This podcast is a re-recording of a talk I gave at the 5th Annual Martial Arts Studies Conference held at Chapman University in Los Angeles, California in May 2019. The event was hosted by Dr. Paul Bowman, and Dr. Andrea Molle. A two day extrav

Episode 16 - Mining Junk - Are forms worth mining for techniques?

May 21st, 2019 8m 56s

Forms are windows to the past. They can show not only a fighters techniques, system, and series of counters, and counters to an opponent's counter. They are a fascinating anomaly. Are they worth the mining for these techniques and sequences wit

Episode 15 - What is Xing Yi Quan?

May 14th, 2019 3m 27s

Forrest Chang and I discussed at great length a style of Chinese boxing known as xingyiquan. I thought I would add a follow-up explaining what Xing Yi Quan is, and share with you some of the history I uncovered while researching another project

Episode 14 - Are Chinese Martial Arts Still Relevant? Are they worth saving? A Conversation with Forrest Chang of Xingyiquan

May 7th, 2019 51m 25s

Are Chinese martial arts still relevant in modern times? Are they worth saving? A conversation with Forrest Chang of the Chinese boxing style known as xingyiquan. He and I discuss these issues along with current CMA disruptor and MMA fighter Xu

Episode 13 - Is Boxing Good for Soldiers?

Mar 21st, 2019 4m 55s

Out of all the martial arts available, should ‘Boxing’ be used in hand-to-hand combat training for American soldiers who occupy combat arms roles? These are military occupations that have direct contact with enemy combatants. This especially pe

Episode 12 - Your 'Tai Chi' is not 'Supreme Ultimate'

Mar 21st, 2019 6m 50s

I read a great article the other day on how improper the words gi and no-gi are in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. it was quite educational, and I highly recommend checking it out. I learned something myself. It also spurred me to finish putting together

Episode 11 - How Do I Tell if I'm Doing a Fake Martial Art?

Feb 22nd, 2019 14m 10s

Fake is a fickle word, and martial arts training, or what defines martial arts training, is subjective. With that said, I’m up for the challenge and will attempt this person’s question and do my best to help any of you out there that have quest

Episode 10 - Patting Horses, Scout Hands, and Answering Longtime Questions...

Feb 3rd, 2019 12m 41s

Go behind the curtain in this episode as I discuss my recent discovery of the application/intent behind a move that haunted me from years - High Pat on Horse. This is from Yang style Tai Chi, or Taijiquan, or Yang’s Cotton Boxing, and quite pos

Episode 09 - Get There From Where You Are...

Jan 14th, 2019 16m 24s

All too often, we want something to work when we’re sparring, or rolling, and it just doesn’t happen for us. Let’s take a deeper look into why.Today I share with you one of my favorite quotes and how it can help you get better in martial arts.

Episode 08 - Emotional Control

Jan 7th, 2019 12m 41s

Do you get nervous when it's time to spar, or roll with someone? Does anxiety overcome you? Have you ever had someone you 'really' didn't want to spar with in class? Part of martial arts training is developing Emotional Control. In this episode

Episode 07 - Randy's Belt Test(s) Story

Jan 4th, 2019 5m 28s

Max asks me to share my personal experience with belt tests in the martial arts. Three stories stand out. Join in as we discuss what happened, and how they turned out.

Episode 06 - Are Belt Tests Necessary?

Jan 3rd, 2019 5m 43s

Let's dive into the pros and cons of testing adults in martial arts schools. How effective is the test? Does it produce better students? Does it make 'you' better? Or, is it a complete waste of time?

Episode 05 - Injury Prevention

Jan 2nd, 2019 3m 52s

Injuries can put us out of commision for long stretches, or even discourage us from coming back when they do happen.While we can’t alway guarantee they won't happen in a dangerous sport, we can decrease the likelihood and do things that help us

Episode 04 - How Long to Black Belt?

Dec 31st, 2018 4m 10s

How long does it take to get a Black Belt? Why does it vary so much from school to school, or style to style? Is it really such a great idea to get a black belt quickly?Join Max and I in the swamp behind the gym as we delve into this important

Episode 03 - Wasted Time - Forms Training

Dec 29th, 2018 8m 56s

Forms were libraries of fighting techniques, a method of transmission for passing of knowledge, not the be all and end all of martial arts.Join me in this episode of Swamp Talks as Max and I discuss forms (Kata, Tao Lu) training in the martial

Episode 02 - How to Start Martial Arts

Dec 28th, 2018 3m 54s

How do you start martial arts training? How do you overcome fear, the intimidation, and avoid pitfalls of getting injured, ending up in the wrong school, or selecting the wrong teacher.These are all extremely important factors that can make, or

Episode 01 - Plateaus

Dec 24th, 2018 3m 45s

Hitting plateaus in our training comes with the territory. There is no avoiding them. The longer we train martial arts, or any sport/activity that requires long periods of intense practice, we are destined to hit these stale periods in our prog

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