Stouffville Martial Arts Academy
60 Innovator Ave. L4A 0Y2 Stouffville, ON, Canada

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to the best students and families a Sensei could ask for! Enjoy these special times, see you soon

The final class before the holidays, thanks for joining me online!

Without a doubt my best Zoom entrance so far. Except for the maxed out volume...Live and learn!

My favourite pair of gloves. I wore these from grade 7 through high school. Many memories here, fun times as well as struggles. These gloves collided with beginners to mma fighters and everywhere in between. I gained lots of experience while I wore these, and it was sad to put them away. However I’ve got a great display spot for them at home. Honour what you have and the training partners you work with.

Great beginner Zoom class today! If you had any issues receiving invites or logging on please private message or email us for assistance.

Dear Students and Families Due to the Covid 19 pandemic, York Region has been mandated to lockdown for 28 days. We have seen the determination and progress of our students and want to maintain that momentum going forward. In order to best accommodate our students and further their progress, we will be continuing classes via Zoom. Class times will remain the same with the exception of adult karate, which will be moved to the brown belt and up class times. ... A link to the Zoom class will be emailed to you prior to the start of each lesson. If you have any questions or require assistance with Zoom, please email us. Monthly payments will continue as usual unless you choose to opt out of the Zoom classes. If so, please contact Master Craig at [email protected]. We are looking forward to seeing our students online and wish everyone a safe and enjoyable holiday. Master Craig, Master Ty, Sensei Amanda, Anne

Happy Halloween!

For anyone interesting in scheduling a private lesson, tomorrow may be the last chance. Message me to reserve your spot tomorrow. -Ty

Covid 19 hasn’t stopped these Jr. Martial Artists from reaching their goals! They’ve been learning online through Zoom classes. Message us to try one for free.

Congratulations to some of our newest yellow belts!

We will be open for class tomorrow with the same schedule. Since we have re-opened, we have kept classes at stage two for the health and safety of our students. Looking forward to seeing you soon.

Closed Saturday to Monday for Thanksgiving. Monday Zoom class will still be taking place. Happy Thanksgiving weekend everyone!

When you forget to take off your winter hat and Sensei needs to show you a picture of how you look to remind you.

Hope everyone is enjoying their weekend so far. This is our new schedule effective Monday. Luckily we are able to continue teaching classes until further notice from the Government. Also, lessons on our white belt to blue belt Katas have been added to our YouTube page. If anyone needs help learning their Kata, we recommend you check it out.

This brother and sister have been working diligently towards their yellow belts. Through private lessons they learned how to fall, roll, kick, block, throw and punch. They completed their white belt Kata and developed their balance and focus to new levels. Congratulations on your yellow belts, a job well done!

This week is Buddy Week! Bring a friend to take part in a outdoor, socially distanced Karate class. Looking forward to seeing the newbies in action.

Next week is Buddy Week! From October 5th to October 9th, students can bring a friend to class.

Great outdoor practice this morning with the Zoom students. A lot of stripes were awarded, looks like we’ll be seeing some new belts soon.

Our dojo will be closed until Tuesday for the long weekend. There will still be practice Saturday morning for Zoom students. Have fun and keep safe.

Ball drills during Monday Zoom class. A fun way to practice different punches and develop hand eye co-ordination. Try a Zoom class for free, message us for details.

Jiu-Jitsu Returns!!! We are happy to announce the return of our Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu program. After a long wait, our adult and kids programs resume this week! Feel free to ask about our class protocol and how we are taking steps to keep our students safe.

Living a well balanced lifestyle!

Outdoor classes are a great way to exercise, get some vitamin D and safely socialize.

It’s Freezie Friday at the Dojo!

The Super Karate Bros practicing their hook kicks during Zoom class.

Congratulations to these two hard workers. They have been practicing diligently during the pandemic. Both joined me online for Zoom training and yesterday they received promotions at the park.

The dojo will be closed for the long weekend. Keep safe and enjoy. We will see you again Tuesday! Monday Zoom class will still take place.

Dear members and friends, The last four and a half months have been a difficult time for many, including us at SMAA. However, we were able to open last week with outdoor classes and social distancing protocol. We are pleased to see students returning, but some were unaware we had re-opened. Please share our page with your friends in case they may be interested in pursuing martial arts, or have kids that would benefit from it. Even spreading the word that we have re-opened ...is helpful. We have taken great care in ensuring classes are safe, and are still offering alternative classes online for those interested. Thank you, -Master Craig

If you’ve ever had a workout from Amanda, you might want to give her your vote toward being the next Ms. Health and Fitness. https://mshealthandfitness.com/2020/amanda-14

Great Zoom classes yesterday, check out these kicks.

Yesterday’s Zoom classes were fantastic, check out these kicks!

Great outdoor classes yesterday!

Our dojo will be open for classes today. Thank you to our fantastic students and parents who have supported us. We can’t wait to see you again. Make sure you arrive slightly early for class in your uniform, belt and face mask or shield.

UPDATES TO OUR ZOOM PROGRAM, To ensure each class is smaller and more specialized, we will offer classes for 3 different skill levels - beginner, intermediate, and advanced. Students will receive more focused attention & detailed feedback to suit their individual progress. These classes will cover the stances and techniques students must possess to reach their next belt. Additionally, I will be sending each zoom student a full video breakdown of their Kata.... The video will cover the Kata performed at various speeds, and a breakdown explaining all of the stances & techniques involved. Videos of previous Katas are also available upon request. On the first Saturday of each month, I will be offering outdoor assistance to registered zoom students. I will be able to explain each kata and ensure students are performing techniques properly, in person. I will also be able to evaluate each student and promote them if they demonstrate the necessary skills. Send me a message or email me at [email protected] if you are interested.

Our Social Distancing Protocol:

Our new social distancing protocol and class schedule can be found in PDF format on our website. https://www.stouffvillemartialarts.com/

We are happy to announce that our dojo will be open as of Monday! It has been a long four months and we are eager to get back to classes! We will soon post a list with all of our social distancing guidelines as well as the new schedule.... Also, keep posted for a video that explains how to safely enter and exit the dojo for classes. If you are still uncomfortable training in public, there is a way to improve and possibly earn your next belt. Our zoom program has been updated to include: -Beginner, intermediate and advanced level classes. -New videos breaking down each of the Katas. -12pm Kata practice at the park, the first Saturday of the month. -The possibility for testing and earning a new stripe or belt. Classes will be held every Monday,Wednesday and Friday. Beginner Karate : 5:30pm-6:00pm Intermediate Karate : 6:00pm-6:30pm Advanced Karate : 6:30pm-7:00pm (For those of you currently enrolled in zoom, class is still at 7pm tomorrow). Students must attend beginner karate until they have been given a pass to the next level. Evaluation is based on technique, balance and knowledge. Email [email protected] to register.

Please take a moment to answer: How many of you would like to resume classes in the dojo? How many of you would be more comfortable training via zoom?... Lets assume grading is possible with both options. Please let me know!

We are beginning Week 11 of Zoom today! If you would like to register, please sign up by 6pm. This week we will focus on stances and dynamic tension. For anyone who doesn’t know how to register, send us a message and we will help you out.

Make sure you’ve registered for our Zoom classes this week! We are covering kicks, balance and dynamic tension. Message us for details.

We are now accepting enrollment for our new week of Zoom classes! Looking forward to seeing you at the virtual dojo. New lessons and challenges await.... Please contact [email protected] if you are interested.

Happy Father's Day to all of the Dads and Father figures out there! You pass on lessons, life skills, morals, character and love. Your efforts and contributions are appreciated more than you could imagine.

It is already week 7 of our zoom classes. This week we will be focusing on ground techniques and jump kicks. Our classes are Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 7:00pm-7:30pm. The cost is $22.50 for the week. We also offer Jiu Jitsu on the same days from 8:00pm-8:30pm.... If you would prefer one on one attention, you can book a half hour private class for $35. This class will cover whichever subject you wish, as well as give you a specialized training plan for the entire week. For anyone wishing to sign up please email me at [email protected] Have a great weekend, and keep well.

Last week, I put together a new Kata specifically for zoom. The Kata only moves in two directions, so it is easier to learn through a screen. The students learned and practiced the form. They then demonstrated it during Friday’s lesson. At the time I only had my phone to record, so the video quality is not great. However, seeing my students practicing together even while isolated was worth recording.... Their willingness to engage in this form of class speaks volumes to their dedication as martial artists. My mood is always lifted after sharing this time together. It is also great to know I have such supportive students. For those who are not participating, know that you are missed. I am eager to resume regular classes, but not at the cost of your safety. I think of you all often, and can’t believe how blessed I am to have crossed paths with you.

Determination will overcome any circumstance. A job well done by our zoom students. They have made the choice to train and improve during this quarantine. Week 3 is around the corner and we are currently accepting registration.

For those of you who do not understand how to use zoom, this is a great guide, just over ten minutes. Looking forward to class soon. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=QOUwumKCW7M

Had such a great time teaching on zoom Monday. Looking forward to seeing everyone tonight at 7pm. Let’s see how much you’ve been practicing the magic marker challenge!

Zoom class begins in two hours. Make sure you have your computer ready, as well as an open space. I will send you an invite through your email when it is time.

Hey everyone, last chance to sign up for the first week of zoom classes. From all the people that have expressed interest, only half have emailed me. Just in case you have forgotten or missed my last post, please send an email to [email protected] expressing your interest in participating, and you will be added to the list.

I’ve read your feedback and have decided I will host a 30 minute zoom class Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 7pm. If you are interested please send an email to [email protected] with your name, so that I can record you in my log. I taught my first zoom lesson yesterday and really enjoyed it, I hope to see lots of you next week.

I’m very happy with the response so far regarding zoom classes. To make it easier for everyone, I’d like you to choose which three days of the week best fit your schedule. The 3 most popular days will be our class days. You can also make a request for which time, I will take it into consideration. This way I can see which days/times are most popular and set a regular schedule.

How many people would be interested in a 30 minute martial arts class through zoom? It will be $7.50 each, and you can ask all the questions you want. I can even show you ways to make the most of your home practice space, as well as new drills.

Wishing a very happy birthday to my father, Master Craig. You’ve always looked out for me and did what was in my best interest. You helped push me to better myself in business, martial arts and as a person. You were my first training partner and always a great person to get advice from. Love you and thank you for everything.

I couldn’t be happier to see some participation with my light switch challenge! Just when I was listening to the news, this cheered me up. You might be in quarantine, but if you dedicate some time to practicing each day, you could become a Onesie Ninja!

Here’s a takedown using a hand grip from our last video. Thanks to Sifu Ricky for the pointers on control and body position. Have fun giving it a try!

Master Craig shares a footlock. Thanks Joe!

Master Craig sharing a gi choke.

This week is kicking week. Today I’ll give you a challenge to test your balance and control. Film yourself trying it out and tag us! Also pass the challenge on to 5 people who you’d like to see try it. Be gentle on the light switch!!!

Dear students/parents: We really appreciate your kind messages at this time. Just wanted to let you know we are well, but we miss you and can’t wait to open our doors again. In the meantime if you’d like to keep learning and practicing...Check out this video on the cross!