Many pictures of female martial artists don’t actually look like they are doing a martial art. For example, there are loads of pictures of women with their legs splayed wide open – not actually kicking, but just standing on one leg … Continued
Produced as material for Black Belt WIki – A martial arts wiki focused on free kata & instruction The Aikido 13 Jo Kata – Brief instructions for those just needing a quick refresh. More detailed instructions are also available here … Continued
These detailed instructions are based on the classic video demonstration by Saito Sensei. However, please note that Saito Sensei himself did sometimes slightly change some of the movements at different times. Please check with your sensei for any variations that may … Continued
Five awesome insights on women in boxing – From Leah Hager Cohen’s Without Apology – Girls, Woman and the Desire to Fight Leah Hager Cohen is a quiet, middle-class journalist who warily visits a run-down gym with her photographer friend, … Continued
This book is for “male and female martial arts instructors, female martial arts students, and supporters of women in martial arts”. It aims to “help people involved in the martial arts understand the challenges women face when training and help them create and provide appropriate martial arts instruction” . . .
For this post, I decided to analyse the kanji that make up some of the different Japanese words for “training”. Because they can be so hard to differentiate in English; so I wanted to shed some light on … Continued
The Talent Code by Daniel Coyle uses scientific research to explain how ability is created and nurtured, across a range of fields.
This post draws out some key themes from the book which are applicable to martial arts teaching and training – and suggests some practical ways to apply them.
The Zen Way to the Martial Arts – A Japanese Master Reveals the Secrets of the Samurai by Taisen Deshimaru aims to “provide practical wisdom for all students of the martial arts – kendo, aikido, iaido, judo or archery”. It’s a fairly short book (120 pages), but very rich in ideas, metaphors and stories. Here are a few of the most interesting themes . . .
This is one of a series of posts, where I analyse the kanji for key concepts in the Japanese martial arts, to see what interesting meanings can be found there. Today’s example is 礼 Rei.
