Facts about Martial Arts for Kids - Part 4

“How important is age?”

In a nutshell, age is extremely important. A child who cannot handle being in kindergarten, or pre-school, will not be able to concentrate in a martial arts class. Before five years of age, any child who can focus in a martial arts class is exceptional.

We have successfully trained a few children who were, or are, four years of age. I don’t want to turn away the next Bruce Lee or Mozart, when he or she comes along, but there are a few factors to consider when a child is very young.

1. Can he or she let go of a parent’s hand and work independently, in a classroom setting? This is very important, unless you can find a martial arts teacher that will teach parent and child, together, in the same classroom.

2. What are your true goals? When a parent has a lot of patience, it is much easier to accomplish realistic goals of focusing in a classroom, improved motor skills, and enhanced athletic abilities. However, instant success and precision performance are not likely. In many cases, young karate students tend to “shine” around seven years of age or older, so why put your child under pressure?

3. How much of a distraction is a young child going to be in a karate class? If your child is used to being the center of attention, this won’t work in a martial arts class. Time is shared with other students, and the objective is to learn everything in the daily lesson plan. This cannot be accomplished if a child is screaming for attention.

Within our Karate studio, in North Providence, we have a no pressure screening process for young children, as a measure, to see if joining our kids Karate classes will be a good relationship for the parents, child, and the Karate studio. This is why we have a free 30-day trial membership, with no obligations on either side.

As a parent, you want your child to get the optimum martial arts experience every time they train. This can only happen if the martial arts school establishes clear guidelines for conduct and if all the children participating are “team players.”

Otherwise, parents do not get their money’s worth and children waste time in a Karate class, while the child who gets the most attention is a discipline problem.

Within a child’s mind, being responsible for his or her actions is a matter of developing awareness, and everything is a new experience. As adults, we know that this knowledge comes with age, but each individual child grows at a different rate. Children are not “little adults,” and we cannot place adult expectations upon them.

If you put children into extremely high-pressure
situations, they will not continue to enjoy the activity. Whether it is martial arts, academic school, or little league baseball, it is healthy for parents and children to have goals, but we all have to learn to accept life’s little setbacks without worry.

? Copyright 2005 - Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

About the Author

Paul Jerard is the director of Yoga teacher training at Aura in RI. He’s a master instructor of martial arts and Yoga. He teaches Yoga, martial arts, and fitness. He wrote: Is Running a Yoga Business Right for You? For Yoga students wanting to be a Yoga teacher.
http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org

Learn How to Put Boxing Gloves
Your hands might get damaged or broken if you don’t properly take care of it for boxing. This process initiates by wrapping your hands with lengthy strips of cloth called ‘hand wraps’, this is followed by digging the hands into the boxing gloves. Here are few steps mentioned below which one should follow before putting on the boxing gloves.

Heavy Striking Power
The main striking power core of the Ancestor system employs Chong Lik (Heavy Power). Chong Lik can be classified as Soft as it relies on relaxation for its power generation. Others may know or refer to this type of power to as Dead Weight or Vibrating Power.

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Revolutionary Solution for Burgeoning Mixed Martial Arts Fan Base Hailed
A new website, MMAPredictions.com, offers an intuitive interface that is free of the complicated rules and point systems found in fantasy sports sites. (PRWeb Jul 3, 2007)

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UFCjunkie.com’s “Performify” Hired as a Fight! Magazine Columnist
UFCjunkie.com is proud to announce that UFCjunkie.com writer and mixed-martial arts wagering expert Eric "Performify" Foster has joined the experienced team of journalists, photographers and contributors working with FIGHT! magazine. (PRWeb Jul 14, 2007)

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ATTITUDE: “FAILURE IS NOT AN OPTION! - Keys to Martial Arts Mastery, Key #7

One of the most important traits of any successful person is one of total commitment and passion for what it is that they are doing. They see their goal; they devise a plan for reaching it; and, the set about doing what is necessary to attain that goal.

This is something that has been repeated in uncountable books on success and personal achievement as-well-as here in this newsletter. I have written and re-written about it - I have spoken and reiterated my points again and again in class. But still I see my students and others that I care about settling for average results and the unfortunate habit of excuse-making.

Why is this so?

I believe that it is due to our need to have a ‘back-up’ plan should we not succeed.

Not succeed?!

If we have set a realistic goal (growing gills and moving in with our goldfish is not a good example!), we have worked out a plan of action, and, we are prepared to do what’s necessary, why then would we need a plan of action should we not succeed?!

Now, I’m not being funny, or mean, or unrealistic. What I am doing is pointing out what I, and from what I have been able to find out about the psychology of success, every other successful person sees as a ‘flaw in logic.’

The flaw is in the understanding of ‘having a back-up plan if we don’t succeed.’ If we don’t succeed at what? If we’re following the plan and we’re on track, aren’t we getting at least closer all the time? And if not, what IS happening that is preventing us from reaching our goal - not enough time, an unforeseen circumstance, lack of experience, knowledge or resources?

The point here is that, very often, we set ourselves up for failure by designing something into the equation that will make it OK to fail. I don’t mean that we necessarily set out to fail, just that we provide an excuse before we need one.

Here’s an example. My son has a goal to enlist in the Navy. He is doing this to gain both knowledge and experience for a future job with a major airline as an aircraft engine mechanic. He has set up the necessary interviews, obtained the requirements for enlistment as-well as those for getting the job that he is after. Unfortunately he is overweight and as a result, will have to lose weight or, at the very least, get to a point where his measurements meet the minimum standards. He has set one date after another for the enlistment, but has not lost enough by each date to qualify for enlistment.

A friend of his, someone who is very concerned for his welfare has suggested heavily that he start looking for an apartment, as-well-as gathering information about car insurance, etc., just in case he doesn’t meet his latest goal. The idea being that he will have a back-up plan should he not make it.

A look at this story should bring one very important question to mind:

“What is the goal here?”

Is the goal to begin a career in the Navy or to move out on his own? While both would accomplish the later, this is not the goal. And the so-called back-up plan does not contribute to the attainment of that goal. In this scenario, failure - not attaining the desired goal - has been wired into the equation.

The point is not whether or not to have a back-up plan but to make sure that any such plans contribute to the accomplishment of the goal. This is more aptly called a ‘contingency plan.’

Why was he not able to enlist by those other dates? Setting an unrealistic time to accomplish the task? Not carrying through on what needed to be done? These are questions that a contingency plan will handle.

In these cases, his so-called back-up plans would include: moving the date, recommitting to the goal, giving himself a worse-case alternative as an incentive to achieving the goal, etc.

The idea here is that we need to clearly understand the goal and what we want to get. Then, any back-up or contingency plan would work to go over, under, around, or through any obstacles that popped up. It would not cause us to drop our goal and drastically change what we are doing as ‘just another option.’

Remember, to successful people…

..failure is never an option!

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Change Your Training Ground
Working out in the same place on the same surface can get you in a rut and leave you unprepared.

Submit Gear and Gold’s Gym Bridge the Gap between Bodybuilding and Mixed Martial Arts

Gold’s Gym, Training Ground, and Submit Gear Inc. are working together to create a training facility like no other.

The first of five Gold’s Gym locations will be re-opening in October located at 2440 Cawthra Rd. in Mississauga. The new 45,000 sq. ft. facility will be introducing mixed martial arts classes consisting of Muay Thai, Boxing and Jiu Jitsu and will be managed by Kru Gerald Ching of “Training Ground” . The gym will have a designated martial arts area consisting of a full size boxing ring, octagon, and floor space for classes.

There are more people training today in martial arts than ever before. With today’s tough competition, one of the key aspects to becoming a successful mixed martial arts fighter is impeccable physical conditioning.

“It makes perfect sense to offer weightlifting, cardio, and martial arts all under one roof” says Joe de Barros, president of Gold’s Gym.

Other features of the new location include: indoor basketball court, indoor beach volleyball (instructed by Canadian Olympic Team member Kara Zakrzewski), juice bar, hairdresser, esthetician, child playroom, personal training, nutrition counselling, and a pro shop.

Gold’s Gym will also be the first Canadian distributor of Submit Gear fight apparel, an online Mississauga-based clothing company (www.SubmitGear.com) which sells athletic apparel for fighters and fans. “We’ve just recently introduced our wholesale program, and to have Gold’s Gym as our first Canadian distributor in my hometown is very exciting” says Mark Chiappino, owner of Submit Gear Inc.

For more information on the new Gold’s Gym Mississauga location, visit www.GoldsGymMississauga.com.

About the Author

None

Using And Practising The Traditional Weapons Of Jujitsu
Although there are three main forms of jujitsu today there are actually many styles with completions at all levels. Jujitsu weapons also have their place in competition under very controlled rules and regulations as with all martial arts codes which ensures safety for competitors.

The Baroni - Shamrock Saga Is About To Come To A Head
Despite what the record books will eventually show, the real Shamrock vs. Baroni fight started years ago. The showdown to their fight on Friday, June 22 is the continuation of an on going verbal, and sometimes visual, battle between the two.

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Xyience Xenergy Enjoys Rapid Distribution with Kroger Co.
Xyience boosts distribution of the premium energy drink, Xenergy by increasing presence in Kroger Co stores from 265 to 1000 stores in 2 weeks. Xyience, a sports and nutritional supplements company, released Xenergy to meet the market demand for a flavorful, healthy, clean energy drink. The increase in Xenergy's success is attributed to the increase in availability through distribution with such companies as Kroger Co. (PRWeb Jul 7, 2007)

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No Martial Arts or Self-Defense Technique is Perfect

Far too many people who are training in the conventional martial arts or in a “quicky” self-defense program - including police and security personnel by-the-way - take for granted that all they have to do to survive a real-world attack is learn a few tricks and that’s it. When, according to the reality and nature of self-defense, no preset, memorized technique that you’ve learned in a martial arts or self-defense class is perfect in-and-of-itself for the unique situation and circumstances that you will find yourself in when you need it. And…

…that’s okay.

What’s important to learn is this…

…these techniques that everyone seems to hold up as the “holy symbols of their style,”…

…were just passed down from past-generation masters as “examples” anyway!

After you’ve been training for a significant while with a focus on being able to handle a real-world self-defense situation, rather than merely memorizing a preset string of moves for your next belt, what you’ll find is that…

…in your attempt to defend yourself in a given situation and against a unique assailant with his own ‘favorite’ techniques and attack-methods, you will actually be stringing several basic moves together in a moment-to-moment, spontaneous flow. The trick is to know your techniques so well that you can do this in what appears to be an effortless flow from one technqiue or skill to the next.

Just as I pointed out in “The Karate-Myth,” there are certain critical pieces missing from the vast majority of training programs. And, it is those key elements that MUST be managed during a physical altercation if you are to walk away with most of YOU intact.

So, if you really want to be able to use what you’ve learned in a real-world self-defense situation…

…then you must be able to give up your attachment to your “perfect techniques.”

Remember: The only people who believe that any given technique or skill is “perfect” or “unbeatable,” are those who have not been around long enough, or…

…those who have deluded themselves into believing that training in class, or competing in a tournament, is somehow equivelant to the all-out, adrenalin-triggering, knock-down, drag-out overwhelm that makes you feel like your heart will explode in your chest during the “real thing.”

Do you want to be able to survive a real attack? Do you want to not have your own training - that thing you’ve been working to study, that’s supposed to work under fire - get in the way and be the VERY thing that causes your downfall?

Sure you do. Who wouldn’t?

Then, the first thing you have to do is get over this delusion that any technique, including your “favorite,” is perfect and unbeatable. Because, if you don’t…

…it may be the very thing that gets “you” beaten!

About the Author

Jeffrey Miller is the founder and master instructor of Warrior Concepts International. He is the author of “The Karate-Myth” and the Danger Prevention Tactics video, among others. For more info, subscribe to his ezine here.

Xyience Xenergy To Be Distributed In Longs Drugs Stores On Hawaiian Islands
Xyience forms strong distribution bond with Longs Drugs stores on Hawaiian Islands to increase sales of the premium energy drink, Xenergy. Xyience, a sports and nutritional supplements company, released Xenergy to meet the market demand for a flavorful, healthy, clean energy drink. The increase in Xenergy's success is attributed to the increase in availability through expanding distribution in such stores as Longs Drugs. (PRWeb Jul 7, 2007)

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Wing Chun - Chinese Martial Art
Brief History:

Wing Chun (also known as Wing Tsun, Ving Chun or Ving Tsun) is one of the most popular types of Chinese martial arts. Though it?s basically an unarmed combat technique, Wing Chun may include weapons as part of its course. The origin of Wing Chun can be traced back to China, but the real history of its creation has long been a topic of much debate. The most credible suggestion regarding the origin of Wing Chun dates back to 1700 AD in the Henan Shaolin Monastery.

When the Qing forces raided and ravaged the Southern Shaolin temple, a nun named Ng Mui fled to the distant Daliang Mountains, the only survivor. Ng Mui already had knowledge of Kung Fu in the Shaolin temple, which she assimilated with a new form she had learnt while observing a battle between a snake and a crane. She taught this new combat style to her adopted daughter whom she named Yimm Wing Chun. The new system was refined and then passed on from generation to generation, and was eventually named Wing Chun, after Yimm.

The modernization of Wing Chun started in Hong Kong during the 1950s under a Grandmaster called Yip Man. The discipline began to gain real popularity in Asia and the West when actor Bruce Lee became one of the most famous Wing Chun practitioners.

The Concept of Wing Chun:

Wing Chun is based on three basic principles - Practicality, Efficiency and Economy of Movement.

1. Practicality: Techniques such as Palm-up Hand (tan sau), Wing Arm (bong sau), Slapping Hand (pak sau) are designed to maim the most sensitive or vulnerable parts of the opponent?s body such as throat, groin, eyes and lower torso. Many movements and techniques in Wing Chun are often meant to be fatal.

2. Efficiency: Wing Chun does not use force against force, in order to gain the most efficient manipulation of the body’s energy. It believes in accurately timed and appropriately positioned little movements, and counter-attack is based on the opponent?s own force. This concept is also called Contact Reflexes.

3. Economy of Movement: This is a linear concept in which movements are based on an imaginary pole running vertically through the center of the body. The Center Line spreads out from this Mother Line, and since most of the vital points of the body are located along the Center Line, many offensive and defensive movements are based on this line. The Central Line, on the other hand, is the shortest path between the fighters where most of the combat exchanges take place.

Wing Chun Forms:

There are three basic forms in Wing Chun:

1. Empty Hand Form: This form has three more sub-forms - Siu Nim Tao - the foundation of the art, Chum Kiu - focus on advanced footwork and entry techniques, and Biu Jee - extreme short-range or long-range techniques, low kicks and sweeps, and emergency techniques.

2. Weapon Forms: The Dragon Pole and Butterfly Swords are the two forms of weapons incorporated in Wing Chun, categorized under advanced training.

3. Wooden Dummy or the Muk Yan Jong Form: A dummy made from several wooden posts represents a human opponent. The contraption is used to perfect angle, position, and footwork.

<a href="http://martialarts-hq.com/">Martial Arts</a> HQ offers articles, tips and tricks about different martial arts.

THE MISSING MARTIAL ARTS

For those lacking a decent dictionary, allow me to edify you on the derivation of the term ?martial?; which is: an adjectival form derived from the appellation of the Roman god of war, Mars. As a form of sport or exercise, it serves as training for warfare. Being ruled astrologically by the planet Mars, it?s a term applied to ?venomous animals, or plants with violently active properties?!

An authority recently described 170 different forms of the martial arts, ranging from Aikido to Zendo, maintaining new ones were invented virtually every week by some self-styled master who had either rediscovered some long lost art in an obscure backwater, or had devised some ingenious use for a hitherto unused body part. The arts covered every letter of the alphabet, apart from E, Q, V, and X.

Accordingly, I have striven to render complete this lexicon of the martial arts. After many years of undertaking diligent research in the snowy mountain fastnesses of Japan, the rain forests of Borneo, and the nether regions of Nana Plaza, Bangkok, I have rediscovered the missing arts, which I have pleasure in presenting to novelty-seeking martial arts? aficionados for your delectation.

They are as follows:

1. Ebrangling: an exclusive, particularly hard form indulged in by edentulous geriatrics in order to effatuate their opponents. Simply put, the toothless-ancients dismount from their Zimmer frames, shuffle, successfully grapple, and ultimately clench their partners in a bear hug, violently shaking them so as to render them besotted, dull or stupid.

2. Quitching: protagonists attempt to outwit their opponents, employing techniques such as fiendishly feinting by making sudden involuntary movements, somewhat in the Bruce Lee style, without the accompanying cries from the solar plexus.

Quoted by Montaigne as, ?I have seen men .. that would neither cry out, twitch nor quitch, for a good swinging beating.?

3. Quelming: an ancient, extremely hard form indulged in by ?chyldren, and fornycatours? aiming to torment, kill, or destroy. Sadly, the techniques were expurgated as being too violent for general public consumption.

4. Vezon : a particularly enigmatic form defined by the OED as ? ?meaning obscure? - quoted by Ward as “Look, look, Joan, how the Vezons fight. Who’d think they were so full of Spite?”

5. Xenelasy: a particularly effective Spartan method to be employed for when we Brits reinvade in order to re-educate you in the correct conventions of spelling and pronunciation. Meaning ?to drive away?, it employs a variety of free-forms and is the martial art par excellence to be used for the expulsion of foreigners.

Incidentally, don?t bother to try and find these names of martial arts in condensed dictionaries like Webster?s or Frank and Wagnall?s, they?re taken from the Bible of the English Language, the Oxford English Dictionary.

Likewise, the internet won?t offer you any enlightenment on the modus operandi, or access to the dojos where these forms are practised, either, and I?m keeping the techniques secret in the interests of world peace.

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Jujitsu: History, Philosophy And Methods
Brief History:

Jujitsu is a 2500 year old unarmed combat discipline that has its roots in ancient Japan. The exact date on the creation of this martial art form is hard to trace but techniques resembling that of Jujitsu had already been incorporated into the training methods of the Samurai, from the 8th to the 6th centuries. Earliest Japanese historical records such as the Kojiki (Record of Ancient Matters) and the Nihon Shoki (Chronicles of Japan) also have passages related to unarmed combat systems.

Before this Japanese martial art developed into what we know as Jujitsu today, there were many other Japanese combat techniques such as Kogusoku, yawara, kumiuchi, and hakuda etc, also collectively known as Sengoku Jujutsu. Traditions finally gave rise to the modern Nihon Jujutsu we know today, which is classified under Edo Jujutsu ? the true unarmed Japanese combat system.

Jujitsu gained prominence during the reign of Tokugawa in the 1600s but was soon alienated when Emperor Melse regained power. However, towards the mid-20th century, the ban on Jujitsu in Japan was lifted, following the Meiji restoration, and the combat art form began to be widely practiced.

The Philosophy:

Jujitsu revolves around three basic states of mind ? Zanshin, Mushin and Fudoshin. The proper combination of these elements gave the power, preparation and potential to the practitioner to excel in the Jujitsu art.

1. Zanshin ? ?remaining spirit? ? connotes the readiness for anything at any given time.

2. Mushin ? ?no mind? ? Its spontaneity permits instantaneous action without conscious thought.

3. Fudoshin - “immovable mind” ?during times of confrontation.

Basic Methods:

Jujitsu is a circular, hard and soft, external combat style. The basic techniques of attacks includes throws, locks, hitting and striking, thrusting and punching, pinning and immobilizing, strangling and joint-locking, with strong emphasis on throws, locks, and defensive techniques. In-fighting and close work are also focused upon.

Even though Jujitsu is basically an unarmed fighting system, small weapons like the Jitte (truncheon), Tanto (knife), or Kakushi Buki (hidden weapons), which include the Ryofundo Kusari (weighted chain) or the Bankokuchoki (a type of knuckle-duster) may also be used in combat.

Competition Systems:

Conventional Jujitsu can be dangerous, or maybe even fatal if its fundamental techniques were to be applied. So, in order to make the art a safer sport for the competitive arena, systems and rules have to be introduced. That is why most of the competition methods have incorporated ?Half-contact?, which prohibits serious attempts to knock out an opponent.

1. The Fighting System: This is the most popular method, divided into three phases. The first is for striking only, the second for striking, grappling and throwing, and the third includes ground-fighting such as chokeholds.

2. The Practical System: According to this rule, two defenders are surrounded by four attackers from four corners. Highest points go to the best defender judged upon effectiveness, oversight and control of the situation.

3. The Duo System: In this system, contestants are randomly chosen and awarded points for effective defences. The attacks are divided into four groups of five attacks each.

4. Combat Jujitsu: The most recent system developed in the United States. Victory in the competition is based on submission. The combat round between the two opponents lasts for not more than two minutes.

<a href="http://martialarts-hq.com/">Martial Arts HQ</a> offers articles, tips and tricks about different martial arts.

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SAD and How to Kick it With Martial Arts

Well, it’s that time of year again when seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is starting to affect us here in the Northwest. Even though SAD has been noted as early as the late 1800’s it wasn’t actually given a name until the 1980’s. That doesn’t mean people haven’t been suffering from it, however. Seasonal affective disorder is mostly caused by the lack of light people are exposed to this time of year. Our brains secrete a hormone called melatonin which, at increased levels, can cause symptoms of depression. This hormone is produced when your body is exposed to dark, so it makes sense that its levels rise in months when the days are shorter.

The full-blown seasonal affective disorder is thought to affect as many as 10 million Americans every year. They suffer the debilitating symptoms of depression through the fall and winter months which recede to less-drastic or non-existent symptoms in the spring and summer. Other people get the winter blues which are milder forms of the symptoms of depression such as gaining a little weight, feeling sleepy or having difficulty focusing during the fall and winter months when the weather gets colder and the sunlight gets shorter (especially with all of the rain we get).

There are many different methods of treating SAD such as light therapy (either using a special artificial light or arranging to get natural sunlight during the day), herbal aids, altering nutrition and getting the right amounts of exercise. Some methods work better for some people than they do for others, but one method that tends to help people feel more energized, less sleepy, more able to focus and concentrate and less likely to overeat and gain those extra pounds is martial arts.

Martial arts is a special kind of activity that not only treats, strengthens and improves your physical health, it also treats your mental health as well. People who practice martial arts need to be able to concentrate and focus on their training because martial arts is not an activity that you can do mindlessly. This concentration and focus eventually carries over into all other parts of your life. Furthermore, the physical exercise you get while training martial arts is energizing and will help prevent you from gaining those extra “winter pounds” that many people dread. It’s worth it to give it a try because you’ll feel better, mentally and physically, and when the weather gets nice in the spring you’ll be ready to hit the outdoors with a sense of energy that you finally didn’t lose over the winter.

About the Author

Robert Jones runs 3 successful martial arts schools in Bellevue, Lynnwood, and Federal Way Washington. For over 20 years he has been helping families to improve their lives through the practice of martial arts. To help people choose a good school he has written a comprehensive consumer guide on How to Pick a Martial Arts School

He can be

Randy “The Natural” Couture Live at Solis on Market, San Francisco on March 29th 2007
Randy “The Natural” Couture, the current Heavyweight Champion of the Ultimate Fighting Championship will be available for photos and press interviews on March 29, 2007 at Solis on Market, located at 2231 Market Street, in San Francisco between 6:30-7:00 PM.

The Cagewarriors Fighting Championships Announces A Date For Their Rescheduled Ultimate Force 2 Show
Cagewarriors are proud to announce that the previously postponed “Ultimate Force 2″ Ultimate Fighting/Mixed Martial Arts show has been rescheduled and will take place at the Doncaster Dome in South Yorkshire, England on October 15th

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The Basic Martial Art Style of Aikido
Aikido is also used as a way to discover our true paths so that we can develop our individuality. It also teaches its practitioners to unify their body and their mind so that they will become in harmony with the “universe” and with nature.

Absolute Speed and Power Striking For Martial Arts

It hardly takes much convincing to conclude that having blinding speed of punches or bone-cracking power in kicks are the most desireable assets for Martial Artists to posess. Remember Miyamoto Musashi stated in his famous text “A Book of Five Rings” that one ultimate goal of the warrior is to learn to end the fight with a single blow! That’s exactly where speed & power come in! The idea is to make them as specific as possible so as to achieve the most applicable results. In this article we will attempt to explore some of the best methods available to get those results.

Economy of Motion. Basically the more you practice your peticular techniques, the more your nervous system becomes familiar & you naturally get faster. Its a really good idea to use mirrors because you can self-coach so to say & strip away wasted movements as well as learn to utilize power centers (like the hips & legs). For example you can immediately make your punch will be twice as powerful by springing off the slightly bent legs when you execute it. Think of your body akin to a coiled up snake about to strike!

Think SPEED! Sounds simple but when you start thinking you are fast you will actually start moving faster. Get over any preconceived mental limitations you may have. The other aspect of this notion is to keep the thought of speed on the forefront of your mind. As you train to do those skills you wish to be faster & stronger at make a conscious effort to do them with your best speed & power efforts! Time yourself. Count down how many strikes or roundhouses you can land on a target or heavy bag in a 10 second period. Seek to improve your numbers every session.

Overspeed methods A.K.A. Forcing faster muscle memory! The abridged version goes like this:You have an innate speed at which muscles can fire off & move any given limb. Factors like motor unit recruitment, neural efficiency/capacity, & strength ratios effect this. What we are going to do is teach the nervous system to coordinate movement & build muscle memory at faster speeds! To speed up punches wrap a tubular resistance band or even bungee cord around your wrists and anchor the other end or have a partner stretch it out. Now release & throw the arm into motion with the added speed. Relax the opposing muscles to avoid any “braking” effects. The same proceedure can be performed on kicks by binding the band to the foot.10-20 reps 2 times aweek will be enough to develop noticeable results.

Specific drills to build power. Much can be done with a simple medicineball & even bodyweight outside of what you are already familiar with. Here are some to get started on:

Power absorbtion exercises:How the theory works is that you can’t create more power than you can absorb. So it only makes sense to start here before we start “jumping” into plyometrics! For upperbody power, drop push-ups are king! Assume a position upright but on your knees with both arms at chest level slightly more than shoulder width apart bend aprox 90?, now drop to your hands without hesitation and forcefully contract when the hands touch the floor as to limit the amount of arm bend. The higher the “drop” the more force is absorbed, thus the more power potential to develop. The same concept is easily adapted to the lowerbody by doing drops from a 4′-5′ surface landing in a 1/4 squat. For pulling power, hold yourself at the top of a pull up position & fall to “catch” yourself about 1/2 through the pull ups range of motion.You’ll find after performing as little as 10 reps each you’ll be plenty sore! Its a good idea to work these 4-8 weeks, 2 times a week before progressing to the next phase…

Plyometric Kung Fu:Okay to begin lets start with punching/pushing power. Clapping push-ups work great but I feel the need to mention that the idea is to “bounce” off of each rep. Not just get the clap in! In fact forget the clap, just repetitively hop off the floor from this position. Its the fast reaction off the landing that matters so focus on that. One idea that will work good on the legs is to depth jump right into a kick. Peticularly a jump-kick! Now these are good starters…ready to leave elementary onto High School? Get a partner & medicineball (start with light ball, please!). Have him Throw it (throw, not toss) at you. The first step its to rebound it as soon as it touches your hands. Next level of progress is to actually strike the oncoming ball out of the air with a chop, punch, palm, & even any various kicks you desire to build power onto. This drill works some serious plyo-power into your martial arts! Start with a light 3 lb. ball & slow throws gradually working up to faster throws & heavier balls.Obviosly the further you are able to displace the ball/target the more power you have gained(Like a baseball batter). Kind of works as a measuring devise as well. For you solo practitioners get a bouncy type med-ball & react off the rebound of a wall throw. Please exercise caution as this last one is alot more difficult than it sounds & takes some serious getting used to.The great thing is you can build accuracy at the same time you get faster & more powerful techniques. Lastly plyometrics like these are intense, so only work out with them 2 times a week.

Sport Combat Is Still Sport
The fact is most people don’t realize that sport combatives like boxing, mixed martial arts, wrestling and fencing are just sports.

Be Pre-Emptive in Self Defense (Hit Or Be Hit)
Many people would assume that you have to be physically struck before you can physically respond in Self Defense. Let me tell you now that this is totally untrue, well certainly in any civilized country of the World anyway. If you could only respond after you had been attacked, then it could simply be too late by then.

Popularity: unranked [?]

Kung Fu: History And Basic Principles
The Term:

Historically, the term ?Kung Fu? is not really featured in any ancient texts. It was first coined by a Frenchman named Jean Joseph Marie Amiot, a missionary who lived in the 18th Century, in reference to Chinese martial arts. Kung Fu is also called Gongfu, Wushu, or Kuoshu, and originally denotes expertise in any skill, and not exclusive to martial arts.

Brief History:

The practice, philosophy, and concept of Kung Fu can be traced back to ancient Chinese texts such as Zhuang Zi, Dao De Jing, and Sun Zi Bing Fa (Art of War written by Sun Zi), all written between 1111-255 BC. These texts contain passages related to the practice, propagation, and principles of Chinese martial arts, or Kung Fu as it is known today.

One theory regarding the first written history of Kung Fu suggests that the Yellow Emperor, who reigned from 2698 BC, wrote the first treatise on Chinese martial arts. Others give credit to Taoist monks for introducing an art form that resemble modern Tai Chi around 500 BC. Then in 39-92 AD, Pan Ku included “Six Chapters of Hand Fighting” in his discourse on the history of the Han dynasty (Han Shu). As the popularity of martial arts progressed, a physician named Hua T?uo also wrote his own treatise entitled, ?Five Animals Play” in 220 AD.

Kung Fu had become a common word in the West beginning in the late 1960s, popularized by martial arts movies and TV series. The Western world today has also seen an immense upsurge in the creation and production of martial arts movies starring great actors/masters such as Jackie Chan and Jet Li.

Basic Principles:

The concept of Kung Fu revolves around three basic principles ? Motivation, Self-discipline and Time.

According to experts, the real motivation behind learning Kung Fu is inspiration and not force, which should come from an inner craving to learn and develop the mind and body. Motivation here is the fundamental driving force. There is no external or worldly gain for the learner, and the only reward is that of knowledge, skill, strength and wisdom.

In Kung Fu, discipline is complementary to motivation. Discipline puts motivation into deed and action. A learner has to make an effort into what he has been motivated for, and self-discipline helps him get started and guides him to achieve that goal. Therefore, without discipline, motivation is just a dormant state of mind.

Time is the path to perfection in martial arts. Once motivation and self-discipline have set in, a learner has to spend a considerable amount of time putting mind and body into practice. A truly inspired learner does not have the privilege to waste time, stay idle or indulge in fruitless activities. Everything done by him/her should reflect real motivation and self-discipline.

Variants and Styles:

With the passage of time, numerous variants and styles have come up in martial arts, or Kung Fu. Some of the more popular ones include Karate, Escrima, Wing Chun, Jujitsu, Judo, Tae Kwon Do, Shaolin, White Crane, T’ai Chi Ch’uan, and Bagua Zhang.

<a href="http://martialarts-hq.com/">Martial Arts HQ</a> offers articles, tips and tricks about different martial arts.

Mma-A Brief History
It would be impossible to fully track every aspect of the beginnings of mma. The Greeks, Romans, Cavemen? I will try to bring to you a history of mma that impacted the United States as I believe it occurred, and what is now the growing popularity in this reality fighting. When I use the term reality fighting, it refers to actual full contact striking and joint wrenching submissions. It is not meant to disrespect the traditional martial arts. In Brazil there was a competition called vale tudo (Portuguese for anything goes) In the early nineties an elder son of a very respected Brazilian jiu-jitsu (bjj) master came to the United States. This elder son and his younger brother were giving Bjj lessons out of their garage. This elder son partnered with another man and began a very popular competition where fighters of different styles would fight each other abiding by only a few rules. The younger brother of the man you started this competition dominated the fighters that stood before him. Many of the fighters were of a standing style (karate,kung-fu,etc) when this young man would take them down and tie them in a pretzel they were at a loss on how to defend against it. At this time there were no time limits on rounds. This young man would hold on to his competitors like an anaconda; wearing them down and waiting for the right moment to apply a submission hold. It did not take long for future fighters to start training in this young mans style and start gaining there own submissions. One mistake was made though. Now they were getting knocked out. The new rules to this competition incorporated rounds, and if they were on the ground too long with no action the ref would stand them back up. Not exactly a grapplers desire. With these new rules in place a new breed of fighter emerged. Mma fighters had to find a new way to cope with the double threat of stand up and ground fighting. Many of these fighters started to cross train in both ground fighting and stand up. The world of mma in the United States would never be the same. It was no longer a matter of style versus style, but who had the better stand up OR ground game. Its very complex if you think about it. Say fighter A is stronger at stand up than on the ground. His competitor, fighter B is equal at both, maybe a little better at standing and just as good a fighter as A on the ground. This scenario can be a combination of a lot of variables. There is strategy in these fights. They do not just go toe to toe with a fighter. They study their competitor and try to exploit their weakness. Regardless where mma originated from, no one can deny the explosion this sport has seen, or the skill of these athletes. These are not brainless brawlers wanting to duke it out, they are skilled combatants with a strategy wanting to compete with other skilled fighters.

Shawn Sellen is the owner of the mixed martial arts website <A HREF="http://www.mmaarticles.com">mmaarticles.com</A>

Can You Really Learn Martial Arts and Self-Defense From Seminar Training Only?

What do you do when, you want to pursue the study of the martial arts or learn real-world self-defense and there are no schools near where you live? What do you do even if there are martial arts schools or self-defense classes being offered in your local area but…

…they’re just not up to par with what you want or need.

How can you get what you know you need without compromising quality and settling for what’s available or, even worse…

…not pursuing your goal at all?

Well, you have two choices, really…

…you can accept defeat or the fact that maybe your standards are too high and settle for what’s available, or…

…you can do what scores of very skilled practitioners have done before you. You can take advantage of the benefits of seminars and camps to get the knowledge you need from the best teachers there are.

Instead of “settling” and approaching your training with what amounts to a “victim’s mentality,” you can take control of the situation. Instead of whining, complaining, and making excuses - you can take action - one of the main traits of a warrior.

With all of the power and rich information pool of the internet today, it is impossible to NOT find what you’re looking for in the way of martial arts training. There are literally hundreds of seminars, from half-day workshops to full weekend events, and from one and two-day intensives to full-blown ninja training camps; and they’re all there for the students who are willing to plan a little more, focus a little more, and be ready to travel a little farther than everyone else who HAS “settled.”

Can you really learn martial arts and self-defense from seminar training only? I know it’s worked for me and many of the most proficient experts that I’m associated with. In fact, most of my training career, at least in the early days, was during a time when I was serving with the US Army and stationed in places like Korea and, what was then, West Germany.

Were there martial arts clubs and groups close-by? Absolutely.

But, I had a desire to not only train in the martial arts but, to train with the best. And so…

…I had no choice. I HAD to travel to get what I wanted and needed in the way of quality.

What I found was that I learned more during each training event because there was MORE TO learn. That was perfect for me because it gave me more than enough to work on in-between the martial arts seminars and Ninja Camps that I WAS able to attend. And, it also caused me to focus much more than the local students who were there.

Why?

I think it was because…

…they took their training for granted. Whereas I did not. Since I went through more in the way of time, effort and money to be there, I refused to let any of it slip by. As a result, I, and many of my friends who also traveled for training, developed our self-defense abilities much more fully - learning our martial art with much greater depth than many who had access to their teacher practically everyday.

Funny, really. Because it wasn’t until I became much more interested in the lives of warriors-past, that I realized that this method of training - traveling to one’s teacher to spend short, but intense, visits to gain the lessons for mastery, is exactly the same way many of the most famous warriors in history…

…became Legends!

About the Author

Jeffrey Miller specializes in teaching self-protection and personal development lessons in a way that is easily understood and put to use by modern Western students and corporate clients. Subscribe to his newsletter here

Defense against a knife attack
Defences against Knife attacks, Firstly if at all possible get yourself and anyone else out of the potential danger area…..RUN AWAY.
Yes you heard right, run away. This is not a cowards way out, this is sensible. After all your potential assailant could be on drugs or just plain crazy. Nobody needs a dead hero.
However if you can’t get away or you are cornered, try to talk your way out of the situation, tell the guy what he wants to hear or give him what he wants, if it’s a mugging, but only if you think this will pacify him…
Let me explain. If it is apparent that your assailant is going to stab you whether you give him all your money or not then you must do something about the situation before this happens, either way you may get stabbed. Thats why this is a last resort and only attempted if YOU are certain he is going to attack you no matter what.
It’s a judgement call that only you can make and if you ever do end up in that situation it won’t be easy.
So, you’re in that nightmare situation. How do you tackle him ?
Do you use the knife defences you learned in your martial arts classes ? I hope not because you’ll very soon be bleeding to death if your assailant has any idea how to use the knife.
I tried an experiment about 5 years ago now with my training partner who is very fast with his hands and can handle a knife. We used a dummy knife (Thankfully) with some red ink on the end of it and I wore a white Gi.
I had at this time been training in the martial arts for about 16 years and had learned many many knife defences from many different styles so I was sure that whatever he came at me with I would be able to handle it.
He moved the knife very quickly from hand to hand and attacked from a variety of angles, slashing, lunging and really going for it. I successfully disarmed him several times, but each time he had also stabbed me several times (This is why the Police and Prison service use riot shields and several officers when dealing with knife attackers).
We worked this scenario using all the knife defences we had both learned from many different styles over the years but the one factor that kept coming up was the fact that this was simulating a real situation, so the attacker wasn’t in stance and didn’t come with a single attack in a straight line, he’d attack several times from any angle very fast.
What we were looking for was something that kept your vital organs as far away from the knife as possible whilst allowing you to attack the assailant.
Here’s what we came up with: (This is just my opinion, based on over 20 years martial arts experience, and this one worked time after time. But remember only use as a last resort)
First you must take your attackers mind off what he’s thinking about (I.e. stabbing you !) ………Spit in his face, not nice but remember this guy wants to stab you !
This gives you a fraction of a second to move.
Next, drop to your side, fast ! (Side breakfall) As you do this hook one of your feet round the back of his front foot and with your other foot, stamp hard onto the front of his knee. This will either snap or dislocate it (Again not nice but this guys going to stab you !) It also doesn’t matter too much if you miss with the hook as you can still get the stamp in on the knee.
Either disarm him while he’s on the floor and wait for the Police or just get out of there, he won’t chase you.
The fall and hook take some practice to get fast but it’s worth it as this is one well worth having in your arsenal.

The Author has achieved 5th Dan Black belt in Karate Jitsu, 3rd Dan in Jujitsu and has practised martial arts for over 23 years.

Popularity: unranked [?]

Kumdo, The Martial Art Of Swordsmanship
Kumdo and Kendo are close enough in form that Kumdo teams participate in the World Kendo Championships. While there are some differences (Kumdo focuses a bit more on point strikes than power and speed), the kumdo teams do respectably.

The Amazing World of Tae kwon Do
Some important characteristics of Tae kwon do are explained, some rules used in Tae kwon do sparring, also the benefits you can get after years of practice. Also the great feeling of winning, after months of hard training.

Martial Arts Book Review: Hard Won Wisdom From the School of Hard Knocks by Alain Burrese

Being the author of several books on the martial arts and fighting, I am always looking for books of exceptional quality to add to my library. If I have a book in my library, it’s definitely worth owning. One such book is Alain Burrese’s, “Hard Won Wisdom from the School of Hard Knocks.” I had purchased Alain’s book several years ago when I had just caught the tail end of one of his seminars on Hapkido. I took the book home and read it a few days later.

Boy was I impressed! Not so much by the book itself, as I was by the author. Alain’s grasp of the philosophical aspects of the “war stories” that he recounts shows a remarkable insight into the various situations that we seem to put ourselves in, never once thinking of the possible consequences that could transpire because of our lack of foresight.

Some of the major points that I got out of Alain?s book are as follows.

The lessons that Alain teaches the reader are from his own personal experiences and, liked I stated in the previous paragraph, show a remarkable insight into how doing a couple of small easy things can keep you out of a lot of the trouble that you could easily find yourself in.

Alain has a good solid section covering the use of your hands, elbows, and knees as personal striking weapons to use against an opponent. This is more of a principle based teaching and less of a ?How To? section. I have seen way too many books that spent a lot of time on the ?How To? sections, but then little to nothing at all on the principles behind the techniques. This is definitely not the case with Alain?s book.

The one section that I was looking forward to was, in my opinion, a little too brief. Although I am sure that this is primarily because my particular field of expertise just so happens to be the section in question. This is Alain?s brief section devoted to kicking. Now although a lot of what Alain has to say on the subject I happen to agree with, there are other things that, shall I say, we share a difference of opinion.

Alain then follows up with a section on going to the ground during a fight, and the possible ramifications of what could happen once this occurs. One point that everyone should agree on, is the fact that no matter how hard you try not to, there is a 90% plus chance that if a physical confrontation lasts much more than a few seconds it will probably end up on the ground. A place you definitely don?t want to be in a self-defense situation. In my opinion, it is best to do whatever you can in order to not end up on the ground, and if you do how to quickly get back up on your feet again.

The next section gives you a brief but informative overview of training methods and fitness routines that you can and should implement in order to not only improve your fighting technique, but also to keep you in shape for normal day-to-day activities.

One section that Alain included in his book that I can?t recall ever seeing in any other books is a section dealing with women. Now you can tell by reading this section that Alain is by his very nature the knight on a white horse racing to save the damsel in distress. I find this to be a very chivalrous attitude and one that seems to be sorely lacking in today?s society. However, having said that, I would like to ask the following question, ?Who is to blame for this prevalent modern attitude, the man, or the woman?? I will leave it up to the individual to decide.

They say that hindsight is 20/20, and I happen to agree. However, if you would like to have 20/20 foresight, do the following.

1. Purchase this book

2. Sit down with this book, a notepad, and a pen.

3. Make three columns on the notepad. Mark one “Mistakes,” ?Options,? and the other
“End It.”

4. As you read this book, write down the ?Mistakes? that were made in each recounted story.

5. Then write down other ?Options? that could be used to avoid each situation.

6. And finally, if unavoidable, what other things could have been done to ?End It.?

7. After you have done this and have had the time to thoroughly digest it, sit down and write a letter to Alain thanking him for the wonderful book that you just had the opportunity to learn from. I did!

Popularity: unranked [?]

Strengthen The Physique, Tone Up The Body And Improve Your Self-Defense Skills
It has been said that during practice, boxers take on many forms and can be as soft as willow twigs, as agile as a smart monkey jumping over a mountain gully, as mighty as a lion, and as powerful as a dragon stirring the sea.

Reasons to Join a Martial Arts Class

If you are looking for a new exercise program, either because you are in a rut with your old routine, or you are just starting out, you might want to consider joining a martial arts class. Martial arts is a fun, challenging work out that you can enjoy alone, with a friend or with your children. The obvious reason that many people chose to learn martial arts is self defense. This sport will teach you how to defend yourself for any time you might be attacked. In addition to self defense, martial arts will help raise your self esteem and confidence by toning your body, and making you feel in control over situations.

Fitness is also a good reason to take up any sport, as in the 21st century obesity and disease due to sedentary life styles are on the rise. If you find yourself bored or unmotivated with the routine of lifting weights or running on the treadmill, martial arts might be right for you. It’s a fun work out, so you will be enjoying yourself while burning a large amount of calories.

Martial arts can also teach a person tremendous mental and physical determination, as it not only focuses on the body, but also mind control. Many people who are involved in martial arts say that the courage, and mental willpower that the sport taught them is the best thing they have received from the art. More than ever, people need to start focusing on the well being of their body’s through diet and exercise. If you find yourself more apt to sit on the couch than go for a walk, joining a martial arts class might be an excellent change of pace for you.

About the Author

Joanne Mackenzie writes about various topics. This article is free to re-print as long as nothing is changed, all links remained intacked, the bio remains in full and the rel=”nofollow” tag is not added to any of the links. Thank-you

Martial Arts for Children - How Young is Too Young?
Martial arts training is one of the best activities that you can offer your child, but parents often wrestle about how old a child should be to participate in martial arts training. There is no right or wrong answer but there are guidelines you should consider.

What is Internal Energy?
How can we use “internal energy” to improve our health and better our fighting skill?

Popularity: unranked [?]

How Important is Kata?
A few days ago, I was walking out of the bank in my town and past a Kara Te DoJo and inside I saw an instructor teaching his young students a Bo kata. I stopped to watch for a minute and could not help but notice the poor quality of the performance of techniques by the students. I quickly looked at the instructor and saw him performing these techniques improperly as well. The reason I am saying that these techniques were improper is that, the Bo Kata that they were performing lacked the internal structure which produces power and the essential techniques which would keep the bo from being taken away. That is when I realized, sadly, that there are two reasons Kata is preformed today, one for demonstration and the other for protection! In many systems the original purpose, protection, has long been deleted for the other more popular reason, demonstration? The internal techniques have slowly disappeared from the original kata.

A Word About The Historic Beginnings Of Martial Art Vital Points
The Vital Point combat arts, has been misunderstood for many different reasons. One reason that needs to be acknowledged is that the early development of these art forms were created to destroy the enemy and the need to make these arts instinctual. There fore in those days the combat arts were a lethal art. It was a war-developed form of lethal hand-to-hand combat, which would render a man inanimate by means of unconsciousness and or death, preferably within one strike.

Martial Arts and The Zone

On the occasions you delivered the perfect strike; blocked without the need to think or performed a near flawless kata, did it feel difficult? Or did you get the sense it happened by itself? If you have experienced such moments you were in The Zone. The Zone is a place where athletes describe this sort of experience. Studies suggest its a state of ‘effortless merging of action and awareness’. So what stops us from getting there? Factors such as stress or attempts to try harder can interfere. Often our efforts to train harder result in unnecessary muscular responses that prevent us reaching the effortless state of The Zone.

It is my belief that our natural state is to be in The Zone. Diligent practice of the martial arts can help us to experience this shift of consciousness. The Zone is an altered state where things can happen with little or no perceived effort. In these moments our response appears to precede conscious thought and is executed near to perfection; right timing, right effort and entirely appropriate to the situation.

I am sure we have all experienced moments like this. For example, in one competition I scored ippon with a jodan mawashi geri to the side of my opponents exposed face. Afterwards my opponent congratulated me on my technique commenting he didn’t see it coming, to which I could honestly reply, “Neither did I”. I was only aware of the execution of the technique once my leg has started its recoil. Where had it come from? At some level my senses had registered the target, selected the most appropriate technique, fired it off, made the lightest of contact and started the recovery before I had become aware of it! This was probably my ‘finest hour’. But how can we be capable of such remarkable feats one moment and be totally incompetent the next - I lost the next round and was appallingly slow.

Whilst the patterns (techniques) residing at a subconscious level can be called upon with incredible speed and effectiveness, I believe this can only happen if we are in a balanced state. Another word for this is poise, this is not to be confused with posture. Poise is a state of totally appropriate activity, both at a muscular and ‘mental’ level. When we are in this state there is ‘optimum integration of the postural reflexes, consciousness and appropriate use of learnt patterns’. That is, we can get out of the way and let the processes just happen. Nerves, tension and stress will interfere with this process if we allow ourselves to react negatively to these situations such as stiffening the neck, an action that will impede the balance reflexes. Likewise, over-confidence has a similar affect of preventing the unity of self and action as, in my view, it will reduce our level of alertness and state of readiness. The ego really should be left at the door of the dojo!

So perhaps to heighten our chances of getting into The Zone we need to focus on ‘being in the moment’. Only by being consciously aware of the moment or ‘the here and now’ can we ensure inappropriate muscular activity is not present in our actions. This takes time and involves going back to some very basic movements (pre-martial art techniques) such as everyday simple activities and Zazen to experience a stillness and awareness that will help in more demanding activities.

About the Author

Roy Palmer is a teacher of The Alexander Technique and has studied performance enhancement in sport for the last 10 years. In 2001 he published a book called ‘The Performance Paradox: Challenging the conventional methods of sports training and exercise’ and is currently working on a new project about The Zone. More information about his unique approach to training can be found at http://www.fitness-programs-for-life.com/martial_arts_training.html

Popularity: unranked [?]

Benefits of Martial Arts Training For Kids

Admit it. When the going gets tough at home, weve all plopped the kids in front of the television and breathed a sigh of relief. Finally, we can get started on dinner, maybe check email or sort that massive pile of laundry.

But when your five-year old yells at you Mom, Kids Rule! or your ten-year old horrifies you with language that would make a sailor blush, you realize there must be something amiss with what these family programs really teach our kids. And sadly, its happening all over the media today, from sports to cartoons, and our children are learning things that we, as parents, vowed we would never teach them. Old fashioned values like respect and self-discipline, seems to have been forgotten, replaced by the dreaded bling bling pop culture of today.

Just the thought of your angelic three-year old morphing into a designer-clad, smart-mouthed, money-worshipping, me-obsessed, lay-about is enough to make any parent consider that threatening military school brochure, but there is a solution out there to consider.

Martial Arts training.

From Ninja Turtles to The Karate Kid

You and your kids have all seen the flying kicks, battle cries and mighty chops of their favorite TV characters, as they beat the bad guys to submission but, you may ask, how on earth can these acts of violence teach my child anything worthwhile?

First, know that what you see on television (save perhaps the Karate Kid) is a far cry from what real martial arts are all about. The fact is, martial arts training is based on non-violence.

Originating in Asia (mainly Japan, China and Korea, although Thailand and Vietnam have their own practices as well), martial arts range from a variety of types and styles, all of which are based on well-rounded, moral teachings. The beauty of learning martial arts is that it encompasses not just the physical aspect of the sport, but mental and emotional lessons as well.

Comparing that to other kids activities and sports, where fierce competitiveness and winning at all costs seems to be the order of the day, its not surprising that many children grapple with issues of self-esteem and misplaced aggression.

Now imagine your child actually learning valuable life lessons, skills that he will take throughout life, laying the foundation for a happy, well-adjusted and fulfilled adult life. If only karate for kids was popular in the 70s, when I was growing up!

The Advantages

Karate, and other martial arts for kids, builds confidence and self-esteem as well as self-discipline, respect, concentration and courtesy.

Many martial arts schools also offer leadership courses for kids, in conjunction with their karate for kids programs, or similar lessons.

Martial Arts is ideal for children who do not do well in team sports, giving them the ability to flourish this activity, while combining physical and mental practices.

Many do not realize this, but it is a fact that martial arts training are safer than most school sports.

Children with special needs, such as ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder), learning difficulties and hyperactivity are often recommended to participate in martial arts for kids because of the clear benefits in its structured training techniques.

Kung-Fu Master or Ninja Warrior?

Before you sign up Junior for the first martial arts class you see, take some time to check out the different methods available, and match it with what you know would suit your child best. This is a good way to avoid any problems that may sprout from a conflict of your childs personality and the training techniques.

Is your little Zach a sensitive soul? Then maybe a class that doesnt center on sparring (full-on kicks and punches training) but rather, slower, defensive maneuvers would fare better for him. Kids with an aggressive streak, however, may prefer the more forceful moves and thrive in competitive sparring.

Heres a quick primer on the kid-friendly martial arts training youre likely to find:

Martial Arts From Japan

Karate
Uses defensive and aggressive moves
Centers on building strength and endurance
Involves chops, punches, kicks, strikes, blocking and sparring
May use weapons

Jujitsu
Uses defensive and aggressive moves
Involves lots of sparring
Teaches a fair amount of weapons training

Aikido
Uses a more spiritual and harmonious style in redirecting the aggression of the attacker as the form of defense, using throws, pins, rolls etc.
Taught on the premise of disabling an aggressor without attacking, through your individual inner energy
Does not involve sparring or competitions

Judo
Uses gentle, wrestling-like movements
Considered one of the safest methods of martial arts
Emphasizes physical control as well as mental development
Engages in competitions

Martial Arts From China

Kung-Fu
The generic term referring to Chinese martial arts with a variety of styles
Involves attack movements as well as defensive techniques
Teaches kicks, punches, chops, throws, falls, grappling, katas, leg sweeps and blows among others.
Engages in sparring competitions

Martial Arts From Korea

Taekwondo
Competitive in nature, involves techniques using elaborate footwork and unique high kicks.
Emphasizes strength, force and attack methods.
Engages in lots of sparring and competitions.

Choosing The Right Instruction

If you have an idea of the type of martial arts class youd like your child to participate in, the next step would be to find the right school. Finding the right class that not only matches your childs and your needs, in terms of teachers you feel comfortable with, the price, facilities and so on, are all important factors.

Say youve found a local place that specializes in Karate for Kids. What are the things you should look for?

1. Good Instructors: Check out their qualifications, teaching methods and watch carefully how they interact with the other children. It should be a fun learning experience!

2. Space and Safety: Obviously you would want to entrust your child in as establishment that is safe, well-maintained, and clean with ample space as well as decent facilities and equipment.

3. School Values: Different martial arts schools inevitably go by different values, for instance, one kids karate class may handle aggression in one way, while a judo class would have a different approach. Take some time to observe which schools ideals match your familys principles.

4. Prices and Schedules: Prices for martial arts training can vary according to school and location, so make sure you the instruction you choose represents fair value. Finding the most effective way to fit martial arts training into your familys lifestyle is also essential, knowing what works best with your schedule and other activities.

Baby Blackbelts

Starting your child young in karate training is ideal (children as young as the age of four are usually accepted, as it is also a good way to hone fine motor skills), and lots of parents have found that in as little as a year, their children who were involved in martial arts had noticeably gained positive traits such as increased self-esteem, respect and overall physical fitness.

Many parents also opt to join a martial arts training program themselves, making it a great bonding experience for the entire family.

About the author:
Laura Saunders is a successful freelance writer, mother of two and a martial arts practitioner who has written articles for http://www.best-karate-equipment.com, your online guide to karate uniforms, martial arts sparring equipment, and karate training equipment.

New Kimbo Slice Post Mercer Interview
Kimbo Slice sits down with touchgloves.com for an interview discussing his victory over Ray Mercer, his plans for the future and his dream of fighting Mike Tyson. (PRWeb Jun 26, 2007)

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King of the Cage and Lake of the Torches Resort Casino Announce Fight Card for Upcoming Event to be Held in Lac du Flambeau, Wisconsin, on Saturday, July 21, 2007
King of the Cage and Lake of the Torches Resort Casino announce fight card for upcoming event to be held in Lac du Flambeau, Wisconsin, on Saturday, July 21, 2007. (PRWeb Jul 2, 2007)

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Pondz Family Fitness & Learning Center Opens in Largo
Pondz Family Fitness & Learning Center announces its grand opening in Largo on June 30, 2007 with a mix of adult fitness classes, personal training and youth afterschool programs for area residents. (PRWeb Jul 1, 2007)

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Popularity: unranked [?]

Martial Arts Book Review: Palgue 1-2-3 by Kim Pyung Soo
I just finished rereading “Palgue 1-2-3″ by Kim Pyung Soo for the first time in quite a few years and was reminded of the firs time I had purchased this and the other two books in the series when I was first starting out upon my martial arts journey whose primary focus in those early days was Karate and Tae Kwon Do. These books were some of the first ones I owned concerning the martial arts and kata or forms in particular.

Systema: The Martial Arts of Russia
Russian martial art developed its roots in the same fashion as other countries.

Tatami flooring for Yoga, Martial Arts and Judo schools

InterlockingFloormat.com is expanding their partnership with all Yoga, Martial Arts, Judo, Karate, Aikido, Tae Kuan Do, and exercise schools. The partnership program will promote all Yoga and Martial Arts schools on its partner webpage. All instructors and studios background, website and contact information are introduced on their page .

InterlockingFloormat.com is expanding their partnership with all Yoga, Martial Arts, Judo, Karate, Aikido, Tae Kuan Do, and exercise schools. The partnership program will promote all Yoga and Martial Arts schools on its partner webpage. All instructors and studios background, website and contact information are introduced on their page .

This is a free marketing opportunity to promote your exercise school in a high traffic website and increase your yoga and martial arts instructors reputation. Interlockingfloormat.com is also providing risk free interlocking floor mat sample for all yoga and exercise partner in the program. If any partner is interested to resell or promote the interlocking floor mat for their students, they can receive very aggressive resell pricing or rebate. All partners can increase extra income by introducing a gorgeous interlocking floor mat to their students and earn it without extra effort.
See these existing partners in http://www.interlockingfloormat.com/partners.htm
InterlockingFloorMat.com is a manufacturer-direct distributor and wholesaler for EVA form mats. Their interlocking puzzle mat products include tatami style mats and educational music puzzle mat. These products are widely using at home, yoga studios, fitness centers, martial arts, Judo, Karate, Aikido, Tae Kuan Do and exercise schools. With high quality EVA foam material and cutting edge technology, these interlocking puzzle mats provide a safe, comfortable, waterproof, anti-fatigue soft-tile for businesses and homes. Please visit www.interlockingfloormat.com for detail.

Marketing Department
Partners@interlocingfloormat.com

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Change Your Training Ground
Working out in the same place on the same surface can get you in a rut and leave you unprepared.

Popularity: unranked [?]

Throwing a Better Jab
Your jab is your most important punch, so learn to make the most of it.

Shaolin Chi Sao
Chi Sau which translated means Sticking Hands has had much exposure throughout the world through the Wing Chun System. However besides the Poon Sau or Lok Sau (Rolling hands) platform used in most Wing Chun Systems, there also exist a less well known and obscure platform called Teng Sau which translated mean Listening Hands.

Facts about Martial Arts for Kids - Part 1

There are many myths about martial arts training, and the general public accepts some as fact. In the following article, I have outlined general guidelines, and precautions, for parents who are considering enrolling their child, or children, into martial arts.

Below, I have listed some common issues and questions that parents often ask about martial arts for their children. Also, you will be much more informed about the benefits of martial arts, the structure with a martial arts school, and know what to realistically expect.

What should I be looking for in a martial arts school?
Safety comes as a first priority for parents who seek
martial arts instruction for their children. Here are a number of key factors to consider:

Is safety equipment used when children are performing
exercises and drills that require contact? This is
especially important when children are sparring in martial arts. In many martial arts schools, sparring equipment is required, or the child cannot spar. The number of injuries resulting from sparring in Karate, Kung Fu, and Tae Kwon Do is surprisingly low in comparison to many league sports.

Never the less, I once had a father pull his son out of our martial arts school because he found a karate studio that would let his son “fight” without protective equipment. In our school, it is mandatory to wear martial arts equipment for the safety of the students. Sparring equipment has come a long way, so why not use it?

The flooring surface should match the martial art. If take downs, sweeps, and throws are required, there should be some kind of matted floor available. Many of the state-of-the-art martial arts schools have a floor surface specifically designed for martial arts. It makes no sense to have anyone throw a classmate on a hard floor, with the type of flooring available, as this can result in long-term injuries.

Can parents watch Karate classes?

Let’s put it this way, if you cannot watch your child
practice karate, or any other martial art, you should find another school. I can appreciate the fact that some martial arts instructors don’t want to deal with interfering parents. This is the reason for rules and signs.

Remember the “hockey dad” incident? There are a few people who, through their own conduct, create rules for the rest of us. However, you are the parent and are entitled to see your child train in karate or any martial arts class.

Fire exits, fire extinguishers, and someone who monitors visitors, as they enter a karate studio full of children, should be standard features. We have three fire exits and one main entrance, in our studio, but only one door is used for an entrance. Kids understand security because they see the same precautions in elementary school.

Also, watch out for poles in the middle of the room. Adults will spot them, but an excited child in a karate class may forget and end up crashing into one. Make sure that you feel secure about the studio, surroundings, rules, and the staff before you make a decision to have your child take martial arts classes.

? Copyright 2005 - Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

About the Author

Paul Jerard is the director of Yoga teacher training at Aura in RI. He’s a master instructor of martial arts and Yoga. He teaches Yoga, martial arts, and fitness. He wrote: Is Running a Yoga Business Right for You? For Yoga students wanting to be a Yoga teacher.
http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org

When You Spar, How Hard Should You Hit?
Improve your martial arts training with a realistic look at options for various levels of contact sparring

Popularity: unranked [?]

An Insider’s Look At The Benefits Of Karate
Karate can help people of all ages create a sense of discipline in their lives both physically and mentally as well. Before you begin to learn this martial art, it is important to first understand its true meaning behind karate…

The Bokken - martial arts training sword

A bokken, also known as a bokuto or wooden sword, is a Japanese sword. These wooden swords are usually the approximate shape and size of a katana, however you can find them in wakizashi and tanto sizes as well.

Several martial arts use the bokken as an inexpensive and safer alternative to a real sword for training purposes. You see them used most often when a practitioner of iaido has recently entered training and it is not yet safe for an iaito to be used. Another common use for a bokken is when a veteran iaidoka engages in particular kata with another person and it safety needs to be taken into account. Some bokken are designed solely for sword drawing. These bokken usually come with a plastic or wooden saya and are not well suited for regular sword techniques as they are slimmer than regular bokken.

You will find use of a bokken in both kenjutsu and aikido training, although aikido is usually an empty handed discipline. When a bokken is used as part of an aikido dojo it is primarily a tool to enhance focus, not a weapon. A hand guard is usually not necessary with a bokken as there is a smooth transition between the blade and the handle. Some bokken, however, do have a clearly defined transition between the handle and blade and accept a hand guard, also known as a tsuba.

Using a bokken for training allows the practitioner to get familiar with the form of the blade and the technique for making proper strokes, as well as giving them an opportunity to practice the kata (form). Bokken are commonly used for the practice of kendo. The curved form of the blade and the presence of a hand guard or tsuba to block and opponents strike are integral parts of several kata. You could not get the same training with a shinai which uses a straight “blade”.

There are several factors that come in to determining the quality of a bokken, including the type of wood used, the overall quality of the wood, and the expertise of the craftsman. All of these go into the production of a high quality bokken.

The selection of wood for a bokken is the most important element. Many inexpensive bokken are mass produced using a very porous wood from South East Asia that gives you a bokken that is likely to break with even moderate contact. The only real use for this type of bokken is for kata. The wood used for these low quality bokken is so porous that you can sometimes see the wood putty that is used to fill large holes when the varnish is removed.

Not all wood from Asia is bad for bokken production. There are some Asian species of red oak that will make longer lasting bokken as they
have a relatively tighter grain. North American species of red oak should not be used in the production of bokken.

Some of the best woods for the production of bokken that are still relatively inexpensive include Japanese white oak, known as Kashi, and
hickory. Kashi is nice because it has a tighter grain than any species of red oak. Hickory works well due to its hardness and ability to resist impact.

The more expensive bokken will be produced using exotic hardwoods such as Brazilian cherrywood (Jatoba) and purpleheart. Some of the costliest bokken are produced using Lignum Vitae. While many tropical woods have the heaviness that is desired for bokken production they are not often used because of their tendency to be brittle and therefore break easily. When a bokken is being used for paired practice that involves contact with other swords it is best to avoid exotic woods.

With all this being said it is important to note that each individual piece of wood has its own characteristics, such that two bokken make
from the same type of wood can be of quite different quality.

A bokken that has been designed for suburi, or solo cutting exercise, is called a suburito. Since suburito are heavier and thicker than
normal bokken good technique will need to be paired with strong muscles to wield one correctly. Suburito are usually not used for paired exercises as their weight tends to make them out of balance.

Bokken have as long a history as Japanese blades, and were often used for the training of warriors. There is a kenjutsu master named Miyamoto Musashi who is renowned for combating armed foes with just a bokken or two. He is said to have defeated many a master swordsman with this method, including slaying Sasaki Kojiro with a bokken which had been produced from a broken oar.

About the Author

Steven Gregoire has been training in the martial arts since 1986. Currently
he operates Tigerstrike.com A martial art
equipment and supply store.

The Secret Of The Fighting Arts
Throughout history, kings have been known to restrict the fighting arts.

What Part of Your Body Moves First When You Throw a Strike?
Improve your sparring skills by throwing faster, harder strikes

Popularity: unranked [?]

Martial Arts Instructors - Would You Pay To Take Lessons From An Overweight Karate Instructor?
They walk around their dojos in size triple-X uniforms, gut hanging out over their black belts. Would you pay to take classes from and overweight karate instructor? I would. Here’s why…

Leadership: The Cornerstone of Success in the Martial Arts and In Life

Leadership is one of the most talked about and least understood aspects of human behavior. There must be hundreds of definitions of leadership, yet none of them is useful for success in life because none of them allows you to ‘create’ leadership within your life.

Why is that? Why isn’t leadership one of those things you can go to school to learn, pick up through experience, or work on yourself to develop?

First, you need to understand the false assumptions - the myths - about leadership. Then you’ll come to realize that leadership is one of those things you can go to school to learn . . . if there were a school that knew how to teach it. You can pick it up through experience . . .if you know what leadership is and as importantly, what it isn’t. You can work on yourself to develop it . . .but you need to know what to work on.

The first barrier to developing leadership is breaking through the false assumptions we have come to accept without questioning. You may not believe all the assumptions listed below but it’s a good bet you believe some of them. Yet, they’re all false.

THE FALSE ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT LEADERSHIP

1. Leadership is innate - you’re either born with it or you’re not. Absolutely false! Leadership consists of a set of skills that can be identified and learned. It’s true that some people have a greater aptitude for leadership but all of us can be leaders and can build our leadership skills.

2. Leadership is charisma and style; it’s the way we do things, not what we do. False. We’d all like to be charismatic and stylish, and many leaders are just that. But leadership is substance, not style. Leadership has to do with what we do and the impact we have on others. There have been great leaders who were dull as dust and others who have been charismatic. In our own time Bill Gates, chairman of Microsoft, is dull, “nerdy,” and as uncharismatic as one can get, yet look at what he’s led others to do and the impact he’s had on Today’s world.

3. There’s no structure or system to leadership; it’s situational. False. Not only is leadership - true leadership - structured and systematic, it can be duplicated again and again. Students in the Mastery Leadership program learn how to do this during the course of their study. Leadership has principles, skills that can be learned, and specific ways to get results. All those things are the building blocks of the successful accomplishment of goals, managing the aspects of our lives, and creating a life worth living. And if you can systemize it, you can duplicate it.

Believe it - leadership can be built into your life as a workable, predictable system.

4. The top person - the “boss” - is the leader, and it can’t be any other way. False. In fact it’s the exact opposite that is so often true. In the best businesses, families, schools, and groups, anyone in the group can exhibit leadership. Leadership should be encouraged at every level of the organization (with a few rules of behavior to prevent conflict and confusion).

If you believe any or all of these myths, you’ll need to revise your beliefs or you’ll never build true leadership into your life.

SO, WHAT IS TRUE LEADERSHIP?

Leadership is nothing more than a core set of skills that can be learned. There are five of them: vision, discrimination, strategic thinking, commitment, and inspirational communication. You’ll learn about them and how to develop them in yourself and others as you progress through the Mastery Leadership program’s Mastery Keys for the Emerging Leader. At the same time, you will be able to assess your own leadership and that of those you associate with, and devise a leadership development program for enhancing your skill level.

THERE’S NO MYSTERY TO LEADERSHIP

There’s nothing mysterious about leadership. Once you know its core skills and specific systems it becomes a straightforward personal development task, just like any other system in your life.

Like many other seemingly mysterious things, once you know the secrets of duplicable leadership, you’ll want to say, “How simple! Why didn’t I see it sooner?”

Leadership is probably the single most important aspect of your life and ability to produce the results you want. It’s leadership that figures out what you need to do to enhance your life and give it the power, thrust and momentum it needs. And it’s leadership that determines how to do it. Then it’s leadership that makes sure it gets done. Without leadership, life is aimless, purposeless, random, ineffective, and - no exaggeration - terminally ill. With effective leadership, your life will thrive, you will navigate through any storm, and surpass every goal you ever set for yourself.

Leadership is the cornerstone of the warrior’s ability to create the life worth living and develop the skills necessary for protecting that life from anything that would threaten it. And so it is also the cornerstone of the Warrior Concepts Life Mastery Program. Here at WCI, just like every other solid, educational institution, we create leaders - not just in the martial arts, but at home, school or work, and in the community. We create the light that will cause others to engage in our vision with us and that will brighten the Path for others to follow.

About the Author

Read more like this by subscribing to the author’s newsletter here For seminar & media requests, call (570) 988-2228 or go to his website at www.warrior-concepts-online.com

UFC 71 Fight Analysis - Keith “The Dean of Mean” Jardine vs Houston “The Assassin” Alexander
Most, if not all, fans of MMA know of or have at least heard of Keith Jardine. Alexander on the other hand, seems to be virtually unheard of too all except the extreme hardcore MMA fans. I wasn’t sure what to expect as I sat down to watch this match since I had never seen Alexander fight before. Forty-eight seconds later, everyone knew who Alexander was, a definite threat to everyone in the light-heavyweight division.

Popularity: unranked [?]

Understanding Martial Arts A Little Better

Martial arts is a term that is used to describe a system of fighting that is very unique but often quite varied. The system has codes and rules to it. It is not one that has weapons, especially any type of modern day weapons, but one that focuses the body and the mind to have them work as one. It is used for traditional uses, for sport in competitions around the world, for fitness, for self defense although it does not teach to go out and fight but to defend and for improvement of the self. For this aspect, there are several things that martial arts can do. It can help to keep you mentally disciplined, provide self cultivation such as that of meditation and provide for self confidence. Character development is the key to martial arts.

Martial arts have been practiced for many years. It can be dated as far back as 2500 years ago in the Zhou Dynasty. Here, students would master the Six Arts which including rites, calligraphy, mathematics, charioteering, archery and music.

The systems that are used within martial arts are quite varied. Here are some of the various focuses of them.

* Kicking which can be found in Tae kwon do, Capoeira and tantui.
* Striking which is a main element and is found in karate, Wing Chun, Bando and Southern Praying Mantis.
* Weapons. In some forms such as Iaido, Kendo, Fencing, and Bojutsu, there is the use of old style weaponry.
* Grappling and throwing are also evident. Here they are used in such forms as wrestling, Judo, Shuai Jiao, Sambo, Naban, and Qin Na.

Most individuals that study martial arts will study several or many of these different areas of combat. Other forms such as those that come from traditional Chinese arts teach more including acupuncture, acupressure and bone setting as part of the study of traditional Chinese Medicine.

Today, martial arts are quite misunderstood. Many have seen it done on television in various movies and have come to think of it as just a style of fighting. But, there is much more to it than that. It is not only in the combat element that martial arts are quite powerful, but also in the element of self control and character building. Many parents allow children who misbehave to take classes not to teach them to fight, but to teach them control.

About the Author

This article was written by T.Potter. You can visit Genuine Martial Arts for further information and martial arts resources.

The Cagewarriors Fighting Championships Make A Successful Return To Coventry With Strike Force 2
Michael “The Count” Bisping goes to 8-0 with another KO win, whilst the 170kg Zuluzinho is triumphant as the Wolfslair Academy has another successful UK MMA outing.

Solis Releases Chuck Liddell, The Iceman Affliction Signature Tee in UFC 71
Chuck Liddell, “the Iceman”,” releases his new Affliction UFC Signature Series at Solis, www.soliscompany.com. Liddell is the current Lightweight Champion of the world for the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Chuck Liddell defends his title on May 26, 2007 at the MGM in Las Vegas in UFC 71.

Popularity: unranked [?]

Josh Barnett, “Baby Faced Assassin,” Releases Affliction Signature Shirt at Solis
Josh Barnett, “Baby Faced Assassin,” releases new Affliction UFC Signature at Solis. Barnett made UFC history in 2002 as the youngest fighter in history to win the UFC Heavyweight Championship title. Other signature shirts in the series Randy “the Natural” Couture and Chuck “the Iceman” Liddell.

The Cagewarriors Fighting Championships Announces A Date For Their Rescheduled Ultimate Force 2 Show
Cagewarriors are proud to announce that the previously postponed “Ultimate Force 2″ Ultimate Fighting/Mixed Martial Arts show has been rescheduled and will take place at the Doncaster Dome in South Yorkshire, England on October 15th

Chinese New Year (Lunar New Year) 2007, “Week of Workshops” near Annapolis
The Jing Ying Institute of Kung Fu and Tai Chi near Annapolis, Maryland has several events scheduled in honor of the Chinese New Year.

7 Quick and Natural Ways to Increase Your Energy for Martial Arts Training

“7 Quick and Natural Ways to Increase Your Energy for
Martial Arts Training”

-by Joshua Black

? 2006 Joshua Black -All Rights Reserved

1. A no-brainer, but most people don’t follow it: Get at least
8 hours of sleep each night. Actually the perfect amount of
sleep has been found to be 8.2 hours. No amount of pills,
potions, or energy drinks can make up for the lack of required
sleep

2. Drink a ton of water on the days that you train. Slam 2-3
glasses 20 minutes before training to make sure your body is
adequately hydrated before you sweat profusely for a few hours.
Hydrate well during your workout too. You’re mostly made of
water, don’t lose it at the gym.

3. Take a multi-vitamin every day. Most of the food we eat
no longer contains all of the vitamins we need, despite how
good (or bad) your intentions are. Choose a multivitamin of
high quality, and pick one that is sex-specific. Women need
iron supplements, men don’t. Men should have a lycopene
additive. You may also want to add an additional large dose
of vitamin C (500 mg+). You will notice a huge difference
in your daily energy if you have picked high quality vitamins.
The change usually takes 1-2 weeks to notice.

4. 10-15 minutes of meditation and deep breathing just before
working out. Find a quiet place to sit. Close you eyes and focus
only on your breathing, nothing else. This will empty your mind
of energy-draining stress and will dump extra oxygen into your
system, getting your body ready for training.

5. Eat a thick peanut butter and jelly sandwich on wheat bread,
15-20 minutes before working out. The peanut butter will
provide you with long lasting protein energy, while the jelly will
give you that quick sugar boost to get you started during cardio
training. The wheat bread is used instead of white, to avoid the
fat-generating carbs from white flour.

6. Perform the cardio portion of you workout first when you have
peak energy, then focus on forms and technique. This will give
your body all of the advantage it needs to get optimum training
results, and then your mind will be clear for techniques later.

7. Eat small meals 4-6 times a day, instead of 2-3 large ones.
This will keep your metabolism level up all day long and give
you increased energy, instead of feeling like you gorged yourself
3 times a day like most people.BREAK#

#TITLE#Martial Arts Secrets Used By Military Special Ops

Popularity: unranked [?]

10 Signs Your Training Environment Sucks!
Let’s say that you had a friend that lived in another state and was considering changing schools based on what’s happening at his current school. Would you have a clear perspective on what a good training environment is supposed to be to help him make the right decision?

A Martial Artist’s View of Jet Li’s Latest & Last Martial Arts Film: “Fearless”

There must have been only a dozen people attending the Florida showing of Jet Li?s latest and reportedly last martial arts film, ?Fearless.?

But numbers lie, because you can?t judge how ?boffo? this film is from its box office numbers.

This is gem, I?m sure you?ll agree, when you see it.

In this movie, Li?s character is descended from a father who could have been the martial arts champ of his province, if he hadn?t shown mercy and followed through with a punch he had already expertly launched at his adversary?s heart.

Li swore that he would redeem the family honor and win the title that eluded Papa.

As he journeys toward greatness, Li learns many things about love, life, revenge, and honor, and we see him mature as a martial artist and as a hero.

This movie is masterful at examining the role of restraint in a warrior?s life; a theme I have written quite a lot about, lately. Let me say, by the time the end of the movie is achieved, a great harmony between a battler?s motivations is consummated, almost improbably, but witnessing this outcome is very moving.

I suppose I knew that this was Li?s last contribution to martial arts films, and touched by this cinematic farewell as well as by the tightly woven story, I found myself immobilized as the credits ran.

Though you?ll see some good action and intense swordplay and wire-assisted leaps, this offering is more about internal strength than anything else.

You might see it and conclude as I did, that Li is the real deal, and most important, he leaves his fans and sometimes overly enthusiastic brawlers with more to ponder than their speed or athleticism.

He shows that the martial arts are a noble and humane endeavor, and their true aim is the perfection of character.

Are You Putting Off Your Success?
Imagine that you come home one evening with TONS of work to do on your computer and need to do quickly. As you pull into your driveway, you notice that the local phone company is putting in underground cables in the front yard of both of your neighbors. No big deal since they’re not digging big holes in your lawn, right? In fact, you’re relieved that they’re not digging in your yard since that reduces the likelihood they’ll do any damage to your house.

Popularity: unranked [?]

Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) Champions Frank Mir and Renato ‘Babalu’ Sobral to Clash at Tuff-N-Uff’s ‘Unarmed Combat’
Former UFC(r) Champion Frank Mir will take on Renato "Babalu" Sobral at Tuff-N-Uff's "Unarmed Combat" on June 22 at the South Point Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. (PRWeb Jun 20, 2007)

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Pondz Family Fitness & Learning Center Opens in Largo
Pondz Family Fitness & Learning Center announces its grand opening in Largo on June 30, 2007 with a mix of adult fitness classes, personal training and youth afterschool programs for area residents. (PRWeb Jul 1, 2007)

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The Martial Arts and Self-Defense - Emotional Response and Reaction

The media has fuelled the perception that ordinary people on the street are in constant danger from violent attack, and self-defense classes promise to counter this fear.

To attract students, most martial arts schools in the U.S. teach self-defense methods. They make many claims about the usefulness of martial arts techniques in defending oneself against attack. Such situations of attack are rare, however, and can be avoided by not putting oneself in danger (for example, not walking around bad neighborhoods after dark, not buying or selling illegal drugs, not hanging around bars, not getting involved with gangs, and so on). Being alert and aware of one’s surroundings and recognizing the types of events that are likely to occur in certain locations are the individual’s first line of self-defense.

The media has fuelled the perception that ordinary people on the street are in constant danger from violent attack, and self-defense classes promise to counter this fear. In truth, this perception is largely false, as more people are injured in incidents of domestic violence than on the street by strangers. To be effective, self-defense classes only need to reduce the feeling of fear.

When a person is actually attacked on the street by a stranger, the main problem in self-defense is generally not a lack of physical ability to counter the attack, but an emotional reaction, such as panic or anger, that can turn a bad situation worse. Panic can be paralyzing and invite attack, while anger can provoke harm as well by frightening or angering an attacker to further violence.

Serious training in the martial arts takes the emotional reaction out of violent confrontations. After many hours of practice, a punch or a kick becomes merely a physical force, a fist or a foot is easily handled, and an encounter is not even experienced as a personal attack. Students learn good coordination and self-confidence, characteristics which can discourage potential aggressors from becoming aggressive in the first place. In the martial arts, the simple act itself of practicing over a long period of time may be the most important element in effective self-defense than any specific technique learned.

Focusing on self-defense in today’s world has changed the techniques being taught in the martial arts. In the modern world, no one is likely to be attacked by a sword-wielding samurai. Instead, an attacker may be unarmed or have a baseball bat, knife, or gun. Battlefield combat techniques would not be very useful in these situations. The emphasis on such techniques has declined in most martial arts styles and has been replaced with techniques that are relevant to our times.

About the Author

Steven Gregoire has been training in the martial arts since 1986. Currently
he operates Tigerstrike.com A martial art
equipment and supply store.

Xyience Training Center Grand Opening
Xyience Training Center features instruction by Martial Arts Masters and UFC Professional Fighters. (PRWeb Jul 10, 2007)

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Secret Art of Aikido
Some of the techniques in Aikido include the following. Ikkyo is the first technique. Using this technique you control an opponent by using one hand in holding the elbow and one near the wrist, this action is supposed to make you pin your opponent down in the ground.

How to Incapacitate the Opponent, Using Throws, Locks, and Striking Techniques
Jujitsu is so effective because the Jujitsu throws and grapples can be accomplished even by small martial artists. These techniques combined with the Jujitsu submissions allows skilled fighters to win against strong fighters on the merit of their moves and techniques. In many ways, this is the heart of martial arts.

Martial Arts Summer Camp: A Success Story for Children

Do you ever get the feeling that your child is losing ground in the battle for a decent education? Do you dread the high cost of summer camp? Do you feel that your child is learning courtesy and respect in school or summer camp?

None of us can afford to let the years go by and “hope for the best.” Each child must go through a re-programming process every September to regain his or her previous academic level. The child who did great in June may have to settle and adjust to school all over again in the Fall.

The common problems for children, when going back to school, are attention span, motivation, and goal setting skills. We have many choices to enhance the success rates of our children, but if money is a factor, our choices seem to be limited, and every parent wants the best for his or her child.

Therefore, let’s look at our options. You could do it all yourself, and some parents choose this path. You would need to tutor your child, reinforce respect, supervise each activity, and gently guide him or her toward constructive friendships. If you have a career, you might as well put it on hold for the summer.

You could place your child in an affordable summer camp and pray he or she will survive the season. You could also find a good skills camp for a minimum of $300 per week. Between summer camp, back to school, gasoline, and Christmas, we’ll all be working a second job.

However, martial arts summer camps are very affordable in comparison to most summer camps. All of them are run with maximum supervision and kids are eager to belong to a structured society. Children know what is expected of them; it is just a matter of reinforcing the structure and making it fun for kids.

Does it sound like a military school? In some ways it is - but each child who enters a martial arts summer camp, will be a model student in an academic school setting, during the next school year.

How is this possible? The foundation of martial arts is courtesy and respect. This is how a martial arts school maintains structure and integrity. All of the extra life skills such as: goal setting, anger management, stress management, motivation, self defense, and having a positive attitude, are “icing on the cake.”

Every child who enters a martial arts summer camp learns the taste of success, the feeling of achievement - and no child is left behind. In turn, this will prepare him or her for the next school year.

? Copyright 2006 - Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

About the Author

Paul Jerard is director of Yoga teacher training at Aura in RI. He’s a master instructor of martial arts and Yoga. He teaches that along with fitness. He wrote: Is Running a Yoga Business Right for You? For Yoga students who want to be a teacher.
http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html

How Important is Kata?
A few days ago, I was walking out of the bank in my town and past a Kara Te DoJo and inside I saw an instructor teaching his young students a Bo kata. I stopped to watch for a minute and could not help but notice the poor quality of the performance of techniques by the students. I quickly looked at the instructor and saw him performing these techniques improperly as well. The reason I am saying that these techniques were improper is that, the Bo Kata that they were performing lacked the internal structure which produces power and the essential techniques which would keep the bo from being taken away. That is when I realized, sadly, that there are two reasons Kata is preformed today, one for demonstration and the other for protection! In many systems the original purpose, protection, has long been deleted for the other more popular reason, demonstration? The internal techniques have slowly disappeared from the original kata.

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Action Steps for Successful Knife Defense
First of all, don’t get into knife fights. I don’t care how good you are, if you’re bare handed and in street clothes, and the other guy has a combat knife, you’re at a serious disadvantage.

Are You Putting Off Your Success?
Imagine that you come home one evening with TONS of work to do on your computer and need to do quickly. As you pull into your driveway, you notice that the local phone company is putting in underground cables in the front yard of both of your neighbors. No big deal since they’re not digging big holes in your lawn, right? In fact, you’re relieved that they’re not digging in your yard since that reduces the likelihood they’ll do any damage to your house.

How to Incapacitate the Opponent, Using Throws, Locks, and Striking Techniques
Jujitsu is so effective because the Jujitsu throws and grapples can be accomplished even by small martial artists. These techniques combined with the Jujitsu submissions allows skilled fighters to win against strong fighters on the merit of their moves and techniques. In many ways, this is the heart of martial arts.

Failure is Not an Option! - “Attitude” and the Keys to Martial Arts Mastery, Key #7

One of the most important traits of any successful person is one of total commitment and passion for what it is that they are doing. They see their goal; they devise a plan for reaching it; and, the set about doing what is necessary to attain that goal.

This is something that has been repeated in uncountable books on success and personal achievement as-well-as here in this newsletter. I have written and re-written about it - I have spoken and reiterated my points again and again in class. But still I see my students and others that I care about settling for average results and the unfortunate habit of excuse-making.

Why is this so?

I believe that it is due to our need to have a ‘back-up’ plan should we not succeed.

Not succeed?!

If we have set a realistic goal (growing gills and moving in with our goldfish is not a good example!), we have worked out a plan of action, and, we are prepared to do what’s necessary, why then would we need a plan of action should we not succeed?!

Now, I’m not being funny, or mean, or unrealistic. What I am doing is pointing out what I, and from what I have been able to find out about the psychology of success, every other successful person sees as a ‘flaw in logic.’

The flaw is in the understanding of ‘having a back-up plan if we don’t succeed.’ If we don’t succeed at what? If we’re following the plan and we’re on track, aren’t we getting at least closer all the time? And if not, what IS happening that is preventing us from reaching our goal - not enough time, an unforeseen circumstance, lack of experience, knowledge or resources?

The point here is that, very often, we set ourselves up for failure by designing something into the equation that will make it OK to fail. I don’t mean that we necessarily set out to fail, just that we provide an excuse before we need one.

Here’s an example. My son has a goal to enlist in the Navy. He is doing this to gain both knowledge and experience for a future job with a major airline as an aircraft engine mechanic. He has set up the necessary interviews, obtained the requirements for enlistment as-well as those for getting the job that he is after. Unfortunately he is overweight and as a result, will have to lose weight or, at the very least, get to a point where his measurements meet the minimum standards. He has set one date after another for the enlistment, but has not lost enough by each date to qualify for enlistment.

A friend of his, someone who is very concerned for his welfare has suggested heavily that he start looking for an apartment, as-well-as gathering information about car insurance, etc., just in case he doesn’t meet his latest goal. The idea being that he will have a back-up plan should he not make it.

A look at this story should bring one very important question to mind:

“What is the goal here?”

Is the goal to begin a career in the Navy or to move out on his own? While both would accomplish the later, this is not the goal. And the so-called back-up plan does not contribute to the attainment of that goal. In this scenario, failure - not attaining the desired goal - has been wired into the equation.

The point is not whether or not to have a back-up plan but to make sure that any such plans contribute to the accomplishment of the goal. This is more aptly called a ‘contingency plan.’
Why was he not able to enlist by those other dates? Setting an unrealistic time to accomplish the task? Not carrying through on what needed to be done? These are questions that a contingency plan will handle.

In these cases, his so-called back-up plans would include: moving the date, recommitting to the goal, giving himself a worse-case alternative as an incentive to achieving the goal, etc.

The idea here is that we need to clearly understand the goal and what we want to get. Then, any back-up or contingency plan would work to go over, under, around, or through any obstacles that popped up. It would not cause us to drop our goal and drastically change what we are doing as ‘just another option.’

Remember, to successful people…

…failure is never an option!

About the Author

Jeffrey Miller is the founder and master instructor of Warrior Concepts International. He is a consultant for businesses, groups, and organizations on the topic of self-protection. For more info, subscribe to his ezine here.

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MyFitnessFormula.com Adds to Its Line of Home Fitness Products
In an effort to get everyone involved in fitness, even children and senior citizens, the online product offerings of Myfitnessformula.com have been expanded greatly in the past few days. (PRWeb Jun 11, 2007)

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Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) Champions Frank Mir and Renato ‘Babalu’ Sobral to Clash at Tuff-N-Uff’s ‘Unarmed Combat’
Former UFC(r) Champion Frank Mir will take on Renato "Babalu" Sobral at Tuff-N-Uff's "Unarmed Combat" on June 22 at the South Point Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. (PRWeb Jun 20, 2007)

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Reflex Training Ideas For Martial Arts,Boxing, Squash, Etc.

Cat Like Reflex Training Methods

It can go with out saying that whatever your sport, improved reaction time & response time a.k.a. reflex speed will be vital. Any & even the slightest improvements in this skill can have astonishing results on your game. Think about it for a moment? even if you could shoot, move, and jump like MJ you?d still be at his mercy if you didn?t have his eyes. Meaning react unexpectedly, see defenders before they move, & beat the head fakes. Again this carries over to most every sport imaginable. Take the boxer, his whole game, the entire fight is react as fast as possible before your opponent does & don?t get faked out!

Before we get started I want to clarify a couple things. There are 3 phases of speed. 1) Reaction time: This is the perception of an attack, or rather the interval between stimulus and the beginning of response. 2) Response time: This is the time it takes to choose an appropriate response to the initiation of the actual movement. 3) And finally, movement-speed. Quite simply how quick your counter punch is or how fast your body moves getting out of the way of trouble, etc. You will notice some of these examples seem geared more towards martial artist and there methods of training but not to worry you?ll also see how the can be adapted to any sport.

Reaction & Recognition

Woods Running: I can?t think of an easier drill to start doing that requires no training partners or equipment for enhancing coordination & reflex speed. All that is needed is a little bit of nature, so go to a local park with a batch of thick untamed woods, shrubs, ditches, canals and other natural obstacles. What makes this a Grand exercise is that you have to react with your body in very unpredictable ways, uneven footing, while making cuts, ducks, jumps, bobs, & shuffling of the feet. The key to a successful session is RUN FAST! Yes the faster you run the harder adapting will be. Interestingly enough your mind will be so preoccupied with this live video game that you won?t even notice how winded your getting! You can make this drill harder in a couple simple ways. 1) Try putting on an eye patch. This creates a major deficit in depth perception. 2) Try this wearing sunglasses, giving you less distance vision in a shady wooded area. 3) Simply add ankle weights, that will throw off your innate sense of timing.

Dodge Ball: “If you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a ball”-Patches O?Houlihan. And if you can dodge a dodgeball the way I?m going to challenge you to, you?ll evade anything that?s slower than a bullet! So to start you need a partner to be a thrower. You can switch up to make it fun & interesting for both of you. Begin at about 10? apart and use a soft rubber or foam ball. Start slow, then as you get better have the pitcher increase his velocity & get closer. Here?s a short list of some variables you should use to continually make dodgeball more challenging & fun. 1) Use multiple throwers. 2) Start with eyes closed and have the pitcher cue you before he throws. 3) Thrower can disguise his toss with “feints”. 4) Color code balls: Red ball = catch, blue = dodge, green = strike. These force you to recognize as well as react.

Solo Wall Bounce: Stand in front of a wall with any kind of ball that bounces. Throw and catch. Make this more difficult by: increasing your velocity, standing closer to the wall, progressing to smaller balls, switching catch/throw hands, and starting facing away from the wall, throwing the ball over your shoulder then turning around at the sound of it hitting the wall. Jump USA sells a “reaction” ball that looks like an odd, uneven bouncing ball that can go in any given direction. These sell for about $10. Pick one up after you?ve mastered my previous methods of bouncing!

Response Times

Once you?ve learned how to appropriately identify stimulus and speed up the recognition, or need to do something, the next phase of training deals with programming your nervous system with a proper response. This will just as easily improve your overall speed. If you see things even before they happen what good is it if your body clumsily tries to move? You need to have a storehouse of nervous “memory” responses that are quick, smooth, & graceful.

Balloon Kicks: This exercise is mostly a coordination builder but it is so fun I had to throw it in. It will improve timing, accuracy and responsiveness quickly without seeming tedious at all. Blow up a balloon and go into a room that has numerous natural obstacles like chairs, stools, counters, & coffee tables. If you?re so inclined, get some cones and small objects to clutter the floor. Now, start kicking the balloon with the purpose of not letting it touch the floor. Kick, kick, kick! If It drops you lose. Time your self to see how long you can last each session.

Side Shuffles: Here one your football & basketball coaches wish they knew. If you have access to a treadmill you will make agility leaps & bounds. You are certainly going to look ridiculous doing this but that?s ok, my theory is the more embarrassing your training is the better it works! Hey I was training with jumpsoles back when they first hit the scene, before they were the commodity everyone knows them as. Now picture this skinny 17 year old Florida boy sprinting up and down blacktops in Giant horseshoe like strap-ons. Yeah I got funny looks! So will you. Anyway what you need to do is crank that machine up to 5mph to start and gallop if you will, sideways trying to gradually increase the speed to your limit. Switch sides. Next slow it back down to 5mph and try cross-stepping front & back. See what your threshold is in terms of mph. Your objective is a slight increase each session. Final set is backpedaling. Better start slower than the 5, this ones harder. The treadmill is necessary because if forces a pace. Next time some ball hog tries to take you on a dribble he?ll have another thing coming!

Visual Speed & Acuity

Video Games: This is a perfect way to enhance response action, and visual perception all while having fun! You don?t need to go out and purchase a $200 X-box, a simple Gameboy to carry around for the next time your waiting to renew your plates or visit the dentist s fine. Stay away from the Mrs. Pac-man that you?ve mastered ages ago. Try something new & challenging, change-up every other time you play to keep it unpredictable! I recommend 2 days a week for 30 minutes a little video gaming. It?s training!

Peripheral Driver: Not much need to go into the importance of side vision awareness & expansion, its usefulness carries over to every sports activity imaginable. You need to know if a potential defender or tackle is just out of your sight coming up the sides of your vision. Here is a great way to develop your P.V. while driving. Next time you?re on the road try to be consciously aware when you catch a glimpse of a vehicle in the corner of your eye. Call out the color or make if you can. Gradually you?ll be noticing them much sooner. The real trick is jut remembering to practice it when you get in the car so my suggestion is to write it on the rear view with dry erase.

Eye Accommodation: Or rather the ability for you eyes to quickly adjust from focusing on objects close to far. Rapid adjustments in depth perception, is a skill that can be developed quickly & easily. This will play a key role in how well you can respond. If a fist is flying at your face you need to be able to zoom in before you can gauge an appropriate counter move. Try these 2 simple drills once daily. Hold a pen out at arms length, now look across the room about 20 ft away. Shift your focus from a far object, then back to the pen several times quickly. Rest and repeat, changing the proximity of the pen (closer to your face) every couple of sets. This is known as shifting. The next drill is called figure 8?s. Hold your thumb up at arms length & begin moving it in yes, figure 8?s. While you?re doing this also bring your thumb closer & further from the face a well as vary the speed at which your thumb moves every 10 seconds.

There I scratched (meowch!) the surface of what can be done to start your transformation from slow to whoa! Let me close by saying a lot has to do with what your tying your brain up with at the moment. So put all those pesky thoughts away during your next game, & just BE THERE! Absorb yourself in your tactile senses just like a feline would!There’s way more secrets i’ll reveal another time like better drills, brain sharpeners, simple tricks to play, drills you can do while watching TV, and even supplements that can improve your reflex speed immediately! In the mean time give these examples a try a couple days a week & in as little as 2 weeks you will be quite impressed with the progress!

Pondz Family Fitness & Learning Center Opens in Largo
Pondz Family Fitness & Learning Center announces its grand opening in Largo on June 30, 2007 with a mix of adult fitness classes, personal training and youth afterschool programs for area residents. (PRWeb Jul 1, 2007)

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Wing Chun - Chinese Martial Art
Brief History:

Wing Chun (also known as Wing Tsun, Ving Chun or Ving Tsun) is one of the most popular types of Chinese martial arts. Though it?s basically an unarmed combat technique, Wing Chun may include weapons as part of its course. The origin of Wing Chun can be traced back to China, but the real history of its creation has long been a topic of much debate. The most credible suggestion regarding the origin of Wing Chun dates back to 1700 AD in the Henan Shaolin Monastery.

When the Qing forces raided and ravaged the Southern Shaolin temple, a nun named Ng Mui fled to the distant Daliang Mountains, the only survivor. Ng Mui already had knowledge of Kung Fu in the Shaolin temple, which she assimilated with a new form she had learnt while observing a battle between a snake and a crane. She taught this new combat style to her adopted daughter whom she named Yimm Wing Chun. The new system was refined and then passed on from generation to generation, and was eventually named Wing Chun, after Yimm.

The modernization of Wing Chun started in Hong Kong during the 1950s under a Grandmaster called Yip Man. The discipline began to gain real popularity in Asia and the West when actor Bruce Lee became one of the most famous Wing Chun practitioners.

The Concept of Wing Chun:

Wing Chun is based on three basic principles - Practicality, Efficiency and Economy of Movement.

1. Practicality: Techniques such as Palm-up Hand (tan sau), Wing Arm (bong sau), Slapping Hand (pak sau) are designed to maim the most sensitive or vulnerable parts of the opponent?s body such as throat, groin, eyes and lower torso. Many movements and techniques in Wing Chun are often meant to be fatal.

2. Efficiency: Wing Chun does not use force against force, in order to gain the most efficient manipulation of the body’s energy. It believes in accurately timed and appropriately positioned little movements, and counter-attack is based on the opponent?s own force. This concept is also called Contact Reflexes.

3. Economy of Movement: This is a linear concept in which movements are based on an imaginary pole running vertically through the center of the body. The Center Line spreads out from this Mother Line, and since most of the vital points of the body are located along the Center Line, many offensive and defensive movements are based on this line. The Central Line, on the other hand, is the shortest path between the fighters where most of the combat exchanges take place.

Wing Chun Forms:

There are three basic forms in Wing Chun:

1. Empty Hand Form: This form has three more sub-forms - Siu Nim Tao - the foundation of the art, Chum Kiu - focus on advanced footwork and entry techniques, and Biu Jee - extreme short-range or long-range techniques, low kicks and sweeps, and emergency techniques.

2. Weapon Forms: The Dragon Pole and Butterfly Swords are the two forms of weapons incorporated in Wing Chun, categorized under advanced training.

3. Wooden Dummy or the Muk Yan Jong Form: A dummy made from several wooden posts represents a human opponent. The contraption is used to perfect angle, position, and footwork.

<a href="http://martialarts-hq.com/">Martial Arts</a> HQ offers articles, tips and tricks about different martial arts.

Where To Get Your Martial Arts And Self Defense Equipment
When you start training martial arts or Self Defense you will need the adequate martial arts of Self Defense equipment.

Both types of equipment are different and you should know what to look for when shopping for martial arts or self defense equipment.

The most common place to buy martial arts or self defense equipment is in the local dojo. Most dojos, training centers, etc?. have a small store where you can buy or order the martial arts or self defense equipment you need for your practice.

Buying your martial arts or self defense equipment at your local dojo has a lot of advantages. You will get expert advise from your teacher. He knows your needs and what type of martial arts or self defense equipment you are going to need for his classes. He will also be the best person to advise you on the quality of the different brands due to his years of experience with many different suppliers.

The negative part of buying martial arts or self defense equipment at your local dojo is the price. Buying only a minor wholesaler, the discount margins are very small and this will reflect itself in the prices your teacher has to charge for the martial arts and self defense equipment he or she sells.

The second possibility is buy your martial arts and self defense equipment at a local specialized store. The advantage is a lower price than in your local dojo or gym, you can touch, feel and try on the equipment before you buy to see if you like it and if the size fits you. You can get some advise from the salesperson about the different brands of martial arts and self defense equipment they sell.

The downside is the fact that most salespersons in those shops are non practitioners of the martial arts or self defense so they have no practical experience with the equipment they sell. This may lead to mistakes that will cost you money.

The third way to buy your martial arts or self defense equipment is to shop for it online. There are many suppliers to be found online that will ship the goods to your doorstep. To find them just type: martial arts or self defense equipment in google or any other search engine and you will get thousands of listings for this term.

The advantages are obvious : no need to leave your home, low prices and shipping to your doorstep but the inconveniences are also very obvious: You can not feel, try or touch the equipment before finishing the payment and receiving the shipment of your martial arts or self defense equipment. You won?t be able to get advise from a real person, face to face. Some suppliers will be happy to assist you in your selection of martial arts or self defense equipment by email or phone. If you have to return an order for whatever reason you will have to take care of the shipping and packing and refunds can take time to be paid.

So before starting to shop for your martial arts or self defense equipment take a look at the above and consider what is the best way for you. Some people will be limited to one or two possibilities and others can only buy their martial arts or self defense equipment online but wherever you go to buy yours, consider the warranty and the refund policies of all 3, the local dojo, the specialized shop and the online supplier.

This can save you a lot of headaches. Things do break and sometimes it just isn?t manufactured as it should be so warranty and refund policies will help you determine the professionalism of the seller and save you time and headaches.

Peter Vermeeren is a traditional martial arts teacher for over 30 year. His websites can be found here: <a href="http://www.takaharudojo.org" target="_blank">http://www.takaharudojo.org</a> and <a href="http://www.kamikaze-portal.com" target="_blank">http://www.kamikaze-portal.com</a>

British Aikido Board National Nepotism Seminar
The British Aikido Board Disastrous National Nepotism Seminar 2004 — 99 Students By Henry Ellis ( BAB Founder member - now resigned ) Co-author of Positive Aikido. For many years The British Aikido Board ( BAB ) have shown no interest whatsoever in the true history of British Aikido, to be fair to the BAB, they have in the past shown a great deal of interest and support for the false history of British Aikido for which they have now publicly apologised, the apology to Henry Ellis by the chairman Mr Vincent Sumpter can be viewed on www.geocities.com/britishaikido. Kenshiro Abbe Sensei When Kenshiro Abbe Sensei first stepped on British soil in 1955 he brought with him the knowledge of many Budo arts, Aikido being one of them. Abbe Sensei also brought his Aikido based philosophy of Kyu-Shin-Do. This was the inception of British Aikido. Yet no where in the BAB literature will you find any reference to Kenshiro Abbe Sensei or the origins of Aikido within the UK. In the year 2000 the BAB were happy to help promote Mr Pooles proven fraudulent claims to 47 yrs of Aikido, I am plesaed to add that the BAB have now taken this claim by Mr Poole from the BAB Associations information website. I personally received my invitation from the BAB to attend Mr Poole’s event, that was the start of the long running British Aikido Board Controversy which was resolved at the mediation meeting 6th July 2005 with Sport England/BAB/Ellis. Yet sadly, the BAB have never ever recognised or promoted the true history of British Aikido or its founder Kenshiro Abbe Sensei. The reason for this article is that following the success of the great Kenshiro Abbe Sensei Celebrations 14th May 2005 I am informed that the BAB plan a similar event next year which would be an insult to the memory of Abbe Sensei and to the handful of Abbe Sensei direct students. It should be pointed out that the spate of attacks on the credibilty of British Aikido History - Kenshiro Abbe Sensei and Henry Ellis have all come from within the BAB, some are executive members along with prominent members of the British Aikido Board associations. These are the very people that the members would expect to promote and protect their proud lineage. The BAB chairman once supported the claims of Mr Poole by stating ” We have no formal records to prove or disprove either claim ” DUH < There were four of Abbe Sense’s direct students within the BAB > Mr John Burn.* BAB Executive *- *BAB Communications Officer* - Very Serious libel attack on the name of Henry Ellis. renews his attack 10th June 2005 stating ” This only serves to amuse me “. Jim Johnston. The then *BAB Press Officer*. Promoting the fraudulent claims of Mr Poole whilst fully knowing the truth. Mr Dominick Foster.* BAB Executive * - Attends the Kenshiro Abbe Celebrations and states to a VIP guest “What is this Celebration all about ” he then states that next year is the true celebration of British Aikido by the BAB. Mr Jack Poole.* BAB Senior Principal Coach *. The Jack Poole Biography..( a catalogue of lies. ). The KenShinKai.* Prominent BAB Association*. Gave 100% Support for the JP Bio..Their open letter taken from the NACD is a classic. Mr Gwynne Jones.* Prominent BAB member *. Dis-credits 6 of the first 8 of the early dan grades in MartialArts Illustrated article ” Bends the Branch..Issue June 05. visit the National Aikido Database for more information. British Aikido Board Statement Damned Forever * The BAB Chairman *Toni Davis stated in the year 2000 “We the British Aikido Board are not the custodians of British Aikido History and therefore have no interest in the same” Sadly with the arrival of the new BAB chairman Mr Vincent Sumpter nothing changed, he made the statement below despite the factual information available to him and his executive, We must not forget that Mr Sumpter had the only four surviving students of Abbe Sensei for Aikido within the BAB. On the 17th April 2002 The *BAB Chairman * Mr Vincent Sumpter wrote to Henry Ellis with reference to the history of British Aikido. He then made the following crass statement in his support for the BAB stance on Mr Jack Poole. “The period in question predates the creation of the BAB by a significant amount of time and therefore we have no formal records to prove or disprove either claim.” The Kenshiro Abbe 50th Celebration Seminar May 14th Crystal Palace London 720 Participants —Guests — Spectators At the Sport England / BAB / Ellis mediation meeting 6th July 2004 where the BAB were reprimanded by Sport England and instructed to give Henry Ellis a full public apology. At the end of the meeting ( The minutes for this meeting can be viewed on www.geocities.com/britishaikido ), Henry Ellis appraised Ms Sadie Mason of Sport England of the proposed plans for the Kenshiro Abbe event, Ms Mason suggested that we should involve the BAB in our plans as part of the reconciliation of British Aikido, Henry Ellis agreed. Henry Ellis offered Ms Mason’s suggestion to the Abbe Event Committee, the suggestion was unanimously accepted 100%. The BAB executive were then approached and invited to send a representative ( any one of its 15,000 members ) of the BAB to attend our meetings and report back on our progress, this offer was rejected out of hand. Mr Vincent Sumpter “No matter your Pretence, you are what you are and nothing more!” Kenshiro Abbe Sensei Not deterred, we then invited the BAB chairman Mr Vincent Sumpter to attend The Kenshiro Abbe 50th Celebration as a VIP guest, to pay the respects of the BAB membership of which he represents . There were many BAB members attending, proving that this event was not about personal differences — styles or what organisation you belong to, I was pleased to see students from Mr Poole’s organisation who were also made very welcome. This event was about one thing and one thing only ” Kenshiro Abbe Sensie ” with demonstrations of the early aikido and its proud standards, with Sensei Eastman showing various techniques to show the influences that the different early teachers brought to the UK in those early days. Students trained with other students of various styles and associations with a friendliness not often seen in modern Aikido circles. this event went a long way to promote all that is good in Aikido. I believe that the spirit of Abbe Sensei would be very proud of this special day to his memory. Another crass statement from Mr Vincent Sumpter 27th March 2004 made before the Sport England Mediation meeting 6th July 2005. In an unwarranted attack on the genuine aikidoka who supported the British Aikido Controversy debate in its defence of the true history of British Aikido and the Aikido history of Abbe Sensei and his disciples. Mr Sumpter bleats. “The Boards conscience is clear. like all the practitioners of Aikido who contribute to this “controversy ” Mr Humm appears to have forgotten the meaning of the word “Aikido ” — Harmony of Sprit to find a Way ” The “Controversy ” website feeds hatred, ill — feeling, bitterness and discord. For my part, as an aikidoka who is passionate about the art and the etiquette that goes with it, I will therefore not add to the feeding frenzy this website generates. I can’t stop what is going on but I can turn the other cheek.” With reference to the above statement by Mr Sumpter I should remind the reader to visit www.geocities.com/britishaikido to read both the Sport England minutes and Mr Sumpters apology to Mr Ellis which can only be considered an apology to all those that supported the “Controversy ” in the name of Kenshiro Abbe Sensei including the named Mr David Humm. In response to our invitation to attend as a VIP guest to the Abbe event Mr Sumpter replied stating that he graciously accepted our invitation. Just before the event he changed his mind without explanation, suggesting that we allow Mr Ralph Reynolds to represent the BAB. Mr Reynolds had a far more important role to play as one of the main teachers at this event where he was delighted to take part as an original student of Kenshiro Abbe Sensei. This was such an important event with many good students who were members of the BAB, yet, the British Aikido Board were not represented at this event to pay tribute to such a great master and the founding father of British Aikido. If Mr Sumpter had attended he would have seen a Martial Arts Spectacular never before seen in the United Kingdom, where students from many organisations met and renewed old friendships, there were many more that made new friendships. In almost 50 years of Aikido I have never before experienced the special atmosphere that electrified the great hall at Crystal Palace from the moment the Taiko Drummers started to play on this day of celebration in the name of Abbe Sensei. I never ever thought in my life time that I would ever see an event to eclipse the great event at The Royal Albert Hall in 1963 with Abbe Sensei. I knew on Saturday the 14th of May that I was now witnessing the greatest Aikido event in my 48 years of Aikido. I am not an emotional man but I will admit that as I looked over the balcony of the concourse onto the tatami area with the sound of the Taiko Drummers and the hundreds of students and guests gathering below I was unable to stop the trickle of a few emotional tears as I realised I was witnessing something very special. MR SUMPTER, you missed something very special, whilst you sat 40 miles away at home ignoring the tribute to the father of British Aikido, others travelled from all parts of the UK — USA — France — Holland — Germany — Czechoslovakia. etc. Whilst you sat at home it was a wonderful moment when Sensei Bill Woods who was the personal aide to Kenshiro Abbe Sensei and without doubt the most influential force in the history British Martial Arts, made a supreme effort despite his serious illness to pay his respects to the memory of Abbe Sensei. Also whilst you sat at home, Sensei Bill Stopps the personal Aide to Matsutharu Otani Sensei who despite his age and ill health also attended and thanked me wholeheartedly for inviting him as a special guest, and for the wonderful day he had experienced. Whilst you sat at home just 40 miles away, Sensei Robin Otani and his two sons, the descendents of Matsutharu Otani Sensei travelled all the way from Devon to attend. Sensei Joe Curran travelled all the way from Newcastle and Sensei Mike Nery travelled from Bristol. Sensei Dave Rogers travelled 7000 miles from New Mexico USA as did Sensei Al Montemar and Mr Chad Hatcher who flew over from Texas USA to pay their respects. Whilst you sat at home there were many others that travelled long journeys to attend. Unlike you Mr Sumpter these people wanted to attend. You missed some of the finest displays of the Budo arts that any martial artist is ever likely to witness at any one event, a truly lasting experience for all those that made the effort to attend. I was always under the impression that it was the sworn duty of any chairman to always do what was best for his organisation and its members. As the previous BAB chairman Toni Davies will always be rembered for nothing more than his unsweving support for Mr Poole. The present chairman Mr Sumpter will always be rembered as the BAB chairman who snubbed the Kenshiro Abbe Memorial to pay tribute to our founding father on behalf of his membership. Try Try Try Again After the disastrous “British Aikido Board Nepotism Seminar 2004″ with only 99 students attending out of a membership of approx 15000, the BAB have decided not to hold it’s 2005 National Seminar . They are of course fully aware of the fantastic success of the Kenshiro Abbe Celebrations. With 720 participants — honoured guests — spectators. The BAB having failed in its four year support for Mr Jack Poole to change the history of British Aikido. They now appear to have a renewed interest in the true history of British Aikido and its founder Kenshiro Abbe. No matter whatever the British Aikido Board do, that damning statement below will hang over their shameless heads for ever and a day. British Aikido Board Statement Damned Forever The BAB Chairman Toni Davis stated in the year 2000 “We the British Aikido Board are not the custodians of British Aikido History and therefore have no interest in the same.” “No matter your pretence, you are what you are and nothing more.” Kenshiro Abbe Sensei By: Henry Ellis Co-Author of Positive Aikido. http://www.EllisAikido.org http://www.geocities.com/britishaikido

Henry Ellis Co-author of Positive Aikido. Aikido assistant National Coach for ten years, direct student of the legendary master Kenshiro Abbe Sensei from 1957. Principal Coach of the Ellis Schools of Traditional Aikido.

Start A Profitable Martial Arts School - Small Dojo, BIG Profits!

Earn a Living Doing What You Enjoy the Most and Start A Profitable Martial Arts School!

Competent, complete, thorough information on starting a martial art school is hard to find. In fact, many of the people giving you martial arts business advice in the magazines and on the ‘net have never even run a studio…

Yet, “Small Dojo, BIG Profits!” is different. It was written by career martial arts instructor - someone who actually went through the process of starting a martial art school that turned into a very successful business. It’s the the 100% honest truth about starting a martial art school.

Without a doubt, it is the most thorough and complete martial art business manual on the market. It covers every aspect of starting and running a low-overhead, high profit martial arts studio, from A-to-Z… Nothing has been left out or held back.

Check out what Small Dojo, BIG Profits has to offer:

* Find out how to start your own martial art school with zero money and no credit

* How you can earn more money in your studio with less students (and less headaches!)

* How you can make $297,000 per year with less than 250 students

* Find out how you can make $70,000 a year working 25 hours a week or less

* The secrets to end your student recruitment frustrations for good

* How to drastically reduce or even eliminate your payroll

* and many, many more…

Now That You’ve Read This Letter, You Have Many Choices…

Choose the right one and Start A Profitable Martial Arts School now!

About the Author

For the Serious Martial Artist - Guaranteed to Teach You Proven Methods for Starting, Growing, and Running a Highly Profitable Martial Art School.

Get all the information About starting a Profitable Martial Arts School.

Popularity: unranked [?]

Matt Ewin vs. Martin Kampmann Confirmed As The Main Event For Cagewarriors Strike Force 2 - UK vs. the World
The Cagewarriors Fighting Championships are proud to announce that Danish star Martin Kampmann will replace Damien Riccio in the Main Event of Cagewarriors Strike Force 2 at the Skydome Arena in Coventry on July 16th

Michael “The Count” Bisping Leads The UK Charge Against The Viking Invasion At Cagewarriors Strike Force 3
Cagewarriors Light-Heavyweight Champion Michael Bisping defends his Title Against Jakob “Striking Viking” Lovstad in Mixed Martial Arts/Ultimate Fighting action at the Skydome Arena, Coventry on October 1st

2 of Europes Top Welterweights to fight on Cage Carnage.
Paris,October 8 2004, The only two men to ever beat CageWarriors Champion Abdul Mohamed in MMA will meet on November 14th on Paul Cahoons Cage Carnage in Liverpool.

Martial Arts and Your Personality Type

I’m sure you’ve heard about the different personality types: Type A’s are those that are very competitive and goal-oriented and Type B’s are the people who are more relaxed and laidback about life. Well, recently in the news, there has been talk about a third personality type, Type D. Type D’s are those who are often negative, hostile, depressed and moody and they are often insecure and tense in social situations.

You probably know which personality type fits you the best and there are pros and cons to each type. For example, while Type A’s are likely to succeed at everything they do or at least work themselves to the bone trying, they also often under a lot of stress. Type B’s are unlikely to experience stress because stressful situations tend to encourage them to get the job done and are usually quite unlikely to get irritated about the small things. Type D’s may or may not accomplish what they need to do because they are often in a distressed state of mind.

There is something that can help you balance your personality to increase your success (at whatever it is you want to succeed). Martial arts can give you the skills to balance the negative sides of your personality with the positive sides. Here’s how:

If you’re a Type A, you need something to help you relax and reduce stress. Training martial arts not only helps you reduce the same stress that other physical exercises do through the release of endorphins, it also helps you mentally as well. Training martial arts requires you to create a body-mind connection like no other sport or activity because you need to clearly focus and concentrate on the moves your practicing. A training session will allow you to clear your mind of work and anything else that might be causing stress in your life.

Type B’s can also benefit from martial arts because even though they are often even- tempered, everyone can use a fun, exciting physical outlet. Martial arts can offer this in a way that few other physical activities can. First of all, training martial arts is a full-body training. Practitioners don’t have to switch between upper and lower, abs and gluts. Additionally, martial arts training is always evolving to meet the practitioners growing skills and levels.

The last personality trait, the Type D’s can find great benefit from training martial arts. There is a sense of calmness and spirituality that comes with successful training that most type D’s could use in their lives to help balance out the negative emotions and thoughts that cause distress in their lives.

There are so many more benefits than those listed here including increased confidence, increased flexibility and increased self-defense abilities. Why not give it a try? No matter what type of personality you are, there are ways that martial arts can make your life even better!

About the Author

Robert Jones runs 3 successful martial arts schools in Bellevue, Lynnwood, and Federal Way Washington. For over 20 years he has been helping families to improve their lives through the practice of martial arts. To help people choose a good school he has written a comprehensive consumer guide on How to Pick a Martial Arts School

Popularity: unranked [?]

Life’s a Fight, Plan to Win New Company Launches Winning Formula
Hot new company Fighters Formula offers performance enhancing nutritional supplements to the marketplace. Products developed on a foundation of scientific research, input and knowledge from athletes have already won a loyal following. (PRWeb Jun 14, 2007)

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European Muscle Builder Finds Home in USA
New muscle builder and endurance supplement developed in Europe is available for the first time in the USA, Denver-based Zupplements announced today. (PRWeb Jun 14, 2007)

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Suggestions for Getting the Best Martial Arts Training - Attending Ninja Camps and Seminars

One of the many things that can stop someone with a heartfelt desire to study authentic martial arts under a qualified teacher is…

…the teacher or program is nowhere near where they live.

I can certainly relate to the distance that one must travel to get the training you want. I, for one, have always made it a point that, if I wanted something of value, I was willing to do whatever it took to get THAT thing. In the early days of my training in the martial art of Ninjutsu, I had to travel great distances, especially during my time with the US Army while stationed in such places as North Carolina and the then West Germany.

Many people find it difficult to believe that the closest that I ever found myself to my teacher’s school was… 9 HOURS! That was, of course, driving one-way.

Now that I’m a tenth degree Black Belt, I do most of my training in Japan (which I am required to do once each year as a minimum). That means that I have to…

…drive 1 to 4 hours to an airport…

…fly (if it’s non-stop) for 14 hours to Japan, and then…

…ride trains for about 2 hours or so to get to where I’m staying…

…BEFORE I can begin training.

And, where many of my students complain about spending hundreds of dollars on training - I spend THOUSANDS - EACH time I go for training!!!

Many of the prospective students who contact me for training are only one or two hour’s drive from my academy. I have several other students who drive that, and farther - some as far away as Canada - on a regular basis. One of these students does this an average of once a week to do private training or seminars with me. That’s not devotion, and it’s not loyalty (he has access to other teachers much closer to him). That is, however; a man who is true to his desire to get what he needs to become the person that he wants to be!

As I see it, you have three choices (settling for getting “good-enough” training from a local school notwithstanding)…

You can…

1) Continue to wait for “someday”…

2) Watch for, and attend events like Camps, Seminars, perhaps augmenting that with videos, books, articles, and the like, deciding that you will at-least train at this level, or…

3) Do whatever you must to live true to yourself and take control of the only life you have. If you truly want the confidence, power, and control that comes from this art and philosophy that is out there…

… you must get the ball rolling. No one else can do it for you.

The choice, as always, is yours.

About the Author

Jeffrey M. Miller is the founder and director of Warrior Concepts International in Sunbury, Pennsylvania. He hosts annual Spring and Fall Ninja Training Camps as well as a full schedule of seminars. Subscribe to his newsletter

International Kickboxing Live From Belfast Direct Into the Living Room
This Friday, June 15, Prokick will broadcast an entire Kickboxing event live on the Internet. It's not just any event. The Italian Job II will see world champion Gary Hamilton top the bill on an eight bout card featuring some of the very best kickboxers from across Europe, with three European titles up for grabs. (PRWeb Jun 13, 2007)

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Popularity: unranked [?]

Mixed Martial Arts Champions Frank Mir and Renato ‘Babalu’ Sobral to Clash at Tuff-N-Uff’s ‘Unarmed Combat’
Former UFC&reg; Champion Frank Mir will take on Renato "Babalu" Sobral at Tuff-N-Uff's "Unarmed Combat" on June 22 at the South Point Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. (PRWeb Jun 18, 2007)

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Life’s a Fight, Plan to Win New Company Launches Winning Formula
Hot new company Fighters Formula offers performance enhancing nutritional supplements to the marketplace. Products developed on a foundation of scientific research, input and knowledge from athletes have already won a loyal following. (PRWeb Jun 14, 2007)

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A Self-Defense Reality - A Reason to Study Reality-Based Martial Arts and Self-Defense

Imagine, if you will…

A woman walking across a dark parking lot late at night - perhaps on her way to meet her date. The lot, apparently occupied only by the vehicles parked there and the occasional cat hunting for an evening snack.

Then, as if from out of nowhere, she feels the hard, meaty arm slam into her throat from the front. While her mind races to determine exactly what’s happening, she becomes more and more aware that she is not in control - her world has just changed forever.

The woman feels her muscles contract and, though she tries to move, is aware that much of her own body won’t respond to her brain’s commands. As the adrenaline and other chemicals flood her blood stream in natural response to danger, she is overcome by a multitude of feelings and sensations that she has, quite literally, never experienced before.

As the initial shock response and wave of panic begins to ebb, she finds herself becoming aware of the sensation of her assailant’s body behind her and the fact that his arm is coming from over her right shoulder. She can now hear his hot, rasping breath in her ear and perhaps the fact that he is saying something to her; though she’s not quite sure what it is.

Since she’s taken a few self-defense classes, she remembers learning how to get out of this type of attack and reaches up to grab and pull his arm away from her neck. What she finds though, is that she cannot even begin to budge it in the least.

“Wait a minute,” she thinks in a moment of clarity, “this isn’t right.”

“This isn’t right!”

“It always worked in class.” “This guy’s holding me too tight!” “No one ever holds THIS TIGHT!”

She feels the next wave of panic start to grip her. Not because she is being attacked but…

…because she realizes that her defense doesn’t work.

“Why?” “What’s going on?!”

“It’s supposed to work!” “He said it would wo….”

As the darkness of unconsciousness overtakes her, she is left with the feeling of a warm blanket that is being pulled over someone who will sleep for a long while.

The preceding story, believe it or not, happens several times every single day in our country and around the world. To be certain, the details are different. Perhaps the victim…

…is a man - not a woman…

…never actually trained with anyone and just had their own assumptions…

…was attacked differently, but…

…the results are always the same.

Or, are they?

About the Author

Jeffrey Miller is the founder and master instructor of Warrior Concepts International. He is the author of “The Karate-Myth” and the Danger Prevention Tactics video, among others. For more info, subscribe to his ezine here.

Popularity: unranked [?]

GoFish Kicks-Off Mixed Martial Arts Network, MMA Today: Made-for-Internet Channel Showcases World of MMA With ExclusiveVideo Programs Featuring Competitions, Training Sessions, FighterInterviews, Behind-the-Scenes Footage World-Renowned ChampionshipFighter Bas Rutten to Host
GoFish Corporation (OTCBB:GOFH), the leading Internet Video Network showcasing original, Made-for-Internet ('MFI') programming, today announced the upcoming launch of MMA Today, an MFI channel featuring a multitude of programs covering the exhilarating sport of mixed martial arts ('MMA'). (PRWeb Jun 4, 2007)

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Coming this October the Philadelphia Sports Extravaganza and Wellness Expo
Registration available for participants and exhibitors by phone or on our website PhillyExpo.INFO Saturday October 27th 2007 at Wachovia Spectrum 3601 South Broad Street Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19148 United States — Main stage demonstrations will give audiences a taste of the high caliber Martial Arts competition as well as Education and Motivation to create a healthier lifestyle. There will be celebrities at booths all day giving free advice and autographs. This all Day event is $10.00 and includes a ticket to the Philadelphia Phantoms Game at the end of the Expo at 7pm. There is free parking up until 2pm and your car can remain till the end of the phantoms game.We would like to welcome some very special new sponsors to our event. The Philadelphia Phantoms, The Wachovia Spectrum, Bally Total Fitness, Your Personal Trainer, Inside Out Essentials, and the Digital Sign Guys LLC. We would also like to welcome some great new companies that will have exciting and interactive booths at the expo. Active You, Nikken the better health company, Inner Balance Massage, Pharmanex, Fitness Wave and more being added every day. (PRWeb Jun 29, 2007)

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PRWeb Distribution NewswireRevolutionary Solution for Burgeoning Mixed Martial Arts Fan Base Hailed
A new website, MMAPredictions.com, offers an intuitive interface that is free of the complicated rules and point systems found in fantasy sports sites. (PRWeb Jul 3, 2007)

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Martial Arts and Self-Defense Wisdom: Stretch Before A Fight, Not During A Fight

One of the funniest, yet not-so-bright, things that I have ever heard of someone doing during a fight was actually done by one of my former students. Even though the incident that I am about to relate to you happened several years ago, it still makes me laugh every time I think about it. Even now as I type this article, I have a smile on my face and a chuckle in my belly.

I was first made aware of this particular incident on a Monday night as my intermediate adult class was arriving for their first class after the weekend. Larry (the name has been changed to protect the guilty) along with his friend and fellow classmate Joe, had just arrived at the dojo and went immediately to the change room in order to change and get ready for class. As they walked to the change room, I noticed that Larry seemed to be in an awfully big hurry and was actually looking away from me, while keeping his head down so that I couldn?t see his face. Although I thought this behavior was a bit peculiar, I really didn?t give it much thought at the time.

I spent the next 15 minutes or so with my beginning adult class as I finished teaching them their particular lesson for the day. After dismissing them for the evening, I had one of my senior students begin warming-up the next class. Which just so happened to be the one that Larry and Joe were in. The stretching period lasted about 20 minutes and as soon as it was completed, I took over the class.

Now have you ever been in a situation where you see something and then immediately do a double take because you can?t believe what you have just seen? Well, that very thing happened to me. As I called the class to attention, I looked at Larry and saw what had to be the biggest black eye I had ever seen. Now I must admit that I was rather awe struck at the time and just stared at Larry for several seconds. Finally, it occurred to me what I was seeing so I asked him what had happened. Larry?s only response to my question was to put his head down and look at the ground. While this is going on, I hear a couple of snickers coming from the back row of students. Since I was unable to determine who was laughing, I asked the entire class what was so funny. Joe, who ended up being the one laughing, informed me that I should ask Larry and then started outright laughing.

Well, I must admit that by this time my curiosity was sorely peaked. Therefore, I had one of my senior black belts take over the class while Larry and I went to my office. Once inside the office, Larry told me how he had acquired his black eye. Now I am generally not one to laugh at someone else?s misfortune and pride myself on being a fairly understanding and somewhat compassionate person. This however, was not one of those times. As a matter of fact, I was laughing so hard that I actually had tears running down my cheeks.

Now before I get into the actual events behind Larry?s black eye, you may want to stop reading this for a moment and go get a box of tissue paper. Because if you have any sense of humor at all, you are going to be laughing pretty hard in the next few moments as you continue to read this story.

Okay, now that you are back with the tissues, let?s get started.

Apparently the whole incident started the previous Saturday evening when Joe and Larry went to a local watering hole to have a few drinks with their wives. The evening started smoothly with no problems, that is until the local tough guys showed up with more liquor in their bodies, than brains in their head. As it turned out, the same could and would also be said of Larry.

The basic premise of the fight was that supposedly one of the local tough guys had made some kind of inappropriate comment towards Larry?s wife. Larry responded verbally and the tough guy challenged Larry to a fight. Larry agreed and he and Joe went outside with the loud mouth instigator and a couple of his friends.

Once out in the parking lot, Larry and his antagonist started to square off when Larry held up his hands and told the guy to wait a minute that he had to stretch first. When speaking with Joe later that night, he told me that he just stood there dumbfounded as Larry proceeded to sit down in the parking lot and stretch his legs. Now according to Joe, everyone stood there for almost a minute in shear disbelief that this was actually happening. Of course the first person to snap out of it was Larry?s opponent. Joe said that it seemed like he was watching it in slow motion when the guy take a couple of steps towards Larry as he drew back his right leg and proceeded to kick Larry right in the face with what would best be described as a punters kick.

Fortunately for Larry, he seen the kick at the last moment and was able to turn his head enough that the kick didn?t land flush against his face and ended up glancing off of his cheek bone after initially making impact. Larry then proceeded to get up off of the ground and put a major hurting on his opponent. Even though his face and eye hurt considerably, Larry told me that his self-esteem was hurt far worse for pulling such a foolish stunt. I told Larry that although it was a foolish thing to do, at least he had not gotten seriously hurt and that hopefully he learned a valuable lesson from this incident.

After several minutes of me trying to regain my composure, Larry and I began to pick apart the entire incident to try and discern all the various mistakes that were made and how he could avoid them in the future. The following mistakes are those that Larry and I both felt were made before and during this particular altercation.

1. Going to that particular bar, which was known as a roughneck bar, and where there was always trouble of some sort happening.

2. Drinking excessively in the first place. Whether in that bar or any other.

3. Allowing a verbal altercation to elevate into an actual fight.

4. Telling his opponent to hold on a minute, and then actually sitting down on the ground and stretching his legs.

When I asked Larry what had possessed him to sit down and stretch his legs, he told me that he wanted to be warmed-up and stretched out before getting into the actual fight. I informed Larry that the ?actual fight? started long before he went outside and that he was never going to get into a real fight when he was at his best. It always seems that every fight happens when you are either drinking (the vast majority of the time), tired, or distracted by something or someone else. Therefore, he needed to learn how best to avoid a possible confrontation, and when not able to avoid it, how to best use the actual situation and his surroundings to his advantage, not his opponents. And finally, never stop what you are doing in order to, nor expect your opponent to give you the opportunity to, sit down and stretch.

Popularity: unranked [?]

Martial Arts Training Machine for Home Kung Fu Practise

Are the Martial Arts still under development?

What is a martial art?

A martial art can be defined as any skill that can be applied in warfare. The word martial means “military.”

So traditionally, a martial art is a military art. The first things that usually come to mind when discussing modern martial arts are leaping, kicking, punching, blocking, inverting elbows, twisting necks, throwing, and weapon fighting. But also horsemanship, javelin throwing, archery, spear fighting, halberd fighting, wrestling, knife fighting, rifle, shotgun and pistol shooting, demolitions, logistics, and battle strategy can all be described as the field of martial arts. Anything that a soldier might do in battle is a martial art.

By martial art usually it is meant aikido, arnis, boxing, capoeria, chow gar, choy la fut, hapkido, hsing’i, hun gar, jeet kune do, jow gar, judo, jujitsu, karate, kempo, kick boxing, krav maga, kung fu, pa kua, penjak silat, praying mantis, savate, shaolin, tae kwon do, tai chi, white crane, wing chun, wu shu and more! As you can see the list is quite long and it is actually quite amazing how many martial arts systems there are and how many methods of self defense can be formulated.

Often within a martial arts school it is taught that ‘this particular system is the best system and it was created to beat all the others’. Of course every martial artist would have the viewpoint their style is the best because that is the style they have chosen to do, but in reality what they are saying is ‘this is the best style for me as it suits my temperment and I like the teaching environment’.

The changing of the arts

Throughout this history and development of the martial arts and all the combat systems of man our training tools have played a vital part in evolving and perfecting these systems and techniques.

All the martial arts have been effected by the role that mechanical devices play whether it be weapons, dojo mats, breaking boards or even the uniforms we wear - all these paraphanialia indentify the martial arts into their systems and style.

The main players in shaping our new martial arts would be the traditional wooden dummy, wing chun rings, iron palm ointments and even the system of using forms and karta have developed the martial arts into their current form.

Even today modern training tools are common and again the martial arts are under development with new training products such as the Wavemaster, the BOB training dummy, the Focus Master. All with one thing in common, to create a well rounded combat system.

Ideally a martial arts solo training tool should be workable for all and based on sound theory and through constant practice develop into sound physical application. The ideology and theory would have to take into account all the history of the combat technology of man and give this competition and street application.

The Martialarm Combat Training Partner

In a martial arts career you can occationally find your self with no school to go to or no one to train with and so out of neccessity the martialarm solo training partner was born. The Martialarm is a Martial Arts training machine used to develop the entry and trapping skills of any martial arts system. It is designed to actually test any techniques so to improve the ability to trap and control your opponents hands and arms. This can be done because the Martialarm moves and reacts like a real opponent. The Martialarm moves and twists up, down, left and right just like a real opponent would - so it can spring forward and it does strike back!.

The Martialarm Combat Training Partner was designed and developed on the following theories

Martialarm Theory

#1) Safety - You must maintain 100% safety when entering into the opponents attack range, this means to limit any variables that could occur by covering them. (Methods of entry must be sophisticated yet simple, fast as well as safe!)

#2) Attack - You must have the ability to attack at will, with no concern or hesitation. The attack should incorporate a total control of the opponents weapons. (Attacks must be structured to have within them a 100% defense!)

#3) Adaptability - Techniques, attacks and defenses must flow but not necessarily at a constant pace. Adaptability to choose what’s next is key!

Whatever martial arts you choose just be sure you do look at a few before you decide and enqire with the school what martial arts equipment they utilize to get the best from your training.

Martialarm Martial Arts System

Martialarm Martial Arts Kung Fu is a total control system incorporating scientific body weapons with unconditional workability in both attacks and defense. Formula Fighting allows a pre-emptive attack and defense - a much faster system of fighting than the conventional ‘reaction response’ defenses. Formula fighting correctly applied transcends current martial arts technology to evolve into a martial science so to set new standards.

# The system includes:
# Smart error concepts and selective targeting
# Pressure points and internal shock strikes
# Multi-functional and military applications
# Broken Rhythm or plyometric applications
# Chi-Sau and automatic reflex systems
# Stealth weapons and clasifications
# One arm combat strategies
# Fire and forget formulas
# Inertia breaking
# Delivery zones
# and more

Martial Arts Modern Warfare

Chinese combat methods especially are renowned for the wide variety of their hand techniques. Most Kung-Fu styles use a wider range of hand/arm weapons (such as claws, gouges, palms, backhands, punches, backfists, hammerfists, forearm, elbows and shoulder strikes) than their Japanese, Okinawan and Korean counter?parts.

In addition to the actual number of natural body weapons used there is also a tremendous range of different applic?ations due to the regionalised develop?ment of Kung Fu styles and the different approaches taken by hard or internal/external styles.

In this analogy, the legs are used as the body’s heavy artillery, while the hands are the body’s infantry. In a military en?counter, it is common to use first satelite technology to view the opponents attack and defense cababilities and then use long distance stealth artillery to soften up the enemy and to provide a moving cover behind which the infantry can advance to seize and hold disputed territory. Without the benefit of the artill?ery, the infantry would take heavy casual?ties.

However, artillery on its own cannot seize and hold territory - a major bom?bardment may drive the enemy out. So it is with arm and leg techniques - we often use our legs to soften up the opponent and to enable us to bridge the gap until we can close in and finish the fight with hand/arm techniques and the proper use and co-ordination of hand/arm and leg techniques is often crucial to success/ survival.

We espouse a combina?tion approach which uses hand/leg attacks from different angles of attack and at various target levels. The concept is to keep a flow of offensive techniques moving into an opponent’s target zones from different angles and at different levels, in order to disorientate him/her completely. We believe that this approach is superior tac?tically to reliance upon one or two heavily committed techniques.

Martialarm Scientific Training For Speed

#1. Beginning of action

a. You must start in a positive delivery zone otherwise a negative zone can either injure your body parts or work against the intended action and become counter productive. (Newtons 1st law of motion)

b. Create an inertia breaker, a movement that will help you overcome the inertia (resistence to motion due to gravity and friction).

#2. Middle of action (Newtons 2nd Law)

a. After the inertia breaker you must continue the acceleration with a Booster. (Like a booster rocket, an extra aid, a second stager)

b. All body parts eg arms and legs, in any move be it a punch, block or kick, must always end up in a bent elbow or knee movement to enable a very quick change in any direction at any time.

#3. End of action

NOTE: ‘End’ of action should not be taken literally as one should never really stop action until the job is done. Our ‘end action’ should be programmed to an interuppted continuity as if this stage is still the middle stage.

Martialarm Martial Developement of Power

Most Chinese styles use a relaxed approach to power development. We try to keep unnecessary muscles from being involved in the technique, in order to avoid inhibiting the prime movers behind a certain technique from doing their job. Essentially, a straight punch is a triceps-driven technique and the Chinese style of punching allows the triceps to do its job without the inhibition of significant biceps involvement in this punch.

Most other techniques can be viewed in a similar fashion - you have muscles which are vital to the effective execution of a technique and muscles which are not, or which are even counter-productive when involved in that technique. No matter which martial arts style you do, try to avoid unnecessary muscle involvement.

Many Chinese styles use more “follow-through” in their techniques and achieve their power by driving the entire body weight through a target zone at speed. The arm is totally relaxed until contact is made and the body is still driv?ing deeper into the target when focus is brought to the technique using a trigger.

The body has more inertia to overcome before it can move with the descending line of force and, as a result, the power is more completely absorbed by the body?rather than being partially dissipated by the body moving more freely with the punch, as with a horizontal line of force.

Martialarm Martial Arts Weapons

The Martialarm System uses quite a large array of natural body weapons, some of them fairly specialised. The main ones are:

* Fist Strikes. (Sun Fist, Dragon Head, Phoenix Eye and Leopard Paw)

* Palm Strikes. (Tile Shattering, Yin/Yang, Wil?low Leaf and Hurricane Palm).

* Finger Strikes. (Flying Fingers, Immortal Pointing the Way, Twin Dragons, Tiger Claw, Eagle Claw, Dragon Claw, Rat Claw and Crab Claw).

* Back Fist Strike. (These tend to be follow?through rather than the ’snap’ versions).

* Bottom Fist Strike. (Iron Hammer equates to the Japanese tettsui technique).

* Forearm Strikes. (This is used for smashing, sweeping blows of great power).

* Elbow Strikes. (This is generally used in a very flexible manner using multiple strikes).

* Shoulder Strikes. (Used for close-in work, of?ten to propel an opponent out into punch?ing range).

As you can see, there is an emphasis on tightly targetted use of a specialised hand formation in many cases. It is not enough merely to lash out in the hopes of an effective strike. In a ring situation, the “when in doubt, lash out” tactic may gain you points, but in the street it will be ineffective, unless you are lucky enough to impact on a vital point. A precise, surgi?cal strike or kick into one of your opponent’s vital or weak targets is needed and your combinations should be struc?tured with this in mind.

Martialarm System Technological Achievements

1. Revolutionised Martial Arts thinking and design of “Formula Fighting” or “Martial Arts by Numbers” that allows pre-emptive attack - a much faster system than the conventional “Reactionary Response” to attack.

2. Development and pioneered Martial Science - a system which enables practitioner of all styles to evaluate and modify current technologies to improve efficiency and allow comparisons with proof of technologies, concepts and technologies.

3. Developed the following technologies -

a. Sightless combat
b. Smart weapons systems
c. Stealth weapons systems
d. Fire-and-forget systems
e. Broken rhythm energy
f. Plyometrics applications
g. U.F.O. motions
h. Counter error programs
i. Convert errors into attack
j. Selective automatic targetting

The Three Cs - Capability - Control - Confidence

Certainty in containing the opponent by a huge technological edge and a super tough body and mind.

1. Capabilities - Current martial arts technologies have been transcended by total control in that it is a martial science based on failproof concepts.

2. Control - Allows total control of the opponents capabilities making him defensively impotent. Multi functional applications in everyday life as well as in self defense.

3. Confidence - The small, the unco-ordinated, the disabled and also the best and brightest will gain in self belief through this training.

Martialarm Martial Science Offers

Attack systems that cant be blocked. A shield that cant be breached. Body toughening, Formula fighting, Stealth and U.F.O weapons including the Nukes. Mind freeze technology that shuts the opponent down. 3Cs Capabilities and Control bring about Confidence.

Martialarm Martial Science Concepts

1. Traditional Martial Arts - Animal styles or based on kata and ritualised.
2. Acclectic Martial Arts - Collection of what works for the individual into a new style.
3. Designer Martial Arts - Only the usable of conscious mind, scientific and repeatable.

The Martialarm Combat Training Partner

In a martial arts career you can occationally find your self with no school to go to or no one to train with and so out of neccessity the martialarm solo training partner was born. The Martialarm is a Martial Arts training machine used to develop the entry and trapping skills of any martial arts system. It is designed to actually test any techniques so to improve the ability to trap and control your opponents hands and arms. This can be done because the Martialarm moves and reacts like a real opponent. The Martialarm moves and twists up, down, left and right just like a real opponent would - so it can spring forward and it does strike back!.

For more information about the martialarm wooden dummy training machine and martial arts news visit http://www.martialarm.com

About the Author

This article was submitted by P. Sundbye who has been training in various martialarts for the last 11 years including Wing Chun Kung Fu, Aikido, Tong Long and the Lee Total Control system.<br />
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For more information and martial arts news visit http://www.martialarm.com<br />
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http://www.martialarm.com/history/what-is-karate.html

Tai Chi for Over Fifties And Under Fifties!
Tai Chi is an internal martial art which can be soft and gentle. It can and should be practised in a flowing way for practitioners of any age. Particlularly, in China and the est nowadays, people ove r 50 are taking up tai chi whilst the younger generation in china are not so interested in such a traditional art! Tai chi has been proven by the 3000 years of Chinese experience and recent medical studies into te benefits of qigong tai chi is acomplete qigong to be beneficial to the health of the individual practioner. Complete recovery of from diseases from cancer to colds has been documented through diligent pratice of tai chi. Tai chi can also be used to control arthritis. It is recommended that you learn under a highly experienced instructor, who has over 10 years of experience and has learned in China or from a well-recognized master with verificable “lineage”. This is because you want to be learning the real thing and benefitting by clearer mind, healthier body and gradual recovery from any health challeneges you may have experienced or be experienceing. Enjoying it so far: click here> Tai chi chuan means “supreme ultimate fist”. What does “supreme ultimate” mean to you? Tai chi is really about the cultivation of mind, body, spirit and also to kinds of energy, which we don’t have a proper concept of in the West. Those are internal energy, or chi which is present in the body from birth and we also get it from air and food. External energy is the energy that is in the universe. We learn to build up the chi in our bodies in tai chi and that helps us to improve our health. This is the medical aspect of tai chi. We learn to utilize the external energy in tai chi which is the martial aspect of the martial art of tai chi. Tai chi is said to have been invented approximately 5000 years ago, legend has it either by a Taoist priest named Chang Seng Feng or passed to the ancient Chinese people by a group of people reputed to have been 7ft tall and these people - “the sons of reflected light” are said to have taught the arts to the chinese which has made their civilisation so advanced since as long as 3000 year ago as documented by discoveries of the porcelain and silk items in archaeology. Chang Seng Feng is reported to have witnessed a fight between a crane and a snake and noticed the yielding and striking qualities of these animals and designed tai chi based on observations of nature. Tai chi is thus performed slowly and changingly, “flowing like a river” to promote longevity and health. does the tortoise or the elephant move quickly and fast? And how long do these creratures live for? Is it not possible then that we should slow down in our lives and relax like these long-living creature to improve our own chances of living long lives? We imitate the movements of many animals in the tai chi form - a sequence of movements or postures which flow into each other. These stretching and strengthening exercises have very poetic names, beautiful such as White Crane Spreads Its Wings, Golden cock Stands On one Leg and Fair Lady Weaves The Shuttles. Tai chi is a healthy exercise which improves circulation. The author used to be a medical student at Sheffield university and notes that Tai chi was used in the Royal Hallamshire Hospital to aid recovery for heart attack patients. Tai chi incorporates breathing and movement as well as internal assage of the body’s organs and stretching of muscles, tendons and ligaments. Keeping a clear mind is important and whilst the exercise is anaerobic, i.e. not strenuous, the body feel invigorated after proper practice and one can feel energy circulating in the body after practice -so don’t overdo it. The key is consistent daily practice and taking responsibility for your health 100% Sam Beatson runs http://www.tai-chi-kung-fu.com

Sam Beatson Runs Several
http://www.tai-chi-kung-fu.com and http://www.tai-chi-kung-fu.gods-internet.com

Kung Fu: History And Basic Principles
The Term:

Historically, the term ?Kung Fu? is not really featured in any ancient texts. It was first coined by a Frenchman named Jean Joseph Marie Amiot, a missionary who lived in the 18th Century, in reference to Chinese martial arts. Kung Fu is also called Gongfu, Wushu, or Kuoshu, and originally denotes expertise in any skill, and not exclusive to martial arts.

Brief History:

The practice, philosophy, and concept of Kung Fu can be traced back to ancient Chinese texts such as Zhuang Zi, Dao De Jing, and Sun Zi Bing Fa (Art of War written by Sun Zi), all written between 1111-255 BC. These texts contain passages related to the practice, propagation, and principles of Chinese martial arts, or Kung Fu as it is known today.

One theory regarding the first written history of Kung Fu suggests that the Yellow Emperor, who reigned from 2698 BC, wrote the first treatise on Chinese martial arts. Others give credit to Taoist monks for introducing an art form that resemble modern Tai Chi around 500 BC. Then in 39-92 AD, Pan Ku included “Six Chapters of Hand Fighting” in his discourse on the history of the Han dynasty (Han Shu). As the popularity of martial arts progressed, a physician named Hua T?uo also wrote his own treatise entitled, ?Five Animals Play” in 220 AD.

Kung Fu had become a common word in the West beginning in the late 1960s, popularized by martial arts movies and TV series. The Western world today has also seen an immense upsurge in the creation and production of martial arts movies starring great actors/masters such as Jackie Chan and Jet Li.

Basic Principles:

The concept of Kung Fu revolves around three basic principles ? Motivation, Self-discipline and Time.

According to experts, the real motivation behind learning Kung Fu is inspiration and not force, which should come from an inner craving to learn and develop the mind and body. Motivation here is the fundamental driving force. There is no external or worldly gain for the learner, and the only reward is that of knowledge, skill, strength and wisdom.

In Kung Fu, discipline is complementary to motivation. Discipline puts motivation into deed and action. A learner has to make an effort into what he has been motivated for, and self-discipline helps him get started and guides him to achieve that goal. Therefore, without discipline, motivation is just a dormant state of mind.

Time is the path to perfection in martial arts. Once motivation and self-discipline have set in, a learner has to spend a considerable amount of time putting mind and body into practice. A truly inspired learner does not have the privilege to waste time, stay idle or indulge in fruitless activities. Everything done by him/her should reflect real motivation and self-discipline.

Variants and Styles:

With the passage of time, numerous variants and styles have come up in martial arts, or Kung Fu. Some of the more popular ones include Karate, Escrima, Wing Chun, Jujitsu, Judo, Tae Kwon Do, Shaolin, White Crane, T’ai Chi Ch’uan, and Bagua Zhang.

<a href="http://martialarts-hq.com/">Martial Arts HQ</a> offers articles, tips and tricks about different martial arts.

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3 Ways Martial Arts Training Can Give You Higher Levels of Confidence, Energy and Enthusiasm

Wouldn’t if be great if everyday you had so much energy, so much confidence and so much enthusiasm that you could accomplish anything that you set your mind to do? Below are just three ways martial arts benefits your life:

1. Training martial arts increases your energy. It’s been proven that any regular physical activity increases your energy levels. Practicing martial arts is no exception. Plus, the additional benefits and effects of training martial arts take this increased energy to another level. Read on to find out more…

2. Training martial arts increases confidence. Practicing martial arts helps you create a self awareness like no other physical activity. You’ll also be able to get (and keep) your body and mind in tune with one another. By training a martial art, you will learn how to physically defend yourself. This ability gives you the confidence to control yourself in stressful situations. You’ll find that you’ll soon be able to defend yourself physically, emotionally and mentally - and, in turn, excel in your endeavors!

3. Training martial arts increases your enthusiasm. Once you find a martial arts style, school and instructor that suit your needs and help you reach your goals, you’ll become so enthusiastic about your martial art experience that you’ll tell everyone you know. In addition to that, this enthusiasm (along with your increased energy and confidence) will carry over to other parts of your life. Just think about it: If you are full of energy and have the confidence to reach your goals, you are going to be enthusiastic about your job, your family, your hobbies, and your life.

Most people think of martial arts as simply a method of self-defense. While that assumption is accurate, it’s not complete. We hope that none of you ever find yourself in the situation where you need to use your martial arts training on the street; the knowledge that you can defend yourself and your family, however, is comforting and confidence-building. The same energy, confidence and enthusiasm you gain with your self-defense skills carries over into your daily life as well. You’ll be able to use your abilities to achieve your goals, overcome bad habits and make outstanding life changes. Just imagine, after even a few weeks of training in martial arts you’ll be able to concentrate, focus and reach for whatever goals you want.

Now, we know that everyone has different goals in their lives - but that’s the beauty of martial arts. The energy, confidence and enthusiasm you gain from martial arts can be directed towards virtually any goal you have in mind. You’ll be able to work hard towards that promotion. You’ll be able to keep your family life moving smoothly. You’ll be able to reduce your stress while increasing your success. The self-defense aspect of training a martial art is just icing on the cake. Everything else you learn will help you improve your life and if your train properly, you may never need to use self-defense anyway.

Give it a try. You owe it to yourself to increase your energy, confidence, and enthusiasm. Make a commitment to start becoming unstoppable today and give me a call.

Robert Jones
Master Instructor
Owner, the Academy of Kempo Martial Arts

About the Author

Mr. Robert Jones runs three successful martial arts schools located in Bellevue, Lynnwood, and Kent Washington. He has been helping families make positive changes in their lives through martial arts for over 20 years. He has also written two guides on how to pick a martial arts school. He can be reached at martialadvice@hotmail.com or at the Academy of Kempo Martial Arts. 800-508-6141

Karaoke 101: Some Basic Facts Of Karaoke
Have you ever wonder why this little music machine attracts so many people in the entertainment world? Have you ever tried singing a good song using a karaoke?

Today, the utilization of karaoke is rapidly gaining a fair share in the market. In most entertainment places like bars, merry-making will not be complete without these remarkable music machine known as the karaoke.

However, many people are wondering what this karaoke is all about. How come that this new technology had quickly gained the people?s attention in a short span of time.

Moreover, there are many people wondering why, is spite of the close interaction between and among karaoke users, still, they do not know what karaoke is all about.

So for those who wish to know everything about karaoke, here is a list of some facts that will help those who want to land a big score in this remarkable music box.

1. When name matters

It is obvious that the word ?karaoke? is a foreign name.

In reality, karaoke is actually a Japanese term, which means ?empty orchestra,? where ?kara? in Japan means empty, while ?oke,? from the Japanese term okesutora, which means orchestra.

No wonder why using karaoke literally creates a small orchestra where the performer and his audience are having a grand time.

2. The origin

Karaoke first originated in Japan during the 1970s, where people are known to be ?entertainment aficionados.? At a later stage, this wonderful music boom box was distributed to the East Asia during the last part of the 1980s and entered the United States on early part of the 1990s. From here, karaoke gradually dominated the whole world.

3. The technology

The basic technological concept of karaoke machine is based on the utilization of ?audio input? and ?audio output.?

This technology uses the concept of ?subcode,? which, in turn, makes the encoding of the lyrics absolutely possible.

With this device, seeing the lyrics on the screen was made possible.

On the other hand, the technology that is being used by the karaoke machines has the capacity to modify or alternate the ?pitch of music? so that the singers will be able to establish a good connection with any available source of music. This can be done by preferring a particular key based on their ?vocal range.?

4. The authentic look

What the modern people may not realize is the fact that the first forms of karaoke resemble to that of a cassette player. This is because karaoke in the past uses compact discs or CDs. The only difference this karaoke CDs make with the other CDs is that it combines standard graphics capability known as the CD+G.

5. Utilization of newer technology

With the fast pace of technology, one item seem to evolve with another item that is more technically superb than its first form.

Take for example the emerging new technology of karaoke. With the help of the new technology, karaoke fanatics may no longer stay in clubs and bars just to get hold of the microphone and sing. This is because karaoke is already available over the cellular phones, Internet, and computers.

All of these three use special software that when attached to the machine, the audience will be able to make the best performance.

Indeed, karaoke are known for its entertainment purpose. So one should keep in mind that the only best way to enjoy karaoke is to be entertained to the fullest.

Robert Thatcher is a freelance publisher based in Cupertino, California. He publishes articles and reports in various ezines and provides karaoke resources on <a href="http://www.your-karaoke-resource.info">www.your-karaoke-resource.info</a>.

Self Defense And Psychological Preparedness
Being psychologically prepared is critical for self defense during an assault in the street. It is very important to be ready to repel the assailant (assailants) using all the means you have. Note that even being in not very good physical shape these means could be quite sufficient to disable your enemy (enemies).

For example, if you wear hard sharp-toe shoes, then kicking your enemy in groin or shank with the toe of such shoe (even if there are no years of practice behind this kick) immediately makes him writhe with pain for several moments. And this gives you enough time to either disable the enemy or simply run away.

Scratching facer using fingernails also causes pain shock to your enemy and makes him unable to resist for some time. Remembering how dangerous a furious cat can be for people is enough to understand this.

In several cases, a furious cat is known to make its owners hide in one of the rooms and wait for the police to come and help them. Police officers in this situation often have to use guns to protect themselves and rescue the owners of the animal.

Now let’s take a look at a cat, its weight is about 30 times less than that of a man. And this tiny thing can resist police officers armed with firearms. That’s one thing. The other thing is that a common schoolboy, who tortures a cat giving it a hard time, can cope with it, the cat doing nothing to protect itself.

Now you can see the difference between a man employing everything he has at hand to give furious resistance to an assault, and a man who does not resist at all or makes poor attempts to resist.

So we see, at one hand, the enraged and furiously attacking cat that a couple of armed policemen cannot restrain, and, on the other hand, a meek unresisting cat that a little boy can easily handle. The difference is very substantial. This example clearly shows that the more furious and fast you resistance, the more chances you have to win the fight.

I remember a story told me by my disciple about one weak man small in stature, who succeeded in protecting himself against a husky trained fellow with the black belt in taekwondo, who assaulted him.

This small man was so furious and fearless giving his much stronger offender a hail of blows (weak and unskilled as they were) as to shock the guy and made him only try to cover himself from the blows.

One would think what chances had this tiny, middle-aged man, who has never gone in for any sport in a fight against a young and well-trained in taekwondo school guy with the black belt. Any one would say he had no chance. However, it all turned out badly for no one, but the young insolent beggar.

Why, after all, the winner was that small man, who had no chance to win. It is very simple. The moment the fight began, he had his consciousness fully blocked; he acted automatically guided by his subconsciousness.

At the moment, he had nothing in his mind, but the enemy and the thought of disabling that enemy by any means possibly. At that moment, his consciousness was, as it were, at one with the Universe. He feared nothing since the sense of fear was gone from him.

He had neither diffidence nor other impeding factors, that’s why all his actions became TRUE ones. Even though he had not much power and skill, but all he had he putted in each blow. So that’s why, seemingly, with no chance to succeed he won the unequal fight.

Quite contrarily, his enemy was stiffened with fear and uncertainty as a result of this sudden and furious repel. Who could ever dare to attack him, as he was so strong and practiced fighter, he thought. Certainly not this small man, who, as it seemed, was supposed to be trembling with fear.

But it turned out so that it was that strong and trained beef, who had a weak spirit. At the critical moment, his will, composure and fighting skills failed him. He simply got scared and confused, and, as a result, was defeated by a weaker and less skilled opponent.

Alexander Popov is the leading expert in knife and hand-to-hand combat in the version of Spetsnaz GRU. Spetsnaz martial arts videos and ebooks: <a href="http://www.spetsnaz-gru-smersh.com" title="http://www.spetsnaz-gru-smersh.com" target="_blank">http://www.spetsnaz-gru-smersh.com</a>

Brand New Mini Stun Gun Offers Powerful Punch
Everybody I am sure has watched Cops before and seen those videos of out-of-control ?bad guys? and seen them get shocked or tased by either a stun gun or a taser. Or, for any 24 fans out there we all say Jack shock President Logan in an attempt to subdue him and get him off of the helicopter. Well, the problem with most stun guns today is that although they are pretty small, you may want them just a little bit smaller. Maybe something just a little easier to carry around with you is all you would want. That time has come. The new kid in town is here. Introducing The Runt Stun Gun.

Everyone has seen the Stun Master?s and what they look like. The new Runt Stun Gun is easily concealable and it will fit virtually undetectable in the hand of a woman or a man. This allows your attacker to approach with no fear. The element of surprise is the key here. Your attacker will drop to his knees and will never see it coming.

The reason for this sudden surprise and drop comes from the technology that The Runt possesses. It uses new cutting edge micro-technology that allows it to deliver unprecedented power from a palm sized weapon. It contains three voltage levels so you can choose how much you need to use. I would recommend choosing the level based on your own size and how much more power you would need to subdue a man two or three times your size.

The Runt is perfect for all women or men of all sizes and is available in 350k, 650k, and 950k volts. This selection of voltage will allow people to get the kind of voltage they are looking for. At 950k volts, this is hands down one of the most powerful stun guns on the market today.

Adam Walls is the owner of 919 Security, an online self defense products store that also specializes in home and personal safety, child safety, hidden cameras and much, much more.
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The Origins of the Martial Arts in the UK.

The Origins of Martial Arts in the UK

By Mr Nigel Porter.

Submitted by Henry Ellis.

The following article offers those students, who are interested in the true history of British Judo and Aikido, a more comprehensive view of the profound effect that Kenshiro Abbe sensei had on British Martial Arts. ESTA are most grateful to Mr Nigel Porter of the “Tokushima Budo Council International (Judo)” and also the “Traditional Aikido Iwama Ryu GB”, for allowing us to place this article on our website.

Jujutsu Arrives

On the 26th of September 1899 a British engineer, called Barton Wright, returned to England after an extended period of living and working in Japan. He brought with him an eighteen year old Japanese man whom he had developed a friendship with, and who he believed had something special to give to the British people. The Japanese youth was Yukio Tani (1881 - 1950) and he was an exponent of the Japanese art of Jujutsu. The combination ofBarton Wright, as entrepreneur /manager and Yukio Tani, a natural showman, led the two men into touring the Music Hall circuit, where Tani would challenge anyone willing to wrestle with him. With the temptation of winning ?1 for lasting each minute, overan initial 5 minutes, or ?50 for winning, there was never a shortage of challengers. However, at a diminutive 5 feet 6 inches (1.67Mts) Tani allegedly lost only one music hall match and that was to a fellow Japanese national.

In 1900 S.K. Uyenishi joined the circuit, but soon after began teaching self defence and physical education at the Army Gymnastic HQ in Aldershot. In the May of 1906 the feet of arguably one of the most famous Judoka, in British history, touched our shores. His name was Gunji Koizumi (1885 - 1965), a Chinese lacquer expert by trade and master of Tenshin Shinyo Jujutsu, Kenjutsu, Akishima Ryu Jujutsu and Katsu. He was only to stay for a year, training and instructing his martial Arts around the country, notably at the Kara Ashikaga Jujutsu school, the Piccadilly School of Jujutsu, the RNVR, etc. until he decided to journey to the United States. He did, however return in 1910 and eventually founded the London Budokwai, in1918, offering Jujutsu, Kendo and other Japanese arts to the British public. A year later Koizumi asked Tani to join him as an instructor at his school of Martial Ways and Tani accepted, retiring from his Music Hall bouts.

In 1919 another, yet to be famous, Martial Artist arrived in Britain. This time it was a Japanese gentleman by the name of Masutaro O’Tani (1899 - 1977), who had worked his passage on a merchant vessel. He was a Jujutsu man, having trainedin Japan as well as Ceylon, where he had lived during his passage.

Judo Is Accepted

Koizumi and Tani were teaching their Jujutsu method at the Budokwai until 1920, when a delegation formed by Jigoro Kano,the founder of Kodokan Judo, Hikoichi Aida and E.J.Harrison, both Kodokan Dan grades and members of the Budokwai,influenced them to covert to Judo. This was achieved and the Jujutsu men were awarded their Judo 2nd Dans, in recognition of their technique and status. From there on Judo was formally taught at the Budokwai and this can be recognised as the starting point of British Judo. Meanwhile Masutaro O’Tani had been looking to continue his Martial Arts training and subsequently joined the budokwai in 1921. Within 5 years he had risen to the position of assistant instruct to Yukio Tani and become close friends with this character. In 1948 the British Judo Association (BJA) was formed, uniting the majority of Judo clubs in Great Britain and installing GunjiKoizumi as President. Two years later Yukio Tani passed away, having previously suffered a debilitating stroke. Over the next few years O’Tani became disenchanted with the Judo that was being promoted by the BJA and it’s anglicising of the Japanese sport he loved. He was also said to be unhappy with the level of support and care that had been extended to his old friend Tani. Consequently,in 1954 O’Tani severed his links with the BJA and formed his own organisation - the Masutaro O’Tani Society of Judo (MOSJ).

Around that time the London Judo Society (LJS), a BJA group co-founded by George Chew and Eric Dominy, decided to invite a high ranking Japanese Judo player/teacher to their society, to become their chief instructor.

Kenshiro Abbe and Kyu Shin Do

In 1955 and as a result of the LJS decision, a man, who’s credentials were incredible by Japanese standards let alone British ones, arrived in Britain. The man was Kenshiro Abbe (1915 - 1985) and he was single handedly to have more of an impact on British Martial Arts than anyone who had gone before or, for that matter, after.

Abbe Sensei was born in Tokushima province, Japan and was first introduced to Martial Arts by his father, a Kendo teacher,at the age of 3. Abbe Sensei learnt Sumo wrestling at school and became the regional school champion. In 1931 Abbe Sensei began Judo and one year later, when only 15 years old, was graded 2nd Dan. His Judo prowess grew from there, becoming the Tokushima High schools champion at 16 and receiving his 3rd Dan from the national Martial Arts governing body, the Butokukai.

In 1933 he enrolled at the Butokukai’s special teacher training college and later was graded 5th Dan, graduated and retained as an instructor. In 1935, aged only 18, Abbe Sensei won both the All Japan East/West Tournament and the 5th Dan championships, a pinnacle in competitive Judo. It was around this time that Abbe Sensei began a 10 year study of Morihei Ueshiba’s Martial Art - Aikido and formulated his own Budo philosophy of Kyu Shin Do. Abbe Sensei received his 6th Dan in 1938 and during the war years ran a military training company, where he studied and mastered Jukendo, the way of the Bayonet.

In 1945 the Butokukai graded Abbe Sensei 7th Dan Judo and 6th Dan Kendo and in 1949 he took up the position of chief instructor to the Kyoto Police and the Doshisha University. Six years later Abbe Sensei was teaching in Britain.

Although initially invited by the LJS to be their chief instructor, a series of disagreements resulted in Abbe Sensei parting company with them. The stage was set for Abbe Sensei to teach pure Kyu Shin Do to the British and in order to achieve this Abbe Sensei formed a number of martial Arts Councils, including the British Judo Council (BJC), the British Kendo Council, the British Karate Council, etc. as well as an overall governing body - the International Budo Council (IBC). It was through these various councils that, by 1957, Abbe Sensei had introduced Kendo (the way of the sword), Aikido (the way of spiritualharmony), Kyudo (the way of the bow), Jukendo (the way of the bayonet), Iaido (the way of sword drawing), Yarido (theway of the spear) and Naginatado (the way of the halberd) to Europe.

Around this time (1956) OTani, by then a 5th Dan, made contact with Abbe Sensei and very soon began training under him. By 1958 O’Tani had been given the position of national coach to the BJC. The early 60’s were to prove very exciting for British Martial Artists and Abbe Sensei was instrumental in inviting leading Budo teachers to Great Britain, including Nakazono Sensei - 6th Dan Aikido and Harada Sensei - 6th Dan Shotokai Karatedo.

In 1964 Abbe Sensei returned to Japan in order to see the Olympics hosted in his home land and Judo represented for the first time. It was 5 years later that he finally returned, his delay being caused by an old injury to his neck, that had gradually got worse since the car accident that caused it, back in 1960. What he returned to was a near dormant IBC and a BJC that had changed course in his absence. He felt that, instead of studying the truth of Budo, most BJC members only wanted the physical instruction, misunderstanding the origins of the teaching and consequently corrupting the essence of Abbe Sensei’s KyuShin Do philosophy.

Subsequently Abbe Sensei set about redressing the situation, virtually dismantling the BJC and leaving in place only those worthy to help in the reconstruction. O’Tani was made president of the BJC and graded 8th Dan. O’Tani was also left incharge of the IBC, with a number of other loyal students. In 1970 Abbe Sensei returned to Japan and in the same year O’Tani merged the MOSJ into the BJC. During the early and mid 70’s the management of both the BJC and IBC became difficult for O’Tani and those that had been left to continue Abbe Sensei’s teachings. In 1978 the BJC severed it’s links with the now ‘all but’redundant IBC. Since then many organisations have sprung up, promoting the Kyu Shin Do philosophy, but few truly grasp what Abbe Sensei meant.

Abbe Sensei sadly passed away on December 1st 1985.

By Nigel Porter

Kind Regards

Henry Ellis
Co- Author of Positive Aikido.
http://www.EllisAikido.org
http://www.geocities.com/britishaikido
http://www.KenshiroAbbe.com

About the Author

Nigel Porter is a student and writer of Judo

Tedoradze vs. Blackledge Re-Arranged For Cagewarriors Strike Force 3 On October 1st.
The huge heavyweight Ultimate Fighting/Mixed Martial Arts encounter between the Wolfslair Academy’s Tom Blackledge and the former CWFC Heavyweight Champion Tengiz Tedoradze has been brought forward by 2 weeks to Cagewarriors Strike Force 3.

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Chuck Liddell, “the Iceman”,” releases his new Affliction UFC Signature Series at Solis, www.soliscompany.com. Liddell is the current Lightweight Champion of the world for the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Chuck Liddell defends his title on May 26, 2007 at the MGM in Las Vegas in UFC 71.

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Martial Arts Management: Is Your Dojo Thriving or Just Surviving?

Is your dojo a business, a lifestyle, a hobby, a temple, a recreation center, or a mixture of these things?

This is a fundamental question that every dojo needs to answer, and you really should highlight one or two things and focus on improving them.

All too often dojo owners and managers are unclear about their aspirations and it not only confuses everyone but it leads to ultimate dissatisfaction and to failure.

For example, I am aware of a martial arts dojo that offers excellent training but because the sensei has been hopelessly ambivalent about its missions, the organization has always been beset by financial troubles.

In most of his writings this leader has derided money, often admitting he is ?not a businessman? and that business practices defile the purity of the martial arts.

If you despise money, chances are very good that you?re going to scare it away.

Through some communications with him I was able to point out this blind spot and he changed his rhetoric, instituted an advisory board, and made it easier for people to support the dojo through donations and participation in fundraisers.

Instead of constantly being on the precipice, he is now on a stronger financial footing and he can focus on being what he is: a great teacher.

Specifically, what can you monitor to determine if your dojo is financially healthy or unhealthy? I believe REFERRALS from existing students are incredibly significant:

(1) They are a reliable indicator that your current students are pleased with their instruction. Are they bringing in their friends and family on a regular basis? If not, either they falsely believe the dojo doesn?t need to enlarge its base, or they aren?t convinced it is a place for everyone.

(2) Referrals are ?free.? Your marketing costs are nil when someone brings a friend to the dojo.

(3) Referrals introduce you to new networks. That person who is brought in belongs to several new groups that can help you to grow, that you wouldn?t tap without a personal introduction.

Make it known to your students that the dojo is interested in thriving and they can help by inviting friends to observe a class. Devise brief demonstration programs for visitors in which they can participate that will show them a few nifty techniques.

St. Augustine said ?There is no joy in heaven over empty churches,? and the same thought pertains to dojos.

Old School Vs New School - Which One Is Better Traditional Or Cutting Edge Training For Martial Arts
“There is nothing like experience itself”, I am not sure exactly who said those powerful words, but they have an effervescent truth. I learned this the hard way when I was going for my first degree black belt. The only type of fitness training I did back then was forms and sparring. When the day of the test arrived, I almost fainted and I was gasping for air. All things happen for a reason and I think that eventful day was a pivotal point for me.

The Basic Martial Art Style of Aikido
Aikido is also used as a way to discover our true paths so that we can develop our individuality. It also teaches its practitioners to unify their body and their mind so that they will become in harmony with the “universe” and with nature.

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Absolute Speed and Power Training for Martial Arts

It hardly takes much convincing to conclude that having blinding speed of punches or bone-cracking power in kicks are the most desireable assets for Martial Artists to posess. Remember Miyamoto Musashi stated in his famous text “A Book of Five Rings” that one ultimate goal of the warrior is to learn to end the fight with a single blow! That’s exactly where speed & power come in! The idea is to make them as specific as possible so as to achieve the most applicable results. In this article we will attempt to explore some of the best methods available to get those results.

Economy of Motion. Basically the more you practice your peticular techniques, the more your nervous system becomes familiar & you naturally get faster. Its a really good idea to use mirrors because you can self-coach so to say & strip away wasted movements as well as learn to utilize power centers (like the hips & legs). For example you can immediately make your punch will be twice as powerful by springing off the slightly bent legs when you execute it. Think of your body akin to a coiled up snake about to strike!
Think SPEED! Sounds simple but when you start thinking you are fast you will actually start moving faster. Get over any preconceived mental limitations you may have. The other aspect of this notion is to keep the thought of speed on the forefront of your mind. As you train to do those skills you wish to be faster & stronger at make a conscious effort to do them with your best speed & power efforts! Time yourself. Count down how many strikes or roundhouses you can land on a target or heavy bag in a 10 second period. Seek to improve your numbers every session.
Overspeed methods A.K.A. Forcing faster muscle memory! The abridged version goes like this:You have an innate speed at which muscles can fire off & move any given limb. Factors like motor unit recruitment, neural efficiency/capacity, & strength ratios effect this. What we are going to do is teach the nervous system to coordinate movement & build muscle memory at faster speeds! To speed up punches wrap a tubular resistance band or even bungee cord around your wrists and anchor the other end or have a partner stretch it out. Now release & throw the arm into motion with the added speed. Relax the opposing muscles to avoid any “braking” effects. The same proceedure can be performed on kicks by binding the band to the foot.10-20 reps 2 times aweek will be enough to develop noticeable results.
Specific drills to build power. Much can be done with a simple medicineball & even bodyweight outside of what you are already familiar with. Here are some to get started on:
Power absorbtion exercises:How the theory works is that you can’t create more power than you can absorb. So it only makes sense to start here before we start “jumping” into plyometrics! For upperbody power, drop push-ups are king! Assume a position upright but on your knees with both arms at chest level slightly more than shoulder width apart bend aprox 90?, now drop to your hands without hesitation and forcefully contract when the hands touch the floor as to limit the amount of arm bend. The higher the “drop” the more force is absorbed, thus the more power potential to develop. The same concept is easily adapted to the lowerbody by doing drops from a 4′-5′ surface landing in a 1/4 squat. For pulling power, hold yourself at the top of a pull up position & fall to “catch” yourself about 1/2 through the pull ups range of motion.You’ll find after performing as little as 10 reps each you’ll be plenty sore! Its a good idea to work these 4-8 weeks, 2 times a week before progressing to the next phase…

Plyometric Kung Fu:Okay to begin lets start with punching/pushing power. Clapping push-ups work great but I feel the need to mention that the idea is to “bounce” off of each rep. Not just get the clap in! In fact forget the clap, just repetitively hop off the floor from this position. Its the fast reaction off the landing that matters so focus on that. One idea that will work good on the legs is to depth jump right into a kick. Peticularly a jump-kick! Now these are good starters…ready to leave elementary onto High School? Get a partner & medicineball (start with light ball, please!). Have him Throw it (throw, not toss) at you. The first step its to rebound it as soon as it touches your hands. Next level of progress is to actually strike the oncoming ball out of the air with a chop, punch, palm, & even any various kicks you desire to build power onto. This drill works some serious plyo-power into your martial arts! Start with a light 3 lb. ball & slow throws gradually working up to faster throws & heavier balls.Obviosly the further you are able to displace the ball/target the more power you have gained(Like a baseball batter). Kind of works as a measuring devise as well. For you solo practitioners get a bouncy type med-ball & react off the rebound of a wall throw. Please exercise caution as this last one is alot more difficult than it sounds & takes some serious getting used to.The great thing is you can build accuracy at the same time you get faster & more powerful techniques. Lastly plyometrics like these are intense, so only work out with them 2 times a week.
If you’d like to learn more about speed,the science of power training, & plyometrics stop by our site Bionicplyometrics.com & read up. If you have any specific question you’ll be able to contact me here as well.

About the Author

Mark learned plyometrics as well as other modalities of training as a professional & collegiate gymnastics instructor.Mr. Sias now is a Firefighter/Paramedic which allows him much free time to study science of sports training & consult many tainers across the country.

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