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(CBS) LONG BEACH, Calif. – Some men who tried to pull off a jewelry store heist in Long Beach on Monday clearly didn’t realize there was a gathering of martial arts enthusiasts taking place right next door.

During a break in the martial arts conference, police say three participants interrupted the robbery in progress, and disarmed the gunman, who was arrested, CBS Los Angeles reported.

Seiha Hak was one of the martial arts men-on-the-street who intervened in the stickup at Vi Mean Chey Jewelry after seeing one suspect armed with a gun.

“He didn’t try to shoot, he had his gun in his hand,” Hak said. “I took him down and my master came in and took the gun away,” he told CBS Los Angeles.

“I’ve trained all my life (and) know how to use it,” he said.

The martial arts trio detained the suspect until police arrived. In the confrontation, one bullet grazed the head of the store owner, but his condition was reported to be fine following the incident.

Two other men involved in the attempted robbery did get away.

CBS Los Angeles reported the three good Samaritans were in town from the east coast for a Cambodian Martial Arts Competition.

The “Free Karate in the Parks” program kicked off Tuesday afternoon at Recreation Park in Binghamton’s South Side.

This is the program’s 18th year providing free classes to the public.

Each Friday night from 6-7pm, FMK Karate of Binghamton holds its free class at a different city park.

FMK Karate owner and Master Instructor Frank Kushner, a practitioner with more than 45 years experience and inducted into over 40 World Karate Halls of Fame, teaches the classes personally with the help of qualified Black Belt instructors.

The classes stress non-violence, self defense, self-control and avoidance of dangerous places and situations.

“Karate is something that makes someone fight less.  The confidence you develop actually makes it so you don’t want to fight, and you can walk away from a violent situation confidently, peacefully, relaxed, not ashamed, and not scared.  It’s a kind of thing where everyone should do it, children or adults,” said Kushner.

Egos in the martial arts in both East and America can be overwhelming to the novice.  They can also be harmful to the novice.  Thus the instructor has an obligation and responsibility to balance ego with humility.  It is true that one “must” believe in his/her art enough that if pushed to the limit, a physical encounter occurs, one believes in the skill learned.  However, today many martial arts school fill beginner students’ heads with infalted egos.  This is a creation for enterprise and capitalism.  This is a dangerous place to put a student.  As a student, the instructor might put the student in a tournament and compete in forms, sparring or weapons.  One “must” remember this is sport; not real world street defense.  One can win “competitor of the year” in tournament circles and at the same time get his butt kicked by a good street fighter.  On the street, there are no rules, judges or referee.  This leads to the fact that sometimes instructors are living vicariously through their students in order to meet a personal goal which age or time has passed them by.  Remember, there is no ultimate martial art, ther are only excepitional martial artists.

There are martial arts world wide and with this there are many ways to combat aggression and also many ways to counter techniques.  These arts vary from culture to culture and from style of art.  As I have written before, one must fine the “art” that “fits” one needs.  Egos from either students or instructors have no place here.

Students should enter a dojo or dojang ( training hall) with an empty cup attitude no matter what training one has had previously in the arts.  If your cup if full, then there is nothing one can offer you.

Instructors are under the same obligation.  If an instructor thinks he/she knows it all, then the weak link in the chain is soon to be broken.  A true Black Belt instructor knows that the journey in the art is never-ending and learning is a continued process.  To fill a novice or any under-belt with false confidence is to send them to a sure defeat or death.

Lao Tze, the Taoist writer says that there are three Taoist jewels one should put into practice.  They are:  Humility, compassion and moderation.  These apply to daily life as well as life in combat.  Egos have no part here.  Don’t be fooled by cheap imitations.

I am not saying that sport karate has no value.  It has a lot of value for team efforts, character building and self-esteem.  Totally self defense arts such as Aikido and Hapkido differ in philosophy, in that there are no sport applications, only self defense in real workd situation without judges or referees.

One must consider two things here.  If my instructor talks a lot of “smack” to fill his ego is he really doing me a favor.  The second thing to consider is the “humility” part.  The Taoist say, “Those who know, don’t speak.”  Don’t be fooled by “bling” and “flash.”

Remember, people come to the martial arts for many reasons. Some for health, sport, self-defense, socialization and some just for family fun.  Do not allow yourself to be sacrificed by some instructor to fill a need that he/she is lacking.  The martial arts is a personal journey and ego hos no place.

Feel free to call us at Black Dragon Martial Arts @ 225-571-2405 for information.  We might or might not be the school for you, but we will direct you to the best reference to fill your need.

Happy Training!

Heather Barron-Galvan remembers her father as a man who put his heart into everything he did.

That dedication showed in many aspects of Charlie Barron’s life, but it was most evident with one of his greatest passions — karate. Barron taught the martial art in Yankton for 14 years before passing away last December.

“He always trained hard and put everything into karate,” Barron-Galvan said. “It was really a big part of his life. He was a really good teacher. People respected him and how he was with people.”

Barron-Galvan recently learned those with the International Karate Convention held in Lincoln, Neb., which Barron attended each year, felt the same way. During the convention last month, organizers gave out the inaugural Charlie Barron Memorial Spirit Award in recognition of Barron’s 25 years of dedication to karate. Barron-Galvan was chosen as the first recipient.

“It’s been hard on us, so it’s really cool that they’re recognizing him, because that was a big part of his life,” Barron-Galvan said. “And for me to get it, it really means a lot.”

Barron, who worked for the Yankton School District as a school psychologist/behavior specialist for 26 years, moved to Yankton with his family in 1991. A few years later, he decided to share his love for karate with others and opened his own dojo, the Yankton Karate Club.

“He dedicated a lot of his life to making his dojo respectable,” his daughter said. “He did a really good job of teaching and running things. He put a lot of himself into the dojo and dedicated a lot of hours to it.”
Barron-Galvan, who began training with her father at age 11, said what stood out most about his work at the dojo was the fact that he would teach all types of students.

“He took in whoever was willing to train, no matter what their ability,” she said. “He was also willing to work with students with physical disabilities and cognitive disabilities. He modified it and made it so they could learn and could feel successful.”

Thirteen-year-old Mason Ballard, who was a student of Barron’s for six years, said he wouldn’t have the skills he has today without the help of the late teacher. Ballard, a brown belt with three white stripes, also attended the karate convention last month and received the Men’s Spirit Award.

“He was a good teacher, and he always made it really fun to do,” Ballard said. “He was a really good trainer who focused on the important stuff.”

Since Barron’s passing, the Yankton Karate Club has been closed, as no one from the dojo possesses the necessary level to certify those who are training. With hopes of reopening the facility, Barron-Galvan and fellow students Pete Moore and Shawn Mann have been traveling to Norfolk, Neb., to continue training.

“We’re trying to get in a position where we can run the dojo. To test anybody above a white belt, we need to be a third degree black belt, and the three of us are only first degree black belts,” Barron-Galvan said. “So we suspended the dojo for now, and then we’re hoping to reopen it when we are ready to take on some more students.”

The three have also been helping Ballard with his training and have provided the young student with transportation to Norfolk.

Virginia Ballard, Mason’s mother, said she has been amazed by the way Barron-Galvan, Moore and Mann have stepped up to aid her son.

“It’s just really awesome that these people have helped Mason and mentored him along, because he’s loved it since he was 6 years old,” she said.

Barron-Galvan said her efforts toward reopening the dojo, as well as helping Mason with his training, are simply things she “needs to do.”

“I know that’s what Dad would have wanted,” she said.