Be you. Sounds simple enough. Yet it’s probably the greatest challenge of your life. Sure, it was easy to be you when you were a child. You could scream and cry. You could run around without your pants. You could lie down on the floor at the mall. You could grab a crayon and draw…
Author: Ando Mierzwa
Ando Mierzwa is a martial arts teacher living in Los Angeles, CA.
Don’t Talk to Tigers: The Worst Mistake in Martial Arts
Imagine you’re at the zoo. AGHHH! You hear a scream. You spin around and see the door to the tiger cage thrown open… A tiger is sitting on your friend’s chest, biting his head off. You’re horrified because your friend not only owed you money, but was also your ride home. Uh oh. The tiger…
Martial Arts Is No Walk in the Park
You’ve seen the picture a thousand times. A karate master standing in a waterfall. A kung fu master kicking on a mountain top. A tai chi master balancing under a tree. Cue the flute and cymbals. It looks so cool. It looks so spiritual. It looks like the masters are absorbing the powers of the…
Thank You, Pain: Why Injuries Are Good for You
If you train in the martial arts, you’re going to suffer injuries. How much you suffer is up to you. It all depends on your attitude about pain. Why Injuries Are Good for You The first time I got hurt was during college. I met a girl—a pretty girl!—who had never done martial arts. Being…
#15: Injuries Are Good For You [Podcast]
Welcome to Episode #15 of the Fight for a Happy Life podcast, Injuries Are Good For You. Everyone suffers from pain and injuries. But how much you suffer is up to you! In this episode, we talk about the attitudes that hold us back when injuries and obstacles interrupt our journey to success. Is it…
The Heart and Soul of Karate | The Purpose of Training in the Martial Arts
There are many good reasons to practice Karate and the martial arts… but what would you say is the heart and soul of your training? Here’s my answer. Let me know yours! The Heart and Soul of Karate The heart of the martial arts is self-defense. Your training should strengthen your commitment and capability to…
Tae Kwon Do: Martial Art, Sport, or Circus?
Tae Kwon Do was my first style. Park Jong Soo ITF Tae Kwon Do, to be exact. We worked on deep stances, hip rotation, self-defense, and living with indomitable spirit. When I moved to California, I looked for a new school and discovered WTF Tae Kwon Do. Walking stances? No head punches? Olympic sport? How…