self-defense - Minorsan

Your Safety Quotient

May 6, 2018 by Clara E Minor Leave a Comment

What is your Safety Quotient?

Level of Confidence

How is your confidence level when it comes to self-protection? If you were to give it a number from 1-10, your ‘safety quotient’ would be at what level?

Knowing you can absolutely take care of yourself, should a challenging situation arise, is self-confidence. Confidence isn’t thinking you would do this, or you would do that. Being ‘cocky’ or arrogant is not confidence either. Cockiness and arrogance are just masking fear (but that’s another story).

Confidence is knowing your body—not your mind—has a full ‘library’ of movement that will go on auto-pilot when your nervous system tells it to. This does not happen automatically—your muscles must be trained in order for your nervous system to give them the okie-dokie to go into safety-defense mode. Otherwise your muscles will move (or not move) with the memory they currently have programmed into them. The current ‘untrained’ memory might not be best suited to react favorably. And it may very well already be well-suited. Only you absolutely know your truth. Either way. What do you rate yourself right now, from 1-10?

Repeated training will make all the difference

Why is ‘fighting’ so foreign?

Most of us were not lucky enough to grow up learning self-protection skills along the way, simply by ‘play-fighting’ with our siblings/cousins/friends. Our parents didn’t teach us much except to not talk to ‘strangers.’ Most women were taught, as girls, that fighting was just for boys. Consequently as adults, many women have no clue how to defend ourselves (which is learning how to fight…yes, I said fight). And we simply don’t think about it. Why? Over the years, I have heard all these reasons:

• Don’t think we will ever be attacked
• Haven’t been attacked yet, so why think about it
• Too busy with too many things to do
• SHOULDN’T have to learn to defend ourselves because it is wrong, and it’s against the law for others to attack us (FYI, perps don’t care)
• The police will help; or someone will come to the rescue (boyfriend/spouse/brother—simply because he’s a man, or they do martial arts/MMA/kickboxing)
• I’m a lover not a fighter
• Fighting is for males, and besides, it is violence
• Don’t think about it, therefore won’t be attacked

How many other reasons can you think of?

All this thinking has set us up to say ‘it’s not for me.’ After all, there’s:

• shopping for groceries
• taking the kids to school
• board meetings
• work
• housekeeping chores
• filling out forms
• dentist appointments
• calls from kid’s school
• volunteering for the next event
• meeting friends, work trips
• vacations
• school
• homework
• special events
• taking a shower
• getting school supplies
• family celebrations
• kids homework
• date night
• doctor appointments
• lunch/dinner
• salon time
• and on and on

Or put simply, “I’m just too busy.”

Why would you want to even spend time learning this?

Why use up your time training if you don’t think anyone will ever attack you? The truth is we get ‘attacked’ almost daily. Have ever been in situations where someone said something to you/about you/or cut you off before you could finish? And you didn’t like how you felt (your body’s reaction)? You could not think of anything to say (or do).

Daily we must make choices. People come in and out of our lives, and often we are left with a brief encounter in which we were unable to respond as we wanted to, and come away feeling just a bit depleted because they got the ‘best of us,’ or they got their way (again). IOW, they took some of our power (and that is because we let them).

Think about your daily interactions with others. You truly DON’T know what you will do in any situation, trained or not. And that is simply because we cannot predict the future. You will only know in the moment. If you are caught off guard, the outcome can be anywhere from disheartening to devastating.

What is this training about, and why even train?

Training IS about you. In your entire world, you are the most important. Taking care of you first allows taking care of others from a balanced perspective. You will simply make better choices for everyone involved. Your confidence will inspire others. And a myriad of other good things will happen for you when you raise your confidence.

Training builds the muscle memory I talked about earlier. It is not your brain that defends you. It is your body. Let me repeat that: it is your body that defends you. Your body gets it’s messages from the nervous system. The nervous system then allows the reactions. And your body will react with whatever memory is in it. Just thinking about it won’t replace the old memory (for most people, anyway).

Physical reactions and powerful verbal strategies require training time (for reprogramming). Your body needs the time to integrate the new memory—time actually spent on moving thru the motions and movements, and time spent on versing the words to say in difficult situations, and quickly getting past the ‘stuck’ or ‘freeze’ reaction in the ‘flight-fight-freeze’ responses with which most people react.

Repetition is key

Repetition will ingrain voice commands and help to create powerful muscle memory. And that’s because our bodies are more brilliant than our minds. This one too bears repeating: our bodies are more brilliant than our minds. Our bodies rule our world.

Our legs are for more than just walking

Knowing you have instantaneous reactions, builds confidence. Instantaneous reactions come from repetition. Knowing you can knock out a perpetrator, builds confidence. It requires repetition. Knowing you can control the body of another person builds confidence. This too requires repetition. Is that a waste of time? Let’s look at how else this confidence, from all the repetition, could benefit your life.

• How about ‘commanding’ respect? (different from demanding)
• Being listened to when you speak?
• Standing up and speaking your mind when you see a ‘wrong’
• Saying ‘no’ when you mean no, and ‘yes’ when you mean yes
• Standing up for others?
• Speaking to a boardroom full of (mostly) males?
• Asking for the raise
• Letting your co-worker know s/he is a bully
• Standing up to overbearing/bullying parents?
• Standing up to your own kids? (yes, this happens)
• Quitting your job
• Getting up on a stage and speaking
• Making your own choices, daily

Does any of this connect with you?

Building confidence through learning to fight is not just about physically defending yourself. It is about standing UP for what you believe to be true and correct, standing in your center, unwaveringly confident in your choices. And knowing you have something to back it up. It is about being the “badass” of your life.

Learning to defend yourself is not hard. What is hard is admitting it out loud (even to yourself), that you need some training.

I have never been attacked (ok, lol, in 7th grade once, this bully girl who did not like me, caught me alone and hit me once, then walked off). I never encountered her again face to face. I don’t even remember if she got in trouble for it.

Yet, years later, training in self-defense became important to me. I did it because at first it was fun, and then I really wanted to feel that I could defend myself (fight) when I was alone, and then I continued to train because of the confidence it built within my entire body. During the process, my thinking changed. And then I continued because I wanted to pass it on to others.

Our community has unfortunately not gotten any safer over the years, and so my work continues. It is up to each of us to be able to help ourselves when the police, or anyone in our support system, are not present. We simply must empower ourselves. We must make time for our daughters (and sons) to learn skills and strategies for defending and protecting themselves.

Wherever you are on the safety spectrum, more training will be good…always. If raising your safety quotient matters to you, and you know that ‘someday’ you will get some training, my question to you is ‘how long are you willing to wait?’ Every single day is the day to commit. Start. Do it. Cultivate your #BadassCourage starting now. Be the #Badass Boss of your Life. And do it with Respect and Love.

Upcoming training: Learn more HERE.

Sincerely,

Clara E Minor
#BadassBoss of MINORSAN Self-Defense & Fitness
Master Trainer/Instructor
831-58-0900
Or Contact Me HERE

Thank You 2017 ~ Hello 2018

December 29, 2017 by Clara E Minor Leave a Comment

Yes 2017 is now coming to a close

Setting up for 2018 and what exciting things it holds in store for Minorsan. If 2016 was full of drastic change (venue moving), and collaboration as a new way to build my business, 2017 was the year that we settled into our new partnerships. We have been one full year at The Tannery, and at Garfield, formerly a church, and (just recently) purchased. It will be a new community center for the Westside. This holds exciting possibilities for all of Santa Cruz.

Getting to know my new partners

While this method of doing business has its challenges, they are far outweighed by the benefits. I have thoroughly enjoyed working with Christopher Drury, Pastor of Garfield Park Community Church. He is individual, unlike any other pastor I have ever known. I’ll be forever grateful that he welcomed Minorsan with open arms. Looking forward to working with the new owners of the much-needed community center.

I am also grateful and thankful that I’ve gotten to know Cat Willis, Director of Tannery World Dance & Cultural Center. The Tannery is a beautiful space, and Cat is a wonderful human being. She also welcomed Minorsan with open arms. It is a wonderful cultural space to be sharing.

This collaboration, helping these two non-profits, and they in turn, allowing Minorsan to have a space to hold our classes, has been extremely rewarding. If you read the email about my personal process in 2016, then you understand why and how this has been a most wonderful experience.

And how can I not thank the ladies of Optimal Health & Fitness, Leta Jusilla, and Michelle Bean? These two women have collaborated with me for the past 7 years. Minorsan has hosted their (formerly Santa Cruz Challenge, and now Start With Yourself) 12-week experiential program for one or two weeks each of those years. I have met so many people thru this program, have acquired new members, and have formed many lasting relationships and friendships. What else could anyone ask for in collaboration with similar business goals through social media?

Together we accomplish so much more and share in our support of each other. No one can stand alone and be truly happy. We all need some type of connection. For these connections, I am forever grateful.

Huge thank you’s to my Staff and all Minorsan Members

Without my Staff, I could not have accomplished all that I have thus far. They are the ones who allow me to even have a business, much less ‘run’ the business. There is simply no way that I could teach every single class, and still, run a business.

I am so grateful for my loyal staff of instructors and support staff for 2017: Bernadette Franzel, Connie Kreemer, Jenna Giuliani, Julie Graff, Kira Durant, Melissa Finsthwait, Patricia Matthews, Robin Ludington, Robin Holland, Samira Hartje, Sheri Moise, and our newest support staff, Odessa Cross. And thank you to Emiley Stake for all the work accomplished with our social media this past year.

However, I mostly have to thank all of the people who have come through our doors, and those who come weekly, to take classes. That is all of you. You are all the reason I have a business. I thank you for allowing me to service your health and fitness needs. I know everyone has different goals and some of you have achieved personal accomplishments in your health and fitness journey. I am forever grateful and thankful for all of you, and look forward to bringing you more value in 2018.

Providing a space for people to have fun, enjoy moving their bodies, forming friendships with each other, and at the same time finding ways to empower themselves in many different ways through our workouts, is a most rewarding experience for me.

And what will 2018 bring?

I look forward to 2018 bringing more exciting fun stuff to Minorsan, beginning with our FigherFit program, which is in conjunction with the Martial Arts program. FighterFit has already had a ‘soft’ launch. Be on the lookout for a ‘Formal’ Launch of this program. We are also collaborating with the Hyper Fight Club and Bully Defense folks to bring more value to our members and our community at large in 2018.

Also launching in 2018 is STRONG by Zumba.® For those of you not familiar with STRONG by Zumba®, read about it HERE (it is not Zumba dancing at all, but instead another HIIT-type of workout, more in line with the goals of my services). Exciting additions for 2018, for sure!

Our ‘Intro’ program, Get Fit Challenge, will continue. This has proven to be so valuable for women who have not worked out in a long time, are not comfortable in a gym, appreciate working out in a women-only environment, or who have had different challenges on their journeys to health and fitness (ultimately happiness with who they are, and how they feel in their bodies.). I thank Project Level Up for this collaboration. Once again, working together brings each of us so much more.

We all have a purpose, we all have a reason, we each have a season. And no one can do it alone. We need each other for every aspect of our lives. Thank you, thank you, thank you, for your connection to Minorsan and all that you have to offer with your special ‘you.’

On a personal note

I have thoroughly enjoyed being with my family more this past year, and look forward to more trips to be with them in 2018. I will continue to make it a priority to be with friends outside of my working environment, and attend more parties! I will also continue with activities that enrich my spirit, my soul, my mind and my body. It can be no other way. And I will always continue to cultivate my own #badasscourage.

Here’s to saying goodbye to 2017 and a huge hello to 2018! May we all benefit in huge ways this coming year.

With all my love and care (and cheers!)~

Happy New Year!

Clara E Minor

Minorsan Has Moved!

October 4, 2016 by Clara E Minor Leave a Comment

Minorsan has Moved and Morning Classes are at The Tannery

Monday – Friday morning classes are being held at The Tannery!

Classes start October 3, 2016.

We are very excited about this collaboration with The Tannery. It is such a great space to just be, and a great space to move. See our online Schedule to see the class times/room. Please bear with us as we work through all the details of the Schedule. Some slots may change.

Our biggest change is for Wednesday morning: Zumba is at 11:30 am, and BodyPump is at 12:30 pm. (Now Wed & Fri Zumba both at 11:30 am!).

And we are very excited to begin evening and Sat/Sun morning classes on October 25, at Garfield Park Community Church! This is another great collaboration within our community. Another great venue to hang out, and to move our bodies! The Church and its entire campus has been revamped, renovated, and is now a beautiful space.

In the meantime, we are offering Tabata workouts (30 mins each) to all members of Minorsan, at 6:00 pm on the Garfield Park Church Lawn. The first was October 3, and it was a hit! Even if you have never taken a Tabata class, you are welcome to join us. Bring a friend and check it out together. It’s always more fun with 2, or 3, or 4 or 5! Bring as many friends as you would like. Anyone new to Minorsan can take one free! Anyone can do a 30-minute class…

We will update when we are open at Garfield Park Church for all classes.

Minorsan’s New Locations Effective 10/3/16

September 28, 2016 by Clara E Minor Leave a Comment

Minorsan is moving! Effective October 3, 2016. Closed Oct 1 & 2 (so we can move!)

We are Pleased to Announce…

Studio B (in 110)

All early morning thru noontime classes, Monday-Friday will be held at The Tannery World Dance Center!

We know you will be pleased too with this beautiful campus.

Most classes will be in Studio B and some in Studio 111 (original dance studio).
Click here to see the locations on the campus.

Our locations are the ‘green’ colored buildings on the graphic. Scroll down more and you’ll see the numbers of each building. Studio B is in 110.

Entrance will be thru the middle gates near Studio 112. Walk through the courtyard to Studio B (Building 110). Bathrooms will be to your left.

All Classes at our Mission St location will end on September 30.

Morning—Noontime Classes, Mon-Fri, will begin at the Tannery Monday, October 3, 6:00 am BodyPump!

And did we say The Art Bar Cafe is located in the courtyard? Easy to get refreshments after class, and get extended time with your friends.

Our Other Exciting News….

All late afternoon/evening and Sat/Sun classes will be held at Garfield Park Community Church campus. We’ll be starting there the first or second week of October.

We are helping Christopher Drury, Pastor, to mobilize his venture for both the community and for Minorsan, as it brings much to both for the foreseeable future. You can help support this effort for yourself and for the community in these three ways:

1- Helping with fundraising efforts by donating

2- Sharing the gofundme link on Facebook (and in your emails) to your friends (this can go a long way). You can even forward this blog.

3- Getting the word out that the pews are for sale. They are in great condition, beautiful wood, red cloth covered seating. They can be sold as is, or repurposed!

Phase 2 includes removing all the pews in the Sanctuary and replacing them with movable tables and chairs, which is the space we’ll be using for Minorsan’s classes, as well as for other community-wide events.

This can be done in one day. He can’t move the pews until he has the tables and chairs. He can’t get the tables and chairs until he has at least $6,000.

The Church needs at least $6,000 of the $12,000 they are seeking to purchase tables and chairs. The remaining $6,000 will go towards the purchase of new audio/video equipment and high-tech wifi for the live-streaming of events. Can you imagine watching an event live from home (anywhere in the world really) because you could not go? How exciting!

You can make an immediate difference by donating here: Garfield Park Community Church GoFundMe

If 60 people contribute $100, the $6,000 will be there! If 120 people contribute $50, the $6,000 will be there. ALL amounts welcome. Even $5 will help! These are tax-deductible donations, as he has a 501c3 non-profit status. You can donate here: Garfield Park Community Church GoFundMe

The Sanctuary is just to the right in this photo.

Christopher Drury has a long-term vision for his church:

• A community venue for events (seminars, weddings/receptions, special events, talks, workshops, entertainment, including live streaming, and classes/programs for various non-profits and for-profits)

• A leading-edge Church that is all-encompassing of community members with different needs, who all wish to contribute to our community. He welcomes people of all persuasions to participate in any event/activity at his Church. He is truly all-inclusive.

• Continuing with Phase 3 of development, which will include a cafe, serving espresso drinks, beer (preferably his own brand) and wine, plus small bites (possibly expanding to more later)

> Members of the Coryell Autism Center will work at the cafe, learning real-life skills and social interaction

> All proceeds from the cafe will go right back to the Coryell Autism Center

> Everyone who makes a purchase at the cafe will know they are making a direct difference right in our community.

If you wish to donate, click this link for the gofundme page. Any amount works! And share-share-share!

Thank you for anything you can do. It is truly appreciated.

Sincerely,

Clara E Minor
Master Trainer-Instructor
Minorsan Self-Defense & Fitness

Lessons from the Wharf to Wharf

July 26, 2016 by Clara E Minor Leave a Comment

This past weekend I ran the Wharf to Wharf with a bunch of fun crazy ladies (and one gent, the Beekeeper) who were all promoting Hive & Hum, a new business on River Street, focusing on the importance of our winged friends…especially our BEES. (It is a beautiful store with lots of goodies for everyone!). Every single one of them has been to MINORSAN Self-Defense & Fitness. Crazy-fun crew. (Yes, I am promoting Hive & Hum, as I believe in their vision. OK…done. Just go there and check it out.)

So today, two days later, I am still feeling the ‘run.’ Have to laugh at this one, as many people do not truly ‘run.’ Many jog/walk and could care less what time we get to the finish line. (That is the best part of this local Santa Cruz event.) And either way, our bodies still feel it. I know it would be ‘smart’ to do many practice runs before this ‘race.’ I’ve ran it twice before this year. Each time, my muscles talk to me. It’s in a loving way, but they do talk loudly to me. I ignore them. I’ve had this lesson now three times. And I choose to say…’meh.’ No big deal. Muscles heal rather quickly. Mine will be good by tomorrow. Really, in the greater scheme of things, no biggie. (Throw this in with ‘first world whining.’)

I run now once per year. This is it. The Wharf to Wharf. I don’t even ‘practice’ for it. I just get out there and jog it. This year I walked a bit too cuz I was with so many other people, and we were all attempting to stay together. Everyone in the group of ‘bees’ did just that. We stopped and danced at many of the bands along the way. We stopped to take photos or video. Pure fun.

Turns out, lots of MINORSAN members also participated in this race. We were randomly dispersed throughout in small groups. Most are not ‘runners’ either. I used to run (years ago before I had any purely fitness workouts at my Studio.) I also went to local ‘gyms.’ Had to get in those weights and the cardio (besides doing my martial arts workouts, which are more anaerobic and work the muscles in an entirely different way). That’s when I used to run. All along West Cliff, in fact. These days, time is even more limited and I have to pick and choose my workouts. So running is a back burner thing. Random. Still, I love this little race called the Wharf to Wharf, from the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk/Wharf to the Capitola Wharf in our little slice of paradise located in California. One of my favorite local events.

What got me thinking about this, is that so many locals participate in this this ‘race’ every year, and this year it sold out in 45 minutes! 16,000 people. That is phenomenal. You’d think we were purchasing tickets to see the most beloved person on the planet. Even more impressing was that all abilities were out there participating in this event. And so many local bands and performers were out there supporting the runners/walkers/joggers. The bands help make it so much more fun!

What struck me the most this year, was that there were people who’s bodies didn’t run, and instead, afforded them the ‘walk.’ They walked the entire time. And it was with effort. And they did it. One was in our very group. I also saw a gentleman who was ‘running’ his 44th Wharf to Wharf!!! Yes, he has participated every single year of this event! This time he was walking, and had the aid of two people with him, and he was doing it! There were no excuses. None. He was proudly displaying a sign stating that this was his 44th run of this little race. Simply amazing. Shows how powerful the human spirit can be when we want to achieve.

Yes, I get the lessons about the muscles (which I choose to ignore). However, this lesson from these people who have no excuses, are a bit less able than most of the others ‘running,’ and still get out there and do it, is such a huge inspiration. And a lesson to anyone who uses excuses for anything. At some time or other, we have all come up with excuses. Easy to do. Harder to do is to set excuses aside, thank those excuses for showing up, and then move on ahead, way past those excuses. Why thank them? Because they allow us to pass them up. When we pass up our excuses, we get stronger in mind and spirit. We find more power within. And that is what we are programmed to do. Find ways to accomplishment. Passing up our excuses is the first step to achieving.

This is by far one of the best local events ever. And I will continue to ‘run’ it every year (if I’m in town). And I will probably continue to ignore the lesson my muscles give me every time. After all, I could use that as an excuse. Besides…I’m not THAT sore. Thanks to my other workouts. (Check the rest of my site for what we do.)

So I leave you with your excuses. Me with mine. We can all choose what to do with them. Here’s to happy choosing!

Sincerely,

Clara E Minor
Master Trainer-Instructor
MINORSAN Self-Defense & Fitness
831.458.0900
contact@minorsan.com
1320 Mission Street, SC CA 95060

Firearms Safety Class

May 31, 2016 by Clara E Minor Leave a Comment

Firearms Safety Class for Everyone

In this Firearms Safety Class you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about them. Types of bullets, different firearms, most common used, learn about calibers, what the numbers mean, which have magazines (and what are magazines?), how much time it takes to fire each one, what are revolvers, semi-automatics, automatics, etc.

Held June 17, 6:00 – 8:00 pm. Tickets may be purchased here.

Taught by an Expert Marksman with extensive Firearms Training, is a Defensive Tactics Instructor, Taser Instructor, has extensive training in Use of Force (Decision-Making), and has a lifelong Martial Arts Background.

Rio Minor – Firearms Safety Class Instructor

I know this is a hard subject for some to even talk about, and is controversial in the larger picture. This Firearms Safety Class is for educational purposes only. You can ask all the questions you’d like. You can even hold the firearms if you choose to do so. Remember, this is about safety. This class will help demystify firearms for you so that you will be more educated.

To sign up for this class, you can purchase tickets here. There is early bird pricing.

You can always contact me for further information.

Sincerely,

Clara E Minor
Master Instructor-Trainer
Minorsan Self-Defense & Fitness

Congratulations to our Winners!

May 16, 2016 by Clara E Minor Leave a Comment

Yes, congratulations winners! We had 5 Winners.

Workin’ our booth

Here are a couple of vids we took regarding the Women’s Health & Lifestyle Expo at the Coconut Grove in Santa Cruz, on May 12. All our Challengers did soooo well!

Congratulations Angelica Torentino, Sue Renner, Jessica Williams, Jackie Christinson, and Brittany Saunders!

Congratulations Everyone for gettin’ on your ‪#‎BadassCourage‬! 42 people took on a Challenge!

Watch what these 3 won…Thank You to Robin Ludington, Denice Kowalski and members who helped with the drawings.

If you missed this event, you will want to get on this for next year. They provided free food bites, free drink, free giveaways, free screenings (!), prize drawings, and you could make purchases from the many local businesses that were there supporting Women’s Healthy Lifestyles in Santa Cruz, CA. Minorsan will be there for sure again next year. And we will have our Challenges again. You could win a 3-Month Fitness Package, a Tabata Bootcamp, 3-Month Kickboxing Package, 3-Month Martial Arts Package, or an 8-Module Self-Defense Course for 2! See you at this fantastic event next year!

Clara E Minor
Master Instructor-Trainer
Minorsan Self-Defense & Fitness

Summer Works for Weight Loss

May 16, 2016 by Clara E Minor Leave a Comment

Summer provides an abundance of fresh & local fruits and vegetables

Summer works for weight loss due to several factors

A recent study, which was highlighted on a daily news show, indicates that 68% of the U.S. population loses more weight during the Summer months. Here are some good reasons why Summer works for weight loss:

1 – We move more in the Spring and Summer. It’s nicer out, we have more light, and there are many outdoor activities. We want to be more sedentary in fall/winter. It’s colder, darker, and the tendency is stay inside where it is warm, and we can have lights on. Contrary to the belief that we burn more fat during the Winter due to the cold temperatures, that might be true if we lived in tents. Most of us live in warm homes, and often turn the heat up. We heat our vehicles. We go into warm buildings. Very few like living/working in cold buildings. If you enjoy working out outdoors in the cold, that helps too.

2 – Fall is the season in which most people get SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder). This can easily create depressive moods. When depressed, who wants to do anything, much less get your butt up and working out. We tend to eat to feel better. The is why I’m always getting y’all to come in to work out. It WILL help you feel so much better and get out of that depressive mood. Fall season also starts ‘holiday eating syndrome,’ and it’s easily subsequent weight gain. Remember, I’m talking about overindulgence of calorie-dense, nutrient-deficient foods here, not small bites here and there of your favorite foods.

3 – Hot weather suppresses our appetite. I have an anecdotal story here: when my son got married, that entire week was very very hot here in CA. Both locations, Santa Barbara, and Santa Cruz, were in the high 80’s and 90’s (yes, this is hot for CA…lol). I had set up a bunch of yummy (and yes, healthy, but still very yummy appetizers). They were hardly touched! I asked if the food was just not that good, and the overwhelming response was that ‘it was just too hot!’ Afternoon workouts in the hot Summer work best indoors!

4 – Many people are more conscious of their bodies in the Summer when many of us wear less clothing (men and women), and this can be a great motivator to watch our habits with food.

5 – Summer brings an abundance of fresh, in season, fruits and vegetables. Always best to eat in season, and Spring/Summer make it so much easier to get high-nutrient dense foods that are low in caloric value.

For seasonal workers (i.e. teachers who have Summer off), a perfect answer would be to take in a Tabata Bootcamp.

As always, you can contact me via this website’s Contact page or call 831-458-0900.

Sincerely,

Clara E Minor
Master Instructor-Trainer
Minorsan Self-Defense & Fitness

Are You Nice or Kind?

April 20, 2016 by Clara E Minor Leave a Comment

The other night I was teaching one of the Self-Defense modules, and the subject of ‘nice’ and ‘kind’ came up. It’s interesting how much we know the difference, yet often fall into being ‘nice’ rather than kind.’ Are you nice or kind?

Why the Indoctrination

Our indoctrination into being ‘nice’ started when we were very young. Parents and caretakers not wanting to be seen as ‘bad parents’ often chastised us into being ‘nice’ when we did something/said something that was not socially acceptable, to or at another person. Instead of telling us what to do correctly, they simply told us to be ‘nice.’ This conditioning has led many of us to ‘give up something,’ as one individual stated in the Self-Defense class.

‘Nice people’ are always giving up something to someone else. Nice people want what I call “The 7 A’s:” Approval, Acceptance, Attention, Acknowledgement, Affection, Adoration, Agreement. They want people to LIKE them. They have a great fear of rejection, and have a hard time with confrontation. They don’t want to ‘rock the boat.’ She’s your aunt, be nice. He’s the gardener, be nice. She’s the pharmacist, be nice. He’s the doctor, be nice. He’s your playmate, be nice. He’s my friend, be nice. He’s your uncle, be nice. They also make the easiest victims to all levels of crime. Perpetrators can smell this. Being nice is an emotional challenge for sure, always giving up something to someone else.

This can be detrimental to you and your safety

Perpetrators use being ‘nice’ as a way to manipulate and deceive. They know how to act it. They want to build your trust. So they are ‘nice’ to you. They give you compliments, offer to help you, ask seemingly innocent questions (I say ‘seemingly’ because someone asking you where Bay Street is located doesn’t seem like an out-of-line question, however, with every word you speak, a perpetrator is gathering information about you. More about this another time.)

Being ‘kind’ on the other hand is a state of being in control of your power. A kind person is able to “CUE,” show Compassion, Understanding, and Empathy, without allowing others to step all over you. The moment you are uncomfortable, you check in. What are you sensing? What are you feeling? What is this person attempting?

You Don't Need to Like Everyone

Being kind does not mean you have to like a person. It does not mean you are going to be friends forever. Or even at all. You can show kindness to someone, and still not like them. You may not agree with anything about them, you may not like their level of integrity, you may not approve of their morals and ethics, however, you still treat them with kindness because, well, they really haven’t done anything to harm/hurt/violate you. You simply don’t have the right chemistry with them.

I’ve heard of so many instances where one child does or says something ‘bad’ to another child and instead of finding out what caused the confrontation in the first place, the adult present tells the child to just ‘be nice.’ Being ‘nice’ is how that adult resolves it. This is totally disempowering to a child.

And What About You

If you find yourself always saying ‘yes’ to everyone around you, check in. What are your reasons? Are they truly valid for you? Is it that you can’t stand confrontation? (Nobody likes it, really.) Or are they reasons that ‘give away,’ so you can feel good that they are happy because you complied. In your mind this means that they will now like you. In their mind, many will be happy because they are getting what they want. They are using you. And you let them.

Kindness and compassion are truly separate and distinct from being a ‘nice guy.’ Ellen doesn’t say (at the end of her shows) “be nice to one another.” She clearly always states “be kind to one another.” There is a huge difference.

Shifting niceness into kindness is huge change. If you’d like to do some work around this, contact me through the website.

Clara E Minor
Master Trainer/Instructor
MINORSAN Self-Defense & Fitness
831-458-0900
minorsan.com

Why I Teach Martial Arts & Fitness

April 5, 2016 by Clara E Minor Leave a Comment

Teaching martial arts, self-defense & fitness go beyond "passion"... There is purpose behind what I do

I often get asked what I do (by people whom I'm meeting for the first time). In March, I was at an event and had the opportunity to speak to 85 women. What a treat! A captive audience….a speaker’s dream.

The first words out of my mouth were: “I teach women how to fight.” It is the first time I had ever told anyone what I do, in those specific words. For some reason, it held a lot of power. My audience was immediately captivated by what was to follow. I had all of 3 minutes! lol…

But in those 3 minutes I explained in a nutshell exactly what I do.

“I teach people how to fight, and specifically women. I help women who have a hard time standing up for themselves and don’t feel very good about their bodies, to feel great in their bodies and live their lives in fearlessness, by cultivating their #badasscourage [thru physical movement].”

(And I did not even mention martial arts or fitness.)

I like it a lot

I like these words. They do hold a lot of power. And it is what I do (among so much more). Teaching women (and men) this particular skill goes so far beyond the actual skill, as it becomes a part of our nervous system with new muscle memory, replacing old patterns of movement and old ways of thinking. Even more important, it replaces a new way of feeling. You get emotional transformation through your own physical transformation. It is indeed powerful.

Yes, I teach men and always have. However, lately a lot of women have been drawn to my studio to learn how to fight. Maybe that is why I chose those words at that moment. Maybe it is just time for more women to learn to fight. It has been a ‘given’ for men to have the ‘permission’ to learn to fight. Women…not so much. The time is ripe. The time is now.

And if every woman and girl in the world knew how to fight, wouldn’t the world look different? Food for thought…

Our bodies are brilliant

They hold so much within. Trusting that has often been so hard for so many of us. Our bodies speak to us all the time. Often we ignore our bodies. We let our minds take over. That’s when we run into our own trouble. I keep learning from my body every day. I seem to be on a path to bigger and deeper healing…every day. Listening to my body has become top priority. (And I am still learning from the incident with my broken arm.)

Going thru my own process of ‘getting there,’ I have learned that we hold energy, thoughts, and feelings in every fiber of our bodies. Sometimes it is best to release it (for our better health and happiness). The release of energy happens in lots of different ways. Some are subtle and some are quite a bit more ‘intense.’ From experience, I know that heat can create a release of energy that we didn’t even know we were holding. This can be intense.

I have had these releases thru my martial arts training, sweat lodges, and sitz baths. The common denominator was heat. In the martial arts training, my core was continually contracting as I rolled on the mat. My body was sweating. Tears started rolling. My teacher, Mr. Tino Tuiolosega, was surprised, as I was, for nothing had happened to me, except I was practicing rolls…and sweating a lot. I’ve seen martial arts students break down in tears from something that was seemingly ‘nothing.’ This doesn’t happen to everyone. However, when it does, it is very powerful.

Heat is expansive. Cold is contractive. Most of us know this. When we are cold we hold ourselves tighter. Our muscles contract in an effort to retain heat. In this effort, the cells are tight. Not much can pass through. With heat in the cells, they expand. Expansion allows more room for energy to travel through each cell. In that opening of the cells, therein lies the release. Release of old energy, old memories, old stuff. (Sweat lodges and sitz baths work in a similar way. Maybe more about those later.)

So, back to what I do

Learning how to fight goes so far beyond knowing how to fight. It can truly be a method of healing. In my world, there is no other more powerful confidence builder than being able to control another person who might be attempting to hurt or harm you, especially if that person is bigger than you. There is such a huge myth surrounding people who are ‘bigger than you.’

As I continued to train (with everyone who was bigger than me), I began to demystify this myth for myself. I was getting a new truth…about myself, about other people (and their ‘size’), and how feeling my own power to knock someone out made a true and lasting change in my life. Having trained in 6 other martial arts disciplines, I still did not have that for which I was looking. It wasn’t until Mr. Tino Tuiolosega walked into my life did I learn about this energy within and the power to cultivate courage.

And then there is #badasscourage

"Cultivate Your #badasscourage" was developed out of a need to find, in a nutshell, what I do. Courage is what got me through the doubts and fears. Doubts and fears don’t disappear. They become smaller and less significant, but only after you’ve gone through them. At least that was true for me. That is cultivation. The more I cultivated, the more courage I built. Having to confront my own teacher was the hardest part of any training I ever did with him. I almost lost him as my teacher (twice) because I had the courage to speak up (to the one who was teaching me to cultivate my power…lol). Nobody confronts ‘Mr. Tino.’ I had to. And it was worth the risk. He (unknowingly) taught me to deal with other people's anger. Huge big lesson. And it was great! It took courage to stand in close proximity to Mr. Tino Tuiolosega when the release of this energy happened. Whoa! And every time I got stronger.

Cultivating ‘knockout power’ provided my body, mind and spirit with an energy that I had never, ever felt, ever in my life. And it sure did feel good. Yes, I was learning to put someone’s lights out. Never in my life growing up did I ever think I would one day have the ability to knock someone out. I never thought about it because, like most people, who wants to think about this kind of stuff?

We often ignore the 'what if's.' As I began to learn this power, I was creating confidence that I had never had before in my life. Knowing that I can knock someone out makes all the difference in my world. It doesn’t make me invincible. Yes, someone else can knock my lights out too. I am as vulnerable as the next person when a situation is totally out of my control. However, when I have control to make choices, I won’t feel so frozen. I will choose to fight for what I believe or take flight for when it makes more sense to get the x@#^ out.

And I use it every day

What’s even bigger than this is that I use my training every single day. Self-defense is about making your own choices on your own watch every day. It’s about standing up for what you believe. It’s about speaking your mind, and not having to justify anything to anyone.

I still make mistakes. If I didn’t make mistakes, I wouldn’t be learning much. The difference is that now when I make choices, I know they are my own, I am operating under my own power in all aspects of my life, and I have the confidence to stand behind my choices. I stand up for what I believe to be truth. I ask for help when I need it. I release people who feel toxic to my life. I stand strong in who I am and don’t make excuses or justifications.

I can take the time I need to assess a situation and not make a move out of fear (of rejection, embarrassment, being made wrong, etc—which is entirely different from making a move in a dangerous situation). The energy that runs through my body when I feel #badasscourage cannot ever be explained. Each person has to feel it. (Like how you explain the taste of an orange to someone who has never tasted citrus.)

And besides, feeling that #badasscourage is a great way to live. And this is why I do what I do...why I teach what I teach. Whether in my martial arts classes, self-defense classes, or fitness classes, I bring it all to the table. Talk to me if you are curious how this might work for you too, beyond what you are already doing.

Clara E Minor
Master Instructor-Trainer
MINORSAN Self-Defense & Fitness
Santa Cruz, CA
Contact Page
831-458-0900
Yes, I will teach you to kick-butt in a most appropriate way.