Eye Square Martial Arts

Cultural Preservation… with Bruises.

Category: Beginner Guidance

  • The Teacher Student Dynamic

    The Teacher Student Dynamic

    I looked at the situation I’m in currently and realized something:
    I’ve been fortunate enough to have some of the best martial artists in the world pull me aside and say:

    “Hey, let me show you something.”

    And I’ve often wondered—why me?
    I’m nothing special.

    Then it hit me:
    It’s because I try. I show up. I engage.

    👊 Why Teachers Really Invest

    My Kenpo grandmaster drives an hour and a half—just to train us. He only asks for gas money.

    Why?

    Because, as he’s told me, my fellow students and I are eager to learn. We give him our attention and our respect. We take the art seriously, and that matters.

    I make it a point to try. I practice what I’m shown. I ask questions. I help others.
    And that effort resonates with teachers who care.

    💰 Beyond Paying for an Experience

    So why don’t more people get this kind of treatment?

    A big part of it:
    You have to put in work before someone high-level can show you something advanced.
    (For more context, see: There Are No Secrets)

    Another piece:
    You have to go beyond the idea that paying tuition entitles you to instruction.

    A true relationship between teacher and student can’t be bought—it’s built.

    I’m not saying teachers shouldn’t be paid—far from it.
    Great instructors often put in more work and study than it takes to become a doctor. If they can help you grow, they deserve compensation.

    But the best teachers? They want to teach.
    They light up when a student is engaged and clearly chasing more than a belt.

    Unfortunately, most students are just paying for an experience.
    They want to say they train—without ever earning the knowledge.

    🔄 A Relationship of Give and Take

    There’s a complementary dynamic between teacher and student:

    • Without students, teachers have no one to teach.
    • Without teachers, students can’t learn—not really.

    Both roles demand respect.
    Both require effort, patience, and communication.

    🎯 What Makes a Good Student?

    A good student…

    • Meets their obligations—time and tuition
    • Communicates with their teacher
    • Practices outside of class
    • Asks questions
    • Engages with the material, and shares it with others

    Because even the best teacher in the world…
    Can’t make a student good. Only the student can do that.

    🧠 Final Thought

    Show up. Try. Care.
    That’s what teachers are looking for.

    And when they find it—they give you everything they’ve got.

  • Rattan Stick Finish Guide: Skin, Lacquer, and What It All Means

    Rattan Stick Finish Guide: Skin, Lacquer, and What It All Means

    Not all rattan sticks are created equal.
    Beyond size and weight, two subtle details can dramatically change how your sticks perform in training:

    • Whether the stick has its natural skin (cortex)
    • Whether the stick is lacquered or raw

    At Eye Square Martial Arts, we’ve broken more than our fair share of sticks. So here’s what we’ve learned about how these finishes affect training, safety, and longevity.

    🟤 Rattan with Skin vs. Without Skin

    ✅ With Skin (Unpeeled)

    Rattan grows with a tough outer layer known as the cortex — or “skin.” When left intact:

    • ✅ Increased durability: The skin holds the fibers together, making the stick last longer under stress.
    • ✅ Less fraying or mushrooming: Especially at the ends
    • ✅ Smoother feel: Ideal for high-speed strikes
    • ⚠️ Slightly slicker surface: May require grip tape or gloves

    Best for:

    • Impact drills
    • Sparring
    • Outdoor training

    🔧 Without Skin (Peeled)

    Peeled rattan has had the outer layer removed — this gives it a more uniform, pale look and makes it:

    • ✅ Lighter and faster: Easier to maneuver for flow drills or forms
    • ✅ More tactile grip: Great for sweaty hands or indoor use
    • ⚠️ More prone to splintering: Especially if struck against hard targets
    • ⚠️ Less durable under repeated high-impact

    Best for:

    • Sinawali / Hubud
    • Solo practice
    • Kata / Anyo forms

    🎨 Lacquered vs. Unlacquered Sticks

    ✅ Lacquered Rattan

    Some sticks are coated with a clear or colored lacquer finish — making them:

    • ✅ Shiny and polished: Popular for demos or performance
    • ✅ Slightly moisture-resistant
    • ⚠️ Slick when sweaty: May affect control
    • ⚠️ Prone to chipping with contact use

    Best for:

    • Light training
    • Demonstration
    • Display or collection

    👐 Unlacquered Rattan

    These sticks are raw — no finish, no gloss — just natural texture.

    • ✅ Superior grip: Especially during sweaty training
    • ✅ Traditional look and feel
    • ✅ Easier to tape or customize
    • ⚠️ May dry out or absorb sweat over time

    Best for:

    • Full-contact sparring
    • Daily use
    • Students who like a more grounded feel

    📊 Quick Comparison

    FeatureWith SkinWithout SkinLacqueredUnlacquered
    DurabilityHighMediumMediumHigh (if with skin)
    GripMediumGoodLowExcellent
    AppearanceNatural glossPale/yellowGlossyMatte
    Use CaseSparring, hard drillsFlow, solo workDemos, light useEveryday training

    🧠 Final Thoughts: Which Stick Is Best?

    It depends on how you train and what you value:

    • Want long-lasting, hard-hitting performance? → Unpeeled, unlacquered
    • Prefer smooth speed and solo flow? → Peeled, unlacquered
    • Need a showpiece for demos? → Lacquered, maybe with design burn marks

    At Eye Square Martial Arts, we teach that tools reflect intention.
    Train with care. Choose with purpose.

    🛠️ Coming Soon:

    🔍 Looking for ways to customize your sticks? We’ll cover some cheap and effective ways in the next post!

    🥋 Train With Us

    Want to test the difference yourself?
    Grab a stick and join a class — we’ve got extras.

    🔗 View Class Schedule

    Cultural Preservation… with Bruises.

  • How to Choose and Care for Your Rattan Sticks

    How to Choose and Care for Your Rattan Sticks

    Not all rattan sticks are created equal.

    Whether you’re a beginner in Filipino Martial Arts or a seasoned practitioner, the right stick makes a huge difference in your training. At Eye Square Martial Arts, we go through a lot of sticks — so we’ve learned what holds up, what doesn’t, and how to keep your gear in fighting shape.

    Here’s a practical guide to selecting, maintaining, and respecting your rattan sticks.

    🛒 Choosing the Right Rattan Stick

    ✅ 1. Length

    • Standard length: 28–30 inches
    • Shorter sticks (21–26”) are useful for close-quarters or dual stick work
    • Make sure the length fits your arm span and training style

    ✅ 2. Diameter

    • Common thickness: 7/8″ to 1″
    • Thicker sticks = more impact durability and weight
    • Thinner sticks = faster, lighter, better for flow drills

    💡 Pro tip: Beginners often prefer something closer to 1″ for durability.

    ✅ 3. Burn Patterns

    • Some rattan sticks are fire-hardened or scorched for looks and rigidity
    • Burned ends help visually distinguish training weapons — and look cool
    • Decorative spirals or stripes are optional — but make sure they’re functional, not just fancy

    ✅ 4. Core Quality

    • Straight grain rattan is stronger and more durable
    • Avoid sticks with cracks, mushy ends, or hollow-sounding cores
    • Flex test: slight bend is good, but it shouldn’t feel soft or spongy

    🧰 How to Maintain Your Sticks

    🧼 1. Cleaning

    • Wipe with a damp cloth after training, especially if used outdoors
    • Let air dry — avoid leaving them in direct sun or soaking wet bags

    🛠️ 2. Reinforce (Optional)

    • You can wrap the handle or strike zones with athletic tape or waxed cord
    • Helps prevent fraying and increases grip
    • Don’t over-wrap or it’ll affect your feedback

    🚫 3. Avoid This

    • Don’t leave them in your car — heat can warp them
    • Don’t soak them in oil — rattan isn’t hardwood, and oil won’t preserve it
    • Don’t strike metal — it’s not a fencing sword

    🧠 Mindset: Treat the Stick Like a Blade

    Even though rattan sticks are training tools, they represent edged weapons in movement and mindset. That means:

    • Don’t twirl recklessly
    • Don’t drag them on the ground
    • Don’t leave them lying around like a baseball bat

    At Eye Square Martial Arts, we train with purpose — and that includes respecting our tools.

    🛍️ Where to Buy Rattan Sticks

    • Look for trusted FMA gear suppliers
    • Ask instructors or senior students for recommendations
    • If you’re local, we keep a few spares at the gym — come try them out

    🥋 Wrap-Up

    The best rattan stick is the one that feels right in your hand, holds up under pressure, and reminds you every day that you’re part of a living tradition.

    🗯 Ready to Train?

    Come try a class with us and put your new stick to use.

    🔗 View Schedule and Sign up for a Class

    Cultural Preservation… with Bruises.

  • What Change Demands

    What Change Demands

    When I started martial arts 20 years ago, I was a lanky, uncoordinated mess—about 6’2″ and 165 pounds soaking wet. I hadn’t played sports beyond the bare minimum in PE, and to top it off, I had borderline-high blood pressure.

    In short: I had nothing going for me.

    So when someone tells me,

    “I’d love to train, but I’m out of shape,”
    it hits a nerve.

    Right. Because I started off in peak condition?

    💥 You Will Be Uncomfortable

    About ten years in, I realized I was drifting into “married blob” territory. My grandma even said,

    “Looks like marriage is being good to you,”
    which is family code for “you’re getting fat.”

    So I joined a gym. I started lifting.

    My then-wife wanted to join me, so we trained together. At least for a while.

    But certain exercises—deadlifts, squats, dips—she found uncomfortable.
    And when she didn’t see results, she was surprised.

    Go figure.

    🧱 Discomfort Is the Cost of Growth

    Martial arts are no different. You will be uncomfortable. You’ll struggle. You’ll fail. You’ll want to quit.

    But here’s the thing:
    If you want something of value, you have to give something up.
    Time. Energy. Sweat. Ego.

    Discomfort is the toll you pay for transformation.

    Whether it’s the weight room or the dojo, it’s not about starting strong—
    It’s about showing up anyway.

  • A Good Martial Art?

    A Good Martial Art?

    Spend five minutes in any martial arts forum, and you’ll find someone arguing over which martial art is best.

    It’s the wrong question—and it misses the point entirely.

    For more context, check out Why Do You Train?

    🤔 What Makes a Martial Art “Good”?

    There are martial arts from all corners of the globe—many with lineages that stretch back centuries or more. These arts didn’t stick around by accident.

    They’ve endured because they work.
    They work in the context of conflict, and more importantly, they work for the human body.

    🧍‍♂️ A Common Platform

    People often claim, “That move looks just like the one from Art X—it must have come from there.” Never mind that these arts may have developed continents apart.

    More likely?
    Similar movements evolve from the same foundation: the human body.

    Two arms, two legs, a head, a torso. That’s the platform.

    And with it comes some hard truths:

    • Cut off blood to the brain? You lose consciousness.
    • Restrict air? The body fails.
    • Push a joint past its range? It breaks.

    It’s not about style—it’s about structure.

    ⚙️ Good Body Mechanics

    A good martial art teaches you to move efficiently:

    • Without hurting yourself
    • While making it easier to hurt your opponent (if necessary)

    It respects the mechanics of your own body, and shows you how to exploit the weaknesses in someone else’s.

    It should also scale with you—whether you’re 18 or 80. If it breaks down when your joints do, that’s a problem.

    🧩 The Big Picture

    A good martial art should:

    • ✅ Support your personal training goals
    • ✅ Minimize risk to yourself while maximizing effectiveness
    • ✅ Adapt with you over time

    Outside of those factors, the question stops being “Which martial art is good?”
    And becomes “How well can I use what I’m learning?”

    Even the most “effective” art in the world is useless if you can’t apply it.

    At the end of the day, it’s not just about the art—it’s about the artist.

    So maybe the better question isn’t “Which martial art is best?”
    But rather:
    “Which one is best for you—and are you willing to do the work?”

  • Why Do You Train? Defining Purpose in Martial Arts

    Why Do You Train? Defining Purpose in Martial Arts

    “Why do you train?”

    That was a question my Wing Chun instructor used to ask me all the time. For a long time, I didn’t have a good answer—other than I just wanted to. And honestly, that was enough to start.

    I’ve always thought martial arts were cool, and over time, I’ve come to realize that’s as valid a reason as any. But along the way, I’ve also learned something important:

    Knowing why you train helps you train smarter.

    Having realistic goals keeps you focused—and it helps you recognize what you can and can’t judge yet in your journey.

    🧭 Six Functional Reasons to Study Martial Arts

    There are lots of reasons someone might train, but most fall into a few core categories:

    ⚔️ War

    “The arts of Mars.” Martial arts were originally created for warfare.

    🏅 Sport

    Combat skills adapted into structured competition.

    👮 Policing

    Controlling and apprehending others as part of the justice system.

    🛡️ Self-Protection

    Using force to defend yourself from harm.

    👥 Bodyguarding

    Using force to protect others from harm.

    🌱 Self-Development

    Discipline. Health. Confidence. Coordination. The “everything else” bucket.

    Understanding why you train shapes how you train. A cop, a soldier, and a sport fighter all need different tools—even if they share some techniques.

    🎯 Align Your Goals with Your Training

    When I started, I just needed something physical to get in shape. These days, I’m more interested in understanding and cataloging systems.

    Over time, your reasons might change—and that’s okay.

    But what doesn’t change is this:

    Your training should match your goals.

    ⚠️ Sport vs. Self-Protection: A Reality Check

    There’s a real tendency for some instructors to try to be all things to all people—especially when there’s money involved. But the differences between sport and self-protection are more than just surface-level.

    Sport has rules, time limits, safety gear, and referees. The goal is to win without causing serious harm.

    Self-protection doesn’t come with rules. If you have to fight back in real life, chances are:

    • You’re surprised
    • You’re outnumbered
    • You’re protecting someone else
    • You’re starting from a disadvantage

    In those moments, you’re not looking to “win points.” You’re looking to survive.

    🧩 Can You Have Multiple Goals?

    Absolutely. You can train for self-confidence, get in shape, and maybe even compete.

    But not all goals mix well.

    Want to be a battlefield operator and an Olympic athlete? You’re going to face some trade-offs.

    The important thing is that your goals are generally compatible. And that you’re honest about what you’re training for.

    ❤️ The Heart of the Matter

    At the end of the day, only one thing really matters:

    Know why you train.

    Keep that reason close. Let it guide your training choices. And make sure the instruction you’re getting lines up with your goals.

    No reason is better than another. But delusion is the enemy—whether it’s yours or your instructor’s.

    🧠 One Last Thought

    So I’ll ask you the same question my instructor asked me:

    Why do you train?

    Whatever the answer is—own it. Train accordingly.

    Until next time.