Learn how to optimize your health and performance with smart karate training, cross-training, stretching, sleep and recovery.
Don’t know how to put on your sparring gear for karate? I can help. [Video demo below] I have 2 sets of gear for sparring in tournaments—red and blue—but for in-class sparring you should be fine with just one colour. Now, the reason I’m making this blog post is that even [...]
To maximize your performance in karate, should you build your strengths, or improve your weaknesses? The answer, of course, is both. But which one should you prioritize? Let’s do the math. I’ll use sparring as an example. Let’s say your strength in sparring is your quickness. You’re super fast, [...]
Do you want a fun and effective warm-up for karate and kobudo using a bo staff? Check this out: The 9 exercises shown in this video are designed to improve your flexibility and mobility. These movements will increase your range of motion, and will also help build your strength [...]
Do you want to improve your mobility so you can kick ass at karate? So you can reduce your chance of injury? So you can improve your neuromuscular control and range of motion, and your ability to generate power? I thought so. So I’ve been spending the last couple of months creating online [...]
Okay, I know you’re a badass. But you don’t need to do crazy stretches to improve your flexibility for karate. And you actually shouldn’t. Pushing yourself too hard while stretching significantly increases your risk of injury. And if you get injured, guess what? You won’t be heading to the dojo anytime soon. ☹ [...]
I wasn’t planning on making a “butt walking” video last week. Or ever, really. I have a long list of videos I want to make for my channel, but oddly enough, the “butt walk” never made that list. Until I discovered this hilarious exercise while scrolling on YouTube. I knew I had to [...]
We love punching people in martial arts, don’t we? Turns out you need good mobility in your thoracic spine and shoulders if you want lots of power in those punches. If your shoulder mobility sucks, here’s how you can improve it. Follow this 4-step corrective exercise process, which will [...]
Want to improve your hip mobility for stronger kicks and better stances in karate? Here’s how to do it. Improving mobility in your hips requires fixing any muscle imbalances that are present. A four-step corrective exercise process can help with this, as follows. (Note: I follow this same process in my [...]
Ankle sprains are one of the more common injuries for martial artists. And getting ankle sprains can set you up for chronic instability in your ankles, which just increases your risk of hurting yourself again. So how do we get out of this vicious cycle? Research was done on the effectiveness [...]
Poor mobility in your feet and ankles will make it really difficult to kick ass at karate. That limited range of motion and neuromuscular control can negatively affect your posture, balance, stances, and ability to generate power, and can also set you up for injury. So how do you improve your [...]