I didn’t watch the debate, but I know it sucked. What I found in the comments is embarrassing. Snort. A study lol. Why would scientists call a neurological phenomenon “muscle memory?” Doesn’t even pass the smell test. The article states that muscle memory is making muscles remember movements, but then Zahabi says it’s neurological. Sloppy, sophomoric, embarrassing, does not even merit reply, frankly. EDIT: I just noticed he calls it “muscle memory/motor learning”—this is idiotic at best and dish...
Jun 30, 2025•9 min
Interested in eco/CLA but stuck in a traditional school? Or maybe you’re frustrated with your progress, want to try something new, but are stuck inside a learning environment you don’t control. Either way, you still have some options. Of course, it’s optimal to run your own club or gym, but you can take ownership of your own learning journey and get started with CLA even if you don’t. Here’s the 5 best options I know. Bring your CLA coaching and ecological dynamics knowledge to the next level an...
Mar 18, 2025•8 min
My friend Daniel Marino made a critical observation about the karate community: “It’s about looking good, not learning how to fight.” Now, if you’re a part of the so-called “practical karate” or “practical bunkai” movement, you might think that you are exempt from this statement…but you’re not. Dan wasn’t just talking about the most traditional of the traditionalists. He was talking about the practical karate people, too. I haven’t addressed it specifically yet, but I have touched on the practic...
Mar 10, 2025•14 min
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.combatlearning.com Today I analyze a jiu jitsu seminar conducted by David Ooi in Singapore. In the process, a lot of good little nuances surface that I don’t often get to talk about in other places. Other Paid Articles You Don’t Want to Miss…
Mar 04, 2025•23 min
Positional sparring is consistent with the constraints-led approach (CLA) to coaching—and by extension, scalable live training (SLT)—but positional sparring tends to have a less flexible scope of practice. So whereas all positional sparring can be CLA, the CLA is not simply positional sparring: it can be much more or much less, depending on the necessary scale. Bring your CLA coaching and ecological dynamics knowledge to the next level and upgrade to the premium combat learning newsletter. It's ...
Feb 18, 2025•9 min•Season 6Ep. 3
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.combatlearning.com Today I’m reviewing a video by YouTuber Josh Beam BJJ, with Craig Hutchison from Carpe Diem Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu helping him assess and develop a passing game. This episode explores the vital considerations we need to make about how we manipulate constraints, if smaller is actually better, and what information we’re losing when we scale down too much or …...
Feb 02, 2025•10 min
Today, I review and criticize (in good humor) some videos I found on YouTube. I’m analyzing the utility of several drills and games related to developing lead leg kicking tactics in taekwondo, a.k.a. cut kick and cancelling. Relevant to kickboxing and beyond. But I’d like my awesome followers to get involved, too! * Found an interesting training video you’d like me to assess? * Have a video of you or your students’ training you’d like me to critique? Email them to me or message me through Substa...
Jan 16, 2025•44 min
Major ecological researcher, Dr. Duarte Araujo, joins us on combat learning to discuss all things ecological cognition and sport psychology. Other topics include… * Knowledge of vs knowledge about * Technique vs task space * Repetition without repetition * Affordances * Decision-making and sport expertise * Representative learning design Dr. Araujo is professor of Psychology and Motor Behavior at the University of Lisbon, Head of the CIPER institute for sport performance, and one of the oldest a...
Dec 02, 2024•1 hr 9 min
Everyone agrees that the fundamentals are the essence of martial arts skill, but nobody can agree on what they are exactly. In this article, I outline and briefly comment on five different conceptions of martial arts fundamentals. * Fundamentals as Basic Techniques * Fundamentals as Principles of Play * Fundamentals as Basics + Principles * Fundamentals within Functional Movement Skills * as Regulatory Conditions * as Necessary Strategic Attributes Overall, I want to document the landscape on fu...
Nov 11, 2024•20 min
Information processing and ecological dynamics are both theories of perception and learning. They explain your relationship to the environment and how that affects your internal states and vice versa. As such, they inform training methodologies, but they are not methodologies in themselves. Or, put another way, they have clear implications for how you should train, but as theories of perception and learning, they do not constitute organized systems of how to do training. To bridge the gap betwee...
Oct 29, 2024•13 min
MMA coach and ecological approach to martial arts pioneer, Scott Sievewright, returns to Combat Learning to discuss his newly published academic paper on ecological dynamics for MMA and his evolving conception of martial arts ideas such as “the fundamentals.” We also talk about problems of practice in the constraints-led approach, especially how difficult it is to scale proper constraints-led coaching to a growing mat. On top of that, there’s lots of talk of little tactics that have been working...
Oct 01, 2024•1 hr 36 min
The first combat learning live Q&A! We discuss… * How you don’t have to intervene during training and you don’t have to generate feedback for students if it’s not necessary. * The power of external instructions, especially with young children acquiring movement skills. * CLA for coaching poomsae and kata. * Overcorrecting and junk coaching. …and more! I’m going to do more live Q&A sessions . If you have a question you want answered, comment here, on Instagram, send messages on either pla...
Sep 26, 2024•1 hr 3 min
This is an audio version of a previous combat learning article, Tao of Aliveness . Bruce Lee superfans have to pretend about his fighting prowess because, to them, that’s what makes him legendary. It bolsters the legitimacy and mystique of his jeet kune do system. Jeet kune do, as Lee taught it, is the chief artifact of his legacy in the eyes of martial artists who can only see formal systems and styles. The philosophy stuff is cool to them, sure, but their social conditioning prevents them from...
Sep 20, 2024•30 min
DPT, licensed physical therapist, CSCS, and fellow martial artist Patrick Jacobs joins me to unpack rehabilitation and injury prevention for martial artists from a constraints-led approach to PT practice. Want to upgrade your coaching? Bring your CLA coaching and ecological dynamics knowledge to the next level and upgrade to the premium combat learning newsletter. It's the best way to support the show, and you'll get access to exclusive articles and recordings on how to practically apply the sci...
Aug 29, 2024•1 hr 26 min
The original There is No Perfect Technique article can be found here . It’s the air we breathe from our first day of school to our last day in the workforce and beyond… Repetition, repetition, repetition. Practice makes perfect. Perfect practice makes better. Everywhere we’re washed over with some form of messaging about how to learn that involves drudgery and drilling. But that repetition is not just to get it “into muscle memory.” The repetition is important because you need to get it right . ...
Aug 14, 2024•25 min
Adam Singer joins us again to discuss how he balances safety and productivity using the constrains-led approach to teach 100% live sparring classes from the ground up, beginner to advanced. Remember to sign up for the FREE Combat Learning Newsletter. You'll get an introduction to motor learning for martial artists PDF, a transfer of learning cheat sheet, tons of other free coaching resources, and you'll never miss an podcast episode. Want to upgrade your coaching? If you want to bring your CLA c...
Jul 31, 2024•1 hr 2 min
Long-time MMA coach, SGB affiliate, and martial arts veteran Adam Singer talks about the old days of Jeet Kune Do, the introduction of MMA, and the development of aliveness from Bruce Lee through Matt Thornton to today. Remember to sign up for the FREE Combat Learning Newsletter. You'll get an introduction to motor learning for martial artists PDF, a transfer of learning cheat sheet, tons of other free coaching resources, and you'll never miss an podcast episode. If you want to bring your CLA co...
Jul 27, 2024•33 min
Today I'm joined Sony Sahota, owner of Praxis Gym and a teacher of judo, wrestling, and jiu jitsu.In this episode, we discuss how Sony approaches training through the lens of embodied cognition , specifically enactivism. Sony recounts how it changed his entire approach to training, and then we move into a deep philosophical discussion about embodied cognition.One of my favorite parts of the discussion was when we discussed the role of agency and will within the embodied understanding. Sony is in...
Jun 27, 2024•1 hr 37 min
Josh and Kabir discuss the elo chess rating system and how it might provide an approachable way to assess skill development across belt levels — and end tournament sandbagging permanently. Where to Find Kabir... Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kabirbath/ Website: https://kaboombjj.com/ This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.combatlearning.com/subscribe...
May 30, 2024•25 min
Kabir unpacks how he coaches his coaches to do what he does -- ecologically. Visit combatlearning.substack.com to start reading now. Where to Find Kabir... Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kabirbath/Website : https://kaboombjj.com/ This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.combatlearning.com/subscribe...
May 21, 2024•35 min
Today I’m joined by BJJ black belt Kabir Bath. Kabir is one of the early success stories in the ecological jiu jitsu movement, and he has the distinction of a commercially successful gym, too—especially a large children’s program. In this episode, we explore the value and effectiveness of learning through play, as well as the vitalness of coaches connecting personally with their students, big and small. More About Kabir… Professor Kabir Bath began practicing Brazilian jiu-jitsu in 2006 and disco...
May 17, 2024•59 min
Dr. Garcia joins us one final time to discuss a few very interesting topics. First, we talk briefly about donor sports and the part they play in building better skills for your main sport. Finally, Raul helps us understand how we can use CLA not just for training in the sport itself but also a preparedness that comes with greater skill in stress management. --- Join the email list now: https://combatlearning.com/ --- Produced by Micah Peacock Intro Theme by Micah Peacock Outro Music is Synergy...
Apr 17, 2024•30 min
Dr. Garcia joins us again today to unpack the false assumptions that lie beneath the kata-based training system and traditional martial arts. He shows how early ecological researchers such as Nicholai Bernstein blows up the conventional wisdom of traditional martial arts. He then spends the bulk of this episode comparing and contrasting the differences between Information Processing and Ecological conceptualizations of how to develop skill, noting all the little glitches and hiccups that go unex...
Apr 17, 2024•30 min
Today I'm joined by Dr. Raul Sanchez Garcia, a sport science lecturer at the University Politécnica of Madrid, Spain, martial artist, and Ecological Dynamics thinker. Most researchers in the ecological approach come from a psychology background. Dr. Garcia is unique in that he approaches Ecological Dynamics from the vantage point of ethnography, which is the systematic study of peoples and their cultures. In that vein, he wrote a fantastic social history on the development of Japanese martial ar...
Apr 09, 2024•27 min
Today I'm joined by Matt Phili, a mobility training coach and founder of Primal Mobility. Whether a grappler or striker, most martial artists need greater mobility. However, most of the mobility routines you see around Instagram really won't cut it, and stretching isn't necessarily good mobility work either -- at least on its own. In this episode, Matt unpacks his approach to mobility training: not simply as a stretching routine, but as an approach to strength in progressively deeper ranges of m...
Mar 19, 2024•55 min
In this episode, Pedro updates us on his kickboxing program. Then we move into a deep discussion on combinations, affordances, and elaborate pad work in striking sports. We return to the external focus of attention subject briefly before digging into some of the issues Pedro and his coaches experience applying CLA to their classes on a daily basis. If you're excited to jump in, hit the subscribe button and enjoy the show. And if you're listening from YouTube, be sure also to drop a like. --- If ...
Feb 27, 2024•21 min
Today, Pedro Sierra returns to the podcast to update us on his program in two parts. Before understanding Ecological Dynamics, Sierra MMA had lackluster results. Since implementing the constraints-led approach, Sierra MMA has begun to see much more success. In fact, thanks to this change in training methodology, one of coach Pedro's students even won an ADCC Open. Pedro has come a long way since we first talked. As this episode unfolds, we discuss some of the problems he ran into and how he solv...
Feb 14, 2024•26 min
In this episode, Emil reveals his approach to game design. Then we move quickly into the ways to individualize sessions to each learner, including some principles of session design. Overall, Emil keeps the generic conditioning exercises out of skill training. Strength and conditioning is something you can do on your own time with coaches specialized to that. In Muay Thai class, you come to practice Muay Thai. Lastly, Emil and I discuss the injury landscape now that he's ecological. --- If you're...
Jan 29, 2024•28 min
In this episode, Emil continues to explain how he does the constraints-led approach to Muay Thai. Other ways to control for intensity/going too hard How to introduce leg kicks and leg kick defense through sparring games What are the fundamentals of Muay Thai as a sport? How can we understand it at a dynamic and foundational level? How constraints can lead to adaptive or maladaptive fighting strategies How Emil conceptualizes the use of thai pads and heavy bags now Of particular note, Emil unpack...
Jan 16, 2024•37 min
Today I'm joined by Emil Fitoussey, a professional Muay Thai coach out of Nacka Dojo in Sweden. Over the past year, Emil has transitioned his partially ecological Muay Thai program into a 100% ecological Muay Thai program. In this episode, he recounts his journey into Ecological Dynamics and the constraints-led approach. Then, we talk about how he builds the culture of his Muay Thai program to value the safety of sparring partners. Finally, we discuss several interesting practical topics, includ...
Jan 02, 2024•28 min
