Feisty Lion Martial Arts & Fitness

06/11/2026

THERE is NO "Women's Boxing Class" this Saturday 6/13/26 SOOOO Please make note. TY

06/06/2026

SCHOOL SHIRTS ARE IN! Only School Shirts are accepted to wear w/Belt & gi regulated pants! NO Shorts or other Tshirts (unless school related) are acceptable to wear. Of course you can always wear your FULL Gi! (like Sensei Does) Limited Sizes $25/each Make Early Purchase!

Exciting!! new Feisty Lion School TShirts Available soon. With bicentennial logo on back! Let me know know so I can put one aside for you/student.
Looking forward on doing the July 4th Sandwich Day Parade again so if interested let me know!!

06/05/2026

With Sandwich Chamber of Commerce – I just got recognized as one of their top fans! 🎉

06/02/2026

05/31/2026

05/28/2026

A karate belt is more than a color tied around the waist — it represents a stage of personal growth, struggle, and mindset. Every rank changes how a student sees training, pain, confidence, and responsibility. Beginners often think belts are simply rewards for learning techniques, but experienced martial artists understand that each one reflects a different psychological battle. The journey from white belt to old black belt is really the journey from confusion to wisdom.

White Belt — Confused Survival
The white belt stage feels overwhelming because everything is unfamiliar. Stances feel awkward, techniques seem impossible, and even remembering basic movements becomes difficult. New students spend most classes trying not to embarrass themselves while their bodies struggle to adapt. But this stage is important because it teaches humility and reminds people what it feels like to truly start from zero.

Yellow Belt — False Confidence
After surviving the beginner phase, many yellow belts suddenly feel unstoppable. They’ve learned enough techniques to feel skilled, but not enough to understand how much they still don’t know. This stage is dangerous because confidence grows faster than experience. Many students at this level begin underestimating the difficulty of karate before reality humbles them again.

Green Belt — Pain Begins
Green belt is where training becomes serious. Conditioning intensifies, expectations rise, and instructors begin demanding more discipline and precision. The excitement of being new disappears, replaced by physical exhaustion and constant correction. This is often the stage where students realize karate is not just a hobby — it’s a long-term commitment.

Blue Belt — Constant Corrections
By blue belt, instructors stop praising effort alone and start focusing heavily on flaws. Every stance, punch, kick, and movement gets analyzed in detail. Students may feel frustrated because mistakes are pointed out constantly, but this stage sharpens technique and builds patience. Blue belt teaches that improvement often comes through criticism rather than compliments.

Brown Belt — Endless Pressure
Brown belts carry heavy expectations because they stand close to black belt level. Younger students look up to them while instructors push them harder than ever before. Mistakes become less acceptable, and training feels more mentally demanding. Many brown belts feel trapped between being advanced students and not yet fully complete martial artists.

Black Belt — Responsibility
Earning a black belt is not the end of karate — it’s the beginning of responsibility. Suddenly, others expect leadership, discipline, and maturity both inside and outside the dojo. Black belts are expected to help beginners, represent the dojo properly, and continue improving despite already achieving what many dream about. The rank often brings pressure rather than relaxation.

Old Black Belt — Walking History Book
An old black belt represents decades of sacrifice, knowledge, injuries, victories, and lessons. Their movements may appear calm or simple, but every technique is backed by experience younger fighters cannot imitate. They have survived generations of training, failures, and hard battles while remaining devoted to martial arts. These veterans remind students that true mastery is not about speed or strength alone — it’s about wisdom earned over time.

05/26/2026

Exciting!! new Feisty Lion School TShirts Available soon. With bicentennial logo on back! Let me know know so I can put one aside for you/student.
Looking forward on doing the July 4th Sandwich Day Parade again so if interested let me know!!

05/20/2026

You are never too old to start karate because the true purpose of martial arts is not about becoming the youngest or fastest fighter — it is about becoming stronger than the person you were yesterday. Every day, people begin karate in their 30s, 40s, 50s, and even later, discovering confidence, discipline, fitness, and inner peace they thought was lost with age. Karate does not only train the body; it sharpens the mind, builds resilience, and teaches you how to keep moving forward no matter your stage in life. A white belt at 50 is still more powerful than the person who spent their whole life saying “it’s too late.” The hardest step is not the training — it is having the courage to begin.

05/16/2026

Teaching Seated Tai Chi & Qigong @ Decatur House in Sandwich has been a love for me and a remembrance for my mom who was a resident there. Following is a write up on me.
SPOTLIGHT: DONNA KLUCEVSEK

What began as a self-defense course and kickboxing class turned into a lifelong passion for martial arts. Four years after starting karate classes, Donna Klucevsek had advanced enough to begin teaching others herself. Today, she is the owner of Feisty Lion Martial Arts Studio in Sandwich, where she teaches karate, women’s boxing, Tai Chi, and more.

Donna’s entrepreneurial journey came with an unexpected challenge. The day after signing the papers to purchase her studio in Merchants Square, the world shut down during the pandemic. While the timing was far from ideal, Donna used the quiet months intentionally, carefully shaping the design and vision for her business while also dedicating more time to helping care for her mother.

Born in Dorchester and raised in Readville, Hyde Park, and later Westwood, Donna has fond memories of childhood Sundays spent on Cape Cod with her family. They would pile into the car and spend entire days at the beach swimming and digging for clams, periwinkles, and conchs. Today, Donna and her husband of 48 years proudly call the Cape home. They have three adult children and six grandchildren.

Before opening Feisty Lion, Donna owned DM Designs and generously volunteered with a variety of organizations. Her connection to Decatur House began when her mother, Tilly Cardinale, became a resident. Donna started teaching Tai Chi and Qigong breathing classes for residents, and those visits soon turned into lasting friendships.

Even after her mother’s passing, Donna continues volunteering because of the special bonds she had formed within the Decatur House community. One particularly meaningful moment came when Donna was honored by Professor Pierre Rene’s Martial Arts History Hall of Fame. She chose to celebrate her first award with her Decatur House friends, who proudly shared in the occasion and offered heartfelt congratulations.

Outside the studio, Donna enjoys creative pursuits like pottery and adventurous activities including travel, snorkeling, swimming with stingrays, and even skydiving.

These days, Donna balances family caregiving, running her business, and volunteering at Decatur House. She is also living proof of the benefits of staying active and engaged throughout life. Reflecting on her martial arts journey, Donna said with a smile, “I only wish I had started sooner.”

Thank you, Donna, for everything you do for the Decatur House community!