Make Martial Arts your Hobby.
When someone asks you what your hobbies are, what do you respond with? Some people hate to answer the question, and it's no wonder why: their best response is "Uh...playing XBox 360?" Hey, nothing against video games, but sometimes you have to get out of the house in order to realize the full benefits of a healthy, engaging hobby.
Martial arts definitely fit the mold of this type of hobby, but simply saying that you take up "martial arts" doesn't tell you enough. So let's take a look at the different aspects of martial arts, in addition to the different styles and disciplines the martial arts contain, and we'll see if martial arts is the ideal hobby for you.
Getting out of the house - for some people, having an excuse simply to break up the monotony of the Wednesday blues is a good enough reason to take a once-a-week martial arts class. Whether you're taking kickboxing, karate, or mixed martial arts lesson, getting out of the house and meeting other like-minded, active people is a great way to add some flavor to your week. For other people, taking up martial arts is not reason enough to go out of your way, which is why you'll want to find a discipline that actually appeals to you.
Getting in shape - if you're a little more intense about the kind of experience you want to have, and even want to lose weight and tone up, then more martial arts lessons should be on the menu. Involved sports like boxing can be quite the workout and will work muscles you didn't know you had. The best part? The more often you engage in your hobby and solidify your skills, the better in shape you'll be. What you get out of it is what you'll put into it, so if you want to get out of the house and get in shape, martial arts is a great way to do it.
Plus, when you have that "martial arts" body, you'll be glad to tell them all about your fun hobby when you're on a first date.
Adding discipline to your life - if nothing else, martial arts help you to have discipline in your life. It's easy to get out the XBox and load up a game of Madden NFL, but if you really want to have discipline with your hobbies, it helps to go somewhere, meet someone who will teach you the new discipline, and do these things on a regular basis. Does martial arts fit the bill?
What do you think?
Photo Credits: UNC - CFC - USFK
Originally posted 2009-11-24 03:08:03.
This post involves:
... and focuses on:
Posted by Martial Arts Karate Kung Fu on January 27, 2012 in
Martial Arts
Batman who?
I recall watching the movie Batman Begins where Bruce Wayne is having a conversation with Henri Ducard, his future Martial Arts instructor:
“You know how to fight six men. We can teach you how to engage six hundred.”
You might have seen the seminars where the Sensei fights 4 or 5 students at one time. Most of the time it’s so fake you can see the student fly in the air without the instructor touching them.
Maybe you heard on the news - one person was assaulted by a gang. So, to get back to the title of this article, “How do you defeat 100 opponents at once?” Drum roll please…….
RUN!!!
Okay, this may not be the super ninja tactic you wanted to read about, but hold your judgment off until you finish the article.
If you are facing 100 people intent on attacking you, your chances of survival is so low it’s nearly zero. Even if they engage you one at a time, eventually your stamina will give. There are just too many opponents for you to handle.
Image this for a moment, you are in a good shape and you cross train in many different areas of fitness….
So you run and they follow. Maybe after 500 meters you separate the pack and only 50 are able follow you on foot. Now it’s 1 verse 50. You just defeated 50% of your opponents.
You run to a river and swim across it. During this swim half their numbers either give up or are not strong enough to follow. Now it is 1 verse 25.
You reach the other side of the river and find yourself facing a couple of fences which are 4 meters high. Since you’ve trained in Parkour Urban Ninja Freestyle running, this is no problem for you. You hop over the fences easily. Your attackers are either too tired or not skilled enough to follow. It is now 1 verse 5.
So far you’ve drastically increased your chance of survival without even throwing a punch. Where you had a zero percent chance of survival before, your situation is starting to look pretty good.
Still, 1 verse 5 is not quite the odds you’d prefer. So you take the race to the city weaving through traffic, moving through obstacles, crawling under bridges and over walls until you look behind you and only see one person – a banged up and tired assailant giving chase.
You turn around and see the one attacker left is near exhaustion. You pass a corner to get out of sight and either disappear or wait to take him out quickly and quietly.
Congratulations, you’ve just defeated 100 opponents! Bruce Wayne who…
Photo Credits: kevindooley
Originally posted 2010-04-15 03:09:15.
This post involves:
... and focuses on:
Posted by Martial Arts Karate Kung Fu on January 26, 2012 in
Combat, Defend, Martial Arts, Survival Skills
Martial Arts
We've come to associate the phrase "martial arts" with a certain type of fighting - usually the styles that originated in the Far East. But when it comes to this unique field of study, we might not know as much as we think we know. The popularity of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) today has brought more martial arts to Western culture, but there's always room to learn more! Here are five facts about martial arts that you probably didn't know.
1. The term "martial arts" simply refers to all types of combat. Getting the word from Mars, the Roman god of war, the world "martial" generally refers to all things conflict. So the "martial arts" generally translates as "the conflict arts," or the art of combat. If someone asked you to name a martial art, you might tell them Kung Fu or Karate - but the martial arts aren't limited to the styles of the Far East. Fencing is as much a martial art as ninjitsu, for example.
2. Martial arts with codes of conduct generally are linked to the Far East. Philosophies in the Far East, including Daoism and Confucianism, have an influence on how we view traditional martial arts - as having a code of discipline or set of moral principles. This is not a requirement of a martial art, however.
3. Much of the martial arts developed through trade. Though you don't often associate trading with martial arts, many styles did develop partially due to the influence of expanding trade. For instance, many martial arts of China and India were developed in the areas near the Silk Road.
4. Today's revival of interest in martial arts is largely due to Bruce Lee. Bruce Lee, a film star and martial artist in the 1960s and 1970s, had a lot to do with the recent rise in interest in the martial arts. He is also sometimes credited with bringing about the idea of "mixed martial arts," or martial arts that borrow from different disciplines in order to create a more ideal discipline.
5. Martial arts are constantly evolving. Though some disciplines stay true to their heritage, today's modes of combat change with technology. With advanced robotics and satellite linking, navigation and manual tasks can often be lead to robots rather than people.
Photo Credits: MorroBayChuck
Originally posted 2009-12-29 03:36:16.
This post involves:
... and focuses on:
Posted by Martial Arts Karate Kung Fu on January 26, 2012 in
Martial Arts
Shaolin Kung Fu
For me, practicing Martial Arts is not only about the training, it’s about the culture and spirit of the warrior. Where better to really experience the culture and spirit of the martial art than in its birth place.
For me, there is nothing better than training in an individual form of martial arts than at its homeland.
If you want to learn Kendo, go to Japan. If you want to learn Muay Thai, why not go to Thailand. How about traveling to China for Shaolin Kung Fu?
Saying it is one thing, but doing it is quite another. After this article, you find that doing it is a lot easier than you once believed.
What kind of Martial Arts are you most interested in? This is the most important part because if you are going to travel across the world, make sure this is something that inspires you.
When you go to the home country of a Martial Arts system, you will get incredible training, but it will also be tough. You will find yourself with plenty of bumps and bruises.
Say you love kick boxing and want to learn Muay Thai from the country where Muay Thai is the national sport, Thailand. How would you go about this?
1- Go to Google and type, “Muay Thai Training in Thailand.”
You will get a list of over a hundred different schools and locations. Browse the websites and look at a few schools that peak your interest. Narrow it down to about seven schools.
2- Email all seven schools and ask these important questions:
- What is the best price you can offer if I train at your school?
- Do you have onsite living arrangements or can you provide a list of nearby hotels?
- What kind of visa will be required?
- Any other questions that you are curious about.
If you are already in the country - narrow it down to three schools that are not too far from each other. Set up a time to look at each school and train in at least one class each.
3- Reserve your spot.
If all three schools offer an onsite living option reserve your spot at all the schools and tell them you simply have to check their school out and two others before moving in.
Go to a site like hotels.com and place a book for two nights in a central location of all three schools. This way you will not be tied to one school before you make your final decision.
4- Visit the three schools and narrow it down to one.
Move in and start your training.
Enjoy your time there - soak in the culture and warrior spirit!
Photo Credits: artberri
Originally posted 2010-04-14 03:04:58.
This post involves:
... and focuses on:
Posted by Martial Arts Karate Kung Fu on January 25, 2012 in
Martial Arts
What is mental presence?
Martial arts isn't always about the kick and the punch: it's about the mental capacity you have to intimidate and defeat your opponent. Self-belief is just as important as skill; if you doubt that you could ever beat your sparring partner, there's a good chance you won't. That's why having a larger mental presence than your opponent is so vital. What exactly is a "mental presence"? That's what you're about to find out.
Mental Presence: A Definition
When you're sparring with someone, you usually have two ways of interpreting their presence. You have what you see (the physical presence), and you have what you don't see (mental presence). The mental presence of your opponent will partially be shaped by your own interpretation of him. If you're scared, their mental presence will be larger. If you're confident, it will grow smaller.
Whoever has the larger mental presence will often have the advantage in a fight. Mental presence is often boosted when the opponent is not sure about you - uncertainty can quickly turn into fear. When you are much faster than your opponent originally estimated, you gain a boost in mental presence.
How to Develop a Larger Mental Presence
The more confidence you build, the more mental presence you'll have. Of course, this is easier said than done. In order to build confidence, you'll have to practice being assertive. In sparring matches, concentrate on being assertive even if it's at the expense of your fighting skills. It will be important to isolate one skill - your fearlessness and assertiveness - in order to build it up for a while. Once you feel comfortable standing tall and being assertive, bring your skills back into the mix. You should find that you perform much better.
Surprise is the quickest way to build mental presence. If you don't appear strong but your moves have the added strength of assertiveness behind them, your opponent will be more in the dark as to your true abilities. The more uncertainty and surprise you can generate in your opponent, the more mental presence you'll have.
Remember that mental presence comes from within. It comes through the self-discipline to work on your confidence and skills. It also comes from understanding your opponent's mind and knowing how human beings typically react when surprised or caught off-guard. To have mental presence, it's important that you take action as opposed to reacting.
Photo Credits: thivierr
Originally posted 2009-08-17 03:37:16.
This post involves:
... and focuses on:
Posted by Martial Arts Karate Kung Fu on January 25, 2012 in
Martial Arts
Kung fu.
When people think of martial arts, they often think about the iconic disciplines associated with it. These include the always-famous karate and, of course, kung fu. Kung fu is actually a term that refers to Chinese martial arts - the translation comes across as something like "human achievement," which actually suggests kung fu is viewed as a sort of universal skill of sorts.
If you're a kung fu student and want to prepare your body for what's going to be coming to you, you need the right exercising habits. After all, you wouldn't do squats to prepare for a ping pong tournament, would you? Here are some very important ways to train for your kung fu pursuits.
Kung fu is about action, but remember that action requires rest. Before you go off and exercise four hours a day, every day, remember that your body needs recuperative time in order to adjust to the new demands you place on it. When you work a muscle, you place demands on that muscle and your body is forced to adjust during a rest period by adding more strength to your muscle. Kung fu will constantly remind you that action is important, but remember that conscious action and conscious relaxation - relaxation aimed at improving yourself, not relaxation as a crutch - will help your body become strong and powerful.
Keep your breathing in tune with your mind and your body. Breathing has a powerful place in kung fu, so it will be important for you to exercise in conjunction with how your mind and body feel. If you can focus all of them onto the task at hand, your discipline will improve and your exercising will be more effective. Concentrate on breathing well; ask your instructor if you want some tips.
Understand that strength is something that is maintained, not built. Sure, you build muscles, but if you want to embrace the full discipline of a kung fu student, you'll need to remember that strength is maintained by constant action, not by building something in one day and expecting it to last a lifetime. This means your exercising will need to be a regular habit, as will your striving to improve yourself.
If you stop going to the gym, your muscles weaken from less frequent use. Your life is often like this in other areas as well, so remember this powerful lesson.
Photo Credits: mK B.
Originally posted 2009-12-22 03:55:03.
This post involves:
... and focuses on:
Posted by Martial Arts Karate Kung Fu on January 24, 2012 in
karate, Martial Arts
Street Fight
This article will NOT apply those who train in Martial Arts as a sport only to be done on a soft mat. This article IS for those who train in Martial Arts for self-defense purposes.
Nowadays so many Martial Arts schools claim to teach realistic self-defense. But how can you teach realistic self-defense purely in a dojo training hall with padded mats.
When it comes to any kind of physical encounter (where you are attacked), your biggest threat is not your attacker, but your environment.
Did you know that you do not fight the same on the sand or ice as you do in a parking lot or on concrete?
You need to be comfortable and flexible with many different environments if you want “realistic self defense” training. Most attacks will not happen on a mat in a dojo environment. They will happen outside of your work, on the beach, in a night club, etc…
If you only train in a dojo on a mat, you will not know how to handle obstacles like tables, street curbs, loose gravel, trees, etc…
Imagine you are attacked while taking a nice walk on the beach. One of the best things you can do is kick or throw sand into your opponents face.
If you are attacked in a night club, put distance between you and your attacker. Roll over a table and use that as a buffer until security comes and takes him away.
If you are attacked in the street, make sure your attackers back is to the curb, not yours.
When you are attacked, you blood will flow to vital organs and your adrenaline will sky-rocket. Most people in these types of situation don’t have the time to take a minute and assess their physical surroundings and place themselves in the best spot.
You will need natural reactions, this will need to be done without thinking. The only way to build this kind of natural reaction is by training in many different kinds of environments and terrain where this becomes second nature.
Don’t limit yourself to the dojo mat when learning – switch it up a bit and introduce other environments such as the jungle, desert, beach and more.
So, next time you spar with your friend, try sparring on a different surface and really feel what its like to be swept and land on something other than a soft mat. I can guarantee you, it will not be as comfortable as sparring on the mat, but you will be on your way to learning “realistic self defense"
Photo Credits: digitalshay
Originally posted 2010-04-13 03:59:39.
This post involves:
... and focuses on:
Posted by Martial Arts Karate Kung Fu on January 24, 2012 in
Martial Arts, Sparring, Survival Skills
A little girl praticing Tae Kwon Do.
If you're a parent who's thinking about letting their child take a martial arts class, or simply a potential student who'd like more information, there's a good chance the questions you have have been asked before. With that in mind, here are some of the most frequently asked questions about the martial arts.
Question: How do I know that martial arts are right for me or my child?
- Answer: You don't really know until you try martial arts, but there are some clues that should help you along the way. If physical activity and building hand-to-hand combat skills sound attractive, there's a chance that martial arts can be a great outlet for that aggression. If you need discipline and structure in your habits, martial arts might also be what the doctor ordered. Ultimately, however, the only real way to know is to give them a shot.
Question: What type of martial art is best to learn?
- Answer: As you know, the martial arts feature a number of disciplines: Karate, Tae Kwon Do, and the increasingly popular arts like Brazilian Jujitsu or Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). There's no straight forward answer to this question, as it depends on the person asking it, but many people these days prefer the style of grappling offered by MMA. Tae Kwon Do is a worthy pursuit but isn't always right for children who want to build real long-term self-confidence.
Question: How does the belt system work?
- Answer: It varies from discipline to discipline. Some disciplines might not even have a proper "belt" system. Of course, you're aware of some of the more obvious rankings: black belts are the highest and white belts are the lowest. You might also see some frequent low colors: green and yellow, and potential high colors: brown or red. Keep in mind that some disciplines also feature "degrees" or "stripes" attached to belts - the more of these you see, the more progress the wearer has made.
Question: Will I really learn self-defense?
- Answer: One of the age-old questions about the martial arts are whether you'll really learn how to defend yourself. Some people have fantasies of taking on a half-dozen bullies with a flurry of kicks and punches. Reality, of course, is often different. If you're in the martial arts to exclusively learn how to fight, you'll have a long journey ahead of you. Part of martial arts also includes knowing when not to fight, and how to stand up for yourself without getting in any violent altercations.
Question: When do I get to break the boards?
- Answer: For many martial arts, breaking boards isn't a question of skill, but rather the mindset that you have: do you believe in yourself enough and do you have enough faith to put your fist through a piece of wood? This can be more of a psychological test than a physical one, and is often part of testing when you try to advance in rank. Tae Kwon Do, for example, will probably feature these kinds of tests.
Photo Credits: egarc2
Originally posted 2009-07-27 05:56:54.
This post involves:
... and focuses on:
Posted by Martial Arts Karate Kung Fu on January 23, 2012 in
Martial Arts
Side Splits
Teachers and students of the Martial Arts alike hear one very common question, how do I get the side splits? The answer is always the same. If you want to fight better, fight. If you want to learn how to kick better, kick. Moreover, if you want to be more flexible, stretch.
Meaning, it will take time and action. Let me break this down into two parts:
Time:
Unless you are naturally flexible, attaining the side splits WILL take time. Let me repeat myself, it will take time to attain the splits. By following the directions below, the average student will attain and keep the splits within 3 – 5 weeks. Please note, attaining the splits in two weeks is possible, but building the muscle memory where you KEEP the splits, will take slightly longer.
Action:
Set and write down your goal with a time frame for completion and an action plan. Writing down your goal of attaining the side splits will turn talking-out-loud into a focused goal. Goals are more likely to be accomplished when you have written them down.
Also give yourself a realistic time frame for completion. For example, four weeks will be a realistic period if you follow the steps below. After you write down your goal of attaining the splits within a certain time frame, you need an action plan. Our action plan requires stretching two time a day, minimum.
Step One: Dynamic Stretch
Every morning you will do dynamic stretching. Dynamic stretching is active stretch to warm up your muscles. For the splits, you will be kicking your leg up in the air. Do this controlled and be sure you can feel the muscles in your leg stretching each time you kick. You want to kick your leg forward 25 – 50 times, then backwards 25 – 50 times and to the side 25 – 50 times.
For the front kick, don’t bend your knee too much and swing your leg forward like you’re kicking a soccer ball, but the kick will continue as high as possible. Usually about chin level.
For the back kick, hold on to a chair and pretend like you are kick starting a motorcycle and continue to motion with the momentum as high as possible as you swing your leg back.
For the side kick, straighten your leg and swing it up to the side. You may want to lean up against a chair for balance.
Step Two: Dynamic Stretch + Static Stretching
In the evening do step one again to loosen your muscles. Once you finish with the dynamic stretch, you will start your static stretch. For the static stretch, face a wall and lie down on the floor. Move your buttocks up against the wall and with your legs against the wall pointing at the ceiling. Next, allow gravity to pull your legs apart and down as you go into the splits. Eventually you’ll feel the stretch. Grab a book, listen to music, or fall asleep. Try to hold this stretch for 15 to 30 minutes or until your legs fall asleep J
Follow these steps and you will have the splits in no time.
Photo Credits: hybridyawyan
Originally posted 2010-04-12 03:56:20.
This post involves:
... and focuses on:
Posted by Martial Arts Karate Kung Fu on January 23, 2012 in
Martial Arts
MMA conditioning
I still remember being 12 years old and my older brother is teaching me how to play tennis for the first time. He mentions uncaringly that we should probably stretch, but we are limited on time, so let’s just play. 15 minutes later, he pulled a muscle in his leg and couldn’t walk for a week.
When I was training in the Martial Science even before we ran in the morning, we do a head to toe stretch. It took about 10 minutes to stretch before training. When I was in the Army, we always stretched for 10 minutes before calisthenics. Before a game of basketball, football, baseball, we always stretched. Why do all these athletes stretch?
The answer – to prevent injuries from tightened muscles.
Stretching is very important to any physical activity. Let us break down one of the easiest and quickest stretching routines to use before a workout, it is called, “head to toe.”
Before we start, it’s important to use this as a guideline. Make sure that all the major muscles are stretched.
1- Start with the neck. Tilt your head forward till you feel that stretch and hold for 10 – 15 seconds. Then tilt your head back, left, and right. You can use a free hand to provide resistance against the stretch.
2- Shoulders. Roll your shoulders forward 10 – 15 times and then backwards. Then hold your arms up to the sides and make forward circles starting small then gradually larger. Repeat with backwards motion.
3- Back. Put your legs about shoulder width apart and swing your upper body from side to side slowly with control. Do this about 10 times on each side.
4- Hips / Upper Legs. Straighten your legs and reach for your toes. Hold the stretch for 15 seconds. Then place your palms above your buttocks for support and lean backwards. Lift both your hands above your head and stretch to the left for 15 seconds, then the right.
5- Legs. We now can do some dynamic stretching. Pick one leg and swing it forward like your trying to kick the sky. Then do a back kick, and swing your leg like your doing a side kick. Perform each kick 15 times per leg.
6- Knees. Put your feet together and slightly bend your knees. Place your palms on top of your knees caps and do circular rotations with your knees. 15 times to the left and 15 times to the right.
7- Ankle. Take one foot and place the balls of your foot on the ground. Rotate your ankle in a circular motion, 15 times to the left and then 15 times to the right.
Seven easy steps for a very effective stretching routine. Be sure not to limit yourself to only these steps. If you are preparing for a long run, give your legs more focus.
Photo Credits: Nhan Khuong
Originally posted 2010-04-11 03:51:35.
This post involves:
... and focuses on:
Posted by Martial Arts Karate Kung Fu on January 22, 2012 in
Martial Arts
Stumble
Reddit
Digg
Del.icio.us
