Episode 31 - Inside the Minds of Black Belts with Roy Dean

Today's special guest is my friend Roy Dean. You may know Roy from his Brazilian jiu-jitsu DVD's, online courses, YouTube videos, or books. Roy and I tried to connect for another ordinary martial arts podcast interview, but technology squashed our attempts and we ended up chatting for an hour anyway. This was serendipitous as we ended up on topics with the makings of a great podcast. Things often not talked about by black belt instructors in the martial arts. We linked up a week later and recorded this intriguing discussion for all of you. Join me today, as I welcome Roy Dean and we take you on a journey inside the minds of black belts.

If you haven’t already, I highly recommend following Roy here:

Website: https://www.roydean.tv/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/uchideshi

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/roydean_/

Books and Videos: https://roydeanacademy.selz.com/

Episode 30 - Mantis Boxer Meets A Karateka - A Chat with Iain Abernethy

I have a great first-time conversation for all of you today. I’m joined by Iain Abernethy, a karateka from the UK. Iain runs a popular YouTube channel known as PracticalKataBunkai, is the author of multiple books, and DVD’s, and travels the world teaching Karate.

Over the past year or two, many of you have reached out to me urging Iain and I to connect due to our similar approaches to the martial arts. Well it finally happened, and we have you to thank for this exceptional conversation. Thank you and enjoy.

If you haven't already - I highly recommend you follow Iain @ -

Website - https://iainabernethy.co.uk/

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/user/practicalkatabunkai

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/iainabernethy/

Episode 27 - Pandora's Box of Podcasts - Martial Arts Psychology with Sensei Ando

Today's podcast is with my good friend and martial arts aficionado, Sensei Ando of SenseiAndo.com, and Happy Life Martial Arts. We may very well have opened Pandora's Box here with this discussion. In his first appearance on my podcast, Sensei Ando and I discuss a variety of topics from fitness in martial arts, training failures, martial arts psychology, dissecting frogs, serial killers, bad teachers and whatever other manner of odd conversation that happened to introduce itself to this conversation. As always though, a rich and enjoyable conversation with Ando and something I'm sure all of you will enjoy.

If you liked this podcast, you might like a few more collaborations Ando and I have done:

#58: Randy Brown Interview [Podcast]

Tips to Manage Distance in a Fight with Randy Brown

#82: Are Forms and Kata a Waste of Time in Martial Arts? [Video + Podcast]

Clinch Escapes for Self-Defense

Coach Holly from Mantis Boxing working Scissor Clips with Ando

For more good stuff from Sensei Ando:

Find him on YouTube -

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCA-fjIPMlUThsqi4mX_tDNw

Find his website and podcast -

https://www.senseiando.com/fight-for-a-happy-life/--

Instagram -

Sensei Ando

Video Courses -

Ando’s Online Courses

Episode 26 - 5 Tips to Setup Your Home for Martial Arts Training

Here are 5 tips to help you with setting up, and training martial arts (boxing, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, wrestling, judo, etc.) at home. Today I'll go over good training practices to make sure you stay with your training, ideal locations and how to adapt to what type of space you live in, types of heavy bags and how to size them, throwing dummies, grappling dummies, and type of mats you want to look for if you do any ground work/takedowns/grappling or wrestling.

My favored training products:

►Mats -
Training Mat - (best mats hands down) - https://amzn.to/3eKfrqM
Crash Mat (I use this. Highly recommend) - https://amzn.to/2U5jk1J

►Gloves RevGear
Challenger MMA 4oz Gloves - https://amzn.to/2YN06Ri

►Heavy Bags/Hangers
Heavy Bag - 4' (for shorter spaces) - https://amzn.to/371uIRt
Heavy Bag - 6' (for longer spaces) - https://amzn.to/301Duxt

Heavy Bag Hanger 1 (wood beam - I use these) - https://amzn.to/2zVolTF
Heavy Bag Hanger 2 (wall mount) - https://amzn.to/2U1s1Kf

►Timer
Round Timer - https://amzn.to/3dt75n7

►Throwing/Grappling Dummies
Throwing Dummies - Cannot recommend. Mine are discontinued.
Grappling Dummies - See video for recommendations. I do not use these anymore so I cannot recommend a specific brand.

►Pads/Shields
Punching Pads (these are the best I've used) - https://amzn.to/2zNi4tn
Kick Shields (have not used this brand but fair price) - https://amzn.to/2MqJKqm

►Ropes
Jump Rope (the one I use) - https://amzn.to/2MmYGWq

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►Train with me online. Get access to 100+ private videos on mantis boxing, jiu-jitsu, and more. Plus training missions to help you reach your goals, and online coaching sessions held weekly. Contact me for details - https://randybrownmantisboxing.com/coming-soon

Episode 25 - What is Active Recovery? w/ Dr. Kate Kelly - Training Tips, Injuries, Training for Women, Aging/Adapting

Today I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Dr. Kate Kelly of Active Recovery Boston. Dr. Kelly has helped me work through a myriad of injuries over the past 10+ years. She is one of my first stops whenever I have something getting in the way of my training.

We had a great discussion on ‘What active recovery means', and how it can interplay with injury prevention and recovery; strategies to apply it, and why it is important to athletes and non-athletes alike. We also delve into the differences in training for women and men, and the affects of ageing on athletes and how we can keep training smart well into our twilight years. Join us for this excellent conversation.

Active recovery activities include - walking, swimming, tai chi, qi gong, yoga, stretching, and more.

Episode 18 - What Style of Mantis Do I Practice?

Forms are windows to the past. They can show not only a fighters techniques, system, and series of counters, and counters to an opponent's counter. They are a fascinating anomaly. Are they worth the mining for these techniques and sequences within? Today I'll discuss my thoughts on this, and hopefully shed some light on this facet of Chinese martial arts training.

What Can BJJ Teach Us About Qing Dynasty Martial Arts? - Randy Brown - MAS Conference 2019

This podcast is an ‘audio-only’ re-recording of a talk I gave at the 5th Annual Martial Arts Studies Conference held at Chapman University in Los Angeles, California in May 2019. I do recommend viewing the full video version so you can see the slides.

The event was hosted by Dr. Paul Bowman, and Dr. Andrea Molle. A two day extravaganza of martial arts history, politics, and culture. There is amazing research into the martial arts taking place around the globe today. It was an honor to be a part of this significant event, and contribute in some small way to the Martial Arts Research Network. Below is a copy of the abstract submission for my talk at the conference to help lay context before listening.

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Abstract

What Can Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Teach Us About Qīng Dynasty Martial Arts?

The continually evolving art of Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) and the journey of this style throughout the 20th century can provide insights into key elements of the Qīng dynasty Chinese martial arts, helping to demonstrate similar developments in the ‘Chinese Boxing’ systems of that era. Specifically, by following the modern evolution of BJJ, it is possible to gain insights into the sudden appearance of totem styles or subsets across China, how these anomalies become styles in their own right, and how they survived and thrived for over a century. A martial arts cross-cultural comparison of style subsets within BJJ, which have developed since the early 1990s, can be juxtaposed with the pre-modern development of comparable ‘subsets’ within Qīng dynasty ‘Chinese boxing’. On the other hand, the survival and globalization of this stylization in China differs with how developments within BJJ propagate, where instead changes become rolled into a pool of common knowledge and do not take hold as independent systems or alternative styles outside of the core art. A question needs to be asked, did ‘Chinese boxing’ of the era, have a similar common pool of knowledge? Qī Jì guāng’s manual would hint at such. Within ‘Chinese Boxing’, attributes, feats, or skills defining one fighter over another became definitive styles of their own right due to events of the time, compared to a failure in modern times for these subsets to survive independent of BJJ, even though properly vetted in the crucible of worldwide tournaments. In the Qīng dynasty a confluence of events which included rebellions, opium wars, global humiliation and the collapse of a dynasty, began to solidify these subsets as styles in China. Eventually, cultural industrialization of Chinese martial arts, notably through the Hong Kong movies, ingrained these styles into popular culture with the result being securing their legitimacy to the public eye without any evidence of martial prowess.

Keywords:

Chinese martial arts, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Qīng dynasty, animal styles, Chinese boxing

Episode 16 - Mining Junk - Are forms worth mining for techniques?

Forms are windows to the past. They can show not only a fighters techniques, system, and series of counters, and counters to an opponent's counter. They are a fascinating anomaly. Are they worth the mining for these techniques and sequences within? Today I'll discuss my thoughts on this, and hopefully shed some light on this facet of Chinese martial arts training.

Episode 15 - What is Xing Yi Quan?

Forrest Chang and I discussed at great length a style of Chinese boxing known as xingyiquan. I thought I would add a follow-up explaining what Xing Yi Quan is, and share with you some of the history I uncovered while researching another project. Listen and find out more...

Episode 14 - Are Chinese Martial Arts Still Relevant? A Conversation with Forrest Chang

Are CMA (Chinese martial arts) still relevant in modern times? Are they worth saving? Over the winter, I had a chance to sit down and have a conversation with Forrest Chang of the Chinese boxing style known as xingyiquan. Forrest and I discuss the issues plaguing Chinese martial arts styles often referred to incorrectly as Kung Fu. We tackle this topic, what produces better results, along with current CMA disruptor and MMA fighter Xu Xiaodong, the Shuai Jiao paradox and other changes happening in Chinese martial arts.

Episode 09 - “I’m thinking of choking you…” - Pontificating over a hot mocha.

A direct quote from one of my students as we were rolling during their private lesson today. Thinking out loud while enjoying a hot mocha. Join me for some fun and insight into this quote.

Episode 03 - Why Did You Stop Teaching Forms?

Forms were libraries of fighting techniques, a method of transmission for passing of knowledge, not the be all and end all of martial arts.

Join Max and I in this episode where we discuss forms (Kata, Tao Lu) training in the martial arts, and why I stopped teaching them in my classes.

Episode 02 - How to Start Martial Arts

How do you start martial arts training? How do you overcome fear, the intimidation, and avoid pitfalls of getting injured, ending up in the wrong school, or selecting the wrong teacher.

These are all extremely important factors that can make, or break our efforts to get trained and reap the benefits martial arts has to offer. One bad experience can cause some people to quit and never go back.

In this episode, I tackle these questions and offer tips to keep you safe, and help you start out on the right foot.

Episode 01 - Hitting Plateaus in Martial Arts

Hitting plateaus in our training comes with the territory. There is no avoiding them. The longer we train martial arts, or any sport/activity that requires long periods of intense practice, we are destined to hit these stale periods in our progression.

Over the years I have hit many of these, the longer I trained, the longer some of these lasted. Join me as Max catches up with me training behind the school to ask how I deal with these roadblocks.

I'll share with you my methods for dealing with these, shortening the time I’m stuck in them, and making the best of them as we go.