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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The Exquisite Art of the Staff
The staff (a big stick), and its cousin the spear (a big stick with a point), is probably the most commonly used weapon in all of history. The reason: a staff is cheap, and a spear is only slightly more expensive due to the cost of the tip. Warfare is as much about tactics as it is about having enough money to fund equipment, so having cheap troops available is relatively important.
The staff achieved its highest level of development on the Asian continent, mostly because of moral reasons. The staff provided an opportunity to not kill one’s opponent, something that was very important to most monks (usually Buddhist), and other moral people that tried to avoid unnecessary bloodshed. It is much more difficult to avoid killing someone with a sword, since a sword’s purpose is killing. For a swordsman to avoid killing, a swordsman must avoid the function of the weapon.
The Two Big Interests.
Most people are interested in 2 parts of staff practice:
- Fancy twirls.
- The ability to lay out multiple enemies.
Good News! This is one area where the myth of practice and actual practice overlap. If you want to train to do these things, you can!
Fancy twirls are drills for strengthening the body, improving handling of the staff, and showing off. Showing off is a traditional part of all weapons’ cultures, and a part of all weapons-based martial arts. A good showing off can intimidate opponents, and prevent fights from ever emerging. Twirls are not, however, an effective means of fighting.
The staff is also a true 360 degree weapon, able to move easily through any point on an imaginary ball surrounding the body. This gives the weapon the ability to easily defend against a wide circle of attackers. It does require a higher level of skill than the sword to be useful.
Basic twirling can be learned in one 30 minute lesson. If you want to learn twirling, or generally see whether or not the staff is for you, try a SATISFACTION GUARANTEED, private lesson--> Book NOW!
Staff practice outside of twirling follows the same 8 point approach as sword. It is taught exclusively in private lessons. |
