Turn the Other cheek: What Does it Really Mean?

Posted on April 19, 2020 | Leave a comment

 

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Sprawl ‘n’ Crawl: Martial Arts Training Involution #204

Posted on April 18, 2020 | Leave a comment

I like to scrawl stuff on chalk boards. It’s a teacher-coachy-thing.

No sparring allowed during the pandemic kids.  You’re going to have to stay fighting fit via the solo training route.  How?  By doing stuff that’s as close to real fighting as possible of course!

Keep it real, keep it relevant, and keep it rigorous.  REAL means you’re doing stuff that’s as close as possible to what real people do in real life.  RELEVANT means that it relates to what you want to get better at.  And RIGOROUS means that you are paying attention to doing the work properly in terms of technique and intensity.

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The following involution was created using the Scufflin’ Dice program available in my web shop.  Go get yourself some for just $9.99.

 

Sprawl ‘n’ Crawl: Martial Arts Training Involution #204

* Warm-up thoroughly for at at least 8 minutes. Do 2-3 minutes each of (a) jumping rope (b) light calisthenics and (c) shadowboxing, forms, or light heavy bag work, or 8 minutes of MBF.

* 15 minutes of floor bag work.  Get out your floor bag (a heavy bag with the chains taped up) and set a countdown timer for 15 minutes.

  1. Sprawls.  Lay floor bag on side and Sprawl with forearms to the bag 4 – 6 times based on your fitness level.
  2. Bear Walks: Approx 25′, 4 – 6 times based on your fitness level.
  3. Shots:  Stand the bag on end, back up a couple of steps, and shoot in on the bag for a takedown.  4 – 6 times based on your fitness level.
  4. Bag Lifts. Get the bag from the floor to your shoulder any way you like.  4 – 6 times based on your fitness level.
  5. Bear Hug the bag: Stand up and squeeze with it with max power cutting bone pressure of the forearm until you gas out. 
  6. Repeat until the timer rings. 

* Contemplation.  Cool down for about 3 minutes, then set a timer for 10 minutes.  Assume your meditative posture of choice and regulate your breathing to insure a slow and consistent rhythm that completely fills and empties your lungs without bearing down on your breath.  Eyes open.  Gently allow your mind to empty and calm itself.  Don’t make war with thoughts, just let them pass by, dissipating like ripples on the surface of a pond.    

On April 30th my new newsletter SHIFT goes live.   This is where everything I do will come together — my fitness work, my primitive skills and martial arts material, my management, coaching and financial advice, and of course my spiritual teaching.  Sign up now to get tips, fun and inspirational articles, quizzes, meditations, exercises, and more — all 100% free — and guaranteed to shift you in a new whole new gear.

 

 

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How NOT to Use a Heavy Bag

Posted on April 15, 2020 | Leave a comment

What should you avoid when working your heavy bag?  What should you always do?  What is the best way to make sure that you address all 6 aspects of your body mechanics — regardless of the specific martial arts training tool you’re using?  Watch the video.  And if you want to learn more, click here and for just $9./99 purchase the Safe Martial Practice program –abbreviated “S.A.F.E.  M.P.”

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Psst…I have shop where I sell martial arts programs and stuff.  But if  you’re broke, I also run a non-profit martial arts project called Cabal Fang where you can train at home 100% free.

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Christianity for Doubters 10: The Easter Miracle

Posted on April 12, 2020 | Leave a comment

The tenth video in my series Christianity for Doubters is now live.  The Big Finish is finally here!

If you enjoyed the series, please support me on Patreon for as little as $1/month.  As a seminarian in the Independent Sacramental Movement (specifically the Old Catholic line) when I’m ordained as a priest there will be no centralized church to pay me a salary, provide health insurance, a place to live, or even a parish.  And I’m married with a family, which means I’ve got people to care for and a church to build.  Your monthly contribution would be greatly appreciated.  

 

If you’re in Richmond, VA and you want to begin your journey in Christianity, consider joining the St. Barachiel’s of Richmond Meetup Group.  Just click the logo on the right to join!

 

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Hell Fire: Martial Arts Training Involution #203

Posted on April 11, 2020 | Leave a comment

Harrowing of Hell — Fresco, by Fra Angelico, c. 1430s

Yesterday was Good Friday and tomorrow is Easter, the days we commemorate Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection respectively.  That makes today Holy Saturday, the day we reflect on Jesus lying in his tomb — the day many Christians contemplate the Harrowing of Hell.

“Harrow” is a very old word that means comb or rake.  In the old days a giant square device with teeth was dragged across the fields behind a plow horse to break up the larger clods of dirt, smooth out the earth, and pull out weeds.  Nowadays that task is done by a disc harrows.  This prepares the soil for planting so that seeds can sprout and grow.

A fire in my back deck chimenea

The idea of the Harrowing of Hell is that, after the rock was rolled over the door to his tomb, Jesus descended into Hell.  After having spent his life ministering to the living, Jesus then spent his death ministering to the dead and sharing their experience.  Just like an agricultural harrow prepares the soil for its spring reemergence, Jesus prepares the dead for their ultimate resurrection.

The night of Holy Saturday is also called the Easter Vigil — when bonfires are made from which to relight the sacred candles which yesterday were dark, when new catechumens (adult converts) are baptized into the faith, and so on.

Hell Fire: Martial Arts Training Involution #203

  • Warm-up thoroughly for at at least 8 minutes. I generally do 8 minutes of MBF or either 2-3 minutes each of (a) jumping rope (b) light calisthenics and (c) shadowboxing, forms, or light heavy bag work.
  • Try to set a PR (personal record) at one of your martial metrics. I hope you have some!  How many minutes can you go all out on a heavy bag without taking any breaks?  How fast  can you complete 250 kicks vs. air?  How about 150 max power kicks vs. heavy bag?  How many times can you hit your pell with a tomahawk in 4 minutes?
  • Complete this month’s constitutional.  In Cabal Fang we create a new constitutional every month and we complete it twice a week.  This month’s is sandbags.  Video below.
  • Harrowing meditation.  Wait until after sundown and make a fire in your fireplace, in a fire bowl on your back deck, in the chimenea on your patio, or in the burn barrel in the alley if the fire codes allow.  In the Middle Ages, Easter — tomorrow — would have been New Year’s Day.  Consider that the greatest of us brave the darkest places to help the those who are lost and in danger.  Think about the fact that it is the sacrifice of self that leads to rebirth.  Before you go to bed, write a few words your journal about how this speaks to you as a martial artist.  Cool down for about 3 minutes, then set a timer for 10 minutes.  

On May 1st my new newsletter SHIFT goes live.   This is where everything I do will come together — my fitness work, my primitive skills and martial arts material, my management, coaching and financial advice, and of course my spiritual teaching.  Sign up now to get tips, fun and inspirational articles, quizzes, meditations, exercises, and more — all 100% free — and guaranteed to shift you in a new whole new gear.

 

 

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2 Videos: DIY COVID-19 Masks and Weds Fitness

Posted on April 8, 2020 | Leave a comment

Two new videos today!  My regular Weds fitness video plus a bonus video on the fastest, easiest CDC-compliant mask ever!

First the fitness:

Now for the bonus video!

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Shopping in the Age of COVID-19

Posted on April 7, 2020 | Leave a comment

Waiting in line to get in and shop. Social distancing the whole time. Empty shelves. Still rationing toilet paper. A crazy time.

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Christianity for Doubters 9: Saints and Martyrs

Posted on April 5, 2020 | Leave a comment

The ninth video in my series Christianity for Doubters is now live.  Only one more video to come in this series — there’s still time to catch up for the big finish!  If you are enjoying these videos, please support me on Patreon for as little as $1/month.

As a seminarian in the Independent Sacramental Movement (specifically the Old Catholic line) when I’m ordained as a priest there will be no centralized church to pay me a salary, provide health insurance, a place to live, or even a parish.  And I’m married with a family, which means I’ve got people to care for and a church to build.  Your monthly contribution would be greatly appreciated.  

If you’re in Richmond, VA and you want to begin your journey in Christianity, consider joining the St. Barachiel’s of Richmond Meetup Group.  Just click the logo on the right to join!

 

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Beat It: Martial Arts Training Involution #203

Posted on April 4, 2020 | Leave a comment

Setting goals is not optional.  If you are not setting goals and doing what it takes to hit them, like establishing performance metrics and tracking methods, developing programs, setting benchmarks, etc., you are not going to get past the intermediate level — at anything.

Click here to visit Mitch’s General Store

In this week’s T.I. you are going to start setting goals, and maybe even beat the old man at his own game.

I’m so sure this will benefit you, and so excited to see you try, that I’m giving away a 25% off coupon good at Mitch’s General Store to everyone who faces any of the benchmarks in this week’s T.I.!  Just post a link to a video in the comments below.

If this sort of stuff interests you, you might really enjoy my new newsletter SHIFT which goes live April 30th.  Sign up now to get tips, fun and inspirational articles, quizzes, meditations, exercises, and more — all 100% free — and guaranteed to shift you in a new whole new gear.  SHIFT isn’t a martial arts newsletter.  It’s where everything I do and teach comes together — fitness, motivation, nature observation and primitive skills, martial arts, management, coaching, financial advice, DIY, and of course my spiritual teaching.  

Beat It: Martial Arts Training Involution #203

  • Warm-up thoroughly for at at least 8 minutes. I generally do 8 minutes of MBF or either 2-3 minutes each of (a) jumping rope (b) light calisthenics and (c) shadowboxing, forms, or light heavy bag work.
  • 150 max power kicks vs. the heavy bag.  Warm up by doing 8 x 5 kicks with each leg at 50% power, alternating legs each set.  Take a 1 minute break and then start your stopwatch.  Kick the bag with maximum power 150 times as fast as you can.  Switch legs as needed.  Write down your time me and make regular attempts to beat it.  I hit my personal record (PR) earlier this week.  It was 4:00.
  • Constant Contact Drill.  Walk off the kicks for 3:00.  Now glove up and go after your heavy bag with hands, feet, elbows etc. with maximum speed.  There should be some part of your body in contact with that bag pretty much at all times.  See how long you can go before you have to stop.  Write down your time me and make regular attempts to beat it.  I set my new PR this morning.  It was 2:27.
  • Balboa Run.  Start a stopwatch and run your chosen distance — punching the air the whole time.  Beginners go 1/2 mile, intermediate and advanced, 1 full mile.  If you have to rest, do so in place and leave the clock running.  When you finish, write down your time me and make regular attempts to beat it. My half mile PR is 6:15 and my 1 mile is 14:29.
  •  Reflection.  Cool down for about 3 minutes, then sit down with your training journal and do a goal review.  Are you hitting goals, establishing proper metrics, setting PRs, structuring your training in order to hit goals and PRs, etc.?  If you don’t keep a training journal you had better start! 

If you enjoyed his training involution you’d probably enjoy my books and other products.  Why not check them out?

 

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The 3 Keys to Practical Weapon Skill

Posted on April 1, 2020 | Leave a comment

Are you working out, or training?  Are you actually getting more skilled with your weapon?  If so, can you prove it?  These are some of the questions answered in this week’s martial arts video, “The 3 Keys to Practical Weapon Skill” at the bottom of this post.

If this kind of thing appeals to you, consider signing up for a martial arts distance learning program.  The Cabal Fang Hermit Path program is 100% free and provided by the non-profit I founded in 2009 — click here to sign up today!

Interested in the fighting arts, survival skills, lifeways and ethos of the colonial and indigenous peoples of North American during the frontier period — 1607 to 1912?  Click here to find out more about my Bobcat Frontier Rough ‘n’ Tumble program — just  $19.99/month.   

Or how about a bi-weekly email to designed to inspire and motivate you find your inspiration,  establish and hit goals, and feel more alive?  SHIFT your OUTLOOK.  SHIFT your EXPECTATIONS.  SHIFT your POSSIBILITIES.  Sign up here.

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