DISTRACTIONS and SOLO TRAINING

I hate to admit it, but I have been lax this week, not training. Even my training partner Bob is relaxing, sharing a beer with me. He is a bad influence, but he had Celebrator and it’s one of my favorites, so I cannot deny him a shared round. And my shoulder is injured; hasn’tContinue reading “DISTRACTIONS and SOLO TRAINING”

BROKEN RHYTHM

Another missed Saturday in Covid-mandated isolation. Another opportunity to cross-train solo skills. If you don’t already own one – a simple speed bag set up is a good investment. A free-standing unit is an inexpensive and portable way to start. With the bag, start with a standard rhythm to get a pattern and response fromContinue reading “BROKEN RHYTHM”

ZANSHIN AS THE PRESENTATION OF SELF

Zanshin 残心 is the relaxed state of awareness visibly displayed by the practitioner’s posture at the end of the technique. Often instructors hide behind foreign lexicon to slather a mystic veneer on the martial arts. I am a pragmatic American and for me the terms need a better explanation and translation. I crib the title fromContinue reading “ZANSHIN AS THE PRESENTATION OF SELF”