In my previous article “Different Training Floors and How to Adjust to Each One” https://urbanmartialartists.com/?s=training+on+different, I talked about how one can adjust to different training surfaces such as wood, asphalt, and so on. In this article, I would like to discuss what the different kinds of footwear are and how Continue Reading
Yoshi Ota
Awareness and Avoiding Conflict
Many of us would go through life and will never experience a violent encounter, and I hope you, dear reader, never have to. However, there is something to be said about being prepared, both physically and mentally, so that, if we were to meet such misfortune, we would be able 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
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
The Meaning of “Moo”
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
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
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
Kihap – Why It’s Essential to Martial Arts
Kihap, or “Kiai” in Japanese, is often translated as “yell” or “shout”. In practical application, this isn’t wrong; when teaching beginners or children, instructors often say “yell like this” and demonstrate what a kihap sounds like. Sometimes, but not always, students would often kihap much like their instructor as they Continue Reading
Strength Training and How it Can Improve Your Martial Arts
You may find yourself having a regular training routine: you go to the dojang two or three times a week, you get a good sweat in, and you feel like you’re in shape. Not that one can’t get in shape just by doing classes, especially for those who are brand Continue Reading
Meaning of “Do”: It’s Deeper Than You Think
The martial art I practice is Tang Soo Do, and there are many other martial arts that have the same “Do” word: Ken-Do, Ju-Do, Kobu-Do, Hapki-Do, Taekwon-Do, Jeet Kune Do, etc. In most (if not all) of the translations, the word “Do” is translated as “The Way”. In Daoism, Continue Reading