Monday, March 09, 2009
The Way of the Martial Artist: Achieving Success in Martial Arts and in Life - A Review
There are some people that treat the practice of martial arts like any other hobby or exercise class. It is something to do a couple times a week. Then there are those of us that the study, practice, and teaching of martial arts means so much more. Regardless of the specific art or discipline, regardless of the country of origin of the art, to some of us, being a martial artist and studying our respective martial arts is not a hobby or pastime, but a part of who we are.
From reading Kevin Brett's "The Way of the Martial Artist: Achieving Success in Martial Arts and in Life" it is obvious that Kevin Brett falls into this category of practitioners. Brett is a martial artist, not a hobbyist. His martial study has helped shaped who he is and has provided him with a vehicle to succeed in many areas of life, not just the physical skills of punching and kicking.
I enjoyed the book and found myself agreeing with Brett on many points. In the Preface, Brett wrote that he does not know all that he would like about the topics in this book, and that they require further study by all of us. I think this is an extremely important point, especially since this book while mentioning many important topics does not go into great depth regarding them. I do believe the points he makes on these topics are good ones, but there is so much more to study and learn. I feel Brett knows this, and that's why I think his book is an excellent roadmap pointing towards things that must be studied further to improve not only one's martial abilities but one's life in general. This is a great introduction pointing toward areas to study further.
The Preface and Introduction of this book illustrate that Kevin Brett lives as a martial artist and doesn't view his training as a recreational past time, Chapter one goes into brief origins and traditions from China, Japan and Korea. This is not a history book, and as I said the chapter is very brief on the topics it covers. However, I think the book will wet the appetite for many readers who will then continue their study further by seeking out history texts and other books to broaden their knowledge on the history and traditions of not only their respective arts, but hopefully other historic warrior traditions and various martial art styles as well.
Chapter two, Skill and Training, covers many different areas that can be expanded upon. Chapter three, Strategy and Tactics does the same. These two chapters are the bulk of the roadmap I mentioned above. One should ensure they are incorporating all of the elements Brett writes about into their own training and study. Many concepts or skills that Brett briefly describes in a few paragraphs can be further studied with various instructors or entire books just on that concept. For example, Brett has about a page of text devoted to the concept of "timing." This is a very important concept when training in the fighting arts, and Brett provided a short explanation on why it is important. I would hope the reader using this book as a map would then seek out further instruction on this concept through instructors or the excellent book on the topic by my friends Loren Christensen and Wim Demeere, "Timing in the Fighting Arts: Your Guide to Winning in the Ring and Surviving on the Street
." That is just one area of many where you can use this book by Kevin Brett as a catalyst toward further study.
Chapter four, Spirit and Excellence, shows that Brett's study and journey as a martial artist consists of more than just learning physical techniques and readers who also want to be complete martial artists can follow by learning from Brett, because some of the concepts he discusses in this chapter are the most important elements of warriorship and becoming a martial artist. Integrity and Honor beat technical skill as worthy goals anyday.
Chapter five, Success For Life, provides some good general advice on setting and achieving goals, both with your martial art training and other areas of your life. Brett stresses balance and I think that is extremely important as well.
Appendix A is a framework for martial arts study that could be modified and adapted to help fulfill various training goals. Appendix B provides 52 success quotes to help motivate you as you travel your own personal journey.
Overall I enjoyed this book and feel that Kevin Brett and I would get along great due to our sharing of what a martial artist is and how training in the arts can effect your entire life in a positive way. There were times while I was reading this text that I thought to myself, "I have not trained or taught that concept for quite a while, I need to work that into a lesson." I recommend you get it, read it, and incorporate the lessons and information into your training today. It is a worthy book for any martial artist to read, and I think if you incorporate everything Brett mentions in this book into your own training and life, you can't help but be a better martial artist and lead a more successful positive life.
Reviewed by Alain Burrese, author of Hard-Won Wisdom From the School of Hard Knocks and the dvds: Hapkido Hoshinsul, Streetfighting Essentials, Hapkido Cane, the Lock On Joint Locking Essentials series and articles including a regular column on negotiation for The Montana Lawyer. Alain Also wrote a series of articles called Lessons From The Apprentice.
From reading Kevin Brett's "The Way of the Martial Artist: Achieving Success in Martial Arts and in Life" it is obvious that Kevin Brett falls into this category of practitioners. Brett is a martial artist, not a hobbyist. His martial study has helped shaped who he is and has provided him with a vehicle to succeed in many areas of life, not just the physical skills of punching and kicking.
I enjoyed the book and found myself agreeing with Brett on many points. In the Preface, Brett wrote that he does not know all that he would like about the topics in this book, and that they require further study by all of us. I think this is an extremely important point, especially since this book while mentioning many important topics does not go into great depth regarding them. I do believe the points he makes on these topics are good ones, but there is so much more to study and learn. I feel Brett knows this, and that's why I think his book is an excellent roadmap pointing towards things that must be studied further to improve not only one's martial abilities but one's life in general. This is a great introduction pointing toward areas to study further.
The Preface and Introduction of this book illustrate that Kevin Brett lives as a martial artist and doesn't view his training as a recreational past time, Chapter one goes into brief origins and traditions from China, Japan and Korea. This is not a history book, and as I said the chapter is very brief on the topics it covers. However, I think the book will wet the appetite for many readers who will then continue their study further by seeking out history texts and other books to broaden their knowledge on the history and traditions of not only their respective arts, but hopefully other historic warrior traditions and various martial art styles as well.
Chapter two, Skill and Training, covers many different areas that can be expanded upon. Chapter three, Strategy and Tactics does the same. These two chapters are the bulk of the roadmap I mentioned above. One should ensure they are incorporating all of the elements Brett writes about into their own training and study. Many concepts or skills that Brett briefly describes in a few paragraphs can be further studied with various instructors or entire books just on that concept. For example, Brett has about a page of text devoted to the concept of "timing." This is a very important concept when training in the fighting arts, and Brett provided a short explanation on why it is important. I would hope the reader using this book as a map would then seek out further instruction on this concept through instructors or the excellent book on the topic by my friends Loren Christensen and Wim Demeere, "Timing in the Fighting Arts: Your Guide to Winning in the Ring and Surviving on the Street
." That is just one area of many where you can use this book by Kevin Brett as a catalyst toward further study.Chapter four, Spirit and Excellence, shows that Brett's study and journey as a martial artist consists of more than just learning physical techniques and readers who also want to be complete martial artists can follow by learning from Brett, because some of the concepts he discusses in this chapter are the most important elements of warriorship and becoming a martial artist. Integrity and Honor beat technical skill as worthy goals anyday.
Chapter five, Success For Life, provides some good general advice on setting and achieving goals, both with your martial art training and other areas of your life. Brett stresses balance and I think that is extremely important as well.
Appendix A is a framework for martial arts study that could be modified and adapted to help fulfill various training goals. Appendix B provides 52 success quotes to help motivate you as you travel your own personal journey.
Overall I enjoyed this book and feel that Kevin Brett and I would get along great due to our sharing of what a martial artist is and how training in the arts can effect your entire life in a positive way. There were times while I was reading this text that I thought to myself, "I have not trained or taught that concept for quite a while, I need to work that into a lesson." I recommend you get it, read it, and incorporate the lessons and information into your training today. It is a worthy book for any martial artist to read, and I think if you incorporate everything Brett mentions in this book into your own training and life, you can't help but be a better martial artist and lead a more successful positive life.
Reviewed by Alain Burrese, author of Hard-Won Wisdom From the School of Hard Knocks and the dvds: Hapkido Hoshinsul, Streetfighting Essentials, Hapkido Cane, the Lock On Joint Locking Essentials series and articles including a regular column on negotiation for The Montana Lawyer. Alain Also wrote a series of articles called Lessons From The Apprentice.
Wednesday, March 04, 2009
Eight Simple Qigong Exercises For Health: The Eight Pieces of Brocade with Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming
"Eight Simple Qigong Exercises For Health: The Eight Pieces of Brocade" with Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming is an exceptional basic qigong program. This program, known as Ba Duan Jin in China, has been practiced for over 1,000 years.
There are many different forms of qigong and quite a variety of different qigong exercises. Those provided in this program are different from those I learned while living and training in Korea, but there are similarities and they all have similar goals of improving a person's health through breathing, stretching, and strengthening movements that activate Qi energy and blood circulation in your body, helping to stimulate your immune system, strengthen your internal organs, and give you abundant energy.
The simple program taught on this DVD can easily be incorporated into a person's existing routine, or for a person unaccustomed to any form of exercise, it can be a simple program to start toward better health.
The first chapter is a short, 4 minute 30 second, history of the eight pieces of Brocade, or the Ba Duan Jin, presented by Dr. Yang. After this brief history, there is an analysis of the sitting eight pieces of brocade. This section starts with Dr. Yang doing the exercises from both front and side views, but with no instruction on what he is doing. The audio in this chapter is done by a voice over, not Dr. Yang talking. There is a general description of the benefits of the exercises and generalities on them. There is a translation of the Chinese that goes along with these exercises and a general description of the purpose behind the exercises. As the voice over provides narration and explanation, Dr. Yang illustrates the movements. This chapter is 17 minutes and 30 seconds long.
The next chapter shows Dr. Yang demonstrating the entire set of sitting exercises of the eight pieces of brocade. There is no vocal instruction during this segment, just the soothing sounds of Chinese music to accompany the movements. You must have practiced and learned the movements to be able to follow along with Dr. Yang as he performs this 15 1/2 minute routine.
Next, the program repeats with the analysis and instruction on the more popular standing set. Again you have a voice over with Dr. Yang illustrating the movements in this nearly 24 minute section. Like the previous chapters, Dr. Yang then goes through the 18 minute routine so you can follow along with him. Once learned, this is the chapter you will follow along with daily, or however often you decide to incorporate this set into your daily routine. For the most benefit from qigong exercises, daily practice is recommended, and as Dr. Yang suggests, you will get to a point where you perform the exercises for more repetitions that he illustrates, making your routine longer.
I liked that this DVD program provides both a sitting and standing set of Qigong exercises. This not only give variety, but provides an easier way for some people to begin and benefit from such exercises. Dr. Yang explains that the sitting set is good for early morning when waking up, or for people that cannot stand and do the more popular standing set. If you are new to this kind of training, you may want to learn and practice the sitting form first, and then graduate to the standing form.
The next chapter I found very interesting. It is a 50 minute lecture by Dr. Yang on different aspects of the sitting set. This lecture provides much information regarding health and the ancient qigong exercises combined with modern medical science. Dr. Yang then provides additional information on the standing set with a 36 minute lecture expanding on principles and technique for health and longevity contained in this standing set of eight pieces of brocade. You need to watch these lectures more than once to ensure you get the maximum benefit from the two sets of exercises in this program. These additional explanations and purposes provided by Dr. Yang in these lectures make this DVD much more than just an illustration of movements that you find in some programs.
Additionally, besides the program and accompanying lectures, the DVD contains a glossary of Chinese terms and a bibliography relating to the Eight Pieces of Brocade. Also included on the DVD is a YMAA catalog and short video previews of around 40 YMAA videos. Obviously, learning in person from a qualified instructor is the best way to learn. An instructor can assist you with performing the movements correctly and provide more detailed instruction and explanation. However, if that is not practical for your situation, the DVDs and books by Dr. Yang do an excellent job of teaching, and I believe a person can learn from them and increase their health and vitality by practicing the qigong exercises Dr. Yang teaches. Even if a person regularly attends qigong classes with an instructor, I believe Dr. Yang's books and DVDs provide a wealth of information that would compliment any training. I recommend them highly to anyone who wants to further their knowledge of the Chinese internal arts, or the person who is looking for a qigong exercise program.
Reviewed by Alain Burrese, author of Hard-Won Wisdom From the School of Hard Knocks and the dvds: Hapkido Hoshinsul, Streetfighting Essentials, Hapkido Cane, the Lock On Joint Locking Essentials series and articles including a regular column on negotiation for The Montana Lawyer. Alain Also wrote a series of articles called Lessons From The Apprentice.
There are many different forms of qigong and quite a variety of different qigong exercises. Those provided in this program are different from those I learned while living and training in Korea, but there are similarities and they all have similar goals of improving a person's health through breathing, stretching, and strengthening movements that activate Qi energy and blood circulation in your body, helping to stimulate your immune system, strengthen your internal organs, and give you abundant energy.
The simple program taught on this DVD can easily be incorporated into a person's existing routine, or for a person unaccustomed to any form of exercise, it can be a simple program to start toward better health.
The first chapter is a short, 4 minute 30 second, history of the eight pieces of Brocade, or the Ba Duan Jin, presented by Dr. Yang. After this brief history, there is an analysis of the sitting eight pieces of brocade. This section starts with Dr. Yang doing the exercises from both front and side views, but with no instruction on what he is doing. The audio in this chapter is done by a voice over, not Dr. Yang talking. There is a general description of the benefits of the exercises and generalities on them. There is a translation of the Chinese that goes along with these exercises and a general description of the purpose behind the exercises. As the voice over provides narration and explanation, Dr. Yang illustrates the movements. This chapter is 17 minutes and 30 seconds long.
The next chapter shows Dr. Yang demonstrating the entire set of sitting exercises of the eight pieces of brocade. There is no vocal instruction during this segment, just the soothing sounds of Chinese music to accompany the movements. You must have practiced and learned the movements to be able to follow along with Dr. Yang as he performs this 15 1/2 minute routine.
Next, the program repeats with the analysis and instruction on the more popular standing set. Again you have a voice over with Dr. Yang illustrating the movements in this nearly 24 minute section. Like the previous chapters, Dr. Yang then goes through the 18 minute routine so you can follow along with him. Once learned, this is the chapter you will follow along with daily, or however often you decide to incorporate this set into your daily routine. For the most benefit from qigong exercises, daily practice is recommended, and as Dr. Yang suggests, you will get to a point where you perform the exercises for more repetitions that he illustrates, making your routine longer.
I liked that this DVD program provides both a sitting and standing set of Qigong exercises. This not only give variety, but provides an easier way for some people to begin and benefit from such exercises. Dr. Yang explains that the sitting set is good for early morning when waking up, or for people that cannot stand and do the more popular standing set. If you are new to this kind of training, you may want to learn and practice the sitting form first, and then graduate to the standing form.
The next chapter I found very interesting. It is a 50 minute lecture by Dr. Yang on different aspects of the sitting set. This lecture provides much information regarding health and the ancient qigong exercises combined with modern medical science. Dr. Yang then provides additional information on the standing set with a 36 minute lecture expanding on principles and technique for health and longevity contained in this standing set of eight pieces of brocade. You need to watch these lectures more than once to ensure you get the maximum benefit from the two sets of exercises in this program. These additional explanations and purposes provided by Dr. Yang in these lectures make this DVD much more than just an illustration of movements that you find in some programs.
Additionally, besides the program and accompanying lectures, the DVD contains a glossary of Chinese terms and a bibliography relating to the Eight Pieces of Brocade. Also included on the DVD is a YMAA catalog and short video previews of around 40 YMAA videos. Obviously, learning in person from a qualified instructor is the best way to learn. An instructor can assist you with performing the movements correctly and provide more detailed instruction and explanation. However, if that is not practical for your situation, the DVDs and books by Dr. Yang do an excellent job of teaching, and I believe a person can learn from them and increase their health and vitality by practicing the qigong exercises Dr. Yang teaches. Even if a person regularly attends qigong classes with an instructor, I believe Dr. Yang's books and DVDs provide a wealth of information that would compliment any training. I recommend them highly to anyone who wants to further their knowledge of the Chinese internal arts, or the person who is looking for a qigong exercise program.
Reviewed by Alain Burrese, author of Hard-Won Wisdom From the School of Hard Knocks and the dvds: Hapkido Hoshinsul, Streetfighting Essentials, Hapkido Cane, the Lock On Joint Locking Essentials series and articles including a regular column on negotiation for The Montana Lawyer. Alain Also wrote a series of articles called Lessons From The Apprentice.
