Full Body Training , Saturday, August 22, 2009 at 2:58 AM, in

It is understandable to think that when performing a technique which requires us to grab our opponent's wrist with our right hand, that our left hand does nothing to help with the throw.
But really does it?
As we know from our practice, Aikido makes use of complex movements such as spherical hip movements, and snaking wrist spirals which lead us in many different directions. So clearly we have lots of muscles being involved and it follows that perhaps our left hand isn't quite doing nothing. Lets explore this further on two levels.
If we examine a common muscle such as the biceps, we discover that it spans two joints, the shoulder and elbow. The shoulder-blade which is one of the attachment points for the biceps is also used in the function of many other muscles.







So when we activate the muscles in our left arm during an action involving the right hand, the benefits spread through the links of our musco-skeletal system to provide stability. This stability is so important in Aikido, since our ability to move freely and to redirect power is built upon the foundations of a strong stable centre.
What we do with our limbs directly impacts the focus of our mind. For example, without making any physical motions try to give someone directions to a particular location. Hard isn't it? Not only is pointing and gesturing helpful in getting a point across, but it's also an important part of formulating and solidifying an idea in our own minds. If we can strengthen an idea or intent in our minds, our commitment in performing a technique is so much higher and likewise our ability to lead and control our opponents improved.
Stretching and activating our arms, fingers, legs, back and in-fact our entire bodies in various directions throughout a technique is like forming the trusses and struts of our internal structure. This reinforcement allowing us to bear the incredible forces experienced during a throw. Furthermore, it is through our limbs and direction of our eyes that we can lead our bodies and minds into the spiral movements of Aikido.

Armed with an understanding of the reasons behind using both sides of the body during techniques a new awareness can pervade your daily practice.

Gregor Erdmann is a certified personal trainer and the instructor at the Blue Leaf Dojo in Sydney, Australia.
Classes are held at Tuesday and Thursday nights at the Burwood PCYC and caters for all levels. Gregor Sensei is known for his attention to detail and his one on one teaching approach with all his students. Visit our site at http://www.BlueLeafDojo.com.

The Disciplines of Mixed Martial Arts , at 2:48 AM, in

Mixed Martial arts is the combination of several different disciplines where the only weapon you have is your own body. The unique thing about mixed martial arts is that you do not have to be an expert in all of the different disciplines. Many of the best fighters only use a few. However, to be a great fighter, you should have a basic knowledge of all disciplines. This knowledge will help you when you face an opponent that may have different skills than you. You will be able to anticipate his moves better and provide a counterattack of your own.
Muay Thai or kickboxing is a popular discipline and uses both kicks and punches to defeat the opponent. In Muay Thai, both opponents start in the standing position. A winner is determined when one of them hits the ground. Many of the best mixed martial artists use this as their base discipline.







Similar to Muay Thai, is the more popular Boxing. As you may know, in boxing you are only allowed to use your hands to strike your opponent and a winner is declared when someone stays on the ground for a ten count, known as a knockout. After a predetermined set of rounds and no knockouts, a group of judges will determine a winner. Though this method alone is not very effect in mixed martial arts, it is a very important discipline to have.
Another good close quarters type discipline is judo. In judo, you do not strike your opponent with your hands or legs, but instead you grab them and through them to the ground. This is done with a series of grappling moves that immobilize your opponent. Wrestling and judo are very similar and require a great deal of knowledge about different holds and maneuvers to lock up your opponent. Jujitsu is also similar to both judo and wrestling, but it focuses on getting your opponent into some sort of choke hold. This hold immobilizes the opponent and in some cases renders them unconscious.








These are just a few of the basic disciplines of mixed martial arts. There are many more variations out there that you can learn. To become a skilled mixed martial artist, it is a good idea to join a gym that has a trainer trained in one of the above disciplines. This will give you a base to start from and you can add other disciplines that compliment your base discipline.

Kerry is an article writer and author covering many topics. The latest project is about the world of surfing and provides information on Roxy Board Shorts, it can be viewed at http://www.boardshortssale.com/

Boxing Workouts - Working the Bags , at 2:38 AM, in

Using the heavy bag will help you work your punches, and it also is helpful in relieving stress. Working the heavy bag is a full-out anaerobic activity. This can work like a stress antidote. Punching combination's done at a fast pace will require you to be extremely focused. Your mind will be pulled away from negative thoughts. This exercise can help you eliminate some of the byproducts of stress.
Drills on the heavy bag also make you push your way through your threshold. They wipe you out temporarily, and you will feel spent. Your muscle tension will ease as you relax after your heavy bag workout. You may feel rejuvenated. The pace can also cause changes in your brain by causing a release of serotonin, which contributes to satisfaction and relaxation.








Working the heavy bag also activates every major muscle group, and they all work together while you are working the bag. It will help you build coordination, timing, balance, power and functional speed.
Start any punching exercise with your basic combination's of punches. As you increase your anaerobic stamina, your skill will improve, and you can extend your rounds to make them a little longer.
Strive to keep punching the whole time you're training with any of your boxing workouts that include one of the bags. This will help you to optimize your workouts to their fullest benefit. You may be amazed, if you're a beginner, that your heart rate will accelerate and your legs, obliques, shoulders and arms will run out of gas.
The speed drill will develop anaerobic endurance. Throw your punches as fast as you can. When doing combination's, use a minimum of four punches.
The inside drill will help you develop stamina and inside power. Get in close with uppercuts and hooks.








Outside drills develop staying power and footwork. Make sure you circle in both directions. Throw your combination and then move quickly. Jab and circle, and throw your straight punches and jabs in combination's.

Circle the opposite way of the way that comes most naturally to you. To develop change-up ability, endurance and coordination, mix in combination's and throw jabs.
Work for an entire round using only your jab. Use triple and double jabs, too. Mix feints in. Move in every direction. This round of your boxing workouts will develop coordination, stamina and quickness.

For tips on ear popping, flea bites on humans and other information, visit the Health And Nutrition Tips website

Boxers Extremely Susceptible to Brain Injury , at 2:35 AM, in

Boxing is one of the world's oldest forms of sport. 

Dating all the way back to the days of ancient Greece, formal boxing pits one individual against another in a punching match that can sometimes become rather brutal.  In modern professional boxing, emphasis is on putting on a good show en route to knocking your opponent completely out.  Fighters sometimes take a punishing beating to the head before collapsing to the floor of the ring.  This makes boxers extremely susceptible to permanent brain injury.  If you're a boxer, a fan of boxing, or a parent considering letting your child box, you're definitely going to want to consider a number of things regarding the danger inherent to the sport.








Research has shown that 80-90% of professional boxers will suffer some form of lasting brain injury.  In most cases the problems are rather mild, but nearly 25% of boxers will face severe, potentially debilitating brain damage.  Studies have produced evidence that repeated blows to an unprotected head slowly cause deterioration of brain cells and health.  When a fighter dies after a fight or develops dementia well after retiring, it is typically considered to be a result of the long term effects of routine beatings.
Many critics say these facts are unacceptable and claim that the safety of the fighters is overlooked and ultimately compromised due to the massive amounts of money that surrounds the sport.  Not only do fights generate a lot of cash, more people wager on boxing than nearly any other sport.  Fighter safety has been stepped up with the addition of ringside doctors and routine post-bout medical examinations.  Although this helps to address any immediate health concerns, long term conditions are hard to detect and can easily go unnoticed.








Some will say that amateur boxing is often safer because headgear is worn and a points-based system is used rather than fighters going for nothing but a knockout.  A number of researchers have indicated that headgear does not really help protect as much as most people assume.
Fighters will still be susceptible to long term injury due to the constant blows to the head rather than the force applied.  Children's boxing leagues typically aren't extremely hazardous because participants aren't training every single day, but the risk is still there.
Before you step into the ring or allow your child to do so, you need to fully understand the risks you are taking.  You might feel fine tomorrow and next year, but sooner or later the repeated head trauma is bound to catch up with you.

Arturo Chuong is currently writing articles related to traveling, sporting, hiking, and business bags including, backpacks, laptop cases, and functional luggage.

Karate Kumite - Using Multiple Techniques to Counter Attack , Thursday, August 20, 2009 at 5:28 AM, in

Many karate students fail to respond with multiple techniques after an incoming attack, leaving them frustrated when they miss with the first counter. Their opponent might move out of range, maybe their countering technique is blocked, or perhaps it hits an arm or shoulder instead of the intended target. This is frustrating because their "one chance to score" is gone in an instant.
However, when you use multiple techniques to counter instead of one, your chances of scoring are increased 200%!
Today I want to give you a great "triple" fighting combination that I had my students work on last night in class that can help you with your countering skills when doing kumite (sparring).









This combination is a little different to the regular "triples" like, punch/kick/punch, or jab/jab/reverse punch, etc. It's different because it's:
1) Largely unknown
2) Rarely used
3) Incorporates both attack and defense
4) Uses the same hand for all 3 strikes
It also draws on the same basic concept from a pinan kata. Yes, despite many people's belief that kata is useless, here's a shining example of how a slight modification to the second move in pinan sandan can score you more points than you ever imagined.
Here's how it works...
Because our triple combination starts off defensively, we need an attack to counter.
No better place to start than countering the good old reverse punch (gyaku zuki) which is responsible for approx. 80% of scoring technique in traditional karate competition.
This defense works best when the belly is the target. So when your attacker throws their reverse punch to the body in the usual way, you're going to block down (gedan barai), while striking simultaneously with backfist (uraken), to your opponent's temple.
As you do this it's important that you shorten your stance a little to avoid the punch, by moving your front foot back and raising your center of gravity. This allows you to come "over the top" with a horizontal back fist strike.
Key point: This must be done at the same time as the block! Not block, then back fist, otherwise you won't break the timing, and you give your opponent a chance to recover!
Immediately as you've scored with the back fist return to your guard position and knock your opponent's front hand to the outside line of their body. Follow immediately with another counter - this time a reverse punch of your own to their belly.









As your recover your guard, then take your front hand and knock your opponent's guard (if it's still up), down by turning your hand palm-down and placing it on top of their forearm. This frees up their head for your final technique.
From this position, step forward as you punch, and make a one-leg-punch (ippon ashi dachi zuki), or what our MMA friends like to call the "superman punch" to the exposed head, and land forward with your foot on the outside line of your opponent's. At this position your chest should be against their shoulder and their guard smothered.
So again, when the reverse punch arrives, here's what you do:
1) Block down front hand, make back fist with your other hand.
2) Return to guard and immediately knock their front arm to the out side, and make reverse punch to their belly.
3) Return to guard and knock their front arm down and come over the top with your one leg punch to their head.
The whole process should take no longer than 1.5 to 2 seconds. The effect when done properly is one of confusion for your opponent because this technique:
1) Breaks the timing
2) Hits high, low, high, making blocking difficult
3) Creates confusion with uncommon application of sparring techniques
Of course after the final punch, you can exit however you please... with a sweep, bump, shove, etc.
Got it?
Great!
This is a great karate sparring combination. Try it out next time you fight and let me know how it works for you!
- Jason

Jason Stanley has trained in Shitoryu for more than 20 years, is an international competitor and instructor holding the rank of yondan (4th dan). He is also the author of Fighting Secrets Revealed and the KarateTips Newsletter that shares loads of tips and ideas for improving your karate.

Street Fighting Moves - Do You Know Why Practicing Katas Suck For Teaching You Reality Fighting? , at 5:11 AM, in

So you want to learn karate or kung fu? You like the uniforms, the ancient tradition, the romance of the folklore and of course the great movies that are produced showing some of the coolest moves imaginable. By how do they get that good? Well, you will discover that one of the precepts for teaching traditional martial arts is that of practicing choreographed forms or what is called katas that is supposed to teach you how to really fight in the streets. Yeah right! In this article, I will show why the teaching of katas or forms as a basis for being ready to fight in the real world is all messed up.







A Kata Is A Set of Prearranged and Choreographed Fighting Moves, In the Real World of Fighting, Nothing Is Prearranged
You cannot prepare for the unexpected training as though what you are doing is to be expected. Real world fighting is explosive, chaotic and unpredictable. You never know what is going to happen next. Katas and forms do not prepare you for the unexpected.

When we talk about self defense and self protection, we usually assume that it is between two macho men slugging it out. But the reality remains that many, many women are also assaulted by men. And a woman cannot be expected to go toe-to-toe exchanging blows with a man. In fact, no intelligent male fighter should go toe-to-toe with an aggressor. Though there are many possible techniques that are ideal for saving a woman from peril, here, I want to give you the single most un-used but most effective counter attack available to a man or a woman...
Let us first examine the type of self defense situation a woman usually finds herself. Unlike that of a man, she is usually grabbed from the front or from behind. Because a typical man is larger than the average woman, a great majority of male to female assaults involve a man encircling his arms around the shoulders or arms of the woman.










His hands are occupied, and true the lady's arms are circled, but she does have something that is free and that is unexpected. Her head. One of the most destructive and devastating counter attacks is the head butt. But let me carefully explain how it must be executed. The area on your head that you must strike with is that part of the head that is maybe just a half of an inch or so below the area where the forehead meets the hairline. This is the hardest area of your head. If you aim for the nose, and use the hairline area of your head as the striking surface. When you smash into the nose with the right force, an total knockout is almost guaranteed.

How to Select the Right Tae Kwon Do School , at 5:07 AM, in

You've already decided that Tae Kwon Do is the right type of martial arts program and philosophy you've been looking for, either for yourself or for your child. Now how do you go about finding the very best school in your community? Here are some ways to go about it.
-- Chances are good that someone you know and trust knows a great deal about the martial arts academies in and around your town. If not, ask parents at your school or coworkers at your place of business if they have attended Tae Kwon Do classes. If so, pump them for information. There's nothing like an excellent personal recommendation to up the chances that you'll be satisfied too.
-- If there is more than one school in your area, it is best to go to each one personally to determine if it will be a good fit. If it is for your child, are there plenty of other children enrolled in the beginner classes? Do they offer classes at times that are convenient to your busy schedule? Make sure to ask to speak with the owner personally: if he is accommodating and is willing to answer your questions, that's a very good sign.








-- Take the time to actually observe some classes. Are you comfortable with how the instructors teach or does their style grate on you? The best academies emphasize mutual respect between teacher and student, while others may lean more towards the dictatorial side. Trust your gut instinct: if you don't like what's happening in class, look elsewhere.

•   Decide what other factors are most important in your decision-making process and choose accordingly. Take into account:
  

1. -Price/cost of equipment
2. -Convenience of location
3. -Advancement opportunities
4. -Competition participation opportunities

Filipino Stick Fighting - Is it Useful? , at 5:03 AM, in

As a martial-arts writer, people ask my opinion on this martial art or that martial art. On more than one occasional, I have been asked if Filipino stick fighting was practical.
My first response is usually to ask, "Practical for what?"
If you plan on having fighting sticks with you wherever you go, then yes, it's very practical. It makes perfect sense to train stick fighting, if you intend to carry a stick or two with you.

Warning: Filipino sticks can be deemed lethal, even though they are "just sticks." In a court of law, carrying one under your coat might be determined to be a concealed weapon.

Knowing how to fight with a stick is probably a good idea, also, if you work in a pool hall. You'll find lots of cue sticks in racks, and maybe even strewn across tables.









Umbrella As a Weapon
Can your skills be transferred to an umbrella? Maybe. At least some of them can -- but you might break your umbrella. So, make sure you limit your actual umbrella striking to real self defense. You and your partner don't want to destroy a "pair of parasols while practicing." ;-)
Filipino Empty-Hand Fighting
Of course, if you ask any escrimador, he or she would be the first to claim that all of the stick techniques translates directly into empty-hand fighting. This really is an interesting thought: you practice similar patterns; you discover ways to transfer the skills from one to the other ... which in itself is a valuable skill.
Still, there are probably more efficient ways to learn empty-hand self defense. If you want to learn hand-to-hand fighting, then find a style the focuses on empty-hand techniques.

Note: Here's a similar example -- one way to build your chi sao (rolling, sticking hands training) is by swimming. Still, if you really want to improve at chi sao, its much more efficient to practice chi sao than to swim. It's the actual application; swimming just works similar muscles.

Should you study a stick-fighting style?
Answer: Do you have a use for that particular martial skill?
Stick Fighting Benefits
Stick fighting "is" excellent at teaching students to move their hands both in concert and independently of each other.
It also offers great coordination-building patterns. And the pattern variations force you to develop skill in adapting and changing the routine.
Finally, you learn some interesting angles for martial application. They are tighter lines than many are accustomed to taking.

Keith Pascal is the author of Control Your Fear: A Guide For Martial Artists: Eliminate Fear!.
Keith is the editor and author of several martial-arts ezines, including:
AdvantageMartialArts.com. (Free practical self defense ebook when you join.)
Pascal has taught martial arts for over 25 years. He left his job as a high school teacher in 2000, to become a full-time writer.

Fear Training For Self-defense Survival , at 4:57 AM, in

How Closely Can You Simulate Real Terror in Effective Self-Defense Training?
I get this sort of question a lot:
"Although I have been studying Aikido for almost 18 years I never felt confident that I would be able to deal with the initial surge of adrenalin from the realization of actually being attacked. It is kind of like being told you have cancer and are going to die next month. How do you simulate something like that in a safe manner? Can you scare the whatever out of someone and get them to react properly in a training environment?"
To answer your question quickly NO. There is no completely safe environment where we can train a person to overcome the adrenaline response without the possibility of psychological damage. Even under the safest of conditions, to put the mind in a true fear state the inducement of that state can cause some PTSD in some individuals.








We used to work with some of the brain-washing hypnotic methods for placing a person in a state of absolute fear to see if they can overcome it and have found that some of the folks had nightmares and other panic symptoms for some time after the training.
Fear Response Without the Fear
One of the best methods of dealing with the potential of an attack is to constantly practice the fright reaction drills. Having the proper physical response trained into your hard wiring can place you in a far better place than just hoping for the best.
The fright reaction uses your body's natural, adrenaline-fueled response to sudden shock and fear. Ever been attacked by a swarm of bees? Ever had a firecracker thrown in your face or heard a gunshot? What did you do? Your whole body instantaneously and instinctively dropped its center of gravity, your back curved out protectively, your head sank low between your upraised shoulders, and your arms and elbows came up around your face and neck. Dropping your center of gravity in this way strengthens your stability and adds to your power and balance. Lowering your head, hunching your shoulders, and raising your arms protects vital areas (especially your throat) from strikes and rear-approach strangling attacks. And you tend to do all this naturally without any training (provided your instincts haven't been smothered by some bogus martial art). The fright reaction is an ideal defensive position and should not be substituted with some stylized kung fu stance.
What you do immediately after the fright reaction is critical, and it must be simple and focused. Turn toward the attacker and hit like a banshee. Jab his chin, chop his neck, and spear your fingers straight into his eye sockets. Train them all so they can be delivered like a buzz saw when you need them. Eye strikes are especially nasty and hard for the enemy to block. If you've ever been accidentally poked in the eye, such as in a basketball game, imagine how devastating a purposeful strike could be. There is an entire series of drills explored in our book involving this principle but for our purposes here, understand that you can invoke the body's natural fear "response" and train that without inducing a state of howling terror.
If you are then suddenly attacked with only a slight warning you will go into the physical response you have drilled into your system. The trouble arises when you have too much time to think. Here your linear brain or ego will see or hear a threat and start to think what to do. Since the linear mind has had little or no experience with a serious attacker, the ego will go through a litany of useless cogitation which usually will paralyze a person before the fight starts. Many criminals depend upon this response to intimidate a victim so that they cannot mount a proper defense.








Translation to Reality
If you are alert to your surroundings and can focus on a destination at the same time, a criminal will usually look for a less aware target.
If you have practiced attacking the attacker under various conditions you will have a chance to respond to an attack with your own attack.
If all is working properly, during a real attack, you will feel all of the physical/psychological phenomena that adrenaline will produce. Having the adrenaline response is actually a good thing. At first you will feel immobilized by the event but if you have trained for a good while your response will come at the first real touch by the attacker. If you are really well practiced in the forward attack or the side step attack you will usually fall into place and perform almost automatically because you don't know any other way of defense.
Getting Your Mind Right for Survival
Ask yourself this question. If my child, wife, husband, parent or sibling were being attacked in front of me would I come to their aid?  If you answered yes then you have the proper mind set to react along with hard core training to save yourself.
I remember times where fear seemed to freeze me solid or so it seemed. It usually took someone to strike me before I could react and strike in response. This was when I was already trained to some degree but I had a built in aversion to violence in my teen years. I learned to properly apply the attack-the-attacker modality (coined by Brad Steiner) and this changed in a few weeks. I now had a way to go. Somewhere to let my adrenaline dump go.
Some of my fellow officers are able to just get into the mix without hesitation. They were often not really trained but just fought instantly. I, on the other hand, found it difficult to strike another human being without, what I believed to be, just cause. I was wrong in these instances. The other officers were able to stop aggression before it could get out of hand. Often, because I didn't attack in time, the fight would become somewhat protracted and awkward. Sometimes the bad guy would get all brave and fight harder until I had to get seriously violent. Not Good!!
If you have fear of getting hurt then you will get hurt if you allow the wrong picture to enter your mind. The only picture you should see is where you are able to overcome the adversary. You can practice envisioning toppling the attacker from every conceivable position. You can imagine the loud threats of an attacker as just sounding the bell to fight and you see yourself chomping at the bit to get at him.
Many of us have been conditioned at a young age by adults who punished or controlled us by loud screaming or physical pushing or strikes. We were not allowed to react violently against authority. This is one of the reasons that we freeze when under the onslaught of some loud-mouthed bully.
Diligent realistic scenario-based practice of all the fright reaction drills as well as attacking the attacker drills (which we don't have space to go into here) will go a long way to helping you when you may find yourself in harm's way. Learning to side step before the attack actually happens is important. This allows for a nonviolent way to get out of the way of the first strike. After you have dodged the strike or grapple you will be more able to take control by striking or controlling the opponent with the various weapons you have either built into yourself or carried to the scene.

Ex-cop, master handgun instructor and former forensic homicide investigator John Perkins has taught members of Marine Combat units, Marine Scout Sniper units, military counter drug forces, FBI, NYPD and security personnel for domestic and foreign dignitaries. He has trained in Native American fighting principles since the age of 5 and engaged in illegal pre-UFC era pit-fighting. In 1979 he created Guided Chaos, an adaptive, free-form internal art. Perkins is also co-author of the best selling self defense book Attack Proof: The Ultimate Guide to Personal Protection. See http://attackproof.com/. More articles and DVDs can be found at http://www.attackproof.com/FREE-self-defense-NEWSLETTER.html.

Road Running For Boxers , at 4:55 AM, in

Road running for boxers isn't just a case of heading out every morning and jogging a few miles before breakfast anymore.
Many people still think that is the case though...All boxers wakening up early in the morning and wearily jogging 3 or 4 miles before breakfast.
While that kind of routine is still a lot better than bouncing your alarm clock off the wall, turning over and going back to sleep again, it isn't really making the best use of your training time.
Boxing is largely a fast paced anaerobic event, so why would you choose to limit your road running to aerobic jogging?...It would be FAR more effective to switch from aerobic jogging to anaerobic running a few days per week.
First of all though, I can't over emphasize enough the importance of a proper "warm-up" before any kind of running, and a "cool down" afterward.







The obvious benefits being the prevention of injury and an improved performance as you warm up the body and raise the heart rate in preparation for hard work. More blood flow to the body tissues also improves oxygen uptake and carbon dioxide removal too. Plus psychologically, it helps to focus your attention.
So the best kind of road running would ideally be directly related to the sport you're involved with. In the case of a boxer, that consists of a 2 or 3 minute round(depending if you are an amateur or professional)followed by a one minute rest between rounds.
Therefore your road work should be the same...Bursts of running hard for those 2 or 3 minutes, followed by a 1 minute rest period.
Aim for three or four rounds to begin with, working up to maybe eight or so. Don't go too far beyond that though for fear of over-training.
Try to bring variety into these sessions too. Mix things up a bit with sprints, hill running, and by varying the distance of your runs by incorporating 200, 400, & 800 metre bursts.
This type of training is very intense and your body will need time to recover, so aim to do this kind of road work two or three times a week, with the more traditional 2 to 4 mile run on the other days. These longer runs are still important as they enable your body to endure the harder work.







Ideally you want to do the "sport specific" road work on non-sparring days too, as it's no fun trying to spar with worn out legs!
So in conclusion...If you don't already do this type of road running as part of your training schedule, why don't you give it a go?...There's every chance that after a few weeks of sport specific road running, you will notice a BIG improvement in your work capacity and endurance.

Dave is better known to everyone as ScotBoxer.
Whether you are interested in taking up the sport of boxing, maybe just learning aspects of it for self defense, or wanting to use "boxing style" training to be fitter and leaner than you've ever been before - You'll find plenty advice on my website

Boxing Training - Using Music to Boost Your Workout Potential , Wednesday, August 19, 2009 at 5:51 AM, in

Boxing is about agility, strength, and endurance. It is about perseverance and strength of character, but most of all it is about will, the will to win and the will to live. It brings out the strongest in the human spirit. Perhaps, that's why the world fell in love with Rocky Balboa, because he stood for something and he refused to give in. And in that time of his darkest hour, and ultimate adversity he refused to quit, he took a beating and kept coming back.
Americans identify with this, because we are a proud culture of fighters, we are the strong and the proud. Our ancestors came here from other places to build a better life and so they did. We are the offspring of that great group of people, and we will never forget that. Thus, we watch boxing with awe, and we realize how much these fighters go through, as they train every day until they can't stand up anymore.







They do it day after day, year after year all in the quest to be the best. But each fight is different and each fight could be their last. It's a high-stakes game with big rewards and big risks. A fighter must be committed and he must get through those grueling workouts. One way that the fighters are able to get through all that conditioning is the use of music during their workouts.
Each day they will run to music, each day they will spar to music, each day they will hit the weights and workout music.






It helps them get through the day, it helps them to find out who they are, and the music they choose to play is very much a part of their essence, their spirit, their drive, and their ambition to win because that's what boxing is about. Please consider all this.

Lance Winslow - Lance Winslow's Bio. Lance Winslow is also Founder of the Car Wash Guys, a cool little Franchise Company; http://www.carwashguys.com/history/founder.html/.

Karate Chop Life , at 5:48 AM, in

Karate is a martial art that has existed for thousands of years. It originated in China and is based of the fighting system of Gongfu. Karate is now widely practiced throughout the world and has undergone many changes throughout its practice. While Karate is mainly a self defense and fighting system, it is also used to improve physical fitness level and lower stress levels. Children as young as five can begin karate for the disciplinary and self esteem benefits. It is a magnificent sport and have numerous benefits for participants of any age.
When you join a karate class, there are a few things that you can expect. As karate is a sport like any other, you will need to do some preparations before getting into the fighting aspect. To begin, you should do a warm up. This warm up can include some light running or jogging, pushups, situps, jumping jacks, etc. This will get your muscles ready for the challenge they are about to face. The next step will be stretching. Stretching is so incredibly important to karate, this is a step you can not skip. Stretching your muscles allows them to loosen up and allows you to perform better moves without the danger of injury.






You can do stretches on your own, with a partner, or with the assistance of a machine. This becomes even more important as we get older and we begin to see stiffness in our joints, but starting out young is still the best way.
While karate is mostly a physical exercise, it is not entirely. There is a strong mindfulness aspect of karate which is nurtured through meditation. You should go into each practice with a clear head and a relaxed mind. This will allow you to gain the most from your training and the benefits will remain long after you leave the class.
After you have warmed up and done your stretching and meditation, you will start to learn the basic moves of karate. This includes both the offensive and defensive aspects of the art. Your offensive moves will include attacks such as upper cuts, punches, elbow strikes, knife chops, etc. You will also utilize kicks and learn to keep your balance while delivering or receiving a hit.






The defensive moves will include blocks for all of the upper and lower body strikes. You will learn how to fall properly, in a way that protects your head from injury and does the least possible amount of damage.
The last part of a karate class is the sparring. Sparring is fighting with little or no contact. This allows you to put the moves and techniques you have learned to use in a more realistic but safe environment. Learning karate can be extremely fulfilling and can enhance every aspect of your life. So what are you waiting for, go karate chop life!

Sydney Garrison is an avid cyclist and sports enthusiast. She is also a partner in an online bike rack store

Choose the Right Gears For MMA Fights , at 5:46 AM, in

Aside from choosing a gym or training center and having a trainer, it is also important to have the right MMA gear and equipments to use during MMA fights such as headgears, mouth gears, fight gloves, and even groin protectors.
Headgears
Headgears, as what its name suggests, are needed for complete face and head protection. High-density foams are used because it serves as shock absorbers from direct impact, especially when hit in highly sensitive parts such as the ears and head. MMA headgears are also uniquely designed for peripheral visibility and ventilation.
Mouth Guards
Mouth guards are a staple in MMA fights. It is important that one's mouth guards are cleaned and sterilized after every use. Mouth guards are used to protect the mouth, especially the teeth, to avoid it from breaking or even bleeding.






One should choose a mouth guard that is flexible and comfortable to use, not only in training, but also during the actual MMA fight.
Fight Gloves
There are two kinds of MMA fighting gloves, the one used for sparring and the other for the actual fight. Sparring gloves or the gloves used in MMA training are designed to have thicker padding on the knuckles while the gloves used on actual MMA fights have thinner padding and are lighter in weight. One must make sure that the fight glove that they will buy is made from high quality materials. MMA fight gloves are designed to protect one's wrist and hands from injuries while trying to hit the opponent. Safe and high quality fighting gloves not only protect oneself but also the opponent from having severe cuts or injuries during an actual fight.







Groin Protectors
Groin protectors are a must in any contact or physical sport, especially for men. MMA is a freestyle sport and with the wide variety of fighting techniques, being hit in any part of the body is not impossible. Groin protectors are designed to avoid direct or hard impact to one's groin during MMA training or even during a fight.

This is an article written by Cristi Enache. Read more on MMA fights and discover also important points on MMA training

What to Expect From MMA Training , at 5:44 AM, in

During training, fighters are taught proper fitness procedure and given MMA training tips to improve their fighting style. MMA fighters, both amateur and professional, are asked to follow certain training procedures depending on their weight class and strength. One of the most common adages by trainers and fighters alike are, eat less and move more. This is to maintain their weight in the weight class they are in.

Professional MMA trainers categorize fighters depending on their strength and skill, groundfighter, wrestler, or striker, so that proper MMA training can be applied.
The strength of groundfighters is the ability to force and grapple an opponent onto the ground where they apply their end-of-fight techniques such as joints locks or chokes. With this strength, fighters are taught in MMA training the basics of wrestling for proper and safe taking down and pinning of an opponent.
On the other hand, wrestlers have the strength for a takedown, using both grappling and striking techniques. The last kind of fighter is the striker.






Strikers are known to end and win a fight on their feet.
These categories are also considered as some of the basic skills or fighting techniques in MMA fights. The best MMA fighters try to combine all these skills for a powerful and effective fighting strategy.
It is also in MMA training that amateur fighters are taught with the core rules of the sport such as:
• No Biting
• No Eye-poking or gouging
• No Groin Attacks
• No Fish-hooking
These are to ensure that though MMA is a contact and physical sport, safety is always first.






MMA training also lets fighters learn how to apply the basic skills and techniques they learned in the training program through sparring and realistic situational drills in an actual MMA octagon cage. This prepares the fighter, physically and mentally, for tougher opponents and future fights.

This is an article written by cristi Enache. Get more in-depth knowledge on MMA training or discover insights into MMA fights

Mastering the Leg Kick, Part 1 , at 5:40 AM, in

The leg kick, also called muay Thai low kick or shin kick, is one of the most devastating techniques in both ring and mixed martial arts cage-fighting. But it's much more difficult to master than you might think at first glance. In this guide, we'll look at all the different components of the kick. Use this information and then train hard with it to make your leg kick a force to be reckoned with.
Let's start with the striking surface, your shin bone:

• You can strike with any part from ankle to just underneath the knee.
• As a general rule, use the lowest area of the shin bone if you're further away from your opponent. Use the higher part when you're closer by.
• Remember that the closer you are, the more open you'll be to a counter punch by your opponent. So cover up well.
• Most fighters use the edge of the shin to strike with. But you can also use the flat, inside par of your shin.
• If you're worried about your shin's sensitivity, work on the heavy bag with the leg kick. With consistent training, you'll desensitize it pretty quickly.

The next thing you need to do is proper footwork with the leg kick. Here are some tips:

• Don't step straight forward or you'll run into a counter punch.
• Instead, step slightly to the side. That way your face moves away from your opponent's fists and he has to re-orient to strike you. That takes time, time you can use to kick him.
• If you don't like to step, you can drop-step forward. It takes some training but it can surprise your opponent.
• Another way it to jump or hop forward. Don't make this move too obvious by trying to cover too much distance with the hop. Once again, it would give the other guy time to counter you. Also, don't jump up because that only slows you down. It has to be a jump forwards and not one going up and down.

In the next part, we'll cover the use of the lead arm. If you'd like more information you can visit this link for more detail on how to do a leg kick.

For more guides, reviews and free stuff, you can visit my blog:
http://www.wimsblog.com

Street Fighting Moves - Do You Know That Every Fight Has Its Own Life Cycle and Personality? , at 5:38 AM, in

A fight, once begun is a living, breathing entity, a fact which you must be able to immediately recognize, with all of its twists, turns and idiosyncrasies,  in order to deal with it in a creative and spontaneous manner in order to overcome it and to survive.
One of my reality-based fighting teachers a while back gave me one of the most important revelations as to the correct perception and understanding of the dynamics of a real street fight.  A real street fight is not something that you can predict in the sense of knowing exactly what  will happen ahead of time.   My teacher taught me to forget about the katas and rigidly memorized forms of most traditional martial arts and to rather know that a real street altercation is unpredictable, explosive, chaotic and within a few seconds of having started begins to take on a life of its own with its own rhythm, its own life cycle and its own personality.





Every Adversary and Every Environment Is Unique
When you step into a fight, to a limited degree, you step into the unknown.  The combination of the unknown with the uniqueness of a situation immediately gives it a special existence that can only be dealt with by understanding that you cannot used any choreographed and preset forms and movements to win.
Recognize As Quickly As Possible The Dynamics, Pattern and Environment of The Fight In Which You Find Yourself
As soon as you realize that the inevitable has happened recognize as soon as you can how the aggressor is attacking or posturing himself and how you can use your environment against him to defend and protect yourself.

And now I'd like to invite you to get Free Instant Access to my new video blog Real Street Fighting Moves at http://www.realstreetfightingmoves.com
While you are there, just look to the upper right-hand column to also get instant FREE access to two FREE Bonuses:
* a 12-minute TeleSeminar Audio on "How To Defeat A Mixed Martial Artist In A Real Street Fight"
* a FREE 52-Week eCourse on Secrets of Reality-Based Fighting (for a limited time only)
From Charles Prosper - The Street Fighting Sifu

The Fence - The Best Street Self Defense Technique There Is , at 5:35 AM, in

Usually when we talk about street self defense and tactics we talk about how to control an aggressor when they actually attack you. What many martial artists don't often talk about is what to do in the run up before the aggressor attacks, what to do when the situation is hotting up and violence is about to rear it's ugly head.
What if you could gain complete control of your opponent before he even gets a chance to make any kind of move on you?

What if you could control someone in this situation without them even knowing it? Well, with The Fence, you can do exactly that. Not only will you be able to control your opponent with this technique, you will also be in just the right position to counter any attack that is made against you.
It's All about Control
So in basic terms, the fence is all about control of your opponent, physically and psychologically. This what Geoff Thompson, the creator of The Fence concept, had in mind when he came up with the technique. He worked the doors for a long time and he wanted a way to completely control a potential attacker and keep himself safe at the same time, and to Geoff's credit, he has succeeded on both these fronts.
In one of my previous articles I talked about the three A's of self defense, which are: attitude, awareness, action.







The Fence is brought into play at the action stage, when your attitude and awareness haven't allowed you to escape the situation at hand and you are left with no choice but to stand and deal with it.
I have always advocated escaping potentially violent confrontations, by whatever means, first of all. This isn't always possible though. Sometimes, for whatever reason (not for egotistical reasons I hope) you have to stay and confront whoever is being aggressive towards you. You simply don't have a choice and this is were The Fence comes in.
In a street self defense situation you usually have someone in your face, shouting and being abusive towards you, building up to smacking you one. Most people react to this kind of abuse and posturing by being abusive right back and getting involved in a stare of or pushing and shoving contest before the fists start to fly. Reacting to aggression with more aggression is only adding fuel to the fire. Not only that, it draws you into the red mist and your thinking skills go out the window. When you get to the red mist stage you begin to operate on pure adrenalin and rage. Tactics go out the window and all you want to then do is beat down and dominate whoever is in front of you. You become an animal, in other wards, and you don't want that, because animals don't have much control, which as we know is bad in a self [quote]defense situation, especially when you have to deal with the law after wards. "I just lost it," will not stand up in court when you try to explain how you went from defending yourself to fighting. So we use The Fence instead, to control the situation and keep our cool. Without your thinking skills still present the technique will not work because you have to consciously control whoever is in front of you.








The basic technique consists of you laying your hands on both arms of your antagonist, effectively trapping them, but doing so in the most natural way possible. It's like when you are trying to calm someone down, you would usually place your hands on a persons arms. It's a natural response most people have to someone who is on the verge of loosing control. It's the same thing with The Fence, you still have to come across as being natural, all the while talking your antagonist down, reassuring them that there is no problem here, why don't we all  just calm down. the only difference here is that you are ready for an outburst of violence. If they go hit you your hands are already in place to block the attack and counter it with one of your own. Your opponent has no chance if you do this right because you should be one step ahead of them. You should be expecting them to strike and you will be ready. Sometimes just controlling them in this way will be enough and they willlcalm down and the situation will be over. If it leads to violence then at least you are ready for it. You are in place to take them down, rather than standing at a distance and giving them the chance to hit you.
The technique takes some practice to get right so that it all feels natural and it doesn't come across too much like you are trying to control your antagonist. You have to stay loose and not grip your antagonist's arms too much. It's very simple, yet difficult to really master.
Get to Know The Fence
If you can master controlling an opponent in that way then you will have no need to get into drawn out confrontations because you will have controlled and dominated your opponent even before they have thrown a single punch. This to me is the ultimate self defense tactic and beats all others hands down without a shadow of a doubt.
The only situation I can't see the fence working in is one were there are multiple opponents involved, as you obviously can't control them all at once. Your options are severely limited here. If you can't run the only option is the preemptive strike and to try and take out as many of them first before they all crowd in on you.
Get to know the fence and its intricacies though. If any street self defense technique is worth learning it's this one.
Trust me, you won't regret the time you spend on it.
For more street self defense techniques visit my site: urbansamurai.org.uk

Neal Martin is a writer and martial artist with over twenty-five years training experience. He also runs his website Urban Samurai, the martial arts resource for urban warriors containing expert training tips and advice as well as quality articles on technique, martial arts culture, thought and opinion. Visit the site at urbansamurai.org.uk and be inspired. All styles/experience welcome.

Krav Maga - Pressure Points , at 5:31 AM, in

A weak point, also known as a pressure point, is a part of the human body which is impossible to develop, harden, or strengthen. Attacking your attacker's weak points gives even the weakest or most unskilled fighter an advantage over any attacker. Remember: it's you that's getting jumped. There is no room for any "moral fighting code" here. Your goal is to get out of the situation alive. This will be achieved by inflicting the maximum damage to your attacker in minimum time.

Eyesattacks to the eyes can be made only with a small surface mostly with the fingers. You can hit the eyes from all sides even lying down. The advantage of this weak point is that the attacker has no ability of coping with an attack to their eyes. A hit in the eyes will neutralize the attacker, and give you time to improve your position.
Nose-the nose is positioned in the center of the face and is easy to get to.  Hit the nose with a strike that has a big surface for example: head-butt, punch, elbow and knee.A strike to the nose will cause the attacker eyes to water and their nose to bleed.







A strong and precise strike could break your attacker's nose and will make it very difficult for him to continue his attack.
Chin-in every boxing match you will see both opponents always aim at each others chins. This is because a solid strike to the chin can cause the attacker to fall down, lose his balance or pass out. You can hit the chin with punches from all angles.
Throat-this is one of the more lethal weak points in the human body. A strong strike to the throat can cause a person to choke and die. A strike to the throat will be done by a punch or an open hand hit. You can also damage the throat by using pressure (choke). A  solid strike to the throat is lethal to the enemy and there is no chance for him to recover after one.
Testicles- most of us know the feeling of a light hit to the testicles, and can only imagine what a full strong hit will do to the attacker. The best kinds of attacks to strike the testicles are knees,  kicks, and open palm strikes in close ranges. A hit to the attacker's testicles will cause him to bend over and give us time to continue with our attacks or escape.
Knees-the lowest weak point in the human body. a strike to the knees will be done by a kick from all angles. your goal is to break the attacker knee. In a case where you do break their knee the attacker has no longer a chance to hurt you. No attacker or fighter in the world can continue to fight with a broken knee.
Templesthis is the thin part of the skull. A strike to the temple will be made with a hook , elbow or other strikes that come from the sides. A strike to the temple will cause the attacker to lose his balance, fall or pass out. A strong solid strike to the temple can lead to death.







Earsan ear is a delicate organ which you can hit or tear. An attack to the ear will be made mostly in close ranges. A hit in that direction is an excellent way to free yourself from all sorts of holds and grabs.
Back of the neckthis is the connecting part between our spinal column and our skull. A very sensitive area and at times lethal. A strong strike to the back of the neck can cause paralysis and  death.
Spinal columnYou can strike the spinal column if you are positioned behind the attacker. You can use a kick, strong punch or even an elbow. A strong hit to the spinal column will paralyze the attacker. 
Rest of the body: In Krav Maga we don't consider any other parts of the body as a weak point. The rest of the body is very strong with a lot of muscles and bones which protect the internal organs. In a life or death situation You would prefer to hit a part which will cause immediate paralysis to the attacker. The non weak point parts of the body can be worked on and strengthened, and it may be very difficult to overcome your attacker with a hit to a non weak point.

For full length Krav Maga video lessons and tutorials from the number one authority of the Israeli Defense Forces go to http://www.kravmagabootcamp.com.

Basic Krav Maga Stance, Straight Punch, Uppercut , at 5:28 AM, in

The basic stance is the best position of the body which enables us to be both stable and mobile. In this position we can defend and attack in the most efficient way. There will be real life situations where you will  not be able to get into this position therefore you will attack and defend yourself according to the position that you are already in, and after the initial confrontation assume the basic stance as fast as possible

• The basic stance is the optimal position where you can respond to attacks from all angles in the shortest time possible.
•  Start by opening your legs, with your hands to the side of the body. The weaker leg will make a step forward and the heel of the rear foot will be lifted a bit from the ground. Open your legs with a step forward and bend your knees.
• Keep your hands close to the chin, your elbows close to the body and the palms of your hands loose. Your head should be bent froward towards your chest and you should look

Intro to Straight Punch:
Hitting areas- Nose, chin.Front hand- From the basic stance position make a movement similar to a pushing motion.  Towards the target we will close the hand, and turn the punch into the target. The rear hand will stay face leveled, during the punch the shoulder comes up until touching the chin. To complete this kind of strike, the pelvis must turn during the punch .
Rear hand- From the basic stance position begin by turning the heel of the back foot. Follow that by turning the pelvis forward and finish with a punch using your strong hand. The front hand will stay up to protect the face.
Continuity- start with the front hand and after the strike ,return the hand to protect the face, Simultaneously strike  with the rear hand.
Intro to Uppercut:






Hitting areas - Chin.
Front hand - This punch will be divided into 4 stages:
1- Turn your body into the direction of the striking hand. Stop when the shoulder almost touch the chin.
2-Bending of the knees - You must make sure not to lower your head and not to bend your back. The hands stay up to protect the face.
3- Return your body to the center. Knees still bent and the hands stay leveled with the face.
4-Straightening the knees- The elbow of the striking hand stays close to the body in a 90° angle. The palm of the hand is closed turning towards the face of the attacker. Strike with an upwards motion and return your hands to protect the face.
Rear hand-
1- Turn your body into the direction of the striking hand. Stop when the shoulder almost touch the chin.
2-Bending of the knees - You must make sure not to lower your head and not to bend your back. The hands stay up to protect the face.
3-Return your body to the center. Knees still bent and the hands stay leveled with the face. add a turn of the heel inwards to increase the intensity to the strike.
4-Straightening the knees- The elbow of the striking hand stays close to the body in a 90° angle. The palm of the hand is closed turning towards the face of the attacker. Strike with an upwards motion and return your hands to protect the face.
Continuity start with the front hand and continue with the rear hand.
To become proficient in Krav Maga, you must feel comfortable with all forms of strikes to the point where they become "second nature".

For full length Krav Maga video lessons and tutorials from the number one authority of the Israeli Defense Forces, go to http://www.kravmagabootcamp.com.

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu - Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Self Defense Techniques Take Self Confidence to New Height , Monday, August 17, 2009 at 9:06 AM, in

Have you ever been in a fight? Unfortunately most of us have at least once. Chances are if you didn't start it you were taken by surprise and win, lose, or draw you felt a little bit sick when it was over. That's a very natural reaction and if you had the bad luck to lose it's possible you were injured and traumatized as well. A thing like that can have devastating effects on your self confidence but when you fall off the horse it's best to get right back on...
I'm certainly not suggesting you run out and start a fight but I am saying you should consider Brazilian Jiu Jitsu self defense techniques and here's why. The world is loaded with bullies and so called "tough guys" and you don't have to go far to find them. They're easy to spot, distinguishable buy the way they dress, tattoos, or the bad attitude they display with their body language.





Mostly we just pass them by and try to keep an eye on them like sharks circling in the depths but like sharks people do attack and often it's unprovoked. Trying to decipher the reasons for it or utilizing prevention techniques are equally useless. If you're attacked all that goes right out the window and all that's left is if you can handle it and not get hurt.
That is exactly the point that Brazilian Jiu Jitsu self defense techniques will prove their most value. There are however many other benefits to BJJ self defense techniques and you don't ever have to fight again to reap those rewards. BJJ is very real. MMA pros all, everyone of them master this skill. Think of the self confidence you will build knowing even a little of the techniques MMA fighters use to beat each other. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is also an incredible way to get in shape that never gets boring.

BJJ self defense techniques are the best way to be "absolutely certain" you can handle yourself in a fight. It is the ultimate style for self defense and a great and exciting way to "stay in shape". For more information I have provided the link http://www.squidoo.com/brazilianjiujitsuselfdefensetechniques If you're already into BJJ and want to take your skills to the next level or perhaps just want to get started building confidence through real power right now; You have to try BJJ self defense techniques you'll be glad you did!

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu - These Just Released Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Takedown Videos Are Worth a Look , at 9:04 AM, in

The 2008 U.S. Olympic contender Dan McCormick has just released a battery of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu takedown videos designed to teach pros and novices the most effective and easy to learn BJJ takedown techniques. I have to say as a big fan of MMA and the UFC they look really impressive. Like most guys I love martial arts. I grew up watching Bruce Lee movies and when I got older I embraced his philosophy of mixing fighting styles to make use of the best they all have to offer. When the Ultimate Fighting Championships came about in the early 80's I knew I had found a home. This was Bruce Lee's credo gone mainstream. Hundreds if not thousands of fighters molding and adapting multiple fighting styles in a quest for perfection. It proved that rigid adherence to a set style was outdated and MMA fighters were wiping the mat with the old guard of traditionalists.





McCormicks Brazilian Jiu Jitsu takedown videos are a perfect example of a western fighter willing to bend to modern adaptations of technique without breaking the eastern traditionalism his his old world Judo fighting style is founded in. Dan is willing to step outside the box and offer techniques all fighting styles can utilize and benefit from.
The fact that Dan "doesn't look like much" is one of the deceptively alluring qualities he brings to the viewer. You get a real feeling of "Hey, I can do this!" that many martial arts training videos lack. Even better is the fact that these techniques carried him all the way to Beijing so there's no doubt they work.

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is a phenomenon that's sweeping the country. It is the ultimate style for self defense and a great and exciting way to "stay in shape". For more information on Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu takedown videos check out http://www.squidoo.com/jiujitsu-techniques If you're already into BJJ and want to take your skills to the next level; Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu takedown videos are exactly what you need.