Melanie Gibson General Martial Arts, Guest Writers, Self-Development and Leadership

Guest Writer: What Do You Owe the People Who Depend on You?

Article by Tsahi Shemesh, Founder & CEO Krav Maga Experts

Father and Son Martial Arts Training on Lake Shore Stock Photo - Image ...

A father came into my school because he was worried about protecting his family.

He had children, a job, and the kind of schedule that makes it easy to put yourself somewhere near the bottom of your own list. He was about twenty pounds overweight. He wasn’t exercising regularly, and anxiety had become a bigger part of his life than he wanted. He wasn’t thinking about any of that when he contacted me. He was thinking about violence.

If someone tried to hurt his family, would he be able to do anything about it?

I understand that question because I’m a father too. Having children changes the way you calculate risk. Your physical ability is no longer relevant only to you. If something happens while your child is standing beside you, you may have to think, move and make decisions for more than one person.

So we started there.

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Melanie Gibson General Martial Arts, Guest Writers, Training Tips

Guest Writer: How to Control Fighting Range: Distance Management for Boxing, Muay Thai & MMA

Article by Matthew Olivar

As a short person in a kicking-heavy sport that favors people with long legs, I’ve always had to think carefully about range. This article offers tips, techniques, and concepts to be mindful of as you practice your combat sport, no matter your height. If you would like to contribute a guest article to Little Black Belt, please review the guest writer guidelines here. ~Melanie

How to Control Fighting Range: Distance Management for Boxing, Muay Thai & MMA 

Understanding the invisible skill that controls a fight. 

A fighter can know how to throw a technically sound jab, round kick, double-leg takedown, elbow, or submission and still struggle to use any of them effectively. 

The missing piece is often range. 

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Melanie Gibson General Martial Arts, Guest Writers, Self-Development and Leadership

Guest Writer: My Kung Fu Journey – My Shaolin Kung Fu Training Story at Tagou

Guest article by Yan Zhijun. For more information about the author and his website, see the bottom of the post.

Yan Zhijun (mid-air, center) with fellow Tagou students after a performance at the Longmen Grottoes, Luoyang, 2000

How It Started

I was not a good student. School bored me. I was restless, mischievous, and had no interest in sitting still long enough to learn anything. My parents looked at my grades, looked at my attitude, and worried — genuinely worried — about what kind of future I was heading toward.

One evening they sat me down and asked a question I was not expecting: Would you consider going to Shaolin?

The idea had come through a connection in our town. Someone my parents knew had a child already training at Tagou. We visited that family, heard their story, saw their photos. Something about it stuck. So in 1998, at the age of sixteen, I packed a bag and headed for Dengfeng.

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Melanie Gibson General Martial Arts, Guest Writers, Self-Development and Leadership, Training Tips

Guest Writer: What Parents Should Look for When Choosing a Martial Arts School

Article by Master Jaysen Ishida, taekwondo practitioner, dojang owner, and head instructor instructor of 9th Island Taekwondo. See bio at bottom of post.

The greatest benefits of martial arts are not always seen during class. Learning new skills helps children build confidence. Regular practice also teaches discipline and patience. These skills can positively influence how they approach everyday life.

Because every martial arts school has its own teaching style, instructors, and class environment, not every program will be the same. That is why parents should carefully consider these factors. It’s worth knowing what to look for before making a decision.

Here are the key things every parent should look for before enrolling their child.

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Melanie Gibson General Martial Arts, Guest Writers, Training Tips

Guest Writer: Cross-Training for Reality: Adding Self-Defense Training to Your Routine

Guest post by Felix Mack at SelfDefenseList.com

Most serious martial artists already cross-train. Lifters add mobility work so old injuries don’t creep back. Sparring-heavy stylists add yoga or tai chi to manage recovery and stay loose between hard sessions. Nobody sees this as an admission that their main practice is failing them. It’s just what a well-rounded training life looks like once you’ve been at it long enough to know your own weak spots.

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Melanie Gibson General Martial Arts, Guest Writers, Injury and Recovery, Training Tips

Guest Writer: Adult Martial Artists Can Use This Guide To Protect Their Bodies Over The Years

A female martial artist applies bandages to her knee

About this time six years ago at age 41, I tore my right ACL and ended up having two surgeries to correct it. Eventually I got back to taekwondo, but it took a lot of physical, mental, and emotional perseverance. Injuries, big or small, are a part of most athlete’s lives, especially as we age. To stay fit and strong and do the things we love, there are things we need to consider and be mindful of as we train or recover. This article from Emma Grace Brown includes mindset and practical tips for dealing with injuries in your 30s, 40s, or 50s.

Adult Martial Artists Can Use This Guide To Protect Their Bodies Over The Years

Adult martial artists face a different reality than teenagers and young competitors. Whether you train Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, judo, Muay Thai, karate, taekwondo, or another discipline, the way you manage injuries in your 30s, 40s, and 50s plays a major role in determining how long you’ll stay on the mat. A sore shoulder ignored today can become a chronic limitation years later, while a properly managed knee injury may eventually become little more than another chapter in your training journey.

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Melanie Gibson General Martial Arts, Guest Writers, Mental Health, Training Tips

Guest Writer: Built to Last: How Adult Martial Artists Can Train Consistently in a Busy Life

Article by Emma Grace Brown. Website: https://emmagracebrown.com/

Quick Guide: How to Start Martial Arts Training at Home – Made4Fighters

Adult martial artists juggle careers, families, social obligations, and physical fatigue while trying to stay sharp in their discipline. Unlike full-time competitors, most adults train around life—not instead of it. The real challenge isn’t how hard you train. It’s whether you keep showing up.

Consistency, not intensity, is what shapes skill over time. A steady rhythm of practice compounds quietly. Missed weeks, on the other hand, create friction that makes restarting harder than continuing.

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Melanie Gibson General Martial Arts, Injury and Recovery, Mental Health, Training Tips

Guest Writer: Simple Head-to-Toe Health Habits to Boost Martial Arts Training and Wellness

Article by Dana Brown, Guest Writer

Martial arts practitioners who train hard while juggling work, family, and recovery often hit the same wall: more sessions don’t automatically bring better results. When soreness lingers, focus slips, and motivation dips, the issue is rarely a lack of grit, it’s usually head-to-toe health falling behind training demands. Small, consistent daily wellness routines create the foundation for training performance enhancement by supporting joints, energy, immunity, and mood. The goal is simple: practical holistic health strategies that protect physical and mental well-being every day.

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Melanie Gibson General Martial Arts, Guest Writers, Mental Health, Self-Development and Leadership, Training Tips

Guest Writer: Another Case of Black Belt Burnout

Article by Will Newhall, Master Instructor and owner of Taekwondo Tutors
MOOTO Korea Taekwondo DO Black Belt Width 5cm Double Wrap Martial Arts TKD Judo Karate (Length 280cm(9.18ft))

If you aren’t aware, the blog owner recently made a post talking about how she is stepping away from doing taekwondo. As a fellow taekwondo martial artist I will say…

I commend her courage, integrity, and self-respect in making this significant decision!

I read her post on the topic and wanted to write about my own experience with black belt burn out as well. While I am currently practicing, teaching, and writing, I too felt burn out. A couple of times actually! I thought I might throw my hat in the ring and talk about my own experience with black belt burn out.

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Melanie Gibson General Martial Arts, Guest Writers, Training Tips

Guest Writer: Create a Versatile Home Wellness Space That Boosts Martial Arts Training

Martial Arts Studio & Home Gym in Garage - Home Gym - Minneapolis - by ...

I have officially stopped going to taekwondo training classes (see the details in this blog post), but that doesn’t mean I’m going to stop training altogether. While I don’t have tons of room in my current home to train, my partner and I have figured out how to make the most of our space. This guest article by Dana Brown shares how to create a safe, functional, and welcoming space to practice your martial art in your home. If you would like to contribute a martial arts-related guest post to Little Black Belt, please review the guest writer guidelines here. 

Create a Versatile Home Wellness Space That Boosts Martial Arts Training

Martial artist homeowners and instructors often want one dedicated space that supports a holistic martial arts practice, but most homes can’t spare a room that functions like a full-time dojo. The core challenge in home remodeling for training is creating a multipurpose wellness space that handles hard sessions, recovery work, and quiet decompression without feeling cramped, fragile, or overly specialized. When flexible training room design is treated as wellness infrastructure instead of a gear dump, it becomes easier to train consistently, manage injuries, and protect mental focus. The goal is a room that earns its square footage every day.

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