I've had a couple of questions tossed my way about some of my past accomplishments and experiences - two in particular. Some have had trouble believing that I have won a Grammy, or that I have performed in Carnegie Hall. While neither is particularly pertinent to Project Superhero, my integrity is. I'll try to explain these as succinctly as possible.

I was involved in choir for all for years of high school, plus two years of college. In high school, I spent three years as a member of the Sprague High School Concert Choir. Both of the questioned claims occurred during those three years, between 1998 and 2001. In 2000, we were invited to New York to perform as the featured choir for the National Honor Choir Festival. This festival included a combined choir from high schools across the country, and a performance by one featured choir in Carnegie Hall. Sprague was not only invited to join the mass choir, but we were THE featured group.

In 1999, Sprague was named a Grammy Signature School, making its music program one of the top sixteen in the country. The following year, we were named the top music program, a distinction which includes the reception of a Grammy Award, and a sizable grant to the school. Feel free to look up either of these facts. They should be a matter of public record.

Most readers should recognize the articles "Climbing Mountains of Success" and "Seven Steps to Effective Goal Setting", both articles posted here on the Project Superhero blog.

http://projectsuperhero.onesite.com/blog/view_post.one?pid=18153

http://projectsuperhero.onesite.com/blog/view_post.one?pid=14674

I'd just like to announce that these articles are available elsewhere as well! Both are easily found at EzineArticles.com, and "Mountains" is also available on the blog section of RealGoalGetters.com - I encourage readers to check them out there!

"Climbing Mountains of Success": http://ezinearticles.com/?id=141878  and http://www.realgoalgetter.com/2006/02/seven-life-lessons.html

"Seven Steps to Effective Goal Setting": http://ezinearticles.com/?id=141871

While I'm preparing an article on the topic, here is a brief overview of the Martial Arts section of Physical Training. Having some experience in the area already, I have some familiarity with various styles, their traits and their individual focus, which various from style to style. In my "Superhero Training", I want a well rounded education, touching on different aspects of combat and fighting.

Wikipedia provides a good general overview of martial arts: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martial_arts

There are four general areas I want to focus on in my martial arts training:

1. Combat Effectiveness - If I can't take care of myself in a fight, I'd be a sorry excuse for a superhero, wouldn't I? I need something fast, effective and reliable. Because I want to complete my training within the context of my book, I can't really afford to spend five to ten years studying before I am proficient enough to seriously fight. I need something that can be picked up quickly, used easily, and that is totally effective.

After plenty of research, I've selected Jeet Kune Do as the style to study for combat effectiveness.

Bruce Lee, a life long student of the martial arts, developed a style known as Jeet Kune Do (JKD for short). Wikipedia gives a good overview: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeet_Kune_Do. Bruce's style and concepts are still taught by many of his students, such as Dan Inosanto, long time friend and student of Bruce Lee. One of Inosanto's top students was Paul Vunak.

Paul Vunak is considered by many to be one of the most dangerous fighters in the world. His own JKD based system PFS (Progressive Fighting System) has been taught to Navy SEALs, SWAT teams, FBI, DEA and many others. As far as combat applicable martial arts courses are concerned, this is the best there is. It's taught in a matter of days, and is learned quickly. Even better, it's available for a fairly reasonable cost to normal civilians. Here's Paul Vunak's site: http://www.fighting.net/main.php

2. Freedom of Movement - I need to not only be able to fight, but to be adaptable to any circumstances. I need an art that will train me for more than just combat; I need something that will help me push the boundaries of what the human body can do.

I've selected Capoeira as the style best suited to exploring freedom of movement. A Brazilian art, it was developed by slaves and disguised as a dance. As a result, it is wildly different from any other martial art. It utilizes handstands, flips, cartwheels and more. It's perfect for the development of movement and overall conditioning, that's for sure. 

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capoeira

3. 'Hard-style' Martial Arts - Traditionally, there are two general classifications of Martial Arts, "hard" and "soft". Hard styles tend to focus on striking and blocking, developing strength and speed. The 'hard-style' arts are very athletic and very powerful. They don't simply teach how to block, kick and punch, but they train students to kick and punch with tremendous force, to block against the strongest blows.

I want to study one 'hard style' martial art in order to develop the aggressive style I would need to proactively fight crime. I want the physical, athletic training that such styles generally use.

Because I have a strong background in Karate (generally a 'hard-style' art), I think I will stick with it. Because of my past familiarity, I should get back into fighting form pretty fast.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karate

4. 'Soft-style' Martial Arts - "Soft" martial arts, on the other hand, focus less on hard, aggressive attack, but instead upon defensive action, utilizing grabs, throws and training the spirit just as much as the body. Where hard styles are aggressive, soft styles are more passive, pacifistic.

I want to study one 'soft-style' martial art in order to develop the pacifistic mindset and to develop the spiritual aspects of martial arts study. Softer styles tend to embody the grace and spirituality that serious martial arts study leads to. From what I've seen, I believe that Aikido will best meet my needs.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aikido

Alright, for those of you who read over the list for Physical Training and asked yourselves "What the flip is Parkour?", These links are for you... and for me, since I'm writing an article about the sport. Hey, enjoy the links anyway!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parkour - Ah, sweet Wikipedia, the source of all knowledge, even when it's inaccurate. Worry not, this article is pretty accurate, with all sorts of cool pictures and links.

http://velosophy.us/videos/velosophy_evening_magazine.wmv - Wondering what exactly Parkour is? This is the video for you - it's a clip from a Portland tv show, which explains the basic idea of the sport in simple, easy to understand language. It's aimed at middle aged adults, so I'm sorry if it's a little on the dorky side.

DavidBelle.com - The official website of David Belle, the recognised founder of Parkour.

Foucan.com - The official website of Sebastien Foucan, one of the co-founders of Parkour.

Parkour Worldwide Association - The official association for the promotion of Parkour worldwide. Headed by Parkour founder David Belle.

Urban Freeflow - The largest and most well known Parkour group in the world.

Project Superhero is the brainchild of Brian Westover. An author specializing in personal motivation and growth, he is no stranger to excellence. He is an Eagle Scout, a Grammy Award Winner, and an accomplished Martial Artist. Brian's life and experiences are vast and wide ranging.

During his Scouting career (while still in high school) he participated in numerous adventurous activities. He has climbed mountains, rapelled down cliff faces, spent many a cold night in snow caves and other impromptu structures. He has worked on the staff at a Scout Camp on the Oregon Coast, Hiked and Camped in northern Idaho, and completed the Boy Scouts Sogus course, a leadership training course.

As a musician, he has performed in choirs, brass bands and rock groups, performing in Carnegie Hall, singing alongside the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, and rocking out with thousands of concert goers with his old rock band 'Perfectly Frank'. He left the band to spend two years as a full time volunteer minister for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in the state of Texas. During this time he not only filled his individual ministerial duties, but spent many months in a leadership position, motivating and training others.

Having spent some time in every state within the Continental United States, Brian has also traveled through fifteen different countries across North America and Europe. He has hitchhiked across state lines, has spent an uncomfortable night sleeping on the couch of a women's restroom and has biked through Oslo, Norway.

In the fourth grade, Brian had an experience which may very well have been life changing. When asked by his teacher what he wanted to be when he grew up, he replied, in all seriousness, "I want to be Batman". Despite his teacher's protests, Brian still wants to be Batman seventeen years later. Later, while studying as a missionary, he became accuainted with "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People", by: Stephen Covey. At that time, he decided to forego his dream of becoming Batman, and instead wanted to become the next Stephen Covey. Over the next year, Brian eventually realized that he wanted to do both. The result is Project Superhero.

Project Superhero is a combination blog, documentary, personal journal, comic book and self-help book. (We know, it's a lot to take in.) In essence, it follows Brian Westover as he studies and trains to become a real-world Superhero, with all of the abilities and skills that such a unique job would require. During this time, while exploring the outer edges of human potential, travelling the world and meeting the great teachers and minds of our day, Brian will also point out the important lessons that can be applied to everyday life, even for those not directly involved in the niche market of Superhero work. It is Brian's first serious attempt at a book of this nature, and he has created projectsuperhero.onesite.com to attract interst and support for the project.

Currently, Brian Westover is a student at Brigham Young University - Idaho, studying Communications and Journalism. In the next year and a half, Brian hopes to complete his degree and publish his first book.