How UFC is Growing Inside MMA

 

 Hand to hand combat has been a popular spectator sport since the ancient times when Romans would entertain themselves by watching as gladiators fought to the death. Over the centuries we have become more civilized, however, we still enjoy watching two muscular athletes engage in one on one battle until a victor is declared.The UFC, or Ultimate Fighting Championship began as a single event tournament which was designed to seek out the best fighters in the world.    More... ... 

 

How to Defend Against a Bigger Opponent With Angled Punches

 

For many martial artists, the accepted way to defend against a bigger opponent is with their feet. They stop any approach that comes within range with a kick of their own. Still, it is possible to defend against larger opponents with punches -- specifically, angled punches.
The Bigger Opponent Has a Longer Reach
Trying to defend against a long-armed opponent poses a specific problem; his reach is greater than yours.                                                      More  ...  

 

Karate is an Excellent Sport

 

The sport of karate masters the soul, causing it to be more perfect and disciplined. It not only teaches you how to fight; it teaches you how to think, behave and act as well. My husband is a seventh degree black belt, among his other martial arts proclivities, and in six months I made it as far as a blue belt.I have basically used my karate training twice in my real life. I used it to halt a black bear attack in the mountains of Washington State,                     More ... ...

 

Krav Maga

 

I am in contact with a lot of martial artists via the internet. Some of them have told me that Krav Maga hasn't appeared in the Israeli army for about 10-15 years. They claim it isn't taught any more. Others have asked what I know about Israeli martial arts, in general. Well, with the help of some subscribers to one of my ezines, here's a little better understanding of Krav Maga.
Krav Maga Still Taught in the Israeli Army?        More     ... ...

MMA Training Workouts

 

MMA training workouts seem to be a dime a dozen at this point, mostly because of the skyrocketing popularity the sport has had over the last few years. Everybody and their brother seems to have an opinion on how best to train for MMA fighting and the fact is that many of those people are wrong. Anyone can go into a gym and introduce themselves as a MMA trainer and begin training people ... More ... ...

 

Boxing Tips and Techniques

 

 A boxer needs to keep in mind certain ground rules before embarking on a round of boxing. To begin with, he needs to stand with his legs shoulder-width apart with one foot being a half-step behind the other. Both feet should point inward. The lead fist is positioned nearly six inches in front of the face at eye level while the rear fist is placed next to the chin.  More ... ...

 

How UFC is Growing Inside MMA , at 12:03 AM, in

Hand to hand combat has been a popular spectator sport since the ancient times when Romans would entertain themselves by watching as gladiators fought to the death. Over the centuries we have become more civilized, however, we still enjoy watching two muscular athletes engage in one on one battle until a victor is declared.

The UFC, or Ultimate Fighting Championship began as a single event tournament which was designed to seek out the best fighters in the world. The style they fought in was of no consequence. The mission was to see who would emerge as the champion. Was wrestling, boxing, or karate the dominant sport? This is what UFC set out to learn at its formation. It was initially just for pure entertainment and amusement. The sport of UFC was criticized by even high profile members of society who compared it to human dog fighting or cock fighting. Eventually, the fledgling sport was forced underground and almost dissipated altogether.






In order to gain a comeback and rise in popularity, the UFC adopted stricter rules. It once again emerged as a legitimate sporting event and now features some of the best and most talented fighters in the world. Fighters must adhere to a dress code, if you will, and must sport only approved shorts and cannot wear shoes. They must also wear approved, fingerless gloves while engaging in their battles. Fighters are prohibited from using certain moves such as eye gouging, groin attacks, and throat strikes. Originally, UFC focussed on only the heavyweight fighters, but today, there are now five different categories - lightweight, welterweight, middleweight, light heavyweight, and heavyweight.
The popularity of this sport is increasing rapidly as it is now televised in over 36 countries worldwide, although is mainly focussed on the United States and Canada. Since this drastic format change, the number of events available on pay-per-view television has also escalated. UFC is one of the most widely watched sports these days.
Recently, the UFC has introduced female fighters to their schedules. These gifted and athletic women offer more entertainment as they display their prowess and agility which is a direct match to the men who fight. They are amazing to watch and their skill and intensity just add more and more fan base.






Most fighters who engage in competition are only skilled in one area, whether it be boxing, wrestling, karate, or Jui Jitsu. The aim of UFC is to prove that technique and style of fighting are far dominant than just mere size and weight. You will notice that many of the championship holders are not the biggest and strongest of the fighters. They use their skills and talents to dominate their opponents.This idea has been proven again and again through various fights.
This is what makes the UFC such an exciting sport to watch and this is what has helped it rise to such popularity among the Mixed Martial Arts scene. No longer is the UFC considered to be a bloody and brutal show put on just to satisfy our blood lust. It truly is an exciting and physical sport.

Adriano Caldevilla is just a UFC fan that owns a website that sales UFC Official Apparel (UFCgeeks.com), even that I have some training experience, I'm not a pro myself, I just love the sport and I do a lot of research on it. I also Have a Blog where I post my articles, you can visit my blog at.

How to Defend Against a Bigger Opponent With Angled Punches , Thursday, August 27, 2009 at 11:56 PM, in

For many martial artists, the accepted way to defend against a bigger opponent is with their feet. They stop any approach that comes within range with a kick of their own. Still, it is possible to defend against larger opponents with punches -- specifically, angled punches.
The Bigger Opponent Has a Longer Reach
Trying to defend against a long-armed opponent poses a specific problem; his reach is greater than yours.
If you try to reach him with a punch while he's trying to reach you with a punch, then he wins.
Note: We aren't comparing and contrasting styles, angle of the punch, and so on. This is just a basic comparison of reach.






If you block his initial punch, as you reach in for your counter punch, you could still encounter the long reach. Your opponent does have another hand, after all.
Even if you are a Jeet Kune Do practitioner (Bruce Lee's style), you could still encounter problems with your hit-before-check philosophy. The timing will change; you could find yourself too far away to land your punch. Remember those long arms.
Larger Opponent -- If You Can't Reach Him, Then Don't
You could fill an entire book, at least, with advice on distance, angles, and timing for getting past the guard of someone with long arms. We don't have that kind of space in a short article.
Instead, let me offer this advice: If you can't reach your opponent's body, then don't try. This is only logical.
Instead, go for your opponent's limbs, specifically, his weapons. If he tries to kick you, hit his foot ... or ankle. If your enemy tries to punch you, then punch his arm. To paraphrase the Filipino fighters, "Destroy the weapon -- defang the snake!"
Defend Against The Bigger Opponent with Angled Punches
An error that I see in several styles is in teaching their students to punch across the front of their bodies, to try to hit the punch coming in. Their right hands punch across to the left, and the left fists across to the right.

If you want more success at defending the punches of your larger opponents, then try to angle your punches more toward your opponent's torso. You still want to hit the hand, fist, wrist, or forearm; just punch more forward than across.
The forward punch helps protect you from feints and fakes. It's also a better angle for making contact.
Finally, it puts you in a much better follow-up position.

Keith Pascal is the author of Coin Snatching: The Reputation Builder Develop Speed Hands.
Keith is the editor and author of several martial-arts ezines, including:
Punch Enthusiasts. (Free devastating punch 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.

Karate is an Excellent Sport , at 11:48 PM, in

The sport of karate masters the soul, causing it to be more perfect and disciplined. It not only teaches you how to fight; it teaches you how to think, behave and act as well. My husband is a seventh degree black belt, among his other martial arts proclivities, and in six months I made it as far as a blue belt.

I have basically used my karate training twice in my real life. I used it to halt a black bear attack in the mountains of Washington State, and to foil two house burglars. For that, my husband has given me an honorary fourth degree black belt, primarily because I was also able to demonstrate a very good flying kick as well after some practice. He took only six months to get his seventh degree black belt, which also required that he actually catch in his hand an arrow as it was fired only one hundred feet away from him.
He and I survived, and you will too if you go ahead and take karate and other martial arts.






Like I said, they can be useful in real life. For example, in the case of the bear attack, I used the "wall" stance they teach you in class. Maybe I should tell you about class first.
You enter a large room called a "dojo" with the other karate students. Next, a teacher or several teachers, called "sensei," may confront you. They taught me the wall right away, for example, by being a wall of power that kii-iid (yelled loudly) at me. It frightened me - but got me more used to the concept of becoming what they described as "a potential killing machine." I decided right away to never use my karate to hurt others, unless I was severely under attack and could get away with it without hurting any innocent parties (such as myself). You don't have to be heroic - I'm quite the physical coward myself.
The sensei really put me through my paces, and when I learned "the wall," I learned how to spread my legs and plant my feet with my knees over them, so that I became an invincible wall, with no one being able to push me over. This worked great during the bear attack. I used it to communicate a firmness of purpose, which the bear listened to. Then he demonstrated back that he was tougher than me. So I then signaled him that I wouldn't fight him in a respectful manner. Being intelligent, this black bear then simply turned and walked away satisfied that he had won the argument. So he didn't run down the cliff further and attack anyone else. We both won that day thanks to karate, and nobody was hurt.
In the case of the house burglary, karate gave me the strength of mental purpose and character to confront the burglars with what they were really doing and how they were terrorizing the home owner at whose house they were caught. The two burglars were astonished that I had any such courage to confront them. I only yelled at them and never used any real karate, and thus nobody was injured. The two burglars left and didn't come back to bother the home owner. Karate had won the day - once again.
In my husband's case, he was the proverbial 98 pound weakling until he learned a wide variety of martial arts, including karate, from a single master who personally trained him.






The next time he was in a fight, after his training, he laid a bully who was menacing his life completely low. Nobody has ever taken him down in a fight since, even though he has been threatened with both guns and knives - nobody.
Therefore, you should learn karate or martial arts, which contains as wide of a variety of styles as the countries they now come from: aikido, kung fu or gung fu, karate, judo, kendo, and hundreds if not thousands of schools from Japan, China, Korea and Brazil. Pick a style, any style, see what's at your local dojo, and once you take up this wonderful sport - practice, practice, practice. It will teach you great discipline and knowledge of your own power. Try it and see, and you won't be sorry about the results. Like me and my husband, it might even save your life someday.

RAINBOW WRITING, INC. -- featuring Karen Cole, copy editor, ghost writer and book author. We are inexpensive professional freelance and contracted book authors, copywriters, ghostwriters, copyeditors, proofreaders, manuscript rewriters, coauthors, graphics and CAD artists, publishing helpers, and screenplay writers/editors/helpers with producing and selling screenplays. http://www.rainbowriting.com/.

Krav Maga , at 11:43 PM, in

I am in contact with a lot of martial artists via the internet. Some of them have told me that Krav Maga hasn't appeared in the Israeli army for about 10-15 years. They claim it isn't taught any more. Others have asked what I know about Israeli martial arts, in general. Well, with the help of some subscribers to one of my ezines, here's a little better understanding of Krav Maga.
Krav Maga Still Taught in the Israeli Army?

This is a good place to start: Let's hear from someone who is there, Nigel Kersh. He wrote, "My son went in [the army] last week, and next week they're getting Krav Maga lessons. Hopefully, his 11 years experience practicing karate will help."
Phil Kouse added that "K.M. was developed ... for the lower echelon troops ... looks like WWll combatives to me." He also mentioned a higher level martial art, that many think is Krav. (Also, Phil provided the correct term for a practitioner of this art, a "Kravist.")







Hmm, another Israeli art?
Eric Duncan helped me refine my search, when he said, "Is not the term Krav Maga a Hebrew term that means to fight or something along those lines, much like Kapap?"
Kapap, An Israeli Martial Art for the Elite
And Bingo, a quick look on the internet, and I found that the elite form of Israeli martial arts is indeed Kapap.

Note: Krav Maga means "contact combat." And Kapap is an acronym for a Hebrew phrase, which means "face-to-face combat."

So, I did some more research and found several pieces of interest about Kapap:

• Kapap is older than K.M.
• It was developed by Imrich Lichtenfeld in the 1940s
• Lichtenfeld was considered an expert in several arts, including ju jitsu, boxing, and wrestling
• He used his methods against Nazis and eventually taught his art to elite soldiers (the future Israeli army) (Thanks to an article by Philologos for the information on Lichtenfeld.)

David (no last name) wrote informing me that Darren Levine was the person to bring K.M. to American law enforcement, but David also mentioned that it doesn't in any way resemble the original Israeli style.
David likens the Americanized version to what is practiced by "a bunch of primped up soccer moms."
After more searching, I found that there are at least a half a dozen LARGE organizations, all claiming to instruct Krav Maga. No comment on the individual organizations -- simply, some of the forms of Krav Maga seem more faithful to the original style than others.

Keith Pascal is the author of 10 Days to Better Knife Fighting.
Keith is the editor and author of several martial-arts ezines, including:
Punch ezine. (Free devastating punches 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.

MMA Training Workouts , at 11:38 PM, in

MMA training workouts seem to be a dime a dozen at this point, mostly because of the skyrocketing popularity the sport has had over the last few years. Everybody and their brother seems to have an opinion on how best to train for MMA fighting

, and the fact is that many of those people are wrong. Anyone can go into a gym and introduce themselves as a MMA trainer and begin training people, even if they don't know what they are doing. The best way to learn how to condition yourself for MMA competition is to actually train under a MMA fighter, as they will be most likely to know what kind of workout you will need so you can compete at that level of physical exertion.






If you do choose to go with a trainer be very, very careful as many trainers may claim to be MMA trainers but have very little, if any, experience training fighters. Another option is to purchase a book or guide from a MMA professional which gives you multiple MMA training workouts and routines.
The biggest mistake I have seen when it comes to people training for MMA (or any fighting) is that they seem to think that strength is all that matters. You will often see these people training at the gym, but focusing on lifting weights or striking a heavy bag. While striking the heavy bag and lifting weights are important, being able to exert that kind of effort for multiple minutes with little or no rest is just as important. What is the point of training in MMA if you pass out before the end of the first round due to exhaustion? MMA fighters need to be capable of exerting their strength in intense bursts that can sometimes last minutes, to do this a MMA fighter needs to incorporate some form of aerobic and anaerobic workout into his overall MMA training workouts.

One good anaerobic workout is to do interval training on a heavy bag: spend 3 minutes striking the bag at about 50-60 percent of your full speed, then do a solid minute of all out striking on the bag at full speed, but not full strength, you can injure yourself if you strike the bag full strength. This lets you work on your stamina, burst energy, and accuracy, because what good is strength and speed if you cannot hit your target?

For one of the best guides I have seen for MMA training workouts from an experience MMA trainer,

Boxing Tips and Techniques , at 11:30 PM, in

Boxing Tips and Techniques

 A boxer needs to keep in mind certain ground rules before embarking on a round of boxing. To begin with, he needs to stand with his legs shoulder-width apart with one foot being a half-step behind the other. Both feet should point inward. The lead fist is positioned nearly six inches in front of the face at eye level while the rear fist is placed next to the chin. The elbow is held in a way to protect the body from punches. The chin is tucked in the chest to protect the jaws from knock-outs.







There are four types of punches -- 'jab', 'cross', 'hook' and 'uppercut'. The jab is a straight punch given from the lead hand following a clockwise rotation of the torso and hips. The fist comes 90 degrees and immediately comes to a horizontal position after the impact. This is the most important punch for a boxer because it often overpowers the opponent.
The cross is a strong and straight punch using the rear hand. The rear hand is positioned from the chin which then crosses the body and traverses towards the opponent.

The hook is a punch done with the lead hand to the side of the opponent's head in a semi-circular movement.
The uppercut is a vertical and rising punch executed with the rear hand. The straight left jab to the head is the commonest boxing technique. A right uppercut involves standing in a traditional boxing stance by holding the back knee bent. These are just some tips for a fresh boxer.

Boxing Equipment and Its Significance 

Boxing is an interesting sport to keep oneself agile and fit, both mentally and physically. It is thus a good program for a fitness regime. However, there are some requirements before a person embarks on boxing as a pastime. It is necessary for a boxer to have the right boxing equipment as this can make all the difference in the way they handle themselves in the game. Let us take a close look at what is required.
A boxing gear is the first requirement and these are available in many variations such as for men, women and children. The head gear is the first to begin with because it is a protection for the temples and the brain. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to choose one that can offer good strength and protection. The head gear also acts as a guard for the eyes.






Next are the hand wraps. The hand wraps ought to fit smugly in order to minimize injuries. The wrap must allow the fingers to remain separate to permit complete movement. This gives protection as well as flexibility in movement. One needs to learn to wrap the hands well. The padding around the knuckles should be smooth without being tight.
The boxing gloves which provide the blows should fit well. It is recommended that the gloves have a thin film of petroleum jelly. If the gloves are of an inferior quality, the knuckles can get permanently damaged.
When buying boxing gear, it is vital to go in for well-know brands which offer quality and durability, so that the necessary protection is available while indulging in the sport.

Five Essential Items For MMA Training

 

In beginning your MMA training, you need some essential equipment to prevent injury, encourage safety, and allow you to fully exert yourself. If you are not giving it 100% during training, you will likely have unfavorable results in actual fights as you are not comfortable using all your strength. The essential MMA equipment are as follows:
1. Training Gloves
Training gloves are very important as they allow you to fully exert yourself without damaging your hand or your opponent. 

Martial Arts Marketing Success

 

There are over 45 forms of mixed martial arts in the world. With these variations, there are millions of different practitioners worldwide. Dojos are built and maintained to cater to this number of martial artists. However, the need to eliminate costs and generate more profits seems to be much more of a challenge compared to teaching the arts.

 

 

Understanding Mixed Martial Arts Psychology

 

Fifty years ago, boxing arena was the place to be if you wanted to show off your sportsman skills. Mohammed Ali and Mike Tyson were what every young boy aspired to be. However, old will always give way to something new, and this is just what happened in the arena of sports as well.The era of boxing is now fairly over and its place has been taken over by mixed martial arts. Much of this new interest spurs from the fact that there are hardly any good

 

 

 

Choosing a Karate Class For Your Child

 

There are so many different types of martial arts, and also many different types of karate.
If you wish to enroll yourself or your child in karate then there are a few pieces of advice you may be interested in. Before we go into the advice there is an interesting bit of information you may like to know, and that is most people will enroll in karate or martial art school because it is the closest to where they reside (live).

George St. Pierre Vs Thiago Alves

 

Can anyone argue with this unanimous decision in favor of GSP? George St. Pierre is undisputedly among the best wrestlers ever to enter the octagon. And it shows. In the five round battle against Thiago Alves, GSP pulled off half a dozen takedowns. At least.
St. Pierre's striking game was almost as impressive as his grappling. In the first round, he pulled off a few leg kicks, a vicious spinning back kick, and also had Thiago's face cut and bleeding before the first five minutes was over. He started round 2 with a good punching combination, got a clean takedown, and landed an elbow to the face.
 

Who is the Real Self Defense Expert?

 

You know there just isn't any other field of study in the World like Self Defense. You know why?
Well, it's because everyone thinks he or she is an expert in self defense. And it's for this very reason that I am loathe to tell anyone what I do as a profession. The second that someone finds out that I do "some sort of martial arts thing" they start telling me about his or her years of study in Tae Kwon Do, Karate or what have you. And when they find out that I'm a professional fighter they start telling me about their fights or their third cousin's fights.

Martial Arts Marketing Success , at 6:25 AM, in

There are over 45 forms of mixed martial arts in the world. With these variations, there are millions of different practitioners worldwide. Dojos are built and maintained to cater to this number of martial artists. However, the need to eliminate costs and generate more profits seems to be much more of a challenge compared to teaching the arts.
One of the main areas where profit seems scarce is the Karate business. Karate means the art of kicking or punching. Based on the meaning, it is likely to knock any opponent out but in Karate business its strength does not seem to take effect.
Everyday, more karate dojos lose business because of the stiff competition surrounding it. These dojos may have the best locations in their area. They may have the best teachers and facilities, yet their operations have gone into a standstill. Why? I believe the reason is poor business strategy.





Developing strategic methods does not necessarily mean conducting extensive researches, no; we do not have time for that. It simply means understanding your market and using your advantages as your edge. Just like in the art of Karate, you have to learn how to use your bare hands and knees as weapons. Create a plan and stick to it.
A karate business plan does not need to be all that grand. It only has to include four main parts: A. Objectives, B. Mission, C. Keys to Success, and D. How to Use these Keys. The objectives should include your goals. It may a combination of tangible and intangible. Under the mission portion, it should have what you envision your Karate business would look like. It's like seeing it from dream, only that you know it's not. The keys to success are those factors that you find unique to your Karate business. It could be that the location is convenient for all your students. It could be the cleanliness of the dojo and the quality of the equipments that you have. Most importantly, it could be the kind of instructors that you hire. And lastly, using the key elements that you have discovered; what are the steps that you should take in order to realize your mission and achieve your goal? Formulate your own Karate business plan using this formula and watch your profits grow.





It is vital that you include in your karate business plan the impression you wish a student would have as soon as he/she steps into your dojo. Statistics say that one of the primary reasons why a martial arts student would quit is because of the first impression he had. Remember, it's all about giving the correct mindset.
With a very good plan, martial arts success would be at hand. Martial Arts success has two faces. One is for the shihan or he who owns the dojo. Success for him would mean the satisfaction of seeing new faces as well as the profit he would get. Not to mention keeping illness at bay through regular exercise. Martial Arts success would also benefit the student. Not only will he learn the different levels of discipline, he will also add another hour to his life free from stress. Studies show that mixed martial arts is a form of exercise and meditation that leads to reduced tension, anxiety, depression, and anger.
So, start developing your own Karate business plan and welcome to the world of success.

Dion owned and managed schoolownersecrets.com providing Martial Arts Management and Martial Arts Marketing

Understanding Mixed Martial Arts Psychology , at 6:15 AM, in

Fifty years ago, boxing arena was the place to be if you wanted to show off your sportsman skills. Mohammed Ali and Mike Tyson were what every young boy aspired to be. However, old will always give way to something new, and this is just what happened in the arena of sports as well.

The era of boxing is now fairly over and its place has been taken over by mixed martial arts. Much of this new interest spurs from the fact that there are hardly any good fighters in this sport anymore; this has led the young generation to turn to MMA, or mixed martial arts.
What is MMA?
Mixed Martial Arts, which is more popular by the name of MMA, is an action sport which borrows certain combat techniques from several martial arts which have to be used against each other by the competitors.





The two primary techniques involved are striking, grappling and Brazilian Jui-Jitsu. Those acquainted with MMA will know that whereas striking involves moves like kicks and punches; grappling will require deals like sweeps, holds and throws.
MMA has banned techniques like biting and eye gouging which are banned in most other sports as well. Since MMA events are area specific, it depends on the regional organization whether it allows the use of moves like head butts or spinal locks.
Rules of the Game
Being a relatively recent game in the history of sports, the rules of the game are not vast as yet. It began with a very few rules, in fact, only as much as necessary. With time however, as MMA developed into one of the biggest sports of recent times, the number of rules increased; and the game is more organized and strict than ever before. MMA still has no central authority; because the rules are still under the governance of regional authorities, and hence they vary from one area to the other.
After you've mastered the rules and played the game according to the techniques, it is up to the judge to decide which competitor wins the match. The judge is the supreme authority in this case, but two more people can contribute towards the final decision taking; these are the corner man of any competitor and the doctor who takes into account whether a player was injured.

Connection with Psychology
Mental agility is an important requirement if you're looking to win any match, and this goes for any sport, not just MMA. You are wrong if you think that MMA is all about a physical show of strength and making the correct moves. In fact, after you've finished learning the various aspects of the game and can play fairly well, you will have to devote some time in thinking about how you can outplay your opponent both mentally and physically.
Mental preparation is therefore an essential element of training, and you have to devote adequate time and training to this aspect of your fight game to succeed at the elite level. Many of the prominent MMA champions and other combat athletes hire professional sports psychologists to take their game to the highest level. There are also many "alternative" sports psychology methods that are becoming increasingly popular, including NLP, hypnosis and energy psychology.

Stephen Ladd is known as the Renegade Fighter Mental Coach, pioneering the use of cutting-edge alternative psychology methods like NLP, Hypnosis and Energy Psychology specifically for the combat athlete who wants to dominate their opponents and be victorious. Get your free Special Report and Video "How to Overcome Fear and Pre-Fight Anxiety and Attain Ultimate Confidence" by visiting http://www.RenegadeMindsetForFighters.com.

Choosing a Karate Class For Your Child , at 6:12 AM, in

There are so many different types of martial arts, and also many different types of karate.
If you wish to enroll yourself or your child in karate then there are a few pieces of advice you may be interested in. Before we go into the advice there is an interesting bit of information you may like to know, and that is most people will enroll in karate or martial art school because it is the closest to where they reside (live).
If you want the best karate training available for you then it is suggested that you follow these simple pieces of advice.





First of all, go and watch a full class or even maybe two, if the instructor will not let you do this, scrub that school of the list strike away. Some instructors will tell you that what they teach is secret and they don't want to share their secrets with outsiders, this is a cop out and just garbage.
Second, Do not sign up for any training when you are away from the school. Just because someone knocks on your door at home or talks to you in a shopping centre, doesn't mean that that school is the best to you.
Thirdly, ask who will be teaching you or your child, is it a highly ranked instructor or will you be passed off on to someone who still seems to be learning for themselves.
Fourth. Ask what qualifications does the instructor or instructors have, are they government recognized qualifications? Or are they just qualifications that have been presented by that particular school?





This may not seem relevant to you, but it can be very important. Number four is to ask to see or to site the school's insurance policies. Keep in mind if there is an accident through bad teaching practices then someone has to be liable. If the person who is running a school is not insured and does not have any assets then the risk is way too high. Most legitimate schools will have insurances including instructor indemnity.
Last but not least is the price that the school is charging, is it comparable to other schools in the area that are offering the same standard of service. Unfortunately the only way you can check this is by visiting each school to see for yourself.
Good luck in your quest, remember a small amount of ground work at the start can make a big difference in the way you train, and the outcome you desire.

Author is Grant Bannister head instructor of Bukido karate, he teaches karate to all ages and has trained since 1974. Grant has a diploma in sport coaching, is qualified in fitness, and teaches first aid. he is based in Melbourne Australia.
Website is http://www.fitness-exercise.com.au

George St. Pierre Vs Thiago Alves , at 6:08 AM, in

Can anyone argue with this unanimous decision in favor of GSP? George St. Pierre is undisputedly among the best wrestlers ever to enter the octagon. And it shows. In the five round battle against Thiago Alves, GSP pulled off half a dozen takedowns. At least.
St. Pierre's striking game was almost as impressive as his grappling. In the first round, he pulled off a few leg kicks, a vicious spinning back kick, and also had Thiago's face cut and bleeding before the first five minutes was over. He started round 2 with a good punching combination, got a clean takedown, and landed an elbow to the face.





Of course, it wasn't nearly as one-sided as I probably just made it sound. GSP dominated though and the judges all saw it. 50-45, 50-44, and 50-45. Welterweight champion.
Thiago Alves isn't a bad mixed martial arts competitor either. Not at all.
He started his training at the age of 14 in his home country of Brazil. He started competing at the young age of 15. He challenged a 25 year old man with years of training in Muy Thai and Jui Jitsu. In spite of the 10-year disadvantage, the young Alves showed the skill and determination necessary to pull off a unanimous decision. Since then, he won the Brazilian championship of Muy Thai three times on a state level, and twice at a national level.

He's now a AFC veteran, a Shooto America veteran, a King of the Cage Veteran, and, above all else, a famed UFC veteran. He even held the Welterweight Title after defeating Matt Hughes by TKO.
Although he didn't hold on to the Title Belt for long, he got another shot at it after beating Josh Koscheck by unanimous decision. Nothing stood in his way now but GSP, who wasn't phased at all by his highly aggressive tactics. No one in the UFC today can stand their ground against the legendary George "Rush" St. Pierre

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Who is the Real Self Defense Expert? , at 6:03 AM, in

You know there just isn't any other field of study in the World like Self Defense. You know why?
Well, it's because everyone thinks he or she is an expert in self defense. And it's for this very reason that I am loathe to tell anyone what I do as a profession. The second that someone finds out that I do "some sort of martial arts thing" they start telling me about his or her years of study in Tae Kwon Do, Karate or what have you. And when they find out that I'm a professional fighter they start telling me about their fights or their third cousin's fights. Next they will invariably ask me if I know so and so (some local guy). I reply that it's more likely he knows who I am than the other way around. As I have been international since the mid 1990s. In reality, I find this question akin to asking Wayne Gretzky or Lance Armstrong if they know some begining player or rider. Yeah, I am sure Lance and Wayne have an index of every start up and wannabe around the globe.
Some of the more probing questioners will advance on to asking me about CQB and "military fighting." When I admit that yes I have trained several groups in various countries, I get assaulted with so what you do is Karate? Since they have a loose frame of reference this sort of question is going nowhere. I tell them the differences between what I do (mortal unarmed combat training) and Karate or normal martial arts are so great that it can't be explained. "Why not?" they ask. And my answer is now pretty standard: "How would you explain the color green to a blind man?" They, of course, have no answer. And that's the rub (as they used to say) isn't it? It cannot be explained; it has to be experienced.





"Well I would just do whatever it takes to survive," they say. Really? How about spending the time to build the necessary skills to allow you to do that? After all, you might want to fly a jet, but you sure aren't going to do it without a lot of time put in and experience in small gradients leading up to solo flying. In comparison to the street fighting, self defense set, it's funny that neither surgeons nor fighter pilots have people coming up to them in social settings (a bar has got to be the number one spot to find the think tank of self defense and fighting experts) and stating, "Yeah, just the other day I was flying an F 15 myself" or "I had this problematic internal fixation of the radius surgery last Tuesday." Yeah, only in the wonderful world of self defense, fighting and martial arts can you find so many experts.
The cold hard reality is that there are few real self defense experts. Oh, I know since the advent of web 2.0 there is a proliferation of would be experts. This is kind of strange as I can remember the time when the number of real self defense experts (those who were actively teaching) numbered less than 20. Seemingly the qualifications must've changed dramatically. I guess all of the years learning (which means traveling to various high level instructors around the globe, not in your small village or subdivision) and the years of real world application with the following injuries and healing time have been eliminated. I guess that happened sometime after 2002 or so, huh?

Now, I am not talking about a person who practices self defense or who works out. No, I am talking about all of those that claim to be self defense, street fighting experts. How suddenly were they all birthed? Where did they get their experience?
You know, it's easy for a real pro to call the wannabes to terms. Here's an example of just one of those ways: There are dramatic differences in how people fight around the world. If someone cannot tell me what's the common attack in Scotland vs USA or Thailand vs Guatemala then I know they aren't someone who is a true pro. That's part of your job as a pro to learn these things and to actually survived through them. After all, if you don't know how can you teach someone else? Sort of like a virgin giving out sex advice, isn't it?
I can't do an exhaustive article on this subject because it's really too deep to cover in one article. What I can call your attention to is who's the real self defense expert? That question should be in your mind anytime you discuss or ponder this subject of street fighting and self defense. Because just like surgery your life is in the hands of self defense trainer.

Christophe Clugston is an A class pro fighter on 3 continents,he's fought pro Muay Thai 15 times in Thailand,has over 65 pro fights to his credit,professional fight trainer/coach and corner man, inventor of the World's Strongest Self Defense, author of over 15 Self Defense DVDs, appeared in Blackbelt magazine several times,featured on Spanish TV,French Radio, Cable TV in Canada, fought on ESPN, Score, streamed web and has been called the most controversial man in martial arts since Bruce Lee. He is a true problem solver and creative thinker.
http://www.clugston-fightingmoves.com/howtofight.html

Five Essential Items For MMA Training , at 5:56 AM, in

In beginning your MMA training, you need some essential equipment to prevent injury, encourage safety, and allow you to fully exert yourself. If you are not giving it 100% during training, you will likely have unfavorable results in actual fights as you are not comfortable using all your strength. The essential MMA equipment are as follows:
1. Training Gloves
Training gloves are very important as they allow you to fully exert yourself without damaging your hand or your opponent. They typically have a lot of padding so that you can exert yourself for a long period of time without injury or cramping.





It is important to specifically purchase training gloves as opposed to regular fight gloves as training gloves have the extra padding that regular fight gloves lack.
2. Mouthguard
Mouthguards are an obvious essential for MMA training that are often overlooked. Beginners seem to think that they will not need them during training. Depending on your gym, you can be thrown into sparring much quicker than you would have expected so it is important to purchase a mouthguard that can protect your teeth and the tissues surrounding them.
3. Cup
Accidental strikes to the groin are bound to happen eventually so it is important to provide your groin with the protection it deserves. A strike to the groin can cause a lot of permanent damage so it is important to purchase a cup to have piece of mind during training. You should get a cup that fits snug while allowing for breathability.






4. Shorts
MMA specific shorts are different from regular shorts. MMA shorts will cost you more than regular shorts but will be more comfortable, secure, and allow for a greater range of motion. It is important to get MMA specific shorts so that you are not constricted by the limited range of motion that regular shorts allow for.
5. Rashguard
During training, you are going to be grappling on the ground with a partner. You will likely be very sweaty while wrestling with this person. This feels gross and uncomfortable in a regular, ill-fitting tshirt. That is why it is important to get a rashguard. A rashguard will fit snug, wick away sweat, and stretch to allow for any motion. They also look great as a bonus.

These pieces of equipment are essential for any MMA practitioner. If you would like to purchase any of these products, you can do so at the MMA Store. This website also sells MMA gloves specifically.

Mindfulness For Effective Self-Defense

 

 "I was in the wrong place at the wrong time". How many times have you heard someone say that after being a victim of some random violence?Often we hear a little voice that tells us not to go down that street, not to go in that parking garage, not to open our mouths, etc... but do we listen?...

......

......

The Most Effective Martial Arts

 

 People often argue over which martial art is the most effective. Generally that goes along with whatever is most popular in pop culture at that time. There was a time that people thought Kung-Fu was the best because of Bruce Lee or Karate because of Chuck Norris or now Jujitsu because of the UFC. The secret is not which is best, the secret lies in how the student trains in that system, which ever martial system that may be.
You must train realistically in order for the martial art to have any street self defense value. ...

....

Full Body Training

 

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...

...

The Disciplines of Mixed Martial Arts

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. ...

Boxing Workouts - Working the Bags

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....
...

Mindfulness For Effective Self-Defense , at 4:40 AM, in

"I was in the wrong place at the wrong time". How many times have you heard someone say that after being a victim of some random violence?

Often we hear a little voice that tells us not to go down that street, not to go in that parking garage, not to open our mouths, etc... but do we listen?
One of the most effective aspects of self-defense is mindfulness. Being mindful of our surroundings and our "hara" or gut instinct is the key. The information is there - but because our minds are filled with distractions, we have a tendency not to hear it. We often know what is right and what is wrong. We know which person to stay away from and what argument to stay out of. But we never listen. So how do we learn to listen?







Meditation
Quiet that monkey mind. The monkey mind is the mind that is always going...always running all over the place. We lament the past and worry about the future. We must learn to be in the moment. The here and now. When we are truly here in this moment, we will hear that little voice that gives us that amazing inside information. But if we are allowing ourselves to be distracted by nonsense that has nothing to do with now, then we will not.
Take 20 minutes a day, Sit somewhere quite and focus your mind on your breathing. Long deep breathes in and out. When your mind wanders, stop and go back to your breathing. That's it!







Do this and that voice will become clearer.

Ted Hanulak is the head instructor of the Japanese martial art of Senso Ryu Aikijujutsu. He teaches Aikijujutsu and Zen meditation out of the Aikijujutsu Academy of Indianapolis http://www.aiki-jutsu.com

The Most Effective Martial Arts , at 4:35 AM, in

People often argue over which martial art is the most effective. Generally that goes along with whatever is most popular in pop culture at that time. There was a time that people thought Kung-Fu was the best because of Bruce Lee or Karate because of Chuck Norris or now Jujitsu because of the UFC. The secret is not which is best, the secret lies in how the student trains in that system, which ever martial system that may be.
You must train realistically in order for the martial art to have any street self defense value. This means forget about stopping a strike an inch before its target. It is about striking through the target. Many arts have attacks that are unrealistic. The striking distances are off, the attacks are lame at best. When you are first learning a technique you of course will practice the technique in slow motion in order to get the mechanics down.







Once this occurs, the attacks must be taken to the next level. It must be full force. Yes, this means that if the defender makes a mistake, he will get hit hard and possibly hurt. This is the best way to practice. You get a legitimate feel for being attacked for real. If you are worried about getting hurt in training then you should study a sport.
Now insert which ever martial art you like. There are advantages to ground fighting, kicking, throwing, etc. This is where the uniqueness of each art form comes in. But the attacks should be the same. They should be like what happens in the street.

We should not tailor the attacks to compliment each individual martial art. That is a mistake. Remember, it is not the style itself that is best but how the martial artist trains in that system.

Ted Hanulak is the head instructor of the Japanese martial art of Senso Ryu Aikijujutsu. He teaches Aikijujutsu and Zen meditation out of the Aikijujutsu Academy of Indianapolis http://www.aiki-jutsu.com