Nia Sanchez is taking heat for her final answer during the 2014 Miss USA pageant. She shouldn’t be! But apparently, some people are taking a stand against the beauty queen’s views on self-defense. Here’s what happened– When asked about sexual assault on college campuses, the 4th degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do suggested that…
Author: Ando Mierzwa
Ando Mierzwa is a martial arts teacher living in Los Angeles, CA.
7 Lessons I Learned from Bruce Lee
Bruce Lee got me started in martial arts. But not for the reasons you might think. When I was a kid, I thought martial arts were stupid. Every kung fu and ninja movie I saw on TV was ridiculous. I never wanted to be Chuck Norris, Sho Kosugi, or a young Chinese man wearing robes…
#19: 7 Lessons From Bruce Lee
Welcome to Episode #19 of the Fight for a Happy Life podcast, 7 Lessons from Bruce Lee. Bruce Lee is probably responsible for more people signing up for martial arts classes than anyone else in history. And I’m one of them! In this show, I share seven lessons from Bruce’s notebook, the Tao of Jeet…
One Trick to Be a Better Teacher of Martial Arts
If you’re a martial arts teacher, I bet this has happened to you. You’re watching a student spar—let’s call him Rodney. Rodney’s not doing well. So, you coach him— “Rodney! Relax, keep your hands up, bend your knees, move, combinations, keep your chin down, pressure!” Then what happens? Nothing. Rodney fixes nothing. It’s like he…
Words of Wisdom from John Hackleman
John Hackleman is a living legend. He’s a master martial artist, founder of his own style—Hawaiian Kempo, founder and owner of the world-famous Pit Martial Arts and Fitness Center, coach and trainer to kickboxing and UFC champions, and a top level competitor in kickboxing, boxing, and no-holds-barred fighting. But forget all that! The reason I’m…
#18: John Hackleman Interview [Podcast]
Welcome to Episode #18 of the Fight for a Happy Life podcast with special guest, John Hackleman! In a world of posers and wanna-bes, John Hackleman is the real deal. He doesn’t just “do” martial arts, he lives martial arts. So, when I got the chance to sit down with the Pit Master himself, I…
Lesson From an Eight-Year-Old Sensei
You don’t need to be a black belt to be a sensei. You don’t even need to know karate. The fact is everyone we meet can be a teacher. For more on that, check out, “The World Is Your Dojo.” To prove my point, let me tell you about a lesson I just learned from…