Striking in a Grappling Art

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My Kindle, science fiction, fantasy books are filled with martial arts adventures. Stories that become intertwined with philosophic matters throughout the story-line. I draw heavily on my martial art training and experience for much of the story-line. The following are links to my Kindle version books from the "Dream Walker” series. My stories are about martial arts adventures that are intertwined with paranormal or supernatural events. The following links are to the Kindle version books from the "Dream Walker” series. Our adventurers find themselves on a quest where they are confronted with both conspiracy and mystery. Their challenge is to unite their mind and body skills together utilizing what they have learned in the martial arts with the transcendental power of dream mediation. They attempt to do this while they are trying to make a life for themselves and elude those that seek to use and control them.

Conversations with a Sage (Book 1 of the Dream-Walker)

Conversations with a Sage: This explores Xander Davidson's early encounters with the mysterious fog like Dream Walking martial art sages. He ponders if they are real or if they are only remnants of his dreams. He mainly keeps this secret world to himself as he tries to copes with abuse, growing up without support or guidance and the mystery of his family's past. 

Xander and the Assassins Gift (Book 2 of the Dream-Walker)

The Assassins Gift: Xander Davidson struggles with the conspiracy of his family and the group that is actively trying to manipulate him to join them or die. The young Dream Walkers learns an early lesson to be careful about whom they let into their circle.


Warriors of Perception (Book 3 of the Dream-Walker)

Warriors of Perception: Xander Davidson and his band of friends embark on a mission to free themselves from their oppressors. They bravely face the challenge all the while vying for the right moment to turn the tables.

Jace Lee The Shift (Book 4 of the Dream-Walker)

Jace Lee The Shift: We find a new apprentice, Adam, that is fighting for his life. He is struggling to understand the amazing skills of his mentor, Jace Lee; a younger man that has trained under Xander Davidson. All the while his mentor attempts to reconcile the fact that his skills do not match up with the other Dream Walkers.


Jace Lee No Agenda (Dream Walker Book 5)

Jace Lee No Agenda: Jace Lee attempts to find himself on a self-imposed vision quest of sorts. Instead he finds himself being stalked by the same group that had previously sought after his teacher, (Xander Davidson). Instead of mastering his odd Dream Walking skills he finds love and the potential loss of his powers.

Jace Lee and the Tutelage of Ming Wu: Dream Walker 6 

Jace Lee The Tutelage of Ming Wu: Jace Lee rejoins his teacher Xander Davidson as they cope with a possible combined threat (the mysterious), Ming Wu and the Council that has continuously monitored the Dream Walkers.       

Striking in a Grappling Art

 "All warfare is based on deception," Sun Tzu

Striking in a grappling art is based on the above quoted principle. It is the secret weapon of the Yin and Yang in seemingly passive resistance related arts. After all, it's the blow that you never expect that catches you off guard. The same can be true in reverse as well, often the techniques that are listed as strikes in grappling arts, secretly are meant to be throws. Likewise a blow can off balance you for a throw in a striking art. So, it is at this juncture that these two truths In and Yo or Yin and Yang meet. This article could have been named grappling in a striking art just as easily. The main difference is in the approach, or the attitude of the delivery system. While several styles combine the two practices, the subtlety of the practice is where the greatest benefit comes into play.



Often times when strikes are implemented into the mix, the focus changes to one of tagging instead of joining. This competition tends to make you learn to take or trade the blows, but while mental and physical toughness is highly valued, it is not the goal. The problem is with the addition of the competition to tag someone (usually hard and/or fast), there often comes an additional mindset. The additional mindset is especially dangerous to include on the street. The danger is in the mindset of attrition, on the street a single blow can lead to death. As in a knockout when you hit your head falling to the pavement can kill either you or your opponent. This can happen even if the scuffle was only intended to knock someone down to shut them up, or to force them to back off. In addition to that, on the street you may have the danger of multiple attackers. This can be compounded by weapons that might be involved, so the taking a blow mindset can be disastrous.



A grappling style approach, should in my view, incorporate striking training practice to utilize while performing the joining movement of the system. The situation then dictates wither the movement is implemented as a blow, or just the coming together blending to off balance. If the blow is used and the subject is knocked unconscious, then they are close enough to catch thereby avoiding any additional impact. If the situation is still dangerous and fluid, then their body can serve as a temporary shield while one makes the escape or deals with the next problem. Although joining with the attacker seems to appear as weakness (especially to hard stylist), often time it is not. It is just a deception.

“Appear weak when you are strong, and strong when you are weak.” Sun Tzu,