PeaceWalker Blog

Training lasts from morning til night, with little rest and lots of injuries. Source: BaMahane   Every combat soldier remembers the trials and tribulations of their basic training, yet some soldiers elect to further their training and attend the 5-week long Krav Maga  instructors’  course. The rigorous course is comprised of combat training exercises integrating the tools of warfare. The cadets are divided into pairs and begin with attempts in stabbing one another with plastic knives. To thwart the attacker, anything goes, including striking “below the belt” with a punch or a kick. The course is valuable to both our men and women soldiers since the kidnapping alert has been on the rise due to the generous terms applied in the Gilad Shalit deal. “Defend with the best weapon: not a piece of iron, but the hands and feet” Source: BaMahane After passing their qualifying test, the cadets can begin to see the finish line. Unfortunately, not everyone was able to co

  Ever ask what you thought was a pretty good question only to be told, “Keep going!”? The phrase manages to both encapsulate the spirit of Budo itself, while at the same time feeling like someone just wiped a booger on your sleeve. If there is a secret to martial arts and its training, it is "Keep going!" This may seem trite and it's easy to understand why: If I were lost and asked some random person for directions and they said, “Keep going!” with a big grin, I probably wouldn’t grin back. In fact, I’d probably want to smack them. Let alone if I ask a navigation expert, who grinfully tells me, “Keep going!” - I’d probably want to drop a safe on their head.  “Keep going!” is one of those non-answer answers.  Very Zen. Zen’s not a bad answer, mind you, except if you’re drowning and would rather a life-preserver than words of encouragement.  There will always be a concern about racing past underlying philosophy, whitewashing it, or worse, taking it for granted

I am always looking for ways to simplify things for people especially when teaching protection skills. If I only have a couple minutes with someone and I need to share what the three most fundamental elements to empowerment and better tactical protection are here's what I tell them: ATTITUDE: (Don't Be a Part of the Problem) A) Respect Life. B) Don't Act Like a Victim. C) Never Give Up! (Keep Going) AWARENESS: (Be Here / Now) Be Aware of: A) Yourself B) Others C) Environment/Situation ABILITY TO ACT: (Have a Plan) When You Can: A) Walk your way out of it. B) Talk your way out of it. C) Do Something Else (If all else fails) . As always... Keep Going! All the best, ~Craig

"Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication." ~Leonardo Di Vinci Pope Boniface VIII wanted to commission some paintings for St. Peter’s and so he sent a courtier around to find the best painter in Italy. The courtier asked all the artists to give him a sample of their work to send to the Pope. He came to Giotto’s workshop, explained his mission, and asked him for a drawing which would give the Pope some idea of his competence and style. “Sure,” said Giotto; and he laid down a sheet of paper, reached for a brush dipped in red paint, closed his arm to his side to make a sort of compass of it, and in one even sweep scribed a perfect circle. “There you are,” he told the courtier, handing it to him with a smile. “That’s your drawing?” asked the courtier, who didn’t know whether Giotto was pulling his leg. “Is that all you’re going to send His Holiness?” “That’s more than enough,” said Giotto. “Send it with your other drawings and see whether it’s under