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.

Hojo-undo: Medicine Ball

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

It requires a deep memory search to dig up my first experience with the medicine ball and yet somehow this memory, even if not conscious, is something I believe that has benefited me ever since and especially in my martial karate life. 

It has taken me a long time to come to realize some of the benefits that came in to my martial discipline mostly due to the modern Internet data world and especially due to the contributions of men like Marc MacYoung, Rory Miller and many others whose names can be found in my bibliography at the end. 

In Okinawa karate dojo you see the depicted types of equipment they created to enhance and develop physical aspects used in the system of empty hand, called back in the day, "Ti (tee)." Don't see the medicine ball or any like device in this picture. It does NOT mean there wasn't something somewhere yet we don't see it in modern dojo who still use these fine, ancient and beneficial tools called hojo-undo devices. 

The first time my boxing coach picked up a medicine ball, stood across about three to five feet from me and simply tossed it to me was an eye opener. My initial thinking was, "What is he doing tossing a funny looking basketball at me?" I was on my ass immediately, the air knocked out of me and total and complete surprise on my face while he stood over me laughing his ass off. An eye opener. 

Can you imagine how a variable weighted round ball made of leather, especially while moving around the gym floor, can teach you, without actually boxing with another person, to get your mind moving toward a more principled-based effective movement of the body to achieve both giving power and receiving power? Can anyone say, "Tori-n-Uke?" without out tori, initially. 

Can you imagine even after achieving proficiency with the medicine ball how continuing it at increasing weights can lead you to better stability, better grounding, better structure, and so on to achieve necessary power and force for self-protection and defense? 

The more one utilizes such beneficial tools, the more capable one gets don't you feel how that is not just possible but necessary? 

Isn't it interesting, as you probably already know, that it took me so long to remember and recommend adding the medicine ball to your hojo-undo device collection? 

I believe that it exists in every single boxing gym and suspect it may already exist in dojo and believe this article may be the first one to present the possibilities of the medicine ball as a great tool to develop those principles necessary to generate the power and force necessary not just for self-protection, also for sport as those who need to stop and win still need to generate appropriate power and force for the proverbial knock out, right? 

The following is just "one" of "many" video sources a sensei can and should use to "create" a model of a medicine ball in karate and martial disciplines, sooner or later you will become a believer when it is introduced and utilized, YES!






Bibliography (Click the link)

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