One of my best instructors, who taught brutal chokes, joint locks, and take downs, always emphasized the importance of safety and partner etiquette. He used to say, “We take good care of our toys.”
Today’s post by Jose Gilgado discusses how to design an environment that is safe, respectful, and supportive of proper training. See the end of the article for more information about the author.
Continue reading “Guest Writer: How to Design a Safe Environment in Martial Arts Academies”
Article by Tsahi Shemesh, Founder & CEO Krav Maga Experts
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.
Continue reading “Guest Writer: What Do You Owe the People Who Depend on You?”
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
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.
Guest article by Yan Zhijun. For more information about the author and his website, see the bottom of the post.
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”
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.
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.
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.
What is the best martial art for self-defense? While my martial art (taekwondo) is primarily a striking art, the type I’ve trained in includes grabs, joint locks, and takedowns from hapkido. One of my current school’s masters has also been training the black belts in BJJ and judo-based defense, ground fighting, and throws. This gives me a diverse arsenal to have at the ready.
Krav Maga expert Jake Randall provides his insight on which martial arts can provide a solid foundation for self-defense. If you would like to write a guest post for Little Black Belt, please visit the guidelines here.
Continue reading “Guest Writer: What is the Best Martial Art for Self-Defense?”
Someone asked me recently about the mental/emotional/spiritual aspect of martial arts. I’ve discussed it many times on this blog. But don’t just take my word for it. Today’s inspiring guest post is from Coach Matt Marcinek on how winning happens in the mind before you even set foot on the mat. If you would like to write a guest post for Little Black Belt, please review the guest writer guidelines here.
Everyone talks about toughness.
“Push through.”
“Don’t quit.”
“Be mentally strong.”
But what if we’ve misunderstood what real toughness actually is?
What if it’s not about clenching your jaw and pretending you don’t feel the pressure… but about being calm, aware, and honest when the pressure hits?
That’s the real inner game.
And it’s the one I try to train every day—on the mat and in life.
Continue reading “Guest Writer: Train the Mind, Dominate the Moment”
Are you interested in martial arts training but aren’t sure which one is right for you? Guest writer Justin Mark’s guest post can help you align your martial arts training with your personal goals. Don’t get lost in a Google rabbit hole; find the martial art that fits your unique needs.
If you would like to submit a guest post to Little Black Belt, please review the guest writer guidelines here.
You want to try martial arts, but, uh, you have no clue where to start. Maybe you saw a brutal knockout in MMA and thought, Yeah, I need to learn that. Probably an old-school Kung Fu flick that left you fired up.
Whatever your reason, you now face the question: Which martial art is right for you?
During my taekwondo training with my Korean Grandmaster, I was fortunate enough to learn some HapKiDo-related self-defense techniques. I’ve always enjoyed it and wanted to learn more. I was thrilled when RJ LoPresti of Choe’s HapKiDo approached me about contributing a blog post about their martial art. I’m excited to share Little Black Belt’s first HapKiDo post! If you would like to contribute a martial arts-related blog post, see guest writer guidelines here.
Continue reading “Guest Writer: Exploring HapKiDo: The Art of Coordinated Power”