Pier Reguillet

Ever since the world watched in awe as Brazilian Jiu Jitsu master Royce Gracie won the first, second, and fourth Ultimate Fighting Championships in the early 1990s, Jiu Jitsu has become increasingly prominent in the international martial arts community. Many people decided they wanted to begin training themselves when they saw Gracie fight much larger and physically stronger opponents from all kinds of other styles like boxing, karate, judo, tae kwon do, and wrestling, and time after time he would submit and defeat them all. If you've started learning Jiu Jitsu recently and have put in some quality training hours already, then it's probably time to enter your first sport Jiu Jitsu[..]

Every other day in Washington, DC, the nation's capital, a woman is forcibly raped. The typical reaction among females in the past might be to avoid "bad areas," not to walk or jog alone at night, etc. -- essentially giving in to the legitimate fear that comes with living in a crime-ridden city. This, however, does not have to be your response. Over the last two decades, Mixed Martial Arts has exploded on the scene, and there are a variety of disciplines that women can use to neutralize sronger and larger male attackers. For instance, the essence of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) is the idea that the smaller person, through the use of proper technique and ground defense, can defeat bigger and[..]

We all like to get in shape and to keep fit, then one such way is to get into martial arts training. This way we get to learn how to defend ourselves from any form assailants who might be out to hurt us as well as get to get into shape. There are several different kinds of self defense techniques that we can learn when concerning martial arts. Judo, Ninjitsu, Tai Chi and Tae Kwon Do are some of the various martial arts you can learn from various Dojos' and academies that are available. Many have qualified instructors and teachers who have probably won awards in their different arts through tournaments. Karate is not a new thing it has been there for many years and it is now a good way[..]

Krav Maga is a modern self-defence system that employs aggressive hand-to-hand combat skills and other street fighting techniques to defend oneself from violent assaults. The system uses a practical approach to defence, using the natural and instinctive response of people to a threatening situation. The word is Hebrew meaning combat/battle contact, literally, while a more meaningful translation is ‘close combat/ battle’. Krav Maga is believed to have existed since 1930s. Imi Lichtenfeld is credited with the creation of this self-defence form during the 1930s. After his immigration to Israel in the late 1940s, he began to teach this defence form there and eventually created more[..]

In Martial arts, specifically Taekwondo is considered by many to be an ideal workout as it combines most elements sought after in a balanced fitness program. Many people understand that there are various styles of martial arts but they do not realize that within a style like Tae kwon do there are also various styles. Tang Soo Do: Tang soo do is an extremely popular martial art that evolved from the kicking arts of taekyon and subak. It is similar to tae kwon do and maintains its heritage as a traditional way of promoting the values of self-control, respect, and discipline in the pursuit of self-improvement. Important characteristics that underpin the art include humanity, wisdom,[..]

I learned this type of kick some forty years ago in the Kang Duk Won Korean Karate. This was the forerunner of Tae Kwon Do, and the unfortunate truth is that these kicks aren't practiced anymore. Why, I don't know, because this type of kick is the hardest kick, the fastest kick I know. I call this move, no matter what type of martial art you do it with, the pop kick. Whether you do a wheel, a side, or a snap, the basic principle doesn't change. You replace the left foot with the right foot, and place the right foot on the target...this all has to happen simultaneously. By same time I mean that the left foot and the right foot start together, and the right foot hits the ground at the same[..]

The world of mixed martial arts has truly changed since the Ultimate Fighting Championship took the sports mainstream. Mega events such as the UFC 91,92, and 94 have truly opened the eyes of many MMA skeptics. Boxing is a great sport, but the future of fighting game lies in the MMA world. The success of champions such as GSP and Rashad Evans has encouraged many youngsters to enter the world of mixed martial arts. After all, not only you can earn a lot of money in this field, but you can fight well into your 30s and be competitive in this field. But before you enter the world of MMA, you should make sure you know what you are getting yourself into. Champions such as GSP need to be[..]

div id="body"> Dear Martial Arts Friend, My name is Carlos Redlich and I need to get this off my chest before I explode! There's only one way I know that you can train REAL martial arts. Yet I see so many so-called experts claiming to reveal their untold secrets on how to train like a "fighter" which are nothing more than a bunch of theories...You deserve nothing but the truth. Let me explain. I'm one of those people who think this whole MMA trend is a bit out of control. I'm not saying that MMA isn't entertaining but lets get real here, Mixed Martial Arts is not the real deal. Have you ever stopped to think about what's really being fed to you? MMA is something that's meant for the ring[..]

I have been studying and practicing the art of Jeet Kune Do (JKD) and the martial arts for close to two decades. I have researched, read and viewed numerous periodicals, books and videos on the martial arts, combat and fighting. I have to honestly say, the "Tao of Jeet Kune Do" is one the most in-depth books ever written on the subject. The "Tao of Jeet Kune Do" is Bruce Lee's analysis of fighting and philosophy through his study of martial arts. It is a compilation of his thoughts and ideas of fighting skills and life. He began working on the "Tao of Jeet Kune Do" when he was confined to a bed for six months due to a back injury he received while lifting weights. He never finished and[..]

Jeet Kune Do is essentially the brainchild of the world's most famous martial artist of all time; Bruce Lee. It is said to be a combination of all of the known martial arts, such as Karate, Tae Kwon Do and Judo (all of which Bruce Lee was a master of) whilst being completely unique at the same time. It is said to take the strengths of each of them all, whilst not being restricted by their limitations. The philosophy of Jeet Kune Do is all about 'fighting without fighting'. Bruce Lee was of the opinion that it is easier to not lose a fight if you find a way to avoid it altogether and by resolving the situation by non-violent means. Bruce Lee stated on multiple occasions that he does not[..]

Martial arts have been practiced in one form or another for thousands of years and writings about Wing Chun have been found as far back as the period of Warring States and make reference to fighting techniques, with and without arms. They talk about whole armies who use these skills with deadly power, accuracy and mastery. First, I pose the question, can a martial art ever really be mastered or are we forever learning and improving? With that question in mind, I believe different people will give you different ideas about techniques for Wing Chun mastery. Beginning from the basics and moving through the techniques and mastering each one to the best of your ability is the ideal but[..]

In Krav Maga Fighting there are two different types of punches. There are straight punches and heel strikes. The straight punch is making contact with the fist. When you strike you want to attack with the top two knuckle of the fist, which are the pointer finger and the middle finger. When throwing the punch, you want to keep the fist vertical as if you were holding a coffee mug in your hand. Also when you throw punches, you want to tighten it before contact is made. There is also the heel strike. The heel strike is actually a stronger punch and it sometimes eliminates possible injury to the wrist. The heel strike is striking with the palm of the hand. This is a great Krav Maga Technique[..]

Many people walk to the corner mall, walk into their Korean Martial Arts dojo, and train in nice, neat uniforms, watching themselves in wall sized mirrors, hit bags in between sips of their designer water, and think that they are doing the die hard Tae Kwon Do. What these people should know is some of the history of Korean Karate, and particularly of Korean Karate. They will find that that polite kick punch combination they are practicing was born in hell, perfected in hades, and then things got nasty. Just to let you know, this bit of scribble is speaking of the history of the kwans from Korea of the fifties. This includes the nine major kwans, which are Sung Moo Kwan, Chang Moo Kwan,[..]

Aikido is a Budo ( Japanese Martial art ) essentially created for defensive purposes. It was founded by Morihei Ueshiba in the course of the 20th century between the 1930's and 1960's( officially recognized by the Japanese government in 1940 under the name of Aikibudo)and based on ancient disciplines like Jujutsu, Daito Ryu, fencing and Aikijutsu. The Master's vision was to create a martial art that would allow for one to defend himself against any type of adversary with no violence or as little as possible. The Aikido discipline is composed of bare handed techniques whose objectives are to use the opponent's force and aggression to your own advantage. The techniques aim not to conquer[..]

Aikido..... the quiet martial art. Ai = harmony, blending. Ki = spiritual or life energy. Do = way or path. Aikido is a philosophy to be applied to everyday living. The physical training in the dojo (school) is the forum through which these lessons are taught. Aikido translates as "the Way of harmonizing spiritual energy". Through physical training, we learn to harmonize with the energy of uke (our training partner). Flowing dynamic motions are used to 'control' uke. From here we learn to harmonize our own energy with the world around us to take control of our lives. Aikido techniques were developed by the Samurai to encompass weaponless combat. They were designed to attack an enemies'[..]

For years I have practiced the principles of Shin Shin Toitsu Aikido and applied them to everyday life. As Tohei Sensei said, the way of harmony is through keeping one point, your centre and therefore the centre of the universe. The centre of the universe? By letting the Ki of Aikido pass through our center we can tap in to the Ki of the universe and use its power to direct our physical actions. With the addition of Zen thinking you can use Ki to control your perception of time and make a second last as long as you need it. Impossible? Not really if you sit in the seiza position, that is with your legs folded beneath you Japanese style, and with your hands together locked in the church[..]

One of the most astounding facts in all the martial arts is that Aikido does not work well in combat. The reason this is astounding is because it is derived, to large degree, from Daito Ryu Aiki Jujitsu, which is one of the most combat ready arts in existence. Interestingly, it doesn't take much to make Aikido into a formidable combat ready art. To understand why the aiki art is not street ready one must understand the founder's purpose. Morihei Uyeshiba, the founder of the art, designed the art around his enlightenment. This is to say that he designed it for brotherhood, world peace, and love thy neighbor. Of course Morihei had the ability to destroy that neighbor, so he was safe in[..]

Tang Soo Do Tang soo do is an extremely popular martial art that evolved from the kicking arts of taekyon and subak. It is similar to tae kwon do and maintains its heritage as a traditional way of promoting the values of self-control, respect, and discipline in the pursuit of self-improvement. Important characteristics that underpin the art include humanity, wisdom, etiquette, and trust. Tang soo do is particularly popular in the US, where it is sometimes advertised under the name of karate or Korean karate. Chuck Norris is probably its most well-known practitioner in the West. He is the six-time undefeated world professional middleweight karate champion and one-time martial teacher of[..]

Why Should You Learn Brazilian Jiu Jitsu You might think that Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is not that different from other martial arts but this is not true. While other styles teach you to fight well while you are standing, this one will help you learn how to subdue an opponent when you are on the ground. If you are overpowered by your opponent, fall to the ground because this will make him think that he owns you. This is the best position for one Brazilian Jiu Jitsu technique known as the guard.  What you are trying to do here is keep your opponent down using your legs so you prevent him from hitting, pinning or mounting you. To be in the dominant position, try the arm drag to arm bar[..]

When looking for the right martial arts style that you can take, you will probably be wondering which are the top martial arts. Well there isn't really a best style of these arts, it usually depends on how hard you train and how effective the teacher training you is. I think when you are choosing the right skill you need to make a list of the top martial arts that you know of and choose them by distinction. You can put in karate, Ninjitsu, tae kwon do, judo, kung fu, mixed arts and many others. You might think tae kwon do is your thing and I might prefer mixed arts, however there is no clear way of knowing which the best is. Even if you train in all these different arts, you cannot truly[..]

The Martial Arts Supply is a new martial arts store/information hub for the masses. Its purpose is to collect and organize products and articles from all over the web into one location so that practitioners of the martial arts have all of the information and gear they need at their fingertips on one internet location. The creator of the website, Tae Kwon Do gold medalist Matt Canei, believes that by having a majority of the information and products on one site, it will greatly facilitate and cut down on shopping for martial arts supplies and information. The site is organized into a variety of easy-to-navigate categories to uphold a balanced, well-composed website to reflect the[..]

ring the martial arts relies upon being able to take quick action in response to an attack. The challenge is that most students who are just beginning classes are untrained to respond properly. Their minds freeze as adrenaline and other hormones wash through them. Fortunately, the same chemical responses your body produces in the face of a physical confrontation can spur you to action. The dilation of your pupils improves your sight; the quickening of your heart improves the flow of blood to your muscles; your perspiration helps to reduce your body heat. Martial arts classes can help the pupil recognize these changes and use them to their advantage against an opponent. In this article,[..]

of the best-known martial arts were invented in the East. For example, Japan gave the world aikido, karate, and judo. Korea developed hapkido and taekwondo. For its part, China invented kung fu. The history and mystique that surrounds each of these styles is drenched in the culture of those countries. The West's contribution has been to seriously change the karate styles into a for-profit industry. If you're planning to enroll your child into self-defense skills classes, it is important to grasp the way the industry works. There are many fantastic dojos that offer experienced instructors who are deeply invested in ensuring that your boy or girl has a good experience. There are also many[..]

An attack against your body can affect your mind. If you have been physically attacked and have resulted in injury or rape, the psychological affects can leave you more scared on the inside than you were scarred on the outside. Women's self defense advocacy groups monitor robberies, domestic abuse, rapes, and abductions so that they can get the women that were attacked the help that need both to mend their bodies and their minds. Even if you have had women's self defense training it does not mean that you will be able to defend yourself completely. You may have save your life or your wallet, but the trauma of an attack is to much for some people to handle. Even friends and family may not[..]

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[..]

Recently I submitted an article titled, "Martial Arts Training Could Be a Tragic Mistake" to an online forum. Taken at face value, these are fighting words, at least to fellow black belts that have invested 8 years as I have, or even longer, earning their rank and skills. But of course, as you can imagine, I go on to explain: (1) If you are being bullied and bloodied, or that is happening to someone you know and love, then getting martial arts instruction is a great idea. (2) If, however, you are a person that is looking for trouble, who is projecting his own hostility into the world, and is training to deflect what he is creating, then your training is a tragic mistake. I build on the[..]

Your kid has marched into the kitchen and announced his or her want to become a master of the self-defense skills. Presuming this is more than a momentary wish given flight by a television program, it is time to start searching for an appropriate dojo. The task isn't simple. There are many schools and each is unique in the level of instruction they offer, their approach with children, and the kind of atmosphere they cultivate. Unfortunately, most parents only become mindful of problems after they enroll their kids into classes. Below, I should provide a fast blueprint for selecting the best karate skills dojo and classes for your boy or daughter. We'll take another look at the different[..]

Self defense is the right given by the government. Self defense means to defend yourself or your property against some injury attempted by another. In other words if any person is trying to attack you physically or your property then you have the fundamental right given by the government to defend yourself or your property. Self defense gives the power to the civilians by acting on their own behalf against any kind of violence which can hurt you physically or your property. There are many online self defense courses which are an easy start for you. According to the views of the certain people the self defense is to give a karate kick to the attacker. In reality self defense is doing[..]

Since the early nineties, when cage fighting, no holds barred fighting and the mixed martial arts became popular, there has been a lot of misinformation spread around that 80% of all "real" fights end up on the ground and the only way to be able to truly effectively defend yourself on the street was to spend years learning ground fighting. OK, first of all, even if that were true, I still would have to say that ground fighting in a ring or cage is much different than ground fighting on the streets. In reality you have to take other factors into consideration, like your opponent pulling and using a gun or knife, or just the fact that people tend to have friends who would probably kick[..]

Note: I wrote this essay regarding the development of Tekkenryu jujutsu. However, I think it is applicable for all methods of self defense. It may also explain why martial arts are the way they are. Catholic, by definition, means universal or "broad minded". I could pull out STACKS of manuals, syllabuses, films, and related research material that cover an ENTIRE range of unarmed combat. Some methods advocate wrestling as their base, others use boxing or savate. Some jujutsu and judo while others call their systems "rough and tumble" or "all in", and there is even a system based on American SPORTS. I have an old manual on YOGA for self defense. The material ranges from current to OLD,[..]

I remember seeing a video about "self defense masters" where one karate expert said: "For me, the difference between karate and a street fight is philosophy. If I take a garbage can and hit someone with it, there's no philosophy. It's just a way to hurt someone." Well, I'm not a karate expert by any means, so I'm not going to even discuss the truth in that statement, but I am an expert in self defense, which is why I feel qualified to protest that comment being broadcast in a self defense video in the same way that a cancer foundation would protest an action hero smoking in his movies. Both the action star and the karate master are role models and, just like its not acceptable to teach[..]

Pepper spray is a self defense aid that a lot of women and men carry with them. Still, is it really the best tool that we can use as a self defense weapon? First up, let's consider what pepper spray is and what it's not. Pepper spray is a little canister filled with highly concentrated solution that shoots out, usually in a mist-like stream. Generally, it's aimed at the attackers face, but really, anywhere it hits is going to cause pain to them. It will cause temporary blindness and excruciating pain. A lot of people think that if they have pepper spray on them then they're not vulnerable to anything. This is a dangerous assumption to make. What's wrong with pepper spray is that the vast[..]