Nisnisan, Frost practice Kajukenbo, Kung Fu

March 17, 2009 • written by Mary Hesterwerth

While most students go home and relax in front of the television for a few hours before starting their homework, senior Courtney Frost and junior Mark Nisnisan are busy perfecting their martial arts skills. Frost may be working on a complicated cobra movement while Nisnisan may be attempting to perfect a new combination of quick rapid fire Kenpo punches followed by a Judo foot sweep.
In second grade, Frost’s uncle offered to teach her brother, but did not mention her so she immediately wanted to try it. Since then, Frost has been training in the art of Kung Fu at Chinese Martial Arts in Hawyard.

After ten years of training, injuries, and dedication, Frost earned her black belt on November 7 of last year.
“I’ve grown to love Kung Fu. It’s part of my life. I can’t imagine life without it,” Frost said.

Learning everything from the basics to the more difficult cobra movements, Frost has also had to overcome injuries, particularly when she hurt her hip after gradually wearing it down with all the Kung Fu moves. The injury forced her to stop training for two months, and then practice very limitedly with no contact for another two months.

“It was really hard,” said Frost. “I’m still working on it. I can hit, but I have to stretch a lot. It’s a daily challenge.”

Still, Frost persevered. She hopes to continue Kung Fu in the future by staying around her Martial Arts school and returning every few weeks. Eventually, she plans to own her own school.

“Up to a certain point, you’re a student,” Frost said, “But after that you’re expected to give back and teach others so that the art can progress.”

Nisnisan decided that Karate was not enough; instead he tried a mixed martial art known as Kajukenbo, created in Hawaii in 1947 by masters of the different martial arts mixed into it, known as “The Black Belt Society. Each of the syllables represent the different arts that are mixed into it: Karate, Jujitsu, Kenpo, Chinese Boxing. These diverse arts blend to create a new, original style.

“I really wanted to do some activity over the summer. It’s not really fun being at home by yourself. It’s better to be active than stuck at home,” said Nisnisan.

Although it started off a something to do over the summer break at Esteller Martial Arts Academy in San Leandro this past summer (thanks to his cousin’s suggestion), Nisnisan has grown to really enjoy the art.

“There’s competition and people to keep fighting. There’s so much competition it becomes a real challenge that you’re in to win. You strive to finish first,” he said.
And he has done just that, as his greatest personal accomplishment is having taken down his first black belt and becoming more flexible.

Although Nisnisan does not want to devote his life to Kajukenbo, he would like to join a part time league during college so that he can keep practicing without taking focus off other things. For now, he has decided to put practice on hiatus so that he can do track.

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