Fight For A Happy Life With Sensei Ando: Martial Arts For Everyday Life

Welcome to Episode #103 of the Fight for a Happy Life podcast, “Tools Not Rules.” Is there a difference between sticking to a routine and being stuck to one? YES, absolutely! If you’ve ever felt like a failure for skipping a workout or been stressed out for missing a class, this episode is for you…... The post #103: Tools Not Rules [Video + Podcast] appeared first on Sensei Ando.

Welcome to Episode #102 of the Fight for a Happy Life podcast, “3 Halloween Self-Defense Lessons.” When I was a kid, Halloween was a big deal. That’s because in our town, you were allowed to “trick or treat” for TWO nights instead of just one! Unfortunately, I learned the hard way that while life can... The post #102: 3 Halloween Self-Defense Lessons [Video + Podcast] appeared first on Sensei Ando.

Welcome to Episode #101 of the Fight for a Happy Life podcast, “You Are the Dojo.” A few years ago, I made a video called, The World Is Your Dojo. The message—that you can learn anywhere, from anyone, at any time—is still a good one. However… …it’s not the whole story! In fact, I’d say... The post #101: You Are the Dojo [Video + Podcast] appeared first on Sensei Ando.

Welcome to Episode #100 of the Fight for a Happy Life podcast, “Throw the First Punch.” That’s right! We made it to Episode 100. I say “we” because if you weren’t here, I wouldn’t be here either, so thank you for your support!

Welcome to Episode #99 of the Fight for a Happy Life podcast, “You Are a Master.” Do you ever feel like a martial arts “loser”? Ever feel like you’re so far away from achieving your goals that you might be better off just giving up? STOP! I bet you’re doing just fine. In fact, I... The post #99: You Are a Master [Video + Podcast] appeared first on Sensei Ando.

Welcome to Episode #98 of the Fight for a Happy Life podcast, “Tame Your Brain to Win the Game.” Are you too smart for your own good? Does overthinking get in the way of performing at your best? If you’re like me, the answer is YES! My mind is so busy judging, worrying, and arguing... The post #98: Tame Your Brain to Win the Game [Video + Podcast] appeared first on Sensei Ando.

Welcome to Episode #97 of the Fight for a Happy Life podcast, “Little Pain, Big Trouble.” Pain is part of life… especially if you’re a martial artist! But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try to minimize injuries and avoid trouble. Those should be your first priorities in studying self-defense, in fact! Even though I KNOW... The post #97: Little Pain, Big Trouble [Video + Podcast] appeared first on Sensei Ando.

Welcome to Episode #96 of the Fight for a Happy Life podcast, “Decision and Action.” It’s common in self-defense training to focus on the speed of your punches and kicks… but how fast can you make a decision and take action? Like it or not, no matter how good you are at performing your martial... The post #96: Decision and Action in Self-Defense [Video + Podcast] appeared first on Sensei Ando.

Welcome to Episode #95 of the Fight for a Happy Life podcast, “Respect for McDojos.” Is your martial arts school a “McDojo”? Could that term of derision ever be a good thing? I say YES! If your school or teacher is helping you reach your goals and improve your life, then keep going! Only you... The post #95: Respect for McDojos [Video + Podcast] appeared first on Sensei Ando.

Welcome to Episode #94 of the Fight for a Happy Life podcast, “Don’t Be Water, My Friend.” We’ve all heard Bruce Lee say, “Boards don’t hit back.” You probably also remember his admonishment, “Don’t think–feel.” No doubt about it… Bruce Lee was full of good advice. But that doesn’t mean I agree with everything he... The post #94: Don’t Be Water, My Friend [Video + Podcast] appeared first on Sensei Ando.

Welcome to Episode #93 of the Fight for a Happy Life podcast, “Cross-training Tips for Martial Arts.” Actually, a better title for this episode would be, “My First Ballet Class!” That’s right! I started taking online ballet classes a few weeks ago. No, not to become a better dancer, to become a better fighter! That’s... The post #93: Cross-Training Tips for Martial Arts [Video + Podcast] appeared first on Sensei Ando.

Welcome to Episode #92 of the Fight for a Happy Life podcast, “Shouting at the Moon.” Stress is a part of life… especially this year! The challenge—if we want to maximize our health and happiness—is to find effective ways to face and manage that stress. Is martial arts training one way to do that? Absolutely!... The post #92: Shouting at the Moon [Video + Podcast] appeared first on Sensei Ando.

Welcome to Episode #91 of the Fight for a Happy Life podcast, “The Dark Side of Self-Improvement.” We all want to make our lives better in some way, right? Unfortunately, it might sometimes seem that the harder we work, the more difficult and frustrating life gets! That’s because self-improvement has a bright side AND a... The post #91: The Dark Side of Self-Improvement [Video + Podcast] appeared first on Sensei Ando.

Welcome to Episode #90 of the Fight for a Happy Life podcast, “12 Tips for a Happy Life.” We all a love a list, don’t we? Well, here’s a new one for ya! To be honest, I actually compiled this list a few years ago thinking it would make a nice poster someday… and maybe... The post #90: 12 Tips for a Happy Life [Video + Podcast] appeared first on Sensei Ando.

Welcome to Episode #89 of the Fight for a Happy Life podcast, “Living in a Lockdown.” The Covid-19 lockdown has changed all of our lives… but is it possible that it might be for the better? My old routine and training habits have been shattered over the last 6 months, but I’ve been happily surprised... The post #89: Living in a Lockdown [Video + Podcast] appeared first on Sensei Ando.

Welcome to Episode #88 of the Fight for a Happy Life podcast with special guest, Sensei Andrea Harkins. Andrea Harkins is the powerful voice behind The Martial Arts Woman—a blog that offers a female perspective on the world of martial arts. She is also a life coach, the host of her own podcast, and the... The post #88: Andrea Harkins Interview [Video + Podcast] appeared first on Sensei Ando.

Welcome to Episode #87 of the Fight for a Happy Life podcast with special guest, Sensei Kris Wilder. Where do I begin…? First off, Sensei Kris is the owner and chief instructor of the West Seattle Karate Academy. He’s also the host of not one, but TWO podcasts— The Back Channel Martial Arts & Life... The post #87: Kris Wilder Interview [Video + Podcast] appeared first on Sensei Ando.

Welcome to Episode #86 of the Fight for a Happy Life podcast with special guest, Sensei Seth Adams. Sensei Seth is a lifelong martial artist-—his first Karate teachers were his own Mom and Dad! By the age of 14, he was responsible for teaching kids classes-—a calling he still enjoys to this day. Armed with... The post #86: Seth Adams Interview [Video + Podcast] appeared first on Sensei Ando.

Welcome to Episode #85 of the Fight for a Happy Life podcast with special guest, Ramsey Dewey. Fighters aren’t always the best teachers… or best communicators! So, it was a special pleasure to sit down with Ramsey Dewey, an MMA coach working in Shanghai, China. That’s right! Ramsey left the USA to open his own... The post #85: Ramsey Dewey Interview [Video + Podcast] appeared first on Sensei Ando.

Welcome to Episode #84 of the Fight for a Happy Life podcast with special guest, Sensei Jesse Enkamp, founder of KarateByJesse.com. You already know Jesse… and you probably LOVE him! Jesse Enkamp was born into Karate family and has devoted his entire life to developing and spreading that legacy far and wide. Student, teacher, blogging... The post #84: Jesse Enkamp Interview [Video + Podcast] appeared first on Sensei Ando.