I don’t like my training partner
You know that person who stands across from you and just can’t seem to do their part correctly in the exercise? Perhaps the…
Body Mechanics and Martial Arts
In the past I have written posts about posture and my journey to build it in myself. How we hold, carry, and move our bodies…
How Top Performers Deal with Bad Training Days
Not every training day is a brilliant one. Not every tournament is your best. Not every performance shows all that you’re capable of. Sometimes thin…
Three Sources of Quality Feedback
If you plan to improve in your martial practice you need outside feedback. Here are three quality sources that you can seek out to get the most of you…
Three Types of Practice
The more knowledge you gain, the more aware you are of what you do not know. The more ability and awareness of that ability you have, the more you can…
Three Things You Should Be Saying to Your Swordfighting Students
When teaching a martial arts class you have an opportunity to not only convey technique but to positively shape thinking. The psychology with which we…
Using Curiosity to Stay Slow in Slow-Fencing
The reality is that at full speed a reactive desperation to parry or an opportunistic desire to hit at all costs often create tunnel vision and lead t…
Learn the Language of Swordplay, Not Just its Tricks
Tricks and secret techniques have been a part of sword fighting since the beginning. From masters who advertised their “botti segreti” to teach for a…
Combat Mindset: Fight All The Way to the End
Perhaps this person is saving themselves from expending unnecessary energy contesting the inevitable. Perhaps they’re trying to soften some blow to …
Criticality versus Judgment
For many of us the process of critical analysis and negative self-judgment have become bonded with one another. If this is the case, you may avoid ana…
A Peek Inside the Swordplay Masterclass
I see advertisements for "Masterclasses" nearly anytime that I open social media, or Youtube. They're offered by filmmakers and artists, business exec…
Don’t Judge Your Performance Based on One Training Event
I’ve had many frustrating training and combat encounters. It’s easy to jump to a conclusion “I’m just not practicing enough”, “I’m not l…