In an Instant and a Survival Game Changer

(This article was originally written and published in a newsletter for Jiu-jitsu black belts) You punch and strike someone more than once in a fight and yet they keep coming. You and I have seen it in boxing bouts, MMA fights, street fights and perhaps it’s even happened to you. … Continue Reading Continue reading

Business, Self-Defense and My Goodness What a Big Family You’ve Got There

The music was loud as were the laughs and conversation while we celebrated a black belt test promotion at a neighborhood lounge. Unbeknownst to us, it was karaoke night at the spot we chose to celebrate 20 year-old Sarah’s black belt test. The test had just ended after two hours … Continue Reading Continue reading

How to Stay Safe in 2018

After a nice evening and a nice walk home from having dinner at a local restaurant the young married couple entered the front door to their home.  As they closed the door behind them they were  met by a masked man holding a gun who immediately said, “Don’t move or … Continue Reading Continue reading

There Ain’t Nothin There For Me Anymore—The Past And Today

Recently, I was asked to attend a high school class reunion. The head honcho of the reunion was a great person back in the day and I’m guessing, she still is. In all the decades since high school, I’ve never attended a reunion and debating whether or not to attend, … Continue Reading Continue reading

Getting Along and Excelling in America—Rich, Poor, Black and White—It’s Easy

I own a martial arts school that’s the oldest continuous martial arts academy in Ohio. At The Mayfield Academy of Self-Defense we specialize in just what the name says—self-defense. We teach children, men and women. We have quite a diverse group of students at The Academy but I never really … Continue Reading Continue reading

There’s More to Life than all Things Trump, Racism and Hate —The Other Side of America

It was a mini-blizzard in Lyndhurst, Ohio that December night as I pulled into Corpus Christi Academy. I was there for an elementary school musical concert—my first ever. Students from the 5th and 6th grade were getting ready to put on a musical concert featuring Christmas songs. I usually don’t … Continue Reading Continue reading

How to Survive Mass Shootings

At our self-defense school, the Mayfield Academy of Self-Defense, we not only train in hand to hand self-defense but quite often practice defenses against knives, guns and active shooting situations. Not cutesy unrealistic techniques that some schools have been known to teach but basic and realistic moves that are the … Continue Reading Continue reading

Black Lives Really Mattering and My Friend the Boxer

I taught college Criminal Justice, on a part-time basis for about a decade. Out of about 6 of those years, I taught in downtown Cleveland in an area where especially at night, wasn’t very safe. During that time, I became friends with a parking lot attendant and former professional boxer, … Continue Reading Continue reading

Meaning—Makes the Man and Woman–Makes the Difference

When I was a police supervisor in my 40’s, a young patrol officer who also happened to be my friend asked me what I thought about growing up in the 70’s. Jeff, had heard there was a lot of non-committal free love going on back in the day and also … Continue Reading Continue reading

Bars, Demonstrations, and Getting Thumped…

Many people believe that they’ll be safe going to bars into the wee hours of the morning. I’m having fun! After all, they’re not looking for trouble and things should be fine. Moreover, some people feel that they can go to demonstrations no matter what it’s about or who the … Continue Reading Continue reading

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