Ego is the single most consistent obstacle to martial arts development. This observation isn’t new — it appears in classical Japanese and Chinese martial writing with consistent emphasis — but it’s worth examining concretely, because the ways ego interferes with…
The debate between sport martial arts and street applicability is one of the oldest arguments in the martial arts world and also one of the least productive. Both sides overstate their case. Sport martial artists sometimes dismiss concerns about real-world…
Solo training has real limitations, and no amount of solo work substitutes for training with a partner. That said, significant development is possible outside the school, and practitioners who supplement their mat time with structured solo training improve faster than…
Pressure points occupy a peculiar space in martial arts: they are simultaneously a legitimate subject of anatomical study and a refuge for instructors who teach techniques that can’t be tested. Understanding what is real about pressure point work — and…
There are more martial arts schools than ever, and most of them will take your money without delivering what they imply they’re offering. Finding a school that’s actually good — that will make you a competent practitioner of something real…
Women train in martial arts for different reasons than men — often, but not always. Self-defense is a more prominent consideration. Physical size and strength differences are a genuine factor. And the training environment matters in ways that a male…
The gap between what looks good in practice and what works in real conditions is one of the most important — and least discussed — problems in martial arts training. Techniques that are drilled cooperatively against compliant partners look clean…
Every technique in any striking or grappling art has a range at which it works and ranges at which it doesn’t. A kick works at kick range. A punch works at punch range. A clinch throw works when you’re too…
The punch is the most commonly used technique in a real confrontation. It’s also the technique most people practice incorrectly for years without understanding why their punches lack the power and accuracy they’d need to matter. The problem isn’t effort.…
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is the most developed ground fighting system available to civilian practitioners. A serious BJJ student who trains consistently for three to four years develops genuine ground fighting capability that transfers well to self-defense contexts. This is not in…
