Warrior Wisdom

  Peak Performance Aging: Training Smart in Your 30s, 40s, 50s and Beyond I'll never forget the conversation. A parent—let's call him Mike—approached me after class one evening. His daughter had just earned her green belt, and she was beaming. But Mike looked... wistful. "I used to do martial arts," he said. "Back in college. I loved it. But I'm 42 now. I've got a bad knee, my back gets stiff if I sit too long, and honestly... I think I'm just too old to start again." I looked at him and smiled. "Mike," I said, "I have students in their 50s and 60s who are training harder and smarter than they did in their 20s. The difference isn't age. It's approach. " He looked skeptical. But six months later, Mike was back on the mat—training alongside his daughter, moving better than he had in years, and rediscovering a part of himself he thought was gone forever. This part of Movement Medicine is for you —the parent. Maybe you...

Recovery Rituals: Why the Gains Happen While Your Warrior Sleeps We’ve all seen it. Your child comes home from a high-energy martial arts class. They’re sweaty, their face is flushed, and they’re buzzing with that post-training "high." They might even want to show you the new form they learned right there in the kitchen while you’re trying to get dinner on the table. In that moment, it feels like the "work" is done. They trained hard, they pushed their limits, and now they’re stronger, right? Well, not exactly. Here is the most important secret of athletic development—one that many adults don’t even fully realize: Your child does not get stronger, faster, or smarter during class. During class, they are actually breaking themselves down. They are creating tiny micro-tears in their muscles, depleting their energy stores, and stressing their nervous system. The actual growth—the part where the muscles repair, the brain hard-wires the new techniques, and the body becom...

Breathwork for Warriors: From Gasping to Calm Power Picture this: Your child is halfway through class. They've been working hard—kicks, forms, drills. You can see the effort on their face. Then the instructor calls for one more round of sparring, or one more set of jumping kicks, and you notice: Your child is bent over, hands on knees, mouth wide open, gasping for air. They know the technique. Their body is strong enough. But their breath has betrayed them. Or maybe you've seen this: It's belt test day. Your child has practiced for months. They know their form perfectly. But when they step onto the mat in front of the testing panel, their breath becomes shallow and quick. Their movements, usually smooth and confident, become rushed and tight. Anxiety has hijacked their breathing—and with it, their performance. Or perhaps this: After a frustrating day at school, your child comes home wound up—angry, anxious, or on the edge of tears. Their chest is tight, their fists are clen...