2021 – 2022

If you think you can or think you can’t, you’re probably right (Henry Ford) March 31, 2022
One of the frustrating things I find in teaching martial arts is when a new student repeatedly says “I can’t” before they have tried something or even after they have tried it. “I can’t” is not an acceptable phrase in YAKMA classes and students are told not to use it. If anyone else said to […]
TECHNIQUE OVERLOAD? February 6, 2022
I remember starting Hapkido and having a great desire to progress as fast as possible. As soon as I had got the basics of a technique, I wanted to know the next one. I wasn’t overly concerned with the finer details or practicing it until it became a reflex action. I had the idea that […]
A JOURNEY TO BLACK BELT March 4, 2017
“Nothing in the world is worth having or worth doing unless it means effort, pain, difficulty… ― Theodore Roosevelt I started my Hapkido journey to black belt with my sons Andrew and Stephen. For 5 years we trained for several nights a week with each lesson lasting for 2 hours. We also attended almost all […]
ARE YOU TOO OLD FOR MARTIAL ARTS? February 26, 2017
Argue for your limitations and sure enough they’re yours (Richard Bach) Have you ever thought? “I wish I’d taken up martial arts when I was younger” Have you ever thought? “It’s too late for me to start now” In my classes I’ve had people in their early 20’s tell me that they wish they’d started […]
MANY WARRIORS ARE INJURED BEFORE THE REAL BATTLE STARTS February 7, 2017
The level of contact in martial arts is a very controversial subject. Is full contact training necessary to learn to fight well under real pressure? Opinions vary but in my opinion if someone is preparing for a competitive fight or may need to fight flat out as part of their job, such as a door […]
WHEN TRAINING THERE IS ONE NATURAL ORDER. BASICS FIRST!! January 31, 2017
Building on firm foundations Many years ago when I trained in Wado Ryu Karate the first half of the lesson was spent repeating the same punches, kicks and blocks. After that it was time to learn a new technique or perhaps spar. Whatever the second half of the lesson held the first section was spent […]
Good Training Partners are Hard to Find. Break Yours and Who Will You Train With? January 29, 2017
Protect Your Training Partner A good training partner can be the difference between a totally enjoyable fruitful lesson and a frustrating possibly painful waste of your training time. I’m sure a lot of us have had the experience of training with a partner who has something to prove. If you are practicing a block for […]
Good Timber Does Not Grow With Ease January 28, 2017
A lot of people quit martial arts because they claim it’s too hard. Martial arts is one of the few things left in life that doesn’t try to become easier. Software designers strive to make their programs easier to use. Car designers constantly make their cars easier to drive. TV designers aim to make their […]
We Do Not Rise to the Level of Our Expectations January 26, 2017
We do not rise to the level of our expectations. We fall to the level of our training.” (Archilochus, Greek Soldier, 650 BC) Most people who’ve been involved in martial arts for any length of time appreciate the need for practice. When we practice a new technique links (neural pathways) are formed in our brains […]