Author: Devon Boorman

After their first night at sparring, a new student of mine engaged me in a conversation. She had enjoyed herself, but felt like she was flailing and a…

“Alright, the next drill is even more difficult,” I said to a chorus of groans. It’s worth setting a target that is well beyond your reach once …

You’ve just finished a sparring match. You were struck, but what happened? The ability to recall a fight in a useful manner is a different skill tha…

The trouble with an end-goal metaphor is it doesn’t account for the ephemeral nature of destinations in personal growth, skill development, and on a…

You’re injured, you’re sick, you’re exhausted, you're stuck on your own. Does this mean that practicing the art you are passionate about is out …

One of the main errors I see people making in solitary practice is over-practicing a single action. Generally this comes in the form of practicing a c…

Being able to mechanically conduct a technique is important for establishing a combative base. However to be successful with a given technique require…

Even brand new students who’ve never held a sword before share experiences of feeling like they look stupid at their first class. Many resist ever h…

Keeping a new skill in the active portion of the brain allows you to return to serious study of that skill (for example in a weekly class) more ready …

I’ve recently become more aware of a "helpful" person in my classes. This person is so helpful they want to make sure that their partner never fails…