Definition Combatives is a set of tactics and techniques designed to preserve your life in a violent situation with no regard to...

When the scenario is laid out, when you know what attacks will come and how you’re expected to respond, you can be forced to employ...

During a match, a young grappler thinks he’s safely passing his opponent’s guard to get to a better position. Then he feels an intense...

There was a saying in old Japan: Bushi wa kuwanedo taka-yoji.  Roughly translated, it means, “When he’s hungry, the samurai uses a...

It doesn’t matter whether you practice boxing, judo, jujitsu, karate, kendo, or tai chi. It doesn’t matter whether you choose to use a...

It’s been widely observed that training in the martial arts is ultimately limited by human physiology. As Bruce Lee said, as long as we...

You've Learned Your Kata. Now It's Time to Modify Them So You're Better Prepared to Defend Yourself Against Any Adversary! When facing a...

I recently read an article that was critical of randomized training as it relates to the CrossFit Games. My immediate response was: A)  I...

Martial arts phenom Bruce Lee reached his peak in the late 1960s and early ’70s and then, as we all know, tragically passed away in 1973...

I started taking formal martial art lessons in 1971 at age 11. By the time I tested for my first degree black belt in 1979, I was already...

Words matter. But do they matter as much as action in the karate dojo? Not really. You can talk a great game, wax philosophically for an...

Thoughts on Being an Effective Sensei  To be an effective teacher, one must first adopt the mindset of a student. A teacher should...

Athletes are always seeking results. They’re looking for a leading edge that might make the difference between a razor-thin victory and...

Black Belt: If you would never have had the accident that wrecked your right knee and led you to start your career in karate, do you...

When was the last time you truly failed? It’s a question we’d all rather ignore. We’re often taught to gauge success by how well we avoid...

You’ve seen “that guy,” right? The guy who has every latest gadget and geegaw. The one who has a thick wallet (yet quickly thinning ...)...

Bill Wallace is a true living legend, a man who’s regarded as the world’s greatest kicker by nearly everyone in the martial arts...

These days, it’s hard to watch a TV show or movie that includes a dojo scene without spotting a Body Opponent Bag (BOB) in the corner....

It’s become an all too common sight on the nightly news: allegations of police officers using excessive force, which lead to furious...

In all likelihood, I look at martial arts and self-defense training differently than you do. Yes, I’m an avid practitioner, as well as an...

Let’s start with a definition. For the purposes of this column in giving tips for martial art teachers, the term “training scar” does not...