Welcome to Episode #121 of the Fight for a Happy Life podcast, “Hero Worship in the Martial Arts.” We all need teachers and role models in the martial arts… but can following a leader become harmful at some point? Is it possible to show a teacher too much respect? YES! If we’re not careful, our…
Author: Ando Mierzwa
Ando Mierzwa is a martial arts teacher living in Los Angeles, CA.
#120: Use It or Lose It [Video + Podcast]
Welcome to Episode #120 of the Fight for a Happy Life podcast, “Use It or Lose It.” Some people say martial arts is like riding a bike… I don’t! I say use it or lose it! The fact is that no matter how hard you train, you can’t practice everything all the time, which means…
Will Your Self-Defense Techniques Work in a Real Fight?
You hear it all the time in the martial arts—“That move won’t work in a real fight!” But does anyone really know what they’re talking about? Here’s my judgment about all that judgment! You can watch the video below or scroll down for the transcript. Keep it real, my friend! That Won’t Work in a…
#119: Lighten Your Load – Tai Chi’s Double-Weighted Error [Video + Podcast]
Welcome to Episode #119 of the Fight for a Happy Life podcast, “Lighten Your Load – Tai Chi’s Double-Weighted Error.” The art of Tai Chi Chuan is often criticized (or even mocked) in modern martial arts circles. Of course, much of that criticism comes from people who have never researched or practiced the art whatsoever!…
#118: How to Get More from Your Martial Arts Practice [Video + Podcast]
Welcome to Episode #118 of the Fight for a Happy Life podcast, “How to Get More from Your Martial Arts Practice.” You train hard… but are you getting everything you can out of your martial arts practice? Probably not! Don’t worry—in this episode, I share three practice tips that will pay you back with BIG…
#117: Bad Advice in the Martial Arts [Podcast]
Welcome to Episode #117 of the Fight for a Happy Life podcast, “Bad Advice in the Martial Arts.” You get a lot of advice as a martial arts student… you probably give a lot of advice, too! But is it possible that all of that good advice is actually bad advice? In this episode, I’m…
#116: You Got This! Confidence in the Martial Arts [Video + Podcast]
Welcome to Episode #116 of the Fight for a Happy Life podcast, “You Got This.” Confidence is a tricky commodity. If you have too much—trouble. If you have too little—trouble! Especially in the martial arts, place too much faith in your skills, you might wind up dead. But place NO faith in your skills, you…