Feel Your Way To Weapon Training Success

We just completed our last seminar of the year, it was held at our Ottawa Kung Fu School.

Whenever students work with weapons a funny thing happens.

Something "clicks".

Maybe it was a certain footwork or technique they were struggling with and suddenly through weapons training it finally makes sense.

Why is that?

A few reasons.

When you're working with weapons you have to rely on feeling.

Things like keeping momentum, leverage, and following through.

By paying attention to the weapon you have no choice but to pay attention to other areas of your body.

Also you'll find that if something feels not "right", there's no choice but to improve how you move your feet or transfer your weight. It can also mean you're not twisting the body correctly or your mental focus is off.

Nunchaku Training can greatly improve you coordination.

When you're working with a weapon like the Nunchaku, you have to find balance between your left and right hand, you have to become ambidextrous.

Now imagine how much better you can complete combinations, locks, chokes, and move other weapons with greater ease.

Weapons training brings about a better sense of Body Awareness and sharpens your mind.


This can be transfered in other things you do like brushing your teeth with your left hand, as well as eating.

You can also play other sports on your weaker side like hockey or tennis or even playing pool.

Doing all of the above is good for your brain, it forces it to make new connections and makes it that more efficient.

What are you waiting for, master a weapon.

It will definitely cut down your learning curve and gives you something to practice when you don't have a training partner.

Check out our weapon training products here.

Master yourself,

Sibok Martin

Is Your Body Begging For A Tune-Up?

Your body, like a car needs servicing.


You can't expect to own a car and never bring it in for an oil & filter change, tire rotation, or a brake inspection.

So why do some people never take time to service their body once in a while, it would love you for it.

Your body would thank you with better circulation, maximize organ function, less joint pain, more speed, more power, less injuries, character development, agility as well as more energy.

Think of what your mind and body have to endure every single day to make sure you function properly. And it never asks anything in return.

We only realize how lucky we are to have this amazing body when we're sick or in pain. Then we seek help from doctors and specialists to help us with our problem.

Take even better care of yourself when you are feeling great. One way to say thank you to your body is by Stretching.

Stretching is like doing your own "systems check for viruses", kinda like the one you do on a computer.

What are you checking?

Pain and Stiffness.

There are a set of things every human being should be able to do. We're all made the same so that means we should be able to perform and hold many of the same positions.

For example touching your toes. If you can't touch your toes you either have too much abdominal mass (polite way of saying excess flab) or tight lower back muscles.

With each test you get to know yourself and some of your weaknesses. That way you can devise a plan to improve in those affected areas.

Going at it alone can be a little tricky, let us guide you with our Flexibility DVD. It takes all the thinking out of the equation.

Learn the common stretches and holds that everyone should be able to perform as well as the tactics and strategies we use to break through barriers and bring your flexibility level to new heights.

Go ahead, STRETCH and click on the link above!

Sibok Martin

Women's Self-Defense

What better way to build your confidence than to train with a group of like minded women in a safe comfortable environment?

This is what these women are doing.

In our women's self-defense classes held in all of our schools, we let women release some of their frustrations on Bags, Focus Mitts (leather gloves you can strike) or on a few guys wearing body armor.

There are so many demands put on women these days: Being a great mom, a boss, an effective worker, and a lover while still finding time for yourself to stay fit and look good in a pair of jeans.

Most women find these classes rejuvenating, liberating, and empowering. Self-Defense has a lot to do with confidence and the energy you project out.

What do you project? Strength or Weakness?

Project confidence and strength, don't be a victim.

Some women come to us to learn to protect themselves. Some need more guidance and follow through on some of the fitness goals they've established, something they can't seem to find at the local gym. And some need to work on Confidence.

Whatever your goals we can help.

Take time for yourself.

Learn a practical skill, grow stronger and never let yourself be intimidated.

Learn how by joining one of our classes today. Click this link to get started.

Sibok Martin

Is there a Bully in your Child's Life?

Imagine your child coming home with bruises, scared, crying and tells you someone is bullying him at school?

He's afraid to go back.

This must be a parent's worse nightmare.

For many, many parents this is a reality. More than 30% of kids between 6th grade and 10th grade report having bullied or been bullied.

What do some Schools do?

They suspend anyone who takes part in any type of physical contact (i.e fighting, pushing, etc), even if it's done in self-defense.

I don't know every School's standpoint and how they deal with this issue but kids should not be punished for protecting themselves. Especially after having talked to the teacher, principal, and warned the actual bully to stop harassing them.

What is the child supposed to do?

Let him or herself get picked on?

Let themselves be intimidated and bullied for the rest of their school life?

The line has to be drawn at some point.

I've had many long discussions with parent's about this issue, many feel helpless and abandoned by the teachers who don't seem to do anything about it.

You need to arm your child with a secret weapon: Self-Esteem

How do you acquire more of that you might ask?

1) Tell them you love them every single day.
2) Let them know you'll always listen if they have something to tell you.
3) Give them small responsibilities and expand on them when they stay committed to them.
4) Let them Master something. Get them enrolled in something physical. Something that will bring them better control over their bodies, as well as an emotional outlet.
5) Next time you plan something as a family, let them decide what you're gonna do.

These will get you started on the right track.

Next time I'll let you know about a recent radio interview we had on CBC Radio on effective Anti-Bullying Tactics.

Until then,

Keep your kids safe and empowered,

Sibok Martin

Kids Summer Camps

If you're like most parents you want your kids to have fun and learn important life skills at a Summer Camp.

But which one, there's so many of them?

Have them try something unique, a Martial Art Summer Camp but not just any Martial Art camp, a "Patenaude Kung-Fu Camp open to all 6 to 13 year olds".

What's the difference you might ask?


Let me explain.

On the last day of our camp, we always ask kids: "If you had to compare our Kung-Fu Camp with others you've done elsewhere in the past, how different was it?"

The response is over-whelming. The kids get really involved and aren't afraid to give their opinion:

"I never done anything like this before"
"All we did was sit, paint and draw all day"
"We weren't allowed to run, I guess they were right, we had no space, they called it a camp but we stayed inside most of the time"
"Nothing we did ever challenged me"

And when we hear comments like these coming from 6 year olds and 11 year olds we really get inspired and motivated to keep on offering our camp every single year.

The problem.

Most people don't know about us. They don't know that a facility like ours exist right here in Canada. Casselman, Ontario to be exact.

Check out the specs:

16 acres of land and forest.

A training facility that can accomodate 100 kids no problem.

A Super-Secure Aerial Park.

(Certified by the biggest aerial park installors responsable for most parks in Tremblant, St-Sauveur, Caverne Lafleche, we're actually good friends with the builder) with close to 60 stations suspended right in the air in the middle of the forest.

Testing their balance, fear of heights, motor skills and Confidence.

A park we're expanding every single year.

A Confidence Course (Military Style) composed of Climbing Walls, Balance Logs, Monkey Bars, the works.
A vast knowledge of Martial Arts with over 200 different drills they go through to increase Focus, Confidence, Flexibility, Strength, Anti-Bully Tactics, and Self Protection.

A 35 x 35 Pool.

A Fullly Functional Cafeteria.

Personal Development Workshops specialized in helping kids develop their Self-Esteem, Attitude, Respect, Discipline and Leadership Skills.


We've been to camps ourselves and boy do we wish we had gone to a camp like this one when we were young.

A good summer camp experience or a bad one for that matter, lasts a life time.

So please before making a decision on where to go next year, I strongly urge you to compare our camp with others you might be considering.

We hope you will discover us in the near future and really give your kids an unforgettable summer camp experience.

Next camp dates are June 26 & 27, 2008.

Click here to register your child. Include name and phone number where you can be reached.

See you at camp.

Sifu Martin

What is the meaning behind the Dragon?

People often ask me what our emblem, the Dragon, symbolizes. What does it mean exactly?

For that we have to go way back to 1991. The year the dragon was born.

We had a lot of ideas. I even had lots of drawings of how to represent our image, to establish our identity.

We showed those to Doug Bernhardt. For those of you who don't know him, he's only one of the best sign makers in Ottawa. Specializing in Stained Glass in Gold Leaf, Embossed letters, the works.

He's made signs for big corporations and most of the old irish and english pubs in Ottawa. My father is actually very good friends with him for about 30 years. They both had their beginnings in the same building, 335 Catherine Street, where we had our headquarters for the longest time before moving just up the street at 270 Catherine.

We showed Doug our ideas and he says: "Those are great, the kid's got talent (me) but you've got to meet this guy, he's a master at developing Brands and a Top Notch Graphic Designer, his name is Don Wong.

To make a long story short, Don reveals 2 symbols that completely blow us away. He was able to nail it down perfectly. It's very hard to explain that day.

We finally had our own unique mark.

You must be wondering what the other symbol is and why we're not using it. The design was so complex to reproduce we had to put a hold on it.

In order to have it printed perfectly it had to be shipped out to western Canada. The process would be too labor intensive and very expensive. So we put a hold on it. Maybe one day we'll release it to the public. For the time being it stays in the vault.

To this day printers still have a hard time getting the dragon exactly "Bang On" as Don would say.

Filled with intricate details that most people don't really pay attention to.

Don said the Dragon would bring lots of success and would establish us as a premier force in the Martial Arts, how right was he.

The following is our interpretation of his work.

Fang Shen Do Logo: The Dragon

The circle represents infinity or never-ending. In life you will always be learning and evolving.

The red is a powerful color in oriental methodology. It brings luck and prosperity. It also represents sacrifice. In order to develop yourself fully you must make better choices and sacrifice some habits that dis-empower you.

The 6 teeth inside the dragon's mouth represents the 6 ranges of development in Fang Shen Do. (Psychological, Weapons, Punching, Kicking, Trapping, Grappling)

The dragon itself represents the art of combat.

Life is a combat.

You must fight to stay fit, stay focused, achieve your goals and dreams, find your place, to protect yourself and your family, to make a difference.

It also has both soft and hard lines, it follows the concept of Yin Yang. We need both to find balance.

Now you know where the dragon comes from, now it's time you found out where it's going.

Click here for a location near you.

Master Yourself,

Sibok Martin

If You Need to Attack, You Must Know How to Close

Without "Closing" ability you're like a Formula One Race Car capable of extreme speeds but you don't have any tires to ride on.

No matter which martial art you practice, once you've learned techniques, you have to land them in order for them to do their intended job.

If you can't reach your opponent, everything you've learned is pretty much useless. That's where Closing comes in.

These techniques are designed to help you build greater confidence and allow you to fully engage the opponent. It's almost as if closing gets your foot in the door. Once it's in, you have a greater chance of entering.

As long as there's a "Gap" between the two of you, you're both wasting time.

You'll learn ways to use your full body weight behind your offense and hide your physical intention to attack.

One thing that is crucial is the emotional ignition, you have to turn yourself on and never second guess yourself.

Closing has to be one of the most important elements of any martial art system, it's unfortunate that so many never get to experience it. Don't miss out, master this skill today.


Sibok Martin

Knock-Outs

Without question this is one thing on everyone's mind: "Will I be able to knock out my opponent when the time is right?"

This question goes for the athlete competing or the family man who wants to protect his family.

How do you develop devastating striking power? By arming yourself with the right knowledge and training drills to call upon this skill at will.

Our Striking Series reveals an old recipe for developing power.

5 secret ingredients that will turn weak, wimpy punches into bone crushing, sledge hammer-like blows every time, guaranteed.

One of the secrets, "Penetration" shows you how to mentally project all your power through the target.

Never focus on the target surface but rather visualize going 10 feet beyond your impact point. This will guarantee follow through and maximum damage.

Put the concept to the test.

When striking a focus mitt or body shield, imagine a second imaginary person standing a few feet behind your target point.

Imagine that what you're about to hit isn't there and the only thing you'll be hitting is that imaginary partner who's also holding your striking surface. Move with full commitment.

It won't take long to realize this simple "tweak" in your application will lead to doubling your power on the first try.

Once you discover the 5 secrets, you will hold the recipe to some serious High Impact Striking.

Results Guaranteed,

Sibok Martin

Patenaude Kung-Fu opens new 3000 square foot facility in Orleans. Curriculum includes Kung-Fu, Kickboxing and Ju-Jitsu.

One of our original franchises has just moved to a new location in Orleans.

A modern, state of the art facility where a mix of different arts come together to offer a unique training experience.

Patenaude Kung-Fu and Therien Ju-Jitsu & Kickboxing have created a unique atmosphere where students can sample the very best in Martial Arts.

Once you enter the school you'll notice how clean & professional everything looks. It is our goal to set a high standard when it comes to equipment and safety as well as presentation.

No one wants to train in a dirty, un-organized, garage-like, community center Dojo.

Don't settle for anything less than the best.

Here's a shot of the owner, my brother, Sifu Stephane Patenaude along with our dad, Sijo Jacques Patenaude for the Grand-Opening ceremony.

Try one class and you'll see the wealth of knowledge these 2 schools have accumulated over the past 30 years. You'll also understand why they are both highly respected in martial art circles around the world.

Both schools share some of the same mentality and principles and although both Master Patenaude and Master Therien have long been friends, they both agree, it's an association that was long over due.

Today's modern student wants to experience many different facets of the Martial Arts and what's better than to learn everything at the same place.

Our team is in place, from left to right,Renshi Aline and Elie, Sifu Stephane, Kyoshi John Therien, Sijo Jacques Patenaude, Sifu Patrick, Jean-Yves Theriault (not in picture).

You've always wanted to try Martial Arts?

Here's the place to start.

Sifu Martin