(Approx 2 minute 35 second read) A key element in any self-defense situation is self-control. It’s not just about staying calm – it’s about staying in charge of yourself. . You can’t allow someone else to manipulate you by pushing your emotional buttons. I’ve been in situations where people have tried to provoke me, using […]
Finding Clarity in the Red Mist: Self-Control. Remaining Calm in the Chaos. Read More »
(Approx 2 minute read) Should we differentiate the various forms of karate or even consider renaming them? For instance, Sport-karate, Children’s-karate, Practical-karate, or 3K karate? . The failure to differentiate between contexts is widespread, and for me, it’s essential, especially when discussing what it is that you practice or teach. Criticizing sport-karate for not working
Karate Unboxed: One Approach Can’t Suit Everyone. Read More »
(Approx 1 minute 40 second read) Imagine the massive advantage you’d have if you knew what your opponent was going to do before it happened. It would allow you to react instantaneously, adapting to their moves with precision. . A person’s unconscious, instant reaction to a stimulus is known as a reflex. If you touched
Predicting the Unpredictable: Every Movement in Combat Tells a Story. Read More »
(Approx 2 minute 40 second read) I mentioned in an article recently that an Okinawan teacher showed his black belts a series of techniques meant to showcase ‘real’ karate. Unfortunately, expectations are never as exciting as reality. . Firstly, someone said to me in the comments section, “Can you provide a link to the video?”
When ‘Real’ Karate Isn’t Quite Real Enough: Static Steps or Dynamic Survival? Read More »
(Approx 2 minute 35 second read) The problem with many karate techniques is that they are often taught as having a single, fixed use. Consider modern karate and the tools it provides. Let’s take an example: the “Jodan age uke”, the ubiquitous upper rising block. In modern karate, it’s typically used to block, deflect, or
Creativity in Motion: The Power of Possibility Through Asking the Right Questions. Read More »
(Approx 2 minute 45 second read) All combat sports are one-on-one fights with rules. Self-protection, on the other hand, is not consensual fighting and should be approached differently. . Training for success in sport is designed to ensure success in sport. It makes little sense to train to develop one set of skills when they
The Trouble With Trying to Do It All: Have Clarity of Purpose and Choose the Right Path. Read More »
(Approx 2 minute 45 second read) The comments on my articles are inspiring, often funny, and sometimes, just uninformed. . To all the armchair enthusiasts, keyboard warriors, and practitioners from other methods who think kata is useless – let’s get this out of the way: You do not fight with kata. . The kata were
(Approx 2 minute 45 second read) I recently wrote a couple of articles about going to the ground in self-defense. Many of the comments said that you’d better know how to fight on the ground because most altercations end up there. . Yes, you may end up on the ground, and it’s imperative you drill
Context: The Key to Effective Training Across Disciplines. Read More »
(Approx 2 minute 5 second read) You will perform the way you train. This principle holds across martial arts, sports, and virtually any skill-based activity or profession. Training shapes not only physical habits but also mental responses under pressure. . In response to one of my articles about an ill-advised self-defense technique performed for a
Under Pressure: The Way You Train is the Way You’ll Respond: Read More »
(Approx 2 minutes 30 second read) Some people are incredibly territorial when it comes to the martial art they practice. The comments on my recent article about judo and self-defense sparked a storm of snarky responses – some from people who seemed genuinely upset, and others, who didn’t even bother reading the article before offering
The Ground: Think Twice Before You Go There! Read More »
(Approx 2 minute 25 second read) Recently, I was asked to sit in on a grading where a student was being promoted from 1st to 2nd dan. When asked to perform self-defense the student performed several throws from judo, some from a kneeling position. . For me, this was not an ideal representation of a
Kneeling for a Throw? Staying Off the Ground in Self-defense. Read More »
(Approx 2 minute 40 second read) While there are always exceptions, thankfully, most of us today rarely face the need to use physical self-defense. . Recently, someone commented on one of my articles, suggesting that sparring is the ultimate test of self-defense because of its unpredictability. While sparring does offer some unpredictability, it is nowhere
