Category: Martial Arts

3 Reasons Why You Should Learn More Than One Martial Art

Any martial artist should have experience in more than one style. Last week, I attended a combat hapkido seminar led by Mr. Donald Moore. I have no formal training in combat hapkido, so I was apprehensive about making the hour-and-45-minute trip to Moline. However, as I found out during the course of the four-hour seminar,… Continue reading 3 Reasons Why You Should Learn More Than One Martial Art

Scaling Force: A Review of Rory Miller and Lawrence A. Kane’s Book on How to Choose the Right Response Level

It’s not often I read a book twice within six months. But that’s exactly what I did with the latest book from Rory Miller and Lawrence A. Kane. Scaling Force: Dynamic Decision Making Under Threat of Violence is essential for anybody who studies self-defense. As a karateka, most of my time is spent working strikes, locks,… Continue reading Scaling Force: A Review of Rory Miller and Lawrence A. Kane’s Book on How to Choose the Right Response Level

A Day at the AKA Grand Nationals

I competed yesterday at the AKA Grand Nationals, the longest-running martial arts tournament in the U.S., in Chicago. I placed first after performing Kanku Sho in a division of two, the non-NASKA men’s 18-29 Japanese/Okinawan forms. The NASKA division had 13 competitors. Not being a registered member of the NASKA circuit and never having looked seriously… Continue reading A Day at the AKA Grand Nationals

Taekwondo Grappling Techniques: An Eye-Opening Read

Over the past couple months, and for the past several summers, I have been working with my karate instructor either individually or in small groups to decode some of our karate forms in order to find their hidden applications. Our katas, he says, are our libraries of knowledge. Only recently has it dawned on me… Continue reading Taekwondo Grappling Techniques: An Eye-Opening Read