Category: Martial Arts Musings Blog Spot

There is a lot of discussion, and debate on the subject of growth. This is especially true when we turn our gaze to martial arts. The definition of what constitute growth and rank progression varies significantly between organizations. There is, however; a commonality of thought that seems to permeate this issue revolving around definable progress. …

The most discussed, debated, and divisive issue among Ch’ang Hon TaeKwon-Do practitioners is the concept of sine wave. Those of us old enough to remember the earliest incarnations of the patterns were taught “hip rotation” as the primary methodology of generating power during technique application. This transplanted concept originated in the Japanese styles early progenitors …

I regularly get calls from martial arts school owners asking for advice on how to handle various problems. They range from contract negotiations with landlords to the best way to deal with parents. While each situation is different and certainly there is no one right answer… my advice always begins with “Do the right thing …

by Jeff Helaney, IX Dan President United States Kido Federation You have started looking for a new martial arts school. Unless you have some previous experience this can be a daunting journey. The Internet is full of schools and each one has a list of reasons posted on why you should select them. Before too …

By GM Jeff Helaney President United States Kido Federation I read a post not too long ago from a Facebook acquaintance who listed a number of reasons why if your uniforms didn’t look the same, your bows weren’t done the same way, or if you called your patterns something else (.. ad infinitum) you weren’t …

Jeff Helaney 9th DanPresident – United States Kido Federation Is rank really that important? Is one black belt rank more valid than another? Are standards fixed or mutable? I tend to write a lot about this topic because it is plays a significant role how we understand our arts and helps shape our journey paradigm …

Integrity is a quality that is often espoused but is as rare in the modern world as it was when Diogenes searched ancient Greece for honest man. Ambition, greed, and self-absorption have always lessened a light that was meant to a beacon of the human spirit. Perhaps it is the rarity of this virtue that makes …

When we first start a martial arts class we are filled with unrealistic expectations. We believe that we will pick up physical skills faster than is humanly possible and many of us compare our progress with images we have seen in the mass media.  The fact of the matter is we are all human. Each …

One of the most difficult things about owning and running a martial arts school is knowing when to drop a difficult client. At some point we have all tried to hang on to a individual past the point where we knew that the relationship was probably not good for us personally or for the school. …