U.S.C.A. Award for Best Martial Arts School in Flagstaff
"Water Mountain... is a very supportive place to train. The instructors really understand how to work with you to achieve success, and to continually build upon and reinforce your successes. Everyone, students and instructors, work together to form an extremely positive environment. When I walked into the studio for the first time, I immediately felt at ease--sometimes I come in early just to relax in the calming environment. I feel sincerely respected by everyone I've met here. WMMS is like a supportive family, always encouraging me to new levels...."
--Alan Kaufmann, East Flag
"Water Mountain has improved my health so much-sometimes I can hardly believe it! When I first started coming here I was having so much pain, I was just about disabled. Now I'm energetic, feel younger, and I'm nearly pain free. Water Mountain has changed my life for the better....You can come here to handle stress, have a more balanced life and receive lots of positive support both from the staff and from all the friends you make here."
--Maureen White, West Flag
"Water Mountain Martial Arts has been a huge asset for my sons now ages 11 and 13. They not only benefit from the strength and skill building, but also are learning self-defense and discipline. They have learned that it takes a lot of hard work to accomplish some goals in life, but also that it is worth it all in the end."
--Judy Stratton, Upper Greenlaw
"Master Steenrod, I am writing you this letter to thank you and Water Mountain Martial Society for providing martial and lifestyle programs that have been part of my life for several years now. WMMS allowed me to achieve success, and continually build upon my successes, by reinforcing my positive frame of mind, and by cultivating the processes that move students toward imminent objectives using a clear agenda."
--Josh Edwards, East Flagstaff
"Water Mountain Martial Society is a great place to train. Besides the beautiful facility, every instructor is professional, respectful, easy to get along with, and concerned with your progress. The lessons are always very useful and practical, and techniques are demonstrated in a way that makes them quite easy to learn and do, often with surprising results.
A question I've often found myself asking after a class is: "Was I really just able to do that?".
Training at Water Mountain has also improved my health in a long-term and lasting way, both physically and mentally. After training there I find myself with much less stress, as well as an increased drive to do well in life, with the skills and confidence I need to do so.
I would encourage anyone interested in training to try it out. You won't be sorry!"
--James "Bolt Cutter" Patton, West Flagstaff
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Are You a Tiger or A Gazelle?
A few months ago, I (Master Mikel) was at the Phoenix Zoo. As some of you know, I was raised on a farm, and one of my degrees is in Biology. I have a great enjoyment of animals and of studying animal behavior. Well, I was at the gazelle pen, and I had an absolute scientific insight, a lot like when Isaac Newton got hit on the head with an apple, “Gazelles are yummy-looking. No wonder they get eaten.”
Late last year, I was at the Out of Africa Park in the VerdeValley. This park is packed full of the big cats, lions, tigers, pumas, leopards. You name it. My scientific thought, “These guys are powerful. Absolute killing machines. I wonder if I’m yummy-looking.”
What are you? Are you a snack waiting to happen? Not so fast, fast food?
The truth is that the vast majority of humans are prey. They couldn’t defend themselves against even a weak human predator, and certainly not against an animal. The best tool of self-defense that they possess is the Iwoulddo or “I would do this…. I would do that….”. “I would suddenly get strong.” “I would suddenly hit attacker in the groin.” “I wouldn’t do anything, because I wouldn’t want to make him angry.”
The truth is, at best, that you would do what you practice doing regularly. If you are doing nothing, or you behave like prey in your daily life, then you will behave as prey under threat. Iwouldo is a wishful thinking defense. It’s founded on the likelihood that you’ll never face a significant, life-threatening attack. That belief, in America, is actually true. You’re playing the odds, though. How much of your life do you want to risk on good luck?
That’s not what I want to focus on when it comes to the predator-prey relationship, though.
HUMANS HAVE AN EQUAL ABILITY TO BE PREDATORS OR PREY.
Not knowing that leaves those natures untapped, and uncontrolled.
That creates random, unpredictable behavior.
A large portion of kung fu is to teach a person to not be prey, and to access his or her predator-side. This predator-side is then controlled.
What is the Predator-Side?
The predator-side is not uncontrolled behavior. Social ignorance of predatory behavior makes the expression of that behavior animal-like and unregulated, where it becomes bullying and violence. Self-defense is designed to protect against that manifestation of the predatory behavior. This knowledge is not new. It is talked about commonly in ancient Asian writing from Taoism and Confucius.
Predators are moody creatures, and can turn unexpectedly from calm to ferocious. This sudden mood change is a result of the predator’s ability to suddenly flood themselves with massive amounts of hormones, and is necessary for intense physical activity. It also tends to make them somewhat unpredictable.
High level athletes also tend to be very emotional people, because they need to access large quantities of hormones for performance. Martial artists are even more so. Without intensity of emotion, focused and controlled, of course, there is no performance. Getting to that point, requires time and willingness to enter into an uncomfortable exploration of the self.
In a short period of time, anyone can be made predatory, because the underlying behavior is already there. Whether or not it is balanced, where it can be used, on the other hand takes time and deliberate effort.
A note about teens: Teens are already in a period of heightened hormones that leads to uncontrolled behavior. Kung fu allows these hormones to be focused into a stream of power and gives them an outlet. Focused, the hormones become a positive experience that can be channeled to greater personal success rather than a source of frustration and stupidity, or uncontrolled sexual behavior. Parents, I’m sure you don’t want that!
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