Yoga – A System
Special thanks to guest author, Tony Notarianni for another excellent contribution! In my latest Yoga class I was about to leave and I felt like I had left something, twice I went back from the reception area and twice I found that all my possessions were with me. I left and returned home, and it…
Why Sitting All Day is Slowly Killing You
There’s more to leading an active lifestyle than just getting in a workout a few times a week. Check out this Men’s Health article on Why Sitting All Day is Slowly Killing You. Think your 45 minute exercise session 3-4 times a week is protecting you from heart disease? Think again. For some ideas on…
Knowing is Not Enough!
With the proliferation of the Internet and the incredible wealth of resources available in book, DVD, and digital formats, many of us already know more than enough to be martial arts masters! Yep. You heard me right – you know more than enough right now to be a master martial artist. Cool, eh? Heck, some…
All Strength is Not the Same for the Warrior!
As martial artists most of us tend to cringe and shy away from words like “strength” and “power” in favor of seemingly more budo-friendly fitness words like “agility”, “coordination”, or “balance”. Yet, often we do not understand the actual definitions of the words and simply avoid them because of some misplaced fear that they will…
Your Sanshin No Kata Under a Microscope
Sanshin no Kata (form of the three hearts) forms the basis for movement in the Bujinkan. These five foundational exercises cannot be overlooked, especially with regard to solo training. When I first began training in the Bujinkan over 20 years ago there were very few training resources. There was no Internet! In a way it…
Ninja Walking
The following article is an excerpt from Warrior Fitness: Conditioning for Martial Arts… Enjoy! Proper walking is footwork training for budo. How we walk in day-to-day life is how we will walk (move) in combat. Efficiency in more complex movement begins with efficiency in simple movements. How can we expect to move with ease in…
Your Keys to Progress
How many people do you know who rarely, if ever, get the results they are seeking from their exercise regimen? You may be one of them! The question is, why don’t you (they) get results? These people may be “exercise nuts” or “gym rats” or even “exer-holics”, or they could just be fascinated with the…
Unlocking Flow in Your Taijutsu Practice
Here’s another one for all my Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu friends out there. The following set of exercises is specifically designed to increase flow (nagare) in your taijutsu. However, before we get into the exercises themselves we should address the question, what is flow? Flow is efficiency and continuity in movement. Flow is smoothness of movement that is…
Ukemi Flow Conditioning Workout
This one is for all the martial artists out there – I created the following ukemi conditioning workout for myself a few years ago to specifically target the transitions between my rolls and begin to unlock flow. Additionally, it has the effect of really getting your heart pumping and makes a great workout! Start out slowly…
The Men Who Stare at Screens
Spend a lot of time sitting at home, in the office, or both? Check out this NY Times Health article, The Men Who Stare at Screens. Your regular workout may not be as effective as you think in preventing heart disease.