Bruce Lee got me started in martial arts. But not for the reasons you might think. When I was a kid, I thought martial arts were stupid. Every kung fu and ninja movie I saw on TV was ridiculous. I never wanted to be Chuck Norris, Sho Kosugi, or a young Chinese man wearing robes…
Tag: martial arts
#19: 7 Lessons From Bruce Lee
Welcome to Episode #19 of the Fight for a Happy Life podcast, 7 Lessons from Bruce Lee. Bruce Lee is probably responsible for more people signing up for martial arts classes than anyone else in history. And I’m one of them! In this show, I share seven lessons from Bruce’s notebook, the Tao of Jeet…
One Trick to Be a Better Teacher of Martial Arts
If you’re a martial arts teacher, I bet this has happened to you. You’re watching a student spar—let’s call him Rodney. Rodney’s not doing well. So, you coach him— “Rodney! Relax, keep your hands up, bend your knees, move, combinations, keep your chin down, pressure!” Then what happens? Nothing. Rodney fixes nothing. It’s like he…
Words of Wisdom from John Hackleman
John Hackleman is a living legend. He’s a master martial artist, founder of his own style—Hawaiian Kempo, founder and owner of the world-famous Pit Martial Arts and Fitness Center, coach and trainer to kickboxing and UFC champions, and a top level competitor in kickboxing, boxing, and no-holds-barred fighting. But forget all that! The reason I’m…
#18: John Hackleman Interview [Podcast]
Welcome to Episode #18 of the Fight for a Happy Life podcast with special guest, John Hackleman! In a world of posers and wanna-bes, John Hackleman is the real deal. He doesn’t just “do” martial arts, he lives martial arts. So, when I got the chance to sit down with the Pit Master himself, I…
How Bad Communication Got Me Punched!
I’m going to tell you a story—a ridiculous story—that demonstrates the dangers of bad communication. Back in high school, I had a classmate whom I shall call Martin. At some point, Martin decided to jump up a notch on the “cool scale” by doing something to impress his buddies. What did he decide to do?…
Mister Rogers and Martial Arts
Most people think of Mister Rogers as being a kind and gentle soul. But to my mind, he was also a warrior. When Fred Rogers first saw television, he hated it. “I got into television because I saw people throwing pies at each other’s faces. And if there’s anything that bothers me, it’s one person…