Is this real?

During my execution of technique I seldom open up even half of what I am capable of. The reason for this isn’t because I believe my training partners will burst into flames, nor is it because my students are already aware of the awesomeness that is me. The reason is because the amount of anger and darkness that is released during the execution of a truly violent action is something that can’t be done on a regular basis with the expectation of it not seeping into other aspects of your life. So I prefer to execute with intent and leave the higher levels of intensity of that intent to be done in the real world and for non-believers. Of course there are those occasions when real execution will seep into your training. This weeks training was one such day. Under the watchful eye of two instructors I executed a particularly violent series of movements on a training partner. From the moment of contact my intent and intensity was such that I could feel my partners emotional intent turn from uki to victim. The only words out of his mouth were “is this real?”. He truly believed in his heart that I was going to hurt him, of course I didn’t, at least not to any great degree. The two instructors watched with interest, but didn’t say anything. I didn’t apologize, I didn’t help him up, we just moved forward with our lesson. And the answer was, “yes”, it always is.

Everything is built from the ground up

Every system of martial arts is built from the ground up (i.e. footwork).

Taking Karate for the "other person"

Certainly if someone is going to take Karate or study some form of self-defense they would do it for themselves right? Sure, but you don't need to know that stuff. Nothing bad happens to you and you never place yourself in situations that would require you to protect yourself, right?

Ok, fair enough, but what about the other guy? Who? You know that other person you have committed to protect. "Hey Suzie, it's getting late, let me walk you out to your car". Why? What exactly are you going to do if there is someone out there? Not much actually. Exactly how are you supposed to defend someone else if you can't defend yourself? Well, there is safety in numbers. Exactly, that's why predators travel in packs.

I saw some good meaning folks working out, it wasn't really that late in the evening, but it gets dark pretty early now and part of their routine is running behind the building about 300 yards and then running back to the front. Beyond the obvious tactical disadvantages and environmental safety issues it presents, I watched people checking around the corner to see if people were on their way and wondered what would they do if. If they saw one of their classmates being attacked? Would they rush to the rescue and jump in the deep end without a life preserver? I wonder. Or just wait until it was over to tweet about they crazy sh*t that happened tonight. If you won't train for yourself, consider doing so for the others that you continue to offer to guard in the face of danger (family, friends or the weak and helpless whom you might feel the need to defend). Because guess what, your right YOLO. #houston

That New Karate Smell

No, I'm not talking about what sparring gears smells like when it is first used or the smell of a brand new gi that's just been pulled out of the packaging. I'm speaking of that person that's just started taking martial arts, and is so excited that everything is somehow now related to martial arts. That excitement has the potential to last for years and continues to be fueled by other people that are new to the martial arts and get that same fire. Here's to you Karate guy with that new Karate smell.

Rising Tide Raises All Boats

One thing that martial arts schools should understand is that we are not in competition with one another. There are 6.5 million people in Houston, Texas and at least 2 million of them have had dreams of being a ninja, being Bruce Lee or just being able to defend themselves and not live in fear. Every martial arts school in town should have at least 200 people and support every martial arts event and activity in the city they can. Our competition is every other sport out there, a lack of time brought on by jobs that want to work you to death without self fulfillment and an apathy brought on by too much TV. So let's do our part. Support events where and when you can and get more people into the arts, with you, with a friend, with someone you don't know. At the end of the day we will all benefit.

Silat Seminar in Houston, TX Nov 16, 2013

The one martial arts event in Houston, TX you don't want to miss this year. Guru Thomas Lomax in Houston sharing the concepts and principles of the Indonesian art of Silat. Contact us 713-837-6287.

It takes all kinds

After 27 years of participating in the martial arts one thing that I've noticed is that it takes all kinds. As both a student and instructor I've seen many different people of various orientations, professions and interests take up the martial arts and get out of it what they were looking for. So don't think, I could never do that, I'm too old, too fat, too lazy, too whatever. Everyone deserves the opportunity to benefit from training in the martial arts.