Category: Uncategorized

Ah, the dreaded tantrums and meltdowns – every parent’s rite of passage! When your child is in the throes of an emotional storm, it can feel like you’re navigating choppy waters without a compass. But fear not, dear parents, for patience is the beacon that guides us through these turbulent times.   Lesson: Transitioning from […]

Enrichment Programs vs. Extracurricular Activities: A Closer Look at SKILLZ Martial Arts   In today’s educational landscape, both enrichment programs and extracurricular activities play significant roles in a child’s overall development. While these terms are often used interchangeably, they serve distinct purposes. Enrichment programs like SKILLZ Martial Arts focus on developmental growth with structured learning, […]

Although Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is such a prevalent diagnosis, there are still many misconceptions surrounding it. People often assume that ADHD results from poor parenting, laziness, or some learning disorder. And with these assumptions come a wide range of approaches to “fix” the problem. However, with the lack of proper understanding of this disorder, […]

As hectic as life is most days, parents are often more concerned with getting everything done instead of strategically planning out their day so that it is predictable for their children. Knowing what activities to expect each day and knowing how parents will respond at the moment is critical in helping children feel safe. The […]

On any given day, we may experience moments of high emotion in reaction to an event, or we find ourselves trying to control everyone and everything around us. Either way, our mental well-being is in danger, especially if we find ourselves stuck in either scenario for long. It can be difficult for children to get […]

“Jingle bell, jingle bell, jingle bell rock! Jingle bells swing and jingle bells ring! Snowin’ and blowin’ up bushels of fun, now the jingle hop has begun!” ~ Jingle Bell Rock, by Bobby Helms. Many of our SKILLZ Strong Ninjas and Proud Ninja Parents are breaking out into their best “Jingle Bell Rock” as the […]

Remember when you wished the weekend would last forever? As weeks of the “shelter in place” order have passed, the eagerness for some “time off” has lost its spark. Children’s boredom is growing day by day and will continue, especially as many schools will be ending the school year earlier than normal. The rising monotony […]

Programs for children are all around us. From day care centers to recreational sports and everything in between, options for parents to choose from are abounding. And although parents want what is best for their children, they often aren’t aware of the notable distinctions between the programs they are considering. To get the most out […]

“Dear Proud Ninja Parent,   On my hard days, remember I am small.  When tears run down my cheeks and I don’t even know why, remember I need you to grab a tissue and dry my teary eyes.  When something happens that I didn’t expect and I yell, scream and fuss, remember even in my […]

If the pandemic has taught us anything, it has taught us to slow down and appreciate the moments we have with our loved ones. On the flip side, it has also caused some additional stressors for parents as they have had to play the role of teacher while also fulfilling their work demands. And as […]

Attention span has long been a topic regarding the relationship between children and learning. As the years have passed, technology has been at the forefront of our everyday lives. This has caused the concern for inattentiveness to become even more of an issue. Children are constantly presented with new and exciting things that catch their […]

Say Yes to Childhood   Parenting can be tricky. We want our children to be resilient, empathetic, and able to self-regulate. However, with the busyness of life, the experiences that build these characteristics fall by the wayside, and “no” becomes an automatic response. Children are continually being told what to do and what not to […]

Have you ever taken a moment to truly admire the art and incredible beauty of watching a child at play? Their fully engaged spirit, drive, imagination and passion are all completely vested in the mission of the moment. Whether tinkering with their next greatest creations or saving the day as their favorite superhero, children demonstrate […]

Children today are presented with varying types of stressors in almost every aspect of their lives. The infamous “bar” has been set so high that in order to achieve it, children are asked to forgo “fun” and work towards superiority in everything they do. And while goal setting is an essential skill for future success, […]

Parents have always served as the first, and typically, the most important role model for their children, even though family members, teachers, and coaches have a significant impact on a child’s development as well. However, in the wake of the pandemic, these people have had less of a presence in children’s lives which ultimately left […]

It is becoming more and more apparent that no one is to blame for everything that happens. So, if this is the case, how do we get ourselves in such turmoil if no one is responsible? Although this seems ridiculous, the use of “blame-shifting” has become the go-to way of justifying mistakes. When we have […]

Parents are an essential element to their child’s success in anything. The enthusiasm and support, or lack thereof, of a parent can make or break a child’s accomplishments. In SKILLZ martial arts, it is even more essential that parents be involved as part of the teaching team since the SKILLZ system applies child development and […]

Stress is a significant part of our lives today. And while we all experience it, children and teens have a more difficult time managing it. Academic pressure, social tensions, family stressors, etc. all impact a young person’s mental well-being. For this reason, it’s important for parents to help their children develop coping skills by guiding […]

Today’s world is busy; people are rushing here and there to get to work, school, the store, or the next activity. Even our “leisure” time is filled with busyness. And during all of it, we are distracted by our devices. This not only leads to us missing important moments in our lives, but it also […]

We live in a competitive world and most parents would jump at the chance to give their child every advantage imaginable. The world can also be unkind and, as parents, we feel a need to protect our children from everything possible. And yes, parents are supposed to help and protect their children but when does […]

Hey, ask Steve here. And Hey, so what are the three things that you need? If you’re looking to start martial Arts after 35 years old? Well, I’m not going to go over three things you need. I’m going to go for the Three things. You don’t need. Two things you don’t need and the […]

Hey, friends. Hey, Steve here. I’m just getting my shoes on, getting ready to go for a walk. And so I want to just quickly jump on here, create this video for you, and share with you what I believe truly is the number one key, the secret sauce, the magic ingredient, the code, the […]

As people grow older, they begin to find ways to be more productive and make use of their time. For senior citizens, in particular, they find that there is even more time they need to utilize and want to do so effectively. Many will go out and find other jobs while others will pursue hobbies […]

Every year, the American Heart Association celebrates Heart Month to raise awareness about heart disease and heart health. What you may not know is that martial arts are great for the heart. In fact, the cardiac benefits of martial arts give a whole new meaning to the idea of cardiovascular fitness. With that in mind, […]

Grade school can be quite the experience for any child. It is a place where a child not only learns academically but one where a child must learn to socialize and function in the world. Unfortunately, there are a lot of negative experiences that a child may have when going through school. Whatever those experiences […]

Martial arts has a well-known benefit of helping children develop physical skills and improve in discipline. For this reason, parents often enroll their children in some type of martial arts in order to achieve goals such as these. And while attaining these goals are possible, parents often have unrealistic expectations of the time it actually […]

Due to the restrictions put in place by the school closures and social distancing policies required to slow the spread of coronavirus, Icon Jiu Jitsu Team, Norwich, is moving all classes online and providing free training opportunities for local kids. “We recognize the importance of the physical, intellectual, emotional, and social development that kids normally […]

Have you ever had a “gut feeling” about something? Have you ever considered that children have these as well? Of course they do! The problem is, they don’t know how to express this to us. They know something doesn’t feel right, so they act out or exhibit a grumpy mood. The good news is, there […]

Oxytocin has been dubbed the “love chemical.” It is the hormone that is released when we feel love and trust in relationships. For most people, they know oxytocin as a significant part of the parent-child bonding process. However, it is also very important in overall human relationships and is considered our “social glue.” The release […]

Your child needs to know that no matter what happens, you are always going to be a consistent parent. Maintaining consistency means that you are going to be patient, connected, adaptable, and edutaining with your child all the time so your child knows what to expect from you and you know what to expect from […]

Adaptability is about how you respond to your child, especially when things do not go as planned. Your child will have a variety of great days, bad days, and everything in between. Here are a few ways you can apply adaptability to your parenting and keep your child motivated: Intrinsic Motivation: 1. Choices What do […]

How can you set your child up for daily success? One of the most effective ways to do this is to focus on prompting instead of punishment. Here’s what you need about prompting your child toward good behavior and decisions: 1. Friendly Competition One of the ways to prompt your child toward good behavior is […]

Take a few extra seconds when responding to poor behavior. This demonstrates compassion, empathy, and self-control on your part. Sometimes all you need to do is think about responding in the most patient manner to help re-direct your child. A few seconds can make a big difference. 1. Ask, Listen, Explain Patience helps you to […]

Be the parent your child needs you to be. They need you to be in their world. That means interacting and playing with them on their level to prompt them through the tasks and chores they don’t want to do. Here are some tips and examples on using effectively using edutainment with your child. 1. […]

Being a nurturing parent means adjusting your child’s behaviors, not trying to change them. In other words, change the behavior, not the child. 1. Let them Know that Mistakes are Okay I get excited when my son makes a mistake because it gives me the opportunity to teach him, which is what parenting is all […]

Do you ever feel like you can read your child’s mind? You know what they are going to do or say next because they have had the same reaction before? This is attunement. Improving your attunement skills will allow you to create a more patient and understanding relationship with your child. 1. Modify Your Child’s […]

One of the most important things that you can do as a parent is establish a connection with your child. In fact, children need connection more than anything else. Here are a few ways that you can begin to build a great connection with your child: Daily Interactions: 1. Make one-on-one connections with your child. […]

Wrestling is an Olympic sport that involves a fight between two competitors, in which one of them tries to throw the other to the ground. The goal is to keep your opponent down and score according to certain rules. In a narrow sense, wrestling is a sports fight between two fighters who aim to knock […]

In a culture that celebrates violence in everything ,from music to video games, movies and television shows, the idea of enrolling your child in a martial arts club may seem like a part of this same trend. Martial arts, as a major part of action films, were presented as the pinnacle of bullying and violence. […]

There are many ways children benefit from practicing martial arts, and only some of them are physical. This time, we will focus on the psychological and social value the practice of martial arts brings. This list is in no particular order, nor does it fully capture the importance of such activities in the life of […]

Apart from imposing itself as no. 1 in the world of martial arts in a competitive sense, Mixed Martial Arts or MMA is extremely good for recreationists as well. MMA has a positive effect on the psyche and confidence, and with proper nutrition and rest, it can improve general health. One should not neglect the […]

Okay, so it is your first time here? So what? Welcome. You’re a bit nervous? Again, so what? It is as normal as it is unnecessary. Anxious about more experienced members judging your lack of skill? Trust us, it won’t happen. We were all once in your place, and the community that showed us that […]

Meditation is an integral part of many combat systems in Asia. Rooted in the very culture of Asian nations, meditation has found its way into the martial arts as well and has become an integral part of it. Meditation contributes to a sense of calm, concentration, and as such is very important in the world […]

The history of what’s today known as MMA is very rich and turbulent. Nowadays, we could say that two dominant approaches could be distinguished. MMA is a sport that has a long way to go to unify its training methodology, but already there are two currents, namely teaching methodology, Western and Eastern European. The Western […]

Brazilian jiu jitsu is a world-renowned sport with an increasing number of people participating. Different types of people, with different professions and life choices are becoming more and more involved in this sport, which is becoming a phenomenon. Through popularization of it, everyone benefits, and jiu jitsu becomes a movement that serves people and brings […]

The history and origin of Thai Boxing The magnificent past of Thai Boxing Norwich can be traced back from the Medieval.  The discovery of a pre-twentieth century written records vouches for the existence of Thai boxing during those days.  There after knowledge had been passed to generation after generation through the oral tradition. During those […]

Our Norwich gym is a place where health enthusiasts tune their body muscles to stay fit. Mixed martial arts are a legitimate sport that mixes various fighting skills. Its aim is to lead people to learn different and important skills to develop body fitness physically and mentally. There are many people interested in getting trained […]

Change…. The biggest Secret To Starting BJJ or MMA. More than 22 years ago, I decided to change the direction of my life. I’ve done some pretty amazing things and carved a damn good life for me and my family. It’s been hard, there’s been more downs than ups. But it was worth it. — […]

I remember watching Pride in 2001 and seeing Ze Mario Sperry on the card. I became an instant fan.   Although at the time, I just trained out of a small club in Norwich with 5 members. The bjj and mma techniques Ze Mario Sperry used greatly influenced our training.   I bought up all […]

Well, not really secrets, but hey. 1 – Be your childs best friend. When asked who they’d like to play with, make sure they say YOU! Take time to play with them, dolls, video games, bike riding swimming, skating, whatever they want to do, make sure it’s with you. Let them know you are a […]

If you are looking for a way to improve your health or get in better shape, you may not need to hit the gym. Instead, you should head to our martial arts school. Men’s martial arts could be the fitness solution that you have been searching for. Discover the benefits of martial arts for men’s […]

Bullying has become an epidemic in recent years. Yes, there have always been bullies, and yes, those bullies have always caused serious and lasting damage to their victims; however, bullying in the 21st century has changed – and not for the better. According to Pacer’s National Bullying Prevention Center, one in four students has reported […]

You Are Perfect! Your Martial Art Is Perfect! — When I started Martial arts, Namely BJJ many years ago, I would look up to the most famous fighters, the best martial artists. They seemed like giants, hereos, Gods! They seemed perfect and they are! — But it made me feel so small. I would think […]

“I Don’t Have Time” Speaking with some clients and one of the most annoying excuses is = I don’t have time. A post I saw earlier this week said = “I don’t have time, is the grown up version of – My Dog Ate My Homework!” — If something is important to you, you’ll make […]

Put on your own mask first   If you’ve ever flown on a plane, you’ll know the first thing they tell you is, that if there’s an emergency, to put your own mask on first!   You can’t help others, if you run out of air.   This reflects directly on those who are thinking […]

This week, Icon bjj martial arts Norwich where invited to share our martial art life skillz programme with children at Colby Primary school.   The main focus was working on Self Control and Respect.   While many people speak how certain activities can help develop these areas, often there is no structure or exact way […]

FEAR   It’s the no.1 obstacle that stops so many achieving their potential.  I see this so much here at Icon BJJ Norwich, when people come to talk about making a change in their lives.   Fear of failure, of success, of what others think, of being inadequate.   Plus the dreaded imposter syndrome!  Where […]

This weekend was so special to me.   After 20 years in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu I was able to promote my second BJJ black belt in Norwich.  Daddy Kabuiku has been a loyal team member and friend for almost 10 years.  He’s won European, ADCC, English, British and other tournaments on his journey.  But above […]

When we think of heading over to the gym to train Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, we think of the long haul there, alone, then back and shower before greeting our partner, to explain what a great time we had, all the while as they stare at you blankly, “that sounds great, By the way I need […]

One of the biggest problems, I’ve been hearing in January is lack of Motivation. Many people are tired of going it alone and are looking for different ways to get and stay in shape.  The treadmill is boring, the weights don’t talk back that leg press is so boring. The idea of a group environment […]

What a great day for Norfolk BJJ, with the grappling community coming together to support Norfolk’s first BJJ tournament.  Many competitors fighting for the very first time and showing a strong heart and mind. BJJ has come a long way here in Norfolk. Back when BJJ was trying to grow here in Norfolk, there were […]

Mixed martial arts as the name indicates, is the combination of various martial arts and incorporating the techniques into one’s range of fighting proficiency. For this competitive sport, physical and mental stability is very much essential. There are some popular methods in mixed martial arts training. They are strength training, cardio, circuit training and sparring […]

Do you know the meaning of MMA and its origin? This contraction stands for Mixed Martial Arts. MMA is one kind of fighting which includes different types of methods from different martial arts. According to history MMA was started around the late 1800s but became very popular in 1970s through cinema. This unique combat style […]

A gym is a place where health enthusiasts tune their body muscles to stay fit. Mixed martial arts are a legitimate sport that mixes various fighting skills. Its aim is to lead people to learn different and important skills to develop body fitness physically and mentally. There are many people interested in getting trained in […]

MMA is the sport that everyone would love to engage in once they get to know what are its health benefits. We all know that every sport incorporates different body muscles to make them strong, but when it comes to MMA, you can say that it is whole body workout. There are mental and physical […]

  There are many training exercises for the MMA fighters out there that can help them in full body workout, but there is one thing called as deadlifting that is the oldest strength training exercise that has helped many over the centuries and has been a sport of its own until today. So why is […]