Articles about self defense and personal safety, in San Diego and worldwide
A criticism some practitioners of combative sports such as Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), Muay Thai and Western boxing lob against “traditional” martial arts relates to forms. Forms are a core of martial arts practice in many Asian martial arts, including Karate, Kung-Fu, Tai Chi, Kuntau, Silat and Eskrima. In those martial arts, forms (called kata […]
Kata Practice — Waste of Time? Read More »
In several martial arts, including Karate, Kung-Fu and Taekwondo, it is very common to see practitioners performing techniques with one hand while pulling back / drawing back the other hand. This pullback, called hikite (or hiki-te) in Japanese, is evident in blocks, strikes and locks. Many have noted that, while the pullback/hikite is prevalent in
The Pullback (Hikite) in Martial Arts Read More »
My sincere thanks to to Eli Elfassy Sensei of Karate Goju Ryu Israel. I appreciate your invitation to teach a seminar at your dojo! I enjoyed meeting the students, and sharing some Okinawan karate and self defense! We worked on controlling the opponent’s center as means to avoiding prolonged exchanges of blows. A prolonged exchange
Karate Goju Ryu Israel Seminar 2015 Read More »
In the wake of shooting events which received a lot of publicity, several people asked me about the best way to act should in an active shooter situation. In one event, two American service members, vacationing in Europe, subdued a heavily armed suspected terrorist onboard a Paris bound train and averted a catastrophe. In another
Active Shooter: What to do when Someone is Shooting at YOU Read More »
The press is filled today with stories recounting how a West Virginia woman named Heather was able to turn an assailant’s gun on him. This recent event holds some excellent martial arts and self defense lessons.
Woman Fights Rapist and Suspected Serial Murderer Read More »
Our friends at the Kokusai Butokukai are having their International camp this summer!
Kokusai Butokukai International Martial Arts Training Camp 2015 Read More »
The makiwara is a cornerstone for the martial artist. Famous Okinawan karate masters used to say that a dojo without a makiwara is not a dojo. Although sometimes misunderstood, the main purpose of makiwara training is not to build calluses on one’s knuckles and “toughen” one’s fists. Rather, the main purpose of makiwara training is
How to Build a Makiwara Read More »
For a martial arts instructor, seeing students in our dojo grow and develop in the martial arts, and improve both as martial artists and as human beings, is one of the most satisfying experiences. Congratulations on the effort you put in, and on earning your new ranks! Ken: High Green Belt — rank of Yonkyu
New Martial Arts Belt Ranks, December 2014 Read More »
We had a great time yesterday celebrating the dojo’s two year anniversary teaching martial arts in San Diego / Carmel Valley. with a special training and a tasty dinner. My thanks to the students. It is YOU who make our dojo a thriving family! It is YOU who are responsible for creating the collaborative and
Carmel Valley Dojo Anniversary Celebration, 2014 Read More »
Many thank to Sensie Louis Jemison, Sensei Paul Billimoria and Sensei Jeff Day for the excellent martial arts camp at Mono Hot Springs in the California Sierra Nevada mountains this weekend! Especially notable were the qigong and standing mediation training, the combative partner work training and the eskrima stick training. It was instrumental to see
Martial Arts Camp at Mono Hot Springs, 2014 Read More »
