The Truth About Killing

This is part one of a ten part series on mans biological response and reticence to kill their fellow human beings.  They interview Lt. Col. Dave Grossman as well as other experts in this field and come up with pretty much the same results - historically 100% of the killing (close quarters) was done by 02% of the soldiers.  Watch the whole series - it will open your eyes about what it takes physically and emotionally to take another life.

On Combat - Lt. Col. David Grossman

We all have influences in our past, and oftentimes the present, that have influenced our mindset and our operational mode.  I have had several and am thankful in so many ways to them all.  From Dr. Masaaki Hatsumi, Guro Dan Inosanto, and Punong Guro Edgar Sulite I experienced a multitude of martial techniques but only one underlying mental/psychological philosophy - train as if your life depended on it.  Their collective insistence on mastering and reexamining the basic techniques and structures of their martial arts has molded my martial skill set over the years.

There is a book that I would think that any serious student of the warrior arts has read (entitled "On Combat" by Lt. Col. David Grossman) and then re-read again and again.  Those of you who know me will see a lot of my martial and personal philosophy reflected in this outstanding book.  If you have read it you should and once you've read it put it down and then read it again six months from now.  It really is that important a book.

BTW - all of Lt. Col. Grossman's books are available on Amazon.com.

Saturday AM Classes - April 2011

We will be having Saturday morning Martial Arts Koncepts classes in April on 04/09/11 and 04/23/11 from 1000 to 1130 AM. Please mark your calendars NOW!

NOTE: don't forget that we are going to be using Lameco arm guards extensively over the next 6-8 weeks so order them now if you do not have your own.

The Four Hour Body by Timothy Ferriss

There are a handful of books in my library that I consider irreplaceable - and this is one of them.  If you haven't read anything by Timothy Ferriss ( his book "The Four Hour Work Week" or his Blog) then you should start with his newest book called "The Four Hour Body".  It contains enough information on weight loss, conditioning and performance enhancement to keep you busy for years to come.

NOTE: pick it up on Amazon or Barnes and Noble for significantly less than it's cover price.  Regardless - it is well worth whatever you pay for it!

BTW - Tim is not only an author but a longtime martial artist as well with training in BJJ, Muay Thai, Kung Fu and other systems.

Anti-Bullying Video by Guro Dan Inosanto

Ron Balicki, Guro Dan's Son-in-law, and his daughter Diana (Lee) Inosanto are both very active in the martial arts as well as in the entertainment industry.  Ron as a stuntman and choreographer and Diana as an actress and director.  The following video, part of an anti-bullying campaign, uses the image and power of Bruce Lee's memory to send a very thoughtful message on bullying.

Using the Focus Mitts

We emphasize in class that you are going to fight (or respond to an attack) in the same manner that you train.  With that in mind it is absolutely imperative that you learn to hold and feed the focus mitts in a way that give both the holder and the hitter effective feedback.  Also, the holder should be presenting a realistic target and offensive platform to deliver strikes from and to receive strikes from the hitter.  Learning to become a good holder takes a long time but develops skills that will carry over into the hitter-role as well.

Following is a video of Chuck Liddell demonstrating focus mitt training with one of his many coaches:

Tight Focus Mitt Skills

Following is a good example of how to hold the focus mitts for boxing skill development.  The holder has good rhythm with the mitts and has a crisp hold to give the hitter feedback on each and every strike.