Jan04

The Warrior Path

by Airyu on January 4th, 2012 at 12:18 am
Posted In: Uncategorized

“The path of the Warrior is lifelong, and mastery is often simply staying on the path.”

- Richard
Strozzi Heckler

Many times I have been asked by my students “what is the best way to master a technique or skill?” My reply sometime shocks them, continue to train every day and with time you will master the technique. Many walk away mumbling, but those who stick it out and continue to train on a technique or skill almost always come back to me and say, “ I think I finally understand that technique!”

Recently, I have just passed the 37 year mark in my journey in the martial arts! Each year I sit back and look through my training journals and notes and reflect back upon what I have learned, training partners and students who have fallen from the path, and try and plan out what to move forward with for the next year.

So a question for you, “What areyour plans for the upcoming year for your training?”

Guro Steve L.
“Time to go and train again!”

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Jan04

Warrior Quote – Yagyu Munenori

by Airyu on January 4th, 2012 at 12:06 am
Posted In: Warrior quotes

“It is easy to kill someone with a slash of a sword. It is hard to be impossible for others to cut down”
                                                                 -Yagyu Munenori

As I was reviewing some old notes on various Sword masters, I came upon this quote that struck me as I began my training session. How many of us train, spar with only the intent of hitting your opponent (not that it is a bad thing!)? But, now let’s turn this around, and how much time have you put into making yourself as hard an opponent to strike?

Whether it is in boxing, FMA, Sword, whatever art you are training in, when was the last time you put in time mastering, ducking, slipping, weaving, countering, footwork, transitional movement drills, rolling, rebounding from the ground, just  all of the basic aspects of being a Warrior that is hard to hold down or strike.

In an upcoming article I will give 5 drills that will help make you a more elusive opponent.

“When hell is the cradle in which I rest, all else is easy.”

Guro Steve

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Jan03

Weight Control

by Airyu on January 3rd, 2012 at 12:40 am
Posted In: Warrior nutrition

Weight Control, the First Step

Are you serious about loosing or maintaining a healthy weight? Well is this hasn’t crossed your mind in recent days think about this, in a recent medical study it was determined that being overweight in your 30’s and 40’s can shorten your life expectancy by 3.5-7 years, even if later in life you lose the extra weight! So, what is the first step in trying to get a hold of your weight? Well it is figuring out exactly what you are consuming on a daily basis.

Food/Nutrition Log

For 1 week, write down everything you eat, and drink during a normal day. It also will help to break it out into what time of the day was it, is this prepared/restaurant food, portion size, caloric and nutritional information etc. During this week, you must be completely honest with yourself, and write down everything, and do not change what you are eating just because you are starting this process!
This process always seems so simple, yet so few of us do it because it is really so difficult. Especially, when we have to be honest with ourselves, or a coach who will be helping us, by reviewing this material.

Step 2

Figuring that to lose 1lb of body weight, equates to removing an extra 500 calories/day for 7 days (1 lb of fat = 3500 calories), you now need to choose a path to do this.

Caveat: just removing the extra calories from your diet, doesn’t work in the long term!

Here is why, your body is a remarkable machine designed to keep you alive. If you drastically reduce your caloric intake, your body automatically goes into starvation mode, and efficiently uses and stores almost every calorie you take in. The only way to help lose those extra calories is through exercise. A well thought out plan including nutrition, weight training, cardiovascular exercise and flexibility training, is the only long term plan that has proven itself over time!!

Step 3:
The hardest part!!! Get off your lazy butt and start working out!

I hope this short starting point gets you motivated.

I am not sugar coating anything, and I will be brutally frank with each of you reading this, there is no easy way to lose weight and get in shape.  Anyone who tells you differently is lying to you to make money. So start now!

Sensei/Guro Steve

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Jan02

7 Nutritional Tips for Warrior Athletes

by Airyu on January 2nd, 2012 at 11:55 pm
Posted In: Warrior nutrition

One leg of the great Pyramid of training is often the one that is most overlooked, and yes that is nutrition.Without proper fuel you workouts and recovery sessions will only be half of what they could be. So in order to start you off in the right direction here are 7 tips you should post where you can see them each day and FOLLOW THEM!!!

 

Here you go….

Tip #1.
Make nutrition an integral part of your training program. Nutrition should never be an after-thought in your training program it should be thought out in advance to meet your nutritional needs. Without proper nutrition, how can you begin to achieve the optimum performance level you are seeking?

Tip #2.

Start a nutrition log book. Track your consumption of various foods, amounts types etc, and how this relates to your workout energy and recuperation time. Review the various books and source material on the amount of calories and types of nutritional guidelines your sport will require, and set that down in your training plan. If you have to consult with a sports dietitian, and stay away
from trendy diet fads and supplement advertisements!

Tip #3.

Now everyone has a busy schedule to maintain, but if you are serious about improving your sports performance you need to schedule time to shop for good nutritional foods. Search your local area for the best Organic produce, meat and dairy sources. Even search for low cost wholesalers, this will definitely help your budgetary process. Good quality food can get expensive if you are not careful, so spend the time to bulk shop, freeze down individual portions and plan your weekly meals!

Tip #4.

A key nutrient in your program has to be fluids!! Concentrate on taking in adequate amounts of water, and other fluids to prevent dehydration. Monitor your urine output to ensure you are drinking enough fluids on a daily basis. You should be urinating frequently (every 2 to 4 hours); it should be light colored, not dark and odiferous. That is clearly a sign of dehydration!!

Tip #5.

Be flexible, and resilient to food changes. Every season has a host of great food choices, so avail yourself to locally grown fresh produce in the summer months! Over the remaining parts of the year switch off to other items grown in various parts of the world!

Pay attention to those cravings you are having they may indicate a nutritional or caloric need in your diet!

Tip #6.

Supplements are just that SUPPLEMENTS! Your first requirement is adequate nutrition through good quality sources. If you require more than that, seek out high quality supplementation. Don’t fall into the trap that a supplement will give this huge leap in your nutrition, it won’t! It is up to you to maintain the dedication to ensure this critical aspect of your training is maintained!

Tip #7.

As a final tip, make sure you are getting adequate time off from your program to recuperate! Take a nap, sleep in late, eat plenty, drink enough, all of this will help you make great leaps in your training goals.

The hardest part is the first step…..Taking Action!

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Jan02

Warrior Quote – Tesshu Yamaoka

by Airyu on January 2nd, 2012 at 12:35 am
Posted In: Warrior quotes

“Do not fix your mind on the attitude your rival assumes not have it riveted on your own attitude or your own sword. Instead, fix your mind on your saika-tanden (hara) and do not think either dealing a blow at your opponent or of the latter dealing a blow at you. Cast aside all specific designs and rush to attack the moment you see your enemy in the act of brandishing his sword overhead.”

Yamaoka Tesshu – founder Itto Shoden Muto Ryu

Check out these two articles from our sister Ninjutsu website!

http://ninjutsutrainingonline.com/trust-your-instincts/

http://ninjutsutrainingonline.com/trust-your-instincts-2/

 

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