What It Takes To Be A Martial Arts Master
A 3rd degree black belt living in Korea and a member of the Korean Tigers Pro Demo Team, I asked what it takes to be a martial arts master.
No Martial Arts Masters Here, Just Ordinary Men
A Buddhist friend showed me a video featuring some Tibetan yogis. These were people whom she greatly admired (some were her teachers). She saw...
Proper Martial Arts Ranks and Titles
Originally in Okinawa there were 15 ranks for Black Belt and these ranks ended with the Gold Belt. Yes, 15! In Japan, as martial...
To Wash Or Not To Wash Your Belt
True or false? The darker the belt, the more training and experience you had. If you washed your belt, your knowledge and spirit would be...
Dan Ranking System in the Martial Arts
The Dan Ranking System in the Martial Arts:
The dan ranking system is a Japanese mark of level which is used in traditional fine arts...
Women in the Martial Arts
No matter what belt women have around their waist, or what title they hold, they will always be women.
This is a powerful statement that might...
Fade to White: Rank and Position in Martial Arts
You might recognize the title of this article as a play on an old theatrical phrase. After the end of a scene or at...
America’s Obsession with Martial Arts Titles
A few months ago, I attended a martial arts convention where there were large number of well-known practitioners of all styles, as well as...
The Traditionism of Budo: Character in the Martial Arts
What behavioral attitude should we want our students to adopt? How do we expect them to conduct themselves at home, in their schools or at work?
The Grandmaster Phenomenon
In this article I want to examine the grandmaster phenomenon that has become an epidemic in the western world of martial arts.
As always when...
Who is a Black Belt – Living the Rank
I've been following a thread on one of the martial arts sites on Facebook. The question was asked, ‘Should a child be promoted to...
Resolution Group International Training and Judo: Self Development for the Martial Artist
I attended the very first Resolution Group International conflict resolution course back in September 2010. Being the first group to be trained in the...
Origins of the Colored Belt System, My Thoughts
The most popular theory of the origins of the coloured belt system is that it was originated by the father of Judo himself `...
Transparency in Martial Arts
Recently something was brought to my attention that concerns me. The claims of several very recognizable martial artists are being put to question. Apparently...
How Does One Develop One’s Own System or Style?
How Does One Develop One’s Own System or Style? This is not a confusing issue. It does, however, entail certain ideas and responsibilities that...
Weeding Out the Weeds: Fake Martial Artists
Oh really? One man’s weed is another man’s cuisine. Take the lowly dandelion. Weed? Flower? Pest or foodstuff? Dandelions are used for food in...
