One thing I’ve noticed about this community is that we’ve got a lot of experienced martial artists here. Different systems, different backgrounds, different journeys… and that’s what makes this place valuable. For people who are just starting out, hearing these stories can be really inspiring. Sometimes all it takes is hearing someone else’s path to realise everyone started somewhere. So I’d love to hear from you… How did you get into martial arts? What systems have you trained in? I’ll start 👇 I first became interested after watching The Karate Kid Part II with my dad back in 1986. I was 6 years old and completely hooked. I wanted to start training straight away, but my dad made me wait until I was 7. My journey looked like this: • Shukokai Karate • Boxing • Kickboxing / Thai Boxing • At 22 I started training in the Filipino Martial Arts (Eskrima / Kali / Arnis) And that journey is still continuing today. Now it’s your turn 👊 Drop a comment and let us know: • What got you interested in martial arts? • What systems have you trained in? • How long have you been training? There’s a lot of knowledge in this community, and your story might help someone else take their first step.

How one might get to sparring at home safely, when lacking padded equipment? I really would like to spar with my partner, but the lacking of padding worries her (justified) Any good approach here? Should we just focus on empty-hand? Even then, how to spar safely on empty hand, if not straight up punching each other, but also getting to build feedback, reflexes, attack, defense and counter attack?

Today’s video breaks down a key part of our empty hand system: The Quadrants. We divide the upper body into four sections, and the pad holder feeds a strike into one of those sectors. The striker must: 1️⃣ Cover the strike 2️⃣ Control the line 3️⃣ Counter on the pads At first, this drill can feel a little tricky because you’re learning to read the feed, react correctly, and return a counter in one smooth sequence. But once it starts to click, it becomes a powerful way to develop timing, reactions, and defensive awareness. In the video we:• Demonstrate all four quadrants• Show how the drill works in real time• Explore a few ways to isolate each quadrant so you can train them more easily. Spend some time working each quadrant individually before linking them together. This is a great drill for developing realistic pad work and defensive counters. Let me know in the comments which quadrant feels the most natural to you 👊

This week’s training video is now up in the community. In this lesson I run through 9 fundamental single stick strikes used in Eskrima / Kali / Arnis. I demonstrate each strike from both Open Chamber and Closed Chamber so you can see the differences in structure and delivery. If you’re still getting familiar with the basic strikes, this video should help clarify the mechanics and angles. Training Challenge: Run through the strikes as a quick workout. 🥋 10 reps of each strike 🥋 In Open Chamber 🥋 Then 10 reps in Closed Chamber Take your time, focus on clean mechanics, and build good habits. Let me know in the comments once you've completed it 💪 https://youtu.be/ZyYTEqwt_4E?si=wx8qZv1mHCiSdMNn

Happy Sunday gents, hope you’ve all had a good week. It’s time for our Weekly Wins post. This is where we share something positive from the week—big or small. It could be something in martial arts, training, fitness, or life in general. I’ll kick things off. My win this week is that I’ve been pretty consistent with my extra gym training. Nothing fancy, just showing up and putting the work in. I’m definitely feeling it in the legs and chest though! Another focus for me has been hydration. Because I’m training more, I’ve been trying to hit 64oz of water a day. The downside… I’m pissing like a racehorse 🤦‍♂️ but I suppose that’s the price of staying hydrated. Your turn 👇 What’s been your win this week?