Stefan's Newsletter - April '08

Note: Images in this newsletter are linked from my website instead of inserted into the body. Your mail server may block the images until you click the 'Allow Images' box.

My latest article for Black Belt April issue is on newsstands now.

The Dragon's Gaze                    

Why You Should Not Focus in Combat - A Scientific Explanation.

This article explores the cognitive and physiological concept of 'Focus' in the martial arts and when and how to use an alternative observation technique called diffuse focus.

You can read all my previously published articles here:

See my new bio on Black Belt Mag's website here: http://www.blackbeltmag.com/stefan_verstappen/archives/762

Video

I have up-loaded a clip of my appearance on LATV’s Local Explorer show broadcast two years ago here in La La Land.

Co Hosts Elina Chang and Kelly Howard are riding their bikes along the Ventura Bike Trail (See photos here:) when they come across the long abandoned and mysterious Foster Bowl. The intrepid couple brave the forbidding staircase to the bowl where they happen upon the Phantom of the Foster! (yours truly)

Youtube clip here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lLhtH-XVv8

Little Warrior Safety Tips on Video

I have cut and edited eight short safety clips from a training video I made in Houston six years ago. These are less than a minute each and teach children some important street safety tips. http://www.chinastrategies.com/vidpage.htm

I recently scanned and up-loaded two comic strips from my college cartoonist/barfly days. Back in '79. The Absinthe was the coolest college pub at York and if you ever worked at a college pub you will probably like them, if not, you'll probably be bored to tears! http://www.chinastrategies.com/zero.htm

I recently met with martial arts legend and author Joe Hyams.

He is the author of one of my favourite books, Zen and the Martial Arts. (Check out his book on Amazon) http://www.amazon.com/Zen-Martial-Arts-Joe-Hyams/dp/0553275593

For those of you too young to know this, Joe Hyams was a student of Ed Parker, Bruce Lee and other martial arts luminaries. He has written over 25 books (one with Chuck Norris), is well known in Hollywood  and was a close friend of my favourite movie star Humphrey Bogart.

Joe and his lovely wife Lisa were gracious enough to stop by Ventura on their way back to Colorado and we had a great talk on the patio of the Crown Plaza Hotel on Ventura Beach.

At 85 Joe still trains everyday.

Trivia

So I was googling myself and found that I’m referenced in Roger Ebert’s Movie Yearbook 2007, page 924.

Huh? Roger Ebert ??!!

Well it seems he read my article on balance in Black Belt and quoted from it for an article. You can read the article on-line here: http://www.ocregister.com/ocregister/entertainment/atoz/article_1157631.php

Go figure.

You can read the original article I wrote for Black Belt Magazine here: The Real Sixth Sense