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.

Variations in Performance

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

In all disciplines, I mean all, humans will experience both extreme performances interspersed with less extreme ones. Humans, simply because we are human, will not achieve the same top results but rather a system or state of, “Variations in Performance.” It is a matter of, “The mean,” meaning, “the average of both extreme performance and less extreme.” In truth, it is a matter of timing where one who enters a match does so with the thought and intent to reach the higher level of the mean, extreme performance, so they can do their very best and succeed to the top spot in that match. We will call this one a milestone where the practitioner works to achieve his extreme performance level at the exact same moment they participate in a match, contest or competitive endeavor. 

The way to achieve this goal is to train and practice with a system that embraces the upper, mean and lower levels of the performance with a milestone of elevating the overall performance to levels where the lower end is less of a lower end, elevating the entire system so when the actual less extreme performance level exceeds the higher performance level of those who are competing with him or her. 

To ignore this regression of mean can lead to less than optimal consequences. When you hear someone say, “I threw bad darts but after I practiced for five hours over the weekend my Monday game was spot on.” In reality, the practice may have exceeded the optimal practice interval for true progress and the person merely traveled the path back into the upswing of his performance level to extreme performance. Often, such marathons of practice are more a feed into this fallacy of regression of mean. 

What this means is the practitioner of any discipline where performance be it mental or physical or both is about understanding that we all have this system the travels the path as if a set of waves ebbing and flowing with upside waves we ride like a surfer and the downside waves that literally throw us under the water and willy nilly to the shoreline. You can’t ride the perfect wave on top all the time, you will always slide down the front and endure the cascade of the wave top tumbling you down as if you were a novice surfer. 

Variations in Performance are like breathing, it is what humans do naturally and according the nature and its physics. Like being full of energy during the early hours of a day, and early  energy person, then slowing down in the afternoon, not a late day person, until your energy level is at its lowest. The Chinese medicines all teach this diurnal system of the human body, i.e., patterns of the body and mind from full energy to falling and into resting energy toward recharge, etc.

We call this the, “Circadian Rhythm,” where the bodies biological processes oscillate during a twenty-four hour span much like the ticking of a clock. These circadian or diurnal rhythms are set according to the environment in which the human lives to included its weather, etc., such as light, temperature and other effects. Add in the environmental effects of the tribe, clan or social order along with culture and beliefs then you get a system that dependent on other factors to the individual provides a clock where you may be at your best at 8am and worst at 8pm. 

Bibliography (Click the link)



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