What Conor McGregor’s Injury Revealed About The Crowd
What We Forgive Until Someone Stops Performing Conor McGregor came back to the UFC after more than five years away. His last fight had ended with a broken leg. He recovered, trained, and stepped back into the cage against Max Holloway. The fight lasted sixty-nine seconds. McGregor threw a jumping kick, landed badly, and his […]
Why Advanced Martial Arts Students Still Need Beginners
Why Advanced Martial Artists Need to Train With Beginners Advanced students have valid concerns about training with beginners. A beginner does not yet understand the ethics of the gym or the ethics of the art. He may not understand control. He may not understand distance. He may use too little resistance and give the defender […]
Self-Control Is a Self-Defense Skill
Self-Control Is the Skill That Keeps Self-Defense From Becoming Violence A serious self-defense school has to teach people how to fight with control. The ability to strike, move through contact, and keep working under pressure matters because real violence can escalate faster than most people expect. A person with no physical answer may freeze at […]
The Most Honorable Title I Have Been Given
The Most Honorable Title I Have Been Given Father’s Day arrives every year with the same gentle, slightly commercial warmth. Cards, a meal, a gift that gestures at a hobby. I have never objected to any of it, but I have come to suspect we are not entirely sure what the day is for. We […]
What the NY Knicks and the Bandwagon Effect Reveal About Human Nature
Everyone Loves Victory. Few People Respect the Journey I have been living in New York City for over sixteen years. When I moved here from a small village in Israel, the NBA felt like a different world. One of the first things I wanted to do was go to Madison Square Garden and watch the […]
Can Fake Combat Training Still Build Real Confidence?
The Bag Doesn’t Hit Back. So Why Train With It? One of the most persistent criticisms of martial arts and self-defense training is that most of it is fake combat. The criticism is usually correct. A heavy bag never counters your strike. Focus mitts never decide they have had enough and start attacking back. A […]
Situational Awareness – Starts With Self-Awareness
How to Develop Real Situational Awareness for Personal Safety Most people think situational awareness means looking around more. They picture the guy at the restaurant who sits with his back to the wall, scanning the room, tracking exits. That image has some truth to it, but it covers maybe ten percent of what awareness actually […]
Why Do Good People Do Bad Things?
Why Good People Do Bad Things Inside a Crowd Paris Saint-Germain F.C. won the Champions League, defeating Inter Milan 5-0. The fans were happy and proud, and many of them reacted in a strange way. They destroyed parts of the city they were supposed to be celebrating in. That makes me uncomfortable because of what […]
How Everyday Objects Can Become Tools for Survival
Weapons of Opportunity Most people think self-defense begins when the fight starts. In reality, self-defense begins much earlier. It begins with awareness, decision-making, positioning, and your ability to recognize opportunity under pressure. Violence rarely happens under ideal conditions. You may not have a weapon. You may not have time to think. You may not have […]
The Problem With Saying ‘Happy Memorial Day’
Comfort Makes Us Forget Who Paid for Our Freedom Every year, millions of Americans say “Happy Memorial Day.” Most mean absolutely no disrespect. They are being polite. They are wishing people a good weekend, good weather, time with family, and rest from work. The phrase became automatic, almost disconnected from the actual meaning of the […]
