Being the first female born in over 100 years in my father’s lineage, I believe I carry an alpha gene. My father showed me how to play ball, wrestle, and do somersaults on the lawn. In the 1950’s Jack Lalanne “The Godfather of Fitness” workouts on TV were a weekly practice with Dad. I used tomato soup cans; he used real weights. He loaned me his Canadian Mountie Physical Fitness Workbook to learn more ways to “be strong and get fit." I was taught to work hard, to always do my best, and to keep going when the going got tough.

“…the Tough Get Going” 

The “Going” is very tough right now for the entire planet. As martial arts and self-defense instructors we all “got going” by committing to social distancing and created ways to teach our techniques in a world that is suddenly NO TOUCH-NO CONTACT. Since late March many of us have been utilizing online classes via ZOOM. Some have tested students online and held promotions 6 feet apart wearing masks and gloves. I just found out Master Didi Goodman is going to run a tournament online! There are posts on social media of ways to use items in the home to keep training, e.g., Grandmaster Odette Russell using a door-jamb as an “opponent” for striking targeting.

We need to KEEP Sharing what we are doing! We now have a BLOG page on our AWMAI website for our members to post and share. Take some time and SHARE what you are doing to Keep Going!