Downsizing
Recently, my wife and I downsized from our house in Oshawa to a townhouse in Ajax. The new place has half the square footage of our former house. This entailed a massive amount of purging before the move, starting in October and we are still going…
The 10 Best Martial Arts
You’ve seen those lists. “The 10 Best Martial Arts For Self Defense,” “The Best Martial Arts Styles for Self Defense,” or “The 10 Most Lethal Martial Arts.” They’re eye-catching and often informative. I have the utmost respect for the martial arts listed. I believe that…
Taming the Mustang Spirit
I’m pleased to have a guest post from Cathy Chapaty, a veteran martial artist and author of a terrific book (No Pouting In the Dojo). If you teach children, this is a must-buy available at Amazon. She has previously guest-posted on the mental aspects of teaching…
Bikinis and Filipino Martial Arts
Now I have your attention. Let’s talk. And yes, there is a discussion about bikinis and Filipino Martial Arts in this post. In this post, I discuss a problem that I see over and over: sexism in the martial arts industry. This is a result of…
6 Reasons To Go Slow
You must go slow! Slow is the mother of skill!- Professor Remy Presas. The professor used to admonish us who rushed into new techniques. He wanted us to have good form and structure before worrying about speed—wise words. I often train slowly for smoothness and…
How Filipino Martial Arts Influenced Albert Einstein*
In 1905, Albert Einstein published his “Theory of Special Relativity,” stating that the laws of physics are the same for all non-accelerating observers. Further, the speed of light in a vacuum was independent of the motion of all observers. According to Wikipedia, “Special relativity says that every person…
Learning with Learning Disabilities: My Top Five Tips
Sensei Rachael Lawless is a lifelong martial artist diagnosed with ADHD and various sensory sensitivities. She remains unmedicated and has experienced firsthand the therapeutic effects of the martial arts, and the vast benefits they can have on success in school/work/life in general. Rachael has taught…
“It Has To Be Done This Way!”
A quote that bugs me the most: “It has to be done this way.” In martial arts, an instructor usually says this in the context of a prescribed self-defence technique or sequence. Again, it depends on the context. If this statement relates to proper structure, then…
7 Benefits of Changing Martial Arts Partners
Often, I’ll tell my students, “Change partners!” during class. Why? Because it’s good for all of us. This article lists seven benefits of changing and working with different partners. I’ve meant to post about the importance of changing and working with different martial arts partners in…
5 Easy Ways to Learn in Class!
Having attended many martial arts classes over the past three decades, I have learned that the learning process can be hindered in various ways. It took me a while but, over time, I developed a list of 5 easy ways to learn in class. Here…
