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Jun 01
2007
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June 2007 NewsletterPosted by KMSF in newsletter, interview |
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From Barny's Desk
We are here to add what we can to life, not to get what we want from it.Your life isn't just about you. If you want to be rich in the truest sense of the word, you must contribute to other peoples lives. To lose a close friend or family member is always an extremely difficult time. As friends of the person who has sufferedthe loss, we do our best to console them and offer our sympathies, somehow feeling that no matter what you do, it is not enough. Gabriel lost his father this past month and all of our prayers and sympathies go out to him and his family.
Barny
Announcements and Events
In this issue:Burpees Fundraiser Success! Congratulations to all who participated in the May Burpees Fundraiser Challenge! We ended up raising $4742.54, going above and beyond our goal of $3000 and providing nearly all the money needed for the Home Away From Homelessness summer trip. They needed $5000 total for the trip for transportation to and from Oregon, food, and the cost of the week-long rafting trip. Thanks to you and your sponsors' generosity, Home Away is able to give these kids an experience of a lifetime. Click the image at right to see a video of the main competition on May 5th. So who was the winner for doing the most burpees? None other than Cip Cipriano, who is interviewed in this month's newsletter. He came out on top with 360 burpees! He had stiff competition though, as quite a few people did over 200. Thanks again to all our participants and sponsors - you have done an incredible deed. VIP Memberships at KMSF We are now offering VIP memberships with lots of added bonuses! Platinum Membership - $299/mo, 1 year prepaid $2999
Upcoming Belt Tests
Seminar Series: Meet Licensed Chinese medicine and acupuncturist Dr. Kun Xiang Saturday June 23, 2007, 1:30-2:30 PM Rescheduled from May! Dr. Xiang will speak about the benefits of Chinese medicine and acupuncture, and will also preview some of the latest testing techniques to find out about the health of your skin and to determine the level of antioxidants in your blood. Dr. Xiang earned his medical doctoral degree at Shanghai Medical University in China in 1982, learning a combination of ancient Chinese healing arts and modern medicine. He is also the official acupuncturist of the Smuin Ballet Company and treats many members of the San Francisco Ballet Company. Sign up to receive discounts on the tests as well as for treament in his local clinic, located nearby at Van Ness and Jackson. For more information, go to KunXiang.com Calling All Moms: Have you ever dreamed of being able to get a workout in, grab a bite, and get some peace and quiet without worrying about the kids? Want to train and unwind in the middle of the day, knowing your kids are safe nearby? Are you interested in working out in the evenings with your partner at a place with childcare available? We are looking for any moms with younger children to take part of a focus group to discuss what you're looking for in a workout and childcare program. RSVP to participate on Tuesday, June 26th from 11-12:30; food and childcare provided. Come have lunch and bring your kids, and tell us what we can do to meet your needs. Contact This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it for more info. Eyal Yanilov Summer Seminar Series Head IKMF Instructor Eyal Yanilov has returned to Krav Maga Berkeley, and is offering three seminars in July! For more than 20 years, Eyal Yanilov was the closest assistant of to the founder of Krav Maga, Imi Lichtenfeld. He holds the highest degree in the system and has been teaching Krav Maga for over 30 years worldwide to law enforcement, military, VIP protection and civilians. Each seminar offered focuses on a different aspect of Krav Maga, and is limited to specific audiences. They are as follows:
Interview: Cip CiprianoCip is not only one of the more colorful characters at KMSF, he's the winner of the May Burpees Fundraiser Challenge! Currently an orange belt, Cip is also a part-time fitness instructor at KMSF, and can be found working up a sweat any day of the week.KMSF: How did you get involved in KMSF? Cip Cipriano: I was one of those angry kids, and I became an angry adult. I was always that person with too much energy and too much of a temper. I felt I really needed a place to channel it where there was a good sense of discipline, and krav really fit the bill. I own my own business, and I don't have a lot of people telling me, "No." I was receiving no discipline, especially because I own nightclubs. So krav gives me an amazing amount of balance. I knew from the very first class I took, this dude was just screaming at me and shouting at me, and I could hardly move afterwards. It wasn't an insulting thing, it was meant to inspire you to do your best and push you further than you thought possible. That's why I love krav. KMSF: So it wasn't for reasons of self-defense or anything? CC: No, it was more to control my temper honestly. It was more to be able to have a safe outlet for the temper that I had. I'm so mellow now compared to how I used to be. I got it all out of my system. I do every one of Kat's classes that I can, and then Trey beats me up regularly. KMSF: Do you remember who your first instructor was? CC: I can't remember his name. He was a big guy, he was here two years ago or so, what was his name... KMSF: Keith? CC: Keith! That's it. Keith kicked my ass that first day. I had no idea what I had gotten myself into. I was in good shape - I'd been doing weight training for years - and twenty minutes into Keith's class, I could hardly even move. And I remember we were doing that one exercise where you're throwing hammer fists down on the pad, you drop down on the ground, and then your partner puts the pad over and you're hammer fisting up - I was dying! And when it ended, I was just lying there and Keith looks over at me and says, "THIS is Krav Maga." It was right out of a commercial, it was great. I became addicted immediately, and told all my friends about it. It was life changing for me. KMSF: Was this your first exposure to a martial art? CC: Kind of, my father was a Vietnam vet and he taught me to fight a lot. It was more informal training - no real discipline, just "Attack, attack, attack." Which is good, it's a good basis to have, but the discipline here at KMSF and the respect for people is what I love. KMSF: It's a unique environment that way. A lot of martial arts schools emphasize that, but it seems like here it's truly genuine. CC: I love the fact, too, that Zack and I can beat the hell out of each other. Trey does this thing where it's Zack, him, Danny, and I just wail on each other, and then afterwards we'll laugh and go have a drink, because it's not personal. It's a controlled environment. If any of them hit me in the face, I don't think that they're assholes, I think I should be keeping my guard up better. It's great. KMSF: Where do you get all your energy? Did it come from training, or have you always been like this? CC: I was always a hyperactive kid; I sleep only 4 hours a night. I've just always been like that. When I turned 25, I started wondering if it was going to go away. I hit 30, 35, and I kept thinking, "Is it going to go away?" And now, I just think there's no end in sight. I think there's just still more stuff to do, and once I've run out of things, then I'll get tired. Four hours of sleep a night is more than enough for me. I'll sleep when I'm dead. I don't want to miss out on anything. We've only got one time around on this planet, and I'll be damned if I'm going to miss anything. KMSF: Tell me about what you do outside of krav. CC: I own a nightclub called Underground SF in Lower Haight. It's a really fun place, a great environment - it embraces the spirit of San Francisco and everything that Haight Street is about. Every night it's a different club, and it's a total blast. Lots of different people and all kinds of music; I get to meet people from all walks of life every night. I used to put on these big rock shows. I owned a place called The Pound SF and a company called Incipid Productions, and I put on these huge heavy metal shows, like Anthrax. A bunch of my customers come to krav, they've been to my shows and all know me. I did that for years, and then decided to get out of it in order to simplify my life a bit. Now that I teach more classes here, I have something new to fill my time. It's a different adventure. KMSF: How did you get started in nightclubs? CC: I've been a musician for years: I sing and I write music. I toured in a band called Sparrow's Point for over 10 years. We sold 20,000 copies of one of our albums, and we pretty much knew that was as far as we were going to go. I also had some money to invest; I was initially a male stripper out on the East Coast and made a good bit of money. I even moved to San Francisco using that money. So I was able to seed some businesses with that money, got lucky with what I became involved in, and it all sort of rolled from there. I try to treat people with respect, and hopefully that comes around back to you. KMSF: How did you get started teaching classes at KMSF? CC: Kat needed someone to fill in for her, and she suggested me to Barny because she thought I was really strong and had good endurance. She, Gabe, and I went together and got our TRX certification, and that's what started it. I started filling in for Conditioning classes, and I fill in for the CrossFit classes sometimes. It's really fun. I'm going to get CrossFit certified, but the summer class is sold out, so I'll probably go in November. I don't do it for the money, I just love teaching people and watching them get into better shape than when they started. KMSF: Do you have a teaching philosophy? CC: I like to push people to be their very best. I think that everyone has that inner desire in them. Some people have it wide-awake and glaring, and that inner tiger is so loud, somebody like Trey for example. He's in class yelling, "I GOT A GRENADE! IMAGINE THAT I GOT A GRENADE!" Some people need to have it brought out, and maybe the krav classes aren't what they need initially to bring it out. Maybe they need to see an improvement in their muscle tone, or how they aren't getting as winded or exhausted as a first step. Or if they're kicking ass in the fighting classes, this is going to be what takes them to the next level; this is what will make them a better fighter. It's going to make their endurance better, make them stronger, and improve their bodies and their health. That's what we're doing here: we're improving people's health. That's an amazing thing, considering my other job is working in a nightclub where it's a superficial, fun environment (which I also think has a necessary and important place in the world). This is something where you're actively providing the help people need to better their selves. KMSF: I think a lot of people have trouble connecting with their selves at first, and maybe approaching them on a physical level is what they need for a stepping-stone. CC: Exactly, and you just have to embrace it and figure out what each student needs as an individual. Some students you can push hard, others need to take baby steps. KMSF: You obviously have a great deal of energy in your own training. How do you modify that in teaching other people? You seem to be very sensitive to that, which isn't typical for some high-energy people. CC: I have a lot of friends that aren't in the shape I am, and I've helped them get into shape. I've been training people without any certification for a long time, and I've learned that sometimes people don't have the inner warrior. Sometimes they just want to be the soccer mom in better shape, and that's valid too. They may not want to kick your head off, but they want to improve themselves in some way and be in better shape. I try to be sensitive to other people's needs and motivate them without driving them to injury. KMSF: Tell me about where you grew up, where you came from. CC: I was born in Yonkers, New York. I moved to Baltimore and lived there for a while. Ended up, through a series of bad circumstances, being homeless and had absolutely nothing. I was homeless when I was 17, which is why I support the fundraisers for Home Away From Homelessness - they really mean a lot to me. My mom and I had lived on our own, and she passed away unexpectedly from a brain hemorrhage. We didn't have any savings; we were pretty much a poor family all the time anyway. Finally, some really amazing people came into me and my best friend's lives and let us live in a fire-damaged house overlooking a junkyard. It was a roof over our heads, and I learned plumbing and electrical work through that, making a big $5.25 an hour back then (this was the 80s) and I was dirt poor. I had always been dirt poor really, and then one day someone suggested that I be a stripper. And I decided, "You know, why not?" I've never been shy, and I ended up making a fortune doing it. I finally decided I had to get out of Baltimore; it was getting too small for me. When I started traveling, I knew that California was where I had to be, and I fell in love with San Francisco the second I saw it and never wanted to leave. My first vacation here, I ended up renting a place and stayed here in San Francisco ever since. I've been here since 1992. It's just been great, one adventure after another. I've had various nightclubs, various businesses, I've met amazing people through the years, and I've done all sorts of cool things. I've gotten to live a really fun life. My friends and I have all had the same philosophy: to have a lot of fun with your jobs, whatever it is you're doing. My best friend owns a plumbing company, and plumbing is one of his favorite things to do in the world. You have to reward yourself too - I just came back from Australia. I love traveling and having fun with my friends. KMSF: I haven't traveled as much as I like, but every time I do, I find that no matter if I've been somewhere I really love, I still love being back home. CC: I remember being on a cross-country tour with my band for a month, and we were driving back. And just coming over that bridge and seeing the city, I just thought, "Oh thank god I'm home." I was so tired of being on the road and living in a van with all my stinky band mates. KMSF: Is there anything you want to say to your students or to the people reading the newsletter? CC: Just that I want people to really appreciate what an amazing environment we have here at KMSF. This is an amazing community that Barny has created. He could have let it be like any other martial arts school, but instead we've created a real sense of community. And I know it's hard to get off your ass and come here every day when you're working a 9-5 job, but you're rewarded with better health and good friends. People like training with you, and it's a lot of fun; this place is just amazing. You never know what kind of people you are going to meet here. I love it. Self-Defense in CrowdsThis e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view itIt's summer time, and that means getting outside and doing more things with more people, often in large groups and in busy public places. These fun atmospheres are exciting, but they also bring self-defense challenges. One, it simply increases the numbers of people together in a location, making some crimes more likely to occur. Two, often we are in these environments with people we care about: husbands, wives, children, and elders. Here are a few general rules to be prepared for issues regarding your safety and your loved ones while out in public. Keep things in front of you. In general, if you are the one (or one of several) who is expected to provide for the defense of the group, walk behind the group so you can see them and you can also see how other people approach them. If children are walking on their own, you can make sure they don't get too far out of reach, whereas you won't always know if one has stopped behind you. Know your exit routes. If you are going to places like a stadium or outdoor concert, review a map of the area and identify the exits. If possible, bring a map with you; it's easy enough to print out a web map or take one if the event provides it. Make sure you can understand how to position yourself according to landmarks. If events take a turn for the worse, you will know how to guide yourself and your charges out of the area quickly. Stay in contact. This can mean eye contact, as in the case of small children. If cell phones are known to work in the area, contact can be just a text message or a call. Splitting up into two groups is acceptable, given that the general area either party will be in is determined to be safe enough by adults. Particularly important when groups split up is to have a specific plan as to where and when the groups will reunite. Stick to the plan. This is crucial in cities or other crowded public environments where possible search parameters quickly become very broad. Both parties must make the best effort to do what they last agreed to do before any contact is lost, unless strong evidence to the contrary appears. This could be information from a trusted source that the plan has changed or they know of a different location that Group B is staying put. If the group loses a straggler, sticking to the plan will help the lost party anticipate where the group will be next. Check conditions. Here are some conditions of the environment you should be paying attention to: Is there alcohol being served? What is the weather going to be like? Are there rival groups present, such as at sporting events? What are the general traffic or public transportation routes in and out of the area? What is the state of mind of group members that day? Is anyone listless, inattentive, upset, giddy, drunk, or anything else that might cause them to be at risk while out? Work as a team. Husbands and wives, big brothers and sisters, and friends need to work as a team to prevent potentially unsafe situations from affecting their group outings. Assign responsibilities if necessary to divide up a group of children to watch, or designate someone to an elder who needs assistance. Stay relaxed and calm. It helps your observation skills and allows you to assess more accurately what is going on without letting your emotions get the best of you, and is soothing to the rest of the group. Offer to help in general and offer to switch responsibilities with others so fatigue doesn't contribute to a problem. I'm looking forward to a great summer in the city and elsewhere. Stay safe and enjoy the sunshine. If any of you have suggestions or specific resources about security in crowds, please let me know. |
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