If your martial arts training doesn’t include hitting a heavy bag, you’re making a mistake. Here’s why– Bags don’t lie! A heavy bag will test your timing, challenge your balance, and put pressure on your posture. If something isn’t right, you’ll know about it. It might even hurt! To help get more out of the…
Tag: karate
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…
#30: Ignorance and Arrogance [Podcast]
Welcome to Episode #30 of the Fight for a Happy Life podcast, “Ignorance and Arrogance.” Look, I’m not the world’s smartest guy. In fact, every day offers me reminders of how much I don’t know! But ignorance is something I can accept about myself. What I can’t accept, however, is arrogance. When I hear people…
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…
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…
How To Remember Kata for a Belt Test
It’s the night before your belt test. You wake up covered in sweat, terrified you won’t be able to remember your kata. What if I freeze? What if I do the wrong move? Everyone’s staring! AGHHH! I feel like an idiot! WHOA! RELAX! We’ve all been there, my friend… but you don’t have to stay…