In a typical fight, a martial arts student bows to his opponent, knowing that he trained for a very long time to get to this point. He has put in countless hours of practice, perfecting his technique and form in order to be successful during this fight.

Revere High School junior Clay Fink practices many different types of martial arts and has been practicing for 8 years. He has studied Tae Kwon Do, Krav Maga, Brazilian Ju Jitsu and Muay Thai, and he is currently learning Vee-jitsu. With the support of his family, friends, and teachers, he aspires to shape his value system and discover who he is.

Fink described for how long he has been involved the martial arts and the different types of fighting he has practiced.

“I have been involved in martial arts for practically my whole life. I did Tae Kwon Do for two and a half years. I then went on to wrestle for 3 years. After that I, studied Krav Maga for 2 years. Then, I went on to train in a MMA gym for a few months, where I dabbled in Brazilian Ju Jitsu and Muay Thai. Lastly and most recently, I have begun training in a martial art called Vee-jitsu with my Uncle Jim,” Fink said.

Fink mentioned each of the different types of martial arts he has been involved in, and what each of them are focused on.

“I have practiced Tae Kwon Do, which is a Korean martial art that mainly focuses on speed and kicks. Wrestling, which specializes in take downs and pinning techniques. Krav Maga, an Israeli martial art aimed towards subduing a threat with the least possible moves and effort, it also covers disarming weapons such as guns, bats, and knives. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, a martial art that relies heavily on ground fighting and the application of blood chokes and joint submissions. Muay Thai, ‘the science of eight limbs’, which emphasizes the use of striking with knees and elbows as well as punching and kicking,” Fink said.

Fink’s uncle, James Roma, and current martial arts teacher explained the health benefits of Vee-Jitsu, the martial art that Fink is currently practicing.

“The obvious benefits are a healthier lifestyle and more mobility even as we age. With muscle toning and flexibility, one has a better chance of less injury in everyday incidences, such as when taking a fall. The bending, twisting and stretching also help to lubricate the joints, increase blood flow by artery expansion, keep the spinal vertebrae from seizing and even has some benefit to the function of the bowels and other internal organs,” Roma said.

Roma also talked about the techniques involved in Vee-Jitsu, and how it prepares a student for dangerous situations.
“Vee-jitsu is a blend of techniques and movements from such arts as karate, judo, ju-jitsu, aikido, boxing, and kung-fu. It is a style that seeks to engage the attacker quickly, stun and weaken him and then close with various degrees of severity, such as joint locking, choking, maiming and, if necessary, death,” Roma said.

Fink stated why he pursues martial arts as a hobby and described his training schedule during the week.

“I fell in love with martial arts at a young age. I developed an interest in martial arts from watching Kung Fu movies. I continue to pursue martial arts because I enjoy it. I began training in Vee-jitsu recently. I train Tuesday, Thursdays, and Saturdays with the instructor and anyone else willing to train,” Fink said.

Fink’s mother, Becki Fink, explained how their family supports Fink in his pursuit of the martial arts.

“Martial arts have helped Clay in a variety of ways. He is very self-disciplined and sets goals and objectives. These skills have helped him achieve success both at school and in his day to day living. I also feel like it has helped instill Clay with strong moral character. He learned early on not only to respect himself, but also to respect others and lend assistance to others when they are in need of help,” she said.

Roma explained how learning martial arts, especially Vee-Jitsu, could help Clay later in his life.

“Training in Vee-jitsu offers the possibility of improved health as he ages; of being victorious in an assault; of developing greater self-confidence in all of life’s challenges; of greater achievement as he applies the self-discipline needed to achieve in this art to other areas that demand self-discipline; of providing opportunities to engage with people of various cultures both from the United States and abroad; of placing him in the lives of future students who will look to him for instruction and where he can use that place in their lives to develop their character; and, finally, to apply his skills should he choose a career that may need such skills, such as law enforcement, military or security,” Roma said.

As stated by Becki Fink, martial arts teaches respect for yourself and others, heightened concentration and increased self-discipline and self-restraint. She believes skills such as these are critical for success in the world of adulthood, and will only serve to help Fink.