To become a master of martial arts, you must become a master of home training. A towel workout is a great way to start. Here are four of my favorite towel exercises you can try the next time you’re looking to do some martial arts training at home or in a hotel. If the video…
Category: MARTIAL ARTS TRAINING
Martial arts training tips for students and teachers of martial arts.
Tips for Shoulder Flexibility and Strength
Worried about shoulder flexibility and strength? If you’re a martial artist, you should be! In the course of training, you’re going to throw thousands of punches. If you’re doing thousands of push-ups, bench presses, and shoulder presses on top of that, you’re at risk of overtraining your shoulders. That’s what happened to me! In this…
How To Punch Harder Using a Wall
We all want to punch harder. But not so fast! When you focus on adding speed and power to your strikes, you may be neglecting something more important—proper alignment! FACT: If your arm and body aren’t lined up properly behind a punch, not only won’t you be delivering maximum power, you’ll be in danger of…
Karate Is Stupid and Other Ignorant Comments
Karate is stupid. Kung Fu is a waste of time. Tae Kwon Do is a joke. Insults like these are nothing new. Even before the rise of MMA, traditional martial arts were the punchlines to a thousand jokes. Karate is only good for kids. Kung Fu is just dancing. Tae Kwon Don’t. Shoto-can’t. And let’s…
How to Meditate Without Losing Your Mind
Learning how to meditate can be confusing. As a martial artist, I have been exposed to more styles of meditation than I can remember. Some I found to be helpful, some bordered on insane. My first meditation teacher, however, wasn’t a martial artist at all. He was a man by the name of René Descartes….
3 Questions to Be a Better Martial Artist
You want to be a better martial artist. But what exactly does that mean? Earning a new belt? Winning a tournament? Learning a new kata? Throwing higher kicks? Feeling safer in a crowd? Many students don’t know what “better” means. They don’t know how to measure progress. They lack a clear idea of what success…
Karate Ground Fighting: Tekki Shodan Bunkai
Naihanchi or Tekki Shodan is one of the oldest and most popular katas in karate. It’s also one of the most unusual. Over the years, I’ve been told the techniques were designed for fighting in alleys, on boats, on horseback, working as a bodyguard, or—my personal favorite—defending yourself while standing on a rice paddy. Hey—believe…