25 Life Lessons from Martial Arts Practice
At 41 years old, I have now been training in the martial arts for over 30 years. It does not seem like it’s been that long! Some days I look at the huge expanse of knowledge and history that is real budo and feel dwarfed by its enormity. Other days I feel like I have…
The UN-Natural Athlete
I was never what you would call a natural athlete growing up. In fact, I pretty much sucked at every sport I tried – baseball, basketball, soccer, kickball, tennis… you name it, I sucked at it. To make things worse I was also ridiculously shy and introverted as a kid, so that combination, on top…
Kettlebell Training for Bujinkan Footwork
Recently I was asked about how to use a single kettlebell to train footwork for Bujinkan martial arts. Here is a video I put together showing a couple different exercises to enhance stability and mobility for footwork training using the kettlebell. Enjoy!!
Are You a Martial Artist or Martial Hobbyist?
Sometimes the lines between martial artist and martial hobbyist get blurred. How do you determine whether you are a true martial artist or just a martial hobbyist? Here is a quick and easy way to find out… Martial Hobbyist Quiz Do you train only when it is convenient? Do you train only when you feel…
The 3 Paths of Warrior Fitness
The 3 Paths of the Warrior There are 3 Paths of the Warrior, along with the 4 Levels of Preparation, that form the basis of the entire training system. While each path is unique with its own individual strategies, methods, and characteristics, they are also so deeply interconnected that the sum of the whole system…
How Natural is Your Shizen No Kamae?
This may come as a shock, but I believe many people training in the martial arts today are doing shizen no kamae (natural posture) wrong. How can this be? After all, aren’t you supposed to be just standing there naturally? Well, yes and no. The problem stems from the fact that even though this is…
The Secret to Becoming a Great Martial Artist
There is one very special, not so secret, secret to becoming a great martial artist. Want to know what it is? Do the work. Train every day. Yes, every day. Great martial artists train all the time. Not once a week. Not every other day, not just during class. Every day. Multiple times a day.…
The Day That Changed My Life
I still remember it like it was yesterday. I was 16 years old, sitting in the back seat of my parent’s car thumbing through the latest issue of Black Belt magazine when I came to a full page advertisement for the 1989 Tai Kai with Ninjutsu Grandmaster Masaaki Hatsumi. To my shock and utter astonishment…
This is Dangerous to YOUR Training
Alright. Strap in, kids because this is gonna be a bumpy one. There is a huge problem that affects many people training in martial arts today that needs to be addressed because it is severely inhibiting their progress and skill. It applies to fitness training as well, so if you don’t train martial art read this…
Combat Conditioning and A Challenge
The video below is a brand new combat conditioning circuit I put together for martial artists. It will be especially good for my Buyu (warrior friends) training in Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu. If you are ready to put your body, mind, and spirit to the test, this circuit is guaranteed to kick your conditioning into high gear.
Lost Empire Herbs
