Kiado-Ryu Principle #12

From The Black Belt Book of Life: Secrets of a Martial Arts Master.

Reason’s whole pleasure, all the joys of sense,
Lie in three words—Health, Peace, and Competence.

Nothing creates confidence more than competence. Telling someone they’re good at something, giving them pats on the back, kisses on the cheek, big hugs and positive words of how great they are don’t, nor can’t, build true confidence. Only competence creates confidence.

From The Black Belt Book of Life, Secrets of a Martial Arts Master

Spiritual development requires great sacrifice.

Sacrifice, which is the passion of great souls, has never been the law of societies.

Great achievement is usually born of great sacrifice, and is never the result of selfishness.

Kiado-Ryu Principle #30

From The Black Belt Book of Life: Secrets of a Martial Arts Master.

The wise adapt themselves to circumstances, as water molds itself to the pitcher.

Fixed fortifications are monuments to man’s stupidity.

The nature of war is ceaseless change … It is one of the most important tasks of command to effect timely and proper change of tactics.

As a follow-up to the KIA article Kylee Perez — Warrior With Glove & Grace, the Pac-12 Network has created a terrific YouTube video recognizing the UCLA senior softball standout and her battle with Type 1 Diabetes. Kylee’s story is an inspiration for all people afflicted with T1D.

Thanks, Kylee! You’re a great inspiration and role model! And thank you Pac-12 Network for your wonderful video tribute.

When we think of self-defense, it is fair to say that the most common perception is of an assailant attacking us as we defend ourselves with our martial arts skills. Such a scenario comes within the milieu of external self-defense.

However, how often do we consider defending ourselves from ourselves? Answer: not often, if ever. Yet, defending ourselves from our own selves via bad judgement and foolish behaviors can, arguably, be the most critical application of self-defense. Learning to protect ourselves from ourselves fits into the category of internal self-defense or defending ourselves from the “inside out” rather than the “outside in.”

There are warriors, and then there are warriors with a glove. There are athletes, and then there are athletes with grace. Kylee Perez, star second baseman and undisputed Senior leader of the historically vaunted UCLA Bruins Women’s Softball team, is both a warrior with a glove and an athlete with grace. For Kylee Perez, glove and grace go hand in hand.

In unadulterated sports speak, Kylee Nicole Perez is an absolute stud. Her high school and collegiate careers are a cornucopia of leadership, championship success and achievement—scholastic and athletic. Not only did she earn Scholar Athlete awards all four years at Alhambra High School in Martinez, California, she lettered in both baseball and basketball, was Most Valuable Player for three straight seasons, helped her team to four Diablo Foothill Athletic League titles and ended her high school career with a gaudy .590 hitting percentage, 42 homers, 139 RBI and 71 steals. Pretty average, right? Wrong! Way wrong!