Learning To Fear None, Respect All

The Age

Saturday August 2, 2008

Yvonne Nicolas

WHEN Joe Zollo teaches martial arts, he draws on his own life experience.

"As a youngster, I was a rebel, so I know how to relate to people of all ages," he says.

Mr Zollo studied martial arts from the age of 11 to protect himself because he lived in a volatile and potentially violent neighbourhood.

"Over time I gained a greater level of self-awareness, self-respect and a respect for others that helped me to build a successful business in martial arts, where I have been able to help others think likewise."

He says an old friend and former instructor, Mark Castagnini or "the Hammer", was his teacher. "Mark summed it up when he said, 'Martial arts training enables you to fear none, respect all'. That's what I've learnt to live by."

Training and teaching as a martial arts practitioner provided Mr Zollo with valuable life skills. "It is the perfect tool to learn how to release pent-up energy in a controlled and disciplined environment," he says. "It also enabled me to develop enduring, lifelong friendships that transcend cultural, class and gender barriers."

Mr Zollo works with the Martial Art Therapy program, which he personally facilitates, having been a youth worker for the past 27 years with a range of diplomas and certificates. MAT programs include Life Skills in Secondary Schools, PeerEducation and WOW (Way of the Warrior).

He works with Ultimate Martial Arts in Heathmont and also conducts year11 and year12 VCE and Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning programs.

Recently, he tutored students at Australian Technical College Sunshine, where he was scheduled to give a five-minute talk that went for 20 minutes. "I must admit I loved working with these kids so much and wanted to pass on as much knowledge and skills as I could," hesays.

"I saw myself as one of them and, because I had worked closely with these young year 11 and year 12 students, I've seen firsthand how much they have grown and benefited from the broad range of activities the college arranges."

Students were taught how to increase their fitness, self-esteem and self-confidence; develop greater co-ordination, balance and flexibility, and greater speed and power to enhance vitality and energy levels. The program also teaches self-discipline, impulse control and how to achieve a greater balance between body, mind and spirit.

They were taught a greater level of understanding and awareness of making appropriate choices under pressure, how to increase their reflexes and awareness of potential threats, and ways in which to develop lifelong friendships, team work and co-operation.

Joel Ridgway, an Australian Technical College Sunshine apprentice student, says the course has helped him to deal with people. "I have learnt how to get rid of anger, stress and keep my emotions in check. We learnt about good health and how to stretch correctly so we don't damage our body. Tradies do a lot of heavy lifting and often try to lift too much."

A therapeutic martial arts instructor needs to be accredited in a recognised therapeutic discipline, have a brown or black belt equivalent in a recognised martial arts system, and appropriate training as a martial arts instructor.

Mr Zollo says he would encourage anyone interested in physical health and wellbeing to become therapeutic martial arts teachers.

"It's such a positive role to play, engaging and empowering disenfranchised young people to move forward towards fulfilling their potential."

Those wishing to pursue careers as martial arts therapy teachers require business management skills.

"But, more particularly, they need adaptability, patience, compassion and understanding," Mr Zollo adds. -- YVONNE NICOLAS

© 2008 The Age

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