Potential Isn’t a Roadmap: Helping Children Find Their Way Forward
A student who had his stripe evaluation postponed came back frustrated, and pushing him harder only made it worse. Here’s what I changed, and what it taught me about teaching each child according to who he is.
When Everything Clicks: What G Level Krav Maga Testing Revealed
A retired police officer’s Graduate Level Krav Maga test, and what hundreds of hours on the mat build in skill, trust, and the ability to protect what you love.
Giving Kids the Chance to Show What They Can Do
I taught self-defense to my son’s class on his birthday. Watching his friends see the skill he earned showed me why kids need chances to show what they can do.
What Earns a Belt Promotion: Effort, Progress, or Ability?
Two students start on the same day. One is a natural, the other fights his own body and fears. How much should a starting point count when it is time for promotion?
Never Quit, but Know When to Walk Away
Persistence built my career, but not every goal deserves it forever. A personal look at the difference between staying committed and just being stubborn, and how to tell which one you’re doing.
What It Takes to Stay in Third Place
Your Third Place Needs You Too Most of us have a first place and a second place. Home is the first. Work or school is usually the second. Then there is the third place, the one we choose to return to because it has become part of our lives. It might be a coffee shop, […]
What Makes a Good Teacher? Lessons That Last
What Makes a Good Teacher? The teachers I remember most had little to do with the subjects they taught. I’ve been thinking about my school years lately and running through the faces of the teachers I had. I loved my chemistry teacher and couldn’t stand others. My physical education teacher made his class something I […]
Martial Arts Lesson For Parents
The Teacher’s Final Responsibility Is to Step Aside A Good Teacher Prepares You to Continue Alone The job of a real teacher is to give you the skills to keep going without him. His success becomes visible when you no longer need him beside you. A teacher begins by giving instructions. He shows you what […]
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 […]
What Should I Teach You First: Restraint or Power?
What Should You Learn First in Self-Defense: Restraint or Power? People come to me because they want to stop feeling powerless. Most of them do not use that word. They say they want confidence, or safety, or awareness, or the ability to protect someone they love. Underneath all of it is one need. They want […]
