Category Archives: Martial Arts & Combat Sports

SBG’s Karl Tanswell & ‘Dynamic Quality’

One of my first black belts, the third I awarded, is Karl Tanswell. Karl is an icon in British Martial Arts. With a similar background as myself, in JKD Concepts and boxing, Karl and I immediately hit it off when we first met almost 16 years ago.streaming movie Hotel de Grote L

Karland

Since that time Karl has become one of the UK’s first home grown BJJ black belts, and one of its most successful MMA coaches. SBG Manchester, Karl’s main academy, is home to TUF finalist – Saul Rogers, world champion – Martin Stapleton, and many more phenomenal MMA and BJJ athletes.

He’s also given out five of his own BJJ black belts, Casey Jones, Glyn Powditch, Chris Coltrane, Matt Inman, and UFC fighter – Jason Tan.

Coach Karl just did a podcast, which can be found here:

Karl Tanswell Podcast Jan 2016

Karl’s section begins at the 29: minute mark.
Topics include:

– Gym swapping
– SBG training methods – the scientific process
– The Aliveness epistemology
– The SBG work ethic
– The importance of personal responsibility
– Creating the proper training dynamic
– The distinction between ‘sport’ & ‘martial arts’, and why SBG creates Martial Artists.
– The training between SBG Ireland and SBG UK
– SBG athlete Conor McGregor, and ‘dynamic quality’
– Karl’s plans for the next 12 months

We know that under Karl’s guidance, 2016 is going to be another amazing year for SBG UK. You can contact Karl at:

Karl’s Academy

And if you haven’t seen this video, check it out:

The fetish of “streetfighting”

 

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The allure of “streetfighting” disappears pretty quickly once someone sincere begins training in a combat sport. The idea of beating up the average man holds no glamour when you spend your days battling with fellow athletes who are at least as skilled as you are at the art of hand to hand combat. This is why the fetishization that so many men who maintain an immature relationship to violence have – can fade away within the proper environment. As Oscar Wilde noted: “As long as war is regarded as wicked, it will always have its fascination. When it is looked upon as vulgar, it will cease to be popular.” When you are working in an environment that is based on meritocratic competition, when you tap people out and get tapped out, daily, when you punch and get punched, when you understand what physical conflict itself feels like – it ceases to maintain its glamour. It ceases being wicked.