Blog

The Muay Thai Kick is an arcing movement that initiates in the hip. Unlike snapping kicks from other arts which rely on the strength of the quadriceps to power the strike, the Muay Thai kick incorporates the whole body. The Muay Thai kick derives it’s massive potential power from the core of the body and… Read more »

By Jeff Patterson 6/18/09 In the early 1900’s Esai maeda, a jiu jitsu instructor from Japan, went to Brazil. After arriving in Brazil Esai met Gastao Gracie who was a very well known prominent business man.  Gastao helped the Japanese immigrate to Brazil and helped them find work and residence. Esai was very grateful and… Read more »

Bruce Lee was a renowned icon of martial arts and originator of the theory of Jeet Kune Do. He was a dynamic figure, catalyzing the field of martial arts and leaving a pronounced legacy that still reverberates throughout the world. Sifu Bruce Lee’s was first introduced to the marital arts by his father from whom… Read more »

October 14th, 2011 Professor Jeff asked if I would be up for contributing to a blog for Portland boxing at NWFA. What a great idea: to share tips and insights on training- but from a student’s perspective- so that other students and prospective students can benefit. I will be doing this a couple times a… Read more »

By Jeff Patterson 8/12/09 The guard position in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is defined by having your back on the ground and your legs between you and your opponent. There are many variations of the guard; two of the most common are the closed guard and the open guard. Having your opponent in your closed guard… Read more »

The Six Healing Sounds is a Taoist qigong and sitting meditation. The Six Healing Sounds set falls on the health and spiritual/psychological end of the qigong spectrum.  This set is a very calming routine and is an excellent qigong form to work in the evening. It helps shed the tensions of the day, calming your… Read more »

There are thousands of people teaching tai chi and tai chi push hands around the world. Personally, I have trained with many teachers here in the states as well as teachers in China. I have found that even with the “Masters” there are few who really have a good understanding of how to apply the… Read more »

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Seminar with Rigan Machado Saturday November 12th Rigan Machado is an 8th degree black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu under Carlos Gracie Jr. An outstanding fighter, Machado was world champion in BJJ for seven years running and amassed a record of over 360 documented wins. Equal to his ability as a competitor are… Read more »