Author: TSMA Page 183 of 200

If you ask Master Paul Edwards how his day is going, he will most likely respond with an enthusiastic, “Outstanding!” That’s because the martial arts guru says a positive outlook promotes positive actions—a mindset he teaches his students atExceptional Tae Kwon Do in White Plains.

“Enthusiasm pulls everything together and training is about confidence,” said the Cortlandt Manor resident. “You have to do the best you can.”

Edwards trains all levels of Tae Kwon Do, with students ranging in age from 4 to 64. His after-school program is separate from his other classes and meets from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.  Other afternoon classes for kids start at 4:10 p.m. These sessions are especially beneficial because they raise self-esteem and keep them active.

“You can’t be lazy in martial arts,” he said. “It requires a lot of physical aptitude to jump, kick, and stretch.”

And the windows in the waiting room are no accident. Edwards says one way he helps his students develop confidence is by making it clear to them that they are being seen by others.

Edwards adds that a central point of martial arts is learning to strategize. That’s why even though each student has different physical capabilities, he reminds them there are other ways to excel.

“I always say to my kids, ‘I’m not made up of my failures, I’m made up of how I overcome them. If someone else is stronger, you have to be faster.”

Edwards points out that a lot of women come to class hoping to learn self-defense through Tae Kwon Do. He says the physical strength they develop is only a small part of the training because they must defend themselves by learning to stand strong, make eye contact and speak clearly.

“The first step to defending yourself is becoming someone of self-confidence and being the best you can be,” he added.

It is clear that Tae Kwon Do has stayed in the Edwards family. His wife Jennifer is a third degree black belt, twins Kiah and Kylie are both yellow belts and daughter Natasha is a high blue belt.

Harris Bonfiglio has owned Kajok TaeKwon-Do Training Center in North Branford for the past six years. Bonfiglio, who was born in New Haven and moved to Branford in 4th grade, has had three schools in Branford, has been studying the art for 40 years and teaching for 38 years.

Kajok offers Tiny Tigers for ages six to nine, intermediate for ages 8 to 13, adult classes and open classes. Classes coming soon include a women’s martial arts fitness program based on cardio kickboxing, which will be Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7:15 p.m. and Saturdays at noon and a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu program, which is slated to begin at the end February and taught by a certified Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu instructor.

North Branford Patch: How did you get interested in taekwondo?

Harris Bonfiglio: It was in 1969, I started off with a little bit of boxing and wanted something more exciting, I started training under Master Tae He Lee in Branford.

North Branford Patch: How is taekwondo different from boxing and other forms of fighting?

Bonfiglio: It’s more of a traditional, scientific system of martial arts. It’s based on speed, balance and Newtonian physics.

North Branford Patch: What are the benefits of practicing taekwondo?

Bonfiglio: It’s a good physical fitness program that will teach children discipline and improve their overall confidence and physical condition. It’s also a good a good sport that you can use to further yourself in other sports. It makes you good at everything. It combines mental with physical, it’s really hard.

North Branford Patch: How have you seen taekwondo impact your students?

Bonfiglio: In the past, I’ve taught kids with learning disabilities and the patterns have been known to improve Tourette’s and ADD. I had a student with Tourette’s who could not stand still for a moment and by the time he got to green belt, which is about halfway through, he was reduced to just a couple ticks, no more outbursts. The ability to be able to control himself for one minute through these patterns, he recognized those patters and used them.

North Branford Patch: What’s your favorite part of the job?

Bonfiglio: Meeting people and taking someone who’s not physically sound or has physical problems and maybe be able to improve their balance and confidence and overall condition.

North Branford Patch: Do you attend any competitions?

Bonfiglio: Yeah, there’s a big one coming up in Toronto in July. There’s competitions in Sardinia, Russia, Cyprus. I compete, but I also give seminars there, too. I’m an international instructor so I’m able to give rank, do promotions overseas–I tested four gentlemen from Ukraine and promoted them to 4th-degree black belt. There’s a world class event every year and every two years there’s a world championship, which will be in Cyprus again next year.

North Branford Patch: What is something you would like our readers to know about you and your business?

Bonfiglio: I love it. It’s a good way to meet people. I have friends who I’ve known for 40 years. We’re all a close-knit group, it’s nice. I’m at a point now where I had students years ago who were children that I trained and they became black belts and now their children are here training. I’m that old *laughs*.

North Branford Patch: Where might people see you around town when you’re not teaching?

Bonfiglio: Well, I work full-time, then I do this at night and I think I need to sleep after that.

In light of the recent car jackings that have been happening on the east end of Slidell dating back to early December, many local citizens are wondering what they should do in order to steer clear of the perpetrator.

According to owner of Rick Weems’ Martial Arts, Jude Grayson, a fourth-degree black belt and seven-time National Champion in Tae Kwon Do—the key to dealing with a bad confrontation such as a car jacking is to be alert and not fearful.

“When things like that happen, force down the fear,” said Grayson. “The time to be afraid is maybe after it when everything is over with. The time to be alert is when you are in danger.”
Grayson has been teaching at Rick Weems gym for years and believes everyone should attend at least one self-defense class because it not only helps build knowledge in physical defense, but also helps people become more mentally proactive.

“Always carry you keys between your knuckles because they can become a weapon, most importantly even if it’s not at my school, everyone needs to get into a self-defense class,” said Grayson.

According to Grayson there are several things young women can do to avoid a situation with a perpetrator before a weapon or confrontation has begun including: choosing a remote parking spot, having company out in public, carrying a cell phone, and being aware of where they are.

The particular suspect who has been committing abductions in Slidell seems to hide in-between cars and catches vulnerable women in the early 20’s off guard late at night.

“This is a time that I think is a time to not be careless. No one should be shopping at night right now. Wal-Mart always has police detail. If you have to shop, be smart about where you shop, be smart about where you park, park underneath the light,” said Grayson.

Also, Grayson recommended anyone who is leaving a grocery store or shopping mall at night should be walked to their car by a store employee, clerk, or manager.

These are all steps that can be taken before a robbery occurs, but Grayson also had advice for those wanting to know how to defend themselves upon meeting armed intruders including concealing a stun gun in.

“Everybody should have a taser,” said Grayson. “It’s a legal thing and you don’t have to pay attention to your real feelings on gun control. Tasers are safe, just keep them in your purse.”

Grayson’s gym will be hosting a street self-defense class starting Thursday, Jan. 12, at 7 p.m. at the Rick Weem’s Martial Arts gym on 2145 Gause Blvd. The event is free to the public.

As each child enters the room for karate class, they bow, as a sign of respect. They do the same when they leave. In between, master instructor Willie Coleman imparts a few other lessons.

About discipline. About responsibility. About leadership.

The karate class is one of the many programs offered at St. Philip’s Episcopal Church designed to reach out to the community. And it seems to be working.

Coleman said that students who have had trouble in school with attitude and anger management problems have improved in the four months they’ve been taking the karate course.

“They went from getting D’s to B’s to A’s,” he said as he kept a watchful eye on the dozen or so students in attendance one recent night. “The attitude change was tremendous.”

More than just grades have improved. The discipline and exercise have helped some of the students who were at risk for diabetes improve their sugar levels, he said. Attitudes also have improved. Thirteen-year-old Jarren Hunley, who has earned his second belt since starting the class, was a self-described bully. What he learned in karate class changed all that.

“It helped,” he said. “I learned how to stop being a bully. I learned about respect.”

Coleman said that students who bully others are penalized by having to fight three others in class. “They see what it’s like to face a bully,” he said.

Coleman started the class with another instructor, Bruce Daniels, and has been working with St. Philip’s to bring the program to the Fernhill Road church’s East Side neighborhood for a very modest voluntary fee. Parents and grandparents are often on hand. Jeremiah Jones, who comes to watch his grandson, 12-year-old Niles, called it “a great experience for the kids.”

“It keeps them out of trouble. It gives them something positive to participate in. They get a lot out of it,” he said.

The Rev. Gloria Payne-Carter, pastor of the historic church, said the karate program took an empty space at the church and filled it with energy and children.

The class is just one of the many ways St. Philip’s is reaching out to its community.

“This past summer, we ran a summer program through the parish center engaging about 20 young people, ages 10 to 17,” Payne-Carter said.

She said the focus of that program was to encourage the young people to provide service in their immediate community. They did so by cleaning people’s yards, cutting their grass, planting flowers and visiting the City Mission.

“We wanted to instill in them the principles of Martin Luther King,” she said. “To give back to the community.”

The centerpiece of the community outreach, she said, is the food pantry, with distribution on Wednesdays and Thursdays.