Self-Defense Sessions at Brandeis University

Shihan True and other black belts from the True Martial Arts Academy will be teaching four one hour self-defense Sessions for the female athletes at Brandeis University the 2nd and 3rd week of September. Shihan Jim was recently hired back at Brandeis University to teach in the Athletic Department offering a Personal Protection Course both semesters for the students.

TMAA Open House on September 28th

With the new name change to True Martial Arts Academy, we will be hosting an Open House on September 28th, Saturday from 10 am - 2 pm. The Academy will feature safety awareness programs of "Stranger Danger" and "Bully Buster" along with sample classes of the MMA Combat Fitness program and Women's Self-defense. The Waltham Police Dept. will also be on hand to do child safety kits with photo ID's and The Waltham Fire Department will offer a fire safety lecture for kids and parents. Join us for fun and safety, bring your family and friends all are welcome.

TMAA Safety Demonstration

On October 5, 2013 the TMAA (True Martial Arts Academy), will participate in a youth martial arts and safety demonstration for St. Jude School at their annual Barn Yard Bingo event.

For more info contact Shihan Jim at shihanjim@verizon.net or Kristen Pepe at kristen.skkaa@rcn.com

True Martial Arts Academy April Seminar

The annual spring martial arts seminar was hosted at the True Martial Arts Academy the weekend of April 11th - 13th featuring Shihan Jayne Butrum and Ed Kearney from Cleveland. The event featured material from "Basics to Bunkai" with six teens promoted to Shodan, 1st degree Black Belt. The evening featured a trip into Fanueuil Hall with dinner at Durgin Park then the North End for dessert.

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The Samurai Exhibit at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts
by Deb Carappeza

In June, a group from the True Martial Arts academy, led by Sensei Jim took a field trip to the Boston Museum of Fine Arts to view the Samurai exhibit (note: it will be on exhibit until August 4). The exhibit included armor, helmets, a display of life-size Samurai warriors on the march and on horses, a tapestry depicting a battle, saddles, and so much more. We viewed incredible face masks for both warriors and horses, weapons (bow, arrow, gold encrusted katana, and short blade). We learned that the suits were made of such materials as chain mail, iron, leather, cloth materials, lacing, and lacquered wood.

I learned some new Japanese terms such as daimyo, (meaning feudal lord), menpo (meaning half mask), bamen (horse mask). Of course, I had to ask Sensei Jim how to pronounce them. Sensei Jim also mentioned that there were, in fact, Samurai women as well, one of which we could look up and read about in Papa Chris's book, Samurai, Scoundrels and Saints - Stories from the Martial Arts.

The detail on the armor and masks included such things as horsehair for eyebrows and mustaches, crests on the front of the armor, fangs and horns on the masks, shapes of mythological animals (such as dragons - my favorite), and other fierce-looking designs. The suits were mainly from the 17th to 19th century. However, the helmets were sometimes older than the suits because they were often handed down through the generations. There was so much more to see that cannot all be described here. It was a fun, informative and time-traveling experience for us karate students.

The Samurai Exhibit at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts,

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Shorin-ryu karate Academy 2012 Halloween party


The annual Shorin-ryu karate academy Halloween party was a blood curdling success with over 25 youth students in attendance. The evening of events began with a meet and greet of all the costumed heroes, villains, ninjas, princess's, vampires and ghouls sitting around and decorating their Halloween bags, hopeful of being filled to the top with candy.

The students then went on a devilishly fun scavenger hunt with the help of Sensei Wendy, Julia Donovan and several parents. Not only did they have to find the witch, the vampire, the purple bat, but also they needed to find Mt. fuji, which turned out to be the toughest one to find engraved on the dojo doors.

We then divided into two groups with one group doing Monster Charades and the other taking part in a game of capture the pumpkin in a haunted forest obstacle course.

The entire group moved to the larger dojo for a spooky story of the two pound chocolate bar, narrated by sensei Jim and acted out by several teens.

The final event was the costume contest judged by the teens, with a winner chosen for "scariest costume" won by Jake Donovan in the scary monster mask, "most original costume" won by the dead bride, Patrick Costorf and the "most color full costume" won by the Princess, Srinidhi Krishnamoorthy. All winners received a gift certificate good toward martial arts merchandise.

All the participants then ventured down the teen helpers candy aisle in hopes of having their Halloween goodie bags filled to the top!All in all it was a great event, thanks to all who helped and participated, and a special thanks to Julia Donovan for helping change the format this year, see you next Halloween.

True Martial Arts Academy Halloween Party,

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True Martial Arts Academy Reunion, April 28, 2012 (Courtesy Don Romard)

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