Welcome to Episode #97 of the Fight for a Happy Life podcast, “Little Pain, Big Trouble.” Pain is part of life… especially if you’re a martial artist! But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try to minimize injuries and avoid trouble. Those should be your first priorities in studying self-defense, in fact! Even though I KNOW…
Author: Ando Mierzwa
Ando Mierzwa is a martial arts teacher living in Los Angeles, CA.
#96: Decision and Action in Self-Defense [Video + Podcast]
Welcome to Episode #96 of the Fight for a Happy Life podcast, “Decision and Action.” It’s common in self-defense training to focus on the speed of your punches and kicks… but how fast can you make a decision and take action? Like it or not, no matter how good you are at performing your martial…
#95: Respect for McDojos [Video + Podcast]
Welcome to Episode #95 of the Fight for a Happy Life podcast, “Respect for McDojos.” Is your martial arts school a “McDojo”? Could that term of derision ever be a good thing? I say YES! If your school or teacher is helping you reach your goals and improve your life, then keep going! Only you…
#94: Don’t Be Water, My Friend [Video + Podcast]
Welcome to Episode #94 of the Fight for a Happy Life podcast, “Don’t Be Water, My Friend.” We’ve all heard Bruce Lee say, “Boards don’t hit back.” You probably also remember his admonishment, “Don’t think–feel.” No doubt about it… Bruce Lee was full of good advice. But that doesn’t mean I agree with everything he…
How to Beat Performance Anxiety for Belt Tests and Tournaments
Do you feel performance anxiety before belt tests and martial arts tournaments? You’re not the only one! Stress is completely natural, but that doesn’t mean you have to suffer from it. Here are three tips on how to manage stress so that you can ace your next test and shine at your next tournament. Video…
#93: Cross-Training Tips for Martial Arts [Video + Podcast]
Welcome to Episode #93 of the Fight for a Happy Life podcast, “Cross-training Tips for Martial Arts.” Actually, a better title for this episode would be, “My First Ballet Class!” That’s right! I started taking online ballet classes a few weeks ago. No, not to become a better dancer, to become a better fighter! That’s…
#92: Shouting at the Moon [Video + Podcast]
Welcome to Episode #92 of the Fight for a Happy Life podcast, “Shouting at the Moon.” Stress is a part of life… especially this year! The challenge—if we want to maximize our health and happiness—is to find effective ways to face and manage that stress. Is martial arts training one way to do that? Absolutely!…