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. 

Continue reading “Guest Writer: How to Control Fighting Range: Distance Management for Boxing, Muay Thai & MMA” →

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.

Continue reading “Guest Writer: My Kung Fu Journey – My Shaolin Kung Fu Training Story at Tagou” →

Melanie Gibson Guest Writers, Mental Health, Self-Development and Leadership, Work and Martial Arts

Guest Writer: Work-Life Balance Mastery: The Ultimate Self-Care Tips for Busy Entrepreneurs

Whether we work for someone else or for ourselves (or in many cases, both), we need work-life balance to be a functioning human. As a corporate employee and authorpreneur, I carefully use and guard my time so I can get the job done while staying healthy, happy, and relatively stress free. Emma Grace Brown (see her website here) offers self-care tips for busy entrepreneurs. There’s always a rush at the end of the year between getting everything done and taking time off for holidays and family.
Please take care of yourselves and each other.

Image via Pexels

Continue reading “Guest Writer: Work-Life Balance Mastery: The Ultimate Self-Care Tips for Busy Entrepreneurs” →

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

Guest Post: Essential Guide to Balancing Wellness and Self-Care as a Martial Artist

This post comes from Emma Grace Brown, a frequent contributor to Little Black Belt. If you would like to submit a martial arts-related article, please review the guest writer guidelines.

Image via Freepik

In the demanding world of martial arts, well-being serves as a foundational element for achieving excellence. Balancing wellness and self-care is pivotal for martial artists striving for optimal performance in both their sports and personal lives.

This article, courtesy of Little Black Belt, delves into seven crucial strategies designed specifically for this unique group of athletes. Each method is geared toward helping you maintain and enhance your wellness routine, so consider this your comprehensive guide for excelling in every aspect of your martial arts journey!

Continue reading “Guest Post: Essential Guide to Balancing Wellness and Self-Care as a Martial Artist” →