An important part of manhood has always been about having the competence to be effective in the world — having the breadth of skills, the savoir-faire, to handle any situation you find yourself in. With that in mind, each Sunday we’ll be republishing one of the illustrated guides from our archives, so you can hone your manly know-how week by week.

Man who catch fly with chopstick, accomplish anything.  — Mr. Miyagi, The Karate Kid

The Karate Kid taught kids of the 80s a lot about bravery, integrity, and — of course — rad chopsticks moves. The scenes where Mr. Miyagi and Daniel-san try to catch houseflies between the tips of their chopsticks are among the most exciting moments in utensil movie history. To get to that level of chopstick zen mastery, you’ll need a lot of practice on easier targets, like sweet and sour chicken. But, with time, you may just find yourself tossing out your fly swatter. Be patient; remember, it even took Mr. Miyagi himself until Karate Kid II to finally snag a fly himself. 

Of course your chopstick skills won’t only allow you to get rid of household pests, but to deftly eat Asian cuisine at restaurants and when traveling without resorting to asking for a fork.

Illustrated by Ted Slampyak