Six Month Countdown
The six-month countdown to my 60th birthday began on March 10th. I’m excited and looking forward to meeting my fitness goals by September 10th! My wife told me the other day, “Wow, you’re really focused on your 60th birthday!” I replied that I like to…
Video of the Week 3: Martial Arts Footwork Rules
In the video below, I outline some martial arts footwork rules to guide beginners. As I stated in the previous post, footwork is the number one issue among my private clients. Proper footwork is essential for agility, mobility, and stability. In addition, it allows you…
Phenomenal Houston Modern Arnis Camp
What can I say about last week’s Houston Modern Arnis Camp? I had a phenomenal time training and teaching. The last time I went to Houston was pre-COVID-19. In addition, I missed last year’s camp since it took place three weeks after my right hip…
Video of the Week 2: Footwork
Inaugural Video of the Week: Stick and Foot Position
Sparring or Free Play?
Sensei Jesse Enkamp has a great video on the issue of sparring versus free play. It’s a worthwhile watch. Martial artists often discuss the concepts of free play and sparring. On the one hand, free play, characterized by a less structured and more exploratory form…
Top Ten Tips for Watching Martial Arts Instructional Videos
Introduction With the rise of digital learning, martial arts enthusiasts have unprecedented access to a wealth of instructional videos. Nowadays, we can access videos through online platforms, streaming videos and DVDs. I have a huge collection of videos dating back to the 1980s. Over time,…
My Favorite Boxing Movies
Whenever folks ask me about my favorite boxing movies, I tell them I have two in mind. The first is “Rocky II.” My other all-time favorite boxing movie is “Raging Bull” starring Robert DeNiro. Below is the trailer for “Raging Bull.” In my mind, this…
Five Great Ways to Get Popeye’s Forearms!
There are five great ways to get Popeye’s forearms without lifting weights. You only need sticks for the exercises demonstrated below. The following methods will leave you feeling like you have Popeye’s forearms! (1) Squeeze the sticks One exercise is to do the controlled version…
Navigating Between Too Much Or Just Enough
Some of you know I am a huge football fan in addition to martial arts. After all, it’s hard to avoid watching football in Ohio. I have clear memories of watching the 1970 Cotton Bowl game between Notre Dame and Texas with my father. I…
"Lads, you're not to miss practice unless you died or your parents died."November 3, 2025Brian JohnsCategories
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