Category Archives: Concepts

“Because You’re Worth It!” Or are you? Rank inflation in the martial arts.

Posted on Friday, 4 May, 2012 by

Rank inflation in the arts is something any long-time practitioner will have witnessed more than once in their time, and there can be many different drivers that cause it to occur. I had to deal with this issue – hopefully … Continue reading →

Posted in Concepts, Culture Clash, History, Learning, Martial arts, Martial Arts Training, Prof. Wally Jay, Psychology, Teaching, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Cult of the Guru – Type A Personalities and the Martial Arts

Posted on Wednesday, 2 May, 2012 by

I’ve been thinking about this topic a great deal lately; my friend, and one of my most valued mentors, Wally Jay passed away at this time last year, and in a month or so I shall be flying off to … Continue reading →

Posted in Concepts, Culture Clash, Martial Arts Training, Prof. Wally Jay, Teaching, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Questions, Questions…

Posted on Saturday, 24 September, 2011 by

Years ago my wife (who was my senior student then as now, but not my wife or even girlfriend at the time) and I had a dojo at St. Mary’s Medical School in Paddington in London.  We had a lot … Continue reading →

Posted in Classes, Concepts, Learning, Martial arts, Martial Arts Training, Principles of training, Psychology, Teaching, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , ,

Mindset – our flexible friend

Posted on Friday, 23 September, 2011 by

Anything sophisticated enough to be called a martial art uses psychology in a multiplicity of ways.  A generalised understanding of the psychology of stress and aggression (nearly the same thing, though mostly they simply overlap) is obviously useful.  This can … Continue reading →

Posted in Concepts, Martial arts, Martial Arts Training, Principles of training, Psychology, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Principle-Driven Arts…from Concept to Practice

Posted on Wednesday, 21 September, 2011 by

I have been fortunate to gain teaching ranks in a wide variety of martial arts, but I have passed on that material, and my own, in a way that few of my teachers would have recognised.  Having cross-trained – though … Continue reading →

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Commonality And Uniqueness in Systems and Styles

Posted on Friday, 9 September, 2011 by

The following is an extract from a chapter of my forthcoming book – “Form & Function” .  I’ll be publishing other extracts over the coming months; I hope you enjoy it, and find it informative. Most martial artists see their system … Continue reading →

Posted in Concepts, Filipino Martial Arts, Martial arts, Mechanics, Principles of training, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , ,

Faith and Belief in the Martial Arts

Posted on Friday, 8 April, 2011 by

Faith – whether in a particular religion, art or teacher – in the martial arts is a problematic concept. I remember some years ago, one of my students asking me, “How can you train in so many different arts from … Continue reading →

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The Cutting Edge of Kalis Ilustrisimo – Part 2

Posted on Wednesday, 23 February, 2011 by

Grandmaster Tony Diego often teases Shamim Haque with typically relaxed good humour, “Go home, you know it already, no need to train anymore!”  But Shamim insists he has only scratched the surface of what the art, and Master Tony, have … Continue reading →

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Attributes – Do you have what it takes?

Posted on Wednesday, 16 February, 2011 by

AttributesTraining in the Martial Arts During my life in the martial arts I have been aware of a number of long-running debates.  One of these is the question usually phrased as “What is the best martial art?” to which I … Continue reading →

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The Cutting Edge – Kalis Ilustrisimo – Part 1

Posted on Friday, 11 February, 2011 by

The Cutting Edge Martial Art of Kalis Ilustrisimo – Part 1 Introduction A small, slightly built young Asian man stands in front of his training partner, each of them with the characteristic square on stance and the threatening high guard … Continue reading →

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