Footwork is without question the most important element of martial arts. It's the foundation for everything you do. One expression my Boxing coach always likes saying is "You box with your legs, not your hands!". Anyway in the video I go over some basic exercises that can be used to develop the footwork. There are four drills in total.   1. Half Step Drill 2. Full Step Drill 3. Two Step Method 4. Four Corner Stepping  

  One thing that's not often spoken of from the Chinese martial arts is its health benefits. Its based around the theory of the five elements and its a fascinating study. I'm certainly not a Chinese doctor, but I do have some understanding of it through the martial arts. I'll explain more in the video but here's a quick summary.   Metal = Lungs = Chopping Water = Kidneys = Drilling  Wood = Liver/Gallbladder = Crushing Fire = Heart = Exploding Earth = Stomach / Spleen = Crossing   So the movements can both heal and injure the organs. By practicing the movements, there is tremendous therapeutic…

There are many misconceptions about Qigong. I've heard everything from people stiffening $10 bills to some idiot who told me I was dealing with satanic energies! The fact is it's nothing more than coordinating proper movement and body rooting with breathing. Make no mistake, it takes a long time to really develop this ability. But there's absolutely nothing mystical or supernatural about it. Watch the video to see what it's all about   For information about In-Home or Online Virtual Personal training click here

Qigong is one of those things you may or may not have heard of. However Qi or Chi is something many people have heard of. It's been featured in countless movies and tv shows. It was even spoken about in the movie Kung Fu Panda! So what is Qi and what is Qigong? Qi is your life energy or life essence as some people like to call it and Qigong is the method which cultivates it. However unlike how it's portrayed in movies or by scammers, it is NOT some type of magical power or energy you have in your body.…

We're living in a very chaotic time right now. In December , nobody knew what the Coronavirus was and now it's all over the news in what seems reminiscent of the Spanish Flu of the early 20th Century. We will get through this with positivity, social distancing, and being careful and responsible. In the meantime however, managing stress is super important. And one of the best ways I know of is through Qigong Meditation. I've practiced it for many years now and it's really helped me at particularly stressful points in my life.   There are many ways of practicing this. It…

Let's face it. Anxiety and stress is a part of life. Not a particularly pleasant part of it, but if you don't learn to cope with it somehow you're going to have a very hard time to say the least. Now I'm sure we've all heard that we need to live a stress free life. However when you hear some bad news, that may prove to be a little difficult. What we need therefore is a way to cope with it and even better than that, eventually not even needing to turn it on and off.   We all know about the valuie of…

Body conditioning is an exercise that is traditionally done in the martial arts. There are numerous benefits of this. One is obviously conditioning your body so you won't bruise or feel as much pain. Another is that you'll be able to strike harder. However one more benefit to it and one which is important regardless of your fitness goals is increased blood circulation! In fact the effects are similar to getting a massage. Also there is a ton of myofascial release. Watch the video to learn more!  

No matter what activity you engage in, footwork is buy far the most important thing. In today's video, I demonstrate some martial arts footwork and body connection drills, but they can be applied to any activity. Remember that without good footwork and strong legs, it is very similar to a car with a pitiful engine. It may look fantastic, but if the engine is useless you won't be going very far or fast.   In the video I go over a few exercises. The first two are Qigong exercises taken from the Bagua system of Chinese martial arts. The third is a…

So many people think that training for seniors is simply a matter of slowing down, using less weight, or fewer reps. There's a lot more to it than that! For one thing, basic mobility and balance such as being able to squat, sitting in a chair properly, or walking properly can often be a challenge. Some people might not be able to relate to this, but it's a fact of life.   So there are three things that must be focused on. First and foremost is Breathing. Second is Mobility, and third is Balance. In Part 1 of this little series, I'm…

Yin And Yang In Fitness

Many people think of meditation being something that must be done in a quiet room with incense burning and Buddhas. And while this is a form of meditation, it certainly isn't the only one. Basically anytime you're doing something with mindfulness, awareness, and focus, paying attention to things like your breathing and body position, you're meditating! Whether it's moving meditation practice like Qigong or whether you're doing more conventional exercise such as Planks, Squats, Running, etc, it's ALL meditation! And thinking of exercise in this way helps to have it make sense. It's not something you turn on for certain exercises and…