Posts by: jspeight

This Bullying Has to STOP!!

This Bullying Has to STOP!!

Over the last 14 years teaching martial arts in Eastern North Carolina I have had a lot of people, Adults and Children, come through my doors. And there has been many success stories I have had the privilege of witnessing. But today I don’t want to talk about success stories. Today I want to talk about the failures that we as our society has made with Bullying.

Yesterday we lost another child, in Pitt County who was bullied in school and probably online too. This is the 2nd time this year where someone was bullied who took their life. And quite frankly I am tired of this. The first young man was from North Pitt High School and was a friend of one of my students. From what I have been told my student was going to bring this young man to a class at my academy. Just didn’t make it.

I have been all over the world and I just don’t understand why here in the USA our culture is different. Why is it that here in USA you feel good by victimizing another? By Putting Someone Down? Attacking THEM? The experts will tell you to make friends with them. That the bullies are also scared. And maybe that is true.

But in the end, you have to understand something. When you have to make a decision between yourself or someone else. You have to chose YOURSELF!

Until we get the “It is either them or us” mentality you can’t help yourself, Or your child.

Now I am not advocating violence. I think that Violence should be avoided at Almost any cost. You notice I said Almost, But if violence comes to your door? You better be ready to hunt bear.

Several other things you need to know. The school systems and school boards policies are not in place to protect your child. For the most part they are in place to keep them from being sued. So what kind of message are we sending our children when these school boards have policies that, even when you are protecting yourself and you defend yourself, you will get suspended. It is their “No Tolerance” rule.

These school boards and policies will not decide or judge on an altercation. These school policies will just evenly give out same punishments to the attacker and the victim. If the victim decides to defend themselves.

This is something you need to know as a parent. As a parent you need, sometimes, to allow your child to take the punishment just so they can stop this.

As a parent you have to know, they don’t have to only terrorize your child at school. Bullies can sneak right in the house through the internet. Online bullying is a problem that can be worst than personal verbal attacks. Yes both are really terrible but the online attacks are 24/7. They Never Let UP.

The first step to stop and control things with online bullying is sad to say, because it penalizes the victim, is turning off the computer. Get off these websites of Hate. I know I will hear “But James why does my child have to leave” and like I said yes it is sad. But sometimes you have to stop the noise. Go spend time offline.

Then you get help to prepare your child to deal with all this. They are not going away. Bullying Kid’s become Bullying Adults. Yes I know a few of those too.

Just one child or person can change the world. We just have to get involved and build these Hero Children.

That is what I plan to do.

If you think your child is being bullied please call me 252-341-6872 Day or Night on my Cell Phone and I WILL come on the scene!!

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Throw Back Thursday. Four years ago today.

Throw Back Thursday.
Four years ago today. One of my students and good and loyal friend stepped in the cage for his First Mixed Martial Arts match. With the confidence only a Team GAMMA member could do. He came home with a win for us. Today he will teach a class in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu for the first time. So proud of how far he has come in four short years.

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Keeping it REAL in Martial Arts

Training MMA fighters and Brazilian Jiu-jitsu practitioners for 14 years I have seen a lot over the years.

Looking back as being the first to bring Mixed Martial Arts and Reality Self-Defense training to Eastern North Carolina. Things has changed but at the same time things has stayed the same too.

You should always be looking for a place that you can train that is always keeping it real. That is always stepping up to the challenge. That is why all of our instructors have had competitive backgrounds in BJJ events and a lot of times Mixed Martial Arts events. But at the same time, I teach Grace Brazilian Jiu-jitsu as a base for self-defense. You can visit the Martial Arts Rochester MN if you’re looking for the best martial arts school.

I have seen over the years, where someone has only trained for the sport part of Jiu-Jitsu, and have done really well in those type of formats. But have had more problems converting over to other sports like Mixed Martial Arts.

People are more likely to say it is the Gi training that makes that happen, I say not. If you are always keeping in your mind while you are training “what if he started punching me? what if this was on the streets, or in a cage and I have to worry about his elbows?’ then your style of Jiu-Jitsu will be properly adjusted. Then you will have less of a problem converting your entry into other sports like Mixed Martial Arts. Incorporating plant protein powder into your routine can support muscle recovery and overall performance, ensuring you’re prepared for the physical demands of various combat sports.

Just like Rickson Gracie Stated in the documentary Choke. “ I  believe that Jiu-Jitsu is a self-defense art….. To keep believing in what I teach and what I share with my students, to trust in my own words I must put myself available for any type of competition.”

Gracie Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu was never meant to be a sport as much as it was, the sport of Mixed Martial Arts was developed  to show it’s strengths and also show it’s weaknesses, but as with all LIVE martial arts, it is always adapting to the situation.

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Getting Back Up When You Get Knocked Down.

When you put yourself out there in anything, you have to be willing to take the lumps and realize you can and will lose.

Two of my coaches recently competed in Mixed Martial Arts. And I am not making excuses they stepped up to the challenge and came up short, against a really good team and good friends of ours. 

Well shortly after their loss in the cage you can see them back in the gym working on their striking.

“Champions Always Get Back Up!!!”

Now they are getting ready for their next match in Elizabeth City NC. Putting in the hard work to bring home the win for Team Gamma.

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Tashi James First Mixed Martial Arts Fight

Tashi James First Mixed Martial Arts Fight

Like to share something today. From time to time I have new interesting people to train. About a year ago Tashi James walked in the door of my academy and asked me a question. He asked me in the best way he could. He wrote It down on paper. See Tashi is hearing impaired. He asked if I thought would he still be able to compete in Mixed Martial Arts?

And it touched me that he wouldn’t let anything get in his way of being a MMA fighter. But I treated him just like any other student. He had to put the work in.

Well I asked him what it was like to fight for the first time, this is what he wrote.

“My first fight was a big learning experience for me. I trained one year before I had my first fight. Gave myself exactly a year to be confident enough to win the fight. I wasn’t experienced in Jiu-itsu and Kickboxing. I have been wrestling for a longtime when I was a teenager. I grew up playing football baseball basketball (find more information here), and to played football at college and semi pro. My dad was an amateur boxer. I was a bit nervous I decided to try be an amateur Mixed Martial Arts fighter. I love the fighting. My goal is to become a professional Mixed Martial Arts Fighter someday. My coaches and students are good teaching me Jiu- jitsu and kickboxing. They really helped me a lot and taught me how to really go for the submission. I’m looking forward to my next Mixed Martial Arts event and match.”

Tashi James

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Testimonial: Jack Teller

Testimonial: Jack Teller

Jack came to the All American Martial Arts Academy at the age of 30—which goes to show that it is never too late to start! He recalls his first lesson:


I had walked by the gym many times, and it always intimidated me a bit. And that is what compelled me to try it—the fear of it. Any time I discover that I have a fear, I have to conquer it; I have to overcome it.

I called and scheduled a free trial class, and when I came in I was very reluctant to get on the mats—the fear was still at work. I just wanted to observe. I remember thinking that I wanted to see how badly they beat each other, and that if they hit each other in the head a lot, I would not do it. I was not interested in losing any brain cells.

Of course, James (the owner of the gym) managed to convince me to put on a gi (the uniform worn by Jiu Jitsu practitioners) and to give it a go. He was just too nice about it, and I could not say no. I was surprised: there were all kinds of people in the class: young, old, male, female, doctors, teachers, mechanics… even folks with various disabilities were there.

The class was relaxed and very enjoyable. I remember noticing how focused the instruction was on proper technique, and on NOT using strength. We learned self-defense moves, as well as some grappling moves. No one got bashed in the head at all, and everyone smiled a lot. It was easy to meet everyone and make friends. It turned out that there was nothing at all to fear.

After the class, everyone got to “roll,” which is partnered practice for the techniques taught in the academy. This was going to be the real test, I thought. I will see if these techniques really work. I should mention that I have always been in good shape, I spent five years in the Marine Corps, and I’m over 6 feet tall. I expected to impress these folks with how well I did, so when I was partnered with a scrawny, 115 pound blue belt who seemed very shy, I almost felt insulted. What is more, I was worried that I would hurt him—after all, I was much bigger and stronger than him.

We shook hands, as is customary before “rolling,” and then he proceeded to fold me up into a human pretzel. I had to tap out. To add insult to injury (for injury attorneys, you can try here) , he did it in about 20 seconds, and without a single groan of effort or a bead of sweat on his very relaxed brow. I was sold! I had to learn how to do that! You can also click to read more here about hiring injury attorneys.

Jack Teller

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Testimonial: Chantez B

My daughter had begun to seclude herself and not go out to play anymore because of the children in the neighborhood threatening her but since attending classes at the All American Martial Arts Academy, she has began to go back out to play.

Chantez B.

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Mixed Martial Arts is the fastest growing sport in the World right now.

Mixed Martial Arts is the fastest growing sport in the World right now.

 And as the sport has evolved and more people are watching it, more and more people are getting ideas of what it is and what it isn’t. Well someone who has been around this sport for awhile I have seen the pendulum swing back and fourth. At first the grappling part of Mixed Martial Arts was really neglected to the point that just being a good grappler was enough to win Mixed Martial Arts matches.

 Then everything swung the other way, then you have to be good at other styles of striking like kickboxing, and have a good base in a grappling style.

 But now I am seeing a dangerous trend. There are so many Mixed Martial Arts matches to never get to the ground. Fighters are more content to keep things standing up and win by knock out, or by decision. And that is good, but when the new generation of fighters are inspired by what they are seeing in Mixed Martial Arts, they are getting maybe the wrong idea.

 When Anderson “The Spider” Silva was knocking people out, a lot of people I was talking to about his style and ability didn’t know he had a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. And when I was with a group of people watching some of his fights, they were so excited when he was taken down, and I would say “just wait and see what happens.” We all know what happened.

 Just because you don’t see the grappling moves and submissions don’t mean the fighter isn’t working on that part of his game. And don’t mean he is not proficient in that range of fighting.

 I also think having a good Grappling game will help you in your stand up too. I have seen the stand up fighters be so scared of going to the ground that they couldn’t get that 3rd or 4th punch or kick off the finish the fight. They was always having to protect their hips and stay in longer ranges. Sometimes this is a good idea to win a judges decisions, but seldom allows you to finish the match.

Get on the mat, and let’s train.

 Coach’s Corner

 James Speight.

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Testimonial: Eric W.

All American Martial Arts Academy has played a crucial role in allowing my wife with whom is visually disabled and suffering from M.S. To participate in an activity that not only allows her to be more active and healthy but maybe more importantly has given skill and confidence to defend herself should the need ever arise. Now my son is receiving the same instruction which is giving him the same confidence at school allowing him the opportunity to focus more of his attention on his schoolwork.

Eric W.

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