Objective measures can be compelling. They’re easy to inspect and they can allow you to see progress in a way you can graph. However, often people choose the wrong goals to measure and this has a detrimental effect on their development. For example, when a student gets focused on winning or “getting hits”, a few negative outcomes typically occur: They Read More …
A few weeks ago I delivered a talk at TEDx EastVan. The talk focused on something I am passionate about: inspiring others to pursue and master movement. In the talk I delve into why I believe it’s vital to pursue the path of mastery — that it is both vulnerable and empowering. In fact, it is the journey through our Read More …
This past week during my polearms class one of my students, who is hard of hearing, asked me to put on a wireless microphone (worn as a necklace). This microphone connects to a receiver in his hearing aids that allows him to hear me more clearly regardless of where I am in class, which way I’m facing, and whether he’s Read More …
The path to mastery is as little as 25% technical, and 75% psychological. Not to diminish what it takes to learn and apply a martial art physically, but I have met very few students that I didn’t feel were physically capable, with sufficient practice, of mastering their arts. The real barriers to long-term mastery are inside. It is perhaps only through Read More …
One thing I’ve noticed among my Vancouver-based foreign friends is that so many of them have good, workable, English, but not great English. Many of these people have been speaking English for more than 20 years, they’ve put in tons of hours of practice, yet they’re not getting any better — one friend told me that he feels that he’s Read More …
A couple of weeks ago I wrote a piece called Three Things You Should be Saying to Your Martial Arts Students, where I encouraged teachers to reinforce for their students that practice matters more than talent. I received a lot of great feedback and got into some great discussions. The piece was even translated into French and posted here. For today’s article, I wanted Read More …
Tricks and secret techniques have been a part of sword fighting since the beginning. From masters who advertised their “botte segrete” to teach for a special price, to those who ever only taught the one or two techniques they felt would get you out of a tight corner. Even more expansive writers such as Ridolfo Capo Ferro and Angelo Viggiani Read More …
Everyone has their own pace of learning. However, there are many strategies that can both help you to make the most of your capacity as well as enable you to learn faster and more effectively. Here are a few useful ideas: Fundamentals First Every advanced technique is made up of fundamental ones. Many students limit their growth by trying to get Read More …
With one instructor intensive behind me and another coming in February, I’ve been thinking a lot about what it takes to be a great instructor. There are many false roads along this path and I’ve certainly had my share of internal struggles. I thought I’d share a few pieces of advice that I have found valuable. Also for those interested in Read More …
Last night (Wednesday at the time of writing this) I conducted two Green Cord examinations. These are concluding exams at the end of our introductory course. The students were suitably nervous at the outset and did not seem very reassured by my comment that this first level examination is focused on language and familiarity with foundational techniques, not a high Read More …