Pier Reguillet

I have practiced the martial arts for almost 35 years. In that time I received many useful lessons - self-defense, discipline, compassion, teamwork, humility and self-confidence among them. I've also learned some not so practical things --- the flying spinning jump kick pretty, but ineffectual, how to break concrete slabs with various parts of my body including my head and even how to meditate while lying on a nail bed oddly comfortable. At 46, while I can still go toe to toe with 20 year olds and throw a passable back handspring, I've ultimately come to realize that, beyond the physical, many of the most valuable aspects of the martial arts are the lessons of social intelligence and[..]

We have all seen them, the coolest martial arts moves in the newest martial arts movie, leaned over the person we were watching the movie with and said, "I want to do that! That is awesome!" It is amazing how inspired we get when we see things that actors, and some martial artists can do on the big screen and they make it look so easy, that we think we can just exit the movie theater and be a black belt in Kung Fu. That is never the case, unless someone is already in training with a martial arts master. Actors like Bruce Lee and Brandon Lee were martial artist experts before beginning their acting career, so that proves that even the most proficient and trained martial artist can die if[..]

What joy do you get out of doing the Martial Arts? What strange abilities can you really discover and make real? Is there a reality that could be called Zen Karate...or zen kenpo, or zen whatever other martial art you might study? There is a discipline referred to as zen, and the best book for describing it is Zen Flesh, Zen Bones. Past that, zen is the method by which you experience yourself, as discovered through specific discipline. My specific discipline and experience was through the martial art of Kang Duk Won karate. The discipline is through the repetition of kata and bunkai, and through this discipline you learn to control your body. People who fight just to fight, as in MMA,[..]

I doubt whether most martial arts training halls, be they Gung Fu or Shotokan or Hapkido or whatever, have ever had a crazy guy in their school like Mud Car. We called him Mud Car because that's what his license plates on his car said. That vehicle, more than just about anything else, summed up the muddy auto. He had tied parachute webbing across the insides of his car because he felt that that material was best for holding his car together on the inside. He had fire extinguishers fastened to every surface on the inside of his car. He had a dial on his dashboard to give extra power to his tail lights, and he turned it whenever he faced away from the sun so that drivers behind him could[..]

It is difficult to summarise what differentiates Wado Ryu Karate from other styles. The main difference is that in Wado Ryu karate there is no block of an attack as a means to itself, we try to hit and kick at the same time as our opponent attacks. To do this we use the principles of Nagashi Zuki, Tai Sabaki and also Nagasu, Inasu and Noru. The last three terms are important movements of Wado Ryu. Sensei SHIOMITSU explained the last three terms as follows; NAGSU, means like a river running, you try to swim the same way as the river, so as the punch is coming your arm moves to the same way as the punch then that is called NAGASU. INASU is like when you make a bank at the side of the[..]

With all the many different and often romanticized fighting styles, staff fighting is a discipline that isn't getting much attention. Just turning on the TV and flipping through the channels will give you a taste of just about any other weapons-based martial art. Most people know about karate or sword fighting, but very little people can tell you much about staff fighting techniques. If more people knew just how effective and devastating this weapon can be, it would certainly get a lot more attention. Still, staff fighting is slowly getting more attention lately. There was a recent feature on a popular TV program that described the different weapons wielded in martial arts that showed[..]

Samurai Art Well-known as the Samurai art, Jujitsu was very much respected and feared by other disciplines because of its immense skill set. A samurai was thoroughly trained in various weapons such as the staff, the sword, the katana among many others, and at the same time has also received training in most ranges of combat and fighting like throwing, ground grappling and striking. Jujitsu and Samurai Jigoro Kano How would the Samurais get exposure to a martial art like Jujitsu, which could not be exhibited or practiced without any chance of a serious and even debilitating injury? The 60s and the 70s saw people getting crazy about Kung-fu and Bruce Lee acting as Kung-fu martial arts[..]

An art of complete self defense is what Hapkido is known for. People who know this art are very good at defending themselves anywhere they may find themselves. They will also be able to protect there loved ones and will feel a high level of confidence knowing they are proficient at this fighting style. The focus is of using minimal force when confronting a stronger opponent. Unlike other martial arts it doesn't use strength to utilize the techniques. Directing energy on pressure points and the impact they have on an opponent is used to take down a person in a fight. Sweeps, spin kicks and thrusts are also used in a powerful manner. If used properly, this fighting system is extremely[..]

The tactical self-defense skill called Krav Maga has existed since 1930, though it is not as widely known to the world population as other martial arts. It was created in Hungary and Czechoslovakia by Imi Lichtenfeld, who was born in Israel and then returned home in 1948 to continue teaching this fighting skill. The meaning of this Hebrew word is 'close combat' and it is a combination of street fighting and hand-to-hand battle techniques. It is divided into training for civilians and the military. Krav Maga is considered as a means of self-defense because it emphasizes the neutralization of threats with simultaneous defensive and attacking techniques combined with an aggressive endurance[..]

Martial arts have existed in one form or another for thousands of years. Today, they are as popular as ever and exist in a variety of methods and schools. The two most popular varieties of martial arts in Northern America are Karate and Tae Kwon Do. While to the amateur eye, these two systems seem extremely similar if not identical, to the trained martial arts enthusiast, there are notable differences between the two. The version of karate that we have come to know was developed in Japan in the island of Okinawa. It takes a great deal of influence from Chinese martial arts. While there are quite a few different styles of karate, we view them all as Japanese martial arts. Karate utilizes[..]

Most fans of the martial arts realize that Tae Kwon Do places significant emphasis on kicking. However, some may not be aware that the traditional Tae Kwon Do system placed clear emphasis on the manipulation of the joints in the arm. The applications of these locks in self-defense can be quite practical provided one understands how these locks are to be applied and what their true intended purpose is. That is why a closer look at the application of joint locks in the original Tae Kwon Do system could prove enlightening to practitioners of the art. Joint locks are often employed in close quarters when a person reaches, paws, or grabs. While it is still possible to kick in close quarters,[..]

Muay Thai is a combat sport with origins set deep in the history of Thailand. Muay (boxing in Thai language) Thai is pronounced Thai Muay by native Thais. Muay Thai is a brutal and athletically demanding combat sport, with participants utilising fists, elbows, knees and legs as striking weapons to the opponent. Muay Thai is practiced extensively in Thailand, with international participation significantly growing over the past decade. Thai boxing has a historical value which is appreciated by those who practice the sport. This history which forms the culture of Thai boxing has been developed over centuries of military and kingdom battle, religious influence, cultural meaning, social[..]

With the recent explosion in MMA or Mixed Martial Arts it has never been so important to protect your head and legs with muay thai shin pads and the proper headgear. These are the two vital areas that must be covered in training and sparring to ensure that you don't have any long term injuries. Mixed Martial Arts seemed to appear out of nowhere and all of a sudden it is breaking records for the amount of people watching on PPV (pay per view). The reason I think it is so popular is that it finally answered the question that has been asked by martial artists for hundreds of years. What is the most effective martial art? Old School Thai Boxing Shin Guards For hundreds of years it has been[..]

Muay Thai centers around eight points of contact... in fact, Muay Thai is referred to the as the "Art of Eight Limbs" or the "Science of Eight Limbs." These eight points of contact are: · Punching (Chok) · Elbow (Tee sok) · Kicking (Tae) · Knee (Tae kao) This is a significant difference from western style boxing that focuses on two points of contact (each fist) and other traditional martial arts that utilize four (fists and feet). Most fighters will focus on the Muay Thai techniques that involve the elbows and knees when competing against an opponent of another style in order to gain an advantage. Additionally, there is an emphasis on strong core movements starting with the hips that[..]

Most professional MMA fighters use Muay Thai as their primary method of striking their opponent. One of the reasons for this is how devastating the strikes are (i.e. punches and kicks). This article can help you with proper technique, if you are just starting out in your Muay Thai career, or looking for a new way to exercise. Stance This must be a wider stance than you would see with a traditional boxer. Traditional boxers tend to stand more to the side instead of square to their opponents. Thai boxers will stand squarer to their opponents, with their shoulders in the same line (one not ahead of the other). Thai boxers stand this way because in Muay Thai kicks are allowed. Since they are[..]

Aikido was developed by as a martial art by Morihei Ueshiba who studied several martial arts since 1912. Known to many aikido practitioners as "O Sensei" or the "Great Teacher," Ueshiba was able to develop the martial art based on a purely physical level using techniques and movements such those of "Jujitsu" and "Kenjutsu" called "aikido." It is believed that aikido was first introduced to the Western culture way back in 1951 by a martial arts practitioner Minoru Mochizuki when he visited France. Then, he introduced aikido and several aikido techniques to judo students in different areas of France. After this introduction, Tadashi Abe, who cane as the official Aikikai Honbu[..]

One of the most astounding facts in the combative world is that Aikido does not work well in combat. The reason this is astounding is because it is derived, for the most part, from Daito Ryu Aiki Jujitsu, which is one of the most combat ready arts in existence. Interestingly, it doesn't take much to transform Aikido into a formidable street ready art. To understand why the 'Gentle Way' is not good for the street one must understand the founder's purpose. Morihei Uyeshiba, who designed the art, designed it around his enlightenment. This is to say that he designed it for people to love their neighbor. Of course Morihei had the ability to destroy that neighbor, so he lost nothing in loving[..]

Karate was fashioned on the model provided by Kendo and Judo. It was intended to be a 'style' of Martial Arts in itself but this never came about, perhaps because of WW2, or there may be other reasons. In any case, the original school system spawned Shotokan-Ryu, Wado-Ryu and Shito-Ryu. Goju-Ryu was developed much later and was accepted in to the Okinawa school system many years after the original karate program of Itosu. If there had not have been a revision of Jujutsu into Judo, and Kenjutsu into Kendo, it is possible that those arts would not have survived. They were frowned upon by the new society. Similarly, Okinawa 'Te' was not popular and considered a violent activity by the[..]

Today it is hard to say what area is the toughest for force a police office to patrol, but in Shanghai China during early years of the twentieth century things were about as bad they could get. A handful of dedicated police officers were tasked with keeping law and order in a city where murder was so common that it didn't even make the front page. To understand how bad the situation was in Shanghai you have to understand the city and the times. The city had been divided into three districts with the Chinese controlling one, and the French and the British controlling the other two. Over a million people called the city home and many of the native Chinese saw the Europeans as the enemy. In[..]

In 1917 nobody thought that Jack Dempsey would win the title, but with a 77 inch reach and his unorthodox stance he would destroy heavy weight champion Jess Willard. In the first round alone he would knock Willard down seven times, and by the third Willard was too badly hurt to continue. Over his professional career he would amass some 60 wins (51 by knockout) and of those 51 knock outs, 26 happened in the first round He only had 7 losses, 8 draws and 5 no decisions over his career. While that was impressive, Dempsey understood that boxing was only a combat sport and real fighting required you to abandon any sense of fair play. He proved time and time again in the ring that he was a[..]

Here are four important principles to consider if you are ever faced with a life or death assault. The very essence of how you need to handle yourself in a real street fight (basically, whether you live or die) is summed up in these four key topics, which I will outline for you. For your very survival, it is imperative that you have the necessary skills and understanding of defending yourself against street-based attacks should this terrible set of circumstances manifests itself in your life. Best reality based martial arts fact number one is to give in to the demands of a guy if he has a gun, unless if he is going to kill you then fight! Better to be a smart and poor than to be a "hero"[..]

Gary Hawley has more reason than most to demand a crackdown on knife crime. Two-and-a-half years ago, the 52-year-old was fighting for his life in intensive care after a teenage thug stabbed him seven times. Mr Hawley had acted as a Good Samaritan, asking a gang of drunks to stop harassing three women in Yeadon High Street. But the louts then turned on him, with near fatal consequences. Some attacked with fists, but another, Jason Pears, repeatedly plunged his blade into Mr Hawley's chest and back. Mr Hawley says he has yet to fully recover from the stabbing, bearing both physical and mental scars. He said: "If I am out and see a few lads, aged 13 to 17, it does make me nervous. The[..]

Adults who are interested in the UFC can take advantage of this free MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) seminar, Saturday, Feb. 13 at 2:30 p.m. at Laurita Martial Arts Academy in the Basha’s Shopping Center, 5115 N. Dysart Road in Litchfield Park. The seminar is free, but preregistration is required.  This seminar is for adults only, but Laurita Martial Arts hosts other events for children. Topics that will be covered in the free seminar for adults include: - Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, - Muay Thai Kickboxing - Takedowns. Laurita Martial Arts Academy offers Muay Thai Kickboxing, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Haidong Gumdo (Sword) classes for children, adults, as well as specialty martial arts-themed[..]

What is Wing Chun Kung Fu? "Simple yet effective, a no-nonsense martial art system developed for practical street survival." Wing Chun is one of the most notable, effective and functional Southern Chinese martial art systems available today. Up until the turn of the twentieth century, the martial art known as Wing Chun was very obscure not known much about. Back then, Wing Chun was just getting started, not practiced by a lot of martial artists. Over the years, it became a very dominant force in China, becoming one of the most prominent martial arts in existence. Even today, hundreds of martial artists study Wing Chun and everything it provides them with.The principle of Wing Chun is[..]

Self defense training is very essential for everyone and the use of self defense weapons is also an essential part of training. Self defense weapons are divided into lethal, semi lethal and lethal weapons. The semi lethal and non lethal weapons can be used in any kind of dangerous situations. These include, pepper spray, pocket knife and so on. But lethal weapon has some restrictions because they require some training on how to manage them effectively. You will also need a license before carrying any lethal weapon; otherwise it is a criminal act. Lethal weapon is considered deadly because it can kill the opponent. Some examples of lethal weapons are guns and hand guns. These are weapons[..]

Most people instinctively know that crime can happen everywhere, yet spend their lives assuming that crime will never affect them personally. Crimes only happen to "other people," right? Regardless of where you live or spend your time, robberies, home burglaries, carjacking, domestic violence, assaults, and a range of other crimes are all possibilities that you must be aware of. Too many people think that if something should happen to them, the police will protect them. The truth is, in your time of need it will be up to you to defend yourself. If the police aren't there while the crime is in progress, they won't be able to stop it. In this situation, what are you supposed to do? In this[..]

Okay, so you're interested in self defense. I'm glad you've given it a real thought because in America, there is a crime happening every second. The world isn't getting any easier... It's getting to be a tougher and tougher place... And only you can take care of yourself. To defend yourself against anyone, literally anyone, you're gonna need to be crazy fit, learn to fight, and strong enough to ward off an attack. The best solution? Get all 3 with boxing fitness exercises and workouts. Now today, I'm going to reveal why boxing fitness is the top choice for self defense... Even over self defense classes. Forget about lifting weights, or running, kickboxing and muay thai... Boxing fitness[..]

I've studied and practiced martial arts formally for 7 years. I've also participated in several exhibitions and done demonstrations which including blindfolded board breaking, form demonstrations, and weapon exhibition. I've also appeared in a fight scene of a low budget independent film created by graduates of UCSD, so through it all it's safe to say I've learned at least a few ins and outs when it comes to martial arts training. Starter Equipment Basic training could be summed up by a few items - martial arts uniform, martial arts shoes (helps with balance and is good for hygiene), a punching bag (or kicking bag), and sparring gear. For sparring gear, one should always wear a chest[..]

No matter, if you are learning judo, taekwondo, karate, or any other martial art specialty, it is quite important to feel confident about this chosen art form and buy the relevant and useful accessories. Also, you should wear matching uniforms to learn the basic clearly. To begin with, you need a number of supplies and equipments to commence your learning session. In addition, being a beginner, you should pay utmost attention and vigilance to perform to the desired level. Here are a few tips on how and where to get the right martial arts supplies: Buying Martial Arts Uniforms: You can personally visit several martial arts schools or specialist manufacturers to buy exclusive uniforms and[..]

es show that a struggling economy yields a higher incident rate of violent crime and general lawlessness. That means you are more likely to find yourself in potentially explosive circumstances that can lead to injury or death. A lot of martial arts students, including both children and adults, think their training gives them an edge during such confrontations. In truth, it does. But, not in the way many students believe. In this article, we'll explore the nature of violent crime in the context of how martial arts and self-defense converge. I'll describe the mental game and the danger of emotions. I'll also explain the core difference between defending yourself and fighting; many people[..]

The first time I ever actually perceived someone elses thoughts happened in San Francisco. My wife and I were ambulating through Chinatown, and we entered a shop where a grouchy old Chinese lady perched on a stool in a corner. As we peered at the various bric a brac, the grouchy one snapped at her daughter, "Look, look, look, everybody just look!" We left the store, and I asked my wife, "Did you hear what that old lady said?" "How could I," answered my wife. "She was speaking in Chinese." The old lady had spoken in Chinese, and I had heard her in English. In essence, I had looked into her mind and perceived her thoughts as English. And I could do this, I intuitively knew, because I had[..]

People often wonder why karate is such a popular activity. There must be a primary reason why someone would get involved in the martial arts. Actually there are many reasons for embarking on the study of martial arts but generally the main motivations boil down to my "Top Ten Reasons to Start Karate". So think about what your main reason for starting karate is (or was) and see if it matches my "Top Ten". 1. Self-Defense - Were you ever bullied at school? Have you ever worried about how to protect yourself and your family in a dangerous situation or environment? Well, it seems that you're not alone because thousands of other current martial arts practitioners say that self-defense[..]

A traditional karate suit is an important part of any karate enthusiast's kit and as with any product; there are different quality materials that can be purchased so it is worth taking time to consider the options prior to purchase. A karate suit by its very nature needs to be robust as sparring sessions will test the material comprehensively. It is worth remembering that although the karate suit must be hardy, it must also be flexible otherwise the student will find that they are restricted in movement and this then defeats the object. Due to the different styles of karate, variations of design are available; however the easiest way to ensure that the right style is purchased is to[..]