training

  • The History of Breakdancing… in Capoeira?
    August 31st, 2009By Chuck Johnson
    While training in Capoeira recently, I’d been trying to master a technique called ‘ Queda de Rins ‘ or in English, “Kidney-drop”. To execute the movement one must let their bodyweight ‘drop’ onto their elbow (which in turn braces against the kidneys) while balancing on the hands. In doing it as well as in practicing » Continue Reading
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  • How to win through losing
    August 7th, 2009By Chuck Johnson
    Not too long ago, I started shootboxing training. Even though it’s a relatively unfamiliar arena with a different rule system than what I am used to, it’s interesting to see how I can adapt what I know to this particular combat situation, and I can still fight with a fair degree of confidence. The funny thing » Continue Reading
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  • Unprecedented Time Off
    July 24th, 2009By Jo
    Hi, all. It is now post-Uminohi, and I am sure everyone is looking forward to the Japanese summer, after the rainy season. Now that the rain is passing, most of us are probably hitting the beaches or enjoying the festivals in our local neighborhoods.  Better yet, you all are probably looking forward » Continue Reading
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  • Practice makes perfect??
    June 26th, 2009By Jo
    Practice makes perfect?? I don’t know who started making the phrase, “Practice makes Perfect” popular… Who came up with that phrase anyway? Do people, whomever they are, actually become “perfect” by following this maxim in their daily lives? » Continue Reading
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  • Movements as equations: how not to get kicked in the head
    June 23rd, 2009By Chuck Johnson
    While training in Korea, I once heard a former member of the Canadian national Taekwondo team, describe  Taekwondo ring fighting as nothing more than a system of equations: your opponent moves this way(”A), and you simply have to respond that way (”+ B”) to get the result you want (”C”). At the » Continue Reading
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  • Power and Relaxation
    June 5th, 2009By Chuck Johnson
    The other day, I was teaching a Japanese action actor how to do the spin for a 720 degree kick and telling him that the key to doing a double spin isn’t power at all…it’s relaxation. If one can completely free one’s muscles from tension at the apex of a jump, a simple twist of the » Continue Reading
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  • Wax on, Wax off: Cleaning as a martial arts metaphor, Part 2
    April 28th, 2009By Chuck Johnson
    photo credit: gigile So, in my last entry I spoke on the metaphysical growth necessary to truly master a martial art, and the way that it parallels keeping one’s home clean. For this entry however, I would like to look at it from a more technical angle to draw another parallel: » Continue Reading
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  • Wax on, Wax off: Cleaning as a Martial Arts Metaphor, Part 1
    April 9th, 2009By Chuck Johnson
    So after moving into my new apartment recently, I had to spent a few days cleaning it, and while doing so, I pondered why it is that traditional martial arts masters always make their students spend a lot of time cleaning. Coming from an American cultural background, where we are taught to » Continue Reading
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  • Action Acting vs. Martial Arts: Comparing & Contrasting
    March 10th, 2009By Chuck Johnson
    The funny thing about being a martial arts action actor is that knowing martial arts doesn’t necessarily qualify you for the job. In training to do action sequences properly you not only have to learn new techniques, and movement patterns from other styles, weapons play, gymnastics and a myriad of other » Continue Reading
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