Aim and Focus Karate

Tang Soo !!! Some fun shooting pics....big call out to Bryan for making a day in a tactical bay at Staccato Ranch so much fun and capturing the pictures.

Note: if you zoom in on the strong hand only pic you can actually see the bullet !!!

Tang Soo !!! I met with a former student over the weekend and had the best time. We talked about "adulting", work, shooting, other students, parents, family, kids (basically life stuff)...it was a great several hours.

We talked about one aspect of her training that I'd like to mention now. She trained in the same school with a really strong competitor. That competitor has gone on to win numerous Grand Champion trophies...locally, nationally and internationally. The student I visited with really really wanted to beat her just once.

She trained hard...thought about quitting...got frustrated...but always walked onto the mat a better martial artist. For the record, she did beat the other student for Grand Champion Forms once...but never in fighting. She came within a single point several times...but never crossed the finish line.

In today's world of instant gratification (if my kid doesn't start on the team we're switching teams, split up the divisions so everyone gets a medal, just look at the NCAA transfer portal...) young people are missing very important life lessons.

This young woman works in a very demanding job, she has a ton of responsibility, she works in a very dynamic environment that's constantly changing (btw...she has a World Series ring as well) and she is literally defining the "process" her company uses as they expand and grow. She's recently married a great guy and they are figuring all that out (sorry....it's not always perfect and there will always be outside challenges). This young woman has a tool bag full of life skills.

I told my student...you are who you are because you never beat Holly in sparring. You kept improving...kept getting better...and now your defining success on your own terms.

I love the quote...."A competitor either wins or learns"...LLPS did a lot of winning and learning....I couldn't be prouder of Kyo Sa Nim Paige Baker.

She may not always "win" but I promise you she will learn and improve. As an instructor I couldn't ever ask for more (I bet her employer feels exactly the same way).

Paige doesn't wear her Black Belt to work....but she carries that experience with her every single day. She IS a Black Belt / Kyo Sa Nim and everything that implies.

It's ironic in a way...I never won a Grand Champion Trophy (no way I ever could...I trained and competed with some of the finest Master Instructors in the world...I would never beat SBN C. Defour, SBN M. Murtaugh, SBN J. Fitzgerald, SBN J. Goss Jr, SBN M. Gregor. Yet...I was truly honored to just be in the ring with them and they all made me a better martial artist.

Interesting...my students have won more Grand Champion trophies than I could ever count. Those trophies are so much more important to me.....

Tang Soo !!!! It's always fun to spend time with Sa Bom Nim Kopf. He and Sa Bom Nim Nunan joined me today at Shady Oaks Gun Range for some pistol fun. It was great spending time with these two outstanding Master Instructors.

They enjoyed shooting a variety of different pistols (CZ P10C, CZ Shadow 2 Compact, S&W M&P 2.0 Compact, C**t Python .357, G***k 34 and FN 509 MRD. Sa Bom Nim Nunan spent a good amount of time with his CZ P10C (and did rather well). Sa Bom Nim Kopf preferred the S&W M&P 2.0.

They put 300 rounds of 9mm downrange and 50 rounds of .38 (in the Python). Sa Bom Nim Nunan did shoot the Python with .357 rounds and commented it was Kyo Sa Nim Cheek's favorite gun of mine. ;-)

I have to mentioned...whenever Sa Bom Nim Kopf is in town, I have to get out the high capacity magazines (he lives in CT). He happily put rounds downrange using 21 round magazines in the G***k and S&W.

Note to self...maybe it's time for a 50 round drum....just a thought....they do make a 100 round drum....

It was great to spend time together.

We are processing suppressor sales (starting today) using the new 4473 process. I've attached a post from Educated Arms (where I work). The suppressors will sell out very quickly...more are on the way but the demand will be high !!!

After referencing the ruling issued by the Judge and referencing Silencer Shop’s memos and dealer notices we will begin processing suppressors that we can confirm originated from Silencer Shop on 4473 forms beginning Friday 8/14/2026. All SBRs and SBSs will still be processed on Form 4’s as will any and all suppressors that came as transfers from other dealers, distributors, and sources that we can’t confirm originated from Silencer Shop. Our hope is to receive guidance from the ATF and DOJ soon so we know how to properly proceed with other NFA items.

Another great day shooting at Staccato Ranch in a tactical bay. We worked drawing from a holster, moving and shooting, reloading and just had a ton of fun.

She's running a Springfield Echelon (9mm) and a Volquartsen Black Mamba (.22).

She did very well...discovered her limits and areas of improvement.

One area that's always challenging is "shooting on the move"...I told her "It's just like sparring" and she almost immediately crushed it (one pic is her moving and shooting).

Today, I'm significantly better in all categories (I've been doing this for 15+ years and she's new...I'm probably 20,000+ rounds in and she's pushing 500).

The joy of teaching is looking forward to the day when no matter how hard I try, I can't beat her.

This lady is seriously motivated...it's only a matter of time.