Category Archives: Martial arts

THURIBLE a poem

Posted on June 10, 2019 | Leave a comment

thurible

Forever knows no chains
There is no crucible
In which to reduce the now
The map is not the terrain
There’s nothing to terrible
As looking past the now
So I chant the old refrains
Ignite the ancient thurible
And take the sacred vow

Seven steps up
Through the garden of roses
Lies the Kingdom
And in its center
The interior castle

“Hey Mitch, what’s this poetry thing all about?” I want to collaborate with Blue Öyster Cult and I’m hoping the Öyster Boys will think this would make a good lyric.

Did you know I wrote a paranormal/mystery/romance book inspired by Blue Öyster Cult’s lyrical themes?  Click here to download it here for free!

The cover to my book “Chatters on the Tide” inspired by the music of Blue Öyster Cult

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Introducing Frontier Martial Arts

Posted on June 9, 2019 | Leave a comment

This is the logo for my new Frontier Rough & Tumble Club. Currently we meet Sundays at 3 PM.

Mostly I blog about Cabal Fang martial arts.  But starting today I’m going to be more talkative about my other love —  Frontier Rough & Tumble.

Introducing Frontier Rough & Tumble Martial Arts

Frontier Rough & Tumble is a rustic martial art that incorporates the fighting methods, mindset and lifeways of North America, settler and native alike, between the years 1607 (the arrival of settlers in Jamestown) and 1912 (the year the last continental state was admitted to the Unites States, thereby meaning there was no longer a “frontier”).

Frontier Rough & Tumble training Material

Fisticuffs.  The way everyday people struck with their hands before the introduction of the padded boxing glove.  Kicking, especially purring and shinning.  Wrestling, tussling, grappling, clinching and throwing.  Reality-based Bowie knife and Tomahawk training.  Fitness.  Practical exercises that resemble frontier chores, such as swinging hammers, digging, hauling and lifting loads, running, etc. Survival skills, including the settler folkways and indigenous abilities.†

What makes Frontier Rough & Tumble great is…

In the frontier there were no excuses.  Often there were no police to save you, no doctor to patch you up, and no court to arbitrate your disputes if you caused trouble.  Check out the Bobcat Code we use at my club.  

Frontier Rough & Tumble is based on self-reliance.  When Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote his famous essay on the subject he chose to open it with a poem he wrote called “Power” which I’ve shared below.

My Time-Life encyclopedia of the Old West in 26 volumes. You can’t teach Frontier Rough & Tumble without knowing the historical milieu.

If you’re interested in Frontier Rough & Tumble martial arts, as far as I know there are only two instructors — Mark Hatmaker and myself.  Mark the genius behind it.  He got me hooked, and I’m studying from him.  You can too by subscribing to his RAW program.  Or, if you’re in Richmond, VA you can come train with me at Bobcat Martial Arts.

Cast the bantling on the rocks,
Suckle him with the she-wolf’s teat,
Wintered with the hawk and fox,
Power and speed be hands and feet.

[Ralph Waldo Emerson, from “May-Day and Other Pieces”, 1867]

My first Frontier Martial Arts-related book. Click here to download!

† Yes, the Ancient Greeks used calisthenics for war (I know this because I literally wrote the book on calisthenics) as well as a form of stone hand weight to build strength.  And they used a form of boxing glove, as did the Egyptians.    People have, for millennia, mostly understood that (a) linear training works and (b) if you hit hard things with a balled fist your hand will break.  That said, the modern idea of “physical fitness” didn’t exist in the frontier period.  Back then your “workout” was putting food on the table and “boxing” was bareknuckled.  Padded gloves, calisthenics and weights (barbells, dumbbells, kettlebells, etc.) weren’t widely used until the late 1800s — at the tail end of the frontier period.

 

 

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Squiz: Cabal Fang Martial Arts Training Involution #160

Posted on June 8, 2019 | Leave a comment

SQUIZ /skwɪz/
Britain, Australia, New Zealand, colloquial. Perhaps a blend of squint +‎ quiz

  1. [noun] a look.
  2. [verb] to peer at or eye suspiciously.

But because this month’s external focus is Self-Defense vs. Unarmed, we’re going to add a new definition:

3. a self-defense quiz (contraction of self-defense and quiz)

And since our internal focus is The Candle (meditation) we’re going to add in that element as well.

Squiz: Cabal Fang Martial Arts Training Involution #160

  1. The last time you stayed in a hotel, did you request a room between the 2nd and 4th floors? (FYI, fire ladders don’t reach beyond the 4th)
  2. Do you know your spouse or significant other’s license plate number?
  3. Do you know the nearest safe harbors to both home and work? (A safe harbor is a location that’s open 24 hours which has some kind of security presence)
  4. Do you have your attorney’s phone number memorized in case you’re arrested?
  5. Do you know your state’s laws regarding use of force?†
  6. Is there at least a quarter of a tank of gas in your vehicle right now?
  7. Do you have a fully stocked first aid kit in your home that contains a first aid manual?

Expand your definition of meditation beyond sitting on the floor in lotus position reciting a holy mantra.  Your mind treats visualization like actual experience with 80% efficiency.  Which means that in addition to preserving your spirit, it might preserve you body in a self-defense situation.

  1. Have you spent at least five minutes this week visualizing what you would do if you were the victim of a violent attack, such as a carjacking, abduction or sexual assault?
  2. Have you spent at least five minutes this week visualizing what you would do if someone tried to force their way into your home or office?
  3. Have you spent at least five minutes this week visualizing your own demise?  “Meditation on inevitable death should be performed daily.” ~Hagakure

That’s 10 questions.  How did you score?

10 = A
9 = B
8 = C
7 = D
6 or less = F

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† In my home state of Virginia, USA, our laws are basically “stand your ground lite.”  In other words, I don’t have to run, but I can use only sufficient force to ensure my safety.  Details here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Birthday Schmirthday

Posted on June 5, 2019 | Leave a comment

Yeah I know, I’m a self-defense expert, and for identity theft reasons know it’s not smart to advertise your birthday to the world. But I’m also a public figure, and my personal cats are not staying in the bag. So don’t be like me — keep your birthday secret.

Anyway, yesterday was my 58th.

My kids all showed their love with cards, calls, texts and kind words. My wife’s baking me pineapple upside down cake on Saturday. My employees gave me a new travel mug. My Facebook exploded with well wishes.

I celebrated by sticking to my training regimen. My party was doing martial arts with the coolest bunch of guys on the planet, and my treat was a 2 oz. bag of roasted peanuts.

That’s what I call a great birthday!

Morning Session (90 mins)

(15:00) Body toughening, makiwara, forging post, shin rolling

(10:00) MBF calisthenics – “martial base fitness” — Chin-ups, Bag Lifts, Reverses, Leg Triangles

(40:00) Weights/Resistance. Box Deadlifts (bar at floor level) #155/5,4,3. Handstand Pushups 4,4,4. Dumbbell Bent Rows #25/10,10,10 (bicep rehab).

(14:18) Run/Jog. #8 weighted vest, #2 ankle weights, #1 hand weights, 1.25 miles.

(10:00) Contemplation

Evening Session (90 mins)

Cabal Fang martial arts:

(5:00) Self-defense Pop Quiz: What’s your wife’s license plate number? What did your kid wear to school this morning? Etc.

(10:00) Forms, warm-up

(15:00) Mirroring drills, sensitivity drills, distance and head level awareness, Shots and Sprawls

(25:00) Bobbing and Slipping, Counters

(25:00) Constitutional. 10-count Bodybuilders (25), Bear Walks (10 x 10 yards), Shuffle Runs (50 x 5 yards — forward/backward alternating), Crunches (100), Diamond Push-ups (25), Split Jump Squats (50), Ab Punches (1 min)

(10:00) Cooldown, Stretching Meditation

Quick shot of the scratch pad where I wrote down the calisthenics that the guys chose for this month’s constitutional

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One Shining Hour: Cabal Fang Martial Arts Training Involution #159

Posted on June 1, 2019 | Leave a comment

Exclusive of warm up, transitions and cool down, this T.I. is one hour of action.

Make this your shining hour.

Put out like this is your one shot for an Olympic gold medal or it’s your black belt exam.  Put out like Mom and Dad are watching you fight to free nuns and orphan babies from a concentration camp. 

All we want is all you’ve got.

One Shining Hour: Cabal Fang Martial Arts Training Involution #159

  • Warm up for at least 8 minutes.
  • 10:00 half pyramid of BackNeck Bridge, Prison Push-ups, Ankle Picks and Get-ups.  See how high you can climb before the timer beeps (I almost finished my 9th rep of each).  Beginners sub Back Bridge for Back Neck Bridge, regular Push-ups for the Prisons, Lunges for the Ankle Picks, etc.  as needed.  Modify, adapt and overcome.
  •  10:00 on the heavy bag.  No round breaks and no pussyfooting around.  Take as few 12-count breaks as you need to survive this nightmare.
  • 10:00 run.  See how much ground you can cover before the timer beeps.
  • Cool down for 5:00.
  • 30 minutes of contemplation, mediation or prayer (your choice).

Yes, I sometimes use homemade dice to create random drills. That right there is nerd fitness.

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Switch-up: Cabal Fang Martial Arts Training Involution #158

Posted on May 25, 2019 | Leave a comment

Greetings from Clayton, NY! It’s Saturday morning and I’m vacationing with relatives on the beautiful Saint Lawrence River for Memorial Day weekend. Make sure you take a moment to remember our fallen heroes.

This week we’re switching the emphasis around a little bit. We wouldn’t want you folks to get bored now, would we?

Switch-up: Cabal Fang Martial Arts Training Involution #158

  1. As many kicks as you can in 15:00 — no knees or roundhouse allowed.
  2. As many shadowboxing hand strikes as you can in 8:00 — no knuckle punches allowed.
  3. Half pyramid to 10 of Knee Ride Switches and Smearing Push-ups — see video below.

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Coming Soon: Dime Magazine #1

Posted on May 20, 2019 | Leave a comment

It’s really hard to make money if you’re not selling anything.

Not making money is fine in the case of Cabal Fang.  That’s the point.  It’s a charity whose only purpose is to provide free support, to anyone who wants to practice martial arts as a form of personal development.

But I got bills to pay and a retirement to fund.  So, in addition to Cabal Fang, I started Bobcat Martial Arts as a for-profit club and opened a shop that really doesn’t sell much in the way of martial arts stuff.

And then it occurred to me: It’s really hard to make money if you’re not selling anything.  What kind of chuckle-head takes three months to figure that out?  Anyway, at least I did.

I’m starting with the “Bobcat Martial Arts Dime Magazine Series.”†  These will be .pdf magazines for download, all priced at ten bucks.  They will contain all kinds of new material, tightly focused on specific subjects, and they’ll include links to unlisted YouTube videos that you can’t access any other way.

Cool, huh?  Stay tuned.

† Those of you who’ve been following this blog since the beginning will immediately see the inspiration for the format and style of this product.  Although I’m no longer active, I have been a zinester since the 80s, on and off.  Zine culture roots are pulp and indie.  And since Bobcat Martial Arts is my vehicle for teaching Frontier Rough & Tumble and walking stick self-defense — both of which reached their pinnacle in the 19th century — a penny dreadful, dime novel kind of vibe just made sense.  Nowadays a dime is ten bucks instead of ten cents, which is also my price point.  And so voilà!

 

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Firefly Style: Cabal Fang Martial Arts Training Involution #157

Posted on May 18, 2019 | 1 comment

“If you can’t run, you walk.  If you can’t walk, you crawl.  If you can’t crawl, you find someone to carry you.”

This week’s T.I. is about understanding the power of realizing you are not alone.

Yesterday, when I did this week’s T.I., I thought of the above quote from Firefly, one of my favorite TV shows.  This T.I. was so hard that the only way I could make it through was to think about the fact that if we were training together — me, you, and the rest of the Cabal Fang crew — none of us would ever let anybody quit.

So I imagined you were there with me, that you were there encouraging me, helping me, making suggestions on how to modify exercises,  and asking me to dig deep.

Your brothers and sisters in Cabal Fang are right there with you.  Now go get it done.

Firefly Style: Cabal Fang Martial Arts Training Involution #157

  • Warm up for a full 8 minutes.
  • 3 sets of HSPUs to failure.  If you can’t do HSPUs, do Jackknife Push-ups.  If you can’t do them, do Regular Push-ups.
  • 3 sets of Squats. 2 x 5 + 1 set to failure.  Pick a weight that works for you (I used 110 lbs).
  • 10 x 10 yards of Heavy Bear Walks. Select two hex dumbbells.  Go way lighter than you think you need.  I used 10 pounders.  Bear Walk with dumbbells in hand for 10 yards.  Stop and do 10 Push-ups with a Plank Row between, alternating sides.  Repeat 10 more times for a total of 100 yards of Bear Walks, 100 Push-ups and 100 Rows.
  • Unless you are Captain America, you are going to fail at this.  When you do start failing, imagine me and all of the other people in Cabal Fang working right there with you.  If you gas on the Bear Walks, drop the dumbbells and go on without them.  If you gas on the Push-ups or Plank Rows, come up and do them on knees.  Switch to lighter dumbbells halfway through if necessary.  Make whatever changes you have to make and take as many 12-count breaks as you need.  The only rule is don’t give up.
  • Cool down for 3 minutes.
  • Stretch and practice contemplation.
  • Record what you learned in your training journal.

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Real Deal Basics: Cabal Fang Martial Arts Training Involution #156

Posted on May 11, 2019 | Leave a comment

This week’s T.I. marks the third anniversary of the weekly program — the sixth anniversary counting the original protocol.  Sometimes, when I go on vacation like last week, I re-post previous T.I.s. But mostly you get something fresh every week. 

Being fresh ain’t easy, because martial arts aren’t as much about exploring new territory as they are about knowing the road map of fighting like the back of your hand.  Self-defense requires fight-specific strength and complete, automatic command of the basics.

That’s why I often re-combine essential ingredients to give freshness to the essentials — kind of the way Taco Bell creates new products from the same basic meat, cheese, sauce and tortillas.  Those of you have been doing C.F.T.I.s for a few years will recognize some familiar ingredients in #156 for sure.

Real Deal Basics: Cabal Fang Martial Arts Training Involution #156

  • Ideally you will have two heavy bags –one hanging/standing and  one for the floor.  Substitute a large gym bag full of gear for the floor bag or make one.
  • Warm up for a full eight minutes by doing multiple mini-sets at 50% effort.
  • Set timer for 5 x 3:00 (beginners 5 x 1:00, intermediate 5 x 2:00).  Rounds go as follows: HB Shrimps, HB Bridges and Reverses, Punches, Kicks, and Clinch Work.  Take as few 12-count breaks as needed to finish standing up.  See video below for details.
  • Perform the Salutations of Sun and Moon per the Cabal Fang Study Guide.  Our internal focus this month is The Luminaries and our external focus is Evasion.  More on evasion next week.

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More Truth: Cabal Fang Training Involution #155

Posted on May 4, 2019 | Leave a comment

As you’re reading this my wife and I are on our annual wedding anniversary getaway.  So I’m going to re-post a slight reworking of T.I. #50 — of one of my favorites from 2 years back.  Let me know what you think in the comments.  Enjoy!

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A couple of years ago I posted a video analysis of Disney’s Sleeping Beauty.  One of the things I mentioned was the nature and symbolism of Prince Philip’s Sword of Truth and Shield of Virtue.

During his fight with Maleficent in her dragon form, Prince Philip loses the Shield of Virtue because that’s what we all do.  We’re human.  We mess up, we make mistakes, we do things that we know are not in keeping with our own moral and ethical codes.  But as long as we hold tight to truth the way that Prince Philip does in the movie, we can slay any dragon and ultimately regain our virtue.  Because making a commitment to speak the truth is more than just a speech modifier.  If you do things you’re ashamed of you’ll have to lie about what you did.  So telling the truth is a behavior modifier too.

Truth may be the highest ideal known to man.  That’s why it figures so prominently in the initiations of Cabal Fang.  Individuals and cultures that do not revere truth may reap short-term rewards of one kind or another but eventually they will completely lose their virtue and have no way to regain it — and some dragon or other will eat them up in their bankruptcy.

Hold tight to truth my friends, and aim your compass toward it like it’s true north.  You’ll screw up because we all do.  But at least you’ll be able to get back on course!

More Truth: Cabal Fang Training INvolution #155

  • 10 minutes of slipping and bobbing.  Set a timer for 10 minutes and practice your slips and bobs, preferably with a slip ball.  Beginners use this intro video.  Advanced folks, run this slip ball impairment drill.
  • Heavy bag 4 x 2:oo/:30.  Go after a heavy bag with maximum ill intent, just make sure that between each combination you (a) complete at least 2 slips or bobs, and (b) you circle the bag rather than standing stock-still.  Hit while you move and move while you hit.
  • Meditation on Truth.  Look into your past starting with most recent history and find a time when you were less than truthful.  Now set a timer for 10 minutes and assume your chosen meditative posture.  Untangle that lie through meditation.  Use your imagination to step into the scene.  Relive the incident.  See if you can come to understand why you weren’t truthful, what you should have done, and what you think you might do the next time you’re in a similar situation.  Record your thoughts and realizations in your training journal.

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