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May 19, 2012

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Adult Martial Artist: How to Survive a Traditional Dojang

August 29, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Adult martial artists looking to study traditional martial arts will find Matthew Apsokardu’s Surviving a Traditional Dojo a useful primer (and it’s free).

Among the many topics it covers are how to tell the difference between a genuine martial arts school and a phony (or, as he calls it, a Faux-jo); the basics of martial arts etiquette; how to interact with your instructor; cultivation of proper mindset; preventing burnout; how to deal with the rank and hierarchy; and much more.

If you’re an adult martial artist about to set foot in a martial arts school for the first time, this is a must read.

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Free Nunchaku Lessons

Come on, admit it. You’ve always envied the way Bruce Lee whipped his nunchaku in Enter the Dragon.

You’ve always wanted to do the same.

But you never figured out on your own how to toss those sticks without smacking yourself in the face.

And your sensei doesn’t teach it.

Well, now you have a chance to reprise the nunchaku virtuosity of the Little Dragon on your own terms.

NunchakuTutorials.com will teach you everything you want to know about wielding a pair of sticks.

And, better yet, the tutorials are free!

Warning!: Just remember, nunchakus are illegal in some states. Even where they are legal, they are rightly considered to be a dangerous weapon. Never use them as a weapon unless in justifiable self-defense and then only in accordance with local, state and federal laws. When in doubt consult an attorney or your local law enforcement. And don’t forget to review the disclaimer here.

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Clash is a Vietnamese martial arts film about Trinh, a female mercenary, whose task is to put together a team of mercenaries to recover secret codes from a fallen satellite. It premiered at last year’s Tribeca Film Festival. Beautifully photographed and action-packed, Clash nonetheless appears to fated to go to the “straight-to-DVD” market. It might be just the thing to enliven your Labor Day weekend celebration.

Until next time, train hard…stay safe… live well.

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Self-Defense Training for the Streets (and more)

August 24, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Self-defense training in many martial arts schools is too often artificial and static. Black Belt’s combatives expert, Kelly McCann, offers some pointers on how to improve your self-defense training when training with a live partner.

“If I say, ‘Throw a punch at me,’ No. 1 I want him to throw it at me. No. 2, I want him to retract so I have to deal with the reality that his arm’s not going to be there,” as it would be in traditional martial arts training where the partner might launch a technique and then the counterpart practices their technique. This approach to combatives training, as McCann says, “tests me physically. How fast do I get out of the way? And can I do a follow-on movement?”

In other words, self-defense training has to simulate what happens in a real streetfight with a noncompliant attacker who is not going to cut you any slack.

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By the way, did you know that Black Belt is going digital? You can now download your favorite martial arts titles, such as Bruce Lee’s Tao of Jeet Kune Do and Kelly McCann’s Combatives for Street Survivalon to your Kindle or Nook. (An iPad version is expected shortly.) Just visit Amazon or Barnes & Noble and get your favorite title.

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Self-Defense Training and the Life of the Mind

August 19, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Self-Defense Training: Are You Tough Enough?

Self-defense training—the core of martial arts training—is as much about mental toughness as it is about physical toughness. Black Belt magazine’s Scott Bolan shows how breath control and total focus help to develop the proper mindset. Writing for Active.com, John Rarity describes how his experience at SEALFit’s Kokoro Camp helped to strengthen him mentally as well as physically.

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Scruffy is Good (and On Sale)

At least for now. Adult martial artists whose focus is self-defense training should pay a visit to Paladin Press. The company is running a huge Slightly Scruffy Book Sale. All titles are 75% off. It’s as good time as any to stock up.

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Just How Violent Are You?

Lifelong martial artist and veteran corrections officer turned author Rory Miller has a thought-provoking essay on the difference between social and asocial violence. Social violence occurs primarily within the same species. It manifests itself in the the acquisition or preservation of territory, status-seeking, and the creation and enforcement of group solidarity.

By contrast, asocial violence is predatory. “You must understand, argues Miller, when dealing with a true predator you aren’t dealing with something that is fighting you. You are dealing with something that is hunting you.”

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JAMA’s John Donohue Interviewed

IkigaiWay.com has a great interview with John Donohue, the author of the popular Connor Burke thriller series and the associate editor of the Journal of Asian Martial Arts. He talks about his martial arts education, his involvement with JAMA, and his writing past, present and future.

“JAMA is devoted to providing high-quality scholarly and technical articles on the martial arts. Its mission is to take writing about the martial arts as seriously as we do training in them. It tries to bridge theoretical, academic, and technical perspectives on the martial arts and provide readers with well-written, accurate, and engaging material.”

—John Donohue

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Could You Be A Tai Chi Master?

Ever wonder what it takes to be a Tai Chi Master? Paul Gallagher’s essay in Into Mountains, Over Streams tackles that question and, while he never comes up with a definitive answer, he offers several observations adult martial artists will find noteworthy regardless of whether they are primarily interested in self-defense training or just simply psychological and physical health.

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Martial Artist Flees Country, Bruce Lee’s 1M Fans, & the Martial Arts Trilogy

August 18, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Martial Artist Flees Country Rather Than Teach Martial Arts To Thugs

A top Iranian martial artist has fled the country and sought asylum in Sweden, according to Radio Free Europe. Ahmad Fouladizadeh refused to teach martial arts to Iranian paramilitary operatives and undercover police who would use their training to “neutralize” street protesters.

“Training gladiators,” as Fouladizadeh phrased it, to harm his own people was not something he was willing do. “I am an athlete…I cannot betray my own people,” he said.

Courage and integrity are martial virtues and Fouladizadeh has them both. Kudos.

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Bruce Lee’s One Million Facebook Fans Celebration Sale

Bruce Lee.com’s Facebook page is quickly approaching 1 million fans.
To help it reach that milestone, Bruce Lee.com is offering 20% off all items in its store.

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Tan Dun

Have you heard of Tan Dun? Many martial artists have but they just don’t know it. No, Tan Dun is not a martial arts style. No, Tan Dun is not a martial artist.

Tan Dun is the musical genius behind the soundtracks of such martial arts movie classics such as Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Hero, and The Banquet.

Now he’s synthesized the music from all three soundtracks and created a spectacular multimedia creation, The Martial Arts Trilogy. It consists of three concertos each linking the themes of each of the aforementioned films and the love stories in them. The Washington Post characterized it as voluptuous and stylish. Even The New York Times gave it a favorable review:

“Even if you couldn’t discern a plot that linked these fleeting visions of lovers and schemers, clashing armies and spectacular flying warriors, you could admire Mr. Tan’s knack for giving each film and scene its own character. His language, a mix of Hollywood grandeur and primal, percussive vitality, was consistent throughout the evening, yet each segment had its own distinct sound. His language, a mix of Hollywood grandeur and primal, percussive vitality, was consistent throughout the evening, yet each segment had its own distinct sound.”
—The New York Times

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The Extraordinary Accomplishment of Sensei Keiko Fukuda

August 15, 2011 By Leave a Comment

A Long Time Coming

Finally, after a martial arts career spanning more than 50 years, 98-year old Sensei Keiko Fukuda was promoted by USA Judo on July 28th to the rank of 10th-degree black belt in judo. She is one of four people (and the only U.S. citizen) to hold that rank, an honor shared by only three other judokas (all of whom are men).

Upon receiving notification of her promotion, she burst into tears. “All my life this has been my dream,” said Fukuda.

Sensei Fukuda is also the first woman to be promoted to 6th dan and 9th dan by the Kodokan. Located in Tokyo, Japan, the Kodokan functions as the major headquarters for the international judo community.

“Be gentle, kind, and beautiful, yet firm and strong, both mentally and physically”

—Sensei Fukuda’s personal motto

Sensei Fukuda is the only living judoka to have been a student of Jigoro Kano, the founder of judo. Her grandfather was a samurai and practitioner of Tenjin Shinyo-ryu jujitsu who taught the art of jujitsu to Kano.

Most women in Japan of Sensei’s day studied calligraphy, flower arrangement, and the tea ceremony. Few studied martial arts. However,Jigoro Kano had been teaching women in his art as early as the late 19th century and had even created a separate woman’s section within the Kodokan’s training program. He personally invited Fukuda to train at the Kodokan, an invitation that she accepted in 1935. She was only one of 24 women to train there.

The invitation changed her life.

She continues to this day to teach judo three times a week in the San Francisco Bay area. In addition, she has taught judo in Europe, Australia, Canada, and the Phillipines. She is also the author of Born for the Mat: A Kodokan Kata Textbook for Women (1973), which was later revised and re-issued as Ju-No-Kata: A Kodokan Textbook

Sensei Fukuda is the subject of a yet unreleased documentary, Be Strong, Be Gentle, Be Beautiful. Produced by Flying Carp Productions, the documentary tracks her long martial arts odyssey. Take a look at the following excerpt of a woman and a martial artist of extraordinary accomplishments:

Where is Oprah when you need her?

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The Many Paths of the Martial Arts

August 12, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Duty, Honor, Country

On August 6th, we lost 31 brave Navy SEALs and their allies. Nothing will bring them back. What is done cannot be undone, said Shakespeare’s King Lear. Not even the airstrike that justly eliminated the barbarians responsible for the attack. But we can still honor the heroism and nobility of those fallen SEALs.

To that end, on September 3rd, CrossFit gyms are planning to honor those 31 warriors who have made the ultimate sacrifice to their country by hosting a workout to raise funds for the families who shall never see their valiant  SEALs again.

Funds raised will, according to 31Heroes.com, be distributed via the Navy SEAL Foundation and similar organizations.

Yes, these are tough economic times, but if there were ever a worthy cause to support, it is for those who do their utmost to keep us safe at home so that we may enjoy the blessings of peace and liberty. Oorah!

Requiescat in pace.

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Where Bujutsu and Budo Meet

Dayton Man Aligns Buddhism and Martial Arts by Ria Megnin profiles American ninja Stephen K. Hayes in The Dayton Daily News. She highlights how Hayes synthesized the ancient traditions of ninjutsu and Buddhism with the realities of contemporary life to produce his own martial art known as To-Shin Do. His life is an impressive odyssey that inspires and serves as a paradigm for serious adult martial artists  whatever their style or philosophy may be.

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A Prescription for Success

Dr. Allen N. Wilkins, writing in the Huffington Post’s Black Voices section, explains how the martial arts have been integral to his personal and professional success:

“Now, as a practicing medical doctor, the philosophy and discipline of martial arts run like thread stitched through every part of my life. I am better at handling stress, finding release, going around fraught situations to avoid confrontation. I think martial arts help me be a better father, a better physician, and better person in my relations with others. What I learned from martial arts will always be with me — to follow the most peaceful path. For me a martial art is not just an activity, it is a way of life.”

–Allen N. Wilkins, MD

If you think these are just empty words, then take a look at his bio. Martial arts have made a difference to Dr. Wilkins and as a result Dr. Wilkins has made a significant contribution to our society.

The practice and study of the martial arts lead each of us to our destiny, a destiny whose goal ought to be what the ancient philosophers Plato and Aristotle summed up in two words: the noble and the good.

Until next time, keep the faith and, remember…

Train hard, stay safe, live well.

 

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Self-Defense Training, Tomahawk Throwing, and Personal Growth

August 4, 2011 By 3 Comments

News Briefs 8-11-2011

John Pellegrini’s Combat Hapkido Invades U.S. Military Training in Black Belt is an interview with the founder of the International Combat Hapkido Federation. The focus of the interview is about why Combat Hapkido is such a good fit for military and law-enforcement professionals:

“In combat hapkido,” says Pellegrini “we’ve stripped away a lot of the traditional trappings—such as the classical stances and positions. We’ve [kept] the core of the art because basically a joint lock is a joint lock; nobody’s going to reinvent it. We’ve stripped it down to emphasize close-quarters conflicts for modern battlefield environments, and we take into account that when [a soldier] strikes, joint-locks or takes somebody down, he’s going to have equipment on.”

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Speaking of Combat Hapkido, Eric Mayes and his colleagues are launching a Combat Hapkido program at the MBS Crossfit facility in Broomfield, Colorado on August 13th. They will offer a Combat Hapkido seminar that day. For more information, visit Adult Martial Artist’s Events Calendar.

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Let’s shake on that. Well, perhaps not.

Some jokers think that a handshake is not a sign of peace but an occasion for a show of strength. They should think again. Black Belt’s self-defense training columnist Kelly McCann shows three ways to deal with handshakes from those who just won’t let go. Straightforward and easy to learn, these techniques will release you from the most obnoxious handshakes.

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Did you ever want to add the tomahawk to your martial arts arsenal? If so, you’re in luck. Then go over to The Art of Manliness and read How to Throw a Tomahawk Like a Mountain Man. It will teach you all you need to know (and probably ensure that the neighbors keep their distance from you).

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