Slightly contradicting a popular paradigm of self-discipline, I am offering a different idea of what it means to be disciplined, or more so, to practice discipline. Mistakenly we often look at people as either disciplined or not, “He is a disciplined person!” However, it’s not something you were born with; it is not a genetic…
Category: Evolution X Martial Arts Articles

Four Hard Truths about Martial Arts
Nothing is guaranteed (and you’re not invincible). I’m often asked, “What will always work in a fight?” The truth is that nothing is ever guaranteed to work. A black belt does not guarantee someone to win a fight. What’s more dangerous than not knowing how to defend yourself is the false confidence of thinking that…

Be Unconquerable
We are living in unprecedented times with a pandemic that is affecting all of our lives, some much more severely than others. A line from Sun Tzu’s The Art of War that always stuck with me: “Being unconquerable lies with yourself”. The Art of War goes beyond warfare in that its principles can be applied…
Don't Just Make a Resolution, Make a Commitment. And Here Is How...
It’s almost the new year and people will be trying to think of New Year’s resolutions. My tip to you: DON’T! Don’t waste your time with empty resolutions and false promises to yourself. Instead, make a commitment! Make a commitment to better yourself in some way. That could be healthier eating, starting an exercise routine, taking care…

Building Detail-Oriented Habits
How does standing in a ready stance lead to academic success? People do not always understand the benefits of structured rituals in martial arts class. Why do students need to stand in a ready stance? Why do students need to put their shoes with heels to the mat? Why do teachers demand students sit a…
Making it Stick
Martial arts schools are going to adopt different means of training and motivation. Much of how martial arts is taught Punishment vs Stimulus Self Exploration Deliberate Practice Lecture v/s Quizing Mindfulness of Emotions Immediate feedback Micro Training Be Slow to be Fast Draw analogies Patience and empathy Make it real. You’re already there. Trick the…

Growth Through Challange and Adversity
Martial arts practice will allow you to deal with a spectrum of emotions. I love every chance I get to practice …if you couldn’t already tell. However, it’s also very challenging and full of difficult moments, both emotionally and physically. When I hear someone say, “it is hard,” I usually reply with something along the…

"I don't wanna go!"
Parents, We’ve all been there. You enroll your child into a new activity and eventually they’re going to say something along the lines of “I don’t want to go.” How do we handle that as parents? Every parent will have their own answer, but it’s something we have to consider when signing kids up for…
Why Kick High – When You Can Kick Low?
As I was watching my oldest daughter’s swim practice tonight, I saw two boys, maybe 11-12, show of their karate skills off in the corner of the pool grounds; just a little mock fight. Every kick they threw aimed for the head. I’ve only been training for about 10 years. But the older and more…