Tag Archives: involution

Bubble Buster: Martial Arts Training Involution #193

Posted on January 25, 2020 | Leave a comment

Bubblegum Bubblegum in a dish
How many pieces do you wish?
1,2,3,4,5,6,7
8,9 10 and then 11
Bubblegum Bubblegum in a shoe
How many pieces can you chew?

Do you remember that old jump rope rhyme from when you were a kid?

Well, around these parts we believe jumping rope was great for you back then and that it’s still good for you now.

Are you one of those naysayers who says that jumping rope doesn’t benefit martial artists?  Well, this T.I. is your bubble buster.  Shut your pie hole until you’ve worn out a few ropes.

Bubble Buster: Martial Arts Training Involution #193

  • Warm-up thoroughly for at at least 8 minutes.  I like to do 2 minutes each of jump rope, light calisthenics, shadowboxing, and dynamic stretching — or I just do 8 minutes of MBF.
  • 3 x 3:00/1:00 on the heavy bag.  Do all three rounds with your focus on mobility.  Lots of slips, circling, lumberjack hooks, décollage kicks, etc. Up, down, back, forth, in, out!
  • 15o kicks vs. the heavy bag as fast as you can.  Really get after it, but don’t let your power level get below 75%.  If you cannot get this done in under 5 minutes you should do this drill more often.
  • Jump rope conditioner.  Set a timer for 1:00 rounds, no breaks.  Alternate rounds of jumping rope and Bodybuilders for 10 minutes.  See how many Bodybuilders you can complete (I got 32) and how few jump rope flubs you can make (I made two).
  • 10 minutes of meditation.  In Cabal Fang we use various symbols to access universal truths about ourselves the world we live in.  Pick one of the Cabal Fang’s twelve symbols — Quill, Hourglass, Hand of Mysteries, Bell, Candle, Rose, the Luminaries, Chalice, Book, Cross, Pentangle or Staff.  Set a timer for 10 minutes, have a seat in your meditative posture of choice, and regulate your breathing.  Visualize the symbol and meditate on it until the timer beeps.  Do not think in words — you want to experience the symbol outside the linguistic/logical spectrum.

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

 

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Lift-Off: Martial Arts Training Involution #192

Posted on January 18, 2020 | Leave a comment

Noah Scalin’s “Vanitas”

When you were a kid in school — or maybe studying mixed media in university — you did collages.

Collage is a French word that means glue or stick down.  A collage is generally done by taking snippets of magazines, posters, newspapers, etc. and pasting them all together to make art.  They’re pretty cool.  One of my favorites is Noah Scalin’s piece called Vanitas (see right).

A décollage I made called “Citizen Number One with a Bullet”

There’s also a lesser known art form called décollage, which is kind of the opposite.  It’s French for un-glue or maybe lift-off.  To illustrate, I made a little décollage of my own (see below right).  Décollage is done by ripping off stuff to reveal other stuff.

In this week’s T.I. we’re not going to do anything that has to do with paper.  But it is striking month at Cabal Fang headquarters.  So we are going to practice our décollage from a striking perspective.  That is, we’re going to practice the décollage from Savate.

If you are totally unfamiliar with the martial arts version of the décollage, follow my YouTube channel — there will be a video on the décollage this coming Wednesday.

Lift-Off: Martial Arts Training Involution #192

  • Warm-up thoroughly for at at least 8 minutes.  I like to do 2 minutes each of jump rope, light calisthenics, shadowboxing, and dynamic stretching — or I just do 8 minutes of MBF.
  • Do the monthly constitutional.  What’s that?  It’s the calisthenics routine we select each month at Cabal Fang.  You can find it by clicking here.
  • 15 minutes of décollage.  Do 10-rep sets of the following combos until the timer beeps.  If you don’t have a partner, just practice them vs. your heavy bag.  Reverse them if you fight southpaw.  (1) Offense only combo: Left Jab, Right Cross, Décollage Left, Right Roundhouse Kick.  (2) Counter combo vs. lead hand Jab-Hook combo: Slip Right, Bob, Décollage Right, Left Roundhouse Kick. (3) Exchange combo: Left Jab, Right Cross,  Left Foot Piston Check (vs. opponent’s Roundhouse), drop step into Left Décollage, Right Roundhouse Kick.
  • 10 minutes of meditation.  In Cabal Fang we use various symbols to access universal truths about ourselves the world we live in.  Pick one of the Cabal Fang’s twelve symbols — Quill, Hourglass, Hand of Mysteries, Bell, Candle, Rose, the Luminaries, Chalice, Book, Cross, Star or Staff.  Set a timer for 10 minutes, have a seat in your meditative posture of choice, and regulate your breathing.  Visualize the symbol and meditate on it until the timer beeps.  Do not think in words — you want to experience the symbol outside the linguistic/logical spectrum.

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

 

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Can Do View: Martial Arts Training Involution #191

Posted on January 11, 2020 | Leave a comment

“Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.”  ~Theodore Roosevelt

Can-do attitude is one of the key things shared by the two martial arts I teach — Cabal Fang and Bobcat Frontier Rough ‘n’ Tumble.

When you need to train a certain skill or body mechanic you don’t make excuses about the weather, your lack of money or equipment, or your limited time.  You don’t whine about your bum knee or any of that.

You find a way to train so as to fill the gap safely and efficiently.  You modify, adapt and overcome.

You get it done.

This isn’t just a material truth for the training hall.  It is also a spiritual truth for the ages, as you are about to see in…

Frontier Rough ‘n’ Tumble Fitness Dice

Can Do View: Martial Arts Training Involution #191

  • Warm-up thoroughly for at at least 8 minutes.  I like to do 2 minutes each of jump rope, light calisthenics, shadowboxing, and dynamic stretching — or I just do 8 minutes of MBF.
  • 20 mins of practical all-in self-defense and fitness.  2 mins each, twice through of each exercise: Sledgehammer shovels, Jumps (SBJs or Boxes, your choice), Sled Pulls, Shoulder Carries, and Weapon Strikes v. Heavy Bag.  Improvise!  If you don’t have a sled, load up a plastic trash can lid and tie a rope to it.  Shoulder a bag of mulch or a floor bag.  Whatever training weapon you use — stick, rubber/wood training knife, etc. — carry it with you for the whole 20 min. duration (in your hand or belt) to build your command and mastery of the weapon during real life activities.  This involution was created using the green FRT dice in the photo above!
  • 10 minutes of meditation.  The present emerges to us out of the future, which is to say that what you are today is a consequence of the greatest possible future you were capable of admitting yesterday. You cannot achieve the incredible unless you attempt the impossible.  Aim for no less than heaven and maybe you’ll get close.  Have a seat and meditate on that for 10 mins.

 

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

 

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Bump and Run: Martial Arts Training Involution #190

Posted on January 4, 2020 | Leave a comment

It’s been a couple of years since I had a bald head and chin hair.  More importantly, and much more relevant to your martial arts training, it has also been a couple of years since I emphasized the value of the humble slip ball.  Here’s a video about the slip ball from 2017 which also features my previously bald head and hairy chin.

The slip ball is especially important for people who have limited sparring opportunities because it reinforces slipping body mechanics — which are perishable.  Watch the video and then dig into…

Bump and Run: Martial Arts Training Involution #190

  • Warm-up thoroughly for at at least 8 minutes.  I like to do 2 minutes each of jump rope, light calisthenics, shadowboxing, and dynamic stretching — or I just do 8 minutes of MBF.
  • 20 mins on the slip ball.  Remember to keep good striking form as you contract, moving as if there’s an elastic cord connecting your shoulder and the opposite hip.  Punch between slips and slip between punches.  Bunch them together randomly.  Punch,slip-slip, punch-punch, slip-slip-slip, punch, slip, etc. The body mechanics of slipping and punching are the same — except that when you slip your fists stay at your temples.  That way your punches will cover your slips and vice versa.
  • 20 mins of running.  Set a timer for 10 mins and start running.  Maintain an aerobic pace, that is, run such that you can just barely manage to sing a familiar tune.  When your singing starts to become halting, slow to a fast walk and resume when you can sing again.  There’s a reason why armed forces sing and run.  That pace actually does a better job of building aerobic capacity other methods.  When the timer beeps, turn around and head home.
  • 10 minutes of meditation or contemplation.  After you cool down — for about 3 minutes or until your heart rate is below 100 bpm —  have a seat and do 10 minutes of internal work.

 

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

 

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Battle Box: Martial Arts Training Involution #189

Posted on December 28, 2019 | Leave a comment

Wow, my numbers are up almost 40% — over 10,000 views in 2019!  I hope that means you guys think my posts are getting better and more interesting!

But enough about me.  Let’s talk about you.

 

Question: When practicing self-defense against sincere training partners, either empty-handed or armed with training weapons, which do find more troublesome?(A) wide, circular attacks or (B) straight, direct attacks?

And which do you find more intimidating? (A) single attacks in isolation or (B) multiple fast attacks in combinations or chains?

I hope you answered “B” to both of those questions.  There are no unqualified rules in fighting.  But, for the most part, the hardest attacks to defend against are the ones that are fast and straight and delivered in quick combos.  Which means that, by-and-large anyway, that’s how you should be delivering them.

I call this “staying in the battle box.”  The battle box runs from the eyes down to the groin and is the width of the torso.  In today’s T.I. you’re going to practice staying in the box.

Battle Box: Martial Arts Training Involution #189

  • Warm-up thoroughly for at at least 8 minutes.  I like to do 2 minutes each of jump rope, light calisthenics, shadowboxing, and dynamic stretching — or I just do 8 minutes of MBF.
  • 15 min Half Pyramid.  Set a countdown timer for 15 minutes and start with 1 each of Drop Duck-Unders, Narrow Push-ups, Crunches Legs Elevated, and Shoulder Rolls.  Then do 2 of each, 3 of each etc. See how how high you can climb before the timer beeps (I made it to 8).¹
  • 15 mins in the battle box with fists or wooden training weapon.  Set a timer for 3 x 5:00 (no breaks) and focus on form.  Round 1, shadowbox in the box.  Round 2, attack your heavy bag in the box.  Round 3, hit your double-end ball in the box  Tip: To change the angle of attack without putting your arms outside the box, turn your waist, flex your knees (this is especially important when attacking low), and move your whole body left, right, up, down, in and out.
  • 10 minutes of meditation or contemplation.  After you cool down — for about 3 minutes or until your heart rate is below 100 bpm —  have a seat and do 10 minutes of internal work.

¹ For the math nerds: the formula for the total reps in a Half Pyramid, where peak = P is:

Example: If you complete a Half Pyramid to 8 reps you will have executed 36  reps of each exercise because 8² = 64.  64 – 8 = 56.  56 / 2 = 28.  And 28 + 8 = 36.

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

 

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Hocus Focus: Martial Arts Training Involution #188

Posted on December 21, 2019 | Leave a comment

Here’s a guy who knew how to hit full power.  Still one of the best boxing books ever written. 

Do you ever just walk up to a heavy bag and start aimlessly pummeling away?  Is your goal to “get sweaty” or “do some cardio?”

That’s not training.  That’s “working out.”

Working out is like ambling around the great outdoors taking pictures — it’s fun and beneficial in a million ways, but it’s not training.  Training is like climbing Mount Rokkō (which I’ve done by the way).  You have to prepare, plan, and execute.

If you’ve just been working out, the improvements in skill and fitness you’ll see when you switch to training with focus will seem like magic — hence the name of this week’s T.I.

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Need some ideas on how to make the switch from working out to training?  Check out my SAFE MP program.  It even comes with some nifty dice to help you put some unpredictability into your training program.  Check it out here.

 

This week we’re training for power.  Come on, let’s go!

Hocus Focus: Martial Arts Training Involution #188

  • Warm-up thoroughly for at at least 8 minutes.  I like to do 2 minutes each of jump rope, light calisthenics, shadowboxing, and dynamic stretching — or I just do 8 minutes of MBF.
  • 4 minutes of Thrusters.¹  If there was ever a way to train for power, this is it!  To warm up, do 2 x 10 low-intensity Thrusters at about 50% of your single rep max weight.  Then set a timer for 8 Tabata rounds (20 seconds of work, 10 seconds of rest).  Do as many Thrusters as you can for 20 seconds, then rest for 10 seconds.  While resting, stand tall with your weight in the racked position — at shoulder level and ready to go.  This sounds like nothing, but trust me, it is killer.  Note: Cut your estimated weight for this by about a third.  If you think you can do it two #25 dumbbells, go with #15 and thank me later.  And while you’re at it, thank the immortal Dan John for this little slice of hell.
  • 8 minutes on the heavy bag for power.  Set your timer for 16 Tabata rounds (20 seconds of work, 10 seconds of rest) and then go all in — punches, crams, braces, palms, kicks, knees, etc.  Take 3 mins to cool down.  You’ll need it.
  • 10 minutes of meditation or contemplation.  After you cool down — for about 3 minutes or until your heart rate is below 100 bpm —  have a seat and do 10 minutes of internal work.

¹ What’s a Thruster?  It’s a Squat and a Military Press at the same time.  You can do these with a barbell, two dumbbells or kettle bells, a sandbag, etc.

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

 

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Take ‘Em Down and Put ‘Em Up: Martial Arts Training Involution #187

Posted on December 14, 2019 | Leave a comment

MBF dice (“Martial Base Fitness”)

There are certain martial movements so fundamental that someone who doesn’t drill them, it could be argued, is not a martial artist at all.

I have an entire program called MBF (“Martial Base Fitness”) that’s designed to make sure you have a firm foundation in these essential exercises.  Click here to order your copy for $9.99 — it even comes with some handmade dice to add an element of randomness and fun!

Two of the MBF movements are going to form the “Take ‘Em Down” half of this week’s T.I.  For the second “Put ‘Em Up” half we’re going to be putting up our dukes against a heavy bag.

Take ‘Em Down and Put ‘Em Up: Martial Arts Training Involution #186

  • Warm-up thoroughly for at at least 8 minutes.  I like to do 2 minutes each of jump rope, light calisthenics, shadowboxing, and dynamic stretching (never stretch static when cold).
  • Full pyramid to 7 of Shots and Sit-Outs.  Perform 1 Shot and 1 Sit-Out, then 2 of each, 3 of each, etc. up to 7.  Then do 6, 5, 4, etc. down to 1.  That’s 49 Shots and 49 Sit-Outs.  Modify as needed based on experience and fitness.  Beginners, sub Russian Squats if and when you gas on the Shots.  Experts, after every Sit-Out go to plank position and complete a Push-Up, then go straight to the next rep (no resets).  Take as few 12 count breaks as you need in order to finish.  If you don’t know how to do a wrestling Shot or Sit-Out, looks like you need my program!
  • 3 rounds on the heavy bag.  Go all in — punches, crams, braces, palms, kicks, knees, etc.  — and all out for speed and power.  Beginners run 2:00/1:00 rounds, intermediates 3:00/1:00, and experts can skip the round breaks and take three 12-count breaks max.
  • 10 minutes of meditation or contemplation.  After you cool down — for about 3 minutes or until your heart rate is below 100 bpm —  have a seat and do 10 minutes of internal work.

If you enjoyed his training involution you’d probably enjoy my books.  Why not check one out?

 

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Cut ‘n’ Run: Martial Arts Training Involution #186

Posted on December 7, 2019 | Leave a comment

 

On the right is a picture of me doing some shirtless winter-time training. 

Try it sometime.  Who cares what you look like or if it’s a little chilly?  If my shriveled up carcass can do it, you can too.  Get out of your head, shake things up, and start being the person you know you can be.  You’re capable of far more than you think you are! 

This week we’re going to use our imagination to create a 20-minute survival scenario.  Does this look fun?  You bet it does!

Why not come out and train with us at Richmond’s only free, non-profit martial arts club?  Or, if you prefer, arrange some private lessons or arrange to have me run a seminar for you and your martial arts school,   Click here to make that happen.

Cut ‘n’ Run: Training Involution #186

  • Ready your equipment and set the stage.  Pretend you are in the middle of a bad situation — there’s been a riot, there’s a state of civil unrest, etc. and you’re in the middle of a melee.  To set this up you’ll need (1) something you can vault over safely, such as a fence or an 8′ long 2″ x 4″ lashed to a couple of sawhorses, etc. You’ll also need (2)  a blunt training weapon (rubber, wooden, etc.), (3) a heavy bag with chains removed or taped up, (4) a 50 yard distance marked off, and (5) a timer set for 20 minutes.
  • Warm-up thoroughly for at at least 8 minutes.  I like to do 2 minutes each of jump rope, light calisthenics, shadowboxing, and dynamic stretching (never stretch static when cold).
  • Start your 20 minute timer.  When it beeps at 20 minutes, this training session is over no matter where you are, so flat out hustle for the duration.  Take as few 12-second breaks as you need in order to get through.
  • Deploy your training weapon and attack as you Split Vault over that fence or rail 50 times.  Pretend you are beset on all sides by assailants and obstacles.  Place off-hand on rail and send the attacking hand and same-side foot over at the same time.  As you get airborne, go belly down and pull the opposite foot and arm over.  Land on the first foot, pivot, and keep running.  Confused?  Watch Allen do a Split Vault at the 2:00 minute mark in the video below.
  • Sheath your weapon and pick up your heavy bag.  Pretend you got clear of the bad guys and now you need to get an injured person to safety.  Complete 10 Shoulder Carries of 50 yards each.  Swap sides as needed.
  • Drop the bag and scramble.  The bad guys are back and now the terrain is harsh! Get on all fours and scramble like a raccoon 5 x 50 yards as fast as you can.
  • Run.  Start running and don’t stop until the timer beeps.  The faster you do the first three segments the longer you’ll have to run.
  • 10 minutes of meditation or contemplation.  After you cool down — for about 3 minutes or until your heart rate is below 100 bpm —  have a seat and do 10 minutes of internal work.

If you enjoyed his training involution you’d probably enjoy my books.  Why not check one out?

 

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100 Bodybuilders: Martial Arts Training Involution #185

Posted on November 30, 2019 | Leave a comment

November is Mettlecraft Month at Cabal Fang and the time has come to face the 100 Bodybuilder Challenge!  Go get it done.  Post links to photos, blogs and videos in the comments below.

We took a shot at it on 11/26 and we’re going to do it one more time on Tuesday 12/3.  So far the record is held by Mark Hatmaker at 10:43.  Where are you going to come in?

Need some last minute prep work to get ready for next Tuesday night?  Video below!

100 Bodybuilders: Training Involution #185

  • Warm-up thoroughly.  Jog, jump rope, lightly shadowbox, etc. for a total of at least 8 minutes.
  • Complete 100 Bodybuilders. My method is to set a 1 minute interval timer and complete about 7 reps “OTM” which stands for “on the minute.”  That gives me about 20 seconds of rest between each set of 7.  My son Robert prefers to do them “Cabal Fang Trial Style” — he does as many reps as he can until he gasses, takes a 12-count break, and repeats until he gets his 100.  See technique video below.
  • 10 minutes of meditation or contemplation.  After you cool down — for about 3 minutes or until your heart rate is below 100 bpm —  have a seat and do 10 minutes of internal work.

If you enjoyed his training involution you’d probably enjoy my books.  Why not check one out?

 

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Undeceived: Martial Arts Training Involution #184

Posted on November 23, 2019 | Leave a comment

It is Mettlecraft Month at Cabal Fang!  This year’s goal of 100 Bodybuilders in under 20 minutes.  Play the home game and do it with us!  Post links to photoes, blogs and videos in the comments below.  We’re taking our shot as a club on Tues., 11/26.  That’s why every November T.I. contains Bodybuilders — to help you establish a base camp from which to make your assault on 100.

And now for this week’s T.I.!

Pick a name: the dreaded false dichotomy, the dualistic fallacy, black-and-white thinking, or the false choice.  By any name it is a dangerous adversary.  Examples?  Here you go.

I stand by my previous position on firm weapon grip.  I was right about that as far as it goes. Behind the scenes however, I got married to hammer grip.  Fencer’s grip, it seemed to me, was just too loose.

And then I tore the sub-sheath of my ECU wrist tendon, and learned from the immortal Mark Hatmaker that stabbing in hammer grip can tweak your wrist.  This is why swordsmen hold swords in the fencer’s grip — thumb along the spine of the weapon.  This only reveals itself fully when stabbing full force against a heavy bag, pell, or war post.  Light bulbs went off.

Fencer’s grip

Hammer grip

You don’t choose a grip the way you choose a spouse.  You tuck the thumb when swinging/slashing and switch to fencer’s grip when poking/stabbing.  It’s so painfully obvious that it’s embarrassing to admit that it took ten years to figure it out.

This will happen in life all the time.  Decisions will look like either/or choices when they are not.

Master your life in the same way that you master your weapons of choice.

Step back.  Question the questions. Switch, flex, move, breathe, adapt.

Do not be deceived.

Undeceived: Training Involution #184

  • Warm-up thoroughly.  Jog, jump rope, lightly shadowbox, etc. for a total of at least 8 minutes.
  • Blend in 25 Bodybuilders per day between now and next Tuesday’s challenge of 100. Don’t deceive yourself into thinking you must get all 25 in a row.  The idea is to establish a soreness-free baseline.  So, if you split them up two or even three ways — let’s say 10 in the morning, 10 around lunch, and 10 more at night, or maybe 12 early and 12 later — you will likely get even better results because you’ll be able to do more total reps.  Do as many as you like as often as you want, like maybe 4 every hour, as long as you’re not sore.  I repeat: the only rule is that you get a minimum of 25 without next day soreness.
  • Blend in meditation and/or contemplation.  Instead of doing one long sit each day — you are doing your internal work every day, right? — spread it out.  Do 10 minutes twice a day, 8 minutes three times a day, 2 minutes every waking hour, or if you’re feeling particularly motivated, pray continually.

If you enjoyed his training involution you’d probably enjoy my books.  Why not check one out?

 

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