Women
“My husband and I have noticed a greater level of confidence in myself.
I wish that I had known the self-defense techniques years ago.”“Master McShane -
“After watching (my son’s) classes, I often thought about trying martial arts myself. When Andrew signed up, I decided to give it a try. As nervous as I was, you and your staff made me feel comfortable. Over the past few months, I have noticed so many changes in myself. I definitely enjoy the workout. You push me to do things I never thought I could or would do. Both my husband and I have noticed a greater level of confidence in myself. I wish that I had known the self-defense techniques years ago.
Thank you again for all you, Mr. Hesser and the rest of the staff have done for my family,”
Megin Sechen (Brown Belt, Mother of 2), Norwich
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You’ve tried it before: running, the gym, cardio-kickboxing, whatever. It worked for a while, but you didn’t get the results you were looking for and it’s hard to stick with.
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As a busy professional, it’s important to be in shape but it’s really hard to find time for it, balancing your schedule around work and kids everything else.
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You’re serious about your New Year’s Resolutions. THIS year will be different. This year, you’re going to be 20lbs lighter NO MATTER WHAT. Until the 3rd week of January, when things just kind of stall out.
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You’re bored with the treadmill.
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And isn’t it even harder to get in shape knowing you’ve tried 100 times before and it’s never worked? You’re psyched about going to the gym and working out hard… for about 3 weeks, then you get sidetracked. Then you go once a week, but that’s not enough to see improvement, and next thing you know, you’re not going at all. And you’re still paying for your membership.
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Maybe you’re too easily intimidated, at work or home or wherever.
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You don’t stand up for yourself enough. You’re always the one to bend over backwards to accommodate everyone else and it’s getting kind of old.
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You’d love to stand up to people, but it’s like you feel you don’t have anything to “back it up” with.
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It feels like someone else is always in control, because you smile and agree and give away your power too much.
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Maybe you’re even physically intimidated. Walking alone at night is nerve-racking.
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You’ve done the Tae Bo thing but unless someone tries to mug you with a flying jumping-jack attack, you’re out of luck.
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It can be hard to make new friends, and sometimes you need a break from your old ones.
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Maybe the social gatherings at work aren’t doing it for you.
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Making friends on the internet seems a little weird.
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Weight Control
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Over Eating
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Staying in Shape
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Staying healthy
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Making sure the waistline on our jeans is something to be proud of.
- 4th Degree Master in Pyong Hwa Kunin Tang Soo Do under Kwan Jang Nim Steve Voelker and Master Ken Jacobs
- 4 stripe Blue Belt in Royce Gracie Jiu-Jitsu under Jim Hughes (awarded by Royce Gracie, November 2001)
- F.I.G.H.T. Instructor under Mike Lee Kanarek
- 1st Kyu Brown Belt in Shio Karano Jujitsu
- America’s Best Defense System with Master Paul Garcia
- 3rd Degree Black Belt in Pyong Hwa Kunin Tang Soo Do.
- Purple Belt in Royce Gracie Jiu-Jitsu (awarded by Rodrigo Gracie, June 2007).
- Internationally ranked grappling competitor (NAGA)
Do any of these describe you?
You want to feel better and get in shape:
Discouraging, right?
Or you don’t like the way people treat you:
You’d like to know that if “push came to shove” you’d have what it takes to protect yourself.
Maybe you are looking to meet some new friends:
Is there an easy way to meet new people and make some great friends you’ll have for years?
Michelle Crivelli, Red Belt
You want to feel like you have total control of your Body, Mind, and Life:
Maybe you thought by this point in your life, your circumstances would be different, or you’d FEEL better. You’ve been looking around at different options, but nothing seems right for you.
How would your life change if you had…
…The Body that results from a great workout program: toned, flexible, and strong? Would you feel better if you had all the energy you needed to make it through your day, and still feel great? Or maybe if getting into your old jeans wasn’t a squeeze anymore?
Would you be into building muscle, losing fat, toning your legs, abs, shoulders and arms, increasing your energy, and improving flexibility, while burning over 900 calories per hour? If you did this, would it make looking in the mirror a whole new experience?
…The Assertiveness to walk through life, knowing what you want and going for it? Do you feel like people walk all over you, or that you always seem to put everyone else’s needs before your own? Would it help to have the skill to communicate your needs and make sure others treat you right?
It takes “inner strength” to stand up for yourself. When you feel great about who you are, you’ll take less “nonsense” from the people who have mistaken you as someone they can push around. How would this change the way people treat you? Would it affect your job, home life, or relationships?
…The Self-Discipline to Follow Through? Have you ever caught yourself sliding back on promises to yourself when it comes to eating, working out, or anything else? How do you feel afterward? And if you can’t make yourself do it, who else can?
Just like a muscle, Self-Discipline is built through exercise. How would it feel to exercise your Self-Discipline three times a week, and feeling better and better about yourself every single time?
…The Confidence that comes with being totally fine with who you are? Do you sometimes feel that there’s something wrong with you, something holding you back from having the life you want?
People with confidence exude an “aura” of self-assurance that everyone can detect. And because of that, confident people are treated differently (aka better). Would being a confident person change the way you carry yourself?
…The Attitude of being the “Whole Package,” someone who looks great, feels great, and leads the life she wants?
My name is Charlie McShane, and I’m the Master Instructor at Northstar Martial Arts. I’ve been teaching martial arts a long time, and over the years I’ve found that most women want 2 major things in a martial arts program:
1) The Confidence of being in great shape and having the body she wants.
And…
2) The Confidence of knowing she can protect herself, both against the threat of violence, and more importantly, pushy and aggressive people in her life.
DID YOU KNOW THERE ARE
2 KINDS OF SELF-DEFENSE?
DEFENSE AGAINST YOURSELF:
As adults, almost all of us are worried about:
Sometimes, you have to defends yourself AGAINST yourself, from the things you know you should stay away from but just don’t. Think about it: how often do you hear people complain about their health issues, how they feel terrible all the time, how they try to stay in shape but it never works out?
Does someone close to you sound like that?
Maybe someone really close to you?
HOW ARE YOU GOING TO LOOK IN FIVE OR TEN OR TWENTY YEARS?
Will you make the changes now? Will you commit to self-discipline and get yourself together, learning some new habits to keep you in peak health as you get older? While others talk and procrastinate and make excuses, will you do what it takes to enjoy a healthy life?
Or will you wait? Will you continue along the same old cycle? As you get older, will your will to better yourself grow stronger or weaker?
IS NOW THE TIME FOR YOU TO GET SERIOUS ABOUT YOUR GOALS?
DEFENSE AGAINST OTHERS.
You can think of this in two ways:
VIOLENT ASSAULT:
It’s not as safe as it used to be. You never know when it might happen, but it’s a good idea to be ready if it does. The hour-long women’s self-defense course at the Y won’t do it for you. And honestly, most karate schools won’t either.
You can check out the statistics online. The numbers are pretty staggering, but you can dramatically decrease the probability of being violently attacked in your lifetime if you know how. Do you?
AGGRESSIVE JERKS:
Have you ever been accused of being “too nice?”
Do you have a hard time telling people no or dealing with aggressive people?
It’s not always about “life-and-death” situations. For most of us, practical, everyday self-defense comes in the form of dealing with “adult bullies” - jerky bosses, co-workers, angry drivers, overbearing family members, or the creepy guy at the bar.
When these “adult bullies” choose you to pick on, there is a specific reason they selected you. Ever notice that some people appear to be “Bully Magnets”, while there are some people that bullies NEVER mess with? What is it about you that makes these Bullies single you out?
BOTTOM LINE: SELF-DEFENSE IS AN ATTITUDE.
Professional criminals, Adult Bullies and energy-drainers all have one thing in common: they have a built-in radar system to select “victims”. They can detect a lack of confidence a mile away, and will use that knowledge to get what they want, whether it’s your purse, your feelings hurt, or your time.
At the same time, these “victimizers” steer clear of those who exude confidence - those whose presence alone communicates the message “I’m strong, secure, and I’m not the one you want to mess with.” “Bully Radar” literally doesn’t even register these people.
If you have the right attitude, the attitude that comes with deep, inner confidence, these bullies won’t show up in your life anymore.
THE QUESTION IS: HOW DO YOU GET THERE FROM HERE?
That’s what I asked myself too. When women come to my school looking for a fun way to get in shape AND to develop the confidence that comes with self-defense, I want to make sure I can help them.
I looked around, did some research, and found out that not all martial arts systems are the same when it comes to getting in shape and learning real self-defense.
Long story short, you will usually find one of 2 things:
Cardio Kickboxing - Great for getting in shape, but useless for self-defense.
Karate - Not as good as Cardio Kickboxing for getting in shape, better self-defense, but with a lot of extra stuff that can get in the way.
So I kept searching. I really wanted to find something that FOCUSED on both areas, fitness and self-defense, in a fun and safe environment.
IT DIDN’T TAKE LONG FOR ME TO FIND WHAT I WAS LOOKING FOR.
I got in touch with a guy I had known for years who was teaching EXACTLY what I wanted to provide for my students. His name is Master Paul Garcia, and as one of the most respected martial arts Instructors in the United States, he’s put together the hottest systems for Adults that I’ve seen.
It’s called the “America’s Best Defense System”, and it was specifically designed to give you what you’re looking for: A strong, toned, and flexible body, and the Attitude that comes with greater confidence, self-discipline, and focus.
Master Garcia has spent years developing the ABD system, and through constant refinement, he’s come up with an AWESOME way for you to achieve your goals in a fun, friendly, and safe environment.
To request more info, simply fill this out and hit send!
13 WAYS THE AMERICA’S BEST DEFENSE SYSTEM WILL HELP YOU:
1 - You’ll Lose The Unwanted Weight: The ABD program, with its base of Muay Thai Kickboxing, burns up to 900 calories per hour. That means you’ll be working off the “excess” faster than conventional workouts.
2 - You’ll Get Toned Up: Everyone knows that the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn during exercise. You won’t be “pumping iron” and the America’s Best Defense won’t bulk you up, but you’ll streamline and tone those muscles into fat-burning machines.
3 - You’ll meet Great People with the same Goals you have: Don’t underestimate the importance of “Training Partners”. They make training worth coming back to, day after day. Working out is much more enjoyable when you have a cheering section. You’ll be helping others achieve, and they’ll help you.
4 - You’ll Enjoy the Self-Discipline it takes to Stick to your Goals. This is what makes ABD different from other workout programs: With America’s Best Defense, you’re not just training your body, you’re training your mind. Self-Discipline is your #1 protection against yourself, against the bad decisions you may have made in the past, and the ones that always seem to come back around in the future. You’ll be amazed at how strong-minded you become, and how FUN it is.
5 - You’ll have Tons of Fun working out. Besides meeting great people, the America’s Best Defense martial arts system is FUN. While getting in shape and learning some really practical self-defense, you’ll have a great time hitting pads, kicking, and punching. Some of my students have told me that they can’t wait for work to be over that day so they can get to my class!
Stacey Russell, Yellow Belt
6 - You’ll have a “Fan Section”: How many times a day do you get complimented? At home, at work, wherever? Seriously, add it up. Underwhelming, right? At Northstar Martial Arts, your partners will be reminding you how awesome you are CONSTANTLY. Talk about a much needed ego boost.
7 - You’ll have the Attention of Full Time Instructors:
8 - You’ll be training Safely.
9 - You’ll learn “The Real Thing.”
10 - You’ll get in “Fighting Shape”:
11 - Your Stress Levels will drop:
12 - You’ll be Trained in Modern Self Defense: One of the best things about America’s Best Defense Martial Arts is that it’s constantly evolving. Just as the world is always changing, the fields of self-defense and fitness are expanding. The ABD system is committed to the needs of the modern martial artist. This means you you’ll get a cutting-edge, modern day martial arts system.
13 - You’ll Stay Motivated.
… In Short: You’ll Lose Weight, Develop a Strong and Toned Body, Feel Better, and Carry That Confidence With You Everywhere.
Northstar Martial Arts Instructors
Master Instructor - Charlie McShane
Master McShane has traveled all over the US and to England to study and compete in martial arts, as well as learn modern teaching and motivational techniques. He has Captained 2 United States Competition Teams, one in Forms and one in Sparring.
He has conducted Martial Arts presentations for the Norwich, Preston, Montville, Baltic, Canterbury, North Franklin, Old Saybrook, Westbrook, Clinton, Essex, and North Stonington public school systems. Master McShane has been a full-time, professional martial artist for 12 years, and has taught self-defense at the Naval Base in Groton.
Master McShane is a “Competent Communicator”, awarded by Toastmasters International for public speaking. He also hosted local TV show “Enter The Dojo”.
Master McShane is available for speaking engagements at various functions. For info, email him at northstar.info@yahoo.com
Head Instructor - Josh Hesser
Mr. Hesser has studied martial arts for over 9 years and has been a professional instructor for 4 years. His specialties are teaching children, self-defense, and grappling. He has assisted in training the Hartford Police in unarmed combat techniques.
Mr. Hesser specializes in working with beginners.
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Learn the Safety Position: You need to know this disarming body language FIRST, before you can even begin to defend yourself,
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Learn the Basics of Movement: 4 Key Steps to moving defensively,
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Learn the Secret of Maximizing Your Power: It doesn’t take muscle to hit hard. We’ll show you how.
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Learn Basic Punches,
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Learn Knee Strikes,
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Learn A Basic Kick,
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Link these techniques into Practical Combinations,
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AND Experience part of an ABD workout. You’ll break a sweat and have fun kicking and punching some pads.
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Review everything we did previously,
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Learn 4 Practical Punching Combinations,
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The powerful 3-Knee Combination
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A Krav Maga self-defense technique against a common attack situation,
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Put everything you’ve already learned together and have another mini-workout.
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Be prepared to comfortably join class with the other students.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Will I feel out of place?
No. We always have beginners coming in, and we’ll show you exactly what you need to know to comfortably keep up with class.
Sounds pretty intense:
It’s a good, thorough workout, that’s for sure. But my classes have a supportive and fun atmosphere that makes them a great time. No barking drill-instructors here, just a lot of likeminded people achieving their goals together.
Is Northstar Martial Arts a Licensed Martial Arts School?
Yes. Our State of Connecticut Health Club License is #HCL.0000754. Many martial arts schools are unlicensed! If this is important to you, make sure you ask at any school you visit.
Martial arts are pretty male-oriented, right?
Maybe in the past, but my classes typically run 80% women.
Will I be getting hit?
No. Our classes are very SAFE. We use pads, shields, and safety equipment constantly, and the injury rate is VERY low.
What kind of people get involved in this?
Nurses. Doctors. Police officers. Physician’s Assistants. Casino workers. College students. Interface Analysts. High School Teachers. House Moms. Engineers. Pipe Fitters. People from all different walks of life benefit from classes at Northstar Martial Arts.
Do I need experience?
No. Most of our beginners are exactly that: BEGINNERS! We will help you every step of the way so that you feel totally comfortable getting started.
Am I Too Old?
Too old to get in shape, learn self-defense, and feel great? Is there an age limit on that? Not that I’ve ever heard of.
I have previous injuries. Does that count me out?
No. We can always modify what you do to work around previous injuries, and you’ll NEVER be asked to work through any kind of pain.
Is your program right for everyone?
No. Our program is designed for people who are serious about getting in shape and developing confidence. We’re not a sport school. We don’t really do tournaments. I don’t train cage-fighters. I also don’t teach traditional karate or cardio-kickboxing. If our program isn’t right for you, I’d be more than happy to recommend other programs in the area that would be a better fit.
But don’t take my word for it…
Here is what some clients are saying:
“No matter what mood you’re in, there is always a positive attitude here to bring you up.”
“Being at Northstar Martial Arts, I’ll never be down. No matter what mood you’re in, there is always a positive attitude here to bring you up. And Mr. McShane and Mr. Hesser make this extremely family oriented, making it fair to everyone. Mr. McShane and Mr. Hesser are always there when you need to talk to them and are always there when you need to ask a question.
Northstar Martial Arts is a great place of physical and mental fitness and allowing a positive environment to greet new friends. We’re all like one big family.”
Michelle Deep (Black Belt), Griswold
“Northstar Martial Arts is a community where people care
about each other.”“I am a student at Northstar Martial Arts. I am a first degree black belt. Northstar Martial Arts has given me sense of direction among other qualities. I feel there is no teacher better. Mr. McShane teaches by example, not just in the martial arts, but also in life. I have grown physically, mentally, and most important, spiritually.
Northstar Martial Arts is a community where people care about each other. Our school is much more than a place to work out.”
Steve Lorince (Black Belt, 40 years old)
Pipe Fitter, Uncasville
“It’s because of his training that I survived an attack.”
“I’ve been training with Mr. McShane for nearly three years now, and I followed him from the school in Saybrook where I began training with him. I now travel from Saybrook to Norwich about three times a week to train with him. The staff is terrific, the students are marvelous, and it’s because of his training that I survived an attack.”
Patti Osborne (Red belt, 40 years old), Old Saybrook
“Anyone who wants a first class workout should be taking self defense classes with Charlie McShane.”
“Anyone who wants a first class workout should be taking self defense classes with Charlie McShane. The self defense techniques are taught in a way that does not require superior strength or athleticism, yet are easy to learn, and incredibly effective. This course provides me with the most efficient exercise I’ve ever had. I could not recommend it more highly.”
John Gagnon
Colchester, CT
Owner, John Gagnon’s Pet Resort .”
John believes so strongly in the benefits of the classes at Northstar Martial Arts that he offers to pay 100% of the tuition for his employees. He considers NMA his company’s “health club.”
“You meet new people. It builds your confidence.”
“I like it because it has a lot of diversity. You meet new people. It builds your confidence… (Mr. McShane) is strict, but he’s fun, and he gets the message across and he teaches very well.”
Carley Lobacz (20 years old, Black Belt), Franklin
“I have been involved in many sports but this really has been great for all around conditioning.”
“I have been taking martial arts for several years and I have been extremely impressed with what it is has done for me. My strength, flexibility and endurance have all significantly improved. I have been involved in many sports but this really has been great for all around conditioning. Learning new physical maneuvers involved in a new form gives a real sense of accomplishment.
Mr. McShane and his staff are experts at what they do and are very understanding and patient teachers. The people that I have met through martial arts have been the best. I look forward to going every week.”
Dr. Steven Green
NMA Black Belt, 50 years old
Eastern CT Ear, Nose & Throat, P.C., Norwich
“I highly recommend it to anyone over thirty.”
“I’ve been a student of Northstar Martial Arts for the last four years. It’s a good workout, great cardio-vascular workout. Great for stretching at my age of 48, and it teaches self-discipline along with the self-defense. I highly recommend it to anyone over thirty.”
Ken Kelly (Black Belt, 50 years old)
State Police Sargeant, Gales Ferry
HOW DO I GET STARTED?
Getting started is simple.
Simply fill in your information below, and one of my staff members will get back to you as soon as possible.
At that point, we will schedule a TRIAL APPOINTMENT.
The trial will let us do 2 things:
1) It will give you a chance to see exactly how we can help you achieve your goals and how we work with our students,
and…
2) We’ll teach you all the basics you need to comfortably join the group class.
IN THE FIRST OF YOUR 2 TRIAL CLASSES, you’ll:
PLUS you’ll get an official Northstar Martial Arts Training T-Shirt!
IN YOUR SECOND TRIAL CLASS, YOU’LL:
All of this for 14.95.
Keep in mind, this Trial Program is available so we can make sure my program is right for you first. You won’t be committing to anything.
Also, this program is HOT right now, and my appointment book fills up fast. The sooner you call and reserve a spot, the better.
So again, please fill in your info below and be as detailed as you can. I’d like to meet you and find the best way to help you with your goals.
Charlie McShane
Master Instructor
Northstar Martial Arts, LLC
433 West Main Street
Norwich, CT
860-889-1818
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