Welcome to Episode #31 of the Fight for a Happy Life podcast, “Staring Down Success.” Choosing a goal is one thing. Accomplishing a goal is another. Life is full of distractions, complications, and obstacles. Some of them are out there… and some are inside of you! How many times have you flinched in the face…
Author: Ando Mierzwa
Ando Mierzwa is a martial arts teacher living in Los Angeles, CA.
Tips for Shoulder Flexibility and Strength
Worried about shoulder flexibility and strength? If you’re a martial artist, you should be! In the course of training, you’re going to throw thousands of punches. If you’re doing thousands of push-ups, bench presses, and shoulder presses on top of that, you’re at risk of overtraining your shoulders. That’s what happened to me! In this…
#30: Ignorance and Arrogance [Podcast]
Welcome to Episode #30 of the Fight for a Happy Life podcast, “Ignorance and Arrogance.” Look, I’m not the world’s smartest guy. In fact, every day offers me reminders of how much I don’t know! But ignorance is something I can accept about myself. What I can’t accept, however, is arrogance. When I hear people…
How To Punch Harder Using a Wall
We all want to punch harder. But not so fast! When you focus on adding speed and power to your strikes, you may be neglecting something more important—proper alignment! FACT: If your arm and body aren’t lined up properly behind a punch, not only won’t you be delivering maximum power, you’ll be in danger of…
Karate Is Stupid and Other Ignorant Comments
Karate is stupid. Kung Fu is a waste of time. Tae Kwon Do is a joke. Insults like these are nothing new. Even before the rise of MMA, traditional martial arts were the punchlines to a thousand jokes. Karate is only good for kids. Kung Fu is just dancing. Tae Kwon Don’t. Shoto-can’t. And let’s…
How to Meditate Without Losing Your Mind
Learning how to meditate can be confusing. As a martial artist, I have been exposed to more styles of meditation than I can remember. Some I found to be helpful, some bordered on insane. My first meditation teacher, however, wasn’t a martial artist at all. He was a man by the name of René Descartes….
#29: Meditation Tips [Podcast]
Welcome to Episode #29 of the Fight for a Happy Life podcast, “Meditation Tips.” Meditation is a powerful way to change your life, but many people turn away from meditating because they think it’s too difficult, too complex, or just too weird. I understand completely! With so many different schools of thought about meditation out…