What's in a name?

There's a lot that goes into selecting a name even though "a rose by any other name would smell as sweet".  Personally, I know that Amy and I took a great deal of care when picking the names for our children.  We wanted to give them a name with meaning and a story.  We also wanted to honor both of our families with the name selections.  It's funny, several times I've wondered if our boys would be the same if we had given them different names.  Would Deacon still be as silly and dramatic if his name were Frank? 

A lot goes into a name.  Since the beginning of the dojo, we have gone by Phoenix Gaithersburg; keeping with the tradition of naming the dojo after the city where it is located.  Phoenix Gaithersburg has grown a lot from a small karate class for children to a busy group offering training to children, teenagers, and adults.  We've provided self defense classes geared specifically to women and college bound young ladies.  We have also had the opportunity to host a great session on using yoga in our martial training.  We've grown so much together and it's together that we will be making a transition...from Phoenix Gaithersburg to THE FORGE.  Rest assured that even though we enter this next season under a different name, we are still under the banner of the Phoenix Karatedo Association, Kyokushinkai International.

So, why change the name to "The Forge"?  I chose this to be our new banner because its meaning captures everything that I've felt about our community since the first day.  By definition, forge means:
     1. v. to form by heating and hammering; beat into shape
     2. v. to form or make, especially by concentrated effort
     3. n. a special (fire)place, hearth, or furnace in which metal is heated before shaping

Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.  Our dojo is that special fireplace where the heat of hard training is used to shape and form, with concentrated effort, our minds and bodies.  The Forge completely captures the essence of what we are doing together.  As we move forward, I want each of us to bring the heat into our local communities.

Keep your eyes peeled for our new Facebook page which will be opening up this Friday!

Osu!
Sensei Bob