No, this article is not about the noise a cow makes while grazing. What I’m referring to is the Chinese character of “Moo” in Korean, or “Bu”, “Takeshi”, “Mononofu” in Japanese, and finally “Wǔ” in Chinese. This is the same character that appears in such words/phrases such as “Moo Duk Continue Reading
Why White Belts Can Be Difficult to Spar: What Does That Mean For Self Defense?
In David Epstein’s Range he defines different environments in which we develop ourselves or compete in. He defines those in which we can recognize patterns as kind environments, and those that are the opposite as wicked. “In wicked domains, the rules of the game are often unclear or incomplete, there Continue Reading
Discussion Question: What’s The Weirdest Question a Student Has Asked You?
Yoshi: I’m sure I’ve been asked weird questions in my life, but I can’t think of any one example. I think the most important part is: no matter how weird or off-the-wall the question may be, it’s important to listen to the question humbly and respectfully and don’t mock the Continue Reading
How To Train When You Don’t Have a Home Studio?
Have you ever found yourself training on a metaphorical island of your style of martial arts? You might have started training in one particular style and progressed through the ranks, or it was just something that really clicked for you; and then life happened and you had to move, your Continue Reading
Different Ways to Practice Forms, Anywhere!
I have a special affinity for forms (kata, hyung, etc.), and many times I find myself running through forms in my mind. Visualizing your form in your mind and going through each motion can be very beneficial and I highly recommend everyone try this with all your forms. However, visualization Continue Reading
Discussion Question: What’s a Word of Advice That You’d Like to Pass On?
Anthony: When you don’t feel like doing one more push up, do it anyways. When you finished throwing your last punch, throw another. After you throw your last kick, kick again. When you fall on the ground, tried, hurting, and thinking you can’t get back up, get back up anyways! Continue Reading
Growing Into The Next Rank
Sometimes as an instructor, I may feel that a student is not quite up to par with their technique to be advanced to the next level. There are times where I may fail a colored belt student while there are other times where I might promote a colored belt student Continue Reading
Different Learning Styles: What Works for You?
While I am very grateful and privileged to have had the education I did growing up, occasionally I’ll learn something new in my adult life that I wish I would’ve been taught back in my formative years in school. Credit scores, applying for a job, filing your taxes, renting an Continue Reading
Different Training Floors and How to Adjust to Each One
As you move along your martial art journey, your path may take you to different dojangs with different floors than what you may typically be used to training on. I started training in the aerobics room on my college campus, so I was used to training on hardwood floors until Continue Reading
Break Your Goals Down in Small Steps!
Oftentimes if we have a big project on our to-do list, it’s easy to get overwhelmed and dwell on the amount of time and energy you must dedicate in order to get it done. Whether it’s something like a thesis, a needed renovation, or even just cleaning the house, if Continue Reading