Fuydoshin and Zanshin
After reviewing an article I had previously written ("What Does a Black Belt Mean?"), one of my seniors in the SMAA that I highly...
The Sparring Dilemma
While sparring is absolutely essential for any martial artist, the real issue is how to develop a safe, effective approach.
In my last article, Earning...
Formlessness And The Dao Of Movement
The Dao of movement may imply different things to different people, ease of movement, many different stances, continuity, the art of improvised movement, etc.
All...
The Claymore Sword and the Cross
For my 50th birthday I received a Scottish Claymore sword. This sword represents my life: a life of conflict and my Christian faith.
In July...
Naihanchi’s Mook Jong Drills – Karate’s Hidden Wooden Dummy Techniques
Naihanchi or Tekki kata is one of several traditional Chinese-Okinawan karate katas whose origins have been lost over the centuries. While the Naihanchi kata...
The Wooden Dummy
The wooden dummy is a training device that is used in many different systems of Chinese martial arts. There are many different designs for...
Bunkai: The Meaning Behind Kata
Okay! Bunkai (分解), literally meaning “analysis” or “disassembly,” is a term used in Japanese martial arts referring to process of analyzing kata and extracting...
Humility is Key to a Fighter’s Success
Every budding fighter goes through what I call the 10-fight itch. Some experience it at 3 fights, others at 15, depending on how often...
CHI – Life Energy or Inner Energy
By examining the history of various peoples around the world, we often stumble upon the concept of energy which resides in the body and...
Lines of Attack
For Success in Sparring and Self-Defense, It Pays to Think Outside the Box!
“Shapes are important in the martial arts,” Avi Nardia says somewhat matter-offactly. “Karate,...
Pressure Point Fighting in Tai Chi
In the early 80's, I wrote some articles about tai chi. After one of them, a letter to the editor from a tai chi...
The Link Between Martial Arts and Fitness
Many martial arts schools claim that studying their art is a great way to get fit, lose weight, and improve health. In reality, however,...
Martial Arts The Hidden Secrets – Making It Work #1
You have to earn the right to land your technique! How do we earn that right? How do we put ourselves in a position...
Why use Rattan Escrima Sticks?
Most blade based martial arts have included wooden swords as part of their training.
The samurai had oak training swords called “bokken” and european swordsman...
Why You Should Be Cycling To Help Your Martial Arts Training
Nearly 3.6 million Americans regularly participate in some form of martial arts. While for some the sport is just a past time, for the...
Full-Contact Weapon Sparring with the Staff
There is now a venue open to martial artists and combatants from around the world. Competing with no restrictions, at full speed and power,...
