Some time ago, there was an interaction on social media that revolved around a video about aikido history. After reading the comments, I was left feeling unsettled; I was disappointed and frustrated by how the online exchange unfolded. However, before explaining what happened, it may be best to come to terms with the idea, definition … Continue reading Martial Arts Historian: The Wider Implications
Rideshare apps are a convenient way to get around town, especially when traveling at night, leaving a bar after drinking, or just trying to avoid parking hassles. However, using a rideshare app means getting into a stranger’s car, which is never completely risk-free. Often, dangerous situations such as speeding or reckless driving put you at … Continue reading Rideshare Safety Tips: A Complete Guide by Gabriel Spencer
Recently, one of the music groups I follow released a song about the famed Musashi Miyamoto and his A Book of Five Rings. This song inspired me to take another inspection of his manuscript. Instead of reading it this time, I listened to the audiobook, which, I feel, had a different impact on me. What … Continue reading A Layman’s Observation: A Book of Five Rings
This year began with wide horizons: a plan to expand our jujutsu coverage, deepen our editorial and historical writing, and finish a new book. While not every target was fully met, the year proved foundational. The work we completed, and the work we set in motion, positions the chronicle for an even stronger year ahead. … Continue reading A Year in Review: 2025
After spending some time within the martial arts, multiple terms start to appear more often during one's research and conversations. Such terms begin to define what certain concepts mean or where techniques originated, or even how one should approach newer students. One such term, spoken by many high-ranking practitioners, is shuhari, or stylized as shu-ha-ri, … Continue reading Shuhari: When Do We Know We Are Progressing?
By accident, I came across this book while exploring social media. With a title that includes “You’re Doing It Wrong!” was bound to promote a reaction. It did, and I wanted to find out what Prince Gharios had to say about the current state of aikido and how to pull the art from the brink … Continue reading A Response to Prince Gharios’ Aikido: You’re Doing It Wrong!
While at fencing, I opted to work with the epee after training primarily with foil for several months. I was looking for something different – a spur of the moment choice. Throughout the practice, I was surprised at how effective my advances were, especially for a weapon I have not trained in some time. To … Continue reading A Layman’s Observation: The Importance of Kamae
Before there were spears, clubs, or even sharpened stones, there was the body. The earliest martial art wasn’t passed down through scrolls or techniques — it was born in blood, instinct, and survival. Long before structured combat systems, early humans defended themselves with what nature gave them: teeth to bite, nails to claw, and a … Continue reading Animal Mode: Primal Self-Defense with Teeth, Nails, and Head by Michael Martin
The law enforcement profession has always been a tough field to work in. Police officers respond to unfolding situations where the opportunity for injury or even worse is real. The initial academy training and the number of iterations needed to correctly handle the myriad of situations an officer will encounter while maintaining the fitness standard … Continue reading Partnering Up Law Enforcement With Taekwondo by Brad Yakots
When the concept of aiki arises within the aikido paradigm, many practitioners default to a variety of sources; pointing directly to the founder, Morihei Ueshiba, to different Daito-ryu forms and practitioners, or to the more internal energy-leaning teachings, like zazen, across the martial arts’ resource community. Aiki, by definition, “usually refers to the principle of … Continue reading By Example: Aiki in Real-Time Application from Judo Master Takahiko Ishikawa
Martial Arts of Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow 