What does karate cost?

Annual Coat Drive at The Nice Dojo

Will you please consider donating your gently used coats, blankets and winter clothing to our annual event benefitting the Springs Rescue Mission?

We are happy that we are able to support the Springs Rescue Mission with the generosity of our families. Please be sure that all donations are free of stains, rips or tears and that all zippers and buttons function properly.

Thanks in advance for your donation! Our donation drive ends on October 17th. Bring your items to the dojo at: 5631 N Academy Blvd., 80918.

Springtime - the end of the school year

Springtime brings lots of things: warmer weather, the urge to clean everything, allergies and the beginning of the end of the school year.

What does this mean for a lot of families? You've gotten the phone calls, emails, written notices and warnings that your child is slipping behind. Homework isn't getting done, or maybe it's getting done, but it isn't getting turned in. Assignments are missing and grades are slipping.

Finding out that your child's progress isn't what you expected it to be can lead to crazy amounts of stress for everyone involved. Conversations that start out calmly can easily turn into battles where there is no winner. This can lead to your child giving up entirely.

If you are like most families, you try everything you can think of. You take away electronics and screen time...but this usually doesn't work long-term.

Maybe you try grounding your child - no fun stuff, no sleep-overs, no movie nights...but once again, this usually only works short term.

What do I recommend? Find a community - a place where you can chat with other parents, where you can surround your child with positive energy. Maybe you've heard about a "third space" but if you haven't, let me take a minute to explain.

There's home - that's your number one space. There's work/school - your number two space. You need a third space; somewhere that increases your happiness and your determination to do better. A place where you belong and where you have friends and positive influences.

Find a third space - find a place that supports your family. It could be a karate school, a dance school, a soccer team, a theater troupe, an art class... Find a place where your family belongs and breathe a little easier.

Deb Cupples, Sensei
www.nicedojo.com

Community Karate and Fitness - About us.

A locally-owned, professional karate school where healthy people spend time together in a positive and encouraging environment. Community Karate and Fitness was founded in 2006, by Deb Cupples, a 20+ year resident of Colorado Springs who discovered that discerning families needed a better choice for their martial arts training.

We focus on the individual student by setting goals and working step-by-step to achieve them. We acknowledge physical and mental limitations and develop a plan for advancing towards your next belt rank at Community Karate and Fitness. We know that it takes time to make progress; we teach with patience and good guidance.

Students at our dojo will learn how to better defend themselves and will become more physically fit. Training in martial arts improves balance and coordination which benefits you in all areas of life, not just on the karate mat.

We teach “katas” in our martial arts program. Katas are specific karate moves put together in sequence in a particular pattern. If you have never seen a kata before, think ice skating or dance routines, but with karate moves. Kata requires concentration, repetition and determination; these aspects of training will bring better success in all areas of life.

Community Karate and Fitness is the best choice for selective families who want the best martial arts training for their investment of money and time. We know that there are a lot of choices for karate classes in Colorado Springs; we truly believe that there is a great karate school for everyone.

We look forward to welcoming you to a class at our school. Come in and experience “The Nice Karate School” for yourself. Call or text us at: 719-209-8277 to set up a free introductory class.

Holiday time management

Holiday season is here again and this year it came in really fast. I feel like I was just putting on flip-flops to visit our local pool!

There are lots of things to do to prepare for the holidays. Shopping, cleaning, cooking, sending out holiday cards and going to the post office are just a few tasks that come to mind.

Holiday preparations involve time and money management and can take away from important everyday things that keep your family on a "regular" schedule.

When the adults in children's lives get busy, it's easy to get frustrated. Here are three ways to find time other than family time to get holiday chores done.

So what can you do when you absolutely need to get things done? One simple way to help with time management is to get some of the items on your holiday to-do list taken care of when kids are in school.

If you have the opportunity to get time off during a week day or if you already have some daytime hours free, doing a little shopping while the kids are in school means that there are less lines to wait in, more parking spaces and retail associates with less stress.

Getting some baking done during the day means a great smelling house when the kids get home and the possibility of some highly-qualified "taste testers!"

Let the kids decorate cookies, package them up, hand-address labels and even help with dishes!

A second way to get things done, and still have family time every day, is to schedule your holiday chores while the kids are at their extra-curricular activities.

Most karate schools, dance schools, churches or after-school sports will allow you to drop your kids off during class time.

Leaving your kiddos with a trusted coach or teacher can allow for a little extra time to get things done while your children enjoy their normal routine. Just make sure you clear it with your child's teacher first and alway be sure to pick them up on time.

The families at Community Karate and Fitness know that as long as mom or dad have left their cell phone number with us, let us know where they are going and when to expect them back, that it's ok to occasionally leave their kids with us during class. We even give parents a 15-minute before and after window to give them more time to get things done.

Lastly, work together with another family. Host a friend's kids for a movie night while they get some shopping done and then they can do the same for you!It's a great way to foster community, feel helpful/helped and know that your kids are not bored, but getting a special night out.

Ok, these aren't my kids, but pets need fun time too!

 I like to help out and watch my "grand-dog" Franklin, a one-year old Newfoundland, when my daughter needs time to get things done so that he isn't home alone.

My dog Cricket, an Australian Cattle Dog mix, loves when her best friend Franklin comes to visit!

Reduce your holiday stress level by helping others and allow yourself to be helped too.

I hope you find these tips useful to help you enjoy the holiday season!

Karate makes a great family gift for the holidays

Finding something to do as a family can be rewarding for young kids, tweens, teens and adults. Karate classes provide great stress relief for parents and great exercise for kids of all ages.

We have fun events like Sword Fighting Competitions!

All levels and all ages are invited to join our fun events at our karate school.

Here's our Little Ninjas class in action!

We've got a few Holiday Special offers still available. Contact us today to find out how YOU can benefit from martial arts classes at Community Karate and Fitness.

You've probably been looking for something that will give your kids positive messages and encouraging instruction. You will find all of that and more at our dojo!

We've got a flexible class schedule that works for busy families.

CONTACT US TODAY - You are going to love our great karate classes!

Daylight savings time - get outside!

It's only an hour and at this time of year it's an hour extra rather than the one they take away in the Springtime.

However, that one hour, those 60 little minutes can really mess with you and how you feel, both physically, emotionally and mentally.

You might feel hyper or groggy, hungry or have no appetite, sad or lonely...let's face it, there are lots of ways that you might feel "off" during the first few weeks of daylight savings time.

The number one way to make yourself feel better is to get outdoors and get some sunshine!

Get outside and enjoy some quiet time in the woods!

Get outside with a friend!

Take pictures of new friends!

Whatever you do, make sure you do something that makes you feel better...like convincing your best friend to take a "mental health" day with you!

You've got choices to make every day. This is an easy one. Get outside, get some fresh air and sunshine! Spend some time with the trees, bugs, rocks, plants, birds...  It'll do you good.