This last weekend I got to team up with the American Jiu-Jitsu Karate Association International and the International Okinawan Budo Kai at Sierra Jujitsu in Carson City, Nevada. There were teachers from Washington D.C., Florida, Illinois, Pennsylvania, California and…

We started off with a successful blood drive and went directly to a

HEALING CLASS

Which included back and neck…

Drive By, NOT THRU

Each quarter at Family First Martial Arts, we implement a character development exercise along with their martial arts…

We were in the middle of a video shot in Atlanta, Georgia when I got word of the passing of the great martial artist, Prof Wally Jay. The few of us that had met or knew him were stunned and saddened. The others that had never met him realized the extent of the loss by our demeanor.

That was Prof. Jay; he effected people whether they knew him or not. He cast a very…

I have been telling my students for years that everything matters when it comes to performing a kata: the placement of the hips, the movement of the feet, the retreating hand, the angle of the foot, the depth and width of a stance, the tilt of the pelvis, the breath, the targeting - everything counts. And everything means something. I can't speak for katas that do not come…

The Friday night healing seminar was well attended and I'm pretty sure everyone learned some basic techniques that they will be able to use in their dojo.

The Saturday clinics were energetic to say the least. During the knife fighting drill the Loudest Award goes to Holli Mills (seated in white top) . The best Uke awards go to Michael Lee (to my immediate left) and…

MARTIAL ARTS SCHOOL OWNERS AND INSTRUCTORS: This is the kind of artful, dynamic video that will bring new students to you. This video sets the bar very high, but if you're not trying to reach that bar on your web sites or in your social media you're missing…

I'll be giving a seminar in Omaha on the 29th and 30th of April. Looking forward to seeing the people that were there last year, and meeting new attendees.

For sign ups and more information click HERE.

Tom TV is an experiment in how to use video, like you can see going to my page on this site, here ----as a tool for communicating whatever it is you want to communicate. 

The interesting thing about the technology, so far, is…

Grand Master Tu’umamao “Tino” Tuiolosega, the founder of Lima Lama, has passed away after struggling with the results of a stroke for some number of years.

I met the Grand Master through one of his top disciples, Master Ted Tabura, who I've known since the mid '70s.

Both of these gentle men exuded the…

In late 2009 I developed something I call The Bones. These simply constructed exercise devises, composed of galvanized pipe and lead shot, are a great way to develop strength of the chest, back, grip, arms and shoulders. As for the cardio, it will have you panting inside 30 seconds. Other martial arts schools are now using them and I figured my work was done.…

Recently I had an experience that made a profound impact on my martial arts journey, essentially because it made me want to continue my martial arts journey.

You see, in the past few years, I had contemplated retiring from martial arts. Not because of age. Not because I didn’t still love it with an almost unhealthy passion, but because I got too caught up in the politics of martial arts. I wasn’t seeing the reverence that a student was supposed to hold for their Sensei. I…

                                     THE GATHERING

This year, this Memorial Day weekend, we are coming together in ATLANTA, GEORGIA.…

Please give a thought for all the flood victims, five Australian States have now experienced mass flooding with an area larger than Germany andFrance combined under water in Queensland alone.  More than 1 million homes and businesses have been without power for more than 4 weeks, over 500,000 people are still unable to get to their homes and it may be for more than 6 months before all power is returned and residents can live in their…

The 365 PROJECT

The one thing about being in Nashville is that there is never a shortage of amazing talent and moving music that tugs on all the heartstrings. I’ve always marveled at those with the…

Aloha from the Big Island of Hawaii. 

Because of the tools this NING site provides its administrator, Master McNeill, I'm able to keep in reasonably close touch with what some of you are up to (or at least the messages sent from Master Dave).

In response to his post from this morning, I wanted to reach out to you and say, first, "Happy New…

My 1,000 challenge was taken up by people as far away as Australia. One group of 50 people in Florida, headed up by Master Turnbull, did 28,783 pushups, 39,884 crunches, 45,380 punches, 40,800 squats, 6,000 kicks, 2,200 step-ups, 300 jumping jacks and 400 weight lifts. That's a lot, no matter how you break it down.

But what is really impressive is the potential of…

1,000 Push Ups on January 1, 2011

1,000 Crunches on January 1, 2011

 …