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Aren't globalization & commercialization among the most powerful weapons & tactics of our time? By that standard Shaolin seems to be successfully maintaining the old approach. If you can fight & kill...

Right after the "fight":


and at the end:


Quality storytelling!

My martial training is currently centered around wado ryu karate & I'm not interested in changing that, but I have long been interested in yi jin jing & would love to learn it as a...

I've been doing the barefoot running thing for several months now. I'm still in the early stages so my mileage is low but already there are several things I like about it: the adjusted stride just...

Shin blocks? Where are you guys learning to block leg kicks with your shins? Here in Thailand I was taught to use my knee to block kicks. OK, specifically I'm talking about the head of the tibia,...

Update: there's now a kindle version of the book (much cheaper than the paperback) available on amazon:
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Sorry, it's nothing like Wado.

I hope shameless self-promotion isn't against forum rules. I've written a kung fu-infused mystery novel called "Secret Recipes from the Kung Fu Bakery," and I thought some of you might be interested:...

The workout you describe seems fine for strengthening the arms & shoulders but are you suggesting that that's where the power comes from in your punches? I got no problem with having strong arms but...

Weight over the heels? Really? I'll admit that my TCMA experience is limited compared to what I've done in Muay Thai & Japanese arts, but I've always learned that weight on the heels contributes to...

Michael Pollan, writing in the NY Times a few years ago, gave pretty similar advice. It's his concise statement that I find the best general nutrition advice: "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants."

Good point with regard to the grappling. But how about the strikes (i.e. the vast majority of what was on the clip)? This was a sparring situation, with gloves, headgear & who knows what pads under...

Right. And wouldn't that suggest that I didn't suffer extensive nerve damage as a result of my training?

Because it hurts. I do kick the tires from time to time but with much less force than I used to. Mostly these days I kick the Thai pads.

Well, I don't know the details of innervation to the lower leg, but I definitely didn't perceive a loss of sensation. At the time I was getting lots of reflexology & I would have noticed if things...

I spent 1.5 years at a Muay Thai camp in Thailand. We kicked the heavy bag, over and over, and got a decent level of shin conditioning just from that. For those who wanted more, we had a stack of car...

My teacher uses video for select, senior students. He shoots forms and basic line drills from different angles and then provides both written and oral comments. He also encourages me to video myself...

Sure, I've read my share of treatises. And I even enjoy it sometimes. But I do find it ironic that a tradition whose teachings are supposedly transmitted outside the scriptures ends up having so many...

I appreciate your response, lfj. And just to clarify - the fact that I practice in a Theravada lineage doesn't mean I have no awareness of or appreciation for Madhyamika & Yogacara thought. On this...

This part is pretty good. :D
The rest of the debate on mind & reality sounds an awful lot like "thinking answers". But then what do I know - I'm one of those deluded Theravada (the dreaded Hinayana)...

So many words being used to describe zen... where's that 'turning a flower' emoticon?

The idea of 'skillful means' or presenting Buddhist teachings & practices in different ways to suit different individuals is certainly one of the factors behind the proliferation of Buddhist sects....

Guitar, writing and ballet!

I think it' interesting to see how attitudes change over time. In the past, it was more common to adopt a competitive approach - focusing on the differences between martial styles, or religions for...

I generally agree, though I'd flip it around. I think most people don't consciously choose the existence of bitterness. But we certainly can make a conscious choice not to identify with bitterness,...