I find myself at a point in my life where I am 1) single, 2) childless, 3) employed with flexible hours and accumulated vacation time, and, 4) not having a ‘home’ dojang. There are studios I do frequent more often due to schedule and location conveniences, but I see myself Continue Reading
Our Training Progress Graphically: It’s Not What You Think!
It is very easy to encourage our students with the wishful thinking that we are getting better every day over time in our martial arts training and that the sky’s the limit. This is great for children and youth as this limitless potential can actually be realized and provide them Continue Reading
Mind Muscle Connection
With the world in quarantine for the past few years, I took it upon myself to find new and interesting ways to work out. Before the pandemic, I was going to the gym to lift weights every few days and just did a handful of exercises I’d learned throughout years Continue Reading
Focus On Your Toes: The Little Things That Matter
There are many indicators that can show us how our technique is or how we can improve it. One such indicator that I like to look at in myself or tell my students to focus on is the positioning of our toes. The positioning of toes is a tell tale Continue Reading
What does it mean to “Empty your cup”?
You may have heard your instructor say at one point or another to “empty your cup”. What can this mean? Does it mean to literally empty your water bottle or canister of all liquids? Of course not! Depriving oneself of hydration can not be your instructor’s focus (if it is, Continue Reading
The Difference a Change in Mindset Makes
We’ve all heard the cliche question, “do you see the wine glass as half full or half empty” to determine if you’re more optimistic or pessimistic inclined. My favorite answer to this question was always, “I’d just drink the wine!” Jokes aside, I don’t think it’s necessarily a binary mentality; Continue Reading
Share The Energy to Boost Your Training
As a master, I no longer line up with the rest of the class when I am training at my instructor’s studio, Elmhurst Tang Soo Do. When I train there, I bow-in at the front with Master Michael and/or Master Holly Inoshita, and then I go to the back of Continue Reading
The Pros and Cons of Using Labels
Chances are we all know someone with a ‘Type A’ personality; very organized, sticks to a schedule, and overall likes to keep things under their control. I always think of my sister as an example of this; she’s a great teacher who’s very structured in both work and her personal Continue Reading
The Importance of Going at Your Own Pace
When I was a blue belt (black belt candidate), I was in my mid-twenties, single, and full of energy. There were times where I would go to the dojang 6 days a week and do multiple classes a day. I was a junkie for training and I loved it! After Continue Reading