Getting Into & Maintaining the Martial Arts Training Habit
One of the keys to excellence in the martial arts (or anything for that matter) is to keep doing it. It sounds simple, but many people fail to do this, even with the best intentions and the greatest appreciation for the art. So why does it happen? People simply fall out of the habit or fail to develop the habit in the first place. (more…)
How Martial Arts Instructors Can Give More
Martial arts instructors have the potential to make a huge difference in the lives of their students. They give students the opportunity to improve their coordination, endurance, strength, flexibility, etc, but they can also help instil confidence, discipline, and mental clarity, which can benefit all areas of their lives. Most instructors very much want to help their students improve their lives. They become instructors with the best of intentions. Then what happens? They pour all their efforts into running great classes, but find that students come and go very quickly and the majority don’t stay for the long haul. Even the very best instructors face these issues, no matter how much experience they have or how many accolades they’ve received. Naturally, instructors then try to figure out how to make their students more loyal. (more…)
6 Favourite Movie Fight Scenes for Inspiration
I have a few students getting ready for belt tests. I know that many people have a tradition of watching their favourite martial arts movies the night before a test to help pump them up. I imagine people also do this before big competitions as well. Anyway, I’ve put together a list of my 6 favourite martial arts movie fights that each have their own themes for motivation. (more…)
Dealing with Less-than-Ideal Ukes in the Martial Arts
Last year I wrote a post about how to be a good uke (training partner). But what happens when you have to work with someone that’s a less than an ideal uke? Depending on what the problems are with the person, there are different approaches you can take to help fix or minimize them. I’ll characterize a few types of less-than-ideal ukes and offer solutions for dealing with them in this post.
Inexperienced Uke. Sometimes you’ll have to work with people who are new to the dojo and need a lot of understanding and guidance as they train. They may not be the most fun for you to train with when you want to go a little harder or work on more advanced techniques, but it’s important to help them take those brave first steps into the world of martial arts. Everyone has to start somewhere. You likely received guidance and encouragement when you first started. If you didn’t, think about how much better it would have been if you had and try to make the experienced better for your uke. They will appreciate it more than you can imagine, which helps add to the general positive atmosphere of your dojo. (more…)
The Role of Pain, Frustration & Violence in the Martial Arts
I recently read Stu Cooke Sensei’s blog post, The Beauty of Paradox, which concluded by saying that “Getting past the first batch of pain is likely the major barrier for people that try the martial arts”, saying that they don’t understand the point of the unpleasantness and don’t get to a point where they appreciate what it’s all about.
This is true for many people, but there are those who take their training a bit further, accepting the part that physical discomfort plays only to face a second sticking point: frustration. (more…)
3 Different Takes on the Sensei-Student Relationship
I’ve trained at a lot of different types of martial arts schools and I have therefore seen wide variety of ways that instructors relate to and connect with their students, varying from uber-traditional to laid back, with many variations in between. There is no one “right” type, with benefits and drawbacks to whatever type one undertakes as an instructor. Each type attracts different types people. In this blog post, I’ll describe 3 different variations that I’ve seen. (more…)
10 Things You Can Do Outside the Dojo to Become a Better Martial Artist
1. Train Your Balance.
Improving your balance helps your kicks, throws, takedowns,
stances, and many other techniques in the martial arts. Try
standing on one foot while you put your shoes on and tie
them, one foot at a time. While you’re waiting in a
check-out line or for a bus, you can also train your
balance simply by standing on one foot. If you’re going to
do this, however, try to do it inconspicuously, unless you
don’t mind people thinking you’re a bit strange! Below are some extra tips for training balance. (more…)
Solutions to 6 Common Martial Arts Training Hurdles
There lots of people who really want to take up a martial art, but think they can’t for whatever reasons. In many cases, these reasons hold people back from ever making an attempt or they start their training and then feel they have to give it up because of them. I can’t possibly know everyone’s particular situation, but I can say that there are a few common themes that can certainly be addressed. (more…)
The Purpose of Meditation in the Martial Arts
Need for Speed: 3 Principles that Shouldn’t Be Sacrificed to Go Faster
As you progress in your chosen martial art into more advanced levels of development, you start to work on higher level skills. At our dojo, higher level students, usually purple and up, start to learn to apply their skills with more speed. Speed is important in the martial arts. The faster you can move, the more likely you are to catch your attacker off guard and get out of the way of incoming attacks. That being said, there are 3 principles that should not be sacrificed in order to become faster. They are as follows: (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.