Self Defense Training DVD's - How to Learn Self Defense Basics at Home , Thursday, March 25, 2010 at 3:14 AM, in

There is something to be said about learning from an expert no matter what field you're in. This is not to knock the barber in the neighborhood who teaches self defense classes on the side he is just trying to make a living. And when it comes to your self defense and the self defense and your loved ones you want to learn from the best there is.

We have assembled 24 self-defense DVDs put together by some of the best experts in the world. From learning the very basics of Jeet Kune Do (JKD) or 'streetfighting' to learning much more advanced skills from Army Delta Force and Navy Seal trainers we have you covered.

These training DVDs teach you everything from how to overcome tremendous odds when fighting more than one person or faced with a much larger opponent to disarming and disabling an armed attacker. Most of these self defense training DVDs are based on some type of martial art but require no special skills or training. They are equally good for men and women, seniors and kids.

I have always preached that basic self-defense tactics should be taught in elementary schools to are kids at early ages. That way as they grow older and continue to practice they will become proficient in how to defend themselves. And as strange as this may seem I have always thought that a family who learns these skills together as a family would form a stronger bond. But that is just me.

A Self Defense Course ought to be at the basis and foundation of any self defense strategy. On top of that comes knowing how to use and carrying self defense products.

So get off your couch get a little exercise learn something new today and learn how to defend yourself and your family. Who knows when the time will come for you to use this. Chances are it will come.

Street Fight , at 3:09 AM, in

Ever get really angry at somebody and start thinking about how good it would feel to give him a nice beat down, make him sorry for what he did? Or maybe you're a girl who would like to physically show another girl how you feel about her using your knuckles. You might fantasize about a clean punch to someone's face or maybe even kicking him when he's down, really letting him have it. Then you could stand over his downed, broken body, just to make extra clear what happens when someone messes with you. Perhaps you've actually acted on this impulse, or have at least seriously considered it. If you are, this article is here to tell you to pull your head out of your ass and realize that there's no real winners in a fight. You could argue this, it is sure, but also keep in mind that it is very likely YOU will be the one laying trampled and bleeding, wondering where all your street-tough kung-fu moves gleaned from years of watching fights in movies went.
Street fights are messy and always ugly. Unless you're defending yourself, you tend to look as bad as the guy who loses. Just look at some of the videos of real street fights on YouTube- people often go into the fight looking cocky and aggressive. These people also often get their asses whooped. When you are watching these videos, realize that THIS COULD BE YOU, humiliated and hurt in public. The only thing these videos should inspire in you is the realization that fighting of this kind is really kind of stupid.
Of course, this is not to say that martial arts are stupid- far from it. Martial arts can be a great discipline which conditions your body-mind-soul. The lessons contained in real martial arts are great life lessons. One thing you can learn from them is how to avoid stupid situations like the street fights you might see on the internet or elsewhere. If you live in an area in which you are likely to be physically attacked and can defend yourself (as opposed to being held up at gunpoint), you might want to check out self defense systems such as krav maga. It is important to keep in mind that it is basically always best to not fight, if you can walk away. Unless you feel that competitive fighting is your path, it is wise to embark upon study of any martial art with the intention to learn to defend yourself, but also to develop and grow in one of the most awesome ways we have.

3 Things to Keep in Mind When Sparring , Monday, March 22, 2010 at 7:20 PM, in

Are you looking to have all those great looking trophies and winner plaques on your shelves? Now you can! All you need to do is enter in a number of martial art tournaments and win them. However, let's back up a little we got a little ahead of ourselves because you might be asking yourself, how do you get there? The answer is found in one word: sparring. You must equip yourself with a great deal of sparring experience in training to find yourself on the winners podium with a medal or trophy. You need experience and skill and that is why sparring training is a must. Or, more accurately, proper sparring is a must.
We put together some ideas to squeeze the most out of your sparring, these are:
Let's establish something important at the outset: sparring is not fighting. Sparring is a drill designed to enhance your fighting skills. Like we have been told since we were kids it is not about winning or losing but how you approach it. It is about improvement. That means you need to curb your competitive spirit and approach sparring with an attitude centering on a positive learning experience.
If you are not in the higher belt ranks, you shouldn't be sparring without proper supervision from an instructor. In addition to having a knowledgeable eye presenting you with tips and pointers, there will be someone there to ensure the sparring session stays light and friendly.
It is imperative that you DO NOT spar without the proper sparring gear on. You can see professional fighters training without such equipment all the time. If you are training as a hobby or for an amateur tournament or competition, you will want to wear as much protective gear as possible. This includes head, chest, feet, hand, and groin protection. This this will eliminate the likely-hood of an injury and this gives you the opportunity to train more harder and safer.
Always keep intensity and physical contact levels low. You don't have to practice at 100% to sharpen your sparring skills. In fact, doing so is often self-defeating. You want to be able to assess your strengths and weaknesses in sparring while refining the areas you excel and enhancing (or avoiding) that are underdeveloped. It is very tough to do this when you are training with excessive contact or intensity and such heavy training should be limited. However, limited does NOT mean never. You will have to push yourself very hard to get to the same exertion point you will find in a competition. So, as a rule, limit the tough sparring sessions to 10% of your training time.
Spar according to the rules of the tournament you wish to enter. In this way you will have the tournament rules work in your advantage rather than working against you. It's imperative that you wear the same sparring gear while training that you will wear when in a competition. If you train in mixed martial arts shorts and shoes for martial arts then you are in a tournament that requires a uniform and doesn't allow shoes, you will feel very off when the tournament arrives. It is important to pick a sparring partner who can control their kicks and punches. You want someone who is safe, controlled, and non-competitive but still knows how to push you to improve. Aggressive sparring partners who are overly competitive should be avoided at all costs!

Tony Mills is the Chief Editor of online Content for The MMA Zone. Tony is an expert in the field of martial arts training and conditioning. To see more article and information on MMA Gear and Martial Arts Supplies please go to The MMA Zone.

A Short History of Aikido , at 7:11 PM, in

The name aikido is formed of three Japanese characters, normally romanised as ai, ki and do. They are frequently translated as meaning union, universal energy and way, so aikido may be translated as "the way to union with universal energy". An additional common interpretation of the characters is harmony, spirit and way, so aikido can also mean "the way of spiritual harmony". Both interpretations draw awareness to the fact that aikido's methods are designed to control an attacker by controlling and redirecting his or her energy rather than blocking it. An analogy is frequently made of the way in which a flexible willow bends with the storm whereas the stout oak may break when the wind blows too hard. (The Korean martial art frequently known as hapkido uses the exact same three characters: a few propose a historical link through Daito-ryu, the main foundation of aikido).
Morihei Ueshiba formulated aikido mostly from Daito-ryu aikijutsu, integrating training moves like those for the yari (spear), jo (a short quarterstaff), and perhaps also juken (bayonet). But perhaps the most powerful influence is that of the katana (sword). In lots of ways, an aikido practitioner moves as an empty handed swordsman. The aikido strikes shomenuchi and yokomenuchi come from weapon attacks, and resulting techniques likewise from weapon take-aways. Several schools of aikido do absolutely no weapons instruction whatsoever; others, such as Iwama Ryu usually invest substantial time with bokken (wooden sword), jo, and tanto (knife). In a few lines of aikido, all techniques can be performed with a sword as well as unarmed.
Aikido was brought to the West in 1951 to France by Minoru Mochizuki. It was introduced to the USA in 1953, the UK in 1955, to Australia in 1965 and to many other countries. Today there are many aikido dojos available to train at throughout the world.

Three Areas of Jiu Jitsu to Concentrate On , at 7:07 PM, in

If you enjoy grappling then you will end up competing in a BJJ tournament. But what moves are the techniques are best for tournaments and which should one concentrate on as a beginner?
I will give you a list first of what I have learned to concentrate on and then I'll tell you why. Understand first that this is what has worked for me, and this is defiantly not the first draft of the list. I learn something new from each tournament and then I learn to concentrate on it.
What Jiu Jitsu moves to concentrate on:
1. Takedowns
2. Proper positions and an escape from each position
3. A submission move from each position.
Why takedowns first? Because matches start standing up! Iif you aren't comfortable on your feet then you will probably start every match down two points and worse in a bad position.
Next positions and escapes. When I started BJJ, I tried learning only submissions. I had heard about how BJ Penn had practiced each move he learned hundreds of times before he learned the next move so that's what I did. I bought a grappling dummy and drilled the kimora, armbar, and chokes. And then I went to my first tournament and got caught in a triangle choke in less than 45 seconds!
The lesson I learned was position before submission! Learn positions first! So I started practicing the correct base in each position and focused on escapes from every position. That brings me to my next lesson learned.
At one of my next tournaments I got to the semi finals and went against a guy who scored a takedown on me and immediately went to north south position. I had never worked a north south escape so he just sat on top of me because he didn't know what to do either! I lost but I learned to practice an escape from every position! That way you at least have some idea of what to do.
In fact the first tournament I won, I used only stand up and guard passing (position escapes). Believe it or not these two techniques drilled heavily will allow for you to come out victorious in most beginner to intermediate tournaments.
Lastly, a lesson Jiu Jitsu moves has just recently learned. Learn a submission from every position. Why? Because winning by points wears you out! If you can submit someone in 2 minutes vice out pointing them in 5 minutes you won't be as tired for your next grappling match!

Amino Acid Products For a Boxing Training Program , at 7:03 PM, in

Amino acid products are becoming a very popular component of a boxing training program. Athletes of all shapes and sizes can make use of amino acids because they provide a huge range of benefits. They are of course natural compounds, and your body utilizes them in a near infinite amount of ways. Take a look at how you can benefit from them as a piece of your boxing training program.
When most people think about amino acid products they think about building muscle and strength, and this is true. Aminos are the building blocks of proteins, which are the building blocks of muscles. They are necessary for muscle repair, growth and recovery, and if you want to build new muscle mass you need to be ingesting enough amino acids.
As mentioned, most people realize that but what most people don't necessary think about is that they make for excellent muscle recovery supplements. They will help your body repair your muscle mass in less time, allowing you to get back in the gym and back to training. You will also be able to prevent injuries from reoccurring, and you'll notice less pain and nagging strains as well.
In addition to serving as muscle recovery supplements, they can also help to improve the strength of your entire frame. They target the bones, joints, ligaments and cartilage, providing an all-over boost to your strength and fitness. You will immediately notice the difference in your performance and what you're capable of.
With amino acid products this is still really just the beginning. They can be used for just about anything. Some can actually serve as a natural energy booster, while other products and supplements can help your focus and concentration. You can find both complete amino acid products and those that offer or specialize in just one key amino acid. The most popular of these products are those focusing on L-Glutamine and L-Arginine.
It's also important to realize that many of these are actually essential for your diet, which means that your body can't produce them and therefore needs to ingest through through diet and supplementation. Therefore, using some of these products will enable you to meet all of your dietary needs, which can have a wide range of health benefits as well.
For a boxing training program, your body and your performance can reach entirely new levels as you take advantage of amino acid products. As muscle recovery supplements and in many other ways, they will increase the results that you see and keep you in action for more of the time with less pain and aggravation.

When you're looking for a way to improve your boxing training program, consider turning to amino acid supplements. They can boost your performance, keep you healthier and ultimately have you feeling better and enjoying increased success. At Boxing Equipment 24/7 you'll find a complete array of sports nutrition supplements and you'll find them at all at fantastic, cheap prices.