Kata programming can be a double edged sword. On one hand, kata shows us techniques that we would otherwise be unable to perform. ...
The Thickness of One Sheet of Rice Paper
A long time ago (seriously - like 1612) a young Ronin named Musashi Miyamoto was in the midst of a journey to prove his worth. As a...
Practical Tips For Street Self Defense
One of the most commonly cited reasons for starting a martial art is "self defense." It makes sense. Martial arts are designed for...
Surprising Similarities – Silat and Karate
***Special Thanks to my visitors from BlackBeltMama.com. For those of you who aren't familiar with BBM's site, I recommend checking it out...
The Japanese Sword Game: Can You Name That Art?
Welcome to the Japanese Sword Game! Exciting, right? I was thinking about going into a detailed explanation regarding the differences...
Was it Anger or Spirit?
We always hear about 'martial arts spirit'. But what is it? Is it intensity? Is it faith? Is it Anger? What an elusive concept! Consider...
The Martial Arts Strip
Common phrases you'll here for totally-awesome-get-skill-quick programs: "Forget all that bowing and scraping. I'm going to teach you the...
Rain on a Tin Roof
The other day I was sitting at home, listening to rain bounce off of my tin roof (I live in an old farmhouse). It was clamorous. The rain...
