As long as we have choice, we have hope. One of the most powerful lessons martial arts teach us is that very difficult, seemingly insurmountable problems can be solved by applying the right combination of posture, balance, angles, and leverage. What at first feels like a hopeless challenge becomes less and less so the more … Continue reading Martial Arts And The Freedom To Choose
We must not forget why we started training martial arts and why we decided to stay. It is difficult to explain to people who do not know, just how important martial arts are to the lives of the people who practice them. For many practitioners, martial arts saved us from ourselves. They saved us from … Continue reading The Martial Way
For positive outcomes of mutual benefit, we must begin by being who and what others need us to be. Years ago, when I began digging into Japanese martial art history and philosophy, I sent an email to an author of several books on the subject, Ellis Amdur. Not only did he respond kindly and honestly … Continue reading Becoming What Others Need (Kiaijutsu)
“I often recommend to people, even if they never have the opportunity, hopefully never have the opportunity to use kickboxing or Brazilian jiu jitsu or some martial art outside of a practice environment that they should train because the way they will carry themselves through the world — male, female, it doesn’t matter; age doesn’t … Continue reading Reasons for Starting & Continuing (Martial Arts)
On October 7th, 2019, Tristan Chermack and Robert Van Valkenburgh discussed the concept of atemi (hitting body) in aikido on Tristan’s Modern Aikidoist podcast. Click on the image or the links below to listen to is part 2 of 2 of that discussion. Listen to Part 1 HERE Listen on: iTunes YouTube Stitcher Podbean About … Continue reading On Atemi in Aikido Pt. 2 (Modern Aikidoist Podcast with Tristan Chermack)
