Focus

A HUMBLE PATH TO REACH THE STARS

Always walk inside your dojo, with an empty mind, ready to learn no matter your rank.

When we think about the front line of martial arts, the names that pop to our minds are Bruce Lee, JCVD, Chuck Norris, Jet Li, etc.

All  movie stars, and great martial artists; also, all whom started like you… looking for a discipline with which they could learn to defend themselves against bullies.

In training, their main focus was to follow the path of training like a star, with thoughts of greatness, each becoming the best they could become.

One thing they always kept in mind, and never lost, was being humble.

They came everyday to the dojo with an empty mind, ready to learn new techniques, and trained and practiced until they could dominate every single move flawlessly. 

You stay humble…. train to be your best.

Be Black Belt

Be Limitless

It is true: Age is just a number.

There exists not limit for the training of your body in martial arts, as there exists no limit for the training of your body in any other athletic practice. 

Your body is a machine, and depending on the point in time of your machine (your age), and its wear and tear (current condition), its continued use, sustenance, and maintenance may be different from another’s.

When you start at an early age in martial arts, or in any other practice, of course it can become an advantage; but there is no age limitation to start practicing any type of self-defense discipline.

The truth is that your path is your path alone, and as it is yours it is as unique as you are.

You may have started at 5, or you may be starting at 50, you will still benefit from the practice in the short and long terms.

If you’re thinking that what you want to do is to become fit, and then stay fit, and in addition learn how to defend yourself, it is never too late to get started… All it takes is your decision, then a commitment to follow through, and then action to take you all the way… and you will be on your way to becoming that person you want to become: a martial arts expert.

There are no limits… we ourselves, mostly out of fear, create our own limits. In truth, we tend to always be our greatest fear and our worst opponent. 

We are uncomfortable with change, even though change is the only constant in our lives.

Do not let you stand in your way.

For life to be richer…

Be, and stay, limitless!

Yoga v3 – Tuladandasana

People, Happy Friday!

Today, I present the proper foundation and practice for a very challenging (more so than it seems) “balancing stick” pose, or Tuladandasana as is referred to in the Bikram series. As an asana it is recognized as the “Warrior III” pose, or Virabhadrasana III.

For martial artists this is a challenging pose which optimizes the work for improvement of core strength, and overall limb extension. The pose creates a full body tension, while it also works to adjust and improve posture, and perfect balance.

[vimeo https://vimeo.com/136324079]

For its practice what is most difficult is to reach the full body’s extension, which means that your limbs reach full height; full height is considered your feet and hands to be at or above your hip’s level.

Do not let this seemingly easy pose fool you… It is one of the most challenging poses reason why it is the shortest pose of the Bikram series.

Once you have pivoted, and your body is in a full extension, your body goes into a rushed mode for blood pumping into your heart, so as you begin its practice you will learn it is one of the most cardiovascular poses; getting out of it, your heart is significantly accelerated… give it a try!

Additional benefits of its practice include :

  • Strengthening of ankles and legs
  • Strengthening the shoulders and back muscles
  • Abdominal toning

Remember : it is a full tension pose, where as in a steel cable, you are pulling in both directions -toward the front with your hands and toward the back with your feet. If you are not challenged, then you are not pulling. And always remember to exit the pose in the opposite way you entered.

Tabitha

-Tabitha. White Belt, Bikram Yoga practitioner + Usui Ryoho Reiki Master