Colorado TSD – Community Workshop

  On Saturday, April 25th, Colorado TSD – SE Aurora provided their first Community Focused – Project Based Leadership workshop at the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Colorado Inc. office in Denver, Co.   Leading the workshop was Mr. Jesse Bernal with the assistance of his students, Connor and Ella Bernal, Amanda and Ashton Smith and from […]

Review of Whistlekick foot gear

Anyone who has used foot gear knows it’s not exactly comfortable.  The straps on the bottom interfere with grip on the floor, they bunch and pinch, not to mention (eventually) rip.  In my search for better fitting, more comfortable foot gear, I ran across Whistlekick.  Jeremy Lesniak was kind enough to supply me with a […]

12 fortune cookie tips to being a Pro

  What’s the difference between a “Pro” and an “Amateur”?  In one word: Dedication In more words – dedication to something bigger than themselves and to the virtues that make their pursuits inspire others to greater heights of success and happiness. The second you think about the money, you stop being a pro. – James […]

Student Profile – David Kiester (in his own words)

  In my opinion, Colorado Tang Soo Do’s most enthusiastic student is its oldest, Me, age 63. I started martial arts with my son and long after he dropped out I stayed with it. My experience at Colorado Tang Soo Do is the best, a great workout, a well stretched body, tangible skills improvement as […]

Resolutions are for chumps!!

Every year, approximately 45% of adults in America make New Years Resolutions*.  Of that group, 8% are successful.  The odds are stacked in favor of the house (the “house” being your old habits or lack thereof). There’s still hope!  Goals and Habits are the key.  People who make explicit resolutions are 10x more likely to […]

Rites of passage and Martial Responsibility

     I answered a post on G+ (here from April 6, 2014) which asked how a hobby like Martial Arts – where a person trains to defeat their opponents, can also result in promoting personal character, mental and spiritual discipline and good morals.      As I see it, our lives are a series of […]

Learning on the “S” curve – applicable to everything we do

Besides being an excellent clip from a workshop, this video is extraordinary in another way. It is a perfect example of learning on the “S” curve. I read an article recently at HBR.org on “S” curve market penetration and learning. Here’s an excerpt from the article: As we look to develop competence within a new domain of […]

Mok Gum: Wooden Sword One Steps

A few years ago one of my instructors, Master Marc Sattler, was looking to teach some basic sword one step techniques at an upcoming Black Belt Camp. In preparation for this, he pulled me aside one day during class and asked me to work as his attacker so he could work on his technique (I […]