Brews, Barbells, Badassery, and Bohurt

Two Men Enter, One Man Leaves! I had my first EMP (Empire of Medieval Pursuits) experience two weekends ago. It is kind of like SCA but with more in your face full contact fighting. There is still the pageantry, they also include rattan in all their fights. At first I was hesitant, but it was a great experience and an excuse to head south for warmer weather. It was great to see it truly was Conan re-enactment and just cool all around. You can find more information at  Riddle Of Steel First stop was to pick up some fellow passengers from a bus stop here in Durham, NC. Fellow Steel Fighter Orlando Mendez and his wonderful girlfriend took a bus down to Durham and ride with me on the way down to Orlando to keep me sane. I picked them up, and took them to breakfast. We had a few hours to kill before heading off and Orlando got to watch Conan the Barbarian for the first time. I think he should lose some nerd points for never having seen the greatness that which is this mo...

Got all Viking at Disney's Epcot over Christmas Holiday Hello fellow steel fighters, nerds, and general bad-asses. I know that it has been a few weeks since you have had a blog post from your favorite bearded warrior. So, it is a new year and time to remedy that. Since my last post, a lot of things have happened. While it means a few changes,  most of it for good, and some bad. But life isn't about sitting around and wasting your days. It is about getting the most of life through experiences and relationships. So, for 2017, I have set my Steel Fighting Calendar. I am adding events as I hear about them. If you have one not listed, let me know and I will add it. My goal is to travel and fight and much as possible. You can find that calendar at the link below. This calendar includes ACL, HMB, AMCF, and other organizations events. MOST EPIC BOHURT / STEEL FIGHTING CALENDAR FOR 2017 So, let's get the bad out of the way... So, let's get the bad out of the way. F...

Merry Christmas and Happy Armored New Year pic from  www.skotcher.com So, you have one of those crazy people in your life who like to play with swords and whack each other about in tin cans. Sure, we all know they are crazy. However, putting them in straight jackets and sending them off to some asylum may seem excessive. So, instead of giving in to your inner urges and screaming at them, here are a few ideas for shopping for your modern medieval warrior. One other point of clarification. I make no money suggesting these items. I am doing it so I can continue to hit others as much as possible. Is that too much to ask? 1. Forged Foam HMB starter set ($140). No matter what league you fight in, having a soft-kit training set is essential to practice fighting in a safe way. Nobody likes to fight alone, so here is a starter set for you and your favorite punching dummy! 2. Protect your noggin! Head protection is a must. I have been looking to change away from my normal dipped ...

Hello from your favorite bard of beardifulness  Did you ever hear that term 'mastering the basics' in high school or other team sports? I remember my dad drilling into me over and over the power of basics when it came to martial arts. Kicking, striking, moving, speed, and timing where yelled at me as I oafishly struggled to become the image of my father's design. I remember my high school football coach drilling us over and over until our reactions became instinctual. What really is happening, is that through drilling and practicing the basics over and over, you remove a lot of extraneous movements, along with mental distractions. You simply get to the point of doing what you need to do exactly as it was designed and taught. Once you have gained that mastery of precision, you can add additional knowledge, techniques, or processes due to the simple fact that those movements are instinctual and no longer need the amount of mental energy in order to perform them. Your...

Hello from my sexy bearded self.... First of all, I am in no way a model of perfection. Do not look to me for tips on shredding fat, getting ready for summer bodies, or to look pretty for your Instagram photos. I literally do not have the expertise to get you there. Who am I before you take my advice: 40 years old,  Big, Bearded, Sexy 1995 Heavy Weight Kick Boxing Champion Masters Rank in Kung Fu, Tae Kwon Do Multiple other black belts Amateur Strongman Amateur Power Lifter Spartan Death Racer GoRuck Junky Endurance Sports Nut Job Ultra-marathon Runner (completed the Huff 50k, and Dances with Dirt Devil's Lake 50k) Spartan Racer and Trifecta Holder So be prepared, I am speaking from my personal experience as to what I am doing to make sure that I am perfectly healthy and capable of doing the crazy stuff I do. In particular, training for and preparing to fight on an International level in Steel Combat ( ACL  /, HMBUSA/   AMCF ). This type of sport...