“The most important points of my teaching are breathing, movement and timing. But breathing is first…. the first thing we do in this world is to breathe and, you know, even today, 90% of people do not know how to breathe correctly. If the breathing is wrong, your body will go wrong – your…
Tag: Mind
Excellence is an attitude. And attitude is your choice.
If your coach PUSHES you. If your coach DISCIPLINES you. If your coach DEMANDS the best from you ALL the time… Then he or she truly CARES…….. The McCaw Method. . . Consistently having a good attitude, committing to good routines and habits, controlling the controllables, giving your best effort, putting in the extra time….
“There’s only one way to avoid criticism.”
“There’s only one way to avoid criticism: Do nothing, say nothing, be nothing.” – Elbert Hubbard (1856-1915) . Sometimes we have to test ourselves and push ourselves to the limit. It is how we grow, and it is how we gain life experiences. You never know your real strength until you push your boundary. ….
Practice calming your mind.
If you pay attention to what is going on in your mind, you will find that there is a near-constant stream of chatter. Our brains seem to be talking, and engaging in commentary, all the time. . This “chatter” represents normal brain function; it is simply something that the brain does, when it is not…
“It’s not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters.”
“It’s not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters.” — Epictetus . What happens to us is in life is an objective reality, how we respond is a subjective choice. The Stoics — of which Epictetus was one — would say that we don’t control what happens to us, all…
Be ready to free your mind.
Gichin Funakoshi’s 6th precept stated – “Kokoro wa hanatan koto o yosu” (心は放たん事を要す). Be ready to free your mind. . There are many interpretations of the exact meaning of Funakoshi’s precept, but I believe part of it is that we should always keep our minds open to learning new things. . I often watch students…
Don’t waste your most valuable asset……
“What do you think is the most valuable thing you might have in your life, that you really don’t pay attention to, especially when you’re young, because you just feel you have an abundance of it? It’s never ending…….… Time.” – Sylvester Stallone . The reason why people keep saying, “the trouble is you think…
The problem with closed-minded people, is that their mouths are always open.
Close-minded is when you believe in something or in someone and your mind will stay closed to that belief and will not even try to acknowledge any other idea or concept. . Nobody wants to admit they’re close-minded. Ask anyone, and 90% of the time, they’ll tell you they’re an open-minded, positive individual who’s (apparently)…
“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”
There is something very different about being a martial artist; it makes you different from other people, it sets you apart from the crowd. Anyone can go to a gym, a fitness class or a sports center, but to continue to black belt and beyond takes someone special. . But after weeks, months and sometimes…
“The practice of the hakutsuru form forced me to learn better balance.”
“The crane’s beak is long and pointed, a stabbing weapon useful for self-defense. She is calm and poised, balanced and disciplined. When attacked, she knows she cannot meet force with force. She therefore controls the fight by yielding, until an opening appears, then counters immediately.” Fred Absher – Kojosho Kempo . . The White Crane…
Ikken hissatsu – One fist, certain death.
“Ikken hissatsu” (一拳必殺) – What does this maxim mean to you? How do you interpret it? . “Ikken hissatsu” is a Japanese term that is used quite frequently in karate. The term means simply; “to kill with one blow”, or “one punch, one kill”. The exact definition is “One fist, certain death”. . Recently a…
Fighting should always be the last answer to a problem.
For all the importance we place on learning how to fight and defend ourselves, the martial arts should at their core, teach that it is best not to get into a fight in the first place. . There are dojo and instructors that just teach fighting as self-defense! With no consideration taken to other important…