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Martial Arts Zen Masters, the Cleaver, and the Pot - Al Case
Speaking of Martial Arts Zen Masters, I drive my wife crazy. We have these pots and pans, you see, like any family. And these pots and pans are old and dented, black on the bottom,need to be replaced, but I am too cheap. So a few months ago a glass pot broke. It was the glass pot I used.... Submitted 19 days 21 hours ago.

Tai Chi Chuan: Notes On The Classical V The Modern - Al Case
Observing Tai Chi Chuan on the youtube this AM, and it was quite interesting. Young chinese lady presented a modern Tai Chi New Age version, and my mind began to analyze the intricate movements, the rights and wrongs. Of course, one could make the case that there is no right and wrong, there is... Submitted 2 days 19 hours ago.

Secrets of Breathing, the Martial Arts, the Universe, and Everything! - - Al Case
Secrets of the Martial Arts; there really are great secrets, but they are usually out in the open, just waiting for people to put in a little sweat and awareness before they are discovered. I first realized the importance of breath control when I was running as a youngster. I was in sixth... Submitted 215 days 21 hours ago.

Wing Chun Kung Fu, The Girly Martial Art That Will Kick Your Fanny! - - Al Case
Every once in a while somebody will remark that 'Isn't Wing Chun Kung Fu that stuff invented by a girl?' Inside that statement is a bias against ladies who can be pretty darned tough. The statement also reveals some fundamental ignorance. Many years ago, the legend goes, a warlord during the... Submitted 363 days 19 hours ago.

Grounding, Circular Flux and Sanchin Kata - - Al Case
Perhaps you have encountered the old saying...'If you don't know Sanchin, you don't know Karate.' It happens that this saying is entirely true. It is true because when done correctly Sanchin kata results in a liberation of combat useful energy beyond any form known. The form was originally... Submitted 1 year 228 days ago.

Who’s Going to Build your Martial Arts School? - John Graden
When you are negotiating a build-out, be sure the lease specifies how the credit is going to be paid. Will the landlord pay the builders, so you have no out-of-pocket expense? Will you pay, and then get a credit in free rent? That might mean less cash for start-up expenses but, as with everything... Submitted 2 years 87 days ago.

Your Sign and Its Role in Marketing your Martial Arts School - John Graden
Not only do you want to know what zoning limits you have on signage, you have to know what rules the landlord may have for signs in his plaza. Being in a great location is not good if you can't let people know about it. Your school sign does more than alert traffic that your school exists.... Submitted 2 years 94 days ago.

Positioning Your Martial Arts School For Success - John Graden
One rule of design that most guys don't know is that, when you hang a picture, you want the picture to complement the frame and the frame to complement the room. Though this article is not about school design, this example illustrates the three elements that must work together to make a picture... Submitted 2 years 94 days ago.

Warning: You May Have Black Belt Eyes - John Graden
Has a spouse or significant other made a suggestion about your martial arts school or how you teach? What was your reaction? I know mine was essentially Who the heck are you to tell me, the black belt, about martial arts?' The key, though, is: They don't care about martial arts; they... Submitted 2 years 94 days ago.

Value What You Do - John Graden
One time I had a guy come into my school with one of my flyers. The offer was three months and a uniform for $249. He said he stopped by another school by mistake. When he presented the flyer to the school's owner, his comment was, "I can tell you one thing: he's charging you too much." This... Submitted 2 years 94 days ago.

Martial Arts Training Balancing Mind and Body - e
A very special kind of training is critical in martial arts because martial arts is about life and death. In one split second your life will be either spared or taken, and that outcome depends entirely upon your preparation. The adversary you face will be stronger, faster, better trained, and... Submitted 3 years 181 days ago.

Cracking The Martial Arts Code - Robert Jones
The Challenge In life, we face many difficult situations and it's how we handle challenges that determine their outcome and our future. Having low self confidence and poor discipline can harm us. Not having the ability to stay focused and on task can also be a burden. There Is Hope! ... Submitted 5 years 210 days ago.

Martial Arts: 8 Questions To Ask When Choosing A Martial Art School - Robert Jones
Thinking of taking Martial Arts? Choosing a Martial Arts school can be intimidating, but not if you do some research first. Knowing these nine questions to ask before you pick any school for yourself or your child will ensure a positive experience. 1. Do you have belt test fees? And if so, how... Submitted 5 years 322 days ago.

The Three Things That Make For The Most Powerful Kick In The Universe! - - Al Case
Whether you do Taekwondo, Karate, Savate, or whatever, what I am going to tell you in this article will give you the most Powerful Kick in the universe. The reason is simple: this is the way the body works. This is the actual physics of the body, not mysticism or wishful thinking. The first... Submitted 1 year 19 days ago.

To Compare And Contrast the Legend of Morihei Ueshiba, Or The Making Sense Of O Sensei - - Al Case
If one wishes to know the truth behind the legend known as Morihei Ueshiba, the man called O Sensei, one needs to examine contradictions in his life. This is something that most students, perhaps giving in to the hype, do not undertake, and this is too bad. For it is through the understanding... Submitted 1 year 30 days ago.

The Best Way To Take A Knife Away From A Slasher In A Knife Fight - - Al Case
You all know what a slasher in a knife fight is...he is the gangster who slashes the knife back and forth wildly. This motion is unpredictable, and it makes it hard to get past the knife. Try a kung fu block and it'll get you cut, he's too fast for you to make judo work, and like as not he is... Submitted 1 year 191 days ago.

The Totally Best Eight Martial Arts Books On The Planet! - - Al Case
Gonna be some different opinions concerning which are the best eight Martial Arts books ever written, but I would begin with Aikido and the Dynamic Sphere. Authored by A Westbrook and O Ratt, the writing is perfect, and the illustrations are possibly the best martial arts graphics ever inked. A... Submitted 1 year 193 days ago.

The Craziest Person Who Ever Studied Karate! - - Al Case
His name was Bob Hope, just like the comedian, and he studied Karate. Unfortunately, he was nutty as a fruitcake. It was obvious he was nuts because...well, I’m getting ahead of myself. Let me tell the story, and then you can make up your own mind. We called him Mud Car, because that’s what... Submitted 1 year 247 days ago.

Using a Single Finger to Break Things: History, Training Methods, and Fact! - - Al Case
Sometimes I watch TV--it hurts, but it’s supposed to be fun, so I force myself--and I always look for martial arts things. Every once in a while I come across the breaking competitions, and I find these of fascination. Tons of bricks, forests of boards (hasn’t the Sierra Club heard of these... Submitted 1 year 268 days ago.

Let Your Thinking Help You On The Field - Len Strickler
The recent baseball scandal on the use of steroids and other performance enhancing drugs has left a scar on the game and many of the records that fans assumed their favorite players set under their own steam. The scandal reached new proportions recently when four people, including the trainer of... Submitted 1 year 341 days ago.

The Great Japanese Swordsmen part 3 - Robert Miller
Miyamoto Musashi Musashi is a well known martial artist from fuedal Japan. He is considered the Kensei , sword-saint of Japan. The name "Musashi" was thought to be taken from the name of a warrior monk named Musashib Benkei who served under Minamoto no Yoshitsune , but this is unconfirmed.... Submitted 2 years 31 days ago.

The Throwing Star or Shuriken - Robert Miller
The throwing star or shuriken is a small hand held weapon that was designed to act as a distraction more then a killing weapon. The literal translation is "sword in hand". They were made from everyday items such as needles, nails, knives, coins, and a variety of flat plates of metal with... Submitted 2 years 63 days ago.

The Iron Fan - Robert Miller
The tessen was an iron fan that sometimes could actually be used as a hand fan or was just made to resemble one. Given the high cost of making these items they were typically just for the noble class. Now many Samurai warriors would always have one with them and they were experts in the ability... Submitted 2 years 64 days ago.

The Samurai - Robert Miller
The Japanese samurai would eat, sleep, live, and die by a code of honor. It was known as Bushido which means "the way of the warrior". Now this code stressed a moral code of conduct which covered frugality, loyalty, martial arts mastery, and honor unto death. This code came about from the... Submitted 2 years 71 days ago.

The Japanese Sword - Robert Miller
The Japanese Sword came in varying lengths and, depending on the swordsmith that created the blade, had various degrees of curvature to the blade itself. The Katana is the name most commonly used by people to describe the Japanese sword. However, in truth they were called: Katana (a single edged... Submitted 2 years 86 days ago.