Confused About Carbs Reader question: I’ve heard the term “carb coma,” and it sounds like it refers to the sleepiness that comes after eating too many carbs. I’ve also heard “carb loading,” which is what some athletes apparently do before a competition, when they eat a lot of pasta to pre-fuel their bodies. And then we have the Paleo people, who seem to think all carbs are bad. What’s the deal? “Carb coma” describes the state a person is in after overloading on high-glycemic carbohydrates. It’s more extreme than just feeling full or even stuffed; it’s about feeling fatigued, lethargic and moody. A carb coma occurs when your blood sugar rises after your body digests a carb-heavy meal. The problem is, that which rises must eventually fall. The resulting crash is often accompanied by exhaustion and, over time, weight gain.

A Fighting Monk Teaches 4 Traditional Chinese Training Methods—And They All Have Self-Defense Applications! When you hear the term “Shaolin workout,” don’t make the mistake of envisioning Budai—that happy, bald fellow whose corpulent physique adorns millions of miniature statues all over Asia. Although he’s believed to have studied the same brand of Buddhism, Budai, if he ever existed in those proportions, was not a Shaolin fighting monk. This elite group of warrior-priests is known for chiseled chests, six-pack abs and loads of other bulges that leave no doubt about their physical fitness. Need more proof? Ask anyone who’s visited the temple or watched the monks perform on tour, and he or she will attest to the phenomenal shape these martial artists are in—and the phenomenal feats they can coax their bodies to perform. It’s not a bodybuilding kind of fitness; it’s a functional, practical musculature that’s perfectly suited to the martial arts. Even better, it’s designed to foster holistic health by building internal strength.

Today, on Saturday, May 30, the sounds of striking pads, focused breathing, and spirited conversation will fill Team Karate Center in Woodland Hills, California — but this gathering is about far more than technique. “In the Spirit of the Dragon,” a one-day martial arts benefit event supporting the Bruce Lee Foundation, is bringing together instructors, students, masters, and martial arts enthusiasts from across Southern California for a day dedicated to learning, unity, and legacy. Hosted by veteran martial arts instructor Sensei Fariborz Azhakh, the event reflects the deeper philosophy Bruce Lee championed throughout his life: the pursuit of personal excellence, cultural understanding, and the constant evolution of the individual. “Bruce Lee was more than a martial artist,” says Azhakh. “He challenged people to think differently, to grow beyond limitations, and to find their own path. This event is about honoring those ideals while creating something meaningful for the martial arts community.” Throughout the day, participants will experience a diverse lineup of seminars, workshops, and educational lectures led by respected martial artists and guest instructors representing multiple disciplines and traditions. While the full roster of instructors is still being finalized, organizers say the focus will remain on sharing knowledge across styles and generations — something Bruce Lee himself advocated throughout his groundbreaking career. Unlike tournament-centered events that emphasize competition, “In the Spirit of the Dragon” is designed as a collaborative and educational experience. Students of all levels, from beginners to seasoned practitioners, are encouraged to participate, train, and connect. For many attendees, the event will also serve as a reminder of Bruce Lee’s enduring influence on modern martial arts culture. Decades after his passing, Lee remains one of the most important figures in martial arts history — not only for revolutionizing combat philosophy through Jeet Kune Do, but for breaking cultural barriers and inspiring millions worldwide. All proceeds from the event will benefit the Bruce Lee Foundation, the nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving Bruce Lee’s teachings and advancing educational initiatives centered on self-actualization, equality, and personal development. For Azhakh, whose own martial arts philosophy emphasizes discipline, respect, and community engagement, the event represents an opportunity to align martial arts practice with service and purpose. “At its best, martial arts helps people become better human beings,” he says. “This is a chance for all of us to come together in that spirit.” Event Details In the Spirit of the Dragon Saturday, May 30, 2026 9:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. Team Karate Center 6455 De Soto Ave. Woodland Hills, CA 91367 Guest instructors and additional event details will be announced soon. For media inquiries, sponsorship opportunities, or registration information, contact: Fariborz Azhakh azhakh@gmail.com About the Bruce Lee Foundation The Bruce Lee Foundation is a nonprofit organization committed to sharing Bruce Lee’s message of self-actualization, honest self-expression, equality, and continuous learning through educational programs and community outreach initiatives around the world.

Tough guys—we have plenty. In fact, on any given day, you can’t swing a nunchaku around the Black Belt office without hitting a self-defense expert, an MMA champ or a street-hardened master who has dropped by for an interview or photo shoot. Tough girls are a different matter. First off, we don’t have as many women cycling through. Second, not all the female martial artists we deal with are into fighting; some practice the arts for other, less physical reasons. None of that is intended to marginalize the fairer sex. On the contrary, we assembled this article to shine a spotlight on those women who’ve separated themselves from the pack—those who fall into the category of “women who scare us.” Note that not all female fighters were eligible for inclusion on our list; the qualifier was that each one had to be someone we had personal knowledge of. In other words, we considered only women who have been to our office for interviews.

I want to talk to you about lightening up. About breathing a little easier. About easing up on this whole the-world-is-going-to-hell-in-a-handbasket approach to life. I want to address an aspect of real-world self-protection that, in my opinion, is a little overdone in some places—an aspect to which I may have inadvertently contributed. In my book No Second Chance: A Reality-Based Guide to Self-Defense, I hammer the need for effectiveness, for commensurate brutality, for awareness and preparedness. I discuss predator profiles that delineate real-world examples of the evil our fellow man can perpetrate on his brethren. I drive home the point of just who the enemy is. I stand by this approach 100 percent. Horrible things do indeed happen in this world. Despicable acts of violence are perpetrated every day. We must not turn a blind eye to what can happen, but it’s essential to keep such preparation in the spirit of a “just in case” rational choice and not let it drive us to paranoia. Rational people install smoke detectors in their homes, wear seat belts, see doctors for checkups, purchase insurance, wear safety goggles and lock their doors at night—all in the spirit of “just in case.” We do these things not because we live in fear but because we know that unpleasant things can happen, and these acts can reduce the likelihood or the impact, no matter how statistically rare those things may be.

When I was 20, I ran the service department at a motorcycle dealership. Yes, I said “ran.” The dealer leased the department to me, and I carried out all service and warranty work, hired employees and took care of everything else. And I was successful. A few years later, I had an opportunity to open a dojo, so I handed the business over to my nephew. Although I enjoyed what I’d been doing, I never looked back. Few things are as fulfilling as running a karate school. Interestingly, the same four keys to business success that served me well in the motorcycle industry continue to help me run my school today. Find Nobility in What You Do Nobility gives you purpose and motivates you to keep moving forward—in good times and bad. It gives you the fortitude to persevere when new instructors open schools in your town. It also helps you avoid the mistakes people often make in business—like letting ego or the desire for money take over.

Black Belt 2024 Hall of Fame inductee Scott Coker has secured $60 million in financing to launch a new fight promotion, where he will serve as CEO and co-founder alongside Peter Levin of Griffin Gaming Partners, according to a press release issued Thursday. A lifelong martial artist, Coker is best known as the founder of Strikeforce MMA and later as President of Bellator MMA. More recently, his successful fight night at the Tech CU Arena in San Jose helped reignite excitement and momentum within the combat sports community. “I always knew I wanted to come back when the time was right, with the right vision and a carefully curated team. That time is now,” Coker said in the release. “There is an incredible demand for a fresh, new global brand in MMA. This new league is about returning to what matters: the integrity of competition, respect for the athletes, and sharing their remarkable journeys with the world. We are building something authentic, something that belongs to the athletes and to the fans who live and breathe this sport.”

Time is awake while the world sleeps, intent on its own ends. —Mahabharata (translated by William Buck) As we get older, obituaries become a regular part of our news consumption. Celebrities who made the narratives and soundtracks of our youth regularly show up there, and we grieve a little. Because I was a teenager in the 1980s, it was the passing of celebrities like heavy metal singer Ronnie James Dio and Adam Yauch that saddened me. The one that saddened me the most, however, was the death of Pat Morita. Morita was, of course, famous for playing Mr. Miyagi in The Karate Kid franchise. That character was the archetypal martial arts master: warm, wise and full of secrets. Sometimes it was hidden knowledge—like the scene in the first movie in which Mr. Miyagi suddenly reveals that the chores his lone student, Daniel-san, has been doing are really karate training methods. Sometimes it’s a personal secret, like when Mr. Miyagi accidentally reveals that he’s alone because his wife and son died in a Japanese internment camp during World War II.

There’s a popular cable-TV series whose title can be abbreviated “BS.” Its hosts take enthusiastic delight in puncturing all sorts of fads, follies and cultural delusions, from UFOs to fast food. It’s enormously entertaining because we live in an age of almost absurd credulity. No matter how silly, illogical or obviously fraudulent a thing is, there are people who embrace it. Seeing the perpetrators exposed as shams is fun—and educational. Usually. One episode focused on what the hosts considered “martial arts.” I quickly realized that what they were referring to was “unarmed forms of combat purportedly useful in physical confrontations.” They also threw into the mix the alleged healing and health values of what’s loosely described as chi kung. All sorts of misrepresentations quickly became obvious. One fellow claimed karate evolved because Okinawans were under constant attack by samurai. A woman explained how “ancient Taoists” had discovered that certain vocalizations can affect our internal organs, so she giggled and barked as part of her routine. It was clear neither person had any real exposure to the roots or culture of the arts they claimed to represent.

Reader question: How much protein does a martial artist need? If a person wants to avoid beef, chicken, turkey, pork and cheese, what are the options? I’m asking because my body decided it doesn’t appreciate the regular consumption of such “yang foods,” and my physician told me a recent quadriceps injury involved accumulated micro-tears brought on partly by low levels of protein in my diet. Protein is arguably the champion of foods. Where other nutrients like fats and carbohydrates are debated and sometimes crucified, protein always seems to prevail. Call it the Bruce Lee of food. Athletes and nonathletes alike need protein to maintain a healthy and balanced body. If you train hard—say, you’re an MMA fighter, an Olympic judoka or a pro boxer—you need to be extra careful about how much you eat. Why?

The martial arts can be roughly divided into two groups: empty-hand styles and weapons styles. There’s endless argument within each group about which particular empty-hand or weapon skill is superior—for example, striking vs. grappling or sticks vs. blades. But there’s a general agreement among martial artists that a man with a weapon, regardless of the type of weapon, has a definite advantage over a man without one. Weapons are better than empty hands for one reason—the ease with which they can hurt another person. In kickboxing matches and bare-knuckle karate tournaments, it often takes a long time for one competitor to knock out another. In many of the fights, both opponents are left standing at the end, and judges must determine the winner. Even MMA matches can go a long time before one man triumphs over his opponent. With a stick, knife or gun, however, you can hurt someone worse than you can with your bare hands—and in a shorter time.

Karate Greatness Is Often Evidenced in Small Things Last spring, word came from Okinawa that Takayoshi Nagamine had died. He was the son of Shoshin Nagamine, a great teacher of shorin-ryu karate. The son’s education in the art, under his father, began when he was young. When he was in his 20s, he came to Ohio, where he began teaching karate and leading seminars in dojo around the country. I met Takayoshi Nagamine in the early 1970s. He’d come to Kansas City, Kansas, to lead a seminar. I was a teenager in town for some other budo training, but along with my two karate teachers, we went to meet Takayoshi. Having known him for years, my teachers greeted him like the old friend he was. The four of us then went for an early dinner. I sat and listened mostly. The conversation veered back and forth between Japanese and Okinawan—I understood little enough of either language back then to even ask intelligent questions.