Martial Arts Education

  There are few subjects in American society that will raise eyebrows quite so quickly as a discussion of discipline in the classroom. Since the 1960s, there has been a distinct disagreement among Americans about what discipline is, what it should be or if it’s even important at all. Since a growing portion of our ...

To achieve your goals, you must learn to think big. Always aim high. Don’t look at the crossroads or you will see walls and barriers, which will obstruct your path and impede your progress. Move forward by looking at the sky and your opportunities will be unlimited. At the same time, you must pursue realistic ...

In this column, we have talked about how to modify a variety of exercise to reduce the chance of injury to some people who may be predisposed to certain conditions like lower back or knee problems. Risk can be based on three factors: chronological, cardiovascular, and orthopedic. The key is to run an exercise program ...

Some years ago, I was at a major “contact” Karate tournament that had attracted fighters from across the country for many years. More than a few of the matches are decided by knockouts, and the action is always hard and fast. The rules allow for full-contact kicking to the head and body, but hand strikes ...

People study martial arts for many worthwhile reasons, which is entirely separate from the desire to acquire self-defense skills. There’s a big difference between martial arts study and self-defense training. That difference is based on an individual’s motivation to pursue either of these goals. There is some overlap, but they are most certainly not the ...

In this series of columns, I’ve addressed the topic of so-called controversial exercises that many martial arts instructors have been doing for years, but those exercises may lead to student injuries. Now, I want to address, perhaps, the most controversial exercises of all, “ballistic stretches.” Ballistic stretches can include the swinging leg-lifts to the front ...

Part 6 of a Six-Part Series on Using Kata (or Form) For Martial Arts Development My series of columns has presented what kata or form practice can do for you and your students; but we all know that many, if not most, don’t experience the good effect I have been describing, as a result of ...

Let the games begin. I’m not referring to a game of soccer or basketball, but of the game of running a martial arts school. Just as any other type of game, this game has players, rules, objectives and, of course, levels of dedication. Whenever someone enters the game, his or her dedication will match one ...

Last month, I noted that our academic school systems operate on the premise that “nothing is worth fighting for.” This month, I want to bring this point directly home by reporting on a manifestation of this passive philosophy that shouldn’t be ignored-and that is rape.If you have a daughter in middle or high school or ...

I have found that, on average, a traditional martial arts instructor doesn’t necessarily make a good martial arts (MA) fitness instructor. The reason for this is because traditional martial arts and MA fitness are two completely different animals. Teaching traditional martial arts has very little to do with teaching martial arts fitness. The elements that ...