If it is higher than this it will be very difficult to build your school. Also if you have a bad month, and it hits over 10% you may not make it at all.

Why Martial Artists Quit

I coached under 2 amazing martial arts business mentors. Stephen Oliver and Keith Hafner. Not only are they amazing marketers but also understand how to keep people training. 

In a conversation I had in 2004 with Grand Master Oliver in Chicago he said to me "I can do your marketing and bring 100 students in the door in one month. But what will you do with them? If you are not prepared you will loose them and others."

So I built my Dojo, Art Mason's Peaceful Warriors Martial Arts the RIGHT way, focused on student service. 

Why Martial Artists Quit

So why do students quit? When it comes to new students it can usually be traced back to the instructor involved in their teaching. Now I operating 6 days per week, including day class. I had one instructor who cost me a lot of students overtime. And I should have fire this man on the first offense. But I was foolish and felt bad for him. 

I had parents come to me and complain, asking what nights he was not there because that is when their child would come. The final straw for him came after I had sold my Dojo to Sensei Borshuk, and he got into an argument in with the ranking floor instructor, in front of other students. Three people quit that night! He was removed from the school.

Rule: Be slow to hire and quick to FIRE. 

Why Martial Artists Quit - Goals

Another big issue is goals. I have over the year had several students quit right before their Black Belt tests. The only place I can point the finger of blame is me. I was not doing a good enough job of running the place, and teaching the goal of Black Belt and BEYOND!!

It takes 3.5 to 4 years to reach a probationary Black Belt level in my former school. And for a student that is a long time. Without constant reinforcement to the student of the importance of goal setting you will lose a lot of people at Black Belt. 

I had one adult male student, and he was a great student. He worked very hard, had great attendance and when he hit 1st Dan Black Belt I never saw him again. I did manage a few years later to get him to come to a seminar. There I asked him why he stopped training. He told me after he reached Black Belt he lost his motivation. Bad goal setting. He did not see the martial arts as a life long path. My fault, I should have seen this!

There are many reason Why Martial Artists Quit.

Why Martial Artists Quit in Conclusion

But if you can control the rest you must. And I have found martial art teacher hide from the hard facts. 

Now, NO BS here, do you know your quit rate? When someone quits do you send out an exit survey to find out why? This is how I learned about an instructor problem I had, but I did not act upon it. And today, if I went back to running a Dojo I certainly would! 

Did I quit the martial arts? No I sold my Dojo and did for the first time in my adult life something for me. My children were adults and my grand children have a great father. I moved to Romania, and it was the best thing I ever did for myself.

Why did I sell the Dojo? My older son left the school for his own reasons, and my youngest also wanted out. I founded the Dojo for them, not me. This caused me to burn out teaching. Plus my personal workload more than doubled. But I did not training and walking the path.

Will I open another Dojo again? No, nott commercial for sure. I am building a private Dojo called the Wolf's Den Dojo. But it will not be public. I will and pick students who wish to attend. If I spend the rest of my life training in it alone that is fine. But I do hope for it to be the location of the RMATC in 2023.

And do not be afraid to ask for help from people more successful than you are. Today I am in a coaching group with Lee Mllteer to continue to develop my business skills and with Hanshi Bruce Juchnik for martial arts. Learning should never stop!

Be prepared!

Chance Favors the Prepared Mind

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Thank you for taking time from your day to read this article Why Martial Artists Quit. Please checkout the WBA's free course page here. Bookmark it because it will grow over time.

Thank you for your time and have a wonderful day! Keep Learning!

Vă mulțumesc pentru timpul acordat și o zi minunată! Continua sa inveti!

Al vostru în arte,
Mare Maestru Art Mason

I love to learn. Each day I study and learn something. Everyday I learn and practice my second language of Romanian, as well as the Natural Laws of Kosho Ryu. So let's get started.

Kata Interpretation vs Bunkai - Kata Interpretation

What is Kata Interpretation? Like when speaking a language it is a specific meaning. In the case of Kata you come up with an interpretation of what part of the form means. Below is an example from a video I did many years ago.

So this is a Kata Interpretation of a low or down block from Dan Gun Hyung. However this interpretation in of itself is NOT BUNKAI. And the error I made for at least 3 decades was that this was. Kata Interpretation vs Bunkai, yes there is a big difference.

Kata Interpretation vs Bunkai - Bunkai

Bunkai means " to have a discussion." And the interpretation above comes from a Bunkai about the down block in Dan Gun Hyung. And this one is a Kyusho Jitsu / Pressure Point based interpretation. 

However it does fall short as it is far from complete. Is that all there will was to discuss about this movement? Far from it! Today in the dystopian nightmare the Western Cultures discussions have become discussion is a lot art. 

Today there is a narrative [always a lie] and anything else is "disinformation." Therefore all communication is shut down. If the narrative was correct discussion, Bunkai would be welcome. 

But Bunkai, a discussion is never short, it is lengthy and there are always counter views and opinions. And this is what makes Bunkai so rich and so important.

You can have Bunkai on any topic! In my former Dojo Art Mason's Peaceful Warriors the adult class would go out after class for beer and pizza and discuss the training over the night. This was true bunkai! And what make my school so strong. 

Kata Interpretation vs Bunkai in Conclusion

The different narratives we see today love to change the definition of words. Do NOT play their games. Make your martial art teaching clear with the correct usage of the terms. Do not be lazy and cheat. 

Be a true teaching of the martial arts, not an "instructor" or professional counter. Thank you for reading Kata Interpretation vs Bunkai.

The goal of Bunkai is to open the students mind.

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Vă mulțumesc pentru timpul acordat și o zi minunată! Continua sa inveti!

Al vostru în arte,
Mare Maestru Art Mason

Humane Self Defense

One skill you must possess is the ability to see the threat level. And this is because you as a martial artist are like a police officer, you can only use reasonable force to end the threat. If you do more than this you are GOING TO PRISON FOR A LONG TIME. And if you say you do not care, you are lying. And lying is one of the root causes of the failure of the Western Culture. This is also a violation of the tenets of any real martial art. Next you must be able to deescalate a situation before it goes very bad! 

And of you are a teacher you should be teaching deescalation.

Most of all if you are teaching self defense courses for non martial artists teaching about Humane Pressure Points is the best idea. Most people do not have within them what it takes to defend themselves. There is a complete reprogramming needs to be done. However you can teach something that allows the defender to get away with as little damage done as possible.

And what I have seen taught as self defense today is ridiculous. Yet the "instructor" will brag about all his accomplishments. What a pile of shit! Your accomplishments mean nothing. No one cares! The question is, what can you do for the student? That is what matters! 

Humane Self Defense - Truth

The truth is that most martial arts today, and for the past 5 decades at least have been focused on sport, not self defense. And there is nothing wrong with that as long as the instructors and students are honest about it. I know zero of the sport aspects of the martial arts. When someone came to my former Dojo in Canada looking for competitions I sent them to Hanshi Albert Mady.  He is and was the best I have seen to make champions. 

Humane Self Defense is a very important aspect of any self defense training. Because self defense is not fighting. Those who like to fight in bars cannot make a self defense claim. 

Self Defense is about self preservation, doing as little harm as possible unless there is not another choice. All life is precious, until it decides not to be. And this type of training, while specific courses like my Humane Pressure Point Tactics do help, are not a full solution. Complete training and study in a complete martial art are required. 

v in Conclusion

The egos drove me crazy. Today as all the things I predicted have come true these same people have come to be requesting these course.

So after much deliberation I am offer them here. And the price is outstanding.

 However the self defense field is no long my personal mandate. Complete martial art training, study and the path of budo is my focus. You can checkout my Wolf's Den Dojo to see what I am up to. 

Thank you for reading Humane Self Defense.

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I hope you enjoyed Humane Self Defense. And have a look at our page on free courses from the World Budo Alliance. 

Thank you for your time and have a wonderful day! Keep Learning!

Vă mulțumesc pentru timpul acordat și o zi minunată! Continua sa inveti!

Al vostru în arte,
Mare Maestru Art Mason

Martial Arts and Asking Questions

When I was first training in the art questions seemed to be discouraged. But were they really? I can recall at Green Belt learning Won Hyo Hyung and not understanding a movement. So I asked. And I was given an answer without reproach or delay. Yet at other times I was told to be quiet and train.

And that is the key! Martial Arts and Asking Questions is encouraged! However there is a specific etiquette that is often times different from Dojo to Dojo. And the etiquette should not be violated.

I opened by first Dojo in March of 2000. It was a very different era for martial arts training and teaching, the turn of the century. Students often had many questions they wished to have answered. Some I answered immediately, and some I told the student to hang on until after class. It depended on whether the questions was pertinent to what I was teaching in class or not. But I answered all questions.

Martial Arts and Asking Questions - Masters of Old

The idea that asking questions was not allowed was first seen with the masters of old. Part of this was certain Dojo etiquette and keeping classes moving. You are there to train after all!

However I did discover that some of the reason for not answering questions was language oriented. Many of the masters of old had difficulty with languages. A great example was my first Grand Master Teacher. Mr Oh referred to a movement in foundations as being called "Back Horse."

Martial Arts and Asking Questions

This of course conjured images of a knight on a horse and backing up. How WARRIOR like! And yet this was simply a speaking English issue, his accent. He was saying "Backwards." Yet no one figured this out for decades. Even though we were moving backwards. 

And often times long explanation were simply not possible. It was not about secrets, or hiding things. A great example is Mr Oh's linage in Hapkido and with General Choi. The story has not been told to my knowledge. But I can image a long detailed explanation of linage in English would be a challenge.  I speak 2 languages but the second language is far from perfect! My second language is Romanian. 

Here is a link to an article called Learning the Language of Budo.

Martial Arts and Asking Questions in Conclusion

The martial arts is a life long journey. And there will always be questions along the path. Follow the etiquette and ask away! Thank you for reading Martial Arts and Asking Questions.

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Thank you for taking time to read this article about Martial Arts and Asking Questions!

Thank you for your time and have a wonderful day! Keep Learning!

Vă mulțumesc pentru timpul acordat și o zi minunată! Continua sa inveti!

Al vostru în arte,
Mare Maestru Art Mason

I have to link to a SHIT website, one with a radical agenda, Wikipedia for any information. Wikipedia like CNN loves to LIE. 

The REASON? The unparalleled apathy of the failed Western Culture once again. Death by indifference!

Death by Indifference - The Project

When I began the Preservation of Martial Art History project here at the World Budo Alliance I tried to find some history of Grand Master Chung Oh of Kitchener Ontario. This was the system I started of in. Mr Oh passed away in 2014 I believe, and there are still schools baring his name. However none of theses websites have any real information on the life of Mr Oh. And that is no surprise because after 16 years linked to the organization i really knew anything either. 

And my direct teacher of 16 years Master Philip Hollohan, there is nothing about his time with Mr Oh from 1974 on. The only thing available is a rarely used Facebook page about his school in Newfoundland Canada. 

Mr Oh had two son, one of which passed a few years back leaving Grand Master Thomas Oh as the survivor. He has nothing to do with the legacy of his fathers organization. And when I asked for his help to bring Mr Oh's life of work to light I was ignored. APATHY once again. Death by indifference. 

Death by Indifference

Are you a Dojo owner? Or are you a student within a Dojo? Is the history of the school and art well documented? Or has it like so many other been ignored? I am not looking for help right now with this project, however if your style does not have documentation of its history somewhere consider compiling it!

I know what I have created with Hon Sang Mu Sa Hapkido will outlive me because I have documented it, and made a clear successor in my son Scott. And I will be adding the history of my system to my Dojo web page soon. 

Death by Indifference in Conclusion

It has been relegated to a boring game of tag and an activity for children.

Gone are the self defense aspects that were once present, but are not forgotten.

The martial arts, real martial arts based on learning, personal development, peace, and strong moral values is essential in these very trouble times. We do not need more sport and the problems that brings. Sport is now devoid of any values as winning and cheating have replace sportsmanship. But martial arts were NEVER intended to be sport! 

We need value based teaching, developing and building strong people. Not crybabies looking for a safe place to whine like 3 year old children. This is pathetic, and pathetic by choice! 

Without the history of the arts intact they will be lost to time. We need a resurrection of real martial art teaching in this world. I have said many times in the last 20 years as I warned people of the times we are currently experiencing, that no one person can save the world. But if each person takes responsibility for themselves, and work to be a better person the world would change dramatically.

Martial Art training is the vehicle for that change. 

Thank you for taking time to read this article Death by Indifference. We also have a great free course available to you called Beyond Healing with Pressure Points. And yes it really is free!

Thank you for your time and have a wonderful day! Keep Learning!

Vă mulțumesc pentru timpul acordat și o zi minunată! Continua sa inveti!

Al vostru în arte,
Mare Maestru Art Mason

There are many examples of positive evolution such as the advances of medicine, science, and technology over the years. All of these fields, and others, have grown, developed, and improved. In other words, have evolved.

However, negative things evolve too. Banned substances in sport, and on the street, have evolved to be more potent, and harmful. Organized crime has evolved to be more smart, efficient, and concealable. Assault, and violent attackers who commit assault, have also evolved.

Evolution of Assault

The year is 2019. Everyone and their dog, has trained in combat sports, and martial arts. Today’s attacker, be it an abusive spouse, or street thug, has quite likely had some exposure to the popular combat systems of today. As attackers have evolved, so should we as instructors of self defense.

Many schools today cross train, to gain knowledge from various ranges of combat. But more often than not, the focus is on becoming highly skilled in these styles, and not so much on how to defeat them.

If we train to grapple, we are normally training to know how to grapple, which will result in the stronger, more proficient grappler, winning in an altercation. We learn to strike, but again, what we leaned, will be subject to who is the more proficient striker. Us, or our attacker.

The purpose of this point of view, is not to bash any discipline as bad. However, we have to accept the reality of evolution. Violent individuals have evolved too, and many have trained in popular systems such as BJJ, Judo, and MMA. More so now, than ever. Many studios, gyms, etc, do their best to vet new members.

But, where are these members with 5 years of hard training, 15 years after having left the gym? Some, not in the best place in life.

Evolution of Assault

When we train in grappling, do we also train on how to attack what makes grappling work, such as posting, weight distribution, and body positioning? When we train in the throwing arts, do we also train in attacking what makes these arts effective such as understanding how to break grip, disallow entry, and nullify the direction grip, and power grip?

When we train in striking, do we also train how to attack what makes striking work such as range, footwork, and head movement? In all mentioned scenarios, do we try to fight grappling with better grappling, throwing with being able to throw first, and striking with being able to strike faster and harder?

Or, when we train in grappling, do we also train to know an ear can be bitten off. When we train in throwing, do we also train to know a devastating headbutt can be delivered, and when we train in striking, do we also train to stay out of range? Do we include self defense “dirty tricks”, like twisting fingers, jabbing thumbs into eyes, and pulling hair?

Evolution of Assault

The idea, or hope, is that it’s only the “good guys”, that are trained in martial arts, and combat sports. But sadly, things have not evolved this way. In fact, many instructors or trainers, are exactly the type of individuals, the martial arts are intended to protect a person, from!

I’ve seen abusers of women, become instructors, convicted violent felons become “senseis”….I’m sure you the reader, have seen or heard of such things too. It is important to understand the Evolution of Assault.

Evolution of Assault in Conclusion

Evolution of Assault: What you will find, is how to out-Judo someone, with better Judo…but you won’t find insight into how to defeat the techniques of Judo, with simple self defense techniques, that are not Judo.

All things that survive, do so by evolving to some degree. Otherwise, they go extinct. Violence, sadly, is no exception. We are living in the age, of the evolution of assault. In turn, our approach to self defense practice and instruction, must evolve as well. We must evolve, in our ability to protect our right to safety, and we must evolve in our ability, to empower others to do the same.

Thank you for taking a few moments to read the Evolution of Assault

Kyoshi Dave

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Thank you for taking time to read this article called Evolution of Assault. by our founder Kyoshi Dave DeGrouchie. He is a regular contributor. Don't forget to checkout our Preservation of Martial Arts History page.

And checkout my Kyusho blog. 

Thank you for your time and have a wonderful day! Keep Learning!

Vă mulțumesc pentru timpul acordat și o zi minunată! Continua sa inveti!

Al vostru în arte,
Mare Maestru Art Mason

Mushin is very similar. But I will discuss where this is found on the path, and how to make sure your training in the martial arts includes this. We live in very odd times. And if there is in my opinion any hope for the Western Culture to rebuild and grow it lies on the path of Budo. And the teachers developed along that pathway. 

I just completed an article called Levels of Martial Arts Training in which at level 3 Mushin is the topic.  However I do not use the word Mushin.

Mushin Mind of No Mind

Quantum physics has what is called an observer. And we as people are the observer. However most of the time we are so distracting that we observe nothing.  Mushin means you have become that observer. ANd that you are no longer distracted. 

Martial Arts training can lead to this if taught and practiced correctly.  However as you advance along the path this should become a more normal state of reality. When meditation was removed from most martial training in the west that path was cut off. I understand the "why" it was removed. However it changes the product dramatically. 

Mushin Mind of No Mind

In my Dojo teaching I begin this type of training early. While I do not teach meditation to the average student on the floor, I do teach disconnection from technique. Training in a meditative state of mind. 

Let's look at an example. How do you view someone attacking you? It is personal? 99.9 percent of the people will say it is very personal. But why? That is a distraction and distraction is taught in the western world. 

The truth is the reasons for an attack are none of my business. And I do not care what issues this "attacker" has. Therefore I simply consider the attack as an attempt for positioning. And I will gladly given the attack the position he wants. But he won't like how he gets it.  

Mushin Mind of No Mind - High Level Training

Does the reason for the attack have any baring on outcome? Only if you focus on it. Are distracted by it. Look at time as an example. In the "alleged" modern world you cannot get away from time.  It is everywhere. And aside from perhaps the idea you might need to meet someone, and for this it is a decent reference, does it really matter? People are obsessed by it. Try to manage it like this is possible. You have all the time there is. There will never be more. Perhaps if you stop wasting it on irrelevant things?

Myself I got to sleep when I am tired. And I eat when I am hungry. Plus I always get up before the sun. But I have no idea what "time" it is.  That focus keeps people trapped in a physical existence.

Martial Art training is beyond the physical. it is first Mind to Body, then Mind to Spirit. 

Teaching Mushin Mind of No Mind

And the perfect technique is one that looks like a mistake.

But in order to experience this in martial art training, there must be a realization, that realization is all things are martial art training. Even when I walk my Huskies in the mountains I am not distracted. I am single minded in focus on what they are doing and experiencing. 

I see people so often when they walk a dog trying to get the dog to finish and go home. What is the hurry? Are you concerned you will be late to the grave? Or are you concerned you won't make you boss enough money? I wonder if at the end of the day all those career centric people will wish they spent more time at the office. I teach Martial Arts and enjoy it. If I did not I would not do it. 

Walking my Huskies is a great joy. Every sniff, every run.

Mushin Mind of No Mind - Martial Arts Training

Why do most martial artists full miss the experience of Mushin Mind of No Mind? Because they are result focused. Someone learning a Kata wants to learn it so they can get more rank and move on to the next Kata. Therefore they never experience the Kata, the movement.

People learn techniques and then fall in love with them. And if they cannot get the technique to work they blame the Uke. It hurts their ego. Techniques never work, they are not supposed to work. The purpose is simply to teach. 

I laugh when people say "only this works on the street" or "this does not work on the street" when in truth they are just identifying their own limitations. Better to shut up and concur them. 

Mushin Mind of No Mind in Conclusion

Writing for me is in the ZONE of Mushin. To help you to understand this state of mind I recommend reading the article I wrote on the R.A.S Reticular Activation System. 

Come to a place of being HERE and NOW only! When you are in Mushin you will not believe what you can do! Thank you for reading Mushin Mind of No Mind.

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If you are curious the image at the top is of the Bucegi Mountains of Transilvania Romania. 

Thank you for taking time to read this article called Mushin Mind of No Mind.

Thank you for your time and have a wonderful day! Keep Learning!

Vă mulțumesc pentru timpul acordat și o zi minunată! Continua sa inveti!

Al vostru în arte,
Mare Maestru Art Mason

I want to discuss the journey from beginner to master and back to beginner once again. 

Martial Arts Training - Beginner Level

The beginning stages of learning, or White Belt if you prefer is the stepping stone for all else. This is the place that a good teacher either reaches the student, or loses them right of the bat. And it is also a dangerous place. There is the risk that once a student learns a few strikes, kicks and block they believe they are enlightened. 

You see this especially in sport as the student wins some "fights" and think they are now tough guys and have arrived. Back in the day when my school did complete I used to deal with students who became arrogant very quickly. Eventually in the modern era I realized there was NO benefit to the student completing. In fact it was counter productive. So we stopped. 

Martial Arts Training - Jutsu Level

What is the Jutsu Level? This is basically at or near the Black Belt level. It will vary depending on the student. And if I am truthful most students never get past the Jutsu Level. And the reason is they cannot get their egos past the physical. They think hitting harder, kicking higher, moving faster is the goal. The student is now very proficient in Kata, Waza and Kumite, but are blind to the idea that there is more.

It is here that many students will leave the teacher and open their own school. Doing so with the idea that they can do a better job. I know, I was like this myself in 1999 at 4th Dan Black Belt. I was sure I knew everything. Soon I discovered I was just beginning. Business wise I was fine. Martial Art wise I was still only starting.

Some will be successful, some will fail. Most do not get past this Level of Martial Arts Training. And that is OK. Others at the Jutsu Level will stop training and retire to Pizza Hut to talk about their glory days. 

I have over the years had some outstanding Black Belt students. But very few got beyond this level. Some were close. But the last few years decided to fall back. Always sad to see someone stop training. Benefits of training stop when training stops. 

Martial Arts Training - Beyond

I have no name for this final level. And I do not want to use the word master here either. Master is rank related. And I know masters who are excellent martial artists have not progressed beyond Jutsu.

But lets' breakdown the journey. 

1) Beginners. This is the BODY level. Where the student learns movement, the foundation.

2) Jutsu Level or Mind to Body level. The student has developed the mind to control the body. Most end here. As the body ages they become frustrated that it will not perform as it once did. So living in the past becomes their refuge. I have seen high ranking Black Belt masters stuck here.

3) High Level. As I said I have no name for this level. But the student realizes they are always a student. And that this is not just a Mind to Body connection, but a mind to spirit connection. A state of calmness develops as the ego dies off. 

Movement is just movement. Winning is meaningless. Unconscious thoughts give birth to techniques which are discarded as quickly as they are born. Inner calm develops. 

Martial Arts Training in Conclusion

I believe in our trouble world this is a path back from the brink of destruction. No one person can change the world. But when one person changes themselves, and then inspires another to change, then the world becomes better. 

Thank you for reading Martial Arts Training.

Thank you for taking time to read this article called Martial Arts Training. I hope f nothing else it encourages you to train harder, learn more and realize the path of Budo is for life.

Thank you for your time and have a wonderful day! Keep Learning!

Vă mulțumesc pentru timpul acordat și o zi minunată! Continua sa inveti!

Al vostru în arte,
Mare Maestru Art Mason

Brain cycles can happen in either one of two ways:

1. Instinctively (most common, no training required)
2. Intentional (uncommon, must be trained)

As example, if someone posts derogatory information on social media about us for the entire world to see, it is instinctive that we are operating at the Gamma brain cycle. We are 100% engaged. Emotions run wild, etc. This is instinctive. We never had to be trained for this, but, it is the worst place to be.

Self Defense and the Brain

Now, if we see such a thing about us advertised to the world by some nut-tard who has an itch to scratch and has made us the focus of their life, we want to be operating at the Alpha brain cycle. This is where we are relaxed, not bothered, and in control to digest correctly.

The above in a nutshell, is that Gamma is where we mentally are in response to most situations, whereas Alpha is where we want to be. It makes no difference what type of attack we are dealing with. Be it physical, mental, or emotional, if we can train ourselves to instinctively be in an Alpha state, the attack simply can not land.

1. A punch does not hurt you if thrown. It hurts you, if you freeze and it lands
2. An insult does not affect you if it pleases the masses. It affects you if you care.

Self Defense and the Brain - How does this work?

In order to be able to “go-to” any brain cycle, there is one major first step. This is true for anything. I’ll use going to the corner store as an example. What is the first vital step, that has to have happened, in order for you to ever return to the corner store when needed? Many would say that you need to know where the corner store is, or know that you have to step in that direction, etc. 

Wrong. In order to ever get to, or return to the corner store or any location physical, mental, or emotional: You have to have been there at some point, so you know where “there” is. So, if you have never brought yourself from Gamma to Alpha, you won’t until you learn how to.

The ”switch” for changing brain cycles, is the most basic element of life: breath. Your breathing, determines your brain cycle. Faster shorter breaths, mean faster heartbeat, racing mind, tunnel vision, and no focus. Slow calm breaths, mean slower heartbeat, relaxed state, and vision from all sides and depths. So knowing this, we now know we need to learn and practice breath control.

Self Defense and the Brain - Meditation

Ever wonder why meditation is such a big part of martial arts training? The above is why. We train the fist by hitting things that are hard, moving targets, etc. we train the brain, with breathing. Like anything trained, the more we do it, the more instinctive it becomes. But we must train basic first, then applied. What does that mean?

Well, basic, would be regular mediation practice. Teach your mind, to reach and recognize Alpha. Applied, would be applying to a situation. Next time something pisses you off, deep slow breaths. Feel yourself focusing, and being in control of your response. Welcome hardship, as a training tool. Now I don’t mean go out of your way to cause it. I simply mean when hardship comes (and it always will in some shape or form), look at the positive side, which is, here is a prime training opportunity.

The result? The result, will be in time, after manually altering your brain cycles in the face of hardship (attack), the more familiar the response will become. The more familiar the response becomes, the more natural (instinctive) it will be.

Now, your being knows calm mind. It’s been there, and knows how to get there. It knows, that is the response to physical, mental, and emotional attacks. Through time and training, you won’t even have to consciously slow your breath. Calm will be the instinctive response.

Self Defense and the Brain in Conclusion

Always something YOU can control. Thank you for taking time to read Self Defense and the Brain

Kyoshi Dave.
Founder: World Budo Alliance

Thank you for taking a few minutes of your time to read this article called Self Defense and the Brain Part 2, from World Budo Alliance Founder Kyoshi Dave Degrouchie.

If you have a moment checkout my Kyusho Jitsu Blog.

Thank you for your time and have a wonderful day! Keep Learning!

Vă mulțumesc pentru timpul acordat și o zi minunată! Continua sa inveti!

Al vostru în arte,
Mare Maestru Art Mason

Martial Art History: And I am going to be honest my project for the Preservation of Styles and History has been met with the great APATHY I excepted from the west. Like my country of birth Canada, the most pathetically apathetic country in the world. I had 2 volunteers for the project but to date have seen nothing come my way. And that is OK, I will hold those arts for the time, and just get the project done myself. 

I have just published the beginnings of the History of Aikido.

Martial Art History - Importance of History

Martial Art History is no different than any other form of history. When I as young, in high school, I hated history class. But then the school system was pretty useless because in Canada little of real world use was taught. They focused on the war of 1812, when it should have been WWI and WWII. But I digress. 

Today as an old man in the mountains I love history. Most importantly for the sake of this article the History of Martial Arts. "If we do not now where we come from, then we will not know where we are going."  In today's modern martial art environment, with the focus on sport, this history is being lost. And that is very sad. We now risk losing a lot of great traditions and teachings. We have already lost so many.

Martial Art History - Masters of Old

My first "Grand Master" never talked with us about the history of Hapkido. I wrote an article on this called the Essence of Hapkido to discuss some of this history. And the reasons I created my own art form. I did not dishonor history by doing this. In fact I kept history by growing and developing.

The martial arts world is full of egos, and ego makes someone unteachable. In today's world people are more focused on being "right" than knowing the truth. 

And this is a vast majority of the population in the western cultures. In martial arts it is terrible.

No master of old created anything. Martial arts is simply movement. However they developed ideas and concepts of understanding movement and understanding why people do the things they do.

And I laugh when I see the in fighting within systems, saying "no professor did it this way" somehow thinking that the great grand master never learned and evolved himself. Then you look at the fact that each person arguing trained during a different period with "professor."

Martial Art History - History of Martial Arts

The death of these legendary masters left a huge hole to be filled. And aside from a few great martial artist this void has been filled with ego and self serving actions. An example is the teaching of Oyata.

I one night about 11 years ago got a phone call while driving home from the Dojo. It was someone claiming to be a direct decedent of Oyata. He went on and on about Dillman. I politely ended the conversation.

You are such an egotistical loser you worry about what someone else is doing? If someone is a liar it always comes out. But liars always try to hide the truth.

And very sadly today in the western cultures lying has become virtue.

Martial Art History. Why History is Important

Without the study of the history of the martial arts I am afraid many of the current systems will be gone within a few years. I am not going to name them, but I think many of you see this.

And this is not the fault of commercialization of the arts. You can commercialize and not sell out. It is an egotistical teacher trying to look important. Fact is on the grand scheme of things none of us are.

Today in my old Dojo in Canada, which I have no direct involvement in, my picture hangs. To me this is an honor for me. Because the teachers want their students to know where they come from. This way they can see where they are going.

Back in fall 2020 while I was in Canada a former student came to see me at the Dojo. He then preceded to point out everything the current teachers were doing wrong. I told him that I was not concerned and he did not need to be either.

But often he would try to correct me on the floor having no idea where I was going with the teaching. This is all just ego. And it means learning has stopped. Martial Art History must be honoured.

Martial Art History in Conclusion

Remember your perception is equal to your reality.

Thank you for taking time to read this article called Martial Art History. You can join the World Budo Alliance FREE, and also register yourself and your Dojo with us. 

Plus checkout the FREE Course page. More free courses and paid course coming soon.

Thank you for your time and have a wonderful day! Keep Learning!

Vă mulțumesc pentru timpul acordat și o zi minunată! Continua sa inveti!

Al vostru în arte,
Mare Maestru Art Mason