In almost every midsized town and city you can now find a gym or school that teaches “MMA”. That in itself isn’t a bad thing, but many of those schools are missing something that shouldn’t have been lost in the traditions of martial arts training.
Read moreChoosing The Challenge
There will always be negative voices in our heads. Thoughts that make us want to stick with the easy route. There may even be people who encourage us to stay on the simple path and “stick with what you know”. However, if we will take a moment to quiet those voices, we have the opportunity to better ourselves, expand our horizons, and possibly succeed beyond our imaginations.
Read moreIt would never work in the...OUCH!
Martial artists are our own worst enemies. We all promote our individual arts and tell almost everyone we meet why other skills would never work in a “real” situation. I call balderdash.
Read moreMess Up To Climb Higher
“Sometimes we mess up. Sometimes we don’t measure up. It isn’t that we didn’t try hard, or practice, or give 100% of our effort. It’s just that there is something missing. I used to think that it meant that there was something wrong with me as a person, or that it was a sign that I wasn’t meant to do whatever I was attempting. What I have discovered, is that a “failure” is often the best guide to success.”
Read moreKISS: Keep It Simple Sherlock
In reality, the most common attacks in human violence have always been the same. No matter how you slice the pie, the effective responses to those attacks have the same four key elements*: AVOID the attack if possible, PROTECT yourself from damage, DEFEND yourself with vigor, and ESCAPE to a place of safety. These principles hold equally true in sport and self-defense.
Read moreUnique Physique
I recently watched a video of a young man who was deformed from birth with no arms and hardly any legs. As I watched, he got onto the stage in front of hundreds of people and performed a pattern and several choreographed self-defense techniques along with his team. His focus, confidence, and dedication were evidenced in every movement of his body.
Read moreWhat Is Mastery?
Someone who has physical technique but doesn’t know the reasons behind their movements, will only be able to apply them in the prescribed situation they have practiced in the dojo. On the other hand, someone who has all of their martial knowledge from reading books and watching Youtube videos will be extremely clumsy if they ever attempt to apply any of their knowledge in a physical altercation. Mastery in almost any art or skill requires both mental understanding and physical practice. What does this mean for the martial artist?
Read moreTraining for Trauma
Real violent encounters are messy, often loud, and very frightening. Students need to be able to operate under those circumstances. As an instructor, I cannot in good conscience allow my students to become over confident in their skills simply because they can perform them in a static drill situation.
Read moreThe Birth of Legends
As I walked out of the gym where I teach after the belt test, I realized that what I had just witnessed (and been a part of) was the birth of legends! I was humbled, and honored, and excited to think that maybe, just maybe, one of those students would go on to become another legend in the halls of dojo history. I will never see a belt test the same way again...
Read moreSelf-Defense: The Sound of Safety
Have you ever heard the saying “silence is golden”? I suppose when you are sitting up in a mountain cabin escaping from the hectic pace of everyday life, the saying is still true. Also, keeping your mouth shut can keep you out of a lot of trouble. But there is a sinister side to that phrase as well. Silence is the criminal’s best friend.
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