In martial arts training we often touch on the topic of flexibility. Flexibility, or, as I prefer to call it, limberness, allows us to maintain a good range of motion for each joint or joints. When we are limber, our health and quality of life is enhanced. Likewise, loss of flexibility can dispose us to […]
Stretching and Flexibility in Martial Arts: Theory and Techniques Read More »
Many martial artists like to train in both external and internal aspects of their martial art — be it Karate, Tai-Chi, Kuntau-Silat or another martial art — we see them in our San Diego martial arts studio all the time. This is because early in one’s training, it is much faster to observe progress in
Having some fun with choke releases on the ground. This is a common martial arts technique that comes up in self defense situations, and is also a bread-and-butter in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and in Okinawan Karate (as we teach in our dojo in San Diego) Starting with the aggressor in the mount position and choking us,
Obviously, mindfulness is extremely important when fighting for life or death in a self-defense situation. But would you believe that mindfulness can help reduce your stress levels, and make you more successful in business as well as in other areas of your life? As the Economist magazine recently reported, the popularity of mindfulness training in
As we frequently discuss at class at Full Potential Martial Arts, self defense starts much before the moment when we subject to a physically attack. Self defense starts with us being aware and vigilant to what is going on around us, with us reading other people, and with us making sure that we are projecting
Staying calm and relaxed is a key tenant of martial arts. The “Jiu” in Jiu-Jitsu (Jujutsu) literally means gentle, soft, supple and yielding. One can not hope to be soft and yielding unless they are relaxed and calm. Hence, relaxation and keeping a calm mind are a key tenant of many martial arts. At Full
The carotid slap / strike is a great self defense technique, which is very useful in self-defense and close range situations. When executed correctly, the so-called “Okinawan slap“, “carotid strike” or “carotid slap” will cause the assailant a sudden loss of oxygen to the brain, followed by the fainting and collapse. This self-defense technique aims
In martial arts training, bags are a very helpful aid. Heavy bags, focus mitts, targets and shields assist students in developing the body dynamics required for maximum striking power generation. Maximum power is generated when the martial artist utilizes his or her body’s large muscles — the legs and the core — rather than relying
“Man of Tai Chi” is a 2013 martial arts film directed by Keanu Reeves, and starring Tiger Chen and Keanu Reeves. In the West it is common to think of Tai Chi as a martial art that is performed slowly, and usually solo. Tai Chi is in fact a devastatingly effective martial art. “Man of
October 2013: Shorin-Ryu Karate Martial Arts Class taught by Sensei Jeff Day Another sincere thank you to Sensei Jeff Day who shared his deep knowledge of Shorin-Ryu and other karate and martial arts styles with Full Potential Martial Arts students on October 3, 2013. We worked on applications from the karate kata (form) Naihanchi. This
