Blog - Karate International | Martial Arts for Both Children and Adult

10 Steps to a Healthier New Year!

This is the time of year when most adults are reviewing their life and setting goals. Many of us are making a healthier lifestyle part

Thanks Giving Post from Mr. O in 1994.

This Blog is a repost of an article Written by Mr. O and published in the News and Observer in 1994, when Mr. Josh was

How Do We Get Promoted?

Being Promoted at Karate International – it’s about much more than you think!We plan the striping system and the techniques to help students get to

My Children are Proud of the Work!

Guest Blogger – Leslie Gartenberg, mother of 3 Karate International Black BeltsI have had 3 children go through the program at KI. Two of them currently

Ten Steps To a Healthier New Year

Make sure you succeed in your goals this year!Ten Easy Steps to a Healthier New YearBy Kathy OlevskyThis is the time of year when most adults

Halloween Safety Tips

5 Tips for Staying Safe on Halloween(thanks to Stephen Reinstein for these tips)Halloween is such a fun time of the year for children; but when

Did the Quarantine Change Our Kids?

We have heard from so many parents in the past few weeks. Many are desperately looking for solutions to quarantine induced problems. Some children are

My Teenager is Driving Me Crazy!

Martial Arts classes COULD be your secret weapon! When your teen is driving you crazy with his or her decisions, remember this is a phase and

Summer is the Best Time for Martial Arts

Summer Karate Training is an OpportunityBy Kathy OlevskyWe often find that when Summer rolls around, some great things can happen. Students often ramp up their Karate

Girls Need Martial Arts

What all parents need to know before middle school.Girls Need Martial ArtsBy Kathy OlevskyOver the many years of teaching martial arts, I have come to

Karate was an Investment in The Future for My Children

By Kathy OlevskyI had a parent recently tell me they were interested in Karate for their daughter who was 6 years old. They postponed trying

Struggles are Part of the Path to Black Belt

THE WHITE BELT BOY WHO BECAME A TEACHER!I originally wrote this article 5 years ago when we had just promoted Mr. Mainwaring to Black Belt. Now that

Don’t Forget About Endorphins

If you are one of the many adults who is dealing with your everyday life and stresses, let me remind you of something you already

A Cancer Survivor’s Very Personal Journey to Black Belt

Jen was angry at her body for betraying her with CancerBy Kathy OlevskyAround Thanksgiving in 2009, some numbness on the right side of her body

4 Things You Should Know About Your Personal Safety

When most people think of an attack, they imagine a masked man in a dark parking lot, or breaking into a house, for a completely

How Will We Train Again After COVID19?

In North Carolina, there are glimmers of hope that our state will allow Martial Arts Schools to reopen at the end of the month of May.

A Mother’s Influence

I learned a lifetime from my MotherA Mother’s InfluenceBy Kathy OlevskyMy mother was probably the single most important influence in my early adult years. I remember

Why I Continue to Train?

Facing the challenges! – by Melissa J. PalmerThis is me at my very first promotion ceremony getting my gold belt. Every black belt started as

What Will It Take?

Women Need To Take Back Control – by Melissa J. PalmerMany times I scratch my head in complete wonder about why more females don’t take

We’ve Gone Virtual to Keep You Busy at Home.

Our Instructors are keeping busy, teaching most of their normal classes from their own homes. Virtual Learning is a term that is new to some

Your Own Journey

Chart your own path to Black BeltBy Kathy OlevskyToday I was speaking with one of our Black Belts, Michael West. He talked about how he quit

Your Child is Not Perfect Yet

Your child is not perfect yet, but they will be awesome by Black Belt.Over the years, we have met with many different types of parents. I

Staying Safe as a Walker or Runner.

This morning I woke up to yet another article about a runner being attacked or abducted. Here in Raleigh, NC we have a very strong

What Martial Art Should I Take?

What Martial Art Should I Take?In my 40 plus years of studying various martial arts, I have had many conversations with people who don’t know

Great Female Role Models

As an 8th Degree Black Belt in Karate, I often found it hard to find my role models in a male dominated sport. I was interviewed

How We are Handling The Flu and Corona Virus.

How we are handling the Flu and Corona VirusSince we are all beginning to get a bit more information about the spread of viruses that

The Journey to Black Belt

When I first started in the martial arts back in the late 1970’s, it was common to hear an instructor say to a student that

Staying Safe at Home

Attacks happen when you are vulnerable. Your home is the place where you should feel the safest. Unfortunately for many that also means this is

What Makes You a Target? Debunking The Myth

There are many myths revolving around self-defense. One in particular is a common belief that an attacker chooses a target because of their clothes or

How to Choose The Right Self Defense Tool?

One of my favorite classes to teach and topics to discuss is about how to choose the right self-defense tool or weapon and how to

9 Tips to Stay Motivated from Melissa Palmer

by Melissa Palmer – Guest BloggerEven the most driven and motivated people reach a time when they want to quit. Every one of our Black

We Don’t Punish the Behavior We Want to Encourage!

Want to fix it? THINK before you SPEAK!by Kathy OlevskySometimes as parents, it is so hard to know what is right, what comments will damage

Getting Fit at 40 and Later

It’s never to late to get started and here is the proof!By Kathy OlevskySome amazing information was released recently in JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association).