In episode 22 of the Old Fat Coach Podcast I interview the one and only Bob Sykes. Bob is the former editor of MAI, the originator of The Clash of the Titans, and a whole lot more.

This conversation runs for around 45 minutes. It is for anyone interested in the martial arts as a whole: the training, the people, the publishing and the events that have shaped the way so many of us came into it.

Why These Conversations Matter

The martial arts are bigger than any one style or system. For a long time, magazines were where most people found out about new instructors, new ideas and what was really going on. Events brought people together who would never otherwise have met on the same mat.

People who have been at the centre of all that have seen a lot. They have watched trends come and go, and they have a view of the bigger picture that you do not get from training in one club. That is why I love having guests like Bob on the show.

What You Can Take From It

When you listen to someone who has spent years around martial artists of every kind, listen for the patterns:

  • What lasts. Ideas that keep coming back are usually ideas that work.
  • What fades. Fashions come and go, and it pays to notice why.
  • How good people train. The best martial artists have a lot more in common than the styles they practise.
  • How the community works. Respect, honesty and putting the work in count for a great deal.

Using It In Your Own Training

A podcast is not a training session, but it can change how you train. After listening, ask yourself a few questions. Are you open to learning from people outside your own style? Are you training things that work, or things that look good? Are you giving something back to the people you train with?

The best students I have ever had were never the ones who knew the most at the start. They were the ones who were curious, who listened, and who kept asking questions. Conversations like this one are a good way to stay curious.

Take It Further

If you want to see the kind of practical martial arts I teach, the best place to begin is the FREE Pressure Point Fighting Mini-Course. For everything else, browse The Store.