Philosophy & Practice Hub

Ideas You Can Use

This is where ideas meet action. We share short posts, tiny essays and 'doable' cues inspired by martial arts philosophy, as well as the ways we use them in various settings, such as retreats, workshops, coaching sessions and everyday life.

There's no jargon or heroics. Just clear thoughts that you can try out on the same day, plus fresh ideas from Die Entdeckung der Kampfkunst, notes from our sessions and links to our social channels so you can follow along in real time.

What you'll find

YouTube

Here you will find videos that not only explain the philosophies of martial arts, but also bring them to life.

Instagram

Here you will find brief ideas and exercises designed to provide you with an embodied philosophy.

Alt Text

2005
The Discovery of Martial Arts

Publisher: ‎Pranado Verlag
Language: German
Publication date:
February 16, 2025
Paperback: 501 pages
ISBN: 978-3947376117

Buy the book
Before logic, bodies negotiate safety. Stance, eyes and tempo communicate 'yes', 'no' or 'not ye....
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do.for.life
Before logic, bodies negotiate safety. Stance, eyes and tempo communicate 'yes', 'no' or 'not yet' long before words do.
Way, Presence, Oneness
Way: choose pacing over pressure.
Presence: pause for a moment before you move.
Oneness: two nervous systems, one space. Your signal lands Read More
Posted:
If you feel a
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do.for.life
If you feel a "no" in your body, it's your body's way of trying to keep things peaceful. You can be both kind and clear without being over-generous.
Say the boundary before the content.
1) Capacity: "I have 30 minutes."
2) Scope: "I'm Read More
Posted:
The third way is to feel it in your body.Under pressure, the body prioritises speed over clarity....
do.for.life
do.for.life
The third way is to feel it in your body.
Under pressure, the body prioritises speed over clarity. That's survival, not failure.
Add one human beat and use R-C-C:
Receive: let it land with one slow exhale.
Clarify: ask one clean question. 'What Read More
Posted:
Two nervous systems in one space.Before logic, it is the body that speaks. Tone, pace and distan....
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do.for.life
Two nervous systems in one space.
Before logic, it is the body that speaks. Tone, pace and distance convey the message. If a body senses hurry or urgency, it becomes guarded. If it senses space, it opens up.
Consent is clarity you Read More
Posted:
Posture before motion.Before they can hear you, they can feel you. Quiet eyes widen the field of....
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do.for.life
Posture before motion.
Before they can hear you, they can feel you. Quiet eyes widen the field of vision. Keep your centre low and your spine tall. A longer exhale slows the rush and turns reactivity into choice.
Micro-practice:
Stand with your feet Read More
Posted:
Two nervous systems, one space.Before logic, we feel each other. Your tone, pace, and distance a....
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do.for.life
Two nervous systems, one space.
Before logic, we feel each other. Your tone, pace, and distance are the signal. If the body hears hurry or fix, it guards. If it feels room, it opens.
Micro-practice
Receive — soften eyes, one exhale.
Clarify — “Would Read More
Posted:
You try to help. They tense up. Why?Because two nervous systems are sharing the same space. Your....
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do.for.life
You try to help. They tense up. Why?
Because two nervous systems are sharing the same space. Your signal reaches their body before their brain can process it. If the body hears 'hurry' or 'fix', it guards itself.
The hidden cost: misattuned Read More
Posted:
Receiving isn’t agreeing—it’s letting reality land before you shape it.R · C · CReceive ....
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do.for.life
Receiving isn’t agreeing—it’s letting reality land before you shape it.
R · C · C
Receive — breathe once, feel your feet.
Clarify — ask one clean question: “What matters most?”
Choose — yes, reshape, or not yet.
Tiny practice (today):
Say: “Yes to X. Not Read More
Posted:
Offer ≠ pressure.A real offer can hold one human beat.When someone asks for your time, help, t....
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do.for.life
Offer ≠ pressure.
A real offer can hold one human beat.
When someone asks for your time, help, touch, or attention, your nervous system may choose peace first. That’s survival—not weakness. Add one beat before you answer; if the request softens or Read More
Posted:
You don’t need a harder no.You need one human beat.When someone asks for your time, help, touc....
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do.for.life
You don’t need a harder no.
You need one human beat.
When someone asks for your time, help, touch, or attention, your nervous system often chooses peace first. That’s survival—not weakness. But a fast yes has a price: over-giving, quiet resentment, and Read More
Posted:
Most pressure is released when it meets a single beat. Add a human beat before your next respons....
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do.for.life
Most pressure is released when it meets a single beat. Add a human beat before your next response. Offers can accommodate pauses, but pressure cannot.
Practise by asking one clean question after 'Thank you': 'What stood out to you?'
If Read More
Posted:
Receive Without Losing Yourself
Do for Life | Embodied Philosopy
Do for Life | Embodied Philosopy
Receive Without Losing Yourself Most of us either take everything in and disappear—or guard so hard nothing gets in. Here’s the third way: receive well without losing you.
Practice R·C·C (Receive · Clarify · Choose) you can feel in your body—then apply it at work Read More
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Posted:
A 40-second reset for messy decisions: look at one subject line (See), let one out-breath finish....
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do.for.life
A 40-second reset for messy decisions: look at one subject line (See), let one out-breath finish (Beat), then Move—reply, schedule, or park. That tiny beat reduces threat, cuts impulse, and clarifies intent.
Same rhythm works at doors (step quietly), in Read More
Posted:
The framework is simple: See (stabilize attention—quiet eyes), Beat (one human beat, often hal....
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do.for.life
The framework is simple: See (stabilize attention—quiet eyes), Beat (one human beat, often half a breath where your inner brake clicks in), Move (clean release—no push, no rush).
In that beat, the brain can veto the first impulse and timing Read More
Posted:
Win the Beat Before the Move
Do for Life | Embodied Philosopy
Do for Life | Embodied Philosopy
Win the Beat Before the Move A tiny, deliberate beat inside the motion can change everything. In this episode I show how to See · Beat · Move: a reverse punch that stops 3–5 cm short (no contact), a quiet off-line step across a taped—or felt—line, Read More
Show Comments
Posted:
Precision without impact: from chamber, take one human beat (let the out-breath finish), then ex....
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do.for.life
Precision without impact: from chamber, take one human beat (let the out-breath finish), then extend and stop 3–5 cm short of the taped dot. Compare rushed vs with the beat: the sound, the ease, the control.
With a partner’s open Read More
Posted:
A tiny, deliberate pause inside the motion changes timing, tone, and trust.In martial arts, I ca....
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do.for.life
A tiny, deliberate pause inside the motion changes timing, tone, and trust.
In martial arts, I call it the human beat: eyes settle, one breath finishes, then movement releases—clean and quiet. This isn’t freezing or delay; it’s shared timing that Read More
Posted:
Don’t run a silent ledger. Scope your yes so it stays kind to both sides: “Yes—ten minutes....
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do.for.life
Don’t run a silent ledger. Scope your yes so it stays kind to both sides: “Yes—ten minutes now. Longer tomorrow.” Or “Not yet. Fits me better at 3 pm.” Clear scope prevents resentment later and makes mutual benefit visible. In Read More
Posted:
Hedged boundaries invite pressure: “I’m probably not available.” Try it clean: “I’m no....
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do.for.life
Hedged boundaries invite pressure: “I’m probably not available.” Try it clean: “I’m not available today.” You can soften the tone—warm voice, kind face—without softening the words. Clarity lowers the temperature and protects the relationship. Micro-script: State the boundary → offer Read More
Posted:
Kind boundaries aren’t walls—they’re shape.A clean no protects trust. A clear yes gives di....
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do.for.life
Kind boundaries aren’t walls—they’re shape.
A clean no protects trust. A clear yes gives direction. Not yet keeps timing honest.
Try the tiny sequence today: Ask “Ready?” → Pause one breath → Act only with yes. Scope your yes if needed: “Ten Read More
Posted:
Your body tells the truth before the words. Stand where you are. Inhale 4, exhale 6. Say yes—n....
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do.for.life
Your body tells the truth before the words. Stand where you are. Inhale 4, exhale 6. Say yes—notice. Say no—notice. Say not yet—notice again. Which one settles your shoulders and slows your breath? That’s your starting point. In teams and Read More
Posted:
A clean no keeps trust. A clear yes keeps direction. Not yet keeps timing honest.In non-contact ....
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do.for.life
A clean no keeps trust. A clear yes keeps direction. Not yet keeps timing honest.
In non-contact practice we let choice set the beat: feet steady, longer exhale, then a small step we both agree on. Mutual benefit isn’t 50/50 every Read More
Posted:

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