So I was feeling pretty good after teaching submission and sparring techniques in class, followed by a couple of cold drinks and pizza with the students.  Driving back along Darling St I could see that there were families out and people were enjoying the last of the warm weather. I was relaxed and attentive, slowly making my way home when I stopped at a zebra crossing behind another car.  The car in front moved and I followed it across the crossing.

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SURVIVING A KNIFE ATTACK

I had been studying martial arts for 10 years or more was a 2^nd Dan Black Belt in Taekwondo, ample experience in Ju Jitsu, competing regularly and working security on night club doors. All in all in pretty good shape. It was about 7pm and a friend and I had just finished training at the gym and were heading back to the car that was parked on a main road which was well lit. It was a normal day, nothing out of the ordinary, and this had been a regular routine for many months. My friend was getting into the passenger side of the car as I was getting into the drivers side. Out of the shadow a figure went straight up to my friend and demanded money. I could not really see what was going on as I was half into the car, next thing you know there is another man walking around the car towards me. It was dark already so it was hard to see what he was like. I knew that something was wrong as I could see the intention in his eyes.

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Our lives are really full. There is a powerful pre occupation with “doing” that keeps us really busy. We step out into this world from the cocoon of our parents and launch ourselves onto the treadmill of life. As life gains momentum we zing past events and quickly move onto something new and what was recently experienced becomes a memory, stacked onto other memories that fade into the backdrop of our thinking.

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Train the Bujutsu way and live the Budo way. Now that i understand a little more i am inspired very much by this quote.  This quote inspires me to continue to endeavour to ‘live’ a powerful life.

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It is up to you! There is a quantum leap in your awareness when you realise with certainty that YOU are responsible for your own life. Once this awareness sits in your soul, you can shape a life by design and not by default. Designing the way that you want to live means you take personal ownership of how you want to look, feel and act.

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There are no techniques that will satisfy every situation, no one magic technique is guaranteed to work. That is why the foundation and fundamentals of the system  have to be well thought out so that regardless of any situation that presents it self, you can apply the basics effectively. Learn them well and you will enhance the quality of your martial arts and life.

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This video is was a heap of fun. It was filmed for season 2 of the “Fat Pizza” series on SBS.

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On biggest loser you see the end product of years of habitual conditioning which generally revolves around a deep seated dislike of who they are. Eating and a lazy lifestyle have thrust them into a deep hole of dispair. Luckily they have realised it and have taken massive action. With the help of a boot camp like existence and excellent trainers and support crew who are constantly attacking the negativity and forcing the contestants to confront their deepest feers and insecurities. Martial Arts for them was another skill to help them reach their ultimate goal. Read how Andy’s “3 Secrets” changed their lives..

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Through out my 30 years of martial arts training I have seen many, many fads and trends come and go. Kickboxing was huge in the late 80’s followed by Taebo in the early 90’s and now we have MMA. All hybrid versions of martial arts and all great methods of exercise. They have great appeal for a while, and then the popularity drops off as people begin to get bored. Read more…

The individual desire to study martial arts is diverse and interesting at the same time. For many the intention is to learn a way of fighting so that if the unfortunate situation arises and you have to defend yourself then you can do so.  The trick in martial arts is to teach the student to remain open and honest in their quest for martial arts skills. There is a real risk that as you get stronger, fitter and in control the new found power that you develop will blind you to rise of the ego’s never ending insatiable desire for more and to be more.  This will only inhibit what needs to be an open and honest approach to training.

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 I have 9 Black Belts and have won several championships around the world.  The preparation for each test has been the same. This is the method that I use  to prepare for any challenge and it works :

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Yesterday as I was walking out of the post office at Balmain a man walking past me caught my attention. Just for an instant I looked at him and him at me….I thought, “wow what an interesting hair cut and hey, tattoos…he is covered in them, he is not the usual person you would see walking the street in Balmain.”

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What if?

 What if?  The possiblities are endless? You have a choice in each action, to open and embrace uncertainty or to be a prisoner to your own limitations.

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50 possible ways of cutting 100 calories a day
Reaching our weight loss goal needn’t be as difficult as it may seem. The secret to losing weight successfully is making small and progressive lifestyle changes until we develop completely new lifestyle habits and achieve our ideal weight.

Here are 50 painless ways to cut 100 or more calories a day:

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Cynthia Parr

Cynthia stars in a documentary about her life called “By your side” due to be screened soon.

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A couple of quick questions for you….

Would you like your child to be getting great results at school?

Would you like your child to get into OC or selective high school?

Do you want a private school education for your child, fully paid for?

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Little is known about Daito Ryu Aiki Ju jutsu in the West. Even in Japan, it has long been considered a relic of a pre war era, at best the poor cousin of its modern day cognate Aikido, but nothing could be further from the truth.Daito Ryu has always been a conservative and some what secretive martial art. Its most famous exponent Takeda Sokaku only ever taught people of high social standing such as politicians, teachers, police or military people.

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The first night I worked as a bouncer was at a popular night club in Sydney city in the early 80′s  . At that time this particular nightclub was probably THE place to be seen when discos were at their peak of popularity. I did not need the money as I was working full time, I was just really keen to put myself under pressure to see how I would react. I was 22 years old, a black belt, and could handle myself pretty well…or so I thought.

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When I was 24 I left the shores of Sydney and did not land again until I was 40 years old. I spent 16 years travelling, training and learning. By the time I was 24 I was already a Black Belt with many years experience and had competed many times. In a way I had out grown the local martial arts scene and was yearning for new challenges. So the best way for me to train, travel and earn a living was to become a flight attendant for Qantas.

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Did you think that it was going to be easy? Did you think that Martial Arts was going to be like any other sport, pastime or hobby? I keep saying time and time again that martial arts is more than just a physical movement. Martial arts is marketed as a body , mind, spirit, way to health but most if not all martial arts teachers fall short of the mark and have no idea what the mind/ spirit part entails.

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