begin at 1:15 PM and each last about 90 minutes. ZenQuest’s AC clinics are provided to enrolled students at no additional cost. All eligible students or those receiving special invitation are encouraged to attend!

Shop small this holiday season and choose a gift from ZenQuest for your favorite student. We have a variety of gift ideas including custom uniforms, training shirts, shorts, t-shirts, sweatshirts, gear bags, hats….and brand new bracelets!
Here is a list of some of the custom gifts you can get:
ZQ Bracelets - $3
Black Belt Bear - $15
Small Patches - $9
Large Patches - $14
ZQ Beenie Caps - $28
ZQ Baseball Caps - $28
ZQ T-Shirts - $29
ZQ Hoodies - $50
ZQ Gear Bags - $28
ZQ Duffle Bags - $45
ZQ Karate Uniforms - $80
ZQ Jiu-jitsu Uniforms - $170
ZQ Training Shorts - $48
ZQ Rashguards (Short sleeve) - $52
ZQ Rashguards (Long sleeve) - $60
 
Students and parents can also order a wide variety of training gear and equipment including training and sparring gear, targets, and punching bags for home.  If you’re not sure what to get, or something needs to be ordered a gift certificate is a great way to go. This can be purchased at the ZenQuest desk, or online in $25 increments at www.zenquestmac.com.
So, grab one of these stocking stuffers for the martial artist in your life and enjoy the holidays!

Occasionally, the weather will become intense enough during the winter months to present a serious travel risk for our students and instructors.  This can result from a single, severe weather event happening at the time of classes; or from an accumulation of events leading up to the time of classes.  Other indicators can be other major organizational closings and local travel advisories. 
If it appears that travel will be too risky during class times, the school will close for that time. When that happens we send out notices by email and text, and post information on our social media and website. We also try to put a message on the ZenQuest phone at 413-637-0656.
If you don’t currently receive these notices by email, send a message to [email protected]. If you would receive notices via text message, simply send the word ZENTEXT to 413-352-0678.  Drive carefully!

Seven grapplers from Team ZenQuest competed in the 2024 ‘Tap Cancer Out BJJ Open’ tournament on Saturday, November 16th. The annual event is a fundraiser for cancer research and treatment. Over the last eight years the organization has raised millions for multiple nonprofit beneficiaries.
Team ‘Z’ for this one included: Maria Mohan, Chris Boyle, Philippe Peligrad, Shawn Chambers, Carlo Petrucci, Chris Kupernik, and Mike Reis. Everyone fought well, and four came home with some nice hardware. Congratulations to Maria and Chris K. for earning silver medals; and to Mike and Shawn for earning bronze in their respective divisions!
Additionally, thanks to all of those who showed to support the team, and those who helped prepare the competitors in the team sparring sessions. Lastly, thank you to everyone who was able to make a monetary contribution to this worthy cause! Together we raised over $6,000!!

Starting in January ZenQuest will offer a new class called 'Personal Security for Women' or PSW. The program will focus on techniques and strategies for enabling smaller people to deal with a variety of serious self-defense situations effectively. These will include stance and footwork, defensive positioning, effective blocking and striking, and escapes from common holds and restraints. 

Instructor - The PSW class will be taught for women and by women! The lead instructor will be Connie Flynn of ZenQuest. Sensei Connie has over 30 years of experience in various martial arts and self-defense training including: Uechi-Ryu Karate, Brazilian Jiu-jitsu, and Thai Kickboxing. Additional support will be provided from other female instructors from ZenQuest.  

Schedule - The class will be held on Tuesdays at 5PM starting on January 7, 2025. The duration of the class will be 45 minutes and will run in 12-week cycles. Participants should wear regular athletic clothing like a t-shirt, Under Armor shirt, and shorts or yoga pants, or sweats. A pair of kickboxing/ boxing gloves will also be required for the class. 

Participation - Participants can choose to only participate in the PSW class and will qualify for our 'Partial Participation' tuition rates for that. This is normally reserved for ages 7 and younger, although the minimum age for PSW is 13. 

Costs - ​For new students our 'start-up' special will be a good option for this since, at $249, it provides an equivalent monthly rate of $83 and a credit towards the gloves required for the class (or other equipment.) Participants enrolling this way would also enjoy unlimited participation at ZenQuest, enabled them to try any of the other age-appropriate classes in the schedule. Reserve a spot via the start-up special by clicking HERE. Participants can choose to enroll monthly with a cost of $94 per month (discounts for longer enrollments or family participation.) Currently enrolled students may participate in the PSW class at no additional costs. 

Space will be limited for ZenQuest's PSW classes so please contact us to reserve a spot. Questions and reservations can also be made by calling 413-637-0656 or emailing [email protected]. A printable flyer is also available to share HERE.

​We’re happy to announce that ZenQuest has been voted “Best Martial Arts Studio” in the area for the 8th year in a row!  The award was given by the Berkshire Eagle’s ‘Best of the Berkshires 2024’.  The annual awards are given based on voting done by the community in the Berkshire and surrounding areas. This is the result of years of hard work towards providing the best facility, instruction, and training environment possible. 
Our facility is functional and ‘user friendly’ for students, families, and visitors. It’s designed to optimize the experience for everyone and we are constantly working to improve the gym. We’ve been busy with improvements to the exterior of the building recently, and have more projects planned for the inside soon.  
We take great pride in providing world-class instruction in all of the programs we offer.  With three internationally recognized parent organizations, our teaching standards and methods are guaranteed to be high quality and authentic.  With a combined martial arts experience of almost 75 years between Senseis Connie and Mark, and a great support staff, we’re happy to guide others in their own martial arts journey. 
The training environment we’ve created may be our biggest accomplishment and reason why our students and families support us as they do.  ZenQuest will always be a place of mutual support and respect, where anyone who is sincere about learning can thrive.  Instructors and students know that welcoming new people is crucial in maintaining a friendly environment for all.
Another reason for our success is that we set high standards for students to advance in their chosen arts.  Rank promotions are based on the student’s efforts, their progress in the martial arts, and their personal development.  The ranks earned in each of the arts that we offer are recognized around the world.  This may seem like a matter of course, but too often in the martial arts world students are pushed through ranks based on memorization, false confidence, and monetary gain.
All of this comes somewhat against the odds. Although students are shielded from the behind the scenes challenges as much as possible, some of these have been pretty intense over the last 22-plus years. However, a core group of dedicated students and instructors have stuck with it through it all and helped make ZenQuest the amazing place that it is today. 
We would like to thank our staff, students, and families for their continued support.  We would not receive the recognition that we have over the last seven years without them.  We will continue to do everything we can to make it all even better!  Thanks again Team ZenQuest!!!
 

On Saturday, November 16, several grapplers from Team ZenQuest will compete in the 2024 ‘Tap Cancer Out BJJ Open’ tournament. The annual event is a fundraiser for cancer research and treatment. Over the last eight years the organization has raised millions for multiple nonprofit beneficiaries.
This year seven members of our team will be competing. They are Maria Mohan, Chris Boyle, Phillipe Peligrad, Shawn Chambers, Carlo Petrucci, Chris Kupernik, and Mike Reis. They have all been working hard to prepare for the tournament, especially in our ’Competition Training’ sessions each week. We know that they will do well in their respective divisions.
However things turn out on the mat, though, the primary purpose of the event is the fundraising. So, aside from the support you can give them for their grappling, please consider supporting the competitors with your donation. This can be done by clicking HERE.  
Your donation and support is very important. The team goal this year is to raise $5,000,and last year we raised over $6,000.  Currently, we are nearly at the $5,000 goal, so with your help, surpassing that should be easy!  ‘Boa luta e boa sorte’ (good grappling and good luck) to the competitors!

In the age of the internet there is almost limitless information available to anyone who has a home computer or cell phone. For martial artists this can be helpful for learning and understanding their chosen art. We can bring up videos of almost any technique, strategy, and insight into our chosen art.
Prior to the mid-2000s, when the internet kind of ’blew up’, martial arts students were limited in what reference materials were available. Instructional DVDs were the cutting edge for that. Before that, we had videotapes which came on the scene in the early 80s. Prior to that...books and magazines and, even farther back the only source of learning was in person with a qualified instructor.
Whatever reference material you may find, it’s important to remember that they should be viewed with a ‘grain of salt.’ We need to be careful to remember that some of this information may not be consistent with what your instructors or parent group teach. Worse yet, some of it may be completely off base and could corrupt your training in different ways. Most likely, the most reliable sources of material online to help you learn are directly from your instructors and parent organizations.
​
Let’s first explore some of the advantages of watching online videos to aid in your martial arts journey:
Convenience  One of the biggest benefits of online videos is convenience. You can watch and practice anytime and anywhere. Whether you are at home, on vacation, or just too busy to attend a regular class, online videos allow you to learn at your own pace. This flexibility makes it easier to fit martial arts training into a busy schedule.
A Variety of Strategies  Online platforms offer access to a wide range of martial arts techniques and styles from around the world. You can explore and learn from different instructors, each with their unique techniques and philosophies. Although this can provide insight into different strategies that suit your abilities, it can also lead to confusion and inconsistency with your own dojo.
Rewatchable Lessons  Online videos are almost always available for replay and reference. If you miss something or need to practice a particular technique, you can rewind the video and watch it again until you ‘get it’.

Now, let’s take a look at the disadvantages of relying on online videos in learning a martial art:
Lack of Personal Guidance  One of the biggest drawbacks of learning martial arts through videos is the lack of personalized instruction. Martial arts techniques often require specific movements, positioning, angles, and force which are difficult to perfect without an instructor’s feedback. If you practice incorrectly, you could develop bad habits that are hard to fix later or even injure yourself.
Limited Interaction  In a dojo, students can ask their instructor questions, receive corrections, and train with partners. Online learning lacks this interactive aspect. Without a partner to practice with, it’s hard to apply certain techniques that involve another person, like blocks, throws or locks. The social and community aspect of martial arts training is usually completely lost when learning alone. Lastly, working with other people over time lessons the tendency to be stressed or intimidated in potential confrontations.
Difficulty With Complex Techniques  Some martial arts moves can be difficult to grasp just by watching a video. Techniques that involve precise body mechanics, timing, and distancing may not translate well with an online format. Instructors in live classes can adjust your body position, demonstrate multiple times, and explain movements in detail—something videos can’t replicate fully. Also, many people don’t have the discipline to develop muscle memory from the repetition that they will experience in in-person classes.
Risk of Injury  Without proper guidance, there's a higher risk of injury when learning martial arts moves on your own. Techniques such as footwork, strikes, blocks, falls, or escapes done incorrectly can lead to sprains, strains, or more serious injuries. In a class, an experienced instructor will ensure you are performing these moves safely and minimize your risks.

At ZenQuest we pride ourselves on providing the best instruction possible based on decades of experience. We follow proven standards and practices established by our parent groups: the Okinawa Karate Association, the Demian Maia Jiu-jitsu Association, and Sityodtong Muay Thai. So, be careful about outside influences and remember, if it looks like it wouldn’t work or is a waste of time---it probably is.

One of the most important benefits that a student can gain from the martial arts is mindfulness. Learning to be mindful and aware of what we’re doing in our daily lives is invaluable and can last throughout our lives. An important area that this can apply to is scheduling and timeliness or ‘time-management’.
Learning timeliness in a martial art begins with knowing the dojo schedule and being on time for classes. Students at ZenQuest should arrive at least 5 to 10 minutes before their class begins. This allows them to change into their training clothing, place their other gear where it needs to go, and begin to prepare themselves mentally for the class.
Being on time also gives the student an opportunity to say hello to their instructors and the other students that they’ll be working with in the class. One of the great things about training at ZenQuest is the ‘social’ part of it. Students are able to interact with others in an environment where everyone is encouraged to be positive and supportive of others. Students often make lasting friendships in the dojo. They share a bond that the Okinawans call ’Buji’ or ’war-blood.’
Arriving late makes any preparation for the class rushed. It can make the student start the class feeling unsettled and embarrassed when they enter the class. They often miss the ‘warm-up’ portion of the class which is designed to prepare the body AND the mind for the more challenging exercises that follow. This can increase the chances of injury, and delay our immersion into the training. Arriving late also causes us to miss some of the opportunities we would have to engage with the other students and make new friends.
 So, be mindful and practice timeliness. Experts say that mindfulness or ‘conscientiousness’ is the number one quality that interviewers consider when hiring. Mindfulness also keeps our stress levels low and improves the overall quality of our lives!