Last week, I had the privilege of traveling to Sarasota, Florida, to work with Lavonne Martin and her team in preparation for the Living Mechanics Annual Conference over the weekend. This marked our third year hosting this event, and with each passing year, the depth and quality of the material we explore continue to evolve. This was our first time having the conference in Florida and it was fantastic. During our training we got to touch on some unique topics and that is what we are going to discuss in this article.
What Makes Living Mechanics Unique?
The Living Mechanics Jiu-Jitsu program takes a distinctive approach to grappling and combat strategy. Unlike traditional sport-based Jiu-Jitsu, it is structured from the ground up to work seamlessly with Everyday Carry (EDC) firearms and edged weapons. This is a crucial distinction because many common grappling positions—while effective in a pure Jiu-Jitsu setting—do not translate well into a real-world fight where weapons and multiple attackers may be factors.
Living Mechanics ensures that every position you find yourself in has tactical viability beyond just grappling. Whether on your feet or on the ground, we emphasize positioning that allows you to deliver destructive force when necessary and, most importantly, avoid getting stuck in a vulnerable situation.
A portion of this approach draws from the Keysi Fighting Method (KFM), which prioritizes self-defense against multiple attackers. By incorporating KFM’s principles, even our grappling tactics are chosen based on real-world applicability, not just isolated one-on-one scenarios. This broader combat perspective ensures that students develop skills that work in high-stress, dynamic environments rather than just controlled training settings.
Over 18 years ago, I began teaching defensive tactics at the Executive Protection Institute (EPI) in Virginia. Since then, I have remained the lead defensive tactics instructor for EPI, working with countless protection professionals, law enforcement agencies, and security teams across the United States. Around 17 years ago, I launched my own tactical training business, which led to the design and development of specialized defensive tactics programs for multiple agencies and organizations. This exposure to the real-world applications of combative training made me reassess my own Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practice.
I began integrating a training kit that included a firearm and an edged weapon into my grappling and tumbling drills. Over time, I realized that many of the traditional techniques I had learned were not optimized for these scenarios. Eventually, I came to a critical realization—it wasn’t just about modifying techniques; I needed to go back and change the very fundamentals of the system itself. The core mechanics I had originally been taught had to be restructured in order to be truly effective in an environment where weapons and real-world violence were factors. As my understanding deepened, I began developing a new training curriculum—one that was specifically designed to align with my personal goals in grappling and real-world combat application. This process ultimately led to the creation of the Living Mechanics system.
Along the way, I drew upon my four decades of martial arts experience, integrating principles and methodologies from multiple disciplines, including Chinese Kung Fu, Burmese fighting systems, Filipino Martial Arts (FMA), Indonesian Silat, and other global combat arts. Each of these influences reshaped and refined what would eventually become the Living Mechanics system—a practical, adaptable, and fundamentally sound approach to grappling, striking, and weapon-based combat.
The journey of evolution, adaptation, and refinement continues, and I remain committed to pushing the boundaries of what is effective, efficient, and functional in modern combative training. While you will see a lot of the fundamentals for positioning and movement in the living mechanics program, if you are looking for more of the techniques that came out of the study, those will be found in the C-Tac program.
A Deep Dive into Joint Expansion and Longevity Training
One of the special topics I covered at this year’s conference was Joint Expansion, a principle I first encountered in my teen years while training in Chinese Kung Fu. Over the decades, this concept has become a cornerstone of my physical maintenance and injury recovery, and it’s something I integrate into the Warrior’s Path Physical Culture Method. Warriors Path is my own expression and methodology of multiple different physical development and maintenance skills that I have learned from the different Martial Arts I have trained in my career. WP focuses on Breathwork, Strength Development, Self-Leadership • Warrior’s Mindset, Expansion & Joint Mobility just to name a few areas of it’s study.
What is Expansion?
At its core, Expansion refers to the ability to decompress the joints of the body—a process that most people assume requires an external apparatus or tool. Many devices on the market claim to help with joint decompression, but whatmost people don’t realize is that this is a trainable skill. With the right educational path and training, you can learn to expand and decompress your joints naturally, much like you would train flexibility or strength. Of course, like in a good thing learning to do this skill takes a little time but the great thing about it is once you have obtained the skill it is something that will stay with you for the rest of your life.
When approaching expansion training, I structure the study by focusing on the major joints of the torso, breaking them down into three key areas. The first two areas are what I refer to as the Upper and Lower Bow—these are the spaces between the shoulders and the hip joints, respectively. These two areas are the foundation of expansion training and are typically the first focus for beginners, as they are the easiest to develop control over.
The third area of study is the spinal column, which I refer to as the Central Bow or the Spinal Bow. The goal here is to expand and decompress the entire spinal column, but due to its complexity, this process requires a more gradual approach. In the early stages, we break this down into three sections: the upper spine, middle spine, and lower spine. Unlike the first two bows, the spinal column does not easily expand as a single unit, especially for beginners. Therefore, we train each section separately before working towards full spinal decompression and expansion as a unified movement.
To develop this skill, I teach fundamental exercises that can be performed in both standing and lying positions. These exercises allow students to build the necessary body awareness and control to progressively develop joint expansion, mobility, and structural alignment over time.This training is often practiced in conjunction with various forms of breath training. I’ve covered different breathing methods in previous articles, so I won’t go into detail here. However, alongside breath control, there is also a deep focus on posture and skeletal alignment. Proper posture and alignment training is a lost art, yet it is just as critical to body development and long-term maintenance as expansion training. When neglected, poor alignment can lead to inefficient movement, chronic pain, and reduced performance, whereas proper skeletal alignment enhances strength, flexibility, and overall resilience.
Ultimately, once a practitioner develops a solid foundation in each of these areas, they are trained together as an integrated system. Expansion, breath control, and skeletal alignment work hand in hand, creating a comprehensive approach to optimizing the body’s function, durability, and efficiency over time. This training is often practiced in conjunction with various forms of breath training. I’ve covered different breathing methods in previous articles, so I won’t go into detail here. However, alongside breath control, there is also a deep focus on posture and skeletal alignment. Proper posture and alignment training is a lost art, yet it is just as critical to body development and long-term maintenance as expansion training. When neglected, poor alignment can lead to inefficient movement, chronic pain, and reduced performance, whereas proper skeletal alignment enhances strength, flexibility, and overall resilience.
Ultimately, once a practitioner develops a solid foundation in each of these areas, they are trained together as an integrated system. Expansion, breath control, and skeletal alignment work hand in hand, creating a comprehensive approach to optimizing the body’s function, durability, and efficiency over time.
“Take care of your body. It’s the only place you have to live.”
Jim Rohn
Additional articles on Breath and Expansion can be found here: Expanding Beyond Contraction – The Power of the Breath
What is Physical Culture?
Physical Culture is a holistic approach to health, fitness, and human performance that extends far beyond conventional exercise or sport. It focuses on developing strength, mobility, endurance, and overall well-being, integrating physical training, mental discipline, and lifestyle habits to create a resilient and capable individual. While the concept has existed for centuries, it gained significant momentum in the 19th and early 20th centuries through strongmen, gymnasts, and health reformers who promoted a comprehensive system of bodyweight training, resistance exercises, breath control, and recovery methods as essential for long-term vitality. This movement laid the groundwork for modern strength training, calisthenics, and martial arts conditioning programs.
Unlike many fitness trends that focus purely on aesthetics or short-term gains, Physical Culture is about long-term, sustainable development—training not just for performance but for lifelong health and functional movement. It involves building real strength, improving mobility and flexibility, mastering breathwork and recovery techniques, and cultivating the mindset and discipline necessary to maintain these practices consistently.
In my own teaching, Physical Culture is a fundamental pillar of my Warrior’s Path, Self-Leadership, and Living Mechanics programs. These systems are designed to develop the body and mind in unison, ensuring that practitioners are not only strong and skilled but also adaptable and durable. Through Living Mechanics, we apply Physical Culture principles directly to grappling, striking, and real-world combat scenarios, ensuring that every movement is based on intelligent mechanics, proper body alignment, and progressive training methods. Similarly, the Warrior’s Path Physical Culture method goes beyond martial arts, helping individuals forge a resilient body, maintain longevity, and develop the discipline to lead themselves effectively. The Self-Leadership Program ties these elements together by fostering a mindset of personal growth, accountability, and mastery over one’s own physical and mental state.
At its core, Physical Culture is about cultivating a body that is strong, mobile, and resilient—not just for sport, but for life itself. Whether in martial arts, personal protection, or everyday movement, the principles of strength, adaptability, and self-leadership ensure that individuals can perform at their highest level for decades to come.
The Benefits of Joint Expansion Training
1. Stronger Connective Tissue – Consistent Expansion training conditions the ligaments and tendons, making them denser, stronger, and more resilient over time. This is something that I have experienced personally in my training since I first learned how to do this skill set.
2. Greater Flexibility & Mobility – Unlike traditional static stretching, Expansion promotes both strength and flexibility, creating looser, healthier joints without sacrificing stability. Strength training is actually a part of the platform for learning how to do expansion work. In my program, I will commonly mix in several forms of stone warrior strength training that I have learned from various forms of kung fu in my career.
3. Injury Prevention & Recovery – Expansion has played a major role in my ability to recover from injuries and maintain high-level physical performance even as I age. For those that do not know me personally I have had several major surgeries in the last few years, and have had a tremendous recovery from these events due to implementing this training as part of the recovery plan.
4. Better Skeletal Alignment & Posture – When paired with proper structural alignment, Expansion helps keep the body balanced and efficient, reducing wear and tear on the joints. This is a core element that you will see in Chinese Qigong exercises. I have practiced and taught Qigong for over 30 years and can contest to its effectiveness and it’s long-term effect on your health overall.
5. The ability to use the skill of expansion in your training – one of the reasons expansion is trained in the Chinese martial arts is because it can be used in addition to your combat skills. Projection is a multiplier, what you have learned how to do it. It is something that you can add into your training and into your application that will only make you better. I can personally bounce for this because I have used this skill for the majority of my career.
6. Higher Levels Of Physical Control – One of the unique benefits of studying this material is the development of advanced physical discipline. As you progress, you gain a greater degree of control over your body, allowing you to move with more precision, efficiency, and adaptability. This increased awareness and mastery over movement translate into enhanced physical capability, enabling you to perform at a higher athletic level and execute movements that were previously beyond your ability. Through this study, you don’t just improve strength or flexibility—you refine how your body functions as a whole, unlocking new levels of performance, coordination, and efficiency.
Most people focus on muscle strength and endurance, but connective tissue—including tendons, ligaments, and fascia—is just as crucial for injury prevention, mobility, and long-term performance. These tissues stabilize joints, support movement, and absorb stress, making them essential for durability and resilience.
Weak connective tissue increases the risk of injury, chronic pain, and restricted movement. Unlike muscles, these tissues take longer to heal, so strengthening them proactively through resistance training, expansion exercises, and mobility work is key to stability and longevity. Well-conditioned fascia and tendons also enhance explosive power, endurance, and efficiency, helping athletes and martial artists generate force without power leaks.
Beyond performance, connective tissue health influences pain management and posture. Tight, dysfunctional fascia can limit movement and cause discomfort, while strong, elastic connective tissues improve flexibility, recovery, and overall function. Prioritizing joint expansion, breathwork, and skeletal alignment ensures you stay injury-free, mobile, and physically capable for life. Whether in martial arts, athletics, or daily movement, taking care of your connective tissue is essential for long-term strength and resilience.
“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”
Benjamin Franklin
Why This Information is Rarely Taught
Unfortunately, much of this knowledge has been lost over time, especially in the modern fitness industry. While traditional Chinese martial arts have long understood joint conditioning and Expansion, few instructors today actively teach these methods, let alone organize them into a systematic training program. Additionally, most of the Qigong taught in the U.S. primarily emphasizes healing and wellness, often neglecting the broader scope of its practice. Traditionally, Qigong is divided into three major areas of study: Health Gong, Scholar Gong, and Warrior Gong. While Health Gong is widely practiced and taught in the West, the Scholar and Warrior branches are rarely seen—let alone systematically taught. This is unfortunate, as much of the material we are discussing comes from the warrior-focused branches of Qigong, which emphasize strength development, structural integrity, and combative application alongside internal energy cultivation.
At the Living Mechanics Conference, many attendees had never even heard of Expansion before, yet after experiencing it firsthand, they were eager to learn more. This response reaffirmed how valuable this knowledge is—not just for martial artists but for anyone looking to preserve their physical health and longevity.
This past weekend in Sarasota was a powerful reminder of why I do what I do. Whether we were breaking down grappling mechanics, discussing self-defense strategy, or diving into long-term physical development, the enthusiasm and dedication of the attendees made the entire experience worthwhile.
If you’re someone who is looking to expand your knowledge, improve your movement, and build a more resilient body, I encourage you to explore these concepts further. The path to lifelong strength, mobility, and durability is not limited to genetics—it is a learnable skill and one that can transform the way you move and perform at any age.
I look forward to continuing these conversations at future events and sharing more insights along the way. Until next time
Sifu Alan Baker is a nationally respected authority in Defensive Tactics Program Development, High-Performance Coaching, and martial arts, with over 45 years of training experience across multiple systems. As a lifelong martial artist and tactical instructor, Alan has dedicated his career to creating practical, adaptable, and effective training systems for real-world application. He has worked extensively with law enforcement agencies, military units, and private security professionals, designing programs that emphasize scenario-based training, everyday carry (EDC) integration, and combative efficiency under pressure.
Alan’s client list includes elite organizations such as the Executive Protection Institute, Vehicle Dynamics Institute, The Warrior Poet Society, ALIVE Active Shooter Training, Tactical 21, and Retired Navy SEAL Jason Redman, among many others. He is the creator of both the C-Tac® (Civilian Tactical Training Association) and Protection Response Tactics (PRT) programs—two widely respected systems that provide realistic, principle-based training for civilians and professionals operating in high-risk environments.
In addition to his tactical and martial arts work, Alan is the founder of the Warrior’s Path Physical Culture Program, a holistic approach to strength, mobility, and long-term health rooted in traditional martial arts and the historic principles of physical culture. This program integrates breathwork, structural alignment, joint expansion, strength training, and mental discipline, offering a complete framework for building a resilient body and a powerful mindset. Drawing from his training in Chinese Kung Fu, Filipino Martial Arts, Indonesian Silat, Burmese systems, and more, Alan combines decades of experience into a method that is both modern and deeply rooted in timeless warrior traditions.
Alan is also the architect of multiple online video academies, giving students worldwide access to in-depth training in his systems, including Living Mechanics Jiu-Jitsu, C-Tac® Combatives, breathwork, functional mobility, and weapons integration. These platforms allow for structured, self-paced learning while connecting students to a growing global community of practitioners.
Beyond physical training, Alan is a sought-after Self-Leadership Coach, working with high performers, professionals, and individuals on personal growth journeys. His coaching emphasizes clarity, discipline, focus, and accountability, helping people break through mental limitations and align their daily actions with long-term goals. His work is built on the belief that true mastery begins with the ability to lead oneself first, and through that, to lead others more effectively.
Alan is also the author of three books that encapsulate his philosophy and approach: The Warrior’s Path, which outlines the mindset and habits necessary for self-leadership and personal mastery; The Universal Principles of Change, a practical guide for creating lasting transformation; and Morning Mastery, a structured approach to building a powerful daily routine grounded in physical culture and discipline.
To explore Alan’s books, digital academies, live training opportunities, or to inquire about seminars and speaking events, visit his official website and take the next step on your path toward strength, resilience, and mastery.