@Brandon Stebbins thanks!

@Courtney Stevens thanks!

A few years back, I learned how to build a tetsutaba. I still break it out now and again, but it’s not a regular item in my training, and definitely not something I’ve shared with my students. Truth be told, even with pads and a century XXL bag, there’s a certain element of conditioning that naturally happens with the right instruction. Many of the super old hojo undo are relatively needless in today’s environment. All the nerdy nerds like me like them, though.

@Eric Miller the demos where they break 2x4s over the tips of their toes blew my mind when I first saw them. CrAzY old school conditioning. And they just go on with their day! 😅

I used to sprint down the hallway and home and flying kick the door at the end. I blame Chuck Norris. My parents decided in order to save the door, they should put me in Karate to refocus that inclination. The door survived, and 35 years later, I’m teaching kids not to flying kick doors…

I think it needs to be present, but not overwhelming or overshadowing. If people need a personal trainer, they should get one. But, as there is a certain level of performance needed, the door should be opened by the instructor, as well. Warm Ups are a part of class, if only for safety (the body has to be warm and limber). And stress inoculation along with pressure testing needs to help solidify techniques and tactics. Otherwise they won’t help the student in a dangerous situation.

I grew up in a fairly “old school” dojo. As a kid, I loved the Mental Toughness aspect of Martial Arts. I was very competitive and loved focusing on goals and training to meet them. But, we were more or less expected to figure out the mental side as we met the physical demands. As I’ve grown, it was the family and community I found in the school. As I’ve become a full time instructor, it’s been fascinating to see how the “art of teaching” has shifted with the requirement of society. I enjoy getting to connect the “what” with the “why,” particularly with children. Instead of expecting them to inherently glean the mental benefits, I explain the strategies of how we learn and practice them along with the physical. It’s wonderful to watch them grow into it.