Martial Arts is a Great Long-Term Skill

 Martial arts is indeed a great long-term skill to learn for several reasons:

1. Self-defense: One of the primary benefits of learning martial arts is acquiring the ability to defend yourself effectively. Martial arts training equips you with practical techniques and strategies to protect yourself in potentially dangerous situations. This knowledge can enhance your personal safety and give you peace of mind.

2. Physical fitness: Martial arts training involves rigorous physical activity, which contributes to overall fitness and health. Regular practice improves cardiovascular endurance, strength, flexibility, and coordination. It provides a full-body workout that helps maintain a healthy weight and promotes muscle development.

3. Mental discipline: Martial arts requires focus, concentration, and discipline. Training involves repetitive drills, routines, and techniques that demand mental engagement and precision. Over time, practitioners develop mental resilience, self-control, and the ability to stay calm under pressure. These skills can be valuable in various aspects of life, including work, relationships, and personal goals.

4. Emotional well-being: Martial arts training provides an outlet for stress and can improve emotional well-being. Engaging in physical activity releases endorphins, which are natural mood enhancers. Additionally, the structured environment of a martial arts class and the support from instructors and fellow students can foster a sense of community and belonging.

5. Increased self-confidence: As you progress in martial arts, you acquire new skills, overcome challenges, and achieve goals. This journey fosters self-confidence and self-esteem. You gain a sense of accomplishment, which translates into other areas of life, empowering you to take on new challenges with a positive mindset.

6. Cultural and philosophical aspects: Many martial arts styles have deep-rooted traditions, history, and philosophical principles. Learning martial arts can expose you to different cultures and their values. It provides an opportunity to understand and appreciate the traditions, ethics, and philosophies associated with the art form.

7. Lifelong learning: Martial arts is a lifelong pursuit. There is always something new to learn and improve upon, regardless of your age or skill level. The journey of mastering a martial art is continuous and can keep you mentally and physically engaged for years to come.

8. Social interaction: Joining a martial arts class allows you to interact with a diverse group of people who share a common interest. Training together, sparring, and participating in group activities create a sense of camaraderie and friendship. This social aspect of martial arts can lead to lifelong connections and a supportive network.

Overall, martial arts offers a holistic approach to personal development, encompassing physical fitness, self-defense, mental discipline, emotional well-being, cultural enrichment, and social interaction. Its long-term benefits extend beyond the physical aspects, enriching your life in various ways.

11 Ways to Make Yourself a Better Martial Artist

 Improving your martial arts skills requires consistent practice, dedication, and a growth mindset. Here are 11 ways to make yourself a better martial artist:

1. Regular Practice: Dedicate yourself to regular training sessions. Consistent practice is key to improving your technique, strength, flexibility, and overall martial arts skills.

2. Set Clear Goals: Define specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals for yourself. Whether it's mastering a particular technique or achieving a higher belt rank, clear goals provide direction and motivation.

3. Seek Quality Instruction: Find a reputable instructor or coach who has experience and expertise in your chosen martial art. Quality instruction ensures that you learn correct techniques, avoid bad habits, and receive valuable feedback.

4. Focus on Fundamentals: Mastering the fundamental techniques is essential for progressing in martial arts. Work on perfecting the basics, such as stances, footwork, strikes, blocks, and grappling positions. A strong foundation sets the stage for advanced skills.

5. Drill and Repetition: Repetition is key to ingraining muscle memory and refining your technique. Regularly practice specific techniques through drills and repetition to improve precision, speed, and fluidity.

6. Train with Partners: Find training partners who are dedicated and motivated to improve. Practicing with others allows you to refine your skills, work on timing and distance, and experience realistic scenarios.

7. Cross-Train: Explore other martial arts disciplines to broaden your knowledge and skill set. Cross-training exposes you to different techniques, strategies, and training methods, making you a more versatile martial artist.

8. Study Martial Arts Theory: Learn about the underlying principles, philosophies, and strategies of your martial art. Understanding the theory behind the techniques can enhance your overall understanding and execution.

9. Watch and Analyze: Observe high-level martial artists in action. Watch videos, matches, or demonstrations to study their movements, strategies, and tactics. Analyze their techniques and incorporate what you learn into your own training.

10. Strength and Conditioning: Martial arts require physical fitness and endurance. Incorporate strength training, cardiovascular exercises, and flexibility routines into your training regimen. Improved conditioning enhances your performance and helps prevent injuries.

11. Adopt a Growth Mindset: Embrace a mindset of continuous learning and improvement. Embrace challenges, learn from failures, and always strive to expand your knowledge and skills. Be open to feedback and actively seek opportunities to grow as a martial artist.

Remember, progress in martial arts takes time and effort. Stay patient, remain consistent, and enjoy the journey of continuous improvement.

Behind the Awesomeness: About me. AKA.. Who the hell is this guy?

So here’s the skinny on me, my Martial Arts career, and all of the related adventures in awesomeness I’ve had so far. Get ready for stories of slaying of dragons, rescuing fair maidens (ok one and she can be found here, as you can tell she probably only needs rescuing from me) and doing the things that “the Old Man ™” showed me in a dream once. 

In 1989, at the ripe ol’ age of 6, I began my “formal” (because every little boy back then was already a ninja, thanks to The Turtles) martial arts training in Kenpo Karate at Loreto College Kenpo Karate School. I was very proud to have started back when Mr. Parker was still alive as, despite having never seen the man on anything other than participation cert (#predatingtheinternet #olskool), I can safely say he influenced me in a way nobody else could... The decision to start martial arts (other than a huge tv & movie influence #myfragilelittlemind) was heavily influenced by the fact that I was a peace-loving softie that seemed to constantly attract the attention of the “Bigger Boys,” but the decision to stay was from a very different place (I was never good at team sports). 

Now while I’d like to say that I became an instant success with a prodigious flare for all things martial, I was definitely one of those kids whose hands & feet the instructors wanted to draw Ls and Rs on. Yep that’s right, a guy who is now obsessive about footwork could barely walk without falling over as a child… Qu’elle surprise. Thankfully, unlike today, that was an era of photos rather than videos so I may just omit this information 'in post' and pretend I’m the second coming of the last second coming. Hurray for ret-conned histories!!

My first introduction to competition was at a small tournament in Clonsilla, Dublin when I was a white belt and I won 3rd place for techniques (we had to pick three and do them on air) - this was my first big achievement and was to be the start of almost twenty years of competition participation, buuuut... I'll cover competitions in another post, so click follow and watch this space m‘kay? Sweet!

In 1991 I tested for yellow belt, a test which is the most difficult for any student, second only (slightly) to black belt. For the next few years I did everything that a junior student should do, trained, graded, kicked my instructor in the face during a blue belt test (he still goes on about it, you can barely see the scar from the friction burn anymore!) and, most importantly, never realising what exactly I was learning to do. We kinda glossed over the gore and violence that we were (potentially) capable of until Mortal ‘Freakin’ Kombat was released leading to a lot of time being spent “doing” fatalities on classmates, but worry not as the early 90s was a responsible time and we also had Power Rangers (of the 'Mighty Morphin' variety) for cheesy, Lycra-covered, balance which ensured that we weren’t complete psychos in the making.

August 1995, I tested for the rank of 3rd kyu Brown Belt (that’s right 6 years from white to junior brown, shocking by today’s standards. What were my parents thinking leaving me in such a place when I could’ve been a bonafide black belt in half the time somewhere else?? Pff! no wonder my attitudes to promotions are so skewed. Thanks Mam and Dad!!) So from this point on... ok from about 1998 (puberty changes a lot of things - boy found his balls), my focus became my Black Belt a goal I achieved in December, 2000 under the American Kenpo International Senior Council. The grading panel consisted of Mr Alan Corrigan, Mr Dermot O'Reilly, Ms Freda Roberts among others.

Mr Corrigan is a direct student of Grandmaster Shay Paget of High Street Kenpo and has been my instructor since the very beginning. Our relationship has not only been that of teacher and student but also has a much more familial role with him being my “Kenpo Dad.” To this day he is still more active than many at (and below) his level and has recently won the title of Grand Champion at the 51st International Karate Championship held in Dublin, Ireland. I currently hold a 4th Degree in Kenpo under his tutelage and am in no hurry whatsoever to trade up to the solid bar for 5th Degree, (Hey, do you hear that? Sounds like an article in the future).

In 2001, I began teaching “Karate” to Children at Loreto College primary school and also ran a self-defence course for Fourth year Girls at a local Secondary School. While studying at NUI Maynooth I began cross-training with practitioners from other systems including Jiu-Jitsu, Judo and other styles of Karate. This encouraged me to look deeper at what I already had learned and try to improve what I could about my style and technical ability. Cross-training is something that has become central to my training ethos. A good strong base with a lot of extras in the toolbox is something I love to maintain and develop. As a further means to this end, I set about travelling to and training at (this bit’s important to understand my motivations in Martial Arts) seminars with renowned martial artists such as Paul Dye, Avi Nardia (+1 Bucket List; Achievement Unlocked), Doug Marcaida and Ron Chapel, to name a few. 

Flash forward to 2006, to what would become an important moment in my path to awesomeness (and many life changing events). My brother’s then girlfriend was training at a martial arts club not far from where we lived, Bawnogue Shuriken Jutsu School under Sensei Darren Hayes. It was here by mere chance that I ran into a familiar face, someone I had met back when I was at University in Maynooth. At that time he was a student under the then instructor but had since, by a series of stellar alignments, become the club’s chief instructor. So at the utterance of the magic phrase…”Do you want half a club?” (verbatim) we set out on a Martial Marriage that's lasted 9 years so far. It was hereafter that I began, officially, training in Jiu Jitsu with my partner Antonio Salveta, while he began training in Kenpo with me.

Our first year out, our classes and teaching remained separate with little to no mixing of material. We have both been studying Filipino Martial Arts for the majority of our time together. This allowed us to find some bridging points between our two core systems. I'll write more on the process of how we played with blending in other posts, trust me it's been an unending process which will doubtlessly continue as time goes on (again, as I mentioned I've was crap at team sports, so I've very little else to do). We toured around to whomever would take us (i.e. give us coffee and a floor to sleep on) and taught a few seminars, Germany seemed to take the most pity on us, particularly this one guy Christoph Stumpf who's got some mad skillz in Martial Arts, Physiotherapy and Translation.

Following a "voluntary" career change from gainfully employed to (f)unemployed, I decided to do something with myself and pursue a university degree in Education & Training, graduated like a Bauss in 2013 (so if anyone wants to hire a slightly bashed up perpetual 29 year old...moving on). This led to a better informed view of how I should approach my teaching & learning and turned me into the superhero of a guy (that guy trying to fly at the start of Kick Ass) I see in the mirror today.

So avid reader (Wakey Wakey!!!!!), that is pretty much my origin story in terms of my martial arts career and hopefully it provides you a background to the opinions and observations that I will write  (read: smear all over the page) about in the future.

I can't guarantee you'll like or agree with everything I say but I can guarantee that: 

No matter how this history is rewritten/rebooted/ret-conned in the future, some thing's will always concrete like:

1. No one stays dead except Uncle Ben, Jason Todd and Bucky.

and most importantly

2. Michael Bay should leave the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (and every other property from my childhood) alone!!!

Welcome Young Apprentice...

Dear Reader 

In light of your efforts to help promote this Blog, and as a means of rewarding your interest, we wish to bestow upon you our sincerest thanks. 

We have been following your career with great interest for some time and are pleased to see that you display many of the qualities we look for in a potential mark (pronounced: member) 

In the Martial world there are martial arts students, martial arts teachers, and martial arts masters; and you have the makings of a great master (with the right tutelage, of course). 

We are currently in a position to take you on board as a junior member of our organisation and are willing to ratify your current status as given by whomever that person is who we don't let play with us, and offer you an official Level 5: Hard Bastard rank within our esteemed, honourable organisation. 

Please see below a detailed quote for the pleasure of our mentorship; 

     - Recognition of current (sub-standard) grade - €3,000 

     - Promotion to Level 5: Hard Bastard - €4,000 (which is, of course, coming up very soon) 

     - Photo Opportunity and pleasure of my attendance - €3,000 

Total - €10,000 (or equivalent in whatever your country has decided to call its currency) 

As a special welcome, given your promising career, we wish to offer you introductory discount to the, prestigious, Future Masters Society of 20%. 

Please note that this offer is only available if you act NOW. 

Don't delay! True martial greatness is but a credit card payment away!

Yours in Budo 

Darryl Murray 

Author of Step into the "Back Room"

3D Martial Arts instructor

4th Degree Black Belt (capable of 1st Degree Murder)

Keeper of the Seventh & Ninth Seals (the eighth got broken but it was like that when we got here).