Please take a look at Articles on self-defense/conflict/violence for introductions to the references found in the bibliography page.

Please take a look at my bibliography if you do not see a proper reference to a post.

Please take a look at my Notable Quotes

Hey, Attention on Deck!

Hey, NOTHING here is PERSONAL, get over it - Teach Me and I will Learn!


When you begin to feel like you are a tough guy, a warrior, a master of the martial arts or that you have lived a tough life, just take a moment and get some perspective with the following:


I've stopped knives that were coming to disembowel me

I've clawed for my gun while bullets ripped past me

I've dodged as someone tried to put an ax in my skull

I've fought screaming steel and left rubber on the road to avoid death

I've clawed broken glass out of my body after their opening attack failed

I've spit blood and body parts and broke strangle holds before gouging eyes

I've charged into fires, fought through blizzards and run from tornados

I've survived being hunted by gangs, killers and contract killers

The streets were my home, I hunted in the night and was hunted in turn


Please don't brag to me that you're a survivor because someone hit you. And don't tell me how 'tough' you are because of your training. As much as I've been through I know people who have survived much, much worse. - Marc MacYoung

WARNING, CAVEAT AND NOTE

The postings on this blog are my interpretation of readings, studies and experiences therefore errors and omissions are mine and mine alone. The content surrounding the extracts of books, see bibliography on this blog site, are also mine and mine alone therefore errors and omissions are also mine and mine alone and therefore why I highly recommended one read, study, research and fact find the material for clarity. My effort here is self-clarity toward a fuller understanding of the subject matter. See the bibliography for information on the books. Please make note that this article/post is my personal analysis of the subject and the information used was chosen or picked by me. It is not an analysis piece because it lacks complete and comprehensive research, it was not adequately and completely investigated and it is not balanced, i.e., it is my personal view without the views of others including subject experts, etc. Look at this as “Infotainment rather then expert research.” This is an opinion/editorial article/post meant to persuade the reader to think, decide and accept or reject my premise. It is an attempt to cause change or reinforce attitudes, beliefs and values as they apply to martial arts and/or self-defense. It is merely a commentary on the subject in the particular article presented.


Note: I will endevor to provide a bibliography and italicize any direct quotes from the materials I use for this blog. If there are mistakes, errors, and/or omissions, I take full responsibility for them as they are mine and mine alone. If you find any mistakes, errors, and/or omissions please comment and let me know along with the correct information and/or sources.



“What you are reading right now is a blog. It’s written and posted by me, because I want to. I get no financial remuneration for writing it. I don’t have to meet anyone’s criteria in order to post it. Not only I don’t have an employer or publisher, but I’m not even constrained by having to please an audience. If people won’t like it, they won’t read it, but I won’t lose anything by it. Provided I don’t break any laws (libel, incitement to violence, etc.), I can post whatever I want. This means that I can write openly and honestly, however controversial my opinions may be. It also means that I could write total bullshit; there is no quality control. I could be biased. I could be insane. I could be trolling. … not all sources are equivalent, and all sources have their pros and cons. These needs to be taken into account when evaluating information, and all information should be evaluated. - God’s Bastard, Sourcing Sources (this applies to this and other blogs by me as well; if you follow the idea's, advice or information you are on your own, don't come crying to me, it is all on you do do the work to make sure it works for you!)



“You should prepare yourself to dedicate at least five or six years to your training and practice to understand the philosophy and physiokinetics of martial arts and karate so that you can understand the true spirit of everything and dedicate your mind, body and spirit to the discipline of the art.” - cejames (note: you are on your own, make sure you get expert hands-on guidance in all things martial and self-defense)



“All I say is by way of discourse, and nothing by way of advice. I should not speak so boldly if it were my due to be believed.” - Montaigne


I am not a leading authority on any one discipline that I write about and teach, it is my hope and wish that with all the subjects I have studied it provides me an advantage point that I offer in as clear and cohesive writings as possible in introducing the matters in my materials. I hope to serve as one who inspires direction in the practitioner so they can go on to discover greater teachers and professionals that will build on this fundamental foundation. Find the authorities and synthesize a wholehearted and holistic concept, perception and belief that will not drive your practices but rather inspire them to evolve, grow and prosper. My efforts are born of those who are more experienced and knowledgable than I. I hope you find that path! See the bibliography I provide for an initial list of experts, professionals and masters of the subjects.

Muscles that Twitch: Karate

Blog Article/Post Caveat (Read First Please: Click the Link)

There are two types of muscle “Fibers” that are termed, “Fast twitch (Type II Fibers) and slow twitch (Type I Fibers).” Fast twitch contract quickly but tire rapidly while slow twitch contract slowly and keep going for a long time. 

If a person is looking for endurance or speed they may want to focus on the slow twitch muscles development because endurance allows them to go a longer time without tiring out and succumbing to the effects of fatigue. 

If you need speed for rapid-movements where the muscles must contract swiftly you work on the development of the fast-twitch muscles. There are two repercussions involved in the use of fast-twitch muscles, i.e., you get tired fast and you consume a lot of energy.

According to the source I used for this article, the BBC Science section on the human body and mind they state, Most of your muscles are made up of a mixture of both slow and fast twitch muscle fibers. But, your soleus muscle in your lower leg and muscles in your back involved in maintaining posture contain mainly slow twitch muscle fibers. And muscles that move your eyes are made up of fast twitch muscle fibers.”

Keep in mind that alone these terms and their development for karate and martial arts also depend and are connected to other factors necessary to make it all work, i.e., slow twitch muscle fibers contain a lot of blood vessels and rely on a need for rich supply of oxygenated blood (think of your deep diaphragmatic breathing methods, etc.) and don’t forget they also use up oxygen to produce energy for the muscle contractions. The fast-twitch muscle fibers don’t use as much oxygen to make energy so the need for a richer blood supply is less. The fast-twitch muscle fibers produce smaller amounts of energy very fast where slow-twitch muscles produce larger amounts of energy more slowly. 

Anyone with any experience and understanding in karate and martial arts for sport, combatives, fighting or self-defense can already see the value of muscle fibers for fast and slow twitch. In essence it would be optimal to have a balanced set of fibers to achieve speed when needed then the slow plodding type of slow that does not need speed to be effective. That is not how our bodies work. 

We, apparently but in need of further research and validation from medical sciences, are endowed with certain proportions of fast and slow twitch muscles. Some of us are actually born with a 50/50 split of fast vs. slow twitch. Your muscles as to fiber composition come from your genetics so the 50/50 may be a good general rule but is actually not set in stone. As individual humans that setting will be dictated by genetics and possibly other factors such as health and fitness with programs toward enhancing both that may effect the ratio’s.

It comes down to genetics along with your attitude and determination when training and practicing in programs meant to develop one type of fiber over the other. There are exercises that actually develop fast twitch muscles as there are exercises that develop slow twitch muscles. I tend to think anaerobic vs. aerobic types of exercise. 

Slow Twitch Example: Exercises that feature sustained isometric contractions with little-to-no joint movement keep the slow-twitch muscle fibers under contraction for an extended period of time. This can help improve their ability to utilize oxygen to produce energy. Examples include the front plank, the side plank and the single-leg balance.

Fast Twitch Example: Performing explosive, power-based movements, whether it is with a barbell, kettle-bell, medicine ball or simply your own body weight, will recruit greater levels of fast-twitch fibers.

In karate and martial arts practitioners often focus on how to develop and use speed but a more robust focus should be on what muscle fiber is needed to apply the methodology necessary to defend in any given situation. Some methods may do better with the slow-twitch developed muscle fiber while other methods the fast-twitch.

Bibliography (Click the link)


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