About Jon

Jon Haas, "The Warrior Coach" has been training in Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu for more than 25 years and is currently ranked as a Kudan (9th degree black belt) under Jack Hoban Shihan. He has also trained in Okinawan Karate, Tae Kwon Do, Russian Systema, BJJ, Krav Maga, as well as Internal Martial Arts of Yiquan and Aiki.He is a certified Underground Strength Coach-Level 2, a certified Personal Trainer as well as founder of Warrior Fitness Training Systems. In 2008, Jon wrote the book, Warrior Fitness: Conditioning for Martial Arts, and since then has created numerous other online training and coaching programs helping people around the world become the strongest, most capable versions of themselves!

Weakest Direction Theory is BS – Part 2

Make sure you read the highly controversial Part 1,Weakest Direction Theory is BS, before moving on to part 2 below…

Preface

I love martial arts.  I love everything about it.  I love training martial arts, practicing martial arts, teaching martial arts.  I love reading martial arts history, philosophy, even martial arts fiction.  I love talking about martial arts.  I love writing about martial arts.  Are you getting the picture yet?  Have I pre-framed this well enough for you?   Continue reading

Weakest Direction Theory is BS

Warning: The following post is going to conflict with the most basic, fundamental principle you “know” to be true in martial arts.  Chances are you learned this principle on your first day of martial arts class.  Since that day you have repeated it almost every class.  You have taught it as truth to every new person you’ve ever trained with.  It’s so ingrained into your psyche that it’s practically dogma.  Most likely you will read this a instantly brand me a Budo Heretic.  Yup.  It’s that controversial…

Continue reading

My Morning Routine

For the past several weeks there has been a running theme interwoven throughout my blog posts.  That theme has been practice, Daily Personal Practice (DPP), to be precise.

I’ve gotten several questions about the details of my own DPP since I refer to it several times in my writing.  So I figured I would pull back the curtains and give you a more detailed glimpse into my Morning Routine of DPP in this post. Continue reading

Best Way to Program Your Training

One of the most oft asked questions I get from people, from both the online and offline worlds, is about their weekly workout schedule:

“How should I program my workouts?”

“How many days per week should I train?”

“Is it wrong or bad to train 2 days in a row?”

“How much rest should I have between workouts?”

“Is there one best way to program my training?” Continue reading

Are You Practicing Wrong?

Are you making progress in your practice, or do you feel like you’re running in circles, making lots of motion but essentially getting nowhere?

Maybe you’ve got this whole practice thing wrong…

We all know that practice is absolutely essential to the development of any skill.  But how should we practice?  What qualities should our practice have to make sure it is both effective (increasing skill) and efficient (making the best use of time)?  How long should we practice, how often? Continue reading

Principles, Techniques, and Internal Power

For some reason people seem to use the terms principles,techniques, and internal power interchangeably within the context of martial arts practice.  Because of this mistake, they then tend to get confused between them.  While they are all obviously related, each term is separate and distinct and should not be interchangeable with one another. Continue reading

The Way of the Warrior

Daily training is absolutely essential for the warrior.  It must be firmly ingrained into your routine until doing your practice becomes as natural as brushing your teeth or taking a shower.  No thought or debate is required, you simply just do it every day, sometimes twice a day.  It must become habitual. Continue reading

Training Through Injuries

Four weeks ago I injured my ankle.  The diagnosis?  Peroneal tendonitis.  Walking was painful.  Squating was painful.  Lunging was out of the question.  Heck, even balancing on my injured foot hurt. Continue reading

Places of Power

Training outside in the elements has always been one of my favorite ways to practice martial arts and the art of strength, or Warrior Fitness.  There’s something special about the fresh air, sunshine, and changing terrain that gives life to the training and makes it hugely satisfying for me.  In fact, my weekly Bujinkan Martial Arts class trains outside all year round in all sorts of weather from the bitterly cold and snowy winters to the blisteringly hot and humid summers.  This type training not only helps increase our physical resilience, but our mental fortitude as well by helping us to become comfortable being uncomfortable. Continue reading