Today, January 23, 2025, marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter in my martial arts journey. I’ve just recorded a video demonstrating my current ground defense technique from the top mount position. This video serves as a baseline—a snapshot of where I am today before I officially embark on a 90-day Living Strong journey to elevate my skills, strength, and resilience on the mats.
Sharing this video isn’t about showcasing perfection; it’s about leading by example and demonstrating how documenting progress can be a powerful tool for growth. My goal is to inspire my students and community to embrace their own journeys and to show how recording and analyzing your baseline can fuel continuous improvement.
Setting the Stage: As you watch the video, you’ll see my partner in the top mount position—a challenging spot for any martial artist. My objective today isn’t to perform flawlessly but to set a foundation for measurable progress. By identifying areas for improvement, I’m taking the first step toward creating a roadmap for growth.
In the video narration, I focus on the concept of base, which is the foundation of all movement and stability in martial arts. My ability to maintain and recover my base is crucial not only for defense but also for building confidence in challenging positions. Over the next 90 days, I will dedicate myself to improving my base—developing stronger posture, better balance, and a deeper understanding of how to use my base effectively in both offense and defense.
Expanding the Journey: This ground defense video is just the beginning. Over the next 90 days, I will also be sharing videos of my stand-up martial arts training, including kick/punch combinations, forms, and katas. Additionally, I’ll document my strength training workouts—everything that I am doing to empower my evolution and growth.
This journey will carry me through to my 64th birthday in May, making it a truly transformative period in my life. By documenting and sharing each step, I hope to inspire others to set goals, work diligently, and embrace the process of self-improvement.
Why This Matters: This journey is about more than just improving my technique—it’s about showing my students and community the value of reflection, documentation, and accountability. By openly sharing my baseline and narrating my path to improvement, I hope to inspire others to embrace their own starting points and commit to progress. Growth begins with honest self-assessment and the courage to put your journey out there for others to see.
Looking Ahead: Over the next 90 days, I’ll dedicate time each week to refining my understanding and application of base, guided by my instructors and informed by thoughtful analysis of today’s video. At the end of this journey, I’ll record another video to compare and reflect on the progress made.
This isn’t just about improving my martial arts and strength training; it’s about living strong—challenging myself to grow, to persevere, and to honor the principles of martial arts that have shaped me over the years.
Join the Journey: I invite you to watch the video, follow my journey, and share your own reflections or experiences in the comments. Together, let’s celebrate the power of progress and the resilience it takes to pursue our goals. Remember: You’re never too old, broken, bruised, or beat, AND it’s never too late to pursue a dream.
Stay tuned for updates and insights as I continue my Living Strong journey—one drill, one class, one step, and one day at a time.
