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 […]
Emotional Dysregulation in Children: Practical Ways to Build Self-Regulation and Confidence
A child loses a game, hears the word “no,” gets corrected during homework, or struggles with a simple change in plans. The reaction feels much bigger than the moment. They yell, cry, shut down, argue, or give up completely. From the outside, the trigger may look small. Inside the child, it can feel overwhelming. Emotional […]
Five Skills Martial Arts Can Build That Children Carry Into Adulthood
How Martial Arts Shapes the Way Children Handle Life Parents often ask what martial arts will do for their child in the long run. They want to know whether training will build confidence, improve focus, or help their child become more disciplined. The honest answer requires some restraint. Martial arts can support all of those […]
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 […]
Popular Behavior Does Not Prove Good Judgment
Why Train When Most People Don’t? My son recently asked me why he has to learn martial arts when most people don’t. It’s a reasonable question. Children watch what other people do and treat it as evidence. When most people avoid something, a child assumes there’s a good reason for it. Maybe the activity is […]
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 […]
Why “Good Enough” Fails in Martial Arts Training
“Good Enough” Isn’t The Goal in Krav Maga Training Could you imagine a commander in the military saying, “It’s good enough. No need to fix it unless it’s completely broken”? I never heard that in my service. In serious training, the small mistake is corrected before pressure turns it into a serious failure. That […]
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 […]
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 […]
The Mat Tells the Truth. But the Truth Is for The Real Life.
The Mat Tells the Truth. But the Truth Is for Somewhere Else. I always say that people tell two different stories; one verbally and another with their bodies. Why do I say that? Just watch students perform techniques on the mat. You will see how their body is getting ready for a drill. Getting tense […]
