How Do Your Negative Behaviours Reward You – Part 2
In ‘How Do Your Negative Behaviours Reward You – Part 1‘, I introduced the concept that the reason people have trouble kicking certain negative behaviour patterns is that they provide some sort of emotional reward. The key to ridding yourself of the pattern is to identify the reward and replace it with something better. In the last post, we applied this concept to 4 negative behaviour patterns, including negativity, being too hard on one’s self, overconfidence and arrogance. Today we’ll apply the concept to four more patterns commonly found in martial arts schools and in general life. (more…)
How Do Your Negative Behaviours Reward You? – Part 1
We all have certain negative behaviour patterns that interfere with our productivity, happiness and peace of mind. Some people are completely unaware of how these behaviours affect their state of mind, simply allowing them and accepting them as an every day reality. Other people recognize the negative affects, but struggle to get these behaviours under control.
The reason why negative behaviour patterns are maintained is that they reward you in some way in the short term, even if there are greater costs in the long term. If they didn’t, you wouldn’t keep doing them. The first step toward gaining control of your negative tendencies is to recognize how they reward you, so that you can realize this as it is happening and try to replace it with a more positive behaviour. (more…)
How to Keep Boxing Gloves Clean & Smelling Fresh(ish)
Boxing gloves are one of those things that tend to start smelling bad over time. They are a breeding ground for bacteria when you sweat in them regularly. Over time it can get really bad, so bad that other students will avoid sparring with you. Don’t be “that guy” (or gal). There are a few things you can do to prevent this from happening, so do yourself and your sparring partners a favour and follow them so no one has to suffer:
1. Don’t leave them in your bag! Your warm, dark, damp training bag is the perfect breeding ground for bacteria. If you just leave your gloves in your bag after each sparring session, you’ll find your gloves getting stinkier and stinkier, especially in warmer weather. If you do nothing else, take them out of our training bag when you get home. This tip is also offered for uniforms in our article ‘Odour Management for Martial Artists.’ (more…)
Open House Grand Opening Party this Saturday
We’ve been working very hard to get the dojo in a more finished state over the past month. It’s coming together nicely with only a few finishing touches left to do this week. We’re motivated to get it all done though so the place looks awesome for this Saturday’s grand opening party.
There will be cake, candy sushi (handmade by me), Rock Band and other games. We’ll also be holding a draw for gift certificates and dojo swag for those who RSVP (either on Facebook or by email to [email protected]). The party is open to the public, Sat. Mar. 31, 7:00-8:30pm, so come over and check out our new dojo if you’re in the area. Check out the Facebook event page. (more…)
5 Tips for Practising Detachment in a Capitalist Culture
- “Mindfulness”
Detachment is widely considered a psychologically and spiritually healthy practice. But for many people in Western society, it is difficult to get into the habit as we are constantly bombarded with messages of things we should accumulate in our lives, including our home, car, personal possessions, relationships, accomplishments, experiences and overall lifestyles.
Being a martial artist has helped me learn to practice detachment, which has in turn made me a better martial artist over the long term. This has also extended into other areas of my life, giving me a happier, healthier existence. Below are 5 tips that have helped me in my practice of detachment and some resulting benefits of that practice. (more…)
Music as a Tool for Motivation, Relaxation & Happiness
Music is a great tool for stimulating emotions, whether you want to pump yourself up and get motivated to focus on a task (physical or mental), relax and let go of the tensions of your day, or simply shift your mood to a happier state. It continually amazes me how much of an emotional response I get to certain pieces of music, whether it’s the melody, rhythm, lyrics, or connection to personal memories, or a combination of the four. (more…)
How to Train the Use Adrenaline for Martial Arts & Self-Defense
Produced by the adrenal glands in our body, adrenaline is released when the body experiences high-stress mental or physical situations. It stimulates a variety of bodily functions, including increased heart rate, increased blood to muscles and increased oxygen flow to the lungs, etc. It can be used to increase your performance in sport or self-defense, making you faster, stronger and less affected by pain. It can also enable you to process information while taking actions at a rapid rate, making you more responsive to threats. These reactions, however, are not a given. Everyone has different reactions to adrenaline and the stressful situations that causes its flow. This article explores these reactions and how to train yourself to have more useful reactions for martial arts and self-defense. (more…)
Size/Strength vs Technique vs Spirit in the Martial Arts
Have you ever gotten frustrated at being unable to apply a joint lock, do a throw, or get good shots in when sparring against someone much bigger or stronger than you? You’re not alone. Many people come to train in the martial arts because they’re looking for something that will help level the playing field for them if they should ever have to raise their hands to defend themselves physically. But after they’ve been training for a while, they still find themselves struggling to do the same techniques that bigger, stronger people seem able to apply more easily. They become disillusioned and often quit because they don’t realize what it takes for smaller people to be successful in the martial arts. (more…)
Book Review – Revenge: Jason Steed
We were asked to review, Revenge, which is a Jason Steed novel by Mark A. Cooper because they thought it would appeal to martial artists. There was a catch however, it’s juvenile fiction, so it’s targeted at 9-year-olds and up.
Take down a ruthless criminal gang – from the inside.
Rescue the ambassador’s kidnapped daughter.
Capture a traitor.No problem.
If that sounds like it could be the plot of a bad action movie, well then you’ve pretty much nailed Revenge, except this book might actually have more action. By page 69 our 11-year old protagonist has been in 3 fights, involved in 2 murders, a torture scene and one of his school yard chums has committed suicide. (more…)
Using Weapons as an Extension of Your Body in the Martial Arts
There are many different stylistic approaches to the use of weapons in the martial arts. There is a common theme though. As a general rule, weapons are simply considered an extension of your body. The stances, blocks and strikes you use when unarmed are used in the same contexts when using a weapon. The only difference is that you use the weapon as an extension of your body to enhance your defensive or offensive capabilities.
In Can-ryu Jiu-jitsu, we emphasize the use of weapons of opportunity. Weapons of opportunity are simply items that are commonly found in your environment that could be used in self-defense, but aren’t necessarily carried for that purpose. This includes things like a flashlight, hair brush, rolled up magazine, umbrella, stick, cane, etc. Whatever the weapon, we still use the same stance and style of movement as we do in our unarmed defenses, we just introduce ways to enhance one’s impact, reach, and overall effectiveness, using the unique qualities of the weapon used. (more…)
We're proud to announce that Lori O'Connell Sensei's new book, When the Fight Goes to the Ground: Jiu-jitsu Strategies & Tactics for Self-Defense, published through international martial arts publisher Tuttle Publishing, is now available in major book stores and online. More about it & where to buy it.