Who knows where this legend comes from, but it almost always starts with an unassuming traveler and the thug looking to start trouble. As he strides up, he notices the traveler picking black flecks off his rice (or catching them out of the air) with his chopsticks. The thug retreats in terror—the black flecks are live flies! If this mystical warrior can catch flies mid-flight with his chopsticks, what do you think he’d do to you?

It’s oft-repeated martial arts tale attributed to numerous people, among them Japan’s greatest swordsman, Miyamoto Musashi and Hollywood’s favorite magical Asian, Mr. Miyagi.

Now imagine if this traveler took on students, but because the path to learning what techniques truly work is so long, painful and even dangerous he decided just to teach the chopstick and fly trick instead.