Z-Ultimate Self Defense Studios Norwalk

This yellow belt is awesome and incredibly dedicated!

Dear Students and Z Family Members, Instructors of Z-Ultimate Self Defense Studios have been blessed to be in the health and fitness/martial arts industry for thirty years. During this pandemic, our industry - an industry that helps people get and stay mentally, emotionally, and physically healthy, all while learning valuable life skills like confidence, focus, toughness and more - has been crushed. We need the help of every member of Z-Ultimate Self Defense Studios and their... families. The over three million U.S. fitness professionals help more than 73 million Americans get and stay healthy through exercise. The workers in the fitness industry play a central and essential role in promoting and maintaining mental, physical, and social health and well-being. We have our champions in Congress. Now we have to help them by telling YOUR members of Congress to support the Health and Fitness Recovery Act today! Please go to https://ihrsa.quorum.us/campaign/saveourjobs/ and add your name to the list of members that see the benefits of the fitness industry. Thank you, Z-Ultimate Self Defense Studios

Huge shout out to our newest ranks! Taj transferred from another school and has been with us for a few years now. He did amazing yesterday and was commended for his focus and respect. Congratulations on your black belt! So proud! Quintin has been with me since he was a Tiny Tiger. His 10th anniversary in the arts is right around the corner. He achieved his Jr. Black Belt and will be able to re-certify next year when he turns 16 for his 1st degree. He has always been a very ha...rd worker and I'm so proud! Finally, Kristian began at the age of 3. I've known him and his wonderful family for 16 years now. He celebrated his birthday the day before this test. He is a busy guy and had missed many tests due to other obligations. Yesterday, he skipped a rank and went from 3rd brown, to 1st brown. That is something that rarely happens and he more than deserves it. Congrats gentlemen! Onward and upward!!!

Unfortunately, due to the air quality due to the ash and smoke, we will likely not have classes at Holifield this weekend. The quality will worsen tomorrow and Saturday will be the worst day of them all. If anything changes, like rain or a magic wind, we will go back as scheduled. Thank you!

Hope everyone is enjoying the warm weather we've been having :D Just a quick update: We are still offering group classes via zoom. The only change is that now we are also offering weekend classes at Holifield park; 8 AM for adults and teens and 9 AM for kids. We meet in the very back of the park, on the other side of the parking lot off Excelsior. You can park along Bloomfield, and there is an opening to enter the park and it's a straight shot from there. In-dojo private les...sons are one-on-one but we are also teaching private lessons via zoom as well, for whoever feels more comfortable at home. We have a kids test coming up on Saturday, August 29th at Holifield Park, so we will NOT be having group classes that morning. We will also be having a Brown and Black belt test at the park...Date TBA! Once again, thank you to all of your for your continued hard work and commitment in these trying times. One of the most important skills I ever learned from the martial arts is adapting. It is wonderful to see so many of you adapting instead of succumbing. Kiai!

Private lessons are back in full swing. Though we will continue to offer lessons via Zoom, (likely indefinitely), we are also omce again offering private lessons in person. All lessons are one-on-one unless the students are related/in the same home. A parent may stay with their child or wait outside. Social distancing will remain the standard for ALL interactions.. ... The restroom will not be available for the time being, unless it is an emergency. Please plan accordingly. Please use hand sanitizer upon arrival to the studio. Very important: please inform us immediately of any encounters or possible encounters with someone who is diagnosed with COVID-19. By taking extra precautions to limit the spread, we are helping keep our families and others families safe. If you are feeling ill or have a fever, please refrain from coming in. We can safely conduct classes online until you feel better. Group classes will remain on zoom but we will begin offering small group classes soon. They will be modified to limit the amount of people inside the studio at the same time. We are also looking into doing weekly or bi-weekly classes at the park behind the school, to allow for open-air training with larger groups. They will likely be once we begin Saturday classes again. We want you to be safe and comfortable. We would definitely appreciate any feedback or suggestions. It's been wonderful seeing some of you trickling in. There is no pressure on our end and want you to start coming in when YOU feel ready. With regards, Sensei Marcos

QUICK HITS #16- When throwing Linear punches, you are attempting to hurl a balled fist in a straight line toward a target directly in front of you..But may I s...ubmit that it doesn’t have to travel in a perfectly straight line to get there. By varying fist position,(Vertical or Horizontal) you change the body mechanics of the strike, the timing of the strike, and potentially the path of the strike, while still being able to hit the same target. When used strategically, these changes can disrupt your opponent’s ability to read your strikes, and can offer either very direct or slightly circular paths to get to your target, possibly helping you circumvent their guard. Though limited by the field of view of my camera, I offer a couple examples of strikes and combinations of strikes that can help you keep the initiative if the encounter comes to blows. See more

Good evening everyone! As we move closer to reopening, I’d like to post this to remind everyone of some things. I have worked hard to build this business. I opened the year the economy crashed. It has never been easy but when you're passionate about something, it's not a question of if you'll do something, but how. So many ideas, plans and events that we had planned this year are gone now. This will be the first time in 15 years we don't have a picnic to celebrate another tr...ip around the sun together. If anyone had told me that the world was going to change and none of that would happen or be put on hold, I wouldn’t have believed them. It’s weighed a lot on me and I miss doing what I love the most. I miss my students and families and being in the dojo! As we’re gearing up to reopen, please understand I, as a business owner and human being, am trying my best. I want to make sure that not only do my families feel safe, but my instructors as well. This is a big change for all of us, so please continue to be patient and work with us. To those of you who have continued to support us. From the bottom of my heart, thank you. I am working hard to make sure we still have a place to train when this has all passed. It has been so tough but you guys give me strength and the will to keep my head up! I am deeply moved and will be grateful until I am old and gray. Please continue to support small businesses during this time. We need it now, more than ever.

QUICK HITS #7-your forearm can be an effective weapon from some very interesting angles. Our example shows it being used to the bridge of the nose, the throat o...r the side of the neck. Throat or neck are preferable targets as their results are more reliable. We start by pressing their hand to their chest to neutralize their attack, and we step to the outside as we swing our forearm outside of their sight line and into their throat or neck. We then establish head control and punch them in the neck or temple, buying is time to then throw an elbow and establish more head control, hinging our body out of the way. A knee is a powerful, reliable finish- take care to land the knee far back so that you keep weight on their neck and so your leg can’t easily be grabbed by your opponent. See more

For all those who have made the Ultimate Sacrifice to keep us free - we thank you...

Great hand drill.

You DON'T have to be a Black Belt in the martial arts to learn how to defend yourself from the ground - with Z-Ultimate Bunkai, you learn how to defend yourself from a variety of angles and positions. In Z-Ultimate Bunkai Action Sequence #10, see how you can defend yourself even when on the ground and stuck between two cars!! https://youtu.be/ilSq0CznVEA

QUICK HITS #2- When threat is imminent, step off the line to forward angle, reaching with hand to control their head. Strike temple or neck with vertical punch ...to spread impact evenly across knuckles. Use punching arm to press and underhook arm, step forward and elbow to face. Practice both sides. See more

With all the popularity of mixed martial arts and grappling, people seem to forget that in a self defense situation, there is usually more than one attacker. In situations where there is just one attacker, that person usually has a friend or friends watching. In those situations, the LAST thing you want to do is STAY on the ground. While you're wrestling with one attacker, the friends can be kicking, stomping and other not-very-nice things. In a self defense situation, you wa...nt to be able to get back up on your feet and stay mobile. That's what you see and do in Z-Ultimate Bunkai Action Sequence #9. See how to use kicks from the ground to open distance between you and your attacker so you can stand up... https://youtu.be/78YDb1jkfC8