“So you’ve been doing this for a very long time, why do you keep doing it? I mean, when do you think you’ll give it up?” This question came from an acquaintance that I have been bumping into for many years at my local Starbucks (those of you who know me are aware that I […]
Mindful Training
One thing to watch out for in your training is repetition without awareness. The more mindful you can make each movement of your training the better. Mindful in this case doesn’t mean up in your word brain. But rather, avoid doing lots of repetitions of something just for the sake of doing repetitions. Years ago […]
Unleash Your Potential…Energy
Let’s go geek and talk about energy. Now I’m not talking about blue lightening coming out of my fingers (although that would be cool) or new age, can you feel the energy all around us type thing, I’m talking science. Kinetic energy and potential energy. Now before we get started the reason I’m doing this […]
A Strange and Surprising Opportunity to Learn and Grow
On our final Saturday of our Vajrakilaya retreat at Pema Ts’al Monastery in the Nepalese Himalayas, Eric Gadol, Lauren Garst, and Geoff Garst went with Rigzin Wangdu and me into Pokhara city to do a guest teaching for my friend Fatta Gurung. Fatta is a karate teacher who teaches Nepalese police officers hand-to-hand survival, so […]
Verbal Taijutsu
Recently I have had a number of students ask me how we apply our martial art outside the dojo to everyday life. Well, that is a huge question that could be answered by way of a book. This is, in fact, a life art. The training, given time and proper guidance, will work its way […]
Fit To Fight?
I want to talk about the current craze that you have to be stronger to be a good fighter. Let’s get right to the point it’s not true. Anyone who has seen Mrs. Hayes throw me around like a toy should know this. Mrs. Hayes is incredibly fit and healthy and strong for her size […]
Tai Sabaki First
Do your best to pay attention to how your footwork and body positioning are keeping you safe and placing you in a position of advantage.
Eyes Of Wonder
Watching my almost two-year-old these past several months, I’ve enjoyed seeing him interact with the world more and more. Some of my favorite moments is when he sees something in the world that is, to most adults, something mundane, but to him is a thing new and full of wonder. Often he’ll point, and say […]
Get Angry to Get Focused
Do not get mad at conditions in your life. That is pointless. What a waste of time and energy. Get mad about your reluctance to do something about those conditions. If you are not just a little bit angry about your condition — the shape you are in, the way you look, how you fit […]
Appreciate Each Moment
In the days leading up to the annual Fall Festival, I enjoy seeing all the social media posts of people from all over the world beginning their travels to Dayton, Ohio for a special weekend of training. I enjoying seeing everyone’s excitement because it reminds me of all the wonderful training to come in a […]
Strength and Compassion
Back in the 1990s a timid, thin, young math teacher walked into the Boston Martial Arts Center and began training with us. Many doubted he would last but he not only lasted he earned a black belt from my teacher Mark Davis. His transformation from fear to confindence and capability was one of greatest changes […]
Remembering To Be A Student
With Festival approaching I thought I’d write a quick note about remembering to be a student. Being a student isn’t just a relationship, it is a mindset. Some years ago two students came into the dojo within a few weeks of each another, and both had solid backgrounds in previous martial arts. Since they started […]
What’s the rush?
Festival 2018 is coming (very excited) and everyone is getting ready for testing. I had a number of conversations recently about testing and I have to ask: What is the rush? At this point I had planned to discuss some of the issues about the differences between when you started training and how much actual […]
Fire Preemptive Attack
In a third possibility, Hi no Kata fire element dynamics are the energy of committed intensity and focus. You learn to recognize a problem as it builds. You intercept at just the right moment. Theme – Clinging becomes desire which leads to energy The fire influence shows up as the magnetic power of energy, artistry, […]
Are You Serious?
What does it mean to be serious about your training? Does it mean you are always straight faced at the dojo? Does it mean you are very formal? Does it mean you are very regimented and organized? For me, it means something else. This past weekend I got to teach at a wonderful training camp […]
