Managing Fear - - Chief Instructor's Blog January 2025

Fear is not a bad thing, but it must be managed.  

In the outside world, if you notice yourself feeling fear, this can be useful.  Your intuition maybe telling you that you are in a bad situation.  If you sense fear, you should listen to your intuition.  However, you must manage that fear in order to perform effective techniques with control.

Even in class, you may have experienced fear.  Maybe you have been fearful of getting hurt in self-defense or sparring.  Maybe you have been fearful of failing or not being able to learn a new technique or form.  Maybe you have been fearful what the instructor or other students are thinking of how you are performing. 

There are several techniques you can use to manage fear.

First off, you have to be exposed to situations that invoke fear and challenge your comfort zone.  If you just shy away from every situation when you feel fear, you will not be able to manage it when you need to.  So, for example, spar against those you think are more skilled, learn new techniques you are uncomfortable with, and demonstrate new techniques in front of the other students.

Also, acknowledge what you are feeling.  It is okay to feel fear and know that it can be normal when you are in an uncomfortable situation or learning new techniques.  And even talk to your instructor about it, if you feel comfortable doing so to get the support you need to cope with it at that time.

Make sure you are breathing those deep, slow, belly breaths.  As stated in class and written in other blogs, deep belly breaths help you slow down your heart rate, It also provides more oxygen to your body resulting in clearer thoughts and actions, muscles having the oxygen they need to perform, more endurance to last during the altercation, and the energy flow that accompanies breathing to make your techniques more effective.  For more information on deep breathing, please read the December 2016 blog, “Deep Breathing…Could Be A Life Saver.”

Use visualization especially before starting a sparring match or self-defense imagining yourself performing the techniques effectively.

Stay present and take it one class, one drill, one technique at a time.  Part of the learning process is trying new things, where sometimes things work well, and sometimes they do not. 

By facing your fears and managing the emotion, you can take action in a controlled, effective manner.  In a real altercation, this can be the difference of walking away with minimal to no injury or not. 

Regards,

Kelly

"To understand your fear is the beginning of really seeing." ~ Bruce Lee, (1940 –1973) American-born Chinese Hong Kong martial artist, actor, and founder of Jeet Kune Do

References:

1. https://www.martialdevotee.com/articles/overcoming-the-fear-of-combat, retrieved 12/27/2024

2. Fear and Anxiety in Martial Arts – Why It’s Normal and How to Conquer It | Utopia, retrieved 12/27/2024

3. Fearless Warriors: Exploring the Psychology of Fear in Martial Arts, retrieved 12/27/2024

How to Improve Your Body Awareness - - Chief Instructor's Blog December 2024

 

Very acute body awareness will help you immensely in your martial arts training.  An instructor can tell you that you are out of physical alignment or not performing the motion correctly, but if you cannot feel the difference, it will take much longer to master the techniques.

Body awareness is your ability to “feel and know” the movement, action, and location of where your limbs are in space without using sensory organs (i.e., sight, sound, touch). 

Examples of body awareness includes knowing if your feet are parallel in horse stance without looking at your feet, feeling the difference between a swing kick and a piston action from kick, and feeling a locked leg versus unlocked in turnaway kick.

So, how can you improve your body awareness? 

1. Understand the why behind the movement.  Especially if you are an experiential learner, examining and understanding the why behind the movement and the muscles that are required can help you improve your body awareness.

2. Ensure you understand verbal cues.  Especially if you are an audible learner, if you do not understand the verbal cues, ask questions (in or after class depending on what is more appropriate), or take time after class to do research.

3. Visualize performing the techniques correctly.  Going through the movements and walking through visually all the details to perform techniques properly can improve body awareness.

4. Use mirrors.  Especially if you are a visual learner, use the mirrors to see what instructors are seeing.

5. Practice slowly and mindfully.  When you go slowly and with focused attention on the minute details and how it feels when performed correctly, it will improve your body awareness. 

6. Scan your body as you go through techniques to improve that connection between the mind and the physical body.

• If a complete scan of your body is too much at first, break it up so you just focus on one item at a time.  For example, when going through low block in attack stance, maybe you just scan your body to ensure a locked leg at first.  Then focus on your ”prep” being at the center of your sternum and then focus on your fist stopping above the knee.

7. Practice balance.  When practicing balance, such as standing on one leg, in order to stay upright you will need to fine tune your alignment and learn to adjust your body.  This sensory feedback can improve body awareness.

8. Use resistance bands. The use of resistance bands can provide physical feedback if in alignment or not and allows you to feel the difference.  When you physically feel when a technique is performed correctly, then you will improve your body awareness.

9. Strike hard targets (e.g., bags, shields, etc.).  Similar to the resistance bands, striking hard targets can provide instant feedback if not in alignment or performing techniques properly.

Improving your body awareness will not only help you improve your techniques, self-defense, sparring, etc. but can also prevent injuries.  Even if you think you have very good body awareness, I encourage you to include some or all of the above in your training to continually refine your body awareness.

 

Regards,

Kelly

 

"You may train for a long time, but if you merely move your hands and feet and jump up and down like a puppet, learning karate is not very different from learning a dance. You will never have reached the heart of the matter; you will have failed to grasp the quintessence of karate-do." ~  Gichin Funakoshi (1868-1957), founder of Shotokan Karate

 

References:

1.      https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/proprioception, retrieved 11/29/2024

2.      https://health.howstuffworks.com/human-body/systems/nervous-system/proprioception.htm, retrieved 11/29/2024

3.      https://www.empoweryourwellness.online/improve-your-body-awareness-for-injury-prevention/, retrieved 11/29/2024

How To Improve Your Sparring --- Chief Instructor's Blog November 2024

 

Han Moo Kwan is only to be used to protect yourself when no other means to end a conflict exists.  If you have to protect yourself, it will be very dynamic in nature.  Sparring is a means of practicing in a dynamic situation and therefore, being better prepared for such a conflict. 

In the beginning, sparring may feel awkward and you may not feel very effective.  So, how can you improve your sparring skills?

 

1.      Improve your basics

Sparring is using combinations of your basics effectively.  So, if want to improve sparring, continue to work on your basics, such that you can move from technique to technique from any stance comfortably. 

 

2.      Improve your speed

Improving speed includes not just performing techniques faster, but improving your reaction time.  Also, to improve speed practice so that all your techniques are linear.  Linear techniques by nature are faster to get from point A to point B.  And it also includes eliminating any extra, unnecessary movements.

 

3.      Improve your timing/perception

You may think that if you improve your speed, it will improve your timing. Yes, and no.  If you’re faster than your opponent, you may be able to get a strike in more easily, but timing is also seeing the opening and then executing.  Effective sparring is not blasting rapid firing and hoping a strike lands.  Effectively sparring is throwing and landing each strike which means seeing an opening and hitting your target each time. 

 

4.      Spar different partners

Ever person spars differently and has different strengths.  By sparring against different people, you will learn how to defend yourself in a variety of situations and will learn to adapt. 

 

5.      Perform techniques to do damage / be disruptive

This is a bit trickier since we want folks to be able to practice and return to class.  I used to work with a gentleman who used to tell me that in his Karate Club if someone did not end up with a broken nose that night it was not a good spar night.  While I can appreciate that this intensity is valuable, not being able to train 3 out of 4 weeks a month if injured does not help as well.  So, you need to practice to do damage just shy of the point of injury, and at least be disruptive or having the intention to be disruptive.  If you are blocking and it does not change the trajectory of the opponent’s technique, then it is not disruptive. Review the blog, Training The Mind Through Attitude/Intent from October 2017 for more details on ways to train for intent.

 

6.      Control your emotions

If you are fearful, you will fight defensively and be overpowered more easily.  If you are overly aggressive, you can easily be taken advantage of because your energy or force will take you off-balance.  If you are angry, you will overextend yourself and again, that can lead to be taken advantage of easily.  If you are thinking negatively, you will also be ineffective.  To be effective, you should have no emotion and want to practice in a state of mushin, See Free the Mind – Be Like Water blog from November 2010.

 

7.      Improve your breathing

As mentioned in a couple previous blogs, the latest being Deep Breathing…Could Be A Life Saver from December 2016), deeper breathing in high pressure situations will help kick in the parasympathetic nervous system to slow down your heart rate and breathing, allowing yourself to provide more oxygen to your body resulting in clear thoughts and actions, muscles having the oxygen they need to perform, more endurance to last during the altercation, and the energy flow that accompanies breathing to make your techniques more effective.

 

8.      Stay focused

When you are focused and not distracted you will be more effective at sparring.  Stay present to the task at hand – nothing else should matter when sparring.  We live in a society where staying focused is harder and harder, but your life may depend on it.  Review the blog Training The Mind by Staying Focused from September 2017 for more details on ways to train to stay focused.

It is easy to think you are effective when practicing by yourself or against air.  The real test is when you practice with an opponent.  The more you can practice in a dynamic situation with partners, the more effective you will be.

 

Regards,

Kelly

“One whose spirit and mental strength have been strengthened by sparring with a never-say-die attitude should find no challenge too great to handle. One who has undergone long years of physical pain and mental agony to learn one punch, one kick, should be able to face any task, no matter how difficult, and carry it through to the end. A person like this can truly be said to have learned karate.”  ~  Gichin Funakoshi (1868-1957), founder of Shotokan Karate

How Martial Arts Supports Brain Function --- Chief Instructor's Blog October 2024

 

Practicing martial arts can actually support and even boost our brain function.  The physical techniques we practice on a regular basis helped integrate the right and left hemispheres of our brain.  “The cooperation between our two brain hemispheres is essential for us to learn better, function more intelligently, and become proficient in anything.” [Ref. 1]

I will describe the various movements that forces both hemispheres of the brain to communicate which increases the use of those neural pathways which in turn improves our brain functions.  And note that some of the examples I list below could be in several categories.

1.      Cross-lateral Movements

Cross-lateral movements are working both sides of the body at the same time with alternating patterns.  Basic techniques in attack stance and side medium block are examples of cross-lateral movement.

2.      Crossing mid-line

Crossing the midline is any movement where a part of your body (i.e., hands, feet, arm, leg, etc.) crosses the mid-line of the body.  Basic cat stance, high block, low block, double knife hands across the body, augmented medium block, extended knife hand, hook punch, downward or upward ‘X’ block, crescent kick across the body, cross block are all examples of techniques we practice that cross the mid-line.  In fact, if you analyze Mepojan One, almost every technique crosses the mid-line.

3.      Asymmetrical or mismatched movements

Asymmetrical movements are when your limbs perform different movements at the same time.  “This could be the legs, or arms, or three limbs, or four limbs simultaneously moving differently in shape, motion and pace to the other.” [Ref. 2] Examples of this are combination medium block/ high block to side of the head, combination low block/medium block, knife hand high block/ knife hand strike, combination outward hammer fist / hook punch to name just a few.

4.      Variations

When combining something familiar with something not as familiar we are forcing the connection.  “The left brain is better with familiar movements, but the right brain is better with new things, so by combining familiar and new you are encouraging your hemispheres to cooperate.” [Ref. 1].  Mirroring hyung, different stances with different upper body techniques that are not the basics, altering the hyung with different combinations are all examples of variations.

Therefore, the more we practice martial arts, the more we are increasing the communication across our brain hemispheres which will improve our brain function.  “This increased communication has been linked to improvements in a wide range of cognitive functions, including memory, attention, and creativity.” [Ref. 3]

Regards,

Kelly

“Learning a technique is not the end in itself, it merely indicates where you need to start.” ~ Masaaki Hatsumi (1931 – present), founder of the Bujinkan Organization

 

References:

1.      https://sequencewiz.org/2014/08/13/integrating-right-and-left-brain/, accessed 9/2/12024

2.      Cross Lateral Movements in Tai Chi and Qigong Practice (earthbalance-taichi.com), accessed 9/21/24

3.      Cross-Lateral Exercises: The Science Behind their Brain Boosting Benefits (wyllowfranklin.ca), accessed 9/21/24

Importance of Practicing Non-Dominant Side --- Chief Instructor's Blog September 2024

 

If you have to use your skills to defend yourself, you should and most likely will use your dominant side. 

So why is it important to train our non-dominant side?

First off, your dominant side may be injured or get injured when trying to defend yourself so it is important you have all your weapons effective and ready to use.

Another benefit is when training the non-dominant side, we usually have to slow down and think more about the movements, alignment, and therefore we are more likely to perform them correctly, engage the muscles more effectively, etc.

As you probably know, the human brain is divided into two parts: the left side of the brain controls the right side of the body and the right brain controls the left side of the body. “According to the left-brain, right-brain dominance theory, the left side of the brain is considered to be adept at tasks that are considered logical, rational, and calculating. By contrast, the right side of the brain is best at artistic, creative, and spontaneous tasks.” [Ref. 1]

I will approach this from a right-hand dominant perspective since “Almost 85% to 90% of humans are right-handed.” [Ref. 2]

So, a benefit to training your body’s left side is that you invoke more creativity and imagination – this is in of itself an important attribute to your training.  Through imagination and creativity, you can determine more possible applications, more training techniques, etc.  In addition, the right side of the brain invokes more of your intuition which is another aspect that can be critical in self-defense and sparring – just “knowing” what technique feels right or just “knowing” someone is a threat based on your intuition and trusting that intuition can save your life.

So, while working out, consider on some days practicing 10—20 % more on your non-dominant side, and perform hyung mirrored (if right hand dominant, since most hyung are right side dominant).

And outside of class consider doing routine things with your non-dominant hand (some examples: such as brushing your teeth, using your mouse, tying your shoes, eating, buttering your toast, etc.).

While it may feel very awkward and uncomfortable, especially at first, I encourage you for the next 30 days to spend more time training your non-dominant side and seeing what differences it makes for you.

 

Regards,

Kelly

"The only way to improve in martial arts is to consistently push yourself out of your comfort zone." ~ Unknown

References:

1.      1. https://www.simplypsychology.org/left-brain-vs-right-brain.html, accessed 8/24/2024

2.     2.  Why Do We Have Dominant Hands? Exploring the Theories of Handedness in Humans | Science Times, accessed 8/24/24

Knowledge and Experience of the Art Form

 

As you move up in rank in martial arts, the more knowledge and experience of the art form you are expected to obtain and demonstrate.

You will continue to learn during classes from listening and learning from what the instructor says and does, and emulating it.  

However, your learning will be limited if these are the only times you are studying or learning about martial arts and self-defense.

You can and will also learn from watching other students. You can learn from demonstrating and explaining techniques, concepts, and ideas to others.

You can learn from the masters like Bruce Lee, Gichin Funokoshi, Ueshiba Morihei by studying videos of them, reading about them or reading books published by them.

You can learn from other martial arts instructors teaching a similar art form (whether taking classes or reading their books, blogs, podcasts or watching their videos).

You can learn by watching videos of street attacks and studying what works and what does not.  And while you can study fight scenes in movies as well, most of the attacks or moves are not very realistic so keep that in mind.

However, where you are really going to learn more is from yourself – through your own self-training.  By studying yourself and knowing yourself.  This includes, but not limited to:  what techniques you need to spend more time on, where you need to practice more; experimenting with applications and movement to learn how to best perform the techniques and when they are more effective for you; and understanding how and why you react to certain perceived threats.

I have learned a significant amount about the art form from my instructors and am very grateful for the knowledge they passed on to me.  I have learned a great deal by studying masters and like-minded martial artists.  However, I have learned as much, if not more, by spending time exploring and studying the movements, applications and energy and then experimenting with a partner to explore and understand why techniques are effective and how to make them more effective for me. 

Just being told the what, the why and how can provide you knowledge, but will not provide you the experience or wisdom necessary to master the art form and reach higher level ranks.  That you must gain through your own self-discovery.   As you move up in rank, expect instructors to spend less time just giving you answers.  They expect you to come to them with what you have discovered and experienced yourself to get clarification.

Take it from me, the journey is worth it.

Regards,

Kelly

“The instructor can only impart a small portion of the teaching. Only through ceaseless training can you obtain the necessary experience allowing you to bring these mysteries alive. Hence, do not chase after many techniques – one by one make each technique your own.” ~  Morihei Ueshiba (1883-1969), founder of Aikido

Benefits of a Positive Mindset --- Chief Instructor's Blog July 2024

The power of the mind is incredible.  Our minds can be even more powerful than the physical body. 

A strong physical body and negative mindset = weak outcome

A positive mindset and limited physical body = stronger physical body

A positive mindset and strong physical body = unstoppable physical body

This concept has been studied and expanded upon for decades. It started with Applied Kinesiology (AK).

AK, also known as ‘muscle testing’ or ‘biomechanics’, is a well-documented method to diagnose anything, from illness to food intolerances. This was invented by George J. Goodheart, a chiropractor, in 1964, when he realized that beneficial stimuli increase the strength of certain indicator muscles, while harmful stimulation causes the same muscles to weaken suddenly. The method is currently used by both medical doctors and alternative practitioners around the world. 

Dr. John Diamond took the research to a new level when he started to test muscle response to intellectual and emotional stimuli. He tested everything, from music to speeches and images, obtaining consistent results, indicating that certain intellectual and emotional stimuli strengthen or weaken the indicator muscle. His findings are described in detail in his book The Body Doesn’t Lie.  

 We have proven this to ourselves in class with the unbendable arm energy technique when we use different mindsets while practicing it. We have proven to ourselves that we have a difference in muscle response when we are thinking “I Can’t Keep an Unbendable Arm”, compared to “I Will Try to Keep an Unbendable Arm”, compared to “I Will Keep an Unbendable Arm”, and then compared to “The arm is steel”.

This is not to say one should be arrogant.  Arrogance can get you killed.   This is simply to state a fact that negative thoughts can impact your ability to perform techniques effectively.  Being positive and confident can make a significant difference.

Stay positive and keep practicing.

 

Regards,

Kelly

Keep your mind away from negative thoughts. Your negative thoughts are like weeds that will strangle your confidence completely.” ~ Bruce Lee (1940 –1973) American-born Chinese Hong Kong martial artist, actor, and founder of Jeet Kune Do