A Trip To Shaolin “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the Earth all one’s lifetime.” Mark Twain I’ve been [Read More]
Quick: what is the most important physical self-defense skill taught in martial arts? Kicking? Punching? Blocking? Is it takedown defense, now that all the wannabe tough guys watch too much UFC? Nope. In case the title didn’t give it away, it’s breakfalls. I’m here today to make the case for [Read More]
June is Men’s Mental Health Month, at least according to some calendars (others say it’s November). Regardless, it’s always a good time to talk about mental health. I’ll save you the trouble of asking the question my partner asked when I told him what I was working on—what do I [Read More]
The Seed. There is a quote in Hamilton that Alexander Hamilton, in the scene where Burr shoots him, sings, “Legacy. What is a legacy? It is planting seeds in a garden you never get to see.” Sometimes teaching and training feel like that. A garden that is yet to bloom [Read More]
The desire to become a “warrior” appears to have taken over the popular imagination. To the point that, today, it seems one can hardly open their eyes without seeing some form of media promoting a new way to become a warrior. Typically, the purveyor of such products touts their military [Read More]
Confessions of a Failed Martial Arts School Owner – Part 2 The martial arts industry is a very interesting place to build a business. There is no shortage of “consultants” seeking your money in exchange for “programs” and “strategies” that “work.” They inundate you with free “trainings” of nebulous information, [Read More]
Confessions of a Failed Martial Arts School Owner: Part One Lifting the red and black puzzle mats off the floor, revealing the empty and imperfect vinyl imitation hardwood floor is more painful the second time around. While they only had students on them for a total of eighteen months over [Read More]
Physical fitness plays a crucial role in martial arts training, directly affecting an individual’s performance and ability to execute techniques effectively. Martial arts require strength, flexibility, and injury prevention to perform at the highest level. Martial arts injury prevention exercises help martial artists maintain proper form and reduce the risk [Read More]
Perseverance and Indomitable Spirit Throughout my forty-two years on this planet, I have experienced many successes and even more failures than I would have ever thought possible. Having taken the time this year to reflect and take inventory on my past, in hopes to shape my present and future, I [Read More]
“I don’t have time to train” is something parents end up saying at some point in their martial arts and parenting journey. They have a point. Parenthood drains almost all of our personal resources. It takes time. It takes energy. It takes money. It takes focus. It takes attention. Since [Read More]
The training methods of Dekiti Tirsia Siradas Kali are derived directly from its name. The language is of the Ilongo dialect of the Visayan region of the Philippines. The word Dekiti means close range, or tightly close, which is the combat range preferred by the DTS combatant. Tirsia is close [Read More]
Karate uniforms, also known as gi or do-gi, are an essential piece of equipment for any martial artist. The karate uniforms not only provides a sense of professionalism and respect but also serves as functional attire during training and competition. Like any article of clothing, proper maintenance and care are [Read More]
This past November, after Free Training Day Northeast, many people stuck around for the first-ever Never Settle Awards. We’ve talked about these awards here in Martial Journal prior, but this is our first time in these pages announcing the winners. EMISSARY OF THE ARTS Stephen Watson Stephen Watson is an [Read More]
By Jenni Nather, StaciAnne Kaeleigh Grove, and Joshua Blum The movie that will go down in history as the first appearance of Steven Seagal’s iconic ponytail is a 1990 release from Director Bruce Malmuth. In addition to The Ponytail, the film also stars Steven Seagal in his second major theatrical [Read More]
April is Stress Awareness Month. A way to combat stress is by developing resilience. For more resources on managing stress, visit the American Psychological Association’s resource page on resilience. John Coyle, Olympic medalist, author, and public speaker, has presented to leaders in my organization over the last year as part [Read More]
Have you ever seen the movie Best in Show that came out in the early 2000s? Have you heard of the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show held in New York each year? If you have, you’ll understand that until 2019 that was my knowledge base for the world of dog [Read More]
Have you ever met your hero and it was everything you hoped it would be? Or did it leave you underwhelmed when it came to fruition? Reading Waxing On: The Karate Kid and Me by Ralph Macchio allows the reader to meet the individual behind the “Karate Kid.” Reading it, you [Read More]
One of the most valuable lessons of martial arts is how to persevere when you make mistakes. Many feel like giving up. It is so easy for people to give up when they feel exhausted, and to refuse to push through. This is especially important in self-defense training. When someone [Read More]
You are one action away from living your dream life and moving towards everything you ever wanted. One action. It is much closer than you think. Do you know the reason why so many people fail to achieve goals in their life? It’s because they get discouraged of where they [Read More]
As a karate competitor, you are well aware of the physical and mental demands of the sport. Your hours of training, dedication, and discipline that have led you to this moment. However, in the moments before a karate competition, you may find yourself feeling overwhelmed with nerves and anxiety. You [Read More]
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