Well it’s been another week with another brand new experience which – as you’ve probably guessed from the title of this blog – involved a bit of filming!

I mentioned the idea (of doing some sort of promo clip) on Twitter a few months back and was surprised again at all the support and interest it generated.  Although encouraged by this, I didn’t get that ‘gut’ feeling that I’ve learnt so well to trust, and didn’t act on all the names and advice that were given to me...

That all changed though, once I was told by a close friend of mine about Shaun Milburn at Headstock Films – ‘’He’s a bit like you Steve; loves what he does and gives 100% to getting results’’. I didn’t need to hear any more than that and I got straight on the phone.

After several conversations we found a date that suited us both and pencilled it in. We didn’t have a clue what we were going to do, or where we were going to do it but we agreed to just leave it to the gods and ‘’see what comes out’’.

The day came and - well - it absolutely pi**ed it down! It didn’t stop raining for a single minute all morning... and it kept getting heavier.

Regardless, we stuck to the plan.

Rain. Lunch. Rain. Messing about. Rain. Training. Rain... And then it happened... Blue skies came from nowhere and we were all set.

Grab the kit.

Take a 15 minute slog through the muddy fields to find a location.   

Found it!

Not quite... Find a place with less wind...

This has to be it!?!

Neither of us had an idea still about what we were going to do so - trusting Shaun’s expert advice and incredible talent - I just did my thing and let him do his.

Many more gifts were handed to us during the course of the afternoon, and we left with something that all of us will remember for a very long time.

The lesson in this is that when things are right you simply don’t have to worry. As long as there is purpose and intent, it will always turn out good.

We just have to make sure that our minds don’t get in the way ;-)

Steve

To be Continued... (in a few hours)

A few days ago I taught at a fantastic martial arts event in Solihull, alongside some of the country’s top instructors.  It was the first time that I’d ever taught outside of HCA and, as ever when facing the unknown, it brought me lots of discomfort and fear as to whether I could give the same amount of value that I give my own students to this newer, bigger audience. 

It’s the same feeling that I’ve had every single time that I’ve made this step of leaving the familiar and, believe me when I say that, it is getting easier each and every time I do it.  But it is still there and, actually, I am so grateful that it is because, without it, I would not be growing... And if I'm not growing then I'm not increasing my ability to serve and help improve the life experience of all my students and family. 

In case you are wondering; the seminar was a huge success and went far better than I could have ever wished for. I received some excellent feedback and comments from, not only the students that attended, but also the other instructors that were teaching before and after me.

The support from my Wife and from my students (Paul Donnelly, Anthony Haywood, Matt Hewitt, Jagdeep Johal, Karl Orchard and Andrew Walter) was fantastic and made the day so much more enjoyable. Also the support I had from a new friend of mine, Rakesh Patel (www.rakesh-patel.com), was both encouraging and a true display of the brotherhood that we really should seek within the world of martial arts. 

So a big thank you goes out to all of the above and to everyone else that was involved on the day. It’s a great reminder of why I love doing this stuff so much and why we should all be looking to step into the unknown.

Steve

Chasing our dreams and trying to create a life where we are healthy, happy and free, is always going to be difficult; but the things worth fighting for always are.  This series of blogs has been purely to provide food for thought about how all of us can use the martial arts as a vehicle to live our dreams.

Going back to the very first part of this series; I began by saying that people who can fight the real fight give me much more inspiration than the people that only excel in the physical fight. My reasoning for this is only because of a deep belief I have in making our daily practice benefit us in all areas of our lives – I have no interest in practicing simply to pump up my ego. This is just my opinion and I am certainly not suggesting that this is the only way – it just works for me.

I should offer a note of caution here though; especially for those just starting out on their martial path. Remember that the concepts I have described in this series are meant as food for thought and not as a sole method of practice!

If we keep the concept purely as an ‘understanding’, we are actually fooling ourselves as much as everyone else that is avoiding the honesty and awareness spoken of previously. To learn how to fight, we have to learn how to fight. We don’t just understand that doing 450 push-ups as a class warm up can help us in the real fight; we do 450 push ups! We don’t just understand how training full contact can help us in the real fight; we train full contact!

We can only use martial principles in everyday life if those principles have been tried and tested during the safety of your martial arts practice; in a systematic and progressive manner.

I guess the point I’m trying to make is... yes, please start the fight for your whole new reality... just don’t be fooled into thinking that the real fight is not a real fight!

Food for Thought,

Steve Hodgkinson

With honesty and awareness we find the hard truth in what is holding us back in our search for happiness.  As I mentioned in the previous blog, this truth can be hard to face and will always bring fear and discomfort.  The problem is when we see this as a reason to turn back and head for the comfort of what we have always known when, instead, we should be reminding that scared voice in our head that if the known was genuinely ‘comfortable’ then surely we would be happy there!!

Fear and discomfort are simply signs that we are doing something new and exciting; and let’s be honest here, who doesn’t want new and exciting?  We know that to reach a higher level in the martial arts we have to stretch ourselves and leave our comfort zones through pressure testing etc; so why is applying it to everyday life any different?

Recognise what needs to be done, and start making the steps towards doing it. Bite down on the ego, ignore what others might think and follow your own path; as long as you are doing it for the greater good then everything will adjust to suit. The world needs balance and it is not for us to try and upset that by clinging to things which do not serve us.

The best thing we can do is to stop thinking and start listening to our body. Your body will tell you when you are not living well by constantly making you feel ill.  It will tell you when you are doing the wrong things and living the wrong life by making you feel stressed; and it will tell you when you are about to change your life, by making you feel uncomfortable and scared.

Stop ignoring these feelings and act! Your body and everything that it attracts will thank you beyond belief and start creating a whole new reality for you. One that is new and exciting!

Food for Thought,

Steve Hodgkinson

To be continued...

The idea of principles over techniques, as with most things that bring change, is of course easier said than done.  We can all very easily list a ton of ‘principles’ that our practice has within it but, more often than not, these are not congruent with the principles of the real fight... in fact, more often than not, they aren’t even congruent with each other!

This is where honesty and awareness are clearly essential because, without these, we could quite easily be hiding behind our own bullshit and doing the single thing that this series of blogs is referring to i.e. avoiding the real fight!  In my system I stress so much importance on the need for honesty and awareness that I place it at the centre of the wheel on which all other principles revolve.

It is not my intention with this series to list and explain the principles of my system at HCA. My intention is simply to give you food for thought that you can take into your own practice and, with skilled guidance, go on and find your own truth and win in the fight against life.

I mentioned in Part One that, to me, it’s irrelevant how many fights you have ‘won’ inside a boxing ring or outside the nightclub if this is the only fight that you can win. The people that inspire me most are the ones that can take the fight into real life and beat the restrictions and tests that are given to them. The world is full of real fighters and these are all just ordinary people that want to be healthy, happy and free.

Start with honesty and awareness and move from there. Look at your martial arts practice, your relationships, your health, and be honest about what is needed. It will be difficult. It will be hard to face; but remember that this difficulty is actually great because it means that you are not letting the real fight beat you. All it takes is a single step.

Food for Thought,

Steve Hodgkinson

To be continued...

So how do we use the martial arts to aid us in the real fight?

Well the essential thing is that our practice is based on principles and concepts rather than techniques.

Techniques, in martial arts and life, lack heart. The depth of understanding and feel is severely lacking which usually results in a robotic / non-fluid application. Look at the absolute best in any chosen field and note how effortless their skill appears to be and note how it appears to be a part of them and not just something that they do. This deep understanding cannot come purely by technique.

Don’t get me wrong, technique does have its place – paint-by-numbers is what we give to a child learning how to paint; but they will unlikely become the next Da Vinci if they don’t move past this and understand the principles of painting – really, it’s just a starting point.

I’m sure this sounds like common sense to you and that’s fantastic if it does; but the truth is that many people (in all walks of life) are just adding technique after technique with no underlying principles and/or concepts.

This is something we see more often than not in martial arts practice and is often the thing which is holding people back in their growth.  A technique alone, without a thorough understanding of the principle behind it, will place you in a ‘searching’ state; always waiting for that magic moment in the chaos of the fight where it can be applied.

The practice of principles over techniques allows us to leave this ‘searching’ state and live in the present moment where we don’t need to look for an opportunity to apply a certain winning technique; instead, we can work the principles behind it in a fluid manner, adjusting our position to keep moving forwards towards our goal.

It's not technique that will get you off of the ground when illness / divorce / debt comes knocking on your door; it's the application of the honest, congruent principles gained by living life the martial way.

Food for Thought,

Steve Hodgkinson

To be continued...

Being a real fighter (someone who can fight the real fight of life), should surely be the main focus of our training... If it isn’t then why train in the martial arts?

I do it for self defence!

               Good reason... but you can be street safe without being a good fighter.

I do it for fitness!

               Another good reason...but you can get just as fit by joining a gym.

I do it for confidence!

               Yet another good reason... but confidence in what? The ability to hurt people?

I could go on, but I'm sure you already know, there would be no end to it. The truth is that, with good self protection training, a real life confrontation can and should be easily avoided or dealt with. The need to fight (using the word in its usual context) is actually quite rare and, when we do find ourselves fighting, at a deeper level this is often simply due to our own behaviour and/or lack of awareness.

The real fight, the one which we all have to fight, is the one with everyday life.

Like it or not – we are all going to get ill at some stage of our lives; we are all going to have relationship problems at some stage of our lives and we are all going to feel fear at some stage of our lives.

The great news is that all of these things (plus the thousand other things that could have been listed) can be tackled and beat using martial arts principles – and that, to me, is why we should practice martial arts.

There has to be a purpose – whether we are talking martial arts or something else – there has to be a purpose.

Let that purpose be survival in the fight for life.  The fight that leads us to our dreams.

Food for Thought,

Steve Hodgkinson

To be continued...

How would you define a real fighter?

Is it the world champion boxer that has gone through endless amounts of blood, sweat and tears to perfect his craft; making himself seemingly unbeatable in the ring?

Is it the people that work in our armed forces who volunteer their own lives; purely to protect others in the face of attack?

Well of course, both of these examples have my highest respect - and you can be pretty certain that the people in these positions have an enviable level of both physical and mental strength - but I feel that being a real fighter requires more than that. 

Can you really call yourself a fighter if you’re allowing your mortgage payments to bully you into doing a job that you can’t stand?

Can you really call yourself a fighter if you allow your addictions to bully you into submission?

Can you really call yourself a fighter if your whole life is being dictated by a bullying wife / husband?

The answer is a clear no.  It’s not about how many people you can ‘beat’ inside a boxing ring or outside the nightclub... If you’re facing any sort of restriction and pretending it isn’t happening or, worse still, pretending that you’re happy with it; you simply can’t class yourself as a real fighter.

I have been floored so many times in my life and I can promise you that the hardest ones to get up from, and continue moving forward from, have always been when it is life that has put me there.

So why do we avoid this truth?  Why do we pretend that things are working when they clearly aren’t?  Simply because it’s easier to cover something up than it is to face it - and that’s why it's the people that do face them that are the real fighters.

Food for Thought,

Steve Hodgkinson

To be continued...

Whatever your goals are and whatever you seek from life; the only thing that is stopping you, is you.  Anything else is just an excuse because, wherever you are, it is your choice. You don't have to be there!

‘’He who knows that enough is enough, will always have enough’’   Lao Tzu

Let’s be honest.  Most of us want more from life.  Whether it’s more money, more happiness, more love, more experiences or whatever... most of us want more.

The shame in this is that, if we are looking for more, it can only imply that we feel we don’t have enough already – and this definitely is not true!  What is true is that we all have it inside of us to be completely happy and live the life of our dreams.

We don’t need more.  All we need is to remove the restrictions so that we can get to the core of who we are; learn about our weaknesses, our fears etc; and then face them, without making excuses.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s quite a daunting task to undertake and it’s important for us to find good progressive instruction before doing so; but it is something we need to be doing if we genuinely want a happy life.  The good news is that we have many methods available to fast track this journey of self discovery and, using these methods, it really isn’t as hard as you might expect it to be.

Use your martial / healing arts to guide you.  The principles can and should be applied to your everyday life and all the answers to the above are in there.

So what are you waiting for?  Don’t wait around until your health / financial situation / job commitments (delete as applicable) allow because there has never been a better time than right NOW.

You don’t need more...  You just need to get on with it.

Food for Thought,

Steve Hodgkinson

I gave myself a rare treat of switching the TV on last night, to watch a new show by Derren Brown called ‘The Experiments’.  This particular episode was all about guilt and what it can do to your mental state.

To be honest I found it quite difficult to watch.  Over the course of a weekend, the ‘victim’ was gradually influenced and manipulated from being an extremely honest, caring person to eventually becoming an unconfident,  guilty mess of a person who ended up confessing to a murder that he (obviously) didn’t commit!

I’m a big fan of Derren Brown’s work and I respect his openness on displaying how easily our minds can be led astray.  It’s because of this that I focus 100% of my teaching and practice on ‘Living Life the Martial Way’ and on showing how martial arts concepts and principles can be used positively to enhance our lives.

Think about it for moment… if Derren Brown can make a decent, innocent person confess to a murder that he didn’t commit (during the course of just a single weekend!) then what effect can the negative influences in your life have on you?

If your friends, family or work colleagues are constantly feeding you negativity; what might this be doing to you?  They might not have the mastery of Derren Brown but, bit-by-bit over the course of many years, I can guarantee the effect is almost the same.

Take the lesson.  Cut off all the negativity from your life and surround yourself by positive influences and people that will help you be the best that you can be.  Your life will change beyond belief.

The realty check - You can be anything you want in life... because you already are.

Food for Thought,

Steve Hodgkinson

Following on from one of my previous blogs, where I described the importance of making your solo training drills progressive, I will now continue the theme and look at an example of how I apply this into partner drills. 

The first and most crucial part is to ensure that each person is fully aware of both the purpose of the drill, and the role that each of person plays within it.  To determine the purpose, we need to learn which attribute the drill is designed to enhance and then, knowing this, we can ensure that our partner is being given the correct energy and/or position to develop their skill.

Try starting the drill from a ‘fixed’ position (to ensure a strong foundation is gained) and then introduce a workable stepping pattern.

Once comfortable, begin to introduce variations to the drill.  It tends to be more productive if a single change is introduced first and then, later, moving on to having several randomised changes of shape and line of attack.

After a period of practicing the above stages, you should begin to see some big gains and also a higher degree of confidence and fluidity.  At this point, try making it completely free and random with increased pressure and resistance.  Be careful though to ensure that the purpose of the drill is kept in mind.  Using the progressive manner that I teach and practice you should naturally find that each ‘new’ stage learnt, contains all of the stages practiced previously.

Happy Training,

Steve Hodgkinson

I can remember the incident which made me decide that I wanted to become a ‘better’ person, quite clearly.  As to why I stuck with the process for the last 12years or so though…I’m not so sure.  I suppose it just became a part of who I am and, for that reason, will be something that I continue to do for the rest of my life.

I’ve not achieved anything to shout about – far from it – I have however transformed myself from a place where I always felt ‘’there must be more to life than this’’, to a place where I am now leaving conventional employment and starting a new chapter doing nothing but the things that I love, with the people I love.  To me; it really doesn’t get much better than that.

So what’s this blog about?  Well it’s certainly not about me (it never is).  It’s about you.  It’s about what you can do with your life.

It doesn’t matter what your goals are.  Nor does it matter what your interests are.  The only person that can stop you is you.  It is this realisation which makes all the difference and, because of this, it is also so very difficult to accept.  I repeat… the only person that can stop you is you.

Think of something you want; listen to the ‘reasons’ you have for not pursuing this thing and then tell yourself to shut up.  Whatever reasons you have just come up with are not reasons; they are just excuses.

Obviously getting what you want from life (which for everyone is to be healthy, happy and free) is going to be hard work – it’s the reason I teach and practice ‘living life the martial way’ – but you can do it and the only person that dictates whether you do; is you.

Everything is a choice.

Invest in yourself and keep walking the path towards it.  It will happen eventually and when it does; well you'll just have to trust me when I say it’s worth it!

Food for Thought,

Steve Hodgkinson

Next weekend I'll be giving a celebratory seminar on the day of what would been Grandmaster Ip Man's 118th Birthday. My goal for the seminar is to run through the whole of the open hand aspect of the system in the traditional manner in which it is meant to be taught and practiced.

Drilling all aspects of your art is essential in order for the movement to become natural and spontaneous.  The problem with drilling is when the practice never goes beyond being just a standard fixed drill.  If you want to continue reaping the benefits from practicing this way then you have to make the drill progressive. 

Drill each of the 6 stepping methods individually in a linear method.  Next, try drilling each of these steps,simultaneously with all 6 punching methods.

Once this becomes comfortable, try randomising each step with a specific punch and, afterwards, randomise each punch with a specific step.  For the next stage, try randomising all steps and punches in any direction; taking care to use the most suitable punch for the step being taken.  Once comfortable, try working the same drill in time with a beat to develop spontaneity and reduce thinking time.

The above has many variations and many partner related methods.  If you train in a different Wing Chun method or martial art then simply adapt the principle to suit.  Give it a go, experiment a little and just have some fun with it!

Happy Training,

Steve Hodgkinson

Whenever I begin to teach the Wing Chun forms to a new student, I will often begin with explaining how the practice of Siu Lim Tao (the first form) is essential and how, paradoxically, it is unlikely that they will realise just how important it is until many months down the line. 

At HCA, the lessons in Siu Lim Tao are many and include how to build correct body structure (along with rooting / issuing etc), how to relax the body into the centre, how to open up the joints and how to work them independently as well from the feet etc.  After learning the Siu Lim Tao, the student is taught the following forms which each build on the last one and (as a set) show the combative method in conjunction with the internal aspects (which can also be used for health maintenance).  In other words, the knowledge found within the forms is vast and, if they were simply looked at from a 'technique' point of view, then only a surface level of the art can ever be found.

So here comes the thinking part…

If a student is struggling with a technique, I will usually refer them to the form; as all combative application should be sourced directly from the form.  However, if a student is asking about the application of a certain movement found within the form; I will always answer that the form is not a fighting sequence, and that they should simply learn to move in accordance with the principles taught.

Food for Thought,

Steve Hodgkinson

Training in the back garden the other day, I felt the presence of my daughter standing in the doorway behind me.  As I was deep into the Qi Gong set that I was working through, I carried on my practice.  This turned out to be more difficult than I’d hoped though as she suddenly asked ‘’Daddy…… What are you doing?’’.

Now, this seems like a reasonable question.  After all, I don’t think most adults really understand the necessity of this sort of practice, so I can’t expect a pre-school child to know any better.

The problem is the way in which she asked me.  If it was just a straight ‘’what are you doing?’’ it would be easy; a direct answer with no explanation would probably end the questioning.  However; because she said it in a sarcastic tone (one that really is too advanced for her age) it got me thinking.  To me, it sounded as though she was actually asking why I am doing it…

This is something a very close friend and student of mine discussed in a blog of his recently (please give it a read if you get chance - www.the-urban-runner.blogspot.com); and it’s really something that we should all be asking ourselves.

To me, I see the training that I do as being necessary to create a better life for myself and all those around me.  I have no interest in purely learning to fight, because life has more depth and I should be able to dig deeper to a place where the ‘fights’ are few.  I have no interest in purely learning to heal, because life has more depth and I should be able to live in a way where ‘healing’ is rarely necessary.  I have no interest in purely learning techniques, because life has more depth and I should be able to live in a way where ‘techniques’ don’t exist.

So what’s the answer?

Well you tell me…… Why do you do ‘it’?

Food for Thought,

Steve Hodgkinson

OK I admit it (and if it hadn't have been for you pesky kids I'd have gotten away with it)!  I didn’t have a sudden flash of enlightenment and / or a magical epiphany.  There is no secret to success; just a simple formula:

If there’s something you want to achieve;

you need to invest in your ‘self’ to get it.

So here are my top 5 methods for doing this.  I’ll start with the most obvious (and the easiest to get peoples backs up!):

1. Money.  If you want to achieve something, you need to invest your money into getting the best training / experiences to aquire the necessary skillset.  If you don’t have enough money, then find ways to get it.
2. Time.  There is always more time!!  Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that you ‘’don’t have the time to do that’’.  There are 24hrs in a day.  Monitor your time usage for a single week and review it at the end.  There will be wasted time that could be used more effectively.
3. Energy.  It’s no good spending your time and money on extra skills / knowledge if you aren’t going to put your energy into practicing it.  The only way to get good at something is to do more of the thing you want to get good at!
4. Health.  Whether you seek a physical, academic or material goal; you need to be in the best possible shape to get there.  Eat the correct foods.  Calm your mind.  Maintain your physique.  Lose the addictions.  Don’t know how to do this?  See steps 1, 2 & 3.
5. Smile More.  Learn to smile, love and laugh.  Cut off the negativity in your life and surround yourself with positivity.  There may not be an afterlife, so we may as well enjoy the one we’re in.

And that's it (shhh... don't tell anyone)!

Happy Training

Steve Hodgkinson

I’ve just had an epiphany!  Can you believe it?

Seriously - I’m not going mad!  This is not just another of the usual ‘enlightened moments’ that we all get; where something becomes clear and then slowly slides away after about 24hrs.  This is an actual god given epiphany!

Are you ready to hear it?

Actually…... Before I tell you, I need you to give the above question some serious thought because, what I’m about to tell you, is the secret that we all want to know!!  It’s the actual secret to achieving massive success in absolutely anything you desire!!

So I ask you again – are you ready to hear it?

Do not read on if you have any doubts as to your readiness.  This information could hurt as much as it could help.  So here it is…

The secret…

My magical epiphany…

The answer we've all wanted to hear… 

Invest in yourself.

Wow!  I really can’t believe I’ve just shared that with you J To be continued.

Happy Training

Steve Hodgkinson

I wrote an article for a magazine recently about awareness.

Although awareness is not the first lesson I teach in how to live the martial way, it is certainly the most important.

With awareness we can learn the real (and usually hard to hear) reason why we aren’t achieving success in whatever we pursue.  It’s very easy to get so focussed on ourselves that we lose an awareness of where we are in relation to others and/or our goal.

With awareness we can understand the real reason that a relationship we have is struggling.  It’s very easy to get so focussed on the hurt being dished out (in whatever form that may be) that we lose an awareness of how the problem started and what should have been done differently in the first instance.

With awareness the riots that we've just seen would never have started…

Food for Thought

Steve Hodgkinson

I’ve been working a lot lately on refining the ‘kwa lik’ found in my Wing Chun body structure and testing it through various footwork transitions in my Silat Fitrah practice.  Kwa lik is a term used in HCA Wing Chun for the energy that travels along the inside of both legs, and links in to the other four important aspects of our frame.

I love the martial arts for everything that they offer, and I genuinely see them as a tool for a better life.  Very little else will offer the same level of self-mastery and, with correct guidance and instruction, they really can improve everything around us.

From this love of the martial arts it’s very easy to want to learn more and more, and to keep casting the net further.  We’re absolutely blessed in the UK to have such a large number of world class practitioners in each and every style; and usually all it takes is a decision to go and do it.  It can be very easy to feel like a kid in a sweet shop and want it all!! 

This of course is where balance plays a critical part.  With the exception of a few rare examples, we have to make a decision between breadth and depth - do we want a small taste of each art or do we want to get an unlimited supply of the gold that’s inside us?

That’s for you to decide but, as a footnote; if you’ve read the above as a ‘stop cross-training’ blog then it might be worthwhile reading it again.  I'm off to work on my kwa lik...

Food for Thought

Steve Hodgkinson

I was behind a car at the traffic lights earlier that had a rear window sticker saying ‘’back off – I stick to limits’’.  I realise that it was reffering to 'speeding' drivers but, away from that, what a sad thing to hear!   In my opinion, the idea of sticking to limits should never enter our head because they really don’t exist; we can always get more out of something no matter where we are at and no matter what restrictions are placed upon us; in fact… try this:

Choose a punch that you wish to develop.  Do 20 reps of it on a punch bag, in a relaxed but heavy manner.  Whilst doing this try to feel your whole body movement from the floor through to the impact area.  Take care not to ‘stylise’ the movement and instead just feel it (when done correctly you should be able to replicate the same internal feeling without having to move).

Using this same level of awareness, do 30 reps at full power.  Take each shot at a time and don’t dwell on the previous punches.

Next, try doing the punch whilst lay on your back and hitting up at the bag… 30 reps would be a good start.  During this stage, you will notice why I mentioned earlier about not stylising the movement and just going on feeling.  Often we will place limits on ourselves in order to stay true to our current beliefs; your body feel will allow you to find the most effective punch and this may be different to what you previously felt was the ‘correct’ way.  Truth is that someone watching you would likely not notice any real difference; you have simply delved deeper into your understanding of it!

From this, take the punch to a seated position, then a kneeling position and (finally) back to your original standing position doing 30 reps in each position.  In this final position, with the restriction removed, you should feel a much more relaxed and powerful punch.  Try 50 full power reps to finish off and make sure that you don’t sacrifice quality for quantity.

Happy Training,

Steve Hodgkinson

I had a message from Guru Tua Chris Parker last Friday saying that he would like me to meet him in Birmingham, 36hrs later, to be graded under him.  Knowing that I had plans with my wife and children for the day he asked ‘’why not bring them along?’’.  Luckily I have an amazing relationship with my wife and she excitedly agreed; as well as suggesting ways that would allow us to still have a great family day, in and around the grading.

So what's the problem? Well what this meant is that, not only did I have the worries of whether I can do what is asked of me in the grading (whatever that may be), but I also now had additional worries such as whether the kids will get upset watching and whether my wife be put off when she hears my teacher saying to my grading partner ‘’try and knock Steve out; if you hit him you’d better knock some teeth out or you will fail your grading’’.

How can I possibly perform well with all this worry going on?

Well the truth is that experience has taught me not to worry and just face it head on.  My wife and kids loved every minute of it and all the extra surprises which came as part of it just added to make it a perfect day.  The grading was a massive success in that, not only did I pass, but I actually ended up getting graded above the level that I was going for!

Chris told me once that the quality of our lives can be determined by our relationships and our associations with them; and I think that, knowing this, we can learn so much about where change is needed.

The question is – once you get the answer staring in your face; will you turn away, or towards it?

Steve

The Justice Secretary (Ken Clarke) gave some clarifications today regarding the existing laws surrounding the usage of ‘reasonable force’ when acting in self defence. The comments were made following an incident last week where a householder was arrested for stabbing a burglar at his home near Manchester.

Mr Clarke stated how "home owners and small shopkeepers who use reasonable force to defend themselves or their properties will not be prosecuted" and made reassuring comments such as "If an old lady finds she has got an 18 year-old burgling her house and she picks up a kitchen knife and sticks it in him, she has not committed a criminal offence and we will make that clear."

The above is old news to many but, never the less; as martial artists who hope to be able to protect ourselves and our families, it’s great to hear it said so plainly by someone of his position.

There are a couple of things that come from this though...

Firstly - once it’s commonly known by Mr Burglar that the resident(s) may soon wake up from their dream state and become his worst nightmare... will the burglar be more prepared and arrive with ‘back up’ options of his own?  Not a good situation for the ‘’old lady’’ mentioned by Ken Clarke.

Secondly – Knowing that you should have less legal worry about sticking a knife in Mr Burglar’s side (if necessary), could you really do that?  Sticking a knife in someone requires a very specific mental / emotional state which many really wouldn't have.

Food for thought.

Steve Hodgkinson

Welcome to the all new blog page!

My aim is to supplement the writing that I'm doing for Martial Arts Illustrated etc. with extra bits on here - the blogs will be either as a 'Thought of the Day' or as a 'Training Tip'; so keep checking for updates!

Don't forget that another way to get in touch and keep up to date is by joining the facebook group or by following me on twitter - Links to both are on the homepage :-)

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Thanks for visiting,

Steve Hodgkinson