Chapters: Ch 1 · Ch 2 · Ch 3 · Ch 4 · Ch 5 · Ch 6
Kobudo / Okinawa Martial Arts
World Kobudo Day Celebration (Mar 31, 2024) — 102 Kata Log Personal practice log from World Kobudo Day: 102 kata completed across multiple weapons in approximately 2.5 hours, burning ~1300 calories. The kata sequence practiced:
Shiromatsu no kon - 4
Shirotaro no kon - 4
Shirotaru no kon - 4
Kishaba No Sai - 5
Shushi no kon - 4
Choun no kon - 4
Sai ichi - 4, Sai ni - 4, Kyan no sai - 4
Nanchuku ichi - 4
Kishaba no Kama - 8
Tsuken Sunakake no kon Eku - 6
KNS - 3, Tonfa ichi - 8
Tsuken Sunakake no Kon (ryukyu-bugei.com) Reference to the Tsuken Sunakake no Kon kata from the Ryukyu Bugei resource — a traditional Okinawan kobudo bo staff form named after Tsuken Island. Ryukyu Bugei is a scholarly resource dedicated to the preservation of classical Ryukyuan martial arts texts and traditions. https://ryukyu-bugei.com/
Sushi (Shushi) no Kon Koryu — Hanshi Hiroshi Akamine (YouTube) Video of Hanshi Hiroshi Akamine performing Shushi no Kon Koryu — one of the foundational bo staff kata of Okinawan kobudo. Akamine is a senior master in the Okinawan kobudo tradition; his demonstrations serve as reference material for kata study. YouTube
Practice of Uēku-dī (ryukyu-bugei.com) Ryukyu Bugei resource on Uēku-dī — Okinawan eku (boat oar) martial arts. The eku is a unique Okinawan weapon derived from fishermen’s tools; its techniques are adapted to the specific weight distribution and balance of the long oar. https://ryukyu-bugei.com/
Snippet on Ti 手（ティー） (ryukyu-bugei.com) Reference to “Ti” — the indigenous Okinawan martial art predating and underlying all karate and kobudo — as discussed in Ryukyu Bugei’s research resources. Ti represents the oldest layer of Ryukyuan fighting arts before Chinese kung fu influence. https://ryukyu-bugei.com/
Tsuken Uēkata Seisoku Articles (ryukyu-bugei.com) Scholarly articles on Tsuken Uēkata Seisoku — a historical figure and tradition associated with Okinawan kobudo weapons development, particularly the eku. Ryukyu Bugei documents his lineage and the kata attributed to his tradition. ryukyu-bugei.com
Silat Suffian Bela Diri: Maul Mornie Video (YouTube) Demonstration by Maul Mornie of Silat Suffian Bela Diri — a Bruneian silat system emphasizing structural destruction, edge weapon defense, and close-range takedowns. One of the most practically oriented Southeast Asian martial arts systems receiving international attention. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EG2C5tXfhfs
This Silat Master Is Impossible to KILL (YouTube) YouTube video profile of a silat master demonstrating the evasion, structure-breaking, and counter-striking principles of Malay silat in a format accessible to martial arts enthusiasts. Highlights silat’s unique approach to close-range fighting compared to Japanese and Korean arts. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5whwOhpNjl4
Macebell / Ancient Indian Exercises
Pahlevani and Macebell: How to Swing a Gada (Foni Pehalwan, Varanasi, YouTube) Video demonstration of traditional Indian gada (macebell) swinging by a Pahlevani wrestler from Varanasi, the ancient Persian-Indian wrestling tradition. The gada is one of the oldest known strength training implements, used in Indian and Persian wrestling traditions for centuries. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8fll-qsXnM
Macebell Principle: Korean YouTube Korean-language video on macebell training principles, demonstrating how the offset weight distribution of a macebell creates rotational and anti-rotational demands distinct from conventional strength training. Macebell training has seen a global revival in functional fitness. YouTube
I Tried The World’s Oldest Workout (Mace/Gada, YouTube) Western content creator’s experience training with the gada macebell, contextualizing this ancient Indian implement within modern fitness culture. Covers the shoulder strength, grip endurance, and core rotational power developed through gada training. YouTube
Ancient Indian Exercise UNCOVERED (YouTube Short) Short-form video exposing traditional Indian physical culture exercises — including gada, mudgar (juggling clubs), and mallakhamb — to modern fitness audiences unfamiliar with India’s indigenous strength training traditions. YouTube Short
INDIAN CLUBS All For GADA (YouTube) Overview of the Indian club and gada family of training implements: their history in South Asian and Pahlevani wrestling, their biomechanical benefits, and how they are being rediscovered in functional fitness and physical therapy contexts. YouTube
Unicycle
The Effect of Unicycle Riding on Trunk Strength (JSCR) Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research paper measuring the trunk strength and balance improvements attributable to unicycle riding, finding significant gains in core stability and proprioception compared to control groups. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research
Hip Arthroscopic Surgery in Unicyclists (NCBI) Case series or study examining the hip injuries specific to unicyclists — particularly femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) — that result from the extreme hip flexion and rotation demands of unicycle riding, and the outcomes of arthroscopic correction. NCBI
Health Benefits of Unicycling (unicyclist.com) Community discussion thread on the cardiovascular, balance, and proprioceptive benefits of regular unicycle riding, with anecdotal and research-supported evidence. Unicycling demands continuous micro-adjustments that activate deep stabilizing muscles not engaged by cycling. unicyclist.com
Is Best eVTOL Aircraft? Opener’s BlackFly / Pivotal Helix (YouTube) Video review of the Opener BlackFly / Pivotal Helix electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) personal aircraft — a single-seat, fixed-wing electric aircraft approved for ultralight flight. Tangentially related to human-powered and alternative personal mobility interests. https://youtu.be/FQVAOHxFY0M
Halfbike Detailed Review Review of the Halfbike — a compact, stand-up three-wheeled human-powered vehicle designed to engage core and leg muscles differently from a conventional bicycle. The Halfbike’s upright stance and smaller wheel size create a distinct exercise stimulus.
Barefoot Shoes
The Best Barefoot Shoes in 2024 (CNN Underscored) CNN Underscored’s curated review of the top barefoot shoes across categories — running, casual, trail, and gym — with assessment of toe box width, stack height, and ground feel. Barefoot shoes aim to restore natural foot mechanics compromised by conventional footwear. https://www.cnn.com/cnn-underscored/reviews/best-barefoot-shoes
Miscellaneous Fitness
“Everybody Walks Wrong” — Walking Expert’s Four Tips (techradar.com) Walking specialist’s framework for correcting common gait faults — forward head posture, arm swing, stride length, and foot strike — that accelerate joint wear over decades of walking. Simple postural cues that can meaningfully improve walking biomechanics. https://www.techradar.com/health-fitness/everybody-walks-wrong-this-walking-expert-gives-four-tips-to-help-improve-your-posture-and-age-proof-your-body
Staying Fit for Climbing When You Can’t Climb (jessbfit.com) Training guide for maintaining climbing-relevant fitness during periods when climbing is impossible: antagonist strength, flexibility, footwork visualization, and complementary sports that preserve climbing capacity through injury or travel breaks. jessbfit.com
A Dying Judo Master’s Lesson on Extreme Competency (Yahoo Lifestyle) Essay drawing on the philosophy of a Judo master who, near death, distilled his teaching to the single most important principle of mastery in any discipline. Relevant to the martial arts philosophy of long-term development versus short-term performance metrics. https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/story/a-dying-judo-masters-lesson-to-develop-extreme-competency-203519380.html