Martial Arts Education

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 ...

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 ...

In our journey through life, it may at times seem as though we’re passing through a great jungle, devoid of civilized comforts, safety nets and hospitality. Where huge trees of worry take root in the soil of aspiration and shed used leaves, which create a carpet of urgency, pushing us along. At some point in ...

When martial arts school owners inquire about offering my Ultimate Bodyshaping Courses (UBC) at their schools, they’re usually focused on the added tuition the UBC can generate. This, of course, is where the majority of money is made, with many school owners doubling, or even tripling, their tuition revenue. What most school owners don’t realize ...

I’ve come to the conclusion that to be successful in martial arts fitness, you have to have a course, or a variety of courses, that people can choose from. When someone is thinking about joining your fitness program, he/she needs to have the end in mind. In other words, they need to be able to ...

Previously, I wrote about how the martial artist and martial arts instructor have never reached the level of recognition of other professional athletes. In fact, the average person does not even consider martial artists as professional athletes. In part, this is due to the fact that most instructors and school owners do not perceive themselves ...

I attended two National Traditional Karate tournaments one summer, while a friend attended a national “open” tournament. Our experiences were quite different, and I think it’s appropriate that professionals in our industry discuss those differences. The referees at the tournaments I attended were in complete charge of their rings, including the surrounding area, whether it ...

During the course of our travels through life, it’s a commonly accepted fact that what bring us the greatest joy can often bring us the most troublesome worries as well. When my son, Aria, was born, the great joy my wife and I experienced was matched only by the anxiety we felt when he contracted ...