Old School Meets New School

Merce Cunningham.

2009-07-28T10:24:00.001-07:00

Merce Cunningham, RIP.

British mini-civil war in Afghanistan?

2009-02-26T14:10:00.000-08:00

Interesting report on U.K Muslims travelling to Afghanistan and fighting British troops there:

http://toyoufromfailinghands.blogspot.com/2009/02/afpak-some-of-uks-enemies.html

Go after em kid. Go after em.

2009-01-09T13:27:00.000-08:00

Okay, Rocky is cheesy, but what the hell.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jaaVs5W6T6s

2008-11-21T14:43:00.000-08:00

There are those that do
and those that don't
Those that will
and those that won't

(This image and this poem were posted in front of the power rack at Zach Even-Esh's old gym. It reminds me of my favourite boxing gym sign: "When you're not training someone else is: to kick your ass. )

Intensity, Heart, bring it!

2008-10-30T13:47:00.000-07:00

Check out Ross Enamait's article and definitely watch the movie!

http://www.rosstraining.com/articles/individualfactors.html

And as an aside, Ross' books and character are stellar.

from Henry V

2008-09-22T17:07:00.000-07:00

Whoever does not have the stomach for this fight, let him depart. Give him money to speed his departure since we wish not to die in that man's company. Whoever lives past today and comes home safely will rouse himself every year on this day, show his neighbor his scars, and tell embellished stories of all their great feats of battle. These stories he will teach his son and from this day until the end of the world we shall be remembered. We few, we happy few, we band of brothers; for whoever has shed his blood with me shall be my brother. And those men afraid to go will think themselves lesser men as they hear of how we fought and died together.

profound possibilities of human endurance

2008-07-14T22:34:00.000-07:00

Some Kalahari tribespeople have forged an utterly remarkable and inspiring relationship between human endurance and spiritual hunting:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52k6FdApB94

For background information on "persistence hunting:"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persistence_hunting

Summer training

2008-07-13T23:02:00.000-07:00

Esme and Dillon in training. Esme is 16 months old.

2008-07-01T13:02:00.000-07:00

"It accomplishes nothing to ask the poem to come to us. We must try to make the pilgrimage to the poem."

-Robert Bringhurst discussing classical Haida oral narrative poems in
A Story as Sharp as a Knife.

classic men of iron

2008-06-30T10:20:00.001-07:00

Ross Enamait over on his site keeps promoting a fascinating and rich resource full of examples from the Old School of hardmen:

http://www.sandowplus.co.uk/

Definitely worth a thorough exploration, whether you a male or female aspiring to strength and hard-as-nails-ness.

Pep Talk

2008-06-25T14:19:00.000-07:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2Q7YRDL90E

Arts de guerre ou voies de paix ?

2008-06-12T12:33:00.000-07:00

Sadly, my French sucks. Perhaps yours is better?

http://www.tsr.ch/tsr/index.html?siteSect=500000&bcid=447656#bcid=447656;vid=7141201

(The link will you take you to a documentary about Pascal Krieger of Shinto Muso Ryu jojutsu fame).

Rippetoe - What a guy!

2008-06-11T15:50:00.001-07:00

Accumulating injuries are the price we pay for the thrill of not having sat around on our asses. ~Mark Rippetoe

Rippetoe on Crossfit

2008-06-05T15:15:00.000-07:00

from http://www.elitefts.com/documents/texas_bbq.htm

Funny, many of the people whom Rippetoe seems to suggest shouldn't yet do crossfit are many of the people who do crossfit!!??
------------------
People misunderstand what CrossFit is for. People on the internet forums beat up CrossFit all the time. Typically, those who do that are 18 years old and don’t understand that not everyone is in the gym for the same reason. It has been my observation that the people who get the most out of CrossFit are the ones that come to it with a strength training background. I have stated that in print before, and Greg Glassman (founder of CrossFit) agrees with me on this.

If you’re a skinny 5’10”, 155 pound kid who can’t squat his body weight, you should probably wait to use CrossFit until you get your squat up to 300 lbs and you can bench press your body weight. Then when you get ready to do CrossFit, you will do it a whole lot better. No one would argue with that. By the same token, for an active 50-year-old guy like me who doesn’t plan on doing another powerlifting meet but still wants to have fun with his training, CrossFit might very well be a good way for him to train. Also, CrossFit is a great way to prepare for any eventuality you might face if you’re not a lifter. For example, if you’re in law enforcement, a firefighter, or a special operations kind of guy who has a physical job to do but doesn’t know what that job might involve today, CrossFit is a great way to prepare.

bad joke

2008-05-18T22:24:00.000-07:00

Dan John joke:

How many gymrats does it take to screw in a light bulb? Seven. One to screw in the bulb and six to say, "Bro, you're huge, man! Ripped!"

from t-nation.com

Dan Gable's secret

2008-05-17T23:45:00.001-07:00

"If it is important, do it every day. If it's not important, don't do it at all."

on The Fence

2008-05-07T11:04:00.000-07:00

Here are a couple of videos from Geoff Thompson well worth viewing if you are even halfway interested in self-defence ideas:

The fence part 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6OJnZG3joA

The fence part 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2FGLhlakkUk&feature=related

(Someday I will learn how to embed video onto my blog).

Apart from the "technique" of the Fence (basically a way to control the critical space directly in front of your body without appearing overly aggressive)Thompson also touches on interesting concepts for avoiding potential violence such as "the loophole," which involves presenting an easy way out for a potential aggressor while allowing him or her to maintain their "pride" or whatever it is they are attached to.

And as Thompson says outright, these are likely the most important sorts of things that one can learn as regards self-defence. Sadly, they are widely uncultivated skills.

from my friend Robert's blog:

2008-04-22T22:41:00.000-07:00

My two favorite Russian proverbs about love.

"Love isn't a potato. You can't throw it out the window."

"Love is an ugly thing: you'll even love a goat."

http://robertanasi.livejournal.com/

Josh Barnett on S&C

2008-04-18T11:49:00.000-07:00

Stellar essay by Josh Barnett on strength and conditioning for combat sports. A little unorthodox (esp. re: bodybuilding movements) and definitely worth a read if S&C and MMA are your bag.

http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=43407027&blogID=37990280

My own current challenge: eating enough protein without going completely carnivore.

Zhuge Liang to his son:

2008-03-21T21:52:00.000-07:00

The practice of a cultivated man is to refine himself by quietude and develop virtue by frugality. Without detachment, there is no way to clarify the will; without serenity, there is no way to get far.

Study requires calm, talent requires study. Without study there is no way to expand talent; without calm there is no way to accomplish study.

If you are lazy, you cannot do thorough research; if you are impulsive, you cannot govern your nature.

The years run off with the hours, aspirations flee with the years. Eventually one ages and collapses. What good will it do to lament over poverty?

-from Mastering the Art of War, Thomas Cleary

2008-01-24T22:15:00.000-08:00

Tonight meant, amongst other exercises, pushups while wearing a 50 pound vest.
I feel as though I've earned the right to go to bed.

Seven Exercises for Martial Training

2008-01-15T22:53:00.000-08:00

1. Experience cold, heat and rain by climbing high mountains and crossing deep valleys.

2. Rest in open fields and sleep in mountains.

3. Never carry money or food on your person; never wear warm clothing.

4. Travel everywhere by engaging in contests.

5. Reside in graveyards, haunted houses, or among savage beasts.

6. Associate with dangerous criminals

7. Live off the earth among peasants.

Bukyo Godan Ryu

David Hinton's Lao Tzu

2008-01-08T17:26:00.000-08:00

from 15:

perfectly cautious, as if crossing winter streams,
and perfectly watchful, as if neighbors threatened;
perfectly reserved, as if guests,
perfectly expansive, as if ice melting away,
and perfectly simple, as if uncarved wood;
perfectly empty, as if open valleys,
and perfectly shadowy, as if murky water.

-Tao Te Ching, David Hinton trans., p.17

Wanderlei

2008-01-02T22:18:00.001-08:00

Incredible training of Wanderlei Silva in preparation for his fight against Chuck Liddell:

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3vo9j_ufc-all-access-wanderlei-silva_sport

2008

2008-01-02T19:55:00.000-08:00

Well Happy New Year everybody.

There have been dozens of brilliant quotations that I have wanted to share but I guess I've been lazy.

Anyways, here are my simple, pared down goals for 2008:

-be an awesome dad

-don't drive Tara to drink

-train consistently as a runner and perform to a 17:05 5k and 35:00 10k

-hit the dojo as frequently as possible and make the time for some daily kobudo training.

-keep developing myself as a coach and do good worth with my little stable of athletes.

Have a memorable and amazing year friends and strangers!