Escaping the High Mount Position

When you are being mounted and your opponent is sitting low on your hips, the elbow escape, trap and roll technique, and hip thrusts are very good options to escape. However, these techniques don't work well when the opponent is able to establish a high mount on you. Although it's possible for you to wiggle back down to try these same techniques, sometimes the opponent is effective at maintaining the high mount. In this situation, a good strategy is to place your hands in the opponent's armpits with stiff arms (assuming his hands are on the ground), bump your hips, and to place your feet quickly in the opponent's armpits to come out the back door to escape.

Timothy Brock Promoted to Junior Black Belt

A huge congratulations goes out to Timothy Brock who was promoted to Junior Black Belt in American Kenpo Karate on October 29, 2018. Timothy has been training at Seabrook Martial Arts Academy for over 7 years now, and is now on a path where he will start learning all of the self-defense techniques required for promotion to 1st Degree Black Belt. Congratulations Timothy!

Women's Assault Prevention Seminar

On October 19, 2018, Matt Trejo and I teamed up to teach a women's assault prevention seminar in London, Ontario. The class was packed! We taught how to strike effectively, how to establish a strong base, and how to defend against front chokes, wrist grabs, bear hugs, and to defend if you are on the ground and the opponent is on top of you. We also taught self-defense techniques against hair grabs and rear chokes. More seminars to come!

MGM Grand

One of my favorite places to be - the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada! This place has hosted such historic fights such as Mike Tyson vs. Evander Holyfield 1 & 2, Oscar De La Hoya vs. Floyd Mayweather, and Daniel Cormier vs. Jon Jones 1.

Maverick Helicopter Ride in Las Vegas

Last night Chantel and I had the opportunity to take a helicopter ride over the strip in Las Vegas for our wedding anniversary. We had such a great time and I highly recommend taking this ride if you are ever in Las Vegas.

Swinging Pendulum - Common Problem

I thought I would share a common problem I see in students when practicing Swinging Pendulum (although this could apply for any technique in Kenpo that starts in a neutral bow where we move up the circle to get out of the way of an attack). When the roundhouse kick comes at us, and we step back with our left foot and use a positional universal block to the opponent's kick, be sure that your feet are in a straight line and that they don't cross. In other words, stepping back too far with your left foot so that it is behind your right foot means that you are getting in your own way, thus limiting your ability to effectively use your back leg.

Blast from the Past Photo

This photo goes back almost 4 years (November 24, 2014) and was taken immediately after Brennan's promotion to 1st Degree Black Belt in American Kenpo at Seabrook Martial Arts Academy.