(Approx 2 minute 40 second read) I mentioned in an article recently that an Okinawan teacher showed his black belts a series of techniques meant to showcase ‘real’ karate. Unfortunately, expectations are never as exciting as reality. . Firstly, someone said to me in the comments section, “Can you provide a link to the video?” […]
When ‘Real’ Karate Isn’t Quite Real Enough: Static Steps or Dynamic Survival? Read More »
(Approx 2 minute 45 second read) All combat sports are one-on-one fights with rules. Self-protection, on the other hand, is not consensual fighting and should be approached differently. . Training for success in sport is designed to ensure success in sport. It makes little sense to train to develop one set of skills when they
The Trouble With Trying to Do It All: Have Clarity of Purpose and Choose the Right Path. Read More »
(Approx 2 minute 45 second read) The comments on my articles are inspiring, often funny, and sometimes, just uninformed. . To all the armchair enthusiasts, keyboard warriors, and practitioners from other methods who think kata is useless – let’s get this out of the way: You do not fight with kata. . The kata were
(Approx 2 minute 10 second read) It’s astonishing to me that I need to clarify this further, something as straightforward as practical self-defense, yet here we are. Once again, the armchair enthusiasts seem unable to grasp the situation with any common sense. . To set the record straight: regarding the article where I was asked
Practical Self-Defense: Ditch the Drama and Embrace Reality. Sitting Pretty or Prepared? Read More »
(Approx 2 minute 45 second read) I recently wrote a couple of articles about going to the ground in self-defense. Many of the comments said that you’d better know how to fight on the ground because most altercations end up there. . Yes, you may end up on the ground, and it’s imperative you drill
Context: The Key to Effective Training Across Disciplines. Read More »
(Approx 2 minute 5 second read) You will perform the way you train. This principle holds across martial arts, sports, and virtually any skill-based activity or profession. Training shapes not only physical habits but also mental responses under pressure. . In response to one of my articles about an ill-advised self-defense technique performed for a
Under Pressure: The Way You Train is the Way You’ll Respond: Read More »
(Approx 2 minutes 30 second read) Some people are incredibly territorial when it comes to the martial art they practice. The comments on my recent article about judo and self-defense sparked a storm of snarky responses – some from people who seemed genuinely upset, and others, who didn’t even bother reading the article before offering
The Ground: Think Twice Before You Go There! Read More »
(Approx 2 minute 25 second read) Recently, I was asked to sit in on a grading where a student was being promoted from 1st to 2nd dan. When asked to perform self-defense the student performed several throws from judo, some from a kneeling position. . For me, this was not an ideal representation of a
Kneeling for a Throw? Staying Off the Ground in Self-defense. Read More »
(Approx 2 minute 40 second read) While there are always exceptions, thankfully, most of us today rarely face the need to use physical self-defense. . Recently, someone commented on one of my articles, suggesting that sparring is the ultimate test of self-defense because of its unpredictability. While sparring does offer some unpredictability, it is nowhere
(Approx 2 minute 50 second read) “In order to know how good you are at something, it requires exactly the same skills as it does to be good at that thing in the first place. Which means that if you’re absolutely no good at something at all, then you lack exactly the skills that you
(Approx 2 minute 40 second read) For the last few days, I’ve been dealing with an annoying hip flexor strain. I have no idea how I got it – perhaps I slept the wrong way. I seem to be at that age. . Once again, it sparked an image in my mind of having to
(Approx 2 minute 40 second read) Many people believe that learning a martial art is the key to protecting themselves. While many martial arts evolved as self-defense systems, they were developed to suit the needs of people in specific times and places. But how well do these systems translate to the practical, modern-day world? Do
Defend Yourself with Wisdom: Running Shoes, The Ultimate Self-Defense Tool. Read More »
