Listening to What I Already Heard Even though I have been following Iain Abernethy for many years, it was my friend and great martial artist and physical therapist David Wallace who made me aware of this fundamentally important teaching of Mr. Abernethy’s. It was during this fascinating conversation with him [Read More]
Whenever we think of the Filippino martial arts, the first thing that comes to mind is the stick, one of the weapons often used. We are all acquainted with the rhythmic click click click of stick on stick. The baston normally is 28” 26” or 24” 3/4-1inch in diameter. It [Read More]
Creativity to Stagnation If you have read any of my previous articles, you know that I always encourage martial artists to find what works for them and to create their own art. In so doing, I am careful to emphasize the continuing search aspect of creating one’s own art. This [Read More]
April is Stress Awareness Month. Most of us are unfortunately very “aware” of our own stress, but how often do we make the time to address it in a healthy way? Stress is how your brain and body respond to a challenge or demand. Your body may respond in a [Read More]
By now if you’ve read any of my articles you know I’m a huge nerd. A martial arts nerd, of course, but also in general. I’m very much into comics, manga, anime and, of course, video games. Nowadays I’m more into single player rpgs, puzzle platformers and metroidvania like stuff. [Read More]
Many of the survivors I have worked with over the years have asked me: “when will it stop?” When I ask them what they mean, they say, “when do you stop seeing everyone as a threat?” I survived physical abuse as a child; I understand the question. My Krav Maga [Read More]
After the army, I transitioned back to becoming a civilian instructor. It was not exactly a smooth transition. I was forged in the military Krav Maga that was geared to take teenagers and turn them into warriors. Now, I was back to teaching regular civilians. Gone was the discipline and [Read More]
In a previous article, I shared 7 things to do to prime yourself to learn and perform like a champ. Here’s a quick recap: Adopt a champion ATTITUDE. Set a realistic GOAL (for the class and for your overall training). Timeliness (i.e. get to class EARLY.) REVIEW your notes before [Read More]
If I did a good job last time talking to the hosts and instructors, hopefully before long there will be a Martial Arts Seminar near you. Hopefully you’ll know about it. Hopefully you’ll be interested and able to attend it. If no one attends seminars, seminars tend to not happen. [Read More]
This is the third in a series of six articles on things I have learned from High-Intensity Resistance Training that have influenced my approach to martial arts. If you missed the previous articles in this series, you can find them here: High Intensity Resistance Training and Martial Arts – A [Read More]
“Be a calm beholder of what is happening around you.” ~Bruce Lee Here’s a hypothetical dialogue between two friends. One that, though hypothetical, represents something that happens to every one of us almost daily at work, at home and throughout the various interactions of our day. A: “Let me show [Read More]
I’ve been training for nearly 40 years at this point, and have never tired of it. I love getting on the deck and learning/practicing/refining ways to ruin the day of some miscreant who intends harm on me, mine, or some bystander I can protect. Most martial artists (and most people [Read More]
I’ve left and returned to taekwondo three times in my life: Once as a pre-teen when other interests eclipsed taekwondo. I returned at age thirty-three as a desperate wreck looking for a fresh start. Once as a jaded black belt leaving a toxic environment. I returned a few months later [Read More]
Any able-bodied person with a functioning brain is capable of mastering their art if they stick with it. This is because your brain can store almost limitless information and memories. According to research, “the human brain consists of about 86 billion neurons. Each neuron forms connections to other neurons, which [Read More]
Introduction I’ve always been fascinated with Xingyi Quan, ever since I saw my sifu teach it a long time ago. Fast forward several years, my sigung (my sifu’s sifu) was giving one of his end of the year seminars. That time he taught Xingyi Quan’s Five Element Liking Form. Of [Read More]
As a martial arts teacher, it’s our job to sometimes be the bad guy and give a little taste of harsh reality in a controlled environment. The mat is a safe place to learn lessons that would keep them safe in the real world. Those lessons can sometimes be very [Read More]
This is the second in a series of six articles on things I have learned from High-Intensity Resistance Training that have influenced my approach to martial arts. When it comes to exercise, martial artists have a tough question to answer: “How can I fit exercise into my schedule when [Read More]
The Martial Arts have always been present in my life, as far back as I can remember. As I prepare for my 48th birthday, I sit and ponder on this amazing journey that has been, and continues to be, the Martial Arts. Both the study and training of the Arts [Read More]
We’re proud to announce the SECOND issue of Martial Journal’s Print Edition. The team worked hard on this, and though we released it later than we’d intended, we’ve always been a “quality over speed” sort of organization. The Incredible Writers! Shoutouts to all of the writers: Jason Brick, Craig Wharem, Donivan [Read More]
There are countless articles and guidelines for being a good martial arts student as well as being a good instructor. But what do we know about being a good partner? Many martial arts rely on partner work for not only sparring, but also for practicing self-defense and basic drills. A [Read More]
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