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I am always happy when I can train. First of all, I really like practising MA and learning new stuff. But there is more to the reason I am glad to be able to go to class.
If I can go to MA class, it means that my kids are safe and in the care of someone I trust. It means that I am healthy...
Today is the first time I am cancelling a practise session by choice. And I am not happy about it.
Currently the company I work for has a planned shutdown, during which upgrades and maintenance activities can be done. It's like watching a swarm of locusts descend on a corn field, with the...
I worked hard for well over half a year (8 months), and today I finally got to do my first exam(s). 10th and 9th kyu exam is always done at the same time within Genbukan.
I knew that I knew my stuff, but I was still nervous the whole morning. Then -through coincedence- I ended up talking with...
As time goes by, I find myself enjoying kihon training more and more. It is a good warming up at the beginning of class, it gets the blood going, and it also brings focus to the basic premise of martial arts (imo). Someone is trying to hit you. Do something about it.
All the rest: the locks...
(cont.)
Sunday was more of the same, in addition to reviewing and spending some more time on the #2, we also incorporated fending with the support hand using the horizontal and vertical elbow shields. We then integrated the fending with the rest of the presentation. By the end of the morning...
I recently (June 12-14) had the opportunity to attend a course from Shivworks entitled Extreme Close Quarters Concepts I & II (hereafter: ECQC I-II). The class was taught by "SouthNarc" (internet forum username), a law-enforcement officer with experience in undercover-narcotics, SWAT operations...
I feel that mindset is of supreme importance in the realm of self-protection. In fact, I'll go one step further and say that it is without a doubt, the deciding factor as to whether you succeed or fail. Here is a list of resources that will provide a ton of information and aid in the...
It's a sad anniversary today. Rather than comment on it directly, I thought I would post an essay I wrote for an open mic night held on September 11th, 2002.
I like to think that each generation of Americans has what I call its "where were you?" moment. Anyone in my parents' generation...
The new season started last week, and we have a couple of new members. Hopefully they will stick around.
The consequence of having many new members is that the pace of the class drops significantly because everything is new to them, and it takes a while before everyone has a rough idea of how...
There was a thread recently on the issue of debt, and it touched on our motivations for spending beyond our means. I feel that on one level, it stems from a starvation of the spirit; we feel isolated and fearful, and like infants we reach out to any object within our grasp for reassurance. One...
This post is a test; I've never blogged before and I wanted to see how it works. In any case, the thought below would be a good starting point for a blog, so maybe I'll get back to it. :)
Just because the season has ended does not mean your training stops...
So I found myself drilling the material for my 10th kyu with my sensei and another student because we had agree to meet up for some additional practise. I arrived first, so I started doing all rolls and breakfalls after...
I can't believe I forgot one of the most important aspects of autism - anxiety upon the new.
My autistic student - we'll call him Timmy - was SO excited to get promoted to yellow belt! He couldn't wait for his study sheet, his belt, and ... alas ... he is rejecting learning his new techniques...
Last week, two white belts and two orange belts (one of them my son) tested for rank promotion and all passed.
Interesting ... I announced they would be testing and set the date just before I found out that all of the students (not my son) would be leaving for out-of-town vacations for two...
This post is based on something I once posted in the forum as part of a discussion, but it may be good to blog about so that I can easily find this explanation for future reference.
The original question was whether KI energy was real. When I said no, I was asked if I deny the phenomena...
So my first season of ninpo has come to a close. It went remarkably fast. Class was outside in July, and August is a time of rest before the new season. Well... when I say rest, I mean that there are no classes. I just keep on training.
For my good progress so far I have to thank my sensei...
This was the opening statement by my 13-year-old student.
You know. The one with the performance anxiety?
So I said, "Okay," and after warmups proceeded to teach her six new techniques. She didn't balk. I saw a lot of eye rolling, sighing, wrong moves (clearly on purpose) but I didn't go...
It is traditional in our club that during July, all practise is outdoors. Last monday was the first such lesson.
It was also the first time I wore outdoor tabi. They were much more comfortable than I had anticipated. It's basically just a thin rubber sole to keep pine cones from sticking in...
Yesterday, I was participating in a conversation about the practicality of things like a kip-up, handstand flip or a back flip.
The scenarios I've seen (from being uke for my sensei when he was practising techniques for his grade) are mostly related to escaping from certain joint locks if you...
Having blown multi-hundreds and hundreds of pounds of explosives in my distant past, firecrackers and bottle rockets now hold little interest to me.
So rather than spending time lighting fuses and counting fingers I spent the time working around the home and doing some reading and thinking...