Q:   “I want to get stronger, but I avoid weightlifting because I’ve always heard it makes you slow and reduces flexibility. Is this true?” A:  Old-school weightlifting is one of the best ways to build strength. Weight workouts are also a tried-and-true method for improving your personal power output. There are, however, a few secrets to success you may not know. Once you master them, you’ll drastically improve your strength without sacrificing other attributes you need for m

When you’re sparring, getting punched is frustrating, not to mention painful. On the street, getting punched can be far more devastating. The reason: Most street punches are thrown at unsuspecting targets. Have you seen any of the so-called “knockout game” videos on YouTube? If so, you’ve witnessed just how dangerous it can be to fully absorb a punch to the head when you don’t see it coming. The danger doesn’t come just from being knocked out; once you’re unconscious, even if

Once avoided for fear it would lead to unwanted weight gain, dietary fat is now embraced by health-conscious martial artists. Scientific research confirms the benefits of eating this macronutrient: It helps your body break down fat-soluble vitamins, increases satiety, provides and stores energy, and even improves heart health. Not all fats are good for you, however, and even the beneficial ones can have their drawbacks.

Q:  You talked about lifting conventional weights for enhanced martial arts performance. What about other forms of weightlifting? A:  There is another type of weight training that deserves discussion. It entails attaching extra weight to your body — specifically, your ankles, wrists, or torso — and then engaging in functional martial arts training. Before I begin, let me say this about “functional training.” All too often, people use the term to refer to a hodgepodge of movem

It will be fascinating for you, if you have the opportunity, to visit one of the museums in the West that have suits of Japanese armor. That’s because feudal Japan took a different approach to body armor than we find in Europe. To some degree, the samurai traded protection for mobility. Rather than using rigid, curved metal sections like the European knights did, the Japanese constructed their armor from an elaborately woven series of leather panels. Roughly half the size of

The knife hand strike, once the crown jewel of karate demonstrations, has had quite a fall from grace. Once upon a time, every martial arts student dreamed of chopping through boards like a lumberjack with an anger management problem. Instructors would proudly line up pine planks, and students would step forward with the confidence of someone who definitely wasn’t about to bruise their hand. These days, though, the karate chop feels like it’s been filed away with other retro

Q:  When it comes to lifting weights, they say slower is better for building muscle, but some people insist that you need fast moves to build the explosive striking power that’s required for martial arts. Which approach is right? A:  There’s no short answer to this question because what’s right for one person isn’t always right for another. However, there are some nearly universal truths for building power with iron that can translate to explosiveness in the dojo. Before I ge

On January 29, 2015, the British Journal of Sports Medicine  posted the results of a research study that examined 131 MMA fighters and 93 boxers. It concluded that “greater exposure to repetitive head trauma is associated with lower brain volumes and lower processing speed in active professional fighters.” Although not surprising to many, this inevitably will lead to questions from martial artists who wish to continue to make head contact during training but want to maximize

Ask most martial artists how to get better at sparring, and you’ll hear the same advice on repeat: “Keep your guard up,” “Don’t drop your hands,” “Relax.” All solid points—but let’s be honest, you already know that. So, let’s go a little deeper. Here are the underrated  tips for sparring success—the ones most people overlook until they learn them the hard way. 1. Learn to Lose… Well Getting tagged isn’t failure—it’s feedback. The best fighters aren’t the ones who never get hi

It’s an argument as old as the dojo itself: Would you rather face someone who’s stronger  than you — or better trained? Every generation...

Billy Blanks , the legendary creator of Tae Bo® who inspired millions in the 1990s, is back — this time in virtual reality. Taebo Reboot:...

“Sensei, is what you’re talking about similar to what Miyamoto Musashi said in Go Rin No Sho  when he was explaining the effects of go no sen ?” This is the sort of question one occasionally hears in the dojo. Of course, we can say that there are no stupid questions, but we need to understand that at times there are inappropriate questions. One of the most inappropriate questions you can ask in the dojo is one that’s intended not to better your understanding of a topic but to

In the 1980s, a wave of devices hit the market promising to improve one’s flexibility. Among them was a contraption that became legendary...

If you’re taking medical advice from someone like me, you have more serious problems than can be addressed in a column. So it is that I never offer any advice on gaining flexibility. If you have questions about improving yours, consult a physical therapist. Unless your sensei has that kind of professional training, he has no business giving you instruction on flexibility other than to say, “This is what has worked for me.” That is what I would say. I can tell you, however, wh

Most combatives practitioners spend a lot of time learning to develop powerful strikes. It’s important to be efficient, to be able to exploit the momentary vulnerabilities your attacker presents and not waste them on half-assed or weak attempts at hitting and hurting. Unfortunately, what people don’t spend enough time on in their martial arts training is understanding the importance of movement, establishing range, and being harder to hit. Sure, the combatives mentality lends

Many Black Belt  readers may be familiar with the Japanese phrase ken ki tai ichi . It means that one’s weapon ( ken , which can be...

Stanley Ketchel, aka “The Michigan Assassin,” was one of the greatest middleweight boxing champs of all time. He was noted for tremendous...

So this guy is standing 6 feet in front of me.  He’s got his right hand behind his back, and he’s saying he wants to f@%* me up. It’s...

Using a serrated bread knife, can you cut a baguette, a loaf of French bread, in a single stroke? If you can't, you have work to do in...

Definition Combatives is a set of tactics and techniques designed to preserve your life in a violent situation with no regard to...

When the scenario is laid out, when you know what attacks will come and how you’re expected to respond, you can be forced to employ...

During a match, a young grappler thinks he’s safely passing his opponent’s guard to get to a better position. Then he feels an intense...

There was a saying in old Japan: Bushi wa kuwanedo taka-yoji.  Roughly translated, it means, “When he’s hungry, the samurai uses a...

It doesn’t matter whether you practice boxing, judo, jujitsu, karate, kendo, or tai chi. It doesn’t matter whether you choose to use a...