Author: Devon Boorman

There are many ways that you might look at sparring: As a simulation of life-and-death encounter, as an effort to kill or be killed, as…

When training, there are long periods where even well-disciplined chunks of movement are not organized into useful overall models. Much of your mind w…

Everything tends to be uncomfortable when you are learning something new. The challenges loom large. The postures are new, the terms are unfamiliar, and the…

To put one’s opponent into obedience is to force them into predictable action based on threat and cover (control of their attacking lines). You can…

Fighting for less two than minutes I was already gassed. The first minute of the finals match had been active but not enough to warrant…

When I set out to write this article I was reminded of this old Jim Carey sketch from In Living Color (be warned it involves some stab…

On our Friday night open sparring sessions I like to get in and do a few fencing passes like everyone else. It’s not uncommon for…

This is not an accounting of how you "are a failure." Quite the opposite: it is an accounting of how you "are someone who dares."

Every martial arts meetup, whether it’s a class, a study group, or a tournament, is a type of gathering. It is so easy to approach…

Whether you call it randori, kumite, sparring, or touching hands, many martial arts provide space and time for students to explore the art in a…