TCB Martial Arts - Sneads Ferry NC

From our Shihan James Hammock something we all need to be reminded of and implement in our training! Thank you Sensei James!

From Shihan James Hammock:

Something I wrote many years ago.

Hope this might be helpful, as sometimes we all get away from basics.

James E. Hammock, JR.
TCB Martial Arts
Branson, MO. USA

Breathe, the air is free.

Many people ask my opinion on training and health related issues. I'm very frequently asked for advise on inexpensive, easy and quick ways to improve one's overall health. A lot of folks don't realize that the one thing that affects everyone's health both physically and mentally is stress.

Stress keeps us from sleeping soundly, it effects our eating habits, and most importantly, it takes our mental energy that would normally be working with our bodies. Mental energy actually helps our bodies maintain our immune systems and our ability for our bodies to heal in every way. Stress also keeps us from being able to focus our minds and affects our capability to recall information from our memories.

I'd like to share with you a way to reduce and control our stress levels. There's no expense required. It's easy to learn and also easy to do. And, the time required to actually make a difference in our lives is minimal.

I'd like to share with you a way to breathe. You're telling yourself that you know how to breathe and possibly even questioning how can this actually make a difference. Well there is a special way to breathe and if done correctly, it does make a difference. I just ask that you try it. If it works, please share with those people in your life close to you. Especially those enduring health issues, both mental & physical, those that have particularly stressful jobs, or those going through stressful times in their lives. This is something that all should know.

I'd like to share with you a deep breathing exercise that only requires about 10 minutes of your time and can be done as often as you'd like. This is a basic entry into a physical and not spiritual form of meditation, although the same physical techniques are used for both.

When practiced correctly, it will clear your mind and allow you to put stress in another place or eliminate it completely, allowing your mind and body to relax. I'll usually utilize this technique 2-3 times daily. When mentally or physically tired, you will find it's the equal of a 2-3 hour nap. Try it when you are unable to focus, angry, depressed or upset or just before going to sleep. Spending 10 minutes before going to sleep doing this technique will allow you to go to sleep soundly with no tossing or turning because you mind is at ease.

This same technique is used by martial artists like myself to harness energy for use in amplifying power in our strikes. And by healers who will use this same energy to heal. I won't be dealing with these subjects, as they will be better understood when you're comfortable with the basic principals. I also use this same technique to amplify my senses. Open senses meditation is awe inspiring when done correctly. This also is an advanced subject to be followed up on.

This technique will require a mind that is open to understand something different. With patience and practice you'll have better results. And visualization. There is reason for visualization that will become clear as you practice this. Visualization serves to distract us from what's going on around us, and becomes your point of focus.

When breathing you should focus on your body's center. Your center resides 1" below your naval. In martial arts, all power begins from this point. Everything is connected to your center. Everything flows from your center. If your center is not strong, even large muscles are never able to meet their potential.

Find a comfortable place to sit, with as few distractions as possible. Turn off all radios, TVs, computers etc. When you are comfortable with this technique, which you can do practically anywhere, you'll be able to block most intrusions out. But for now, the fewer distractions the better.

Find a comfortable seated position; Indian-style is fine. Sit with your head and back straight. To do this, visualize a string attached to the top center of your head extending straight up to the sky and held taunt. Close your eyes. Breathe in through your nose and breathe out through your mouth. Breaths should be slow and steady; both going in and coming out. Most people when trying to catch their breath, breath in slowly then exhale quickly. Don't do this. Controlling your breathing is done on the exhale more so than the inhale. Visualize an accordion sitting within you resting in your gut on your center. Now as you breath, visualize the air coming in through your nose and flowing down all the way to your center. As this air hits your center, visualize the accordion expanding upward with your inhale until its full and at the top of your lungs. Then as you exhale, visualize the accordion compressing downward as the air flows out of your mouth. Think/visualize this accordion expanding and compressing with your slow steady breaths and nothing else. Over & over. Let you mind be clear of all things except this visualization.

Breath in for a steady 6 seconds as the accordion fills up. Hold for 2 seconds. Exhale for a steady 6 seconds as the accordion compresses. Hold for 2 seconds. Repeat this process over and over thinking of nothing but this accordion expanding and compressing. This is our only focus. Our steady breathing and this accordion inside of us. After a few minutes of this you will find that your mind is clear and at ease.

Now continue your breathing and visualizing and allow your body to start to relax. With every breath allow yourself to relax more and more. Start with allowing your neck to relax and then your shoulders. Let the stress that resides in this area to dissipate and flow down your body. Once your neck and shoulders are feeling relaxed, let this relaxation continue slowly down your arms all the way to your finger tips and drop away. Let each muscle group relax one at a time under your direction and control all along as we continue to steadily breath and visualize our internal accordion. Slowly allow this relaxation to progress all the way to your toes, one muscle group at a time, and under your direction. Never stop your slow steady breathing and your internal visualization. When you've gone down your body from head to toe and are completely relaxed, continue your breathing and allow your mind to just be blank. Continue breathing for several more moments in this blank-minded state. Then slowly, open your eyes and see how relaxed you are. Ready for bed or ready for anything.

This entire process, once you're comfortable with it, should only take about 10 minutes.

Truly hope this is helpful to all.

Sensei James E. Hammock, JR.

Martial Arts “What If?!”

If you could time travel, and choose one of these masters to train with for one year, who would you select and why?

Ready to train!
TCB Martial Arts TCB Krav Maga
White Tiger Self Defense Academy, Jacksonville NC

This was and still is HARDCORE!!!

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May 4th. Make sure you’re Taking Care of Business today!

🥋🔥 “First say to yourself what you would be; and then do what you have to do.” – Dolph Lundgren 🔥🥋
This quote cuts straight through the noise.
First—you decide who you are.
Not who people say you are.
Not who social media tells you to be.
You define it. 💭
A martial artist.
A disciplined man.
A fighter.
A leader.
Then comes the hard part…
👉 You do the work required to become that person.
No overthinking.
No endless planning.
No waiting for the “perfect moment.”
Too many people get stuck dreaming about success instead of training for it. They analyze, scroll, compare, hesitate… and never move. Meanwhile, the person who simply acts—even imperfectly—gets better every single day. 👊
In martial arts, you don’t become great by thinking about kicks.
You become great by throwing thousands of them. 🦵💥
💡 Overthinking kills momentum.
💡 Action builds confidence.
💡 Repetition creates mastery.
Your dreams don’t need more thought—they need more effort.
So decide who you are…
…and then get on the mat and prove it.
What are you going to do? 🔥
🥋💪🔥