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Wednesday, May 13, 2015 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
Business at
a glance...
sisters martial artists advance
By Jim Cornelius
News Editor
Two Sisters martial art-
ists earned new belt designa-
tions last month in a series
of intense trials at Outlaw
Martial Arts.
On April 12, Kristina
Trahern earned promotion 3rd
Dan (an advanced black belt
designation in taekwondo)
and Tristan Kaczmarek
was promoted to 2nd Dan.
On April 19, Kaczmarek
also earned a blue belt in
Brazilian jiu jitsu (BJJ).
Marty Kaczmarek, Master
K, of Outlaw Martial Arts,
notes that a blue belt in BJJ
has mastery requirements that
are equivalent to a black belt
in many other martial arts.
The taekwondo belt tests
included a one-mile timed
run; meditation; demon-
stration of forms and per-
formance of self-defense
techniques. Both also did
full-contact taekwondo spar-
ring and a five-minute round
of BJJ sparring and demon-
strated brick-breaking.
Kaczmarek’s BJJ test
required 30 minutes of tech-
nical display and four five-
minute rounds of grueling
sparring with upper belts.
“Sparring is kind of like
going through a gauntlet,”
Marty Kaczmarek said.
Trahern has been train-
ing in taekwondo for nine
years. She finds it an excel-
lent means of learning self-
defense and keeping fit.
And she loves the sense of
community.
“It’s a lifestyle,” she said.
“We have a really great com-
munity. We’ve kind of got a
martial arts family.”
As is traditional with
advancement as a black belt,
Trahern has taken on more
and more teaching. She told
The Nugget that at first she
was not sure she would like
that aspect of her practice,
but she now embraces it
fully. Her next step — pro-
moting to 4th Dan — would
make her a master instructor.
That’s another three years or
so of work, which she gladly
undertakes.
The practice of martial arts
is therapeutic in many ways.
“You lose focus on any-
thing going through your mind
from the day and just focus
and work hard,” Trahern said.
Tristan Kaczmarek echoed
her thoughts.
The Sisters High School
junior, who is also an Outlaws
track athlete and carries a full
academic load, finds BJJ par-
ticularly good for stripping
away stress.
“It really allows me to
be focused in the moment,”
he said. “You become more
present.”
BJJ is a grappling art
based on getting an oppo-
nent into a submission posi-
tion that forces him or her to
acknowledge that submis-
sion, or “tap out.” Though it
may appear extremely aggres-
sive and strength-based to
the uninitiated, it is actually
a highly technical art that
rewards a deliberate approach
and an understanding of body
mechanics and leverage.
That’s one reason why earn-
ing a blue belt is considered a
high achievement.
“Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is one
of those arts that takes a lot
longer than most other arts,”
Tristan said.
Tristan began studying
with his father under Sensei
Roy Dean at the Roy Dean
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Academy
in Bend.
“We really liked the vibe
of it,” Tristan recalled. “It was
really ego-less. It started as a
father-son kind of thing.”
Marty affiliated with Roy
Dean’s program and incorpo-
rated BJJ into Outlaw Martial
Arts.
Dean was on site for
Tristan’s belt test.
Tristan notes that ego and
• The May 22 Fourth
Friday Art Stroll in Sisters
Memorial Day weekend
is the first anniversary
of Hood Avenue Art.
Join them in celebrating
an exciting year of art in
Sisters. Artists’ reception in
the gallery, 4 to 7 p.m., live
music from Dave Skelton
and Friends, refreshments,
free and open to the public.
Hood Avenue Art is located
at 357 W. Hood Ave.
• Bronco Billy’s Ranch
Grill and Saloon has
announced new hours:
We d n e s d a y t h r o u g h
Sunday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• Sisters Habitat for
Humanity has applied
for the following modi-
fications to a previously
approved master plan of 17
lots in the Village Meadows
Subdivision: 1. Option to
allow zero-lot-line dwell-
ings; 2. Modification of
CC&Rs to allow possible
construction of fences by
future homeowners; 3.
Option for up to four of the
seven double frontage lots
between N. Desert Rose
Loop and Brooks Camp
Road to have vehicle access
from Brooks Camp Road.
• Kokanee Cafe in
Camp Sherman is now
open for the 2015 season.
Plans are afoot for a five-
course wine dinner featur-
ing Galaxy Wines on June
3. For reservations call
541-595-6420.
photo proviDeD
Kristina Trahern and Tristan Kaczmarek have achieved high ranking in
their martial arts.
machismo just get in the way woman in the program, which
of learning BJJ, with is pro- is actually almost evenly
gressive and deliberate.
divided between men and
“If you have a good acad- women.
emy, it’s all about learning
Commitment, focus, and
and progressing at your own a willingness to keep work-
rate,” he said.
ing hard are the only require-
Highly aggressive types ments for success.
get quickly frustrated.
“It really is for everyone,”
“You’re a white belt, she said. “Anyone can be a
you’re going to get tapped out black belt. The only way you
every single time,” he said.
can get there is not to quit.”
Size and strength are
Outlaw Martial Arts is
trumped by technique.
located on Hood Avenue in
“I’m, whatever, 140 Sisters. Contact them at 541-
pounds and I can tap out guys 406-0662 or visit their web-
well beyond my weight,” site, www.outlawmartialarts.
Tristan said.
com. The Roy Dean Academy
Kristina Trahern notes that is on Pence Lane in Bend.
martial arts can have broad Contact them at 541-390-
appeal.
1745 or visit their website:
She’s far from the only www.roydeanacademy.com.
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