Lately I've been digging into old-school 19th-century physical culture. Specifically, I'm looking for challenging exercises that fit my Modern Arnis. The above video showcasing 19th-century Swedish calisthenics is fascinating. To backtrack, I have shifted away from weightlifting and more toward bodyweight/calisthenics routines. They are more fun and, in many ways, more challenging. Also, the fact that I'm now 62 and have had my right hip replaced is a factor in my shift away from weightlifting.

All right. I'm slowly getting the hang of typing out short posts on my iPhone. The tricky part is the formatting of each paragraph, whether it be a heading or a regular paragraph. I'll get it soon enough. These may consist of quick thoughts or short training videos Some of these posts may be expanded into longer traditional blog posts. The photo? Those are 2 and 3 lb Indian clubs I recently purchased to add to my garage workout. Stay tuned for more!

Since I discovered I can write posts in the Jetpack app on my iPhone, I've been thinking about writing mini posts on the go. As you might guess, this is the first mini post. It might just work. I suspect I will need to do the final touches on my laptop. It looks like I can upload videos and photos directly to this app on my iPhone.

Yes, I'm still alive! My last post was written WAY back in May. I've been buried in work. Some readers know what I do for a living, but I'd rather not reveal it since it's a public-facing position. My workload doubled from 2023 to 2024, and doubled again from 2024 to 2025. While it hasn't doubled from last year to this year, it has increased by about 40%.

If you are not able to watch the video, go here. One of my all-time favourite moments was the amazing, desperate downhill run by Austria's Franz Klammer. I was 12 at the time and a fan. Klammer was the reigning World Downhill champion skier and was favored to win the gold medal in this event in the 1976 Innsbruck Winter Olympics.

I have long fantasized about having a holodeck like those in the various Star Trek series, where I can engage in Modern Arnis training. What if, instead, you had a robot as a workout partner? In my fantasy world, I'd say, "Computer, Holodeck Modern Arnis Program, level 10!" I would then enter the holodeck and engage in advanced Modern Arnis training against a simulation of Professor Remy Presas.

The New York Times recently published an article on the best American cross-country skier ever, Jessie Diggins. Diggins has become legendary among cross-country skiers for her ability to dig insanely deep into herself. While Diggins lacks the brute strength of some of her Olympic peers and does not always make the best tactical choices, her ability to tolerate pain is her greatest asset.

Watch the video below first. According to his Instagram bio, the speaker is a neurologist and judging by his comments, may be an expert on peak performance. While the author's analysis pertains to Ilia Malinin's choke job on the world's biggest stage, it also applies to other endeavours, such as... oh, say, martial arts. If you are not able to view this video, go…

Do you guys watch YouTube Shorts? Check out my Shorts! Over the past few months, I have taken videos of my private lessons. All videos were obtained with the clients' or students' consent. A couple of my students were too shy or hesitant to appear in public videos. Totally understandable. Why did I do this? It's easier to scroll through the private lesson videos and find short videos to post to…

Jesse Enkamp (aka the Karate Nerd) and Eddie Hall entertained me with their attempt to replicate Bruce Lee's 1965 workout routine. Judging by the reactions of Jesse and Eddie, it sounds like an insane workout. Keep in mind that Bruce was 25 years old and approaching his physical prime. Eddie Hall, along with Thor Bjornsson, is among the strongest men in the world.

While working on a technique sequence designed to fortify their fundamentals, students may occasionally ask to do material that is beyond their skill level. I'll often answer them in two ways. Either I will demur and tell them that their fundamentals aren't where they need to be yet. Or I will use their hunger for advanced material to polish their fundamentals.

I chuckle every time I see this quote by Notre Dame coaching legend Frank Leahy. He was the head coach of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish from 1941 to 1943 and from 1946 to 1953. He missed the 1944 and 1945 seasons due to serving in the US Navy during WWII. He compiled an insane record during his 11 years as Notre Dame's head coach.

Dang! I've gone too long without writing a post! I've been buried in more work than usual over the last few months, juggling work across three municipalities. The summer months were especially intense. Things have slowly been returning to some normalcy - only a year or two before I retire for good. I think I see the light at the end of the tunnel....or is that a train coming at me?

I do some solo training with heavy sticks three or four times a week. Check out the solo training video below. This workout typically lasts 20 minutes. Any shorter than 20 minutes is unsatisfactory to me. This is purely a conditioning session for me. What you see in the video is a template that I've been doing for the past month or so.

Recently, I asked ChatGPT, "Which hand is most predominant in machete attacks?" Not surprisingly, it answered that right-handed people carry out the vast majority of machete attacks. The full answer from ChatGPT: "Most studies and reports on machete attacks indicate that the dominant hand of the attacker—usually the right hand—is more frequently involved in such assaults. This is because the majority of people are right-handed, which influences their grip, control, and swing technique.

I've been attending the Annual Michigan Camp since the late 1990s, and every one has been a blast. This year should be no different. Professor Chuck Gauss and Professor Ken Smith are the featured instructors. Both learned directly from the late Professor Remy Presas and have been on a mission to share the Professor's beloved art of Modern Arnis. The host of the Camp, Professor Chuck Gauss, is below:

The other day, I tested my right shoulder with a brief carenza with a pair of kamagong sticks. It turned out surprisingly well and represents a small step forward for me. First, what is "carenza" in Filipino Martial Arts? A short answer is that it is a freestyle exercise where a player improvises FMA moves. It is akin to shadowboxing and is popular among FMA players.

That was the delighted reaction of one of my private clients last week. I had offered him the option of training in my garage or at the ABS Training Centre, the usual location for our sessions. He chose the former. It's a great change of pace for three reasons. First, it's summer! I often leave the garage door open during our sessions.

When I arrived at the ABS Training Centre (located in Pickering) last Thursday night to teach my weekly class, the door was locked. I was not surprised. You see, just before I left the house, I received an alert on my iPhone from the Durham Region Police advising folks in the area to shelter in place due to a fatal stabbing attack on an 83-year-old woman.

When I arrived at the ABS Training Centre (located in Pickering) last Thursday night to teach my weekly class, the door was locked. I was not surprised. You see, just before I left the house, I received an alert on my iPhone from the Durham Region Police advising folks in the area to shelter in place due to a fatal stabbing attack on an 83-year-old woman.

First, watch this video on whether Arnis works in the street. From David James' perspective (as well as mine), it depends! I believe Filipino martial arts (FMA) are a powerful asset for street self-defence. FMA empty-hand techniques and weapon training can be seamlessly applied to any situation. Training in Filipino Martial Arts sharpens fluid movement, situational awareness, and striking effectiveness, enabling individuals to react quickly and decisively in high-pressure environments.

One of the more interesting teaching ideas I've encountered is video homework assignments for students. Specifically, the idea is to video private lessons and upload them to Google Drive for them to watch and analyze. The inspiration for this idea comes from Maija Soderholm, one of Sonny Umpad's students. According to Soderholm, Sonny insisted that his students study the videos and learn from their mistakes.

More specifically, what if I had started in Filipino Martial Arts/Modern Arnis before age 33? From age 18 to 33, I trained in Cooper Ryu and Kenpo Karate and dabbled in BJJ and Aikido. Years ago, I wondered what my skill level would have been if I had started in Modern Arnis much earlier. I now think that it's an irrelevant exercise.

Sorry for the radio silence. I've been busy and buried under a lot of things. Is that why I haven't blogged as consistently as I would like? No. I tend to want to pick the perfect topic or wait until I produce a video to upload before publishing a blog. Consequently, my need for the ideal conditions to post a blog has often presented a barrier to consistent production.

Estimated reading time: 6 minutes Before discussing my data experiment, I apologize for the month-long radio silence due to being (a) buried in work and (b) having a family get-together. That said, I'm happy to blog again! After a private lesson with Rosh, the owner of ABS Training Centre, we started discussing coaching and teaching. It's part of a long conversation that has spanned a couple of years about teaching.