When I was in high school band, a few members of the wind ensembles were borrowed to play with the string ensembles to make a full orchestra. If there was a certain member that was playing in the full orchestra was absent, someone else would need to step in for Continue Reading
What You Value in Others
I have a lot of great friends that I’ve met through training and our association. I’ve mentioned in previous articles that the connections you make in martial arts are different from regular everyday interactions; you have to have a certain level of trust and respect to let someone punch and Continue Reading
The Meaning of “Gup” and “Dan”
Early on in our training, we can be hyper focused on our rank. Color belts can visually see where they are in the hierarchy of the martial arts school just by looking at each other’s belts. This distinction becomes less obvious as we enter the black belt levels, but there Continue Reading
Is Insecurity Holding You Back?
This past weekend, I had the privilege of sharing some knowledge of jump kicking with some youth black belts at our regional black belt camp. It was a great time; I really enjoy the opportunity to dive deep into certain martial arts topics and proverbially, Preach to the Choir sharing Continue Reading
Ask for Help
I don’t know why, but it’s always been extremely hard for me to speak up about how I feel or what I need, or even just talk about myself in general. I’ve mentioned my struggles with mental health before, so I’m guessing it’s a winning combination of that plus my Continue Reading
How to Budget for Martial Arts
For those who have been training for some time, you know there are quite a few other expenses that one needs to consider the total cost of martial arts. I hope to take a more holistic approach to budgeting for the martial arts, and in so doing help those with Continue Reading
How Do You Spend Your Time?
One thing that we all need to come to terms with is that time is a finite resource, and we will not have the time to do every opportunity that we are presented with. I often joke that as I have become more senior in rank, there are times where Continue Reading
The Meaning Behind the Bow
If you have been exposed to any kind of martial arts, the bow is one of the most iconic gestures you will see in some form or another. It may seem like an odd ritual or some mystical exchange to those who don’t train in martial arts in the West, Continue Reading
What Your Stance Says About You
Anyone who has ever trained alongside me or taken a class taught by me, knows that I value stances a lot. While stances are a crucial fundamental and having a good foundation is critical for the development of good technique, that is not totally why I emphasize stances. I emphasize Continue Reading
How to Deal with Chronic Pain/Illness in Your Training
When I was 19 years old, I was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis. This is a condition where your large intestine is inflamed and can result in a sensation of burning and stabbing pain in your gut, blood in your stool, fatigue in everyday life and activities, and that’s with medication. Continue Reading