Inside The Martial Arts Bubble
Not everyone is inside the martial arts bubble. A recent self-defence class at Durham College/Ontario Tech University drove this home. I was teaching a basic ground defence to the participants to a group of 5 to 6 students. I explained to the participants that, after…
Taking A Break From Pumping Iron: I’ll Be Back!
As many of you know, I returned to the gym in June after sufficiently recovering from my hip replacement surgery. First, my sessions at the gym from June to August were experimental in the sense that I tried out different lifting routines. I finally settled…
What A Phenomenal ArnisFest!
Wow, what can I say about the 25th ArnisFest, which occurred this past weekend in Mooresville, Indiana? It was a phenomenal event filled with great instruction, training, friendships, and making new friends. In short, I’ve been blessed to have attended two great camps this year….
All Your Losses Lead Back To…….You
I’ve long believed that any loss, setback, or problem usually involves you. A quick caveat: I recognize that some losses or setbacks can be traced to external factors. But let’s set that caveat aside. Any time I’ve had a setback, loss or bad experience, I…
Why I Avoid FMA Discussion Forums
In short, too much backstabbing, negative energy, and other bullshit percolating on these forums. I’ve seen some of this behavior in person and online. I became cautious about participating in these forums several years ago and have not participated much. Until recently, I posted on…
Altering A Script
Several years ago, I attended a mini-reunion of some of my deaf friends at the Clarke School for the Deaf. While conversing with a couple of friends, I inquired about one classmate of mine. I had not seen or heard from this classmate for 40…
Friday Recommendation #20
Quick background: Sonny Sison produced the well-known FMA documentary “Bladed Hand” several years ago, which was widely acclaimed. He has long been involved in the entertainment industry. As evidenced by the interview below, he has studied various styles of FMAs. The interview touches on topics…
More Trouble Ahead for Martial Arts Schools?
When we thought martial arts schools could rest easy after the pandemic, we now realize that potentially tough times are ahead. Jeebus, what now? In short, interest rate hikes. First, before we discuss interest rate hikes, there are already some troubling signs for consumers in…
Friday Recommendation #19
In this video, GM Rodel Dagooc demonstrates some of his flow drills/sequences. Please note that I do not know his flow drills or training sequences. This is the first time I’ve seen him do those flow sequences. I enjoyed watching GM Rodel’s brief demonstration of…
The Importance of Grinding!
In this day and age of the McDonald’s drive-through instant gratification culture, I feel the importance of grinding our way through life has been lost in the shuffle. To be clear, I believe in grinding through any problem, obstacle or challenge. To me, it’s the…
