Do some of the work, or at least work out the riddle of how the name of the involution relates to its content, and then post in the comments. People who engage have been known to get discount coupons for books and merch from Mitch’s General Store.
T.I.s support my martial arts programs — Cabal Fang (non-profit martial arts for personal development) and Bobcat Martial Arts (Frontier Rough ‘n’ Tumble martial arts).
That’s why they have four primary components:
- a martial arts technique
- a fitness component
- a primitive skills angle
- a spiritual component
Now let’s stop slacking and start hacking.
Bifax: Martial Arts T.I. #230
- 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.
- “Top-n-Bottom” wrestling drill. 10 x 2:00 intervals, no breaks, 1/2 to 2/3 power — just enough force to maintain realism while focusing on smoothness and technique. Arrange in mis-matched pairs — as much size/weight diff. as possible — smaller partner holding larger in Bottom Scissors. Smaller person practices chosen bottom submission (Chicken Wing, Leg Triangle, Short Arm Scissors, etc.) for 2 mins Larger practices the counter. Switch partners every time the bell rings and repeat. If you’re working solo on account of COVID, use your grappling dummy. If you don’t have one, see the instructions for making one for pennies in my e-book Martial Grit available from Smashwords, B&N, or iTunes.
- Knock out this month’s constitutional.
Every constitutional back to 2009 is archived online at https://www.cabalfang.com/monthly-constitutionals
Sit-out Push-ups (25), Ploughs (25), Pikes (25), Neck Crunches (25 ea. direction), Zombie Squats (50), Bear Walks (100 yards), and Jackknifes (25). Beginners, go slow and just try to finish (but listen to your body and don’t overdo it). Intermediates, aim to finish in less than 20 mins. Advanced, aim for under 15 mins and, if you succeed, go back and do 20% more (5 more of the 25-rep exercises, 10 more Zombies Squats, and so on).
- Reverse the rehearsed — destabilize a training session. Train outdoors in the rain or in the cold, at dawn or dusk in the half light. Train at a different location and/or at a different time. You’ll be shocked by the severity of disruption. You’ll be sloppy and unfocused. Push through and get there. Do this often.
Synch up your inside and your outside. This month’s symbol is the Luminaries (the two lights that rule the day and night skies — check out the intro here). One of the many things the Luminaries symbolize is the relationship between your inside and your outside. Watch the video below and begin to think about paying special attention to what you are doing vs. what you are saying and experiencing — what the Greek fathers of the church would’ve called nepsis or watchfulness.- Journal. Do the work, the external and internal, and about what you did and thought in your journal. If it ain’t in the training journal it didn’t happen!
TWO MARTIAL ARTS DISTANCE LEARNING PROGRAMS AVAILABLE. 100% free and operated through my non-profit, Cabal Fang is martial arts for personal development, self-defense and fitness. Bobcat Frontier Martial Arts is just $19.99/month and that’s your choice if you’re interested in Frontier Rough ‘n’ Tumble — the fighting arts, survival skills, lifeways and ethos of the colonial and indigenous peoples of North American during the frontier period (1607 – 1912). What are you waiting for — enroll today!
Robert Mitchell Jr. 