Spread the wordWelcome to Still Mind Martial arts, our father and son martial arts blog. My son and I have over 30 years of combined martial arts experience to share. We started this martial arts blog during the COVID-19 pandemic … Read More
Spread the wordThe above video shows a practice session of a kobudo drill using the Sai (metal truncheon). This is the first of three Sai drills that we practice in the kobudo program I run at The Academy of Traditional … Read More
Spread the wordThe idea for the following parable came to me while I was in Qigong meditation one early morning. As I stood silently outside in the warm sunshine and cool breeze holding a Zhan Zhuang position, the mental image … Read More
Spread the wordIn this post we’ll go through the step-by-step breakdown of the previous Tonfa kata video, Onami. This breakdown uses a series of freeze-frames from the practice video to show each of the specific moves in the Tonfa/Tuifa kata … Read More
Spread the wordThe above video shows an outdoor practice session of a kobudo kata named Onami. Onami means Great Wave. I videoed this practice session in my backyard on 10/24/21. This was the first Tonfa (Tuifa) kata that I learned … Read More
Spread the wordThe below knock-out video that’s going around social media made me think of the famous Bruce Lee quote from Enter the Dragon. “Boards don’t hit back.” — Bruce Lee, But, apparently, dummies do! I hope that poor kid … Read More
Spread the wordMar-a-lago, Florida 11/22/21 — In the above video, John Bachman of Newsmax reports that President Trump was presented with an Honorary 9th Degree Black Belt over the weekend. The U.S.-based TaeKwonDo GrandMaster Eungil Choi (to left of Trump … Read More
Spread the wordIn this post we’ll go through the step-by-step breakdown of the previous Tonfa kata video, Tonfa no Ichi. This breakdown uses a series of freeze-frames from the practice video to show each of the specific moves in the … Read More
Spread the wordThe above video shows an outdoor practice session of a Matsubayashi kobudo kata named Tonfa no Ichi (or Tuifa no Ichi). Tonfa no Ichi kata simply means first tonfa form, though it is actually the second tonfa form … Read More
Spread the wordThe above video shows my performance of a Matsubayashi kobudo kata named Tonfa no Ichi (or Tuifa no Ichi) that I performed at my recent Nidan kobudo promotional. Tonfa no Ichi kata simply means first tonfa form, though … Read More
Spread the wordThe above video shows our promotional performance of the basic kobudo bo drill, Fuso Kumi Bo, that we performed at my recent kobudo promotional on 7/31/21. The drill helps train distance, timing and reactions for both defending and … Read More
Spread the wordStill Mind Martial Arts Masters Series (#3) Profile and Interview with Hanshi Richard Bernard We are honored to bring you the next installment of our Still Mind Martial Arts Masters Series (#3) Hanshi Richard Bernard: Tournament Kata Champion. … Read More
Spread the wordWhile we primarily practice Matsubayashi Shorin-ryu Karate-do and Kobudo which originate from Okinawa, we also practice some Filipino stick fighting Escrima. Escrima helps develop speed, flow and reactions which also help improve your Karate and Kobudo abilities. This … Read More
Spread the wordThis post shows the step-by-step breakdown of the previous Sai kata video, Rokusai/Sai dai Ichi. It uses a series of freeze-frames from the practice video to show each of the specific moves in the Sai kata (form) along … Read More
Spread the wordThe above video shows a practice session of the basic kobudo sai kata, Rokusai. While we call this kata Rokusai in our dojo it is also known as Sai dai Ichi (first Sai form) in Matsubayashi-ryu. Rokusai or … Read More
Spread the wordThe WMKA (World Matsubayashi-ryu Karatedo Association) is scheduled to start construction of a memorial monument for O’Sensei Shoshin Nagamine, the founder of Matsubayashi-ryu, this September in Okinawa. The public unveiling of the monument was originally scheduled for November … Read More
Spread the wordThe above video shows a demonstration of the basic kobudo bo drill, Fuso Kumi Bo that we performed in 2012. This video was shot when our dojo, The Academy of Traditional Karate, gave a karate and kobudo presentation … Read More
Spread the wordThis post shows the step-by-step breakdown of the previous bo drill video, Fuso Kumi Bo. It uses a series of freeze-frames from the practice video to show each of the specific moves in the two person drill along … Read More
Spread the wordThe above video shows a practice session of the basic kobudo bo drill, Fuso Kumi Bo. I shot the first portion of this video last fall with my son in our backyard. It is easiest and safest to … Read More
Hanshi-sei Ron Martin is a world renowned international kumite champion from the golden age of karate and kumite. He was the captain of the first US Karate Team under coach Chuck Merriman.… Read More
Spread the wordThis post details the step-by-step breakdown of the previous kata video I posted, Kata Nagamine no Kon. It uses a series of freeze-frames from the practice video to show each of the specific moves in the kata along … Read More
Spread the wordLast fall I had videoed a series of sessions practicing additional kobudo kata and drills. As I get a chance over the next few months to review and edit them, I’ll post the videos along with step-by-step breakdowns … Read More
Spread the wordThis post details the step-by-step breakdown of the previous kata video I posted, Kata Suisho no Kon. It uses a series of freeze-frames from the practice video to show each of the specific moves in the kata along … Read More
Spread the wordI had videoed a series of sessions practicing additional kobudo kata and drills before the dark winter set in. As I get a chance to review and edit them, I’ll post the videos and step-by-step breakdowns of the … Read More
Hanshi-sei Ron Martin is a world renowned international kumite champion from the golden age of karate and kumite. He was the captain of the first US Karate Team under coach Chuck Merriman.… Read More
Spread the wordAfter you can easily stand in the Fourth Position, Standing in the Stream, for 20 minutes then you can start learning and working on the Fifth Position, Holding the Balloon in Front of Your Face. This is the … Read More
Spread the wordAfter you can easily stand in the Third Position, Holding Your Belly, for 20 minutes then you can start learning and working on the Fourth Position, Standing in the Stream. This is the fourth position in a Zhan … Read More
Spread the wordAfter you can easily stand in the Second Position, Holding the Balloon, for 20 minutes then you can start learning and working on the Third Position, Holding Your Belly. This is the third position in a Zhan Zhuang … Read More
Spread the wordI shot a few more videos over the weekend practicing kobudo out in the fresh air. Here’s another of the videos, practicing a Basic Bo form – Kata Fuso. This basic bo kata uses a few basic moves … Read More
Spread the wordAfter you can easily stand in the First Position, Wu Chi, for 20 minutes then you can start learning and working on the Second Position, Holding the Balloon. This is the second position in a Zhan Zhuang series … Read More
Spread the word站桩 Zhan Zhuang – Standing Like a Tree Zhan Zhuang (pronounced Jan Jong) means standing like a tree, post standing or standing post. It is an intermediate to advanced form of standing meditation Qigong practice for vital energy … Read More
Spread the wordI shot a few more videos over the weekend practicing kobudo kihon out in the fresh air with MJ. Here’s another of the videos, practicing the set of 17 Basic Bo Combinations which is a set of kobudo … Read More
Spread the word站桩 Zhan Zhuang (pronounced Jan Jong) means standing like a tree or post standing. It is a form of standing meditation Qigong practice for energy cultivation. It appears deceptively simple, but is actually more difficult than motion meditation … Read More
Spread the wordI shot a few more videos over the weekend practicing kobudo kihon out in the fresh air with MJ. Here’s the first of the videos, practicing the set of 14 Basic Bo Blocks which is a set of … Read More
Spread the wordI shot a few more videos over the weekend practicing qigong zhan zhuang and kobudo kihon out in the fresh air. Here’s the first of the videos, practicing the set of 10 Basic Bo Strikes which is a … Read More
Spread the word無極 Wu Chi (or Wuji) – Infinite As discussed in my previous post, Wu Chi – Wuji – The Beginning of Everything – Comparing Taoist and Modern Cosmology, Wu Chi (or Wuji, pronounced Woo Jee) means without limit, … Read More
Spread the word無極 Wu Chi (or Wuji) – Infinite Wu Chi (or Wuji, pronounced Woo Jee) means without limit, limitless or infinite. It also means without pole or without polarity. It denotes the infinite void before the existence of anything … Read More
Spread the wordIn modern acupuncture, meridians are often thought of as metaphysical structures. A new research study of an ancient Chinese text found in a Mawangdui tomb suggests they were actually based on physical anatomical pathways discovered through dissection. Below … Read More
Spread the wordListen to the above video by Todd Ryotoshi Norcross discussing the Dokkodo The Way of Walking Alone as you read this blog post all about the Way and Miyamoto Musashi. 宮本 武蔵 Miyamoto Musashi was the most famous … Read More
Spread the wordWhat is an online karate class like? Check out one of Shihan Goddard’s awesome online karate classes on zoom. This particular class was led by a special guest, 10th degree black belt, Hanshi Bernard, and was broadcast from … Read More
Spread the wordA Simple Man – My Life with Soke Nagamine by Sensei Bill George (Kyoshi, 7th dan) is a great read for anyone interested in the martial arts. [I also posted this review on Amazon.com] Hanshi Fumio Demura (9th … Read More
Spread the wordQigong (Chi Kung – Pronounced Chee Gong) is a form of motion and/or still meditation in order to cultivate and flow your chi or life force. One of the principles in Qigong is that of reaching a state … Read More
