Welcome to Episode #99 of the Fight for a Happy Life podcast, “You Are a Master.” Do you ever feel like a martial arts “loser”? Ever feel like you’re so far away from achieving your goals that you might be better off just giving up? STOP! I bet you’re doing just fine. In fact, I…
Author: Ando Mierzwa
Ando Mierzwa is a martial arts teacher living in Los Angeles, CA.
Should You Practice Kata and Forms in the Martial Arts?
It’s an old debate in the martial arts world—should you practice kata or not? Here’s a short video with my opinion on the matter. Written summary below. Happy training! If the video won’t play, click here. Should You Practice Kata? Do you practice kata or forms? Why? Or why not? What is kata anyway? Well,…
#98: Tame Your Brain to Win the Game [Video + Podcast]
Welcome to Episode #98 of the Fight for a Happy Life podcast, “Tame Your Brain to Win the Game.” Are you too smart for your own good? Does overthinking get in the way of performing at your best? If you’re like me, the answer is YES! My mind is so busy judging, worrying, and arguing…
#97: Little Pain, Big Trouble [Video + Podcast]
Welcome to Episode #97 of the Fight for a Happy Life podcast, “Little Pain, Big Trouble.” Pain is part of life… especially if you’re a martial artist! But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try to minimize injuries and avoid trouble. Those should be your first priorities in studying self-defense, in fact! Even though I KNOW…
#96: Decision and Action in Self-Defense [Video + Podcast]
Welcome to Episode #96 of the Fight for a Happy Life podcast, “Decision and Action.” It’s common in self-defense training to focus on the speed of your punches and kicks… but how fast can you make a decision and take action? Like it or not, no matter how good you are at performing your martial…
#95: Respect for McDojos [Video + Podcast]
Welcome to Episode #95 of the Fight for a Happy Life podcast, “Respect for McDojos.” Is your martial arts school a “McDojo”? Could that term of derision ever be a good thing? I say YES! If your school or teacher is helping you reach your goals and improve your life, then keep going! Only you…
#94: Don’t Be Water, My Friend [Video + Podcast]
Welcome to Episode #94 of the Fight for a Happy Life podcast, “Don’t Be Water, My Friend.” We’ve all heard Bruce Lee say, “Boards don’t hit back.” You probably also remember his admonishment, “Don’t think–feel.” No doubt about it… Bruce Lee was full of good advice. But that doesn’t mean I agree with everything he…