Arrowhead Martial Arts Studio Blog

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If you’re looking to increase your speed and power, don’t overlook the importance of proper breathing.

Beginner’s in the martial arts tend to hold their breath when executing any sequence. It’s like trying to chew gum and rub your belly at the same time. It just takes a lot of concentration until you get it down.

After a while, breathing properly becomes second nature.

However, this habit has the potential - if not corrected early on - to haunt you for years to come. Next time you work out, pay attention to how you’re breathing. The earlier you start internalizing the proper method, the less you have to think about it in your training. You just do it.

Everyone knows that inhaling creates energy and exhaling burns it. However, not everyone knows how to properly breath for training and self-defense.

So what is the proper way to breath?

One should inhale through the nose before making a strike then exhale through the mouth when striking … blocking … kicking. Whatever. The trick is to release the air in your lungs in spurts, according to the delivery of your strikes.

Release the air through your teeth so that your jaw is more protected if your opponent throws a counter strike. Remember to exhale when receiving a blow of any kind. This will definetly help save you from getting the wind knocked out of you (not a good thing to have a happen!).

Like a motor, you take air in then expell it out to create power. When done right, the delivery of power can be the difference between a four cylindar, stalling out or that of a HEMI.

Which would you rather have?

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There is just something about surprise tests. It doesn’t leave much time for nerves to set in and you really see what you’ve got by being put on the spot. I had the privelage of putting a few people on the spot the other day. So, congratulations are in order to the following Arrowhead Martial Arts Studio students.

1) Adam - Blue Belt
2) Jess - Blue Belt
3) Kelly - Blue Belt
4) Bill - Purple Belt

Well done everyone!

UPDATE: The very next class, Joel tested and passed his yellow belt test. His intensity and focus was awesome for a yellow belt. Great job Joel!

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Like any endeavor, sometimes there can be too much of a good thing. And as much as I hate to admit it, burn out can happen in your Kenpo training.

So what are you to do if you’re burned out? How do you get yourself out of it? Is there hope? How can you avoid it in the first place?

The good news is that it’s entirely possible to work through it and get back on top. And fortunately it’s also 100% preventable.

Obviously it’s best to try and get ahead of things before you’re burned out so you can turn things around more readily. Once it hits, it takes a lot more work then before you arrive there.

Helpful tips to avoid burnout

Recognize and communicate. First and foremost, regular communication with your instructor is a start. They can’t help you if they don’t know you’re in a slump. If you think you’re headed for burnout, talk to them first. It can make all the difference.

Strive for balance. Kenpo training can sometimes get students so excited that they start to neglect other areas of their life. Remember to do things outside of the martial arts, too.

Break up the monotony. Sometimes you don’t have to forgo trianing completely. Just mix things up a bit. Train in different settings, perhaps outdoors. Wear different clothes and shoes. Start using a punching bag. Change the order of your workout. The key is to introduce small changes into your training routine, not drastic ones. Otherwise they won’t stick.

Engage your senses. Stimulate your mind, body and spirit. Read a book about a different martial art. Watch an action movie with martial arts in it. Listen to music that stimulates your mind when working out. Reflect on your training in a park.

Have a realistic mindset. Students have the misconception they need to perform with grace, speed, and power of a black belt, even when they’re just a beginner. We push and push to match that vision we have in our head even when it’s not realistic. Remember, it will come in time and to not push so hard for quicker results that might not readily come.

Sometimes, you just need to back off things for a while. I recommend you continue to go to class but perhaps pull back a little bit in a couple of select areas. If you’re working out a ton at home, pull back a few days a week for a while then focus your efforts in class.

Integrate these ideas. They just the tip of the iceberg but hopefully get you moving in the right direction.

If you’re getting close to burn out, don’t feel embarrassed. It happens to the best of us. If you think you are, don’t hesitate to contact me. I can help you through it.

How do you avoid burning out?

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OK, so I wrote a post about Kenpo’s 2×4 so it only makes sense I follow it up with a post about Kenpo’s buzz saw … funny considering I’m not much of a handy man.

As we all know, a buzz saw cuts with precision and goes through just about anything that gets in its way. This concept can be seen in the AKKI’s Universal Patch designed by Paul Mills.

Some techniques in the system use the buzz saw approach more than others, however, you will learn to fill the gaps on your own the longer you practice and put this idea to work.

Why use the buzz saw approach? Simply put, we want to ensure our opponent can’t sneak in a strike (intentionally or unintentionally) between our strikes. In other words, it’s about filling the gap so your opponent doesn’t fill it for you.

How do you put it to work? By inserting moves that pin, push, strike, trap, check and so on in any given sequence - according to what’s needed. As an added bonus, you can also compound your moves to help faciliate this concept.

And, it’s hard to run out of ideas on what to insert given that AKKI Kenpo has such integrated sets, techniques, forms, freestyle and drills.

Explore you options and share you ideas. I’m sure a lot of people could benefit from the exchange. You can start applying this anywhere in the system, wherever it makes the most sense to you.

If you’re not using the buzz saw, you’re leaving yourself exposed to possible counters and unnecessary exposure.

And that ain’t using logic, folks.

So … how do you use the buzz saw approach?

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In case you haven’t checked it out yet, we have a newly revised website. New layout, photos, content and more. Be sure to check back soon as we will have even more new features and content.

So, what would you like to see on our site? We always have room for good ideas.

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