In Case of Emergency Break Glass!
By Mikeal ‘Bear’ Smith ~ Is your school, system, or style in a state of emergency? It could be if some of the following...
Balance the Warrior and the Yogi: What is a Righteous Fight?
Perhaps you’re more enlightened than me. But in the event that this article can help you as it has me, I’d like to share...
Scott Miller
Scott Miller took up martial arts for the first time later in life, at the age of forty-six. His professional career prior to that...
Is There Life in the Martial Arts After Old Age?
I have been on this martial art journey for about sixty one years. Since I didn’t start at birth most of you would have...
Knowledge and Judgement in the Martial Arts
Knowledge and judgment comes from experience. Experience comes from good or bad judgment regarding life situations, which leads to evolution over time. That’s how...
Zen And Makiwara Training
When I was training we spent a lot of time in conditioning the weapons. We worked on the makiwara training for hours, often until...
Balance and Discipline
You can never be too rich or to thin.
We’ve all heard that old saying before. Of course, it’s a ridiculous thing to say. There’s...
Forging the Sword – Body Mind Spirit
We are triune in our being. We are body mind spirit. The wise martial artist will be holistic in his approach, considering his whole...
ETIQUETTE in Judo and in Life
‘Civility costs nothing, and buys everything.’ Mary Wortley Montagu (1689－1762)
In boyhood my grandfather once asked me what I wished to be when I grew...
Father’s Day Thoughts: What He Taught Me Paid Off
I want to share with you my Father's Day thoughts. My father, Donald Miskel, is crazy, but what he taught me paid off. Crazy...
Chris Thomas Martial Arts Enters the 21st Century
Me, blogging! I can't believe I'm entering the 21st century. People who know me, know that I am notoriously lax in using that 1980's...
Pit Bull Kung Fu
Many systems of kung fu were developed by mimicking various animals. maybe I should create a style of American kung fu. Maybe I’ll call...
The Relationship Between Martial Arts And Religion
I saw a banner the other day proclaiming the existence of a Christian martial arts association and was reminded of the relationship between martial...
Knowledge, Faith, Benevolence, Courage and Severity
In Tae Kwon Do, there are five tenets. These are guiding principles. They are Courtesy, Integrity, Perseverance, Self-Control and Indomitable Spirit. In my school...
Discipline in Martial Arts and in Life
As a parent, you cannot help but reflect upon the nature of discipline. There is one concept of discipline, entirely wrong-headed, that focuses on...
Leadership
According to Gordon Brown the world is ‘leaderless’. We hear statements such as: fake news, alternative facts, truth isn’t truth??? Is it any...