Mon, 21 May 2012 05:54:36 -0800WeeblyTue, 21 Feb 2012 10:40:50 -0800http://dsdo.org/3/post/2012/02/guro-blog3-kaizen-principles.html“Kaizen” is the Japanese word for improvement or change for the better, while this term and practice is best known in the realm of business and manufacturing, it can also apply to our martial arts training. Every so often I will teach my students something I learned outside of our system in order to increase their general martial art knowledge and then help them learn how to apply a DeCuerdas twist to it, when possible.  I feel these extracurricular lessons enhance a student’s understanding of martial art concepts and helps to further familiarize them with other systems, even if these tidbit lessons are rudimentary.  GM Gonzalez has been a proponent of cross training and instilled in me earlier on the advantages of seeking out additional knowledge and improving up our own system and my own understanding.  While our roots originated from GM Gilbert Tenio and Master Instructor John Eliab, both extraordinary FMA practitioners, it was not uncommon to see applications of joint locks and body manipulation techniques that are very similar to other systems blended into their FMA application.  It is for this reason that our art is an every evolving art with a mission to always improve for devastating simplicity. It is this type of training mentality that allows us to pickup other systems fairly well. My goal is to teach my students everything I have been taught and then give them additional information that I may pick up, (while always giving credit to where it came from). We are confident in our system yet wise enough to know that we can always improve. Kaizen!

]]>Wed, 07 Sep 2011 05:24:44 -0800http://dsdo.org/3/post/2011/09/guros-blog-2-stumbling-stones-or-stepping-stones.htmlGuro’s Blog #2. Stumbling stones or stepping stones?

Whether you are lifelong martial arts practitioner or a novice just starting your journey you probably have or will at one point during your progression encounter stumbling blocks in either inability to perform a technique, remember a kata or even worse through the introduction of an injury.  How we respond to these moments of frustration and disappointment depends entirely on our mindset and objectives.  I have seen students who have the natural talent and look to one day become great martial artist give up on their path once they encounter the first stumbling stone. I have also seen the development of students who may have initially lacked the physical talent but had the mental fortitude to keep trying and learn from their mistakes, in turn becoming better martial artists as the weeks and months progress.

How you react to your setbacks makes all the difference in the world, one should expect to trip along the way and learn to pick him or herself up while also taking the time to think about why they tripped in the first place. By examining our setback we can learn from our mistakes and or understand our weaknesses while continuing our journey of positive development, this action is what I call turning stumbling stones into stepping stones.  Reaching out for help from a more experienced practitioner or your instructor is also a great way to get you out of a rut and insure you continue to progress, you should be prepared to use every tool at your disposal to help you along your journey. Keeping a positive attitude during your journey will be the key to insuring you become the best martial arts practitioner you can be, don’t let don’t let a temporary barricade become your demise.  

In the words of Bill Phillips: 

“As I see it…the ability to achieve a successful transformation in any and every area of your life relies on your ability to take what others see as barricades and turn them into bridges.”

Your mental attitude will determine if your setback becomes something that takes you off of your martial arts journey forever or simply a temporary setback that can be overcome through mental discipline, courage and shear tenacity.

Guro Mike

]]>Fri, 20 May 2011 16:57:00 -0800http://dsdo.org/3/post/2011/05/mental-and-character-development.html Guro's Blog #1. Mental & Character Development.

When I am not training or spending time with the family, one of my favorite pastimes is reading books and analyzing the message contained within their pages. One of my favorite book's is a small yet wonderful book titled “As a Man Thinketh” by James Allen. It is a literary essay published in 1902. The title is influenced by a verse in the Bible from the Book of Proverbs chapter 23 verse 7. You don't have to be of religious nature to appreciate the quotes and passages that the book contains. This is a book I tend to re-read every year to help get my head straight which helps me accomplish any new goals I set for the year.

The book opens with the statement:

Mind is the Master power that moulds and makes, And Man is Mind, and evermore he takes The tool of Thought, and, shaping what he wills, Brings forth a thousand joys, a thousand ills: He thinks in secret, and it comes to pass:Environment is but his looking-glass. What this means is that our thoughts control our actions.

And one of my favorite quotes is as follows:
“As the physically weak man can make himself strong by careful and patient training, so the man of weak thoughts, can make them strong by exercising himself in right thinking.”

How easily does this quote transcend into our martial arts training and character development. It is for this reason I have posted an entire PDF version of the book under the students page tab. I highly recommend it to all my students, as I always say “Martial Arts is more than just punching and kicking”.

Guro Mike

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