It makes me mad when I see people using the all potent term Qi or Ki to impress audiences and mystify something that could have been explained with simple science. An example of one such demo regardless of style or
What exactly is meant by ‘Relax’?
As martial arts practitioners, we are often told to relax. Tightening not only waste energy but can work against you by creating a leverage system to the benefit of your opponent. Furthermore, tightening can telegraph, slow you down and more.
Journey of one ‘talented’ fighter
Sometimes, people only see “Oh, that knock-out was spectacular!….(The fighter must be very talented)”. Actual fact is that talent by itself only take you so far. Here are some clips that tells a more in-depth story of a ‘non-traditional’ journey.
Fighters do not feel pain…NOT
There is a difference between hiding it well versus not feeling it. As a martial artist, you pay up-front (desensitize drills) and draw on it when you need it. You train to push pain and feelings aside – you don’t
Environment(s)
When we talk about the environment, most people associate it automatically to the physical environment / situation that you face during a conflict. For example, are you fighting over slippery surface? is the ground flat? are there obstacles or hazards
Counter-strike and defence
Darryl send me the link to this article by Sylvie von Duuglas-Ittu – Why “Move B” Counters “Move A” Isn’t the Answer. In essence, even if a technique works most of the time, it is not totally fool prove. Furthermore,
Glue and connectors
When people talk about furniture, they often think of the features, looks and primary material like the quality of wood. Sales people talk about the price. Yes, all those considerations are important but if a piece of furniture needs to
Understanding strength
If you think you are strong, there is always someone else who is stronger over time. Strength is only one of the many dimensions of your ability to overcome challenges. As an example, in American Ninja warrier, those that excel
How personality affects expression (and reaction)
Every now and then, students ask me why bother with the blog, some of the articles doesn’t seem to directly relate to combat and therefore doesn’t feel that it helping in martial arts. Here are some of my explanations: How
Science and math in arts (statistics part 2)
Some of the problems with statistics: It is always lagging behind. Trend setters will be the 1 in a 100 until that approach becomes popular. I am sure that when grappling first came in, a lot of the stand-up fighters