Sometimes You Have To Go Out Of Your Way To Find The Best Teacher For You

So, it's 1976 and I live in the desert in northern Los Angeles County, California. My best friend and I decide that it would be cool to study a martial art.

Problem is, which one?

At that time, there weren't many choices. There was the odd Karate school, some Judo and not much else. But, not where we lived.

How to proceed?

My buddy suggests that we buy a well-known martial arts magazine and peruse the articles in order to choose an art. What a brilliant idea! We take a trip to the local bookstore and head right to the magazine section.

There it is! And not only is it the magazine we are looking for but it has articles about the two arts we had both been talking about.

My friend read about Karate and said, "this is it." Meanwhile, I read about Aikido and said, "this is it." Moot point. At that time, there was nothing available close by for either art. Search over for now.

Well, time passes and two years have passed by. I had pretty much made a case for Aikido and it looked like a great idea. Problem was, there was still nothing close by; maybe in Los Angeles or in San Francisco. Both are out of the question.

So, I write a letter to an Aikido organization in Tokyo, Japan asking where we could study Aikido.

About a month later, I got a big surprise. I had pretty much decided that that was that. There would be no way to study Aikido when a letter came in the mail.

It was from Tokyo. An instructor there had taken the time to write to me and told me very directly that there would be an Aikido seminar in Orange County and to "BE THERE!"

The seminar was great. My friend and I met a lot of nice people and made contact with a teacher who would become our first Aikido teacher (actually our first martial arts instructor).

The story goes on from there. But, I would like to tell you that we made the trip from the high desert to a city on the coast which took about two and a half hours one way, three days a week. This lasted about 3 months after which we moved to where the school was located and began a whole new life.

Sometimes you just have to go out of your way to find the best teacher for your needs.

For more information about career opportunities in the martial arts, download my free e-book "9 Tips On How To Open Your Own Martial Arts School By A Teacher Who Has Been There, Done That" http://www.mashihan.com/acma_sq.htm. David Parks-Kennedy is a career martial artist (for more than 30 years with teacher ranking in Aikido) now living his dream in Mexico.

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The 4 Things You Need to Look For to Ensure You Pick the Right Muay Thai Gym

Finding just the right Muay Thai gym for you is as much about your personal goals as it is about the gym itself. Start by establishing a clear picture of what you want to achieve. Do you want to get fit? Lose weight? Refine your technique with one-to-one training? Do you want to fight professionally or just learn basic self-defence and some new skills?

Here are some tips on choosing the right Muay Thai gym for you, focusing on the must-haves whether you're a beginner just looking to get fit, or a practised fighter who wants to make the absolute most of your training time.

1) The Right Equipment for Strength Training and Cardio Conditioning

Effective strength training is essential for things like flexibility and fighting power, so look first for items like free weights - dumbells and barbells with slip-on weights which will accommodate all strength levels. A chin-up bar is also very useful as it will help condition the biceps and back muscles for stronger clinch and grappling.

On site cardio isn't quite as important, but minimum facilities should be available for warm-up before training. Treadmills and exercise bikes are always useful but you will get just as much benefit from skipping rope for 5-10 minutes, doing push-ups or going for a short, high-intensity run. A good gym should have enough space available on the floor for on- the-spot warm-ups.

2) The Right Fight Training Equipment

Every good Muay Thai gym will have bags and balls for punch and kick training. Hanging bags are an essential part of a Muay Thai gym, with the long (or 'banana') bag a good all-round training tool which can be used for low kicks along with all other strike types. Kick shields and pads should also be available. Good quality bags and pads will properly absorb the force of kicks and punches, for safer and more comfortable strike practice.

3) A Boxing Ring

Every good Muay Thai gym will have a boxing ring. It's a vital part of effective fight training - pad work and sparring on the floor will only get you so far. A ring, even a smaller one, is important for learning how to move and become dominant inside the fighting space.

4) Staff Expertise and Availability

Take some time to research the background of who is running the Muay Thai gym - are they a professional fighter with at least a decade of training and competition experience, or just an enthusiastic amateur hoping to turn a profit? Start by checking the website. Also come prepared with some questions, to gauge their enthusiasm and depth of knowledge. What level of instruction do you require? One-to-one, or if you are just wanting to get fit, will group classes be enough? Also make sure the Muay Thai gym will be open when you can train - whether it's mornings, evenings or on the weekend.

Final Note

When you visit a Muay Thai gym, also pay attention to its clients, talking to one or two if you get the opportunity. Are they casual visitors, or longer-term customers who are serious about training hard and often? The attitudes of the staff will usually be reflected in those of the people who come in.

Whatever your needs and aspirations, keep these basics in mind when looking for a Muay Thai gym and you're less likely to waste time and money on training that doesn't help you reach your goals.

For a free consultation on your Muay Thai training objectives and tour of the facilities at the Muay Thai Sydney Muay Thai Gym visit http://muaythaisydney.com/muay-thai-training/.

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Quick and Effective Self Defense Techniques For Men

When it comes to self defense, the fighting techniques you choose should focus on eliminating the threat to you or your loved ones as quickly as possible. This means that there is no room in self defense for fancy or complicated moves.

Over the years I have had many guys ask me if there are special self defense techniques for men. The answer is yes, but it just so happens that those special self defense techniques for men are the same as those designed for women. They both utilize the same simple but brutal techniques to eliminate any attacker as quickly as possible.

This makes perfect sense if you think about it. First of all attackers almost always choose victims who are smaller or those who look weak. Attackers try to pick fights they can win. This means that even if you are a big guy your attacker will likely be bigger than you.

This puts you in a position where you have to rely on moves that don't require great strength to take your attacker out of commission. This is very similar to the situation most women find themselves in (the average woman is of course smaller than the average man).

Now that you understand why you have to utilize skill not strength let's move on to the specific self defense techniques for men that I'm going to teach you in this article.

Effective and Reliable Self Defense Techniques For Men:

Eye Gouge: The eye gouge is a classic. You don't have to be a line backer to poke someone in the eye. This is one of the go to methods to distract an attacker and take the offense. This technique is used by militaries around the world as well as any experienced street fighter because it works.

The technique is simple. Take your hand shake it like you are trying to dry off your hand. Notice how you keep your wrist and fingers loose? This is how you strike. You don't poke someone in the eye with one finger, you use all of them. Think about it like you are throwing your hand into their eyes really quickly.

Keeping your hand loose on this move doesn't mean that you hit softly. Staying loose simply allows you to strike faster and more accurately than if you kept your wrist and fingers stiff.

You aren't going to remove their eye ball from the socket with this you are just causing pain, maybe scratching the eye a bit and causing them to be distracted and lose focus for a moment.

Headbutt: The headbutt is one of the most damaging self defense strikes you can use on an attacker. The front part of the top of your head is the hardest part on the human body.

The most common mistake guys make with a headbutt is using the wrong part of the head. Don't use your forehead. Don't use the very top of your head either. You want to use the part in between these two spots.

The next biggest mistake people make with a headbutt is delivering the headbutt with the upper body and neck. This will make your headbutt weak and ineffective. Keep your neck tense and rigid.

A good headbutt starts at your feet. You have to step into it. Throw all your weight into the headbutt and drive through your attacker. You want to aim for the nose and mouth. Don't hit the top of his head or his forehead, this will cause little damage to him (that's the hardest part on the body remember).

If executed properly and you throw all your weight into the headbutt it will be like hitting your attacker with a 150 pound battering ram right on the nose. The broken nose will be the lease of his worries. The extreme damage the headbutt can inflict is what makes it such a great self defense technique.

Foot Stomp: This is another great self defense technique for men. This move is specifically designed for a situation where you are being held from behind. This is a common scenario in self defense. An attacker sneaks up on you, puts you into a rear naked choke or a similar hold, and you must get free quickly before you pass out from lack of oxygen.

Fighting the attacker's arms is useless, if he is using proper technique he will have his arms locked into place utilizing strong leverage points. Don't waste your time.

To choke you he has to be close to you. His body is likely pressed up against yours. This means you know where his feet are. Stomp on his foot as hard as you can.

Aim the stomp so you land near the ankle not on the toes. Have you ever had your toes run over by a car? Doesn't really hurt too bad. Have you ever had the upper part of your foot run over? If so you probably broke a few bones in there, or were yelling in pain. Aim for the part that counts.

One variation that you may want to throw in is an inner knee strike as your foot comes down to the stomp. This is like killing two birds with one stone.

Take your heel and drive it into the inside of his knee pushing outwards on it. If done properly he will release you as you cause major damage to his knee.

If you don't hit the knee right you are still set up for a foot stomp. This strategy minimizes the risk of missing a strike and wasting precious time while in a choke hold.

If you want to learn more quick and brutal self defense techniques for men check out Fightfast.com/blog.

Stay Smart & Stay Safe,
Bob Piece, President Fightfast.com

Bob Pierce is the President of Fightfast.com which specializes in providing its customers the practical knowledge and skills they need to keep themselves and their families safe. TRS, the parent company of Fightfast.com, has been a self defense industry leader since the early 1990s bringing costumers highly skilled instructors with real world self defense skills. Their instructors include Ex-U.S. Special Forces Soldiers (Ex-Navy SEALs, Delta Force Commandos and others), Law Enforcement Officers (including Police Chiefs and Swat Team Members), U.S. Defense Contractors, Department Of Defense Operatives, Leading Martial Arts Masters, Cage Fighters, Bar Bouncers, World Champion Marksmen and many others.

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Selecting a Martial Arts School for Children

There are a wide variety of activities available for children of all ages; almost as many options as there are children, period. As a parent, I had to set some parameters based on what I think my children would like, and where they needed skill development, before we got to the point where I had to choose.

One of the choices I made for my son was to enroll him at a martial arts school. I had an idea of what style I wanted based on what I had previously studied, and his body type and coordination skills. But more important than style, to me, was the atmosphere in each class.

If a martial arts school has really small classes, especially after the school has been established for awhile...that's a huge red flag for me. It means the kids who are signing up aren't sticking with it long enough for more students to come in and grow the program. There may be problems with the school's location or advertising, but more likely than not, a lack of students is a reflection on poor quality of instruction.

Even if it is a business problem, and the teachers are good...that's not enough. There has to be a solid energy level in the room, to encourage the kids to work hard and want to be there. For kids, a quiet room is rarely a fun room. And if they aren't having fun, they won't want to continue the activity.

So, you've found a martial arts school where there are at least 6-8 kids in each class, your child is having a good time, and you're happy. The school is doing a good job of attracting more martial arts students, and the kids' class size continues to grow. If classes are consistently bigger than 10-12, however, there will be problems with the focus of the overall group, and the individual attention paid to each student. At that point, your school should do one of two things...and probably both.

First, they should look at offering an additional class. It may be difficult due to facility or instructor schedules, but a good martial arts academy will go out of their way to make the effort to split the classes. The split may be arbitrary or based on age or skill level...but if possible, it should happen.

Second, the school should have an assistant instructor to help the head instructor with the larger kids' classes. Honestly, this is a great idea regardless of class size. Where my son has been taking Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, they have two of the teenage students helping out the kids. They are each blue belts in rank, so they know their stuff. But being only a few years older than the children in the class, they can relate in ways that an adult can't.

The best advice I can give is to do your homework. If you know nothing about martial arts, learn about the different styles ahead of time. Think about whether you want your son or daughter to be striking (kicking & punching) or grappling (throwing & ground submission techniques). Visit several schools and watch how they do things. Is this the environment you want your child in?

And if things aren't growing and progressing how you want them to...don't be afraid to change. Find another school in that style, or even switch styles. When it comes to kids, they'll adapt far more easily than we think, especially if they're having fun and learning new things.

Paul Herzog and his son Christopher have been taking judo and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu instruction at Petushin Martial Arts since the new Rosemount, Minnesota facility opened in 2010. In addition to receiving some of the best grappling instruction in the Midwest, Paul has lost 30 pounds, and Chris has gained strength and self-confidence. If either of those sound appealing, please contact the academy at 612-991-9116 to arrange your first visit!

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The Best Exercises for Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

If I asked you to do calisthenics to warm your body up for Brazilian Jiu Jitsu training, you'd do the standard things we've all been doing since elementary school. You might jog a little bit, do some pushups and situps, maybe stretch your legs and your torso. There is value in all of these exercises.

But to a certain extent, they are all a waste of time. It's difficult in our lives to dedicate time to train in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. We should take advantage of every minute. Rather than just the same old calisthenics, try skill-specific exercises required for our sport.

Side Hops: In addition to a regular light jog, step-hop from side to side, bringing your feet together with every step, but never crossing them. In a stand-up clinch, as happens in nearly every Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and MMA contest, crossing your feet makes you stationary and off-balance. You would be better off throwing yourself down on the ground right away, because that's what your opponent will do the second he sees your feet cross.

Shrimping: Lie on your back, feet straight out. Bring one foot in as close to your butt as possible. Raise yourself slightly off the ground, using that foot and the opposite shoulder as support. Rotate your hips to the same side as your foot. You should now be lying on your side, body curled up a little bit like a shrimp (hence the name). Using the same supports, reverse the rotation back to the starting position. The shrimping motion is absolutely essential to Brazilian Jiu Jitsu; more techniques use it than don't.

Bear Crawl: On your hands and feet, face down, butt up in the air. Walk on your hands and feet, not letting anything else touch the ground. Do not crane your neck up, trying to look in front of you, because it will be uncomfortable and difficult to breathe. The Bear Crawl is easier if you find a side-to-side rocking rhythm, like how a bear lumbers along. Not only is this movement a killer on your shoulders and quadriceps, but you also become familiar with deep breathing while in an uncomfortable position.

Step Throughs: Start in the Bear Crawl position, then raise one hand and the opposite foot off the mat. Slide your foot through the space between your supporting hand and foot. As your hips rotate through, you will end up in a Crab Walk position - on both hands and feet, but face up instead of face down. Lift the same hand and foot and bring your foot back through to return to the starting position. This movement is used in many escapes and defenses in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.

360s: Lie on your back, elbows, feet and head off the mat like you are starting to do a stomach crunch. Using your abdominal muscles, sit up so that your shoulders are off the mat, and then shift your torso so your shoulders come down sideways from the starting point. Using the "going down" momentum, raise your hips off the mat and rotate them in the same direction. Several repetitions will cause you to spin 360 degrees on the mat. Do ten of these in each direction, and your entire core will be screaming for relief. Being able to rotate your body on your back, like in the 360s, is a key ingredient to have good defense and technique from bottom guard.

If you're not seeing the improvement you desire in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, put yourself on a daily regimen of these exercises. Not only will you get stronger, but your technique will improve as well.

Paul Herzog and his son Christopher have been taking judo and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu instruction at Petushin Martial Arts since the new Rosemount, Minnesota facility opened in 2010. In addition to receiving some of the best grappling instruction in the Midwest, Paul has lost 30 pounds, and Chris has gained strength and self-confidence. If either of those sounds appealing, please contact the academy at 612-991-9116 or go to http://www.petushinmartialarts.com/ to arrange your first visit!

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The Benefits of Developing Explosive Strength and Power for the Martial Arts

I remember watching Bruce Lee perform his famous "one-Inch punch" on video awhile and even more recently. Most people would be amazed at his ability to do what he did with such power from only an inch away. And it was even more amazing due to his size of around 130 lbs. Was Bruce Lee someone special to be able to do that? Did he possess some sort of gift?

While most people will look at Bruce Lee's famous build and low body fat percentage (which was estimated to be less than 3%), his secret came not from that, but from his training in plyometrics. This type of training involves the development of explosive strength and speed. This in turn created more power. If we were to look at the basic formula for power, then we can see why he had it.

Power = (Force x Distance)/Time

If we look at the one-inch punch and Bruce Lee's size, it is obvious that the distance was out of the question in developing enough power. If one was to shorten the amount of time to develop force, then there would be an increase in power. Plyometric training accomplishes this.

To train this way, one must work the whole body as unit. It's not about isolating muscle groups to get to where you want in developing power. You can work upper body and lower body, but it still has to be done as a whole. Second, when doing plyometrics, the goal is to spend as little time on the ground as possible. That means to get as high as possible during the training.

Since each person is going to be a different level athletically, work at your level, okay? That's important so you don't get injured. Do a good warm-up beforehand. And then get into the training.

I would do something like burpees to start out. This is one of the best overall body workouts you can do. Simply start at the standing position and then go down into a squat, extend your legs back behind you as you go into a push-up position. Bring your legs back to a squat and spring up into the air with both arms extended up. Go as high as you can. You can set up your own routine using burpees.

Clapping push-ups is another plyometric exercise. There are a number of exercises you can do, such as box jumps. In fact, jumping up onto a special box used for this and landing on one foot is great to create balance too. So you get a two-for-one special doing that training. Jumping side to side is great for agility. The four-square exercise is an example of this. There are so many variations of plyometrics that there is no way I could name them all here.

Just know that the benefits that you'll get out of doing explosive strength training (plyometric) is increased power, increased speed and agility, burn more calories, better performance, muscular endurance and faster reaction times. Make sure to train on soft mats, such as rubber surface. Stay away from concrete or other hard surfaces such as that.

I wish you the best in your martial arts training and may you become the best practitioner you can be. Just be excellent at what you do. And it'll serve you well. OSU!!!!

Check out Optimal Life Seminars today! Just go to optimallifeseminars.com for learning and more... Watch for upcoming events and seminars...

Bob Choat works as a Peak Performance Coach & Trainer and is focused on people in every industry reach a higher level in their lives.

Call 818-620-2494 for coaching/training

bobchoat.com

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Service Manuals: Survival And Self Defense - Army and Marine Hand To Hand Combat Training

Service manuals from the Army and Marine Corps are some of the most sought after reference books on hand-to-hand combat training for self-defense and survival in the world. These service manuals provide insight into why these service members are so well-trained and why they are so good at survival and self-defense.

The service manual on evasion and recovery is a multi-service manual that serves Army, Marine Corps, Navy and Air Force. It is 103 pages and covers the basics of how to survive and covers invasion, navigation, communication, signaling, recovery, personal protection, water and food in any geographical location. The book contains multi-service tactics, techniques and procedures to survive.

The Marines in particular are known for excellence in hand-to-hand combat.

There's a reason for this. They have a system and that system is taught to every Marine through the Fleet Marine Force Manual FMFM 07. It provides the methodology and techniques of the Marine Corps system of close combat or MCSOCC. The secret of a successful course is in development of a good system and repetition. In the 190 pages of this service manual, the close combat techniques of the Marine basic course are taught.

The Army manual on hand to hand fighting is based on karate and tae-kwon-do which "is a Korean martial art and the national sport of South Korea. In Korean, tae means "to strike or break with foot"; kwon means "to strike or break with fist"; do means "way", "method", or "path". Thus, taekwondo may be loosely translated as "the way of the hand and the foot."

The Army service manual on hand-to-hand fighting was created to develop and maintain the skills necessary to ensure the best chances of accomplishment of the mission and survival. Many of the missions of the special forces require penetration deep into enemy territory where encountering an enemy one-on-one exists. If a soldier only knows how to shoot his weapon, he loses his effectiveness.

The soldier skilled in hand-to-hand combat can continue to protect himself while engaging the enemy and get mission accomplishment. These hand-to-hand combat skills are readily transferable to civilians.

That is why the Army manual on hand-to-hand combat training is so effective because it teaches all of those skills in a plain, simple way.

If you want to learn hand-to-hand combat and close combat self-defense techniques, these service manuals are the best way to do it. Learn from the best if you want to excel.

Please check out our selection of Books and DVD's on self defense training and emergency preparedness.

The Home Security Superstore is one of the oldest and largest independent distributors of high quality home security, surveillance, spy, self-defense, survival and safety products. We carry a wide range of self-defense products including tasers, stun guns, pepper sprays and other nonlethal weapons that can save your life in the event of an attack.

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Rolling - A Jiu Jitsu Sparring Class

Jiu Jitsu sparring classes consist of back to back rounds of sparring, widely known as "rolling", with fresh opponents every round. In my experience rounds are normally 5 or 7 minutes long though I assume this varies from gym to gym. In these classes you will quickly understand the effectiveness of Jiu Jitsu and how little you know about submission grappling.

Tap Out

If you expect to improve at Jiu Jitsu you must be prepared to be submitted over and over again. You should treat each of these submissions as a study of how the submission is applied and try to learn how to better defend next time. The good thing about Jiu Jitsu is that you are able to roll at 100% effort with little chance of injury thus mimicking a "real life" combat situation every time you practice. You may experience discomfort if someone applies a submission to you and if you have to give up you must "tap out". It is important to tap out if you are experiencing pain as you risk being choked unconscious or facing serious injury. This being said you should always allow your partner's hold to be applied before tapping out when training as this will ensure your partner is using the correct technique. Ensure that you "tap" on your opponent's body and not the mat as they may not be aware that you are submitting and continue to apply the hold. As a Jiu Jitsu beginner it is a good idea to roll with white belts because blue belts will have a wealth of experience over you and you will find it hard to implement any techniques. Perhaps rolling with a blue belt could be beneficial in developing your ability to escape positions but you will have a far more enjoyable time rolling with people on your level.

Stay Calm

Rolling can be a very tiring practice especially as a Jiu Jitsu Beginner because with less knowledge you are more likely to waste energy trying to do things with the wrong technique (you should focus on staying calm and thinking about technique when rolling). If you feel too tired you can have a break round but your instructor is likely to encourage you to roll as many rounds as you can.

Don't Quit!

Rolling classes are a great environment for trying out techniques you have learned and understanding what it feels like to grapple in a realistic situation. Rolling classes can be tough for a Jiu Jitsu beginner but if you stay positive and focus on practicing the techniques you know you can only improve.

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Self-Defense - Training DVDs For Women

There are many ways for women to defend themselves. In the last five years or so self-defense products have become an integral part of self-defense for women. Items such as stun guns, pepper sprays and tasers are all very effective when it comes to self-defense. That's why they're so popular-they work and provide a non-lethal means of self-defense.

Self-defense products should only be part of a self-defense strategy. Learning some basic self-defense techniques must be the foundation of that strategy. A self-defense course is the best way to learn those techniques. And there are hundreds of instructors out there in your local city. You have no idea what their background is. And while they are all well-meaning and probably have your best interest at heart, does it make sense to learn potentially life-saving skills from a full-time barber who happens to know self-defense techniques?

Paul Vunak is one of the most highly regarded instructors of self-defense in the world. He teaches Navy SEALs, FBI, CIA and Police Department SWAT teams. His instructional DVD is one of the best fighting videos ever made especially for women

He teaches the eight basic tools of Jeet Kune Do, which has been defined as "The system works on the use of different 'tools' for different situations. These situations are broken down into ranges (Kicking, Punching, Trapping and Grappling), with techniques flowing smoothly between them. It is referred to as a style without style."

Jeet Kune Do was developed by famous martial artist Bruce Lee who believed that a fight was a spontaneous event, and couldn't be predicted-only reacted to. Consequently, he taught his students to move fluidly without hesitation "like water."

In the DVD, Vunak teaches these eight principles in a clear, concise, easy-to-learn way. They are specifically designed for people who have no previous fighting experience. It is the closest thing to an organized way to defend yourself in almost any situation that you might encounter in a street fight. It is highly effective for teaching women self-defense principles.

There is another instructional DVD specifically designed for women by Kimber Johnson. It is a one-hour self-defense course that teaches women how to defend themselves against predators and rape specifically. It has techniques to use against hair pulling, choking and being pinned down. It teaches real life scenarios on how to deal with drunks and how to determine the precursors of a real assault. It is based on her real life experience of being raped, despite her years of martial arts training.

The training DVD called Street Safe by Paul Vunak teaches the eight principles of Jeet Kune Do and is great for women.

The self-defense course Women's Combat by Kimber Johnson is one of a few designed specifically for women.

The Home Security Superstore is one of the oldest and largest independent distributors of high quality home security, surveillance, spy, self-defense, survival and safety products.

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The Best Place To Practice Tai Chi

There are books and teachers who advise that you should only practice tai chi in the most optimal conditions, or you can harm your qi energy. These folks believe that you should be in the most natural setting, away from any sources of pollution, noise or distraction. They even suggest that an elevated area or mountaintop is ideal, since in Chinese history, Taoist adepts would leave society to become hermits in the mountains where they could receive the best energy from nature and experience no distractions of worldly concerns.

Other people suggest that you can practice tai chi anywhere, anyplace, anytime. In fact, if you are in a cramped condition, then all you need to do is stop, move back a bit and continue on. In their opinion, nothing should prevent you.

My suggestion as an author falls somewhat more to the latter choice, but with certain caveats.

If you always look for the most ideal spot, you will almost always never find it unless you work at home and live in the countryside. In that case, you are truly blessed! But the majority of people live in more urbanized areas or are restricted in their schedule and lifestyle. If you believe that you are absorbing "bad" energy, then you are fixated on that thought and will attract it - that is not a positive thought energy to repetitively enforce! Consider this fact too: In China, there is tremendous crowding and more pollution than many other places in this world. Yet, people there go outside every morning - no matter where they live - to practice tai chi together. And there are many centenarians in that grand country!

Does that mean you should not do it indoors? Absolutely not. Sure you can do tai chi in a cramped environment, so long as you don't allow it to bother you. It's OK to reposition yourself and continue when you run out of space. Remember, tai chi is in its essence, a martial arts practice. If you were freehand sparring, would you worry about having to reestablish your position? Of course not. But it's best if you have access to natural lighting and fresh air. Natural lighting helps to adjust your melatonin levels so that your circadian rhythm is balanced. You will breathe deeper when you do tai chi (yes, surprise, most tai chi is a gentle cardiovascular exercise), so it makes the most sense that you are not breathing in fumes, mold spores or cooking odors. Being able to do tai chi outside is optimal, as you can stretch out, connect with the energy of the earth, the ambient temperature, and manufacture some vitamin D in the sunlight (which can greatly enhance your mood).

The biggest problem is letting anything become an excuse for blocking your practice! Sometimes it's good to just get out of the house, away from the ringing telephone, idle conversations, computer, TV and host of other distractions. But if you can't make the time to get away, then at least make the time to do what you can indoors. Even if you have to lock yourself in a small room or open the window to get some sense of privacy and clarity, do it.

Above all, keep the positive thought in the back of your head that any mindful practice you do is accumulating to your progress and development. Think about how your tai chi practice is strengthening your inner organs and qi to help you clear out toxins and be less susceptible to all the stress and pollution in the world. That thought alone will empower you farther than the people who are afraid that they are constantly exposing themselves to negative energies if practicing in a less than optimal environ.

I once heard a master make the following comment, and I think it is appropriate to illustrate this point. "The Buddha who practices on the mountain may be very adept, but the Buddha who can practice in the city is the most enlightened."

Be like that most enlightened Buddha (or whoever your philosophical or religious role model!) and be able to make progress in your self-development anywhere. Start with where you are. The most important environment to practice in that's free of negative energy is your own mind.

Loretta Wollering is a recognized expert and master-level instructor in the field of tai chi chuan (taijiquan). She specializes in teaching tai chi from its ancient principles and from the traditional lineage of Master Jou Tsung Hwa. She is open-minded and accepting of all people interested in the art, no matter what their beliefs and levels of physical ability. Feel free to enjoy more information at: http://www.internalgardens.com/. You can also join beginners as well as advanced enthusiasts at America's biggest and friendliest tai chi gathering - Tai Chi Gala - headed by Ms. Wollering: http://www.taichigala.com/ YES - All are welcome here.

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Safety in Taekwondo Kicks

When using taekwondo kicks, in order to prevent injury, it's important to maintain proper orientation while performing them. Most of the kicks in taekwondo use a straight line of attack, all the force of the blow travels and is directed in a straight line, which is why if done incorrectly they can damage the joints.

The two most well-known taekwondo kicks, the roundhouse kick and the sidekick, both use the hip to generate their explosive energy. Because of this the hip has to be kept in proper alignment, this is done by pivoting and turning. When doing a roundhouse kick one would turn his body so that his side is towards the target. This is easiest done by pivoting on the non-kicking foot, which allows one to not only turn but to track the target as it may move. Then the leg is brought up, pointing the knee at the intended target, while keeping the leg horizontal the leg is then extended so that the balls of the feet snap forward and into the target.

If, in contrast, one were to kick directly in front of them without turning, one could still strike the target, but it will have much less force. By forcing the hip to remain squared with the target the leg isn't able to reach as far and the force of the kick can pull the leg out of joint.

For a sidekick one would also want the side and hip to be pointed towards the target. It's less likely to perform a side kick in an injurious manner, but power and stability are still improved by pivoting properly. For a side kick the more of the hip muscles that can be used the better, so turning the hip just a little past the target so that the heel is pointed directly at the target allows it to be extended straight into the strike zone. In addition, if the non-kicking foot is pivoted so that the heel is pointed towards the target and the toes are pointed away, this positions the body on a direct line of attack. This means that all of the force, even that of stepping or moving forward, is directed into the kick.

When kept in mind and with practice these tips easily become natural and part of the kick itself. It's a simple way to improve the performance and safety of the two most popular taekwondo kicks.

Alan Stables is a student of taekwondo, learning the basic taekwondo poomse techniques in order to progress through the different colored taekwondo belts. Although only an amateur, Alan hopes to compete competitively in the future.

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Protect Yourself: Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Is the Ultimate Self Defense

Victim. It's not a word you want to identify with yourself. Yet every day, you walk down the street unprotected. You get off work late and walk to your car alone. Your car blows a tire and you are stranded on the side of the road. You trust a stranger to help you with directions. All of these situations could happen to anyone. But do you really know who is out there in that dark parking garage? Who is pulling over to help you change your tire? The reality is that it could be someone dangerous and you must learn to protect yourself.

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is the ultimate self-defense system. There is nothing better to protect yourself from an attacker and live to tell the story. The art of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, or BJJ, was created for this exact situation. At the very heart of it, jiu-jitsu teaches you what to do if someone grabs you from behind, puts you in a headlock, bearhug, or takes you to the ground. It shows you how to protect yourself from dangerous punches and kicks to the face and legs. And the best part of the sport is that anyone can learn it. You do not need to be physically fit or have perfect hand-eye coordination to pull off your safety.

Because jiu jitsu uses body mechanics, anatomy, and leverage, you are able to escape from a person twice your size and weight with minimal damage. Punches to the rib cage can turn into hands tapping in submission. You learn to hold someone in a submission or position until help arrives.

There are countless tales of people being in the wrong place at the wrong time. The question is, if you are that person, will you be prepared?

It is on the news daily. You see a young man who was beaten to death by a group of guys at a bar. You see an elderly woman harassed and injured by a mugger trying to take her purse. There are numerous reports of stalkers, rapists, drug addicts, and criminals who commit crimes on unsuspecting, innocent people every day. If these victims knew just a little bit of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, they would have a much better chance of protecting themselves and their families. This is because Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is the ultimate self defense martial art out there. Everyone should invest in their own safety and learn how to protect themselves with jiu jitsu.

"Jiu-Jitsu Saved My Life, and it Can Save Yours, Too" is the ultimate resource for learning how to master these Brazilian Jiu Jitsu self defense techniques. Discover how to protect yourself in the case of an unforeseen attack. Visit our school's website to receive our FREE DVD "Jiu-Jitsu Saved My Life, and it Can Save Yours, Too!" right now. Go here: http://www.thejiujitsuleague.com/

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Three MMA Conditioning Tips That Can Help You Get Fit

Tip 1: Workout in a team.

The common myth that you have to go to a gym by yourself and lift weights for an hour is simply that. A myth. One of the best practices you can do to not only ensure your health but the health of your friends is to get as many of your friends together and work out as a team. These workouts will inspire competition, keep you consistent, and will get you and your friends out from behind the computer or the television. A lot of the mixed martial artists will have training camps for months at a time where he or she surrounds himself or herself with trainers and team mates to do nothing but condition their bodies for their upcoming fight. This team can also act as a support group. When someone falls off their diet or is lagging behind in a workout your team mates are there to push you and get you back on track. The benefits you see from a team workout will help you inside and outside the gym.

Tip 2: Don't Just do the workouts in the gym.

Lets face it. A lot of the times when its Spring or Summer and it's absolutely gorgeous outside, you don't really want to be cooped up in the gym pounding out some weights. You and your team definitely need to schedule some outside workouts. Whether than involves going to a track, an outdoor pool, or even a park the change of pace and scenery that outdoor workouts offer can reinvigorate your drive. The biggest concern with these outdoor workouts is that there is no weights to lift while outside. And you can't very well take a whole weight set to the park. Or can you? Your team can be your weight set. Doing buddy carries and buddy lifts can sometimes be better for you than traditional weight lifting because it gives your body a better sense of how to lift something practically. It also gives you a good gauge at how much the weight lifting at the gym has paid off. Also find a set of stairs. If you go to YouTube or any other video website and look up videos of outdoor team workouts they involve some form of stairs.

Tip 3: Work towards a goal.

Every mixed martial artists that hosts a training camp works towards an inevitable fight. Even if you aren't trying to compete you should work towards a final workout or competition at the end of every month or so. This will let you visibly see the results of you and your team's efforts in the gym and gives you an idea of how hard you need to push yourself the next month. The competition this can breed more often than not breeds progress. Unless you are not completely driven then you do not want to finish last. So if you do finish last one month you will bust your butt to get first place next month. An idea for this is to have a comprehensive workout that encompasses all the skills you've learned that month and then put them to the test.

In the Richmond, Virginia area their are many facilities that offer that guidance such as Total Victory MMA & Crossfit, where you can join ongoing classes or even get one-on-one personalized training, to achieve a better fitness level and better quality of life.

David M. Womack
Coach Womack's Martial Arts Background:
Coach Womack currently teaches & trains at Total Victory MMA & CrossFit - Home of the 30 Day FREE Trial! 9562 Woodman Rd.
Richmond, VA 23228
804-433-3572
http://www.totalvictorymma.com/crossfit-ricmond/

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Your Martial Art Doesn't Work The Hells Angel Said

I had studied Chinese Kenpo Karate for two years. I was an instructor, and I had written the training manual for my school. Then I ran into a Hells Angel.

The story actually started when the fast food joint I was working at hired a geeky looking guy. I didn't think too much of him, but then one day I saw him kick a wall. The wall shook like the 1906 earthquake had come again, and I knew that he knew martial arts.

He told me he was learning Kang Duk Won Korean Karate. He said he wasn't that good at it, which I found hard to believe. He said, however, that his brother was a lot better, and let's go see him.

So that night, I think it was a Tuesday, we went down to a house in Sunnyvale to meet his brother. As we pulled up Alex said to me, "I should probably tell you that my brother is a Hells Angel." I blinked, but, naive me, heck...I knew Kenpo, right?

His brother was maybe five foot ten, a little shorter than me, but he had the outlaw look in his eyes. We talked for a while, and then he simply said, "Your Martial Art doesn't work." Then he grabbed me by the shirt front with two of the gnarliest fists I had ever seen and told me to work my first technique on him, and then he named the technique.

I began to move. I held his fists in place with one hand and brought my forearm up to break his elbows, I struck his wrists with my nerve paralyzing downward chop, and when I went to chop him in the neck he tossed me through a wall. Yes he did...all the way through the wall.

He just grinned and extended a hand to help me up, and then he told me to grab his shirt front. I did, and he showed me the self defense technique that they practiced at the Kang Duk Won. He reached over and popped a fist into my chest so hard that I went through the wall again.

This is a true story, and being tossed through a wall twice changed my life, definitely made me rethink martial arts, and prompted me down the road to other martial arts and how to make them work. I spent several years learning at the Kang Duk Won Korean Karate school, worked alongside all manner of people, including hells angels and other outlaw bikers. Included in my education was why a martial art doesn't work, and what to do about it.

The things that martial arts sensei add to their martial art, the slant towards tournaments and making bucks, there's no end to the gimmicks that have screwed up the art. That's why I created Matrixing, so martial arts sensei could fix all that kind of stuff. Click to Monster Martial Arts and see what I came up with.

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Three Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Mistakes I Make: Upa Escape

As I progress with my judo and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu trials and tribulations, I am becoming proficient enough to understand what I'm doing wrong. I'll take this as a sign of wisdom and experience, rather than incompetence. Hopefully, sharing my mistakes will help others avoid those mistakes, and speed them along the proper path.

The upa escape is a must-have in any Brazilian Jiu Jitsu repertoire. Also known as the bridge-and-roll escape, the upa escape is a simple way to get out from under top mount. When your opponent is mounted on top of you, you control one of their arms, bring your foot on that side up close to your butt and trap their ankle, then bridge up and over to that side to roll. It's usually one of the first things that people learn when training, and yet, it rarely works when sparring on the mat. That ineffectiveness is not because of a problem with the technique; it's just that we are (or, at least, I am) doing it wrong.

Here's a list of three mistakes I consistently make as I'm learning the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu upa escape:

1) I let my opponent get too far up on my body

The key to a successful escape is to get your opponent up high when you initially bridge. This requires they be as far back on your torso as possible. The closer their weight is to your hips as they drive up, the more they will move and give you the room to complete the rolling part of the escape. Additionally, the higher they get, the more off-balance they will be and have difficulty blocking the escape attempt.

If I allow my opponent to position themselves with their weight on my chest, I will not get them high enough when I bridge to complete the move. The bridging lever between my shoulders & knees is not long enough to create the required upa. Any attempt to do so is just a waste of energy.

2) I don't bring my feet close enough

After I control my opponent's body position and one of their arms, my next step is to bring both feet close to my butt, with the foot on the trapping side of my body outside of their ankle. If I don't trap their ankle, it will be very easy for my opponent to spread that leg out as a post, blocking me as I try to roll. The closer my feet get to my butt, not only do I have a better trap, but the higher I can bridge. There are several reasons why my feet don't come in all the way; laziness, inflexible knees, or just being in a hurry to roll the millisecond I control the arm.

3) I wait too long

My opponent is far enough back on my torso (a good rule of thumb: if you can put your elbows on the mat at your sides without their knees blocking you, they're far enough back). And my feet are as far in as I can get them. I can (and usually do) still put myself in a bad spot by taking too long. The top mount position is very powerful and controlling, and a good opponent will know what I'm going to do because there are very few escapes from the mount. If I get grip control on my opponent's arm, I will likely not maintain it for very long; they will pull the arm away because they know what I want to do. When my foot blocks their ankle, they will quickly try to reposition their leg. I have to be planning ahead, so that the arm trap / foot block / bridge up combination is all in one smooth motion.

I think the upa escape is a perfect symbol of everything that is interesting and elegant about Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. You plan ahead and use simple leverage to get out of a very bad spot and improve your position. Avoid my mistakes, and you'll have much greater success on the mat.

Paul Herzog and his son Christopher have been taking judo and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu instruction at Petushin Martial Arts since the new Rosemount, Minnesota facility opened in 2010. In addition to receiving some of the best grappling instruction in the Midwest, Paul has lost 30 pounds, and Chris has gained strength and self-confidence. If either of those sounds appealing, please contact the academy at 612-991-9116 or go to http://www.petushinmartialarts.com/ to arrange your first visit!

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What Is a Real Teacher?

As I mentioned in another article, "You need to find a real teacher, one who has the 'creds' and the ability to teach."

What does this mean?

Well, unfortunately, not everyone who calls himself or herself a teacher is actually qualified to teach a martial art. There are unqualified instructors. I think most teachers are probably credentialed and are sincere in their efforts to teach.

However, the mere desire to teach is not a guarantee of the ability to teach. There is much more to opening a school and charging dues.

A real teacher is one who has paid his own dues. Watching a movie or even watching all of the martial arts movies does not qualify one as a teacher. There are very few martial arts "geniuses" who can simply invent an effective art and establish a valid martial art.

If you are looking for effective technique you are better off sticking to the "established" schools of the martial arts. This article is not intended to offer a comparison between the various martial arts. I simply want to comment on what constitutes a teacher in this particular context (a "real" teacher).

Here is a partial list of things to look for if you want to study under a teacher:

· Credentials. A real teacher will have rank issued by a competent authority. For example: a rank certificate, possibly a teacher's certificate, literature that identifies that teacher as a member of a particular martial arts organization.
A cohesive program of instruction.A group of students at various levels of rank in their particular art.A clean, well-lit school.A good atmosphere in the school.

As I said, this is a partial list of things to look for. And, I really believe that there are many exceptions to the rules.

A good teacher may just be starting out. The school may not be located in the best part of town. A new teacher may not be able to afford a building that rivals a health club in terms of amenities and lighting.

He may be young, he may be older. That is not necessarily a measure of his competence. But, a good teacher will be qualified. He will be professional. He will be on time.

As an aside, if you don't see rank certificates and licenses on the wall, you are always within your rights to ask.

A real teacher will have these proofs; he may just not be the type of person who is comfortable with displaying his trophies or certificates. But, that teacher should not be offended if you ask in a polite way.

For more information about career opportunities in the martial arts, download my free e-book "9 Tips On How To Open Your Own Martial Arts School By A Teacher Who Has Been There, Done That" http://www.mashihan.com/acma_sq.htm. David Parks-Kennedy is a career martial artist (for more than 30 years with teacher ranking in Aikido) now living his dream in Mexico.

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The Three Benefits of Martial Arts

Anyone who is remotely familiar with martial arts knows that it encompasses many positive benefits mentally and physically. First off Martial Arts, to start with, is one of the best things you can do to get in shape. Most workouts that target muscle strength and muscle endurance are done using your own body, versus using heavy weights that can slowly deteriorate your muscles, this is called muscle atrophy. Workouts include exercises such as push ups, sit ups, running, sprinting, etc.

Martial arts also is one of the best cardio workouts being some days you might have to sit in one spot and throw three or four punches or kicks as fast as you can for a minute. This forces you to explode fast causing a boost in your muscle endurance level. Children must wear what's called a Gi in class. These Gi's are very thick and are harder to maneuver in than regular clothes. This forces the student to sweat and work in an uncomfortable state, improving their technique. This mental duress also teaches them that they might have to defend themselves at any given time. That if they have the mental toughness they can handle any situation that's thrown at them. Martial arts also helps with your flexibility because during class every student much stretch for about 15 minutes. Now imagine if you stretched everyday for a couple months. You would be able to do the splits, and have flexible hips and high kicks.

The biggest thing martial arts helps you with is your mental game. Half the time when you or your child is bullied or picked or even intimidated its a direct result of you being intimidated. Within a martial arts class you learn a lot more than just a punch or a kick or how to scream when you hit something. You are taught to be the bigger person all the time. If you watch any one of those cheesy kung fu movies you quickly find that the main characters are never looking for a fight. The are thrust into conflict out of necessity. You will learn that fighting should be your absolute last option. It was Ghandi who said "an eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind". You are taught the values of discipline, honor, respect, self control, having confidence, etc. All these aspects help shape you or your child to become a great martial artist.

In the Richmond, Virginia area there are many facilities that offer that guidance such as Total Victory MMA & Crossfit, where you can join ongoing classes or even get one-on-one personalized training, to achieve a better fitness level and better quality of life.
David M. Womack
Coach Womack currently teaches & trains at Total Victory MMA & CrossFit - Home of the 30 Day FREE Trial! 9562 Woodman Rd.
Richmond, VA 23228
804-433-3572
http://www.totalvictorymma.com/kids-martial-arts-richmond/

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Want to Learn to Defend Yourself?

In this post, I will show you the general steps required for you to start your journey, and learn how to Muay Thai. Before we start, please note that there is no "magic pill" here. Like any other sport, you need to have the determination and willpower necessary to keep on consistently training, otherwise you are just wasting time.

Step 1 - Join a Muay Thai gym

This will be the basis of your journey, so you should choose carefully here. Each gym will have a different training regime, so keep that in mind. Each Sensei will have his own mindset when it comes to Muay Thai, and this in turn will reflect on the training he provides his students.

Things you should look for in a gym:

A good warm-up scheduleFocus on conditional trainingRegular sparringA Sensei who's training philosophy is similar to yours

Step 2 - Learn the Muay Thai history

The next step you should do is to learn the past of this fascinating martial art. It's is very fascinating, and is a core step in your journey. In a nutshell, Muay Thai's history is intertwined with that of Thailand's. Back in the early days of Thailand, it had many risks of invasions from neighboring countries while it was still in the process of forming itself. Since in these times, only short ranged weapons where available such as clubs, pikes, swords, etc, the body's natural weapons such as elbows and fists also came into play. It is from this fact that it was then developed into a systemized Martial Arts that came to be known as Muay Thai.

Step 3 - Spar often

Most people thing that a punching bag will teach them everything. This is a very wrong move to make in your journey. The fact is that a punching bag is a static target and will only teach you limited skills. It is against other opponents that you will learn the full set of skills, including evasion and defense. It can be difficult at first if you have never sparred before, but in time it will become easier to fight, inside the ring and outside.

Step 4 - Train your Endurance

Stamina is going to be your best friend in the ring. Long hours of running will help, but you should utilize other forms of endurance training such as rope skipping. Remember, what use is having all the skills if you don't have the stamina to use them?

Brought to you by Dassier Rizzo

Find me at Muay Thai

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Three Jobs That Can Benefit From MMA Training

With job market on the slow recovery from a bad recession the qualifications and extra curricular activities required to get certain jobs are becoming more and more distinct. That paired with the rise of Mixed Martial Arts on at least once a day and it becoming the fastest growing sport right now everyone and their brother thinks they can be fighters. Even with out proper technique just watching the sport can give you a few basic details which can make certain people very dangerous. The fact that some people can now learn how to break someones arm or throw a correct punch can be devastating in some cases (i.e. a bar brawl) and seriously injure somebody. Below are three jobs in which MMA training can actually do good instead of the potential bad that can happen.

Job 1: Police Officer As obvious as this may seem the training that Mixed Martial Artists receive would greatly benefit a police officer. While police officers are not permitted to throw a punch the throws and take downs that one learns with in a wrestling class or a Brazillian Jiu Jit-su class can be paramount in subduing a potentially violent or uncooperative suspect. The other benefit to Brazillian Jiu Jit-su is that you learn to control a suspect that may be twice your size with your hips and pressure. The best part of any of these training tips as a police officer is that its one more tool you have in your arsenal to keep you from having to use any of your weapons.

Job 2: Fire Fighter The benefits of MMA training for a Firefighter are amazing. The rigorous cardiovascular endurance exercises that the Mixed Martial Artists use is an amazing tool for a firefighter. Some Mixed Martial Artists will do something called stadiums. This exercise consists of running up and down stairs over and over again to build lower body strength. Some conditioning programs even include carrying a partner up and down the stairs to strengthen their wrestling take downs. This exercise is tailor-made for any firefighter. When there's a fire and there are people trapped in higher floors the firefighters have to not only sprint up flights of stairs but also carry down the injured people down the stairs. Wrestling would also greatly help because it teaches you how to control your body weight and how to properly carry other people.

Job 3: School Teacher. Possibly the most subtle benefit that MMA training can give is the confidence to carry yourself in a room of your peers. School teachers can sometimes be intimidated when faced with an unruly class or even just an unruly student. The confidence you will gain will help you not only regain control of the class but also keep the class from getting there in the first place. Brazillian Jiu Jit-su classes take particular attention to breaking down every detail in a move so that you can commit it to muscle memory. This skill can also be applied to teacher teenagers and children certain skills and topics. The last and probably most important benefit is that you learn to diffuse possible fights within the school system. Within the school system there's a lot more school fights because of the recent spotlight on bullying within the media. With skills you learn in MMA you can control a child without harming them. Which is paramount because you don't want to be the result of a child's injury.

In the Richmond, Virginia area there are many facilities that offer that guidance such as Total Victory MMA & Crossfit, where you can join ongoing classes or even get one-on-one personalized training, to achieve a better fitness level and better quality of life.

David M. Womack
Coach Womack's Martial Arts Background:
Coach Womack currently teaches & trains at Total Victory MMA & CrossFit - Home of the 30 Day FREE Trial! 9562 Woodman Rd.
Richmond, VA 23228
804-433-3572
http://www.totalvictorymma.com/crossfit-ricmond/

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The Best Skills for Mixed Martial Arts

Mixed martial arts or MMA is a full contract combat sport that incorporates a lot of technique from various disciplines. It utilizes both standing and on the ground, striking and grappling techniques as well as a variety of moves from wrestling, boxing, muay Thai, karate, judo, Brazilian jiu-jitsu to name a few.

While the traditional forms of some styles have been adapted, it is common practice for a fighter to train in the style referred simply as mixed martial arts, which has become a genre in itself. Several trainers and coaches of different disciplines are usually involved in a fighter's training to improve his skills in various aspects of the game. And along with these skills, conditioning is also very important. Strength training, cardiovascular conditioning, flexibility and speed drills enables the fighter to fully utilize his skills.

Here are some common disciplines that an MMA player needs to learn to get the best skill for each style.

Muay Thai

Muay Thai is one of the most common styles that fighters in mixed martial arts need to train for. It is distinguished as a good foundation for striking, along with boxing and various classes of kickboxing. This sport is very famous in Thailand, where it originated, and it gained the nickname "art of eight limbs" because it fairly utilizes the fists, elbows, knees and legs. It is considered to be an aggressive and straightforward style of fighting.

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu came into the mainstream during the early 90's due to Royce Gracie who won the first, second and fourth Ultimate Fighting Championships. The smaller Royce defeated his bigger opponents who implemented other styles like judo, karate, shoot-fighting and boxing. From then on, Jiu-Jitsu became a basic skill for MMA athletes. It is responsible for bringing to light the significance of ground fighting, It is regarded as a ground-based combat style, which highlights joint locks, positioning and chokes.

Taekwondo

Taekwondo, a Korean martial art, enjoys worldwide popularity. Many fighters are aptly trained in this style due to its emphasis on sparring but it usually requires cross training with kickboxing for full contact strikes. The continuous kicking employed in Taekwondo is a good way to keep the opposing player at a distance and even knock him out.

Amateur wrestling

Amateur wrestling is widely used in mixed martial arts competitions. It is credited for citing emphasis on conditioning for stamina and explosive movement. It is famous for its unstoppable takedowns, particularly against the legs.

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What Is A Karate Sensei Actually Trying To Do?

Not many people understand what a real Karate sensei is trying to teach. Too often people sign up for a karate lesson, learn to bow and call the teacher Sensei, and don't even know what the word means. This is true not just of karate, but of other martial arts, such as Kenpo or Kung Fu. To understand what the word sensei means, however, is to change the student's mind about what the martial arts are all about.

In Japan there is a three year 'task' for monks during their training. During this time they must live by the kindness of their fellow man. They sit in places where people pass by and hold their cups out and beg without speaking.

Many monks gather at crossroads. People stop, flip a coin in the bowl, and walk on. And, sometimes, people inquire where a particular destination is.

The monk, who after a time of living in such a manner actually looks like a bum, merely holds up his arm and points down the road. Thus, he points the way, and this is what the word sensei means: 'He who points the way.' And this term has been taken and used by people who are guiding others through a specific method to a specific destination.

Now, the unfortunate fact is that many fighting instructors don't understand this. Martial Arts have exploded across civilization so fast that proper teachings have been all but forgotten. Thus, many karate sensei are in it solely for the 'domination factor.'

Thus, the teaching method has been geared for the instructor who wishes to control people. But a real martial instructor isn't concerned with controlling people; he teaches martial arts. There is a huge and vast difference that exists between these two things.

The fellow who teaches people is looking for money, to dominate, to make sure he is the leader of the pack. The fellow who teaches martial arts doesn't care about being leader of the pack, he just wants to give information that will lead the student down the correct path. The question is...what is the correct path?

A martial art instructor who doesn't have the proper understanding will point to trophies, to being in charge, to winning no matter the cost. A martial art instructor who has not traveled upon the way himself will push people, call for discipline, and have people monkey see monkey do what he is showing them. A true Karate sensei shares the teachings of the martial arts, then gets out of the way of the student.

Fortunately, there is a program which teaches a person how to teach in the old way. Karate Sensei everywhere should check out the Master teacher Course http://www.monstermartialarts.com/.

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Who Can Be a Martial Arts Instructor? Part 1

Apparently, almost anyone.

This is probably a shocking statement, but nevertheless true. Let's focus on a few of the negatives.

It is not unusual to read about some martial arts instructor or other who takes advantage of a student or even of his whole student body. Charlatans abound. Even in the sacred homelands of the martial arts such as Japan fake teachers have been around for a long time. For this reason even today the numbers 1, 2 and 3 used on diplomas in Japanese are often special characters that prevent someone from changing a lower rank into a higher rank just by adding one stroke.

In the larger world there are and have been for some time people who claim rank that they have not earned and mislead many. Other times, the person may have actually studied a martial art but, for whatever reason, decided to strike out on his own. I even had one man tell me that he held a very high rank in a martial art and that his son held a rank (one rank below the father) that was incredible for a young man of his age.

I asked the father, "Who did you study under?" I viewed it as a valid question. His answer? "We are self-taught; we learned from videos and books." He said this with a straight face. Me, I had to excuse myself and go outside. You see, it's not cool to laugh right in someone's face.

Sometimes these pretenders do a fair to good job of training their students. Their love for the art motivates them and they really try to do a good job. It's true, I've seen it.

However, many are just doing it for the money. Or for the prestige. That's not to say that there is always that much money in it. But, we are going to deal with that aspect in a future article. A well-run martial arts school can be a satisfying and ample source of income.

Now, to strike out on your own as an instructor is not, in and of itself, a bad thing. However your motives must be pure. If you have the knowledge, experience and backup to form your own organization or even a small, independent school, that can be an option. But, if you simply don't want to be told what to do, you may have an attitude problem - or not. A step of this magnitude requires a tremendous amount of self-reflection. However, we will cover this in another article, so stay tuned.

So in view of the above, who can be a martial arts instructor? Well, you can. And you don't have to make up credentials and certificates or try to learn your art from DVDs or from YouTube. You can do it the right way.

In the next installment we will review some of the requirements for becoming a martial arts instructor and some of the attitudes that must be a part of the make-up of a "real" sensei.

For more information about career opportunities in the martial arts, download my free e-book "9 Tips On How To Open Your Own Martial Arts School By A Teacher Who Has Been There, Done That" http://www.mashihan.com/acma_sq.htm. David Parks-Kennedy is a career martial artist (for more than 30 years with teacher ranking in Aikido) now living his dream in Mexico.

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The Value of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu to Law Enforcement

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu isn't just a sport to be practiced on the mat, and tested in tournament competition.

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is designed, first and foremost, to be effective in real-life situations. Specifically, Jiu Jitsu is about taking a foe down and subduing them so they cannot strike back. Nowhere are these concepts more important than in the law enforcement profession.

A policeman's goal cannot be to get into a fight or strike someone in an altercation. Not only is it unsafe to put themselves in a direct altercation with an unknown foe, but they risk the possibility of legal or procedural retaliation, with rules in place regarding unnecessary use of excessive force. Across the country, police and sheriff's departments are teaming up with martial arts schools to teach effective approaches for specific situations an officer may face in the field.

"My goal is to teach the worst case," said one instructor after a police seminar. "If an officer has his partner to help out, then that's what should happen. If they have a taser or a baton that can be used, they should use it. But there are going to be times when they may have to use Jiu Jitsu techniques, and it is important they are aware of what to do."

Many good Brazilian Jiu Jitsu instructors appreciate the opportunity to give back to the community by helping train police officers at these seminars. They teach techniques for countering someone's grasp, turning the attack into a controlling arm or shoulder lock. If an assailant charges or goes after a certain part of an officer's anatomy, the officer learns a takedown that does not put them in a dangerous tie-up where they are vulnerable to another attacker.

Officers appreciate and gain just as much from the opportunity to learn as the martial arts school does in sharing. One police department wrote a letter to a martial arts school after a recent seminar, with officer's feedback on their Jiu Jitsu experience:

"Instructors were very professional, skilled, and easy to follow...made the environment very comfortable to learn in."
"The information was presented in a way that helped me to understand and apply some of the previous defensive tactics instruction I had received from my department."
"Demonstrated basic moves that don't require fine motor skills to be effective."
"Great instructors...obviously interested in the welfare of law enforcement officers...taught as much content as possible during the course."

Feedback like this is a wonderful testimonial to the benefits of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu to law enforcement. Such statements are not only a statement on Jiu Jitsu's success on the streets, but a reflection on a well-designed curriculum. In many cases, officers take the next step beyond seminars, and are taking regular Brazilian Jiu Jitsu instruction. And that's the best positive feedback of all.

Paul Herzog and his son Christopher have been taking judo and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu instruction at Petushin Martial Arts since the new Rosemount, Minnesota facility opened in 2010. In addition to receiving some of the best grappling instruction in the Midwest, Paul has lost 30 pounds, and Chris has gained strength and self-confidence. If either of those sounds appealing, please contact the academy at 612-991-9116 or go to http://www.petushinmartialarts.com/ to arrange your first visit!

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Three Zone Attack Strategy for Self Defense in Street Fighting

A total knockout is the term used when a person is rendered no longer capable of attacking back. It is usually caused by sudden trauma to the brain, sometimes termed a cerebral concussion. A physical blow to the head or a punch to the body, such as the liver, causing excruciating pain, can effectively cause a total knockout.

During a street fight, the faster you knockout your attacker, the higher your chance of survival. It is important that what you take away from the previous paragraph is that the head, is not the only place to deliver a knockout.

A mistake that inexperienced street fighters face, is the over concentration of attacks, towards your attacker's head. The human head is relatively small, compared to the upper and lower parts of the body, and with proper evasive movement, it is easily possible to avoid most strikes to the head.

The human body has many more areas that are very susceptible to critical damage and knowing them may not only save your life in a street fight but also makes you an effective striker.

Instead of wildly swinging the hammer hoping to hit the nail while doing useless attacks and wasting your precious energy, I would like to suggest a three-zone attack strategy. These zones are vital and concentrating on any one of them will prove to be highly effective.

These three attack zones are:

1) Zone One (The head region: This includes the temples, eyes, nose, ears, neck and chin. The temple, neck and chin affects overall consciousness and the ability to make decisions, the eyes affect the sense of sight, nose affects smell and the ears the ability to hear. In general, targeting these areas will affect his basic senses.

2) Zone Two (To the neck, torso, groin): This includes the throat, left and right ribs, solar plexus, and groin. These areas affect the flow of air through the lungs and therefore, targeting these areas will affect your attacker's breathing. The importance of breath ranges from affecting a fighter's stamina to his attacking power as power and breath flow as one.

3) Zone Three (To the arms, legs and feet): This includes the arms, thighs, knees, shins, instep, and toes. Attacking any of these areas will affect his physical mobility. There is a saying that goes, take out a fighter's base and he is basically a sitting duck. This zone is highly recommendable, when you need to make an escape, as it is easy to strike areas within the mobility zone.

Stay safe and make sure you practise your self defense fighting techniques with a partner.

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Training Equipment For MMA

Just like football, baseball, and basketball, the sport of Mixed Martial Arts is a combat sport and has it's own specific equipment for effectiveness and safety. The main purpose of MMA gear and equipment is to provide safety for the fighter who is training. This article will cover both the essential MMA equipment as well as the optional MMA equipment you need to get before you start your training.

Essential MMA Equipment

MMA Training gloves: There is a difference between MMA fighting gloves and training gloves. Training gloves have more protection and foam to protect the knuckles and wrists.

Mouthpiece: No fighter should ever get into the ring or octagon without a mouthpiece. This piece of equipment should be required for any type of contact.

Groin Protection: This is very important for the men who are getting into the ring or octagon. You can pickup this up your local sports store.

MMA Headgear: The head gear for Mixed Martial Arts is different than the headgear for sparring head gear for Taekwondo. So, make sure you purchase headgear specifically made for mixed martial arts.

MMA Fighting Gloves: Most MMA organization typically require between 4oz. and 6oz. MMA gloves.

Handwraps: Most fighters don't realize the importance of handwraps. However, in order to stay away from hand and wrist injuries handwraps are an essential piece of equipment.

MMA Shorts: These shorts are made specifically for Mixed Martial Arts. The higher quality shorts have extra grip in the groin and inside leg area in order to cinch in those submissions and arm bars.

Rash guard or MMA Shirt: Rash guards style shirts are better for training since they keep the sweat away from the skin of the fighter, however if you can't get a rash guard just get a standard MMA shirt. These are made to manage the sweat you will produce while training unlike a typical shirt made of cotton.

Optional MMA Equipment

Shin Guards: These help to protect your shins and upper foot area while also protecting the person you are sparring with.

Muay Thai Pads: These are fantastic for training in order to increase your skills in tracking and pinpoint accuracy. However, the down side of these pads is that you need a partner to hold them.
You can get this gear online or at your local MMA store if you have one. It is best to buy the higher quality equipment at first so that you don't have to continue purchasing them again and again.

Craig Lightner has written for some of the best sports blog on the web. If you would be interested in reading more on the areas of MMA gear and MMA equipment please visit our blog.

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The Intense Techniques Of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu And Sport Jiu Jitsu

Martial Arts is making its way to the top with all time ratings and phenomenal reviews. Despite the negativity some critics show, this is one combat sport that is not going anywhere. Among one of the mixed martial arts programs the most desirable one is Brazilian Jiu Jitsu also translated to "gentle art" is showing popularity and interest in all generations. With the attention this combat sport has gained International Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Federation sponsors world-wide tournaments intended to focus on the techniques used in BJJ.

Maintaining physical fitness is a hard job and to stay in shape it is important to stay active and to engage in as much physical activity as possible and by doing so take the initiative and take part in a sport. For those of you who are striving for a bit of a challenge with more action involved Jiu Jitsu is definitely the sport to take advantage of. It is a great way to release stress and sustain a higher and positive level of energy. There are several different strategies and advantages one could gain with the knowledge of learning Brazilian Jiu Jitsu such as learning to live a stress free healthier lifestyle plus you will also gain the benefit of learning great self-defense techniques.

In addition, certain techniques such as grappling are very important in learning Jiu Jitsu. This strategies primary focus is on counter attacks and using opponents strengths against them. Ground grappling consists of many divisions of techniques such as a take downs. In this technique the grappler is manipulating his opponent while standing them and is taking him down to the ground keep in mind not slamming him down but taking him down hence the word "gentle art". Clinching is another powerful technique which takes place when two students are fighting on their feet and exchanging clinch holds. Most students find clinching the most beneficial when defending themselves from throws or take downs. Let me stress that this is a very effective way to also learn self-defense skills needed to protect yourself. A second form of Jiu Jitsu that has the same critique is referred as Sport Jiu Jitsu. This particular class allows the student to train for competition allowing the student to win by submission or by points. All these techniques are not easy to learn without the proper training with an experienced and certified Instructor.

BJJ allows you to develop great attributes such as perseverance, determination and sense of patience something almost all of us are lacking in our daily lives. Allow yourself to gain the confidence and self-discipline needed to support your fitness goals through a healthy program.

100%FREE 30 Day Trial. A 60 Day MONEY BACK GUARANTEE Bjj, Mma, Kickboxing, and Kids Martial Arts in Weatherford TX, Aledo Tx, Dfw TX. CALL NOW 817-808-2675 http://www.epicbjjacademy.com/

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Top 5 Street Fighting Tactics

Most people have no clue how to win a street fight or protect themselves from a predator or attacker.

The problem is we are constantly bombarded with bad information from movies, martial arts, MMA fights, and our own fantasies about fighting.

In all honesty street fighting is pretty straight forward. The key is understanding a few basic principles to make sure you come out on top.

Street Fighting Tactic #1: There are no rules in a street fight.

Forget what your mom, dad, or teacher told you. It's okay to poke the eyes, scratch, bite, or go for the groin. In fact if you don't do one of these things you will likely lose the fight.

There is a reason why you tell your 8 year old child no to do these things. They cause a lot of pain and can seriously injure someone. These are the exact goals of most street fights (remember the guy attacking you wants to hurt you, he's not looking for a fair fight).

Street Fighting Tactic #2: Distract Your Attacker.

Using a distraction technique before the fight has officially started is one of the best things you can do to set yourself up for victory.

Here are a few tried and true distraction techniques. Beware though, many of these will initiate the fight so don't use them unless you are sure you can't escape the situation without a violent conflict.

One of the best distractions is to simply drop some change on the ground from inside your pocket. This will seem farfetched until you use it (you will thank me afterwards). From the time we are children the sound of change jingling on the ground causes an almost reflex like reaction to look at whatever has fallen on the ground. This split second distraction is all you need to ensure that he can't block or avoid your first strike.

The next best distraction is to take that change and toss it into his face. This causes a similar split second distraction. (This is obviously one of those moves that initiates a fight)

If you are in a bar toss your drink into his face. I imagine 100 proof whiskey will burn a bit in the eyes (luckily I've never had the experience).

If you don't have change in your pocket, or a drink in your hand, or any other item you can throw at your attacker (like a lit cigarette, pair of glasses, etc) your last ditch distraction should be to look behind the person like something is coming, or something has surprised you. This causes a reflex like reaction to see what is going on (similar to the jiggling of change on the ground).

Even if he doesn't completely fall for it he will likely still be tempted to look which will distract his brain just long enough to give you an unfair advantage.

Street Fighting Tactic #3: Always hit first.

This is another instance where you have to lay aside your John Wayne tough guy fighting fantasies. Being noble and letting the other guy hit you first is the best way to lose a fight.

Unlike you see in the moves your attacker won't wait for you to wipe the blood off your chin and get your dukes back up after he lands that first punch. He is going to assault you with the nastiest barrage of strikes he can think of.

In addition to all this, fight statistics from all different sources (Police, FBI, Underground Fighting, Street Fights Caught on Tape) prove that the guy who hits first is much more likely to win.

Street Fighting Tactic #4: Only Strike High Value Targets.

This is where the nasty stuff comes in. High value targets are parts of the body which cause extreme pain, distract your attacker, or disable him.

These are things like the eyes, ears, throat, groin, knees, and nose. Don't waste your time or energy with body shots unless no other target is open. Having a target focused mindset (where to hit him) as opposed to a technique focused mindset (how do I hit him) is the most crucial street fighting tactic out there, aside from hitting first (but even then you need to know where to hit)

Street Fighting Tactic #5: Never Go To The Ground.

This isn't a UFC fight and the ground isn't padded. On the streets good things Never happen on the ground. An ex-gang enforcer I worked with a couple years back (who worked in both Chicago and Los Angeles, two of the roughest cities in the U.S.) told me that he never fought on the ground, ever. If he went down he got right back up.

His real life experience told him the same thing my years of research told me. When you go to the ground one or both of you are going to get seriously injured. The ground will cut you up, take the skin off your knees elbows and face, your head can be smashed into the concrete, and your head also becomes a great target for kicking.

If you follow these simple street fighting tactics you will be miles ahead of most average guys. In fact using these street fighting tactics will actually give you a fighting chance against a hardened criminal or street fighter.

If you want to learn more street fighting tactics and techniques check out my blog at Fightfast.com/blog.

Stay Smart and Stay Safe,
Bob Pierce
President, Fightfast.com

Bob Pierce is the President of Fightfast.com which specializes in providing its customers the practical knowledge and skills they need to keep themselves and their families safe. TRS the parent company of Fightfast.com has been a self defense industry leader since the early 1990s bringing costumers highly skilled instructors with real world self defense skills.

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The Many Health Benefits of Martial Arts Training

Though popular in its most minor forms as an after school activity for children, martial arts training is rapidly earning respect as a powerful exercise tool for nearly all age groups. Featuring various forms such as Jiu-Jitsu, Muay Thai and the blended MMA, it's is not only varied in its characteristics and applications, but it offers many health benefits to those who engage in it. It's training does not just improve and develop the physical body, it also strengthens the mind, making this form of exercise incredibly beneficial for a wide range of people. Children and adults, men and women in Keller, Texas have been reaping the rewards of the discipline and physical activity of martial arts training.

Physical Health Benefits
The most obvious benefits of training are physical in nature. The point of exercise is to improve physical health, and martial arts does it to a high degree. Because training in this manner does not feature only one type of movement or part of the body but rather the entire body in various stages and levels of training, the martial arts can effectively be used as a full body workout routine.

Weight Loss-- If you want to lose weight and maintain a slimmer body, this is a great choice for exercise routine. The highly active cardiovascular component, along with the muscle training aspects, work to burn calories and heighten your metabolism both during and after each training session.

Strength-- This training is fantastic for increasing strength as it includes a major muscle conditioning component to not only improve your body overall but prepare you for ever increasing levels of training.

Balance-- The movements of martial arts training work naturally to improve your sense of balance by teaching you to understand your center of gravity and engage your core during all types of physical activity.

Cardiovascular Benefits-- Including endurance, stamina and simply better functioning, it's a boost to your cardiovascular health which can reap rewards far into the future.

Mental Health Benefits
MMA training does not just positively impact your physical health. It also acts to increase your self confidence, self esteem and security in yourself. These benefits can drastically improve overall quality of life and makes martial arts training unique among exercise programs. While other plans may increase the positivity of your concept of yourself as you lose weight and look better, few give you the discipline, respect and determination that is offered by martial arts. Through learning discipline and respect, and climbing to meet challenges, you will understand truly how powerful you can be if only you apply yourself.

Paul Halme
Peak Performance Martial Arts
http://www.peakbjj.com/

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Three Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Mistakes I Make: Straight Ankle Lock

As I progress with my judo and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu trials and tribulations, I am becoming proficient enough to understand what I'm doing wrong. I'll take this as a sign of wisdom and experience, rather than incompetence. Hopefully, sharing my mistakes will help others avoid those mistakes, and speed them along the proper path.

A straight ankle lock is a staple of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. It is common for someone passing an opponent's guard to go straight into this submission attempt, rather than finishing the guard pass to improve position. You trap the lower part of your opponent's leg inside your armpit, with your forearm pressing in on their Achilles tendon. If the fit is snug, it does not take a lot of pressure to generate a great deal of pain.

Here's a list of three mistakes I consistently make as I'm learning the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu straight ankle lock:

1) I don't drive my opponent's leg forward

As I'm passing the open guard and trap my opponent's leg in my armpit, his ankle is behind me. If I try to trap his leg at this point, I'm dealing with a lot of muscle in their calf, so the grip will not be as tight as I slide down toward where I want to apply the pressure. It is important for me to push his leg forward when he's still in open guard, so his ankle is slightly in front of me before I finish trapping it. That way, I'm not wasting time readjusting where my forearm should go across his leg - it's already there.

2) I fall back too far

When I have the ankle trapped, my next step is to sit back. Not fall back; sit back, so that my butt is as close to my opponent as possible. The father away I am from my opponent, the more likely it is for two bad things to happen as I try to finish the hold. One, it will be harder for me to maintain control of my opponent's movement, which is vital to for any successful submission attempt. Two, I will be forced into leaning backward on their foot. I don't want the pressure to come from bending their foot back; I want it to come from my forearm coming up on their Achilles tendon.

3) I extend my legs over the top

I've successfully trapped their ankle from open top guard. And I've sat straight down, so I'm close. I can (and usually do) still put myself in a bad spot by leaving one or both of my feet where my opponent can reach them. My natural tendency may be to drape a leg over the top of the leg I'm attacking, to try to control it. But it will also give my opponent a chance to apply a leg lock of his own. In many matches, you'll see guys with dueling straight ankle locks, and it becomes a contest of who can apply the hold better, and who can withstand the most pain.

If it's a pain management contest, I'm pretty sure I'm going to lose...and I'm darn sure I don't want to play it regardless. I'd rather not give him the chance to get my ankle, and sacrifice a bit of control.

In a time when most Brazilian Jiu Jitsu school focus primarily on chokes and upper body locks, leg attacks are becoming a lost art. Knowing a few simple ones will add an important dimension to your ground game. Don't make my mistakes, and you'll see rapid improvement.

Paul Herzog and his son Christopher have been taking judo and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu instruction at Petushin Martial Arts since the new Rosemount, Minnesota facility opened in 2010. In addition to receiving some of the best grappling instruction in the Midwest, Paul has lost 30 pounds, and Chris has gained strength and self-confidence. If either of those sounds appealing, please contact the academy at 612-991-9116 or go to http://www.petushinmartialarts.com/ to arrange your first visit!

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Yin/Yang Aspects of the Shaolin Temple's 72 Consummate and Secret Arts

Introduction

Yin and Yang aspects of the 72 Consummate and Secret Arts of the Shaolin Temple i.e. its Secret Fighting Exercises or 'Kungs' produce two categories: Yin/Rou Soft Internal Energy Training and Yang/Gang Hard External Power Training, respectively, with the former considered superior overall. To facilitate comparisons and contrasts between 'Hard and 'Soft' Kung Fu and to help readers to appreciate differences between the two categories, an example from each follows.

Yin/Rou

'The Vermillion Palm Technique' exemplifies the prolonged, arduous, hidden intensities frequently found in Shaolin Internal (Yin) Kung Fu training.These are, typically, much less well-known than the training demands of its External counterparts.

Further Examples of Yin/Rou Shaolin 'Kungs' include:

Kuan Yin Palm;

Iron Cloth Bag/Sack and

Finger Pointing Arts

Yang/Gang

'Toad Exercise', conversely, representing Shaolin External (Yang) Kung Fu embodies training demands which, although prodigious, will, I am sure, be more familiar to most readers. This second Shaolin Secret Art or 'Kung' is more typical of External Yang Kung Fu.

Further Examples of Yang/Gang Shaolin Kungs include:

Windlass or Bucket Lifting Arts;

Iron Bullock Arts and

Stone Pointing Arts

Both Yin and Yang Kungs tend to have separate and distinct levels of progress and attainment which all students need to pass through to achieve their goals. The full list of 72 Shaolin Temple Secret Fighting Exercises or Kungs also embodies a Yin/Yang balance reflecting this principle's importance.

Internal and External

External (Yang) Kung Fu is extremely physical, its Internal (Yin) counterpart is termed 'spiritual', as invisible, internal forces are involved moving 'mysteriously', unseen within us. 'Faith' in Teacher/Teachings is required in the latter case. Further, harder-to-measure Internal progress takes longer to show and consequently more dedication and will-power are required to acquire the desired skills.

Cultural issues also need taking into account before Internal/External comparisons are made. Kung Fu has been known and trusted for millennia in China and the Far East, where Teachings are instantly and unquestioningly followed, according to 'the Way'. Western student-traditions differ-involving proof or explanations before things are accepted. To the uninitiated, Internal Kung Fu Qi-Training Theory is harder to understand and demonstrating Qi's existence 'scientifically' to beginners harder still (an existence automatically accepted in China). This may well be due to the West's comparatively short acquaintance with Kung Fu. More prolonged exposure to traditional authentic Chinese Martial Arts Training should cause this 'resistance' to disappear over time.

Supporting evidence relating to Hama Gong/Toad Exercise applied in action is presented. However, the deadly delayed-death touch of 'The Vermillion Palm Technique' means we have to turn to Chinese Martial folk-tales and film-histories for evidence of the circumstances and effects of its use.

The Vermillion Palm Technique

This is perhaps the most deadly of all the 72 Consummate and Secret Arts of the Shaolin Temple aka its Secret Fighting Exercises or 'Kungs'. The Vermillion Palm is also one of the most difficult to acquire, demanding much from the student in terms of will-power, persistence and determination. The Vermillion Palm falls into the category of Yin/Rou Internal Energy Training and is a specific exercise of the palm.

Technical Analysis

The technique has long been associated with dim-mak or 'delayed death touch'. Reputedly, if applied by a Master, whilst no external evidence of any strike being made would be initially apparent, bright red palm marks would appear on the victim's body within 3 days and death would be inevitable, after no more than 10-15 days at most, brought about by internal organ damage.

Also known as Red Cinnabar Palm and Plum Blossom Palm, the Vermillion Palm requires 15 years practice to acquire, plus a dedication never to abuse it. It should not be confused with Black Cinnabar Palm as medical treatment can help those injured thus-for the effects of The Vermillion Palm, there is no cure.

Stage 1 Concentration and Qi Gathering

Take a shallow open bowl or other similar container part-filled with fine sand and place this on a table before you. Rub your hands constantly with the sand until exhausted and repeat this practise daily. When you can rub your hands together 1 foot away from the bowl and cause the sand to move and swirl, Stage 1 is complete.

Stage 2

Replace the fine sand in the bowl with coarse and repeat the exercise until similar results are obtained. Next use rough iron-sand and grit in the same manner. Finally use small pieces of scrap iron until these respond similarly to your palm-rubbing. At this point the Art has been attained.

Overall

Learning the Vermillion Palm makes one stronger and healthier overall, improving the functions of the 5 major internal organs. However, the Qi directed to one's palms by the exercise causes damage to the internal organs of those they strike. This exercise is part of Shaolin 'Soft' Internal Kung Fu Training.

Kung Fu:Toad Exercise

Toad Exercise aka 'Hama Gong' uses weights as apparatus. This is the Shaolin Temple Secret Fighting Exercise or 'Kung' most compatible with Western Weight-Lifting and Weight-Training methods. Strengthening and developing all parts of the body, Hama Gong relies purely on External Physical Strength, Power Training and effort for results, with the aid of key visualisations.

Technical Analysis

The wrist, arms, shoulder, back and abdomen are the first-exercised body-parts, using an upright stance. Next come the legs and thighs, requiring a Horse Stance (Ma Bu) instead. Previously, circular stone weights and bamboo 'bars' were used, the latter's inbuilt flexibility encouraging development of the Kung. Nowadays, traditional metal bars collars and gym-weights suffice.

Method

Stage 1 Strength Development

Concentrating strength in the arms and wrist, students lift bar and weights overhead repeatedly (as above) until tired. Progress to the next stage when this can be performed easily.

Stage 2 Transporting Strength

Make fists with your hands and imagine you are gripping and lowering a heavy weight. You will feel strength flow into this area as you do and flow back up into your arms and shoulders when your grip is released. Rest, relax and then repeat this exercise.

Next, perform the exercise using the chest, abdomen and other body-parts in turn, as specified above. Regarding the legs and thighs, horse-stance (Ma Bu) practice whilst holding the weights should come first. Holding, using visualisation, imagining the weights are still being carried, before lowering this imaginary weight, should then follow.

Appropriate use of visualisation is essential to ensure transportation of strength to arms, shoulders, legs and thighs at this Stage. Each time, perform the exercise once, rest, relax and repeat it again.

Hama Gong/Toad Exercise in Application

Late, lamented, Honourable 'Longfist' Grandmaster Leong Fu, (1) Changquan 'Si Jo' (Style Founder), from Ipoh, Malaysia, famously used huge natural stones of irregular size and weight to assist development of this and related 'Kungs'. Si Jo Leong Fu was also 3 Times Undefeated World Middleweight Wrestling Champion 1959-62, before retiring (Undefeated) in 1963.

An awesome testimony of such Kungs' effectiveness, this is merely a partial picture of the strength, potency and versatility of Grandmaster Leong Fu and his teachings(2). Also a Master of the Internal Arts, Leong Fu was unmistakable in his insistence of their superiority over their External equivalents and the necessity to acquire a balanced blend of both.

Overall

Once Toad Arts/Hama Gong has been successfully achieved strength can be instantly transmitted, at will, to any of the body-parts thus trained. Masters of this Art are very difficult to attack as they can concentrate strength in any part or region, reinforcing this and preventing injury.

Conclusions

External Yang 'Hard' strength and power-building Shaolin Secret Arts tend to be easier to acquire (although the requirements to do so are still daunting indeed) and progress tends to be more obvious, more easily measured and demonstrated. Moreover, the methodology involved tends to be easier to understand and the methods used more direct. Such Kungs frequently lead to gains in physical power, strength and resilience.

Some of the Shaolin Temple Internal Secret Arts cause internal damage when applied, The Vermillion Palm being No. 1 in this List! However, as in this example, they can also lead to improvements in various aspects of internal body-functioning. In this case, improving the 5 major internal organs' quality increases health and longevity of the practitioner. Internal organ failures are major causes of sickness and death. The study and acquisition of Internal skills, always valued above their External counterparts, embraces both ability to cause and avoid such failures.

The methodology involved in acquiring Yin/Rou Kungs is more sophisticated, the methods used sometimes more indirect and learning times much more extensive. However, prolonged internal study may have 'transformational' effects on individuals who discover profound inner truths.

The 72 Consummate Secret Arts of the Shaolin Temple are still little known in the West. Internal Kung Fu, in general, similarly neglected, is rated superior overall in China, Kung Fu's birth-place and the Far East. However, it is when Yin and Yang are in balance that optimum health and Kung Fu progress may be achieved. So, in Dragon Year 2012 try to increase your Shaolin Internal Kung Fu knowledge and attainment levels, 'awaken your Inner Dragon' and help ensure balanced progress in your Martial Arts Training.

Notes

(1) Ao Tai (At'a) Changquan Grandmaster, Ever Victorious Army General and Bodyguard of Captain (later General) Charles Gordon, during the Boxer Rebellion (Tai Ping Kuo) in 19th Century China was the inspiration of Grandmaster Leong Fu.

(2) Si Jo Leong Fu, Changquan 'Longfist' Grandmaster, Three Times World Middleweight Wrestling Champion 1959-62, retiring undefeated in 1963 taught Si Gung Rex Jones (his No.1 Student World-wide). Most Esteemed Fei Lung Kwan Founder, R

Sifu Peter Allsop M.Ed. teaches Shaolin Kung Fu and Qigong in Yorkshire and Derbyshire U.K. With almost 40 years experience he is Shaolin Fists International Area Instructor for this region and Senior Student of Grandmaster Yap Leong.

Trained in the U.K. and China, Peter teaches Changquan ('Longfist') Wu Xing (5 Animals), Wu Tzu (5 Ancestors) Kung Fu and 5 Elements Qigong.
Sheffield Chinese Lion Dance Team Member, he also publishes 'Red Dragon Martial Arts Ezine'.
Explore the free resources at: http://www.sheffieldkungfu.com/

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