Feb. Karate Kid

Congratulations Karate Kid of the Month: Mikayla Mayou!!

(clap, clap, clap, whistle, clap)

Mikayla has grown tremendously in her training at SwiftKick Martial Arts, starting off in our young Explorer\’s class years ago and now flourishing as a blue belt in our PathFinder Program. What impresses me most about Mikayla is her willingness to learn, desire to improve, and that she always has a positive attitude. She is very committed to her training and shows up to classes with a smile on her face no matter what. Even at evaluations, no matter the feedback, she remains positive and says \”I\’ll work harder to get better.\”

Because of her tenacity in training, Mikayla has become a great martial arts student and does extremely well in her sparring. I have witnessed her overcoming personal struggles with fear as it relates to sparring as well accepting new challenges in her training.

We are proud to celebrate Mikayla’s achievements in SwiftKick!

We had the privilege of asking Mikayla a few questions. Here is her interview:

Q: How long have you been training with SwiftKick? What did you think of your first few classes?

A: 4 years. At first I thought it was going to be a little hard, but everyone was really nice and they made it fun for me!

Q: What feels different when you train now compared to when you first began?

A: I feel more experienced. I have more endurance now; when I exercise I don’t get tired as easy. I feel a lot stronger.

Q: What does it feel like to spar?

A: Sparring is my favorite. I know its important for me to learn it so that if I run into a bad person on the streets I know what to do to protect myself.

Q: Did you ever feel like quitting? What motivated you to keep going?

A: The first couple years, there was a time where it was very tiring for me and I wasn’t motivated and wanted to stay home. But now it’s fun for me and I look forward to coming in.

Q: What specifically do you feel proud about earning new stripes or advancing in
rank?

A: I always feel proud when I earn another belt because I know I’m one belt closer to
getting my Jr. Black Belt. Stripes are good achievements too!

Q: What is your favorite training module?

A: My favorite module is the one where I learn punching and kicking techniques.

Q: Do you feel like you could hold your own if attacked on the street?
A: If it was someone my age and size I definitely feel like I’d be able to protect myself. If it were a full size adult, I’m not sure.

Q: How does that affect your confidence?

A: Now that I know martial arts. I feel much more confident walking on the streets. I know what to do if something happens. I definitely feel stronger and I feel less worried than I would if I didn’t know martial arts.

Q: What do you want to do for a living?

A: I’m thinking about being a teacher like my mom, but still not sure. If I do teach, I’d like to teach art or history in an elementary school or even kindergarten.

Q: Do you have any other interests/sports/hobbies?

A: My favorite sport is horse back riding. I also love to draw, read and cook.

Q: If you could spend a day with one famous person who would it be?

A: Justin Beiber

Q: Do you plan to continue with the program and get your Jr. Black Belt?

A: I want to earn my Black Belt, that’s for sure!

Q: What would you say to anyone considering joining SwiftKick?

A: You should really come in and try it! We have lots of fun here and you learn good technique at the same time. It’s very different from other traditional martial arts schools.