Category: Motivation

Keep Moving Forward…

Time only moves in one direction: forward. Life is very much the same way; you can only move forward. This forward momentum needs to apply to all aspects of your life; family, career, hobbies… Imagine if you work extra hard at woodworking as a hobby. You get quite good and start developing some really nice pieces. Then you become stagnant and put it away, only to come back to it a year later. You may realize that you can no longer create the pieces you could before. You’ve essentially moved backwards. And backwards is bad!

We are the sum of our experiences, but yet so much more. I agree wholeheartedly that in order to prevent repeating past mistakes, it’s of the utmost importance to remember them. But one cannot allow oneself to live in that past. You have to allow yourself to move forward towards a better future. This is the only way to grow and enjoy the life you’re in.

“Now If You Know What You’re Worth, Then Go Out And Get What You’re Worth!”

– Rocky Balboa

Something I’ve always tried to explain to people is that I maintain certain successes by never standing still. Being stagnant or sedentary is not only a bad idea, it basically kills your motivation and your opportunities. You have to keep moving. I’m always moving. I’m always doing something, whether it’s a workout, writing my blog posts, running errands or playing with my son. My inability to sit still sometimes drives my family crazy. Hell, it occasionally drives me crazy! But all my accomplishments in life are a result of never standing still. You NEED to push forward and improve. You can’t allow yourself to live in the past or stand still.

Our past experiences contain a number of things that are important to us and become a part of who we are. Good memories and experiences, bad memories and experiences, traumas, friendships, relationships… they all play a role in how we become the people we are today. But the problem with living within that past is that we come to depend on things that my have been said and done during a time when circumstances and life were different. And those circumstances no longer exist. This is why it becomes important to move forward. It doesn’t mean you need to FORGET those circumstances. You simply need to keep moving despite what may have become of them.

The aspects you’re clinging to may no longer be in the same arena as you are. And that’s not only detrimental to you, it can be harmful on your life and your relationships as well. Learn to let go of the past and move forward. Look towards improving your life as it currently exists, and let the experiences of the past guide you, but never control you. ☯

Kicking Is Difficult With Diaper Rash…

The martial arts can be an important part of children’s lives and can help with a score of different aspects of their growth, including but not limited to increased attention span, better sleep habits, discipline and improved fitness. But how soon should kids start training? It’s an interesting question; one I’ve found myself asking even recently because my son usually sticks to me during my home workouts.

Depending on the type of fitness routine you follow, there are good and bad aspects for children. In general, the martial arts can be beneficial and even therapeutic for children and provide them with an outlet for their aggression and teach them some discipline; something that can prove difficult without. On the other hand, something that’s inherently physical that taxes the musculoskeletal system, like weight lifting, can be detrimental to young children.

According to an online article posted by the Mayo Clinic, “Trying to build big muscles can put too much strain on young muscles, tendons and areas of cartilage that haven’t yet turned to bone (growth plates) – especially when proper technique is is sacrificed in favor of lifting larger amounts of weight.” The article goes on to explain the difference between “strength training”, which can be beneficial, and weight lifting. The article can be read here: https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/tween-and-teen-health/in-depth/strength-training/art-20047758

My son Nathan showing off his push-up skills, about two years old!

When it comes to the martial arts, there are no REAL limitations, as they apply to something intense like weightlifting. Stretching, punching and kicking as well as practicing forms can have a number of benefits with none of the down sides that some other sports may include.

When I travelled to Okinawa in 2001, I was having supper at the home of our style’s master. His wife was holding one of his grandchildren, who happened to be about three or four months old. His wife was holding the baby and dipping him forward every few minutes. I politely asked what she was doing, to which she replied “Teaching him to bow.” I was taken aback and quite surprised. They start grooming and teaching their children some of the fundamental aspects of discipline in their society from the moment they’re born. And they apply that same aspect to karate and the martial arts.

The only basic detail I think is important, is to remember not to PUSH your children into whatever sport regiment you follow. Although it fills me with pride overtime Nathan does a push-up or joins me in a workout, I’ve never forced him to join or told him he had to. I think that this is an important detail. Your child will enjoy themselves and are twice as likely to stick with it, if the decision comes from them. ☯

It’s You Against You

“In The Warrior’s Code, There’s No Surrender; Though His Body Says Stop His Spirit Cries, NEVER!”

“Burning Heart” – Survivor

No matter what your reason for taking an active role in your fitness, and I’ve often said there are many, one of the things you need to remember is that you have nothing to prove to anybody other than yourself. Whether your preferred method of training is competitive or singular, team-based or opponent-based, the only real opponent you’ll ever be facing is yourself.

I’ve recently been reading Ronda Rousey’s book My Fight/Your Fight. If you haven’t picked it up, I highly recommend it. Although most famously known for being a pioneer in the world of UFC, she’s had a lifetime of experiences before that, and her book dives into many of the rudimentary reasons behind why we train so hard.

One of the things she brings up, and I’m paraphrasing here, is that if you fight yourself, who wins and who loses? The way I interpreted her words, she meant it mostly as a way of self-reflection and never demanding anything less than the absolute best of yourself. You want to compete in a fight tournament and win first place? Accept nothing less. Want to lose a few pounds and get into better shape? Allow yourself nothing less. Want to train for that next black belt degree even if it’s been ten years and you need to relearn some things from scratch? Okay, I’m making it personal… Time to move on.

“Our Greatest Glory Is Not In Falling, But Rising Every Time We Fall.”

Rocky Balboa

The bottom line, is that you need to push yourself to accept nothing but the absolute best from yourself. Not only should that be your only goal in life, it’s the LEAST you deserve. Others will get in the way; that much is guaranteed. People will be haters in the face of your success; that much is promised. But as long as you do one added push-up, run one minute faster or push yourself that little more, every time you work out, you’ll be guaranteed to succeed. ☯

Join The Club, Ladies…

I was recently asked if women could become Buddhist monks and if so, what were they called. Although it’s a simple question, the answer can become a little convoluted. As with any other religion, Buddhism has many offshoots, sects and backgrounds based on the country you happen to be in.

For the most part, the name for any woman who embraces a monastic lifestyle is referred to as a nun. This may seem like an oversimplification. Although mostly a modern English term, the word monk has been used to refer to both men and women in some monastic circles.

There are different terms in India, Thailand and other parts of the world, depending on what aspect of Buddhism the person in question may be involved with (Tibetan, Theravada or Mahayana). I’m smart enough not to try and spell them correctly, but you can Google “female Buddhist monk” or search Wikipedia for proper terminology.

The long and short of it is that woman CAN and DO in fact become monks, regardless of what term is used to represent them. They abide by a set of rules as stipulated by their faith, shave their heads and wear the vestments required by their monastic lifestyle.

I hope this answers the question, and offers information to any who may have been wondering. Obviously, I don’t think I need to remind everyone that women can do anything men can. In terms of Buddhism, there has always been female involvement ever since its creation. ☯

Shut The Door, You’re Letting My Darkness Out!

Everyone has a dark side. It’s inevitable; we grow up dealing with life’s problems and often with other people’s problems, and this causes us to accumulate a deep well of anger, resentment and whatever other negative emotions and feelings you can think of. Eventually, those feelings need to be vented before the well overflows and causes a mess (metaphorically speaking).

There’s no disputing that there’s plenty of suffering in the world. We deal with a lot of it, whether directly or indirectly. And every little piece of suffering can lend to evoking your dark side. Someone cuts you off in traffic, you don’t get your preferred assignment at work, some gutless coward accuses you of wrong-doing… All of it happens to promote releasing your inner dark side.

Proper mental and physical health requires that we find a healthy outlet for this negativity. By healthy, I don’t mean punching out that other driver or hiring an assassin… There are plenty of ways to alleviate some of the negative energy in your life WITHOUT harming others or growing your pet stomach ulcer, Hector!

  • Meditation: I know I play this particular harp to death, but meditation genuinely does help reduce your heart rate, blood pressure and helps eliminate negative thoughts. In most instances, I’ve even taken to meditating for at least ten minutes after workouts and it helps calm my system after pushing myself physically. This brings me to my next method…
  • Working Out: A good workout will help burn calories, lose weight and improve your mental health. Nothing quite helps you forget about the moron who nearly clipped your front bumper like a rigorous fitness session that leaves you sweaty and breathless. A good workout will also tire you out and help you get a better night’s sleep, which once again brings me to my next method…
  • Get A Good Night’s Sleep: I think we can all agree that lack of sleep can turn even the nicest person into a book-burning spawn of the devil. Getting a solid 7 to 9 hours of sleep will ensure your body gets the rejuvenating rest it needs to function properly the next day. There are a lot of things you can do to ensure this proper sleep, which includes having a regular bedtime routine and avoiding depressants such as alcohol. And here comes the next point…
  • Avoid Alternative Methods Of Dealing With Life: I’m no stranger to enjoying the occasional cold beer or delicious rum & coke, but the overuse of alcohol or ANY use of illicit drugs won’t solve the problem and may, in fact aggravate it. And as an addition to the sleep aspect, although alcohol may seem as though it helps you sleep, that sleep is usually temporary and not rejuvenative in the least. And the last point…
  • Hit Something: I’m not even a little bit kidding about this. Get a punching bag, makiwara board or a sparring partner (with gloves and pads, of course) and go to town. Performing actual strikes where you make physical contact with something has been proven to reduce stress and help alleviate anxiety, and calms you. And nothing helps more than taking out your anger or frustration on an object, as opposed to releasing that anger in the moment when something negative occurs in your daily life.

These are simply a few things that one can do to help deal with the darkness that fills one’s well, but there are plenty of others. Quick, simple online searches can provide plenty of relaxation exercises, fitness regiments and different methods of dealing with it all. The important thing to remember is that although it isn’t ideal to “release” your demon, there’s often nothing wrong with letting it out to play. ☯

Teach Or Leech, Learn Or Earn…

There’s an established standard when you walk into a martial arts dojo with the expectation of taking lessons and joining the club. For the most part, one expects to see someone with a black belt around their waist at the front of the class, teaching the student body. Not only is this NOT the case for every school you may walk into, it brings up an important point: although you SHOULD have a black belt in order to become an instructor, you should NOT be an instructor simply because you ARE a black belt!

Now that I’ve likely given you a headache with that last thought, let’s examine my reasoning behind it. Decades ago in my green belt days, Sensei had a student who lived two Provinces away. He was ranked as a brown belt but because he lived so far away, he held that rank well beyond what he rightfully should have. His skill, experience and performance put him well beyond brown, but the achievement of his black belt wouldn’t come for quite some time (much like my next Dan, which is about 10 years overdue, but that’s a different story…)

At some point, this student was approached by several people and asked to teach karate. He consulted Sensei, who agreed that he could open a branch of our dojo provided that he knuckle down and make a concerted effort to test for black belt in the near future. I attended one of his classes, about two years after he opened his doors (for the record, he still had his brown belt at that point).

I have to be honest; his teachings were exciting, dynamic and insightful. He had full and comprehensive explanations of the techniques he was trying to impart. And what’s more, the explanations made sense. His school was open for years, and as I write this I can’t confirm if it still is, or whether or not he passed his black belt (I certainly hope so).

Flash forward to a martial arts school that I currently frequent… The head instructor has found himself injured and has stepped back from teaching while he recovers. In the interim, the next highest-ranked black belt has taken over leading the classes. It’s been terrible. A pretty generic, blanket statement but accurate. His warm-ups are an exact repetition, every night. His workouts seem to drag and hold no dynamic movements or anything to keep the students engaged. He hesitates and takes full minutes between parts of his classes, as though he’s uncertain what to do next.

His explanations… well, unfortunately they often don’t make sense. He usually and steadily repeats key phrases, such as “connect mind and body” and “I wanna get the body moving a bit” several times throughout class. When he discusses a particular technique, his flow and follow-through doesn’t often match up with what he’s actually trying to do with the technique.

Don’t get me wrong; the guy is really quite nice. He’s got a great disposition and he trains well, when lined up with the rest of the class. But he seems to lack a little something in the teaching department. This has made sitting through classes problematic at best.

My experience with both these individuals have proven that holding the rank of black belt doesn’t automatically make you an instructor. Teaching is a fine skill, which may or may not be acquired and not everybody has it. Although you may hold the rank that is expected of an instructor, the color black does NOT make it so.

I think it’s important to recognize one’s strengths and area of expertise. Although you may have been doing something for years, even decades, you can expect that you may not automatically be able to teach it. And reasonably speaking, it’s much better if you relinquish the reigns to someone better prepared and suited for it. Not only is it to one’s benefit to do so, but it’s better for the prospective students you may be trying to teach. ☯

Is There Ever A Good Reason To Fight?

As the title asks, is there ever a good reason to fight? Depending on your perspective, there just might be. Humans are strange creatures; we enjoy fighting for sport, recreation, for competition and for achievement. Most importantly, many of us choose to train and learn how to fight in order to defend ourselves.

Most martial artists will agree that we learn how to fight so that we don’t have to. Although this is likely true, there’s usually an unspoken line after that thought that says, “but the light help any individual who threatens me or my family!” And it’s true. You’d be surprised what one is capable of, when persons unknown (or sometimes known) threatens or harms someone important to you.

But the prospect of intentionally exchanging blows with someone just for the hell of it usually doesn’t cross our minds (unless you’re a pro boxer or fighter, in which case I’ll throw down for the many millions of dollars that would ensue). With that in mind, how does one usually focus their energy in the interest of training properly?

For some, it’s simply a matter of having enough drive to want the most out of their workout. But for others, it requires a bit of focus and concentration. Years ago, I was training with a couple of colleagues and we were doing drills on a punching bag. I was holding the bag for a guy who was basically the same height and weight as I was. He was putting his best effort into it, but the bag was barely budging.

When the time came for him to hold the bag for me, I had his teeth chattering after the first few punches. When we were done with the drill, he asked me how I could make my punches so effective. Obviously, previous strength and technique training goes a long way towards making any strike you perform more effective than the average layman.

But when you exercise or work on your fitness, especially in self-defence, it’s often important to focus on why you’re doing it. Picture this: your significant other, or perhaps one of your children, is threatened and/or attacked by someone. The only way to help them is to respond physically and fight back. Consider the fact that further injury could occur, if one were to pull a punch or kick at the penultimate moment. But if your family or loved one’s safety is at risk, you’ll put your entire heart and soul into that strike; you’ll do your absolute best to ensure that you end the threat against those you love.

This is what you need to do, whenever you train. Every punch you throw, every kick you execute, every time you strike that bag, you need to picture that very scenario. This ensures that you’ll develop that power you need to strike with all your heart and soul.

It’s inherently within my nature, and the foundation of my beliefs, to acknowledge that there’s enough suffering in the world. I have no intention of adding to that by exerting violence against someone else. The only exception is when my family or loved ones are threatened. If you include that as part of the reason for your training, you’ll increase your power and move that bag, every time. ☯

Warm It Up Nice… 🔥

Exercising is strenuous on the body, especially if you’re working out properly. Increase heart rate and blood pressure, the release of adrenaline and a whole batch of other hormones, and secondary effects on the human body. That strain is increased even further by the prospect of working out when you’re cold. And yes, it’s winter in the Canadian Prairies and I feel inclined to pick on ‘Ol Man Winter, so please bear with me…

The jury is still out on the concept of your blood thickening during the winter months. With some studies showing that winter climates tend to make our blood thicker and run slower, and some studies stating that there’s no correlation, it make it difficult to know if this is a potential cause. But let’s admit, for the sake of argument, the it always feels a bit tougher to find that “get up and go” when walking into fitness class or gym when it’s cold out.

In karate, it’s a noticeable effect… During the warmer months, people are totally game to come work out and break a sweat. But during the deep, frosty winters of Saskatchewan, the class size drops to a handful who are crazy enough to brave the elements. But besides the issue of disliking the cold and how our blood reacts, the specific aspect I want to talk about today are your muscles.

Muscles are necessary for fitness. D-uh, right? You use them for any fitness workout you may have planned, so they sort of play a key role in what you do. Your muscles are an elastic tissue, and are affected by the changes in temperature. When you spend time outside in the cold, those tissues contract and become stiffer. When you step out into the balmy, tropical weather, tissues expand and relax. This is why most fighters and athletes prefer to train and work in warmer climates.

Last Thursday, the temperature where I am sat at a lovely -37 degrees Celsius. Once the wind factor is included, it was actually in the -40’s. Stepping into karate class, I felt cold, stiff, and wanted nothing more than to go to sleep. It felt like it took WAY more effort to stretch and warm up than it rightfully should have. But this is where it becomes all the more important to stretch and warm up properly before getting into a rigorous workout.

As your muscles and joints become tighter, you lose some range of motion. You become more susceptible to muscle sprains and tears and potentially pinched nerves. It WILL take more effort to perform the same exercises as you would in warmer weather. This is why you should start your winter workout with about ten minutes of mild to moderate cardio, such as jump rope, punching bag or shadow boxing (I’ve included the ones I usually do in karate, but there are plenty of options).

So instead of foregoing your workouts in the winter and hibernating, simply take the time to warm properly once you reach your class. It will help to prevent injury and will ensure that you don’t accumulate any of that dreaded “winter fat” from ignoring your fitness! ☯

Belt It Up!

When people walk into a martial arts dojo, the first thing they look for is a black belt. Part of this is to identify who the instructor might be, and discuss the actual joining of the class. Part of it is because most people associate perfected skill with a practitioner who wears a black belt. But this is EXTREMELY far from the truth…

First and foremost, the use of coloured belts to denote rank is a reasonably recent innovation. Believe it or not, the use of the belt system as most of us know it, was first used in Judo. Back in the 1880’s, the founder of Judo (Jigoro Kano) would have his students wear either a white sash for all students or a black sash for advanced students who demonstrated proficiency. It wasn’t until the turn of the 1900’s when Judo practitioners started wearing the traditional, white martial arts uniforms we all recognize, that the system of belts expanded to include the colours we still use today.

“Belts Are Only Good For Holding Up Your Pants.”

Bruce Lee

The most common belt colours in karate are white, yellow, orange, green, blue, brown and black. What belts are used also depends greatly on what style you happen to be in. My style of Okinawan karate (Uechi-Ryu) only uses white, green, brown and black (and yellow, if you’re under a certain age). That being said, we use a number of taped stripes on each belt in order to denote different levels.

But the reality is that achieving the rank of black belt is only the beginning. In fact, I started Uechi-Ryu karate in 1989, and only reached black belt level in 2002. And even after all that time, training and development of my skills, my Sensei explained that graduating to your first-degree black belt is a student’s way of formally asking your Sensei to teach you karate.

“A Black Belt Only Covers Two Inches Of Your Ass. You Have To Cover The Rest.”

Royce Gracie

Some styles have even adopted weird, unusual belt colours, such as pink, camouflage or rainbow belts. These are not real martial arts ranks, and you should be wary of joining these clubs if such belts are used. You should also be wary if the club you’re visiting seems to have an inordinate number of black belt students. But having trained in various clubs and schools, I can attest to the fact that some students can wear a black belt and still not have any idea what they’re doing.

Being a black belt is not the be all and end all of karate. It’s not a destination, but rather one more step along the journey. Although there are very few “bad” reasons to join the martial arts, if you join with achieving black belt as a goal, karate is not for you. After all, the martial arts are not about the prestige and common misconceptions associated to black belt practitioners. ☯

“You’re Not Buddhist…”

I’m not a monk. That requires a form of ordination that I’ve never submitted myself to. But I am a practitioner of Buddhism. Despite this fact, I’m not the type of person who flamboyantly brags about all the details of my life. And my faith happens to be one of those things that I keep to myself, unless it comes up organically in a given conversation.

Over the years, I’ve had situations where people have questioned my faith. This is probably the worst aspect of this post, since no person should be permitted to question another person’s faith. But this is exactly what I found myself having to deal with; and it was with someone I was involved with romantically.

Almost a decade ago, long before the arrival of my wife and sons, I was dating a girl from a nearby city. She was a bit to deal with, as most exes are, and the fact she lived four hours away from me made it no less difficult. You know how everyone always says that long-distance relationships don’t work? There just may be something to that…

Anyway, I was visiting this girl on a particular weekend where I had four days off. I took the girl in question for a drive to a neighbouring city, where we enjoyed dinner with her older sister. After some conversation and debating on key societal issues, the moment seemed to arrive organically into the conversation where I said, “Even for me, that’s a bit much. And I’m a Buddhist!” The girl I was dating looked me right in the eyes and spoke the words that echo in my head whenever my thoughts turn to her: “You’re not Buddhist! Stop saying that to people!”

It wasn’t just WHAT I said, but the way in which she said it. The sideways glance and roll of the eyes… It wasn’t just the passing on of the information she believed to be correct; it was the attitude she pushed behind it. I had been involved with her long enough for her to know some of the finer details about me, and that this wasn’t a joke.

“Excuse me?” I replied.

She replied, “You were born Catholic and were baptized. It’s cute that you do karate, but that doesn’t make you Buddhist. You really need to stop saying that to people.”

I was taken aback and confused. Had the woman I called my girlfriend actually just pull THAT card on me? I was at a loss, because walking out would have left her stranded almost an hour from her home. And staying meant that I had to find the self-control to keep that shit locked up until we left and had a chance for me to discuss it with her in private.

Folks, it absolutely IS true that my mother is French Catholic. At the age of less than two years old, my mother had me baptized into the Catholic faith. My mother and I have had a debate for decades over John the Baptist and the issues behind baptizing someone prior to the age of consent, but that doesn’t change the reality. YOU choose your faith. YOU decide what faith you observe.

There’s a part of me that feels that if I had never embarked on my journey in the martial arts, my stepping into Buddhism may not have happened either. But that was a choice that was mine and mine alone, and no one else had any right to infringe on that. You have that same choice, so be sure to exercise it.

Ultimately, you all know that I broke up with the girl in this story, as she happens NOT to be my wife. I’d love to say that her xenophobia against Buddhism didn’t play a role in our breakup, but I’m not a fan of lying. Even if you’re trying to find yourself and learn, it’s important to be true to yourself. No one has a right to question your faith, and only you can know what you truly believe in. ☯