Have you noticed how difficult it can be at times to maintain your focus and attention while training? Your thoughts wander and you seem to have no control over them. Well it turns out there is an actual battle going on in your head for your attention. The primary criterion our minds use to decide […]
Archive | Warrior Philosophy
Verbal Taijutsu – Water
As I mentioned last month a number of people have asked me to cite applications of our martial arts system to activities in daily life. I very much enjoy these questions. Our art is so rich. For example, I know of a currently popular martial art that stresses the strategy – dominate, dominate, dominate; it […]
Unleash Your Potential…Energy
Let’s go geek and talk about energy. Now I’m not talking about blue lightening coming out of my fingers (although that would be cool) or new age, can you feel the energy all around us type thing, I’m talking science. Kinetic energy and potential energy. Now before we get started the reason I’m doing this […]
Verbal Taijutsu
Recently I have had a number of students ask me how we apply our martial art outside the dojo to everyday life. Well, that is a huge question that could be answered by way of a book. This is, in fact, a life art. The training, given time and proper guidance, will work its way […]
Fit To Fight?
I want to talk about the current craze that you have to be stronger to be a good fighter. Let’s get right to the point it’s not true. Anyone who has seen Mrs. Hayes throw me around like a toy should know this. Mrs. Hayes is incredibly fit and healthy and strong for her size […]
Tai Sabaki First
Do your best to pay attention to how your footwork and body positioning are keeping you safe and placing you in a position of advantage.
Get Angry to Get Focused
Do not get mad at conditions in your life. That is pointless. What a waste of time and energy. Get mad about your reluctance to do something about those conditions. If you are not just a little bit angry about your condition — the shape you are in, the way you look, how you fit […]
Strength and Compassion
Back in the 1990s a timid, thin, young math teacher walked into the Boston Martial Arts Center and began training with us. Many doubted he would last but he not only lasted he earned a black belt from my teacher Mark Davis. His transformation from fear to confindence and capability was one of greatest changes […]
What’s the rush?
Festival 2018 is coming (very excited) and everyone is getting ready for testing. I had a number of conversations recently about testing and I have to ask: What is the rush? At this point I had planned to discuss some of the issues about the differences between when you started training and how much actual […]
Fire Preemptive Attack
In a third possibility, Hi no Kata fire element dynamics are the energy of committed intensity and focus. You learn to recognize a problem as it builds. You intercept at just the right moment. Theme – Clinging becomes desire which leads to energy The fire influence shows up as the magnetic power of energy, artistry, […]
Are You Serious?
What does it mean to be serious about your training? Does it mean you are always straight faced at the dojo? Does it mean you are very formal? Does it mean you are very regimented and organized? For me, it means something else. This past weekend I got to teach at a wonderful training camp […]
Mistakes as Teachers
“Really screwed that up,” said my student as he rubbed his jaw. “I hate it when I make mistakes,” he continued. I said, “yeah, don’t we all. Do it again,” I said. His partner attacked and he angled perfectly and avoided getting hit. “That’s it,” I exclaimed, “perfect.” “Now, let me ask you a question. […]
Water Tactical Positioning
Let’s continue our review the five elements that form the base for To-Shin Do training from the inside out. In this issue of Ninja Now, we”ll look at the water element. Theme – Knowledge leads to power Sui no Kata water element dynamics are the tactics of power and knowledge, self-discovery, strategy, and individuality. This […]
An-shu Rumiko
At the beginning of this month we had the honor of hosting An-shu Rumiko Hayes for her first ever, solo seminar. Sixty people from around the country and Canada traveled to New Hampshire to take part in this historic event. None left disappointed, the seminar was amazing. An-shu Rumiko covered many topics and ideas on […]
Earth Ground Holding
Let’s review the five elements that form the base for To-Shin Do training from the inside out. In this issue of Ninja Now, we’ll look at the earth element. The ground-holding power-exertion of the earth element shows up as the opposite of the free-moving evasive wind element, which will be described later From the earth […]