The 5 Essential Elements of Martial Arts

There are no techniques that will satisfy every situation, no one magic technique is guaranteed to work. That is why the foundation and fundamentals of the system  have to be well thought out so that regardless of any situation that presents it self, you can apply the basics effectively. Learn them well and you will…

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What is the latest martial arts trend?

Through out my 38 years of martial arts training I have seen many, many fads and trends come and go. Kickboxing was huge in the late 80’s followed by Taebo in the early 90’s and now we have MMA. All hybrid versions of martial arts and all great methods of exercise. They have great appeal…

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10 Martial Arts Truths.

The individual desire to study martial arts is diverse and interesting at the same time. For many the intention is to learn a way of fighting so that if the unfortunate situation arises and you have to defend yourself then you can do so.  The trick in martial arts is to teach the student to…

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A Masters approach to street fighting.

Yesterday as I was walking out of the post office at Balmain a man walking past me caught my attention. Just for an instant I looked at him and him at me….I thought, “wow what an interesting hair cut and hey, tattoos…he is covered in them, he is not the usual person you would see walking…

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Black Belt Bouncer & the Scottish Rugby Team.

The first night I worked as a bouncer was at a popular night club in Sydney city in the early 80’s  . At that time this particular nightclub was probably “The” place to be seen when discos were at their peak of popularity. I did not need the money as I was working full time, I…

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But I don’t like the way you speak to me!

Did you think that it was going to be easy? Did you think that Martial Arts was going to be like any other sport, pastime or hobby? I keep saying time and time again that martial arts is more than just a physical movement. Martial arts is marketed as a body , mind, spirit, way…

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Is tradition important in martial arts?

Do martial arts hang onto their traditional roots just for the sake of it? Does it enhance or impinge your learning experience? What would it do to martial arts if there were no uniforms, no stances, no bowing etc? Have a think about how you would feel?

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8 ways to improve and take control of your life

Gradings are great for self improvement. As Northstar develops lifestyles and not fighters, use your grading preparation to hone all aspects of your life. Between now and grading as well as getting physically fit, lets also overlay some of the mental and emotional qualities we practice at Northstar Ju Jitsu.

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The day I was challenged by a bikie.

Setting up my own martial arts system has had its challenges and it certainly attracted a lot of attention. Word quickly got that there was a new and interesting way to learn martial arts.  I made many new friends and met many great like minded martial artists, but there was also a negative. I had…

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How teaching men to fight makes them a better person!

Fighting for the purpose of hurting another human is not what I am going to discuss. I have participated in thousands of rounds of sparring and competitions. I was often approached to fight in boxing and kickboxing but could never make that step. To be good at blood sports you have to really want to…

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