Sonder: a word that is found in John Koenig’s The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows, a dictionary of made-up words for emotions that we feel but can’t quite explain, has a profound connection to the martial arts. Sonder is defined as “The profound feeling of realizing that each random passerby is Continue Reading
Spirituality in Martial Arts
David wrote an article called “Religious Overtones in the Martial Arts”, which you can find here –> https://urbanmartialartists.com/2021/12/09/religious-overtones-in-the-martial-arts/ I find that this is a related but parallel article to what I wrote about. While he discusses the influence of religion and moral codes on the martial arts (and keeping an Continue Reading
Discussion Question: What Has Been The Most Surprising Thing In Your Martial Arts Journey?
Anthony: The friends I met along the way. I didn’t think I would create friendships that span over the course of years. I really liked learning how to punch and kick and break boards. I didn’t realize that as I was learning, I was also building relationships, some that have Continue Reading
Don’t Negotiate Against Yourself: Ask For What You Want!
I remember one Saturday afternoon after finishing class in the city, my students and I had planned to go share a meal together in Chicago’s Chinatown. In the past, going to eat dinner in Chinatown was a relatively easy thing. We would go to one of our favorite restaurants and Continue Reading
Musicality in Martial Arts
From sixth grade through high school, I played the trumpet in my school band. I wasn’t a particularly skilled trumpeter (trumpetist?) but the experience gave me several valuable experiences: a love of classical music, an increased lung capacity, and an understanding of basic musical theory. I can still sight read Continue Reading
Discussion Question: What Would You Tell Your White Belt Self?
Yoshi: I would tell my white belt self that he won’t regret joining the college karate club, and to just keep showing up! My life would be very different and for the worse if I hadn’t started training. Ana: I would tell my white belt self that you can do Continue Reading
My Answers to Commonly Asked Martial Arts Questions
The minute someone finds out that I practice martial arts, I find myself immediately bracing for the same questions I hear all of the time. And I feel like most martial artists can probably relate. So I figured I would answer some of the more common questions I have been Continue Reading
Supplemental Exercise: Is It Necessary for Martial Artists?
A student last week approached me and asked, “Sir, do you have a workout regimine that you do? I would like to work on my physique.” The short answer to his question was yes, but when you pull back the layers, the better answer to the question is that while Continue Reading
Discussion Question: What Is Your Favorite Technique?
Yoshi: My favorite technique is the bit chaki, or reverse roundhouse kick. It’s a very niche kick with limited utility, but if you can do it correctly (i.e. at head height) and can land it, it looks and feels awesome! Ana: My favorite technique is the 360 jump spin round Continue Reading
Maintaining Excellence: Ryun Ma
Everyone talks about the end product, sometimes about the journey to get there. But rarely anyone talks about what it takes to maintain your level of success, and keep it growing. This comes up a lot in martial arts; you work really hard to get your black belt, or second Continue Reading