I recently had a couple of students in my Wing Chun class ask for training in swordsmanship. Now, Kung Fu has a lot of weapons forms, but they tend to be stylized, rather than sparring formats. I originally thought of teaching them Kendo, on the Japanese forms, but having just taken some Tae Kwon Do classes of my own, I decided to look a little further afield. I found the Korean cognate of Kendo, called kumdo. While there are a lot of practitioners of kumdo who claim that their techniques are passed down over the centuries in secret rituals, a little bit of digging showed that it's incredibly unlikely that this is the case. When the Imperial Army of Japan occupied Chosun (now Korea) in the early...

For as long as I can recall, I have been a massive Bruce Lee fan. I cannot count the number of hours I have spent watching his movies, nor the number of hours spent trying to emulate his amazing martial arts maneuvers. There is one scene in particular that will be with me until the end of my days; the scene from Enter the Dragon where Bruce kicks some serious bad guy ass with his trusty Nunchakus. A generation of wanna-be Bruce Lee's was spawned by that very scene. How many of you went out and haphazardly manufactured your own 'chucks after seeing this flick? I was certainly inspired to do so, and so were most of my friends. Most of us used wooden handles, and after some experimentation decided...

Mixed martial arts, better known as MMA, is a form of sports that involves the use of a mixture of martial art combat techniques to win over the opponent. MMA has become very popular in recent years and MMA championships like Ultimate fighting championship have become very widely known. MMA began with pitting one martial art technique with another under minimal rules, so that the martial art which would be the most effective in day to day life could be found out. Modern mixed martial competitions have evolved from such events, but rules are much stricter due to which, the sport has been promoted into acceptance. However, there is no centralized sanctioning authority for mixed martial arts and the...

Most bloggers use amateur blogs as opposed to professionals, though I am not sure what a 'professional' blog is. If you are blogging for profit, whether as an amateur or professional, then you are best advised to run your blog from your own website. This involves downloading the blogging software to your web space. This however is a personal opinion, and many people prefer the simplicity of operating their blog from a blog host such as Blogger, run from Blogspot, or Wordpress from There is little to do other than to register and make your posts. The only negative is a lack of individuality and formatting of the look of the blog and the tools that you can use on it. The majority of people who use...

Karate, or Karate-do, loosely translates empty hand ("kara" means empty and "te" means hand). This art is indeed predominantly concerned with fighting with bare hands and feet. The basic principle is to turn the body into an effective weapon to defend and attack when and where it is appropriate. History: Karate is one of the most widely practised of the oriental martial arts. It evolved during one of the Japanese occupations of the island of Okinawa, part of the Ryukyu chain of islands, in the 15th century. Its roots, however, can be traced back much further than this - all the way back to ancient India. Many people hold the view that what we regard today as the oriental martial arts have their...

When someone tells you they study karate, or any Japanese martial art, your first question is probably, "What belt are you?" If they say black belt, then no doubt you're thoroughly impressed. However, if they say white belt, you might simply nod, tell them that's very interesting and wish them luck with their martial art training. What many people tend to forget is that those impressive black belts had to start somewhere. What does the white belt really mean, though? Did you know that in traditional martial art training, the practitioners had no ranking system? Sure, there was a certain hierarchy within the dojo (formal karate training school): there were the beginning, intermediate and advanced...

The world of entertainment is saturated with so many endless mind blowing items that is suitable for different circumstances that anyone can entertain themselves to their fill in their personal hour. It is true that no one except those who are physically unfortunate can survive without having entertainment in their life. The booming entertainment industries are taking every possible method to give their customers full satisfaction with different kind of entertainment they desire. Among the different kind of items of entertainment video games or computer games are occupying a dominant position in the world of entertainment. The toddlers but also the old have start taking interest in playing the...

Pepper spray is a very simple self defence tool that provides inconspicuous protection without violence. Once sprayed, pepper spray will irritate the eyes and cause them to tear, which creates temporary discomfort and distorted vision. Who is Pepper Spray Used By? Pepper spray's history as a self defence item cannot be questioned. It has been used by police officers as a non-violent way to control dangerous situations. It has also established itself as a reliable defence for hunters and other woodsmen who are at risk of attack from wild animals such as coyotes, bears, and wolves. More than this, pepper spray has evened the playing field for those who may not be as physically strong as the person who...

Many people are fascinated by martial arts. To help people in different parts of the world learn this ancient form of unarmed fighting you will find that each country has many different academies to aid in this process. This means that if you are willing to learn one of the many martial arts in another country like England you will need to see what sort of academies you can find in the UK martial arts field. Now once you have found the different UK martial arts academies in England you can see what they are offering. You should take note of the level of instruction which is given in these classes. As each person who attends these martial arts classes have varying levels of experience and knowledge...

For anyone who wants to learn a martial art, there is a lot to know in regards to the many different styles. Of course there is the question of finding the best martial art, which is a question a lot of people ask with so many martial arts styles to choose from, it can be very complicated to pick one to learn. No matter what you may hear or what others have to say, it is quite impossible to name one style of martial arts as the ultimate best. Actually, there are several factors that come into play,Even though one style may beat another in a competition or a fight it doesn't always mean that the winning style is the best. Before deciding to rush out there and learn a martial art, there are several...

While you search the internet for that special lady…the one of your dreams…your soul-mate…the other half of yourself, you can do a lot of things right. Sadly, you can, also, do a lot of things wrong….things that will guarantee failure and a broken heart. Out in the "real" world, being aggressive, demanding perfection and even little white lies are all ingredients for success. However, those same qualities are killers when you are dating online and off line, too, for that matter. There is a big difference between being aggressive or confident and being too aggressive, over-confident, or just plain sleazy or slimy from a woman's point of view. If you push too hard for a...

Have you ever heard the cliche' that all fights go to the ground? Do you know why many martial artists make this claim? Do understand why it''s dangerous to believe this "unwritten rule?" Let's start with why many martial artists and a lot of street fighters still buy into this myth: * When you are grabbing and twisting in a fight, it's easy to lose one's balance. * They hear more experienced martial artists and street fighters continue to promulgate the myth. * Many styles don't practice grappling avoidance. Quite frankly, they don't know what to do when someone tackles them. * Beginning fighters accidentally leave their arms and legs extended after attempting a strike. If your enemy can grab or...

There are as many reasons as there are people for choosing a martial arts program. Some people want to be able to defend themselves in any given situation, they want to become fitter, they want to boost self esteem or any combination of the three. The hard part is how to choose a particular program when there are so many to choose from. Everyone has heard of Karate, Tae Kwon Do, Jujitsu and Aikido but they are just a few of the Martial Art styles available today. To decide which form of martial art to practice, you should visit martial art schools in your area and do your research on the many different kinds. The important thing to remember, is no matter which you choose, you will learn self...

Kung Fu is a time consuming art that can take many years to master for an individual, so with continuous training their abilities, skills and movements can be refined. Like any other art or skill the Kung Fu training begins with the basics since a good foundation will ensure that the Kung Fu is stable. Kung Fu is an art learned over many, many years, an art where one may continually refine their ability and learn new things about the skill, the movements, the body and one's self. During the training individuals are basically taught how to block, strike in a particular style. The Kung Fu training also includes the basic conditioning and stretching so that the students are more flexible...

Russian martial arts flexibility and strength training techniques such as kettlebells have been available to Western Special Forces for many years from Russian masters of martial arts. Russian territory reaches from the west through middle Asia to China, and they have the benefit of the best of self defence and aggressive techniques from all of these territories within their armed forces. Both before and after the destruction of the communist ways in parts of the USSR, Russian fitness experts crossed to Europe to provide us with the benefits of their knowledge of self defence and strength training, and both UK and American forces have reaped the benefits of this specialized Russian knowledge. Much...

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. First of all fasten the hand wrap hook in the region of your thumb, and then enfold the wrapper in the region of your wrist three or four times. Enfold the wrapper in the region near knuckled four to five times (don't include the thumb). Keep your fingers stretch away from each other to permit for suppleness when making a fist. Continue this wrapping process the...

Basic training in Teng Sau is required before Kiu Sau (Bridge Arm) and Khum Na (Locking) can be applied effectively. In fact the former two are closely interrelated but for the purposes of distinction it can be said that the former trains sensitivity, flow and control whereas the latter deals with striking tools, bridge destroying and power generation. The foundation of the Ancestor system starts with Teng Sau (Listening Hands) or Chi Sau (Sticking Hands) as it is more commonly referred to these days. In fact both names are appropriate but to avoid confusion with our better known Wing Chun cousins we will refer to Teng Sau. In short Teng Sau training develops and improves the ability to control an...

I am often asked the question, if I were to get some great martial arts instruction, which style should I study? If the person asking is serious about obtaining martial-arts instruction, then we continue the conversation by exploring what's available in this person's area. After all, there's no use suggesting Russian Sistema, if there isn't a teacher available in the person's city or surrounding area. For the purpose of this article, let's take a "the-sky's-limit" attitude. If you could take any martial arts style in the world, which would you choose? You need to ask yourself a few questions: What's Your Martial Goal? If you want to enter competitions and tournaments, then you might be happy with a...

If you want to sharpen your combat skills for self-defense purposes, you can do so with Martial Arts. It consist of several systems of traditions and practices, they are also studied for reasons of mental discipline, self confidence and character development. There are many types or categories of martial arts - each one different from the next. Here are some of the most popular types. Filipino Martial Arts - because the Philippines was the site of so many battles and combats, it is not surprising that the Filipinos have developed their own style of martial arts. Employing a wide range of methods in training, instructors of this type of martial arts believe that it is necessary to use knowledge and...

The first and last thing you need to remember about martial arts is that it is a field of discipline that is supposed to prepare you for combat. It is not simply a set of movements that look great to spectators. Every movement, every breath done by the martial artist is meant to accomplish something during a combat encounter. If you are ready for the idea of using your martial arts skills for combat situations, then you are ready to train and progress in martial arts. Inasmuch as the term "Martial Arts" literally means "the art of Mars" (Mars being the god of war in Roman mythology), you should be prepared to invest in martial arts equipment to train for highly combative situations. Though some...

There are a lot of different self-defense classes offered. Every martial arts school, every fitness club and even some personal trainers offer self-defense classes. How are you supposed to know what is top and what is flop? Always keep in mind the following two facts: 1. Your opponent is stronger than you! 2. You only have 2 seconds to react! Your opponent is stronger than you! Always! It does not matter how strong you are, how fast you can punch or how many boards you can break. If someone would choose to attack you, that someone will be stronger. Think about it. An attacker is always looking for a victim, and victims are supposed to be weaker. Or would you attack someone who is stronger than you...

An old saying in martial arts self-defense is that you should keep your punches up and your kicks down. That is, don't kick above the waist. Like most rules, this one has some exceptions. For example, if you're flexible and quick, there's no reason not to follow a blitz with a roundhouse to the head. In keeping with the above rule however, I'd say at least avoid leading with a high kick. If you want to follow the rule strictly, here are two great kicks for the street. 1) Muy Thai leg kick. You probably know what this is. It's basically a roundhouse striking with the top of the foot and/or lower shin, delivered to the thigh (inside or outside, usually outside). I knew a guy from Virginia Beach...

Should You Add Supplementary Weight Training to your Martial Arts Training? There are four things you should consider before you add supplementary weight training into your workout schedule: Speed Flexibility Endurance Strength Martial arts training will naturally help you improve in all of these areas, but many people wonder if they need to add supplementary weight training to increase these areas. The answer is maybe. The first determination of whether or not you should do separate weight training is how it will affect your martial arts training. If weight training will take the place of your martial arts training, then I don't recommend it (especially for beginners). Advanced martial arts...

Escrima is a popular Filipino martial art dating back to the 1500s, during the colonization of the Philippine Islands by the Spanish. Escrima is a very simplified but practical form of combat technique originally designed as a self-defense tool. Escrima is also known by many other names such as Eskrima, Arnis, Arnis de Mano, Kali and FMA (Filipino Martial Art). Because of its effectiveness, Escrima is also taught extensively in many Special Forces including the Navy Seals and Army Special Forces. Brief History: Many believe that Escrima or Filipino Martial Art originated from Chinese influenced Indonesian fighting tactics such as Kun Tao, Chuan Fa and Tai Chi double stick forms. Others believe the...

Keeping children interested in their Martial Arts training requires an element of fun and games. Traditionalists are usually only concerned with the discipline and structure of their training, but incorporating fun games involving proper techniques will add to the value of training and keep the kids interested. Here are a few fun games and activities that utilize Martial Arts skills to keep the enthusiasm high and kids interested in their training. Sensei Says Sensei Says is a take off of the old "Simon Says Game". In this version the instructor or parent would call out various martial arts techniques for the children to perform. One instructor or parent is designated as "Sensei" or Leader...

Phlebotomists are trained to draw blood for laboratory tests and blood transfusions, and are essential components of the medical profession. A certified phlebotomist, particularly in a fast paced environment, like the growing San Diego health care job industry, provides a valuable service, by reducing the workload of other medical professionals and allowing client intake to proceed quickly and more efficiently. Phlebotomists primarily draw blood from patients for testing purposes, but can also draw blood from newborn infants, and some, but not all, are trained to collect arterial blood samples. Phlebotomists are also authorized to administer Saline or a Heparin flush, which requires additional...

You stand there and look across the cage at your opponent. He stares back at you. Nothing else in the world matters except this person that you know is going to try to defeat you, hurt you, make you give up. The key word is try! You have been studying this fighter, watching his fights and training hard for this day. You know what you are going to do; your game plan is ready. The ref says "fighters, are you ready." No turning back! Modern day mixed martial arts. It is such an exciting sport. It has been around for many years, but now is becoming more mainstream due to a certain popular reality show. What is meant buy reality fighting? Usually the term indicates that the fighting systems used by mma...