When watching a skilled boxing match, you’ll notice that the best fighters rarely back up in a straight line. Instead, they move to the side—slipping, […]
Year: 2009
Defense vs. Attacking the Offensive
As a kid, I loved watching old movies featuring knights in shining armor—classics like Ivanhoe were my favorite. The most thrilling scenes were always the […]
Zone Defense Versus Infinite What If Situations
There are infinite ways to be attacked. You can’t handle all the possible situations with a single set of techniques for each instance. This is […]
Five Smart Ways to Improve Your Kempo Karate Practice
I used to spend hours at the park or in large empty rooms practicing the many kata in our system. With so many moves, sequences, […]
Do Your Homework
In the dark days of elementary school, I dreaded doing my daily homework. I had hours of assignments, and my grandmother was watching like a […]
Remembering 9/11: A Reflection on Tragedy, Unity, and Resolve
There are moments in history so profound that they leave a permanent mark on our collective memory. One such moment was the day we watched […]
10 Ways to Help Your Dojo Stay Open for Business
When I first began training in martial arts, dojos were gritty, raw places. The air was heavy with sweat, the mats were worn, and the […]
My Neighbor the Grandmaster
The movie The Karate Kid tells the story of a young man named Daniel who moves from the East Coast to the West Coast. The […]
The Five Levels of Implementing Defense Techniques
In martial arts instruction, I’m often criticized for teaching in a simplified format—using a compliant attacker (uke) who throws a static punch while the defender […]
Complementary Actions: How A Strike Leads To The Next Strike
The notion of absolute opposites, such as “good vs. evil” or “light vs. dark,” is crude and unsophisticated. It’s too simplistic and doesn’t accurately reflect […]