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Water Mountain's Blog

Hi, and thank you for visiting Water Mountain’s Blog.  We are bringing you great Nerd Articles, Vids, Humor and the Training Experience.

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Explainer Vids

Master Mikel Steenrod speaking about struggle as growth in martial arts and Qi Gong

Struggling?

Struggling? – A Teaching from Water Mountain Struggle isn’t failure—it’s growth in action. In this short video, Master Mikel Steenrod...
Grim Reaper looms large until the martial artist overcomes the fear it represents.

Squash Fears Power

In this Flagstaff martial arts video, Master Steenrod explains how fear warps decisions and how kung fu practice helps you...
How Qi Affects Life

How Qi Storage Affects Your Life

Master Steenrod talks about the different ways qi storage affects our lives and how our life choices can change it....

Pro Arnis

Pro Arnis Double Stick Cover Shot

Pro Arnis Double Stick

A demonstration of two of the double stick patterns used in Pro Arnis....
Pro Arnis Triceps Lever Takedown

3 Pro Arnis Takedowns

Video of Professional Arnis Takedowns 1-3, including Bicep, Tricep, and Throat Lever....
Middle-aged man in black shirt holding baston in a striking stance with bold text reading “Pro Arnis – Filipino Martial Arts for Self-Defense, Coaching, Competition”

What Is Pro Arnis? A Complete Guide to Professional Filipino Martial Arts

Explore Pro Arnis, short for Professional Arnis—a Filipino Martial Arts system built for real-world self-defense, coaching, and competition. Available locally...

High Altitude Martial Arts, Focused on Flagstaff, AZ

View of the Flagstaff high desert with a dirt trail leading toward snow-capped mountains under a cold winter sky, with the article title overlaid.

Training Outdoors in the Cold, Dry High Desert of Flagstaff, AZ

Training in Flagstaff’s cold, dry high desert requires the right approach. This guide explains how to prepare, breathe, hydrate, move,...
Flagstaff martial artist trains outdoors in High Desert.

Smart Martial Arts in Flagstaff’s High Altitude Sun

Flagstaff martial artists face unique challenges when training outdoors at 7,000 feet. This guide offers smart strategies to handle intense...

Hydration in a High-Desert Environment: Flagstaff, AZ

Stay hydrated in Flagstaff’s high-desert climate! Learn essential hydration tips for martial artists and outdoor enthusiasts to maintain peak performance...

Training Insights

Cover Image for Inside the Montage showing ancient stairs and a bucket

Inside the Montage–Carry The Buckets

Explore the truth behind martial arts training. Beyond movie montages lies the real journey—sweat, repetition, and strength. Discover how Water...
Martial artist with a moral connection that transcends the spiritual.

Martial Arts and Spiritual Brain Washing

Martial arts may look spiritual, but they’re not. This popular article breaks down the real relationship between kung fu and...

Hot vs. Cold Baths: Which Is Best for Martial Artists?

Discover the benefits of hot, cold, and contrast baths for martial artists. Learn when to use each to recover faster...

Wellness and Fitness

Sphinx Yoga Pose

Sphinx Yoga Pose-Little Looser W Lisa

A simple step by step explanation of the yoga pose known as the Sphinx, from the Little Looser w Lisa...
See the 3 Easy Pushup variations

3 Easy Pushups–Fitness Bits

In this webisode, Coach Brendan demonstrates three pushup forms....

10 Best Core Exercises for Kung Fu

Build devastating power and lasting endurance with these 10 essential core exercises for Kung Fu—targeting strength, rotation, and stability for...

Nutrition

Smiling mixed-race martial artist sitting with his pug at a table with a balanced meal of quinoa, salmon, broccoli, and chickpeas.

Dietary Guidelines for the Amateur Martial Artist

Practical, evidence-minded nutrition for amateur martial artists—now with expanded meal-timing guidance (pre/intra/post) and a high-altitude section for Flagstaff-style training. Learn...
Two martial artists in a gym exchange a meal container. A black martial artist hands a sealed Tupperware dish to a seated, white martial artist with red hand wraps, emphasizing nutrition, recovery, and camaraderie in training.

Martial Arts Nutrition: A Beginner’s Guide to Fueling Your Training

Start here: a practical, down-to-earth nutrition guide for martial arts beginners. Learn what to eat before and after class, how...
Plant-Based Testosterone Diet for Martial Artists

Plant-Based Testosterone Diet for Martial Artists

Plant-Based Testosterone Diet for Martial Artists – A guide for vegan and vegetarian fighters. Learn how lentils, tofu, tempeh, nuts,...

Weapons

Four traditional martial arts weapons on wooden surface with overlay text reading Martial Arts Weapons

Martial Arts Weapons: Complete Guide to Types, History, and Training Benefits

Martial Arts Weapons: A complete guide to history, types, and training benefits. Learn why traditional weapons like broadsword and staff...
2 Spears Clashing

Slo Mo Spear Match

A spear match outdoors is slowed to 1/20th of a second intervals to reveal the finesse of the exchange....
Video featuring a slo mo of a broadsword match.

Slo Mo Sword Match

A fantastic, unscripted clip of a sword match made of still frames at 1/20th of a sec. IRL time is...

Qi Gong

A diverse group of adults attentively listening to a Qi Gong instructor in a calm indoor setting, illustrating a wellness talk on energy flow for long life in Flagstaff.

What Is the Best Qi Flow for Health and Long Life?

What’s the best way to circulate qi for a longer, healthier life? In this talk, Qi Gong Master Mikel Steenrod...
A female mule deer stands calmly in a golden meadow at sunset with the San Francisco Peaks in the background. Text on the image reads “Qi Gong Weather Report – December 6, 2025 – Returning to Center.”

Qi Gong Weather Report – December 6, 2025

Early Winter Qi, Rest Without Collapse: Today’s qi encourages gentle inwardness—rest without sinking into deep yin. Includes video, study guide,...
Close-up of a weathered stone Yin–Yang symbol lit with cinematic realism, representing the energetic tension and balance described in the Qi Gong Weather Report for November 6, 2025.

Qi Gong Weather Report: November 6, 2025

In this week’s video, Master Steenrod describes an unprecedented dual rise of Yin and Yang. Hal Winthrop investigates whether the...

Kung Fu

A split-screen image of a middle-aged East Asian man demonstrating Tai Chi on the left and Shaolin Kung Fu on the right. The left side is labeled “Internal – Tai Chi” with a soft blue background, while the right is labeled “External – Shaolin” against a warm red tone. Bold title text reads “Internal vs External Kung Fu.

Internal vs External Kung Fu Styles: Tai Chi vs Shaolin Explained

Curious about the difference between internal and external kung fu styles? This guide breaks it down with real examples—comparing Tai...

10 Best Core Exercises for Kung Fu

Build devastating power and lasting endurance with these 10 essential core exercises for Kung Fu—targeting strength, rotation, and stability for...
Kung Fu Pose Rising Spear With Spear

Kung Fu Poses: Intermediate Level

Kung Fu Master Steenrod demonstrates 5 intermediate poses for the kung fu practitioner with brief practice notes....
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