Good advice is like gold—valuable, but hard to find. Bad advice is like dirt… or manure. It’s everywhere and stinks. Which is why I hate practicing martial arts in front of other people. I hate practicing in front of other people because there’s always somebody with something to say. Yes, once in a while, someone…
Category: SELF EMPOWERMENT
Ideas for fitness of mind, body, and spirit.
Who Is the Perfect Sparring Partner?
If you want to be a great martial artist, you can’t just practice alone. That’s because the martial arts is ultimately about managing relationships. Developing yourself by yourself is a path to confusion and delusion. But what type of person is best for developing yourself? Who is the perfect sparring partner? Consider this… I was…
Spirit First, Technique Second
Fighting spirit. We all think we have it, right? But could you be losing your spirit little by little even though your skills are getting better and better? Here’s why I ask… We just held a tournament at Dawn Barnes Karate Kids, where I serve as Program Director. The tournament brings out the best in…
Are You a Real Fighter or a Studio Fighter?
Are you a real fighter or just a poser? I mean, can you fight? Really fight? If you’re a martial artist, you’ve probably questioned your fighting skills more than once. You’ve probably had friends and family question them, too. Hey, you’re a black belt—could you beat Ronda Rousey? Dumb question. And yet, I think about…
The Two Biggest Lies In Martial Arts
The martial arts are full of mystery and myth… and outright lies! Two of the biggest lies will weaken your power, limit your success, and even put you in danger. What are they? First, let me tell you about my friend, Jimmy… I was hurrying to class one day back in college when I spotted…
A Ridiculous Reason to Skip Class in Martial Arts
Last week, I set off for Brazilian Jiu Jitsu class… and almost immediately turned around. Did I suddenly lose interest in BJJ? No. Did I suddenly become lazy? No. Did I suddenly decide to volunteer at the nearest Children’s Hospital? No… but maybe I should. The reason I wanted to turn around was simple— I…
Are You Really Trying Your Best?
I love teaching. Handing down the martial arts wisdom that was handed down to me to the next generation of enthusiastic, hard-working, dedicated students is a responsibility that I take seriously. I’d actually call it a sacred duty. But there’s a huge problem—finding enthusiastic, hard-working, dedicated students is not an easy task! Most students quit….