Quest For The U.S. Open – World Martial Arts Championships

For Those About To Rock…

Posted on July 2, 2009, 6:49 am, by admin and received No Comments ».

U.S. Open begins tomorrow, July 3-4, at the Disney Coronado Springs Resort in Orlando, FL

…I salute you!!!

Well, here we are friends! This is the Final Countdown (another shameless tribute to big music and big hair from the past :) Tomorrow begins the world’s most prestigious Martial Arts tournament…the 2009 U.S. Open World Martial Arts Championships. Martial Artists from all over the globe are converging on Orlando as I type (they have been arriving all week) preparing to go head-to-head in everything from Jiu Jitsu, Freestyle fighting, Forms, Weapons, Self Defense, Synchronization, Sparring, Team Demos, XMA Trick Battles, and so much more!

Here’s one thing I know…with all the martial artists in the area this week, Orlando should be the safest big city in America !

Doug and the team getting ready for the U.S. Open

We had some good, light training yesterday with the team, and then Michael and I went back out for a couple of hours to do some more work on our own. Today is a rest day…mental training day…enjoy the process day. I just got word that I may be going out in just a bit to help set some things up with my friends over at www.Kickgen.com who will be onsite all weekend doing live stream broadcasts and capturing the entire event on video, and interviewing some of the top athletes. I’ve got family coming in from out of state and other friend arriving in Central Florida as well for this mothership of tournaments! This should be a fun day in anticipation of tomorrow’s events kicking off.

I will be posting some results and happenings as I can and am not engaged in competition throughout the weekend, then after it is all said and done, I will post some links to vids and final results and also let you in on what is happening for the future as a result of this training experience.

If you need times and locations of my events, please see my previous post…

I look forward to seeing you there!

P.S. – Please take a moment to thank my sponsors and friends who have supported this effort by visiting their sites, sending them a message…or better yet, get a hold of some of their products and services. Only the best for you my friend! Now…let’s rock!

Of Twisted Ankles, Storms, and Times for Events…

Posted on June 30, 2009, 4:03 pm, by admin and received 1 Comment ».

Can you believe that after all these months, we are only a couple of days away!? Yahooooo!

We did quite a bit of training today, but light in intensity. I’ve had to wrap my ankle as it twisted yesterday twice…nothing major, and it wasn’t even during training when it twisted, but still need to take care of it as I do a lot of heavy pivoting on it. Pinkie toe still jammed up from being broken a couple of weeks ago in Palm Beach, so keeping that taped too. All in all, though, training is coming along well.

We meet with our coach again tomorrow and have another team practice tomorrow late…then move into the final 2 days. I went for a 2.5 mile walk this a.m. to warm up for some training time and got caught in a beautiful storm. I found a gazebo to get under and just sat through it, watched it, and did quite a bit of visualization and meditation during the storm. It was quite an energizing and powerful experience. Holly even drove out to find me to give me a ride home, and I just wanted to stay through it…very refreshing and empowering.

I have some times and locations for the events here. Remember the U.S. Open is taking place at the Disney Coronado Springs Resort. You can get more info about everything location and tix at www.usopen-karate.com. Here are times for our events:

Friday, beginning at noon our divisions for Self-defense and Synchronized forms begins. It will be held in the Veracruz Exhibit Hall. These divisions begin at noon, but we may or may not be competing at that time (possibly later). Never can tell exact timing until things get going. As it stands now, we will be in Ring 3 and on the Stage for these events.
Saturday, traditional forms begin at 11:00am in the same Hall. Again, exact timing for when I will compete is to be determined based on how many competitors…where I line up in all of it…and how many divisions there are.
I do want to mention that one of our team-mates, Mike Tatum, will be competing in the Sport Jiu-Jitsu Freestyle Fighting competition beginning at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday. Support for him is mucho appreciated.

Please plan on visiting the Kickgen.com booth while you are there, and if you need help finding people or places, just ask anyone…I am sure we will be just as enlightened as you .

Just a couple of days away…look forward to seeing you there!

Dreams Really Do Come True!

Posted on June 29, 2009, 7:55 pm, by admin and received No Comments ».

The Dream Becomes A Reality This Week...Let's Fly!

I took a rest day yesterday and stepped away from everything training-wise. Thursdays are my normal rest days, and I forgot to take one again this week. We just had so much momentum with some good training days, that Thursday just flew by and next thing you know…it’s Saturday night and I was wiped!

At the end of the day yesterday (Sunday) Michael and I made a home-made dinner (it was exquisite!) then we hung out for a while. Later in the evening we were sitting in the back yard and just reminiscing about the past several months and how the back yard has basically been our dojo (training facility) along with a local park. Sometimes it has felt like Rocky in that movie where he went out to the wilderness in Russia or something and trained off the land for a while (YO! Adrian!!!) We have come so far in the past few months and this is the week.

In just a few more days I will step on the world stage at the 2009 U.S. Open World Martial Arts Championships. Kinda’ surreal!

Today I trained hard all morning and into the afternoon, took a few minutes to cool off in the pool before heading out and doing a short training time with the rest of the team. Tonight was date night for me and Holly and we had a “heart-to-heart” and just realized how much has happened over the past few months and what it all means to us at this point.

It has been a great experience, however difficult, however strenuous, however just downright scary sometimes…it has been worth it all and I am excited to be back “in the saddle” as we prepare to compete this week.

I am confident about our performances. Of course, there is always room for improvement, but we have trained hard and prepared deeply.

In a couple of days I will list some times and dates for my events, so stay tuned. We’ve met some great people along the way, seen new opportunities, and watched some people turn away (not everyone can go the distance and reach these heights). I will be proud to stand next to my family and friends this weekend and take my place among Martial Arts competitors from around the globe.

Hope to see you there too. Thanks for your support and encouragement… Dreams really do come true!

The Very Best In The Nation Training One Of Our Own!

Posted on June 27, 2009, 3:49 pm, by admin and received No Comments ».

Mike, Chuck, Doug, and Michael having some fun and training for the U.S. Open, July 3-4

As you know, preparing for and competing at this level is no “one-man” show. There is always a team of people working together to make things happen. That’s simply the way things work in any situation. A couple of days ago I introduced you to Chuck, who is on our team and assisting me in one of the events at the U.S. Open. I mentioned how he had been working to regain strength and full-function of his knees over the past seven months. I’d like to introduce to you the people responsible for helping him “get his legs back” and also help him shape up and become stronger overall.

Matt Bloom, Brian Schwab, and the team at Orlando Barbell (see their link to the right and below) have been on the job for months working with Chuck, and we are thankful to them as it has afforded Chuck the opportunity to train with us and compete with us at the World Championships next weekend.

Matt Bloom is an accomplished trainer who holds a Bachelor of Science in Sports and Fitness from the University of Central Florida, is a Certified Strength Trainer by the world-famous Westside Barbell, and a Certified Fitness Trainer by the International Sports and Science Association. That is a mouthful, but it gets better. Matt has coached and trained some of the NFL’s and MLB’s top players including Super Bowl, Pro Bowl, World Series and All Stars champions. He has coached some of the fastest NFL players, and has trained next to world-record holding powerlifters at the world’s strongest gym, Westside Barbell. I have put a complete listing of his (very impressive) credentials on our Friends and Sponsors page. Let’s just say this…if you want to be trained by one of the Nation’s best Strength and Fitness Coaches, you need to contact Matt. His contact info is on the Friends and Sponsor page as well. Matt trains at several locations in the Central Florida area, including Orlando Barbell where Chuck has been training for several months now.

Orlando Barbell is home to some of the nations top trainers and athletes

Orlando Barbell is led by Brian Schwab who hold a Bachelor of Science in Exercise and Sport Sciences from the University of Florida. In addition to his many certifications, Brian is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist with the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Brian has been ranked #1 in the Nation in the 148lb. weight class for the past 6 years, holds national records in the 165lb. weight class as well, and is a featured athlete on Orlando’s WESH News Channel 2. Brian is a published author and has been featured on several national magazine covers for his accomplishments. We, here at www.QuestForTheUSOpen.com are most impressed with his work with one of our team-mates. Thanks Brian! You can learn more about Brian and Orlando Barbell on our Friends and Sponsors page or visit www.OrlandoBarbell.com.

U.S. Open World Martial Arts Championships, July 3-4, Disney's Coronado Springs Resort, Orlando...visit www.usopen-karate.com for more info and to get your tix!

We are less than a week away from the U.S. Open World Martial Arts Championships and I am soooo excited! This has been a dream for many years and now it is within reach. I have reached some significant milestones in my own life personally through all of this, and there are a couple of opportunities opening up as a result too. I will share with you more the closer we get to the Open and as things are more concrete.

As we launch into this final week, I want to say thanks to each of you who have followed me through this very important time and experience. There have been many times where I have gone back through posts, comments, emails, and voice messages during times when I wanted to give up and your encouragement has been my fuel. We are doing this together and I pray you have been inspired along the way to accomplish your own goals and dreams!

We are not finished yet…less than a week and we step on one of the greatest Martial Arts stages the world has to offer. If you didn’t get a chance to read my interview with Mike McCoy, owner and promoter of the U.S. Open, and learn more about the amazing history and the future of the Sport Martial Arts, please click here and hear from a living legend.

For now, it’s dinner time…see ya!

P.S. - When you visit our Friends and Sponsors Page, be sure to check out the link to my Coach, Lauren Kearney, who is a multiple World Champion Title holder…it just blows me away every time I think that I’ve had the opportunity to work with her through this Quest…Thanks Lauren!

As Though I Was Already There…

Posted on June 26, 2009, 12:40 pm, by admin and received No Comments ».

my US Open hat that I keep nearby with my poster and Black Belt to remind me each day of what I am working toward!

O.K., so today has been rough physically. Main reason why is that I was up past 4:30a.m. this morning not being able to sleep. I went to bed early enough to unwind, worked through my mental relaxation, and as I was dozing I suddenly, and really like a mental machine, began going through each step of every event that I have been practicing for…over and over and over and over. I found myself at one point actually breathing heavy with my heart racing as I was imagining the effects of competing in my events back to back, hearing the crowd, feeling the pressure in the room, executing each technique with my training partners… It was quite a surreal experience. I could very nearly feel as though everything was happening in the room with me last night.

Sometime shortly after 3a.m. I sat straight up, drank the whole glass of water I keep bedside and tried to shake it off. Holly woke up, realized what was happening and so she got up with me and began talking me through each and every family vacation we have ever been on together, beginning way back in Southern Germany, across the U.S., down in the Keys, and tried focusing her words on things like peaceful waters or our quiet hikes through the mountains. I’m glad she didn’t go through the vacation where we spent a summer traveling the East Coast riding every roller coaster we could find…I might have been sick at that point.

It was actually a chore, but eventually we were able to switch my thinking to peaceful scenes and away from the tournament. I looked at the clock for the last time at 4:36a.m.

A personal journal entry from a couple of years ago where I listed my goals for the U.S. Open (I marked off other things as there are some other big things getting ready to happen on that page too). WOW! From a couple of years ago writing it down to being a week away from it happening!!!

I suppose this is what it means to eat, breathe, drink, and SLEEP what you are involved in…for me, it the U.S. Open World Martial Arts Championships. The struggle came just a couple of hours later when I had to be up to take Michael to a school evaluation, and then straight to a couple of hours of training with the team…outside…in the sun…and humidity…in full gear…waaaaaaa! I know, I know…stop whining!

I’m kidding really. It was tough, but well worth it all for what will be taking place one week for now…ONE WEEK AWAY! I really believe I mentally switched another gear last night during that experience where I am now in full-on “get it done” mode for the tournament. Pumped! Not that I haven’t been getting it done all along, but this is a very different level now…does that make sense? I feel very different today, even beyond being tired.

I have some more people to introduce you to later, but for now…I am taking a NAP! See ya!

P.S. – Take a look at yesterday’s post and meet the rest of the team if you haven’t already…cool stories coming out of our Quest!

Three Karate Dudes And A Ninja…On A Quest To Change The World (or at least shake things up a bit)!

Posted on June 25, 2009, 4:53 pm, by admin and received 1 Comment ».

Mike Tatum, Chuck Bloom, Doug McGannon, Michael McGannon having some fun after training!

Time seems to be moving so fast right now. We are so close to the U.S. Open now…one week and one day. Our team is working around the clock on preparations (sometimes, literally). Overall it has been a good week of training, and going into the weekend I thought I would introduce you to the full competition team,and share a small bit of their stories as well. Pictured are Mike Tatum, Chuck Bloom, Yours Truly, and Michael McGannon. Mike, Chuck, and Michael will be assisting me in one event, and Michael and I will be competing together in another event, and then I will compete solo in yet another event. A lot of people have been asking me if I am competing in any fighting events, and unfortunately the answer is no…this year (but rest assured the events I am competing in are no less grueling and will test every limit I have, just ask my Coach, Lauren Kearney). Using wisdom, I am going to give myself another year for the fighting events to completely heal and recover physically from past injuries. Some of my background is in fighting/wrestling/boxing and I do want to step in “the ring” again before I completely step away from competition…but that is for another season.

However, one of our team-mates WILL be fighting, and you bes’ be believin’ we will be there supporting him. Mike Tatum will be fighting in the Sport Jiu-Jitsu (ISJA) events as well as the NAGA events (check out my interview with the owner of the U.S. Open to learn about these events and some of the other major additions to this year’s Open). He will be representing his Bunjikan Tenguzake Dojo during those events and we are honored to have him part of the team. According to Mike, this is somewhat of a new era dawning in his life, and following the U.S. Open he will depart for what is known the Japanese Warrior Culture as “Musha shugyo”…or “The Warrior’s Journey”. He will embark on his own spiritually and physically demanding quest that will no doubt usher in a very exciting season of his life. After just earning his Black Belt…he is in for one heckuva ride! Way to go, Mike!

The Bold Look is our uniform sponsor for the U.S. Open...picture of Doug below in one of his new uniforms!

After our training session today, Chuck turned to me and said, “You know, seven months ago I wouldn’t have been able to do this.” It was this long ago that Chuck began working to overcome knee injuries. Chuck has a martial arts background and has known and enjoyed success in competition. When we were looking for another team-mate to work with, Michael (my son) suggested that he would really enjoy working with us. I asked Chuck, and he accepted…but was cautious as he hadn’t put much pressure on his knees for a while. Now he is competing at the U.S. Open World Martial Arts Championships and I must say, he is quite impressive with what he has accomplished and been able to work through. This is what this Quest is all about…overcoming what has kept us back, and moving to new heights and inspiring people to accomplish their dreams…and, of course, winning !

Chuck has been working with trainers at Orlando Barbell here in O-town to strengthen and regain full use of his knees…and shape up and get strong overall. Orlando Barbell, run by Brian Schwab, BS, CSCS, is a 24-hour gym offering Personal Training and Sport Specific Training. Check ‘em out at www.OrlandoBarbell.com. Thanks a ton to them for assisting Chuck in moving forward strong again, and thanks to Chuck for being such a dynamic addition to this team!

My oldest son, and primary training partner, is overcoming a huge set of obstacles himself…he is dual-enrolled finishing his last year of High School and completing his first two years of college…AT THE SAME FLIPPIN’ TIME! We are talking full course loads in both schools year-round, so that he can complete them both at the same time before next summer.

Doug sporting his new uniform from The Bold Look. www.BoldLook.net has sponsored Doug and the team with new uniforms so we will look sharp at the U.S. Open. Thanks Bold!!

Michael is a skilled martial artist, but if you know him, you know he is kinda’ shy too so this is a huge stretch for him to compete at this level. I have given him every opportunity to back out, to which he has responded, “No way…I will be ready. We are gonna’ do this!” Couldn’t be more proud, me! Michael and I are competing in two events together as a tribute and honor to our relationship both as father and son, and as training partners. He has walked every step of this Quest with me. I love you, Michael!

As a friend reminded me today…”It’s go time!” That it is, that it is!

P.S. – My sis just told me she beat her best 1 mile run time today by two minutes to be the most improved in her training class!!! It seems all around us people are reaching new heights and breaking records. Way to go Melanie!

My Interview With A Legend!

Posted on June 23, 2009, 7:45 pm, by admin and received No Comments ».

U.S. Open Night of Champions Stage being prepared for the main event...so to be prepared for the 2009 U.S. Open at Disney's Coronado Springs Resort in Orlando!

U.S. Open Night of Champions Stage being prepared for the main event...soon to be prepared for the 2009 U.S. Open at Disney's Coronado Springs Resort in Orlando!

This week I had the privilege of interviewing a legend in the world of Martial Arts. He’s a living legend…Mike McCoy, owner of the U.S. Open World Martial Arts Championship Tournament! It’s not everyday you get to sit down with someone of this caliber and talk to them and learn from them. My experience in this Quest for the U.S. Open has afforded me this opportunity and I would like to share it with you.

http://kickgen.com/martial-arts-legends/index.html

This link is the original post at www.Kickgen.com where I write inspirational material for an online martial arts social networking community. If you are a martial artist and have yet to connect here, please take a moment and do so…I promise you will have a BLAST!

Enjoy the interview and learn more about the U.S. Open, it’s relationship with I.S.K.A. and ESPN, the future of sport martial arts, and what we all have to look forward to at this year’s event (which are some pretty incredible additions to the tourney). Please let me know if you have any trouble with the link, as you definitely want to check out this interview.

Thanks much!

P.S. - On the training side of things, it has been a challenging day so far…I am off to another session right now that will probably go past midnight, then up again in the a.m. for a full day of training tomorrow. Your prayers and encouragement are coveted!

Final Stretch And It Is HOT, HOT, HOT…Oh, And A Newspaper Article!

Posted on June 22, 2009, 3:49 pm, by admin and received No Comments ».

water1 Hello everyone! It is just about stinkin’ HOT in Orlando right now. Record temps for sure. We are turning the heat up on training right now too (just couldn’t resist the pun)!

It has been a day filled with training from various angles…in the pool resistance training, out of the pool-stay-alive-in-the-heat-training, solo kata training, synchronized kata training, with music, without music, with frustration, without frustration…you get the point. Tomorrow we will dive further into self-defense.

Here is a link to a local newspaper that ran an article on me and our Quest For The U.S. Open. Thanks to the West Orange Times here in the Orlando area for running this piece. We have made some great friends from the response to the article.

http://wotimes.com/articles/2009/06/22/news/sports/sports01.txt

Please take a moment to read through it and pass it on to friends and family via Fb, email, twitter, or any other way you communicate with your peeps!

It’s hard to believe we are under two weeks away! We will keep working harder than ever to be ready in every area. The dream is at hand!!! As always, I appreciate your support, prayers, and encouragement! I have added a support button to the right in the sidebar. If you think kindly of it, please throw some spare change our way and we have two free gifts to send you regardless of what amount you give. I thank you in advance.

There have been some new developments as a result of this Quest that I am excited to share with you as the details are ironed out and I have permission to announce. Please stay tuned, and know that we are reaching lives in some unique places as a result of reaching for the highest level of athletic training in our Quest For The U.S. Open.

If you don’t have your tix yet for the event, please mosey on over to the U.S. Open site and get your tix locked in. I will be competing in events on both Friday and Saturday, and will share some times as I know them. The biggie “Night of Champions” is held on Saturday night, and you will definitely want to see this. A…MA…ZING!

Do me a favor and check out some of my sponsors like www.BoldLook.net and my coach www.LaurenKearney.com over in the right hand sidebar.

Everybody stay cool now…I’ll see you at the U.S. Open!!!

Happy Father’s Day!

Posted on June 20, 2009, 8:30 pm, by admin and received No Comments ».

dougmichaelnathanielinmount It has been a long week, full of good training and good times with family and friends. I was treated to a Father’s Day eve dinner tonight, so I gotta admit, I took it easy and took some time to relax and play with the family. (the pic is of Michael, me, and Nathaniel about a year ago as we had reached the top of a mountain while doing some summer traveling…good looking boys if I do say so myself!)

Michael wrote an article for my regular column at www.Kickgen.com. Please take a few to read it, you can find it under the KG News tab at the top of the home page. It was a special Father’s Day message, and it made me proud!

I had some really fun times with both of the boys today, including some pool time, a nap, some wrestling and playing and good conversation. Tomorrow will be an enjoyable day. There will be a workout, but it will end up being a light day me thinks…

On that note, Happy Father’s Day to everyone. I pray this is a wonderful day for you. I will see you back here on Monday for some serious countdown (less than 2 weeks now) to the U.S. Open World Martial Arts Championships. If you haven’t bought your tix yet, please visit the U.S. Open site and get on that this week. I will appreciate your support, but beyond that, you will definitely want to witness some of the world’s top athletes going head to head in major martial arts action.

Have a fantastic Father’s Day!

A Quick Thought About Today…

Posted on June 19, 2009, 7:18 pm, by admin and received No Comments ».

I had a full, hard day of training today…and as I was wrapping up some self-defense training at a local park with the team, we met a very cool young man by the name of Patrick, and his family, who also trains in martial arts. He jumped in and helped us with some super-cool karate moves and we all had some fun.

It was great to be able to share some experiences along the way to the U.S. Open with new friends. That’s a lot of what this Quest is about…new friends, new challenges, new victories!

So, thanks Patrick, it was very nice to meet you…and great job teaching that “ninja” some lessons!

Two weeks to go everyone…home stretch. See you there!