Honor.
In martial arts, one of the thing many students appreciate is the self-discipline that comes from trying to improve yourself. Many disciplines of martial arts work to instill this kind of self-respect in its students. But why is that so important, and why is having a personal "code" so great? After all, aren't martial arts simply all about teaching you how to defend yourself? Let's explore that topic.
1. Having a personal code means more self-discipline. Discipline doesn't mean that you always are motivated to do the right thing - it means that you have the command over yourself to do the right thing, even when you don't feel motivated to do it. Every one of us has this kind of experience, whether we try to work out in the early morning or avoid that second slice of cake. When you place your personal code above your own guilty pleasures, you develop a self-discipline that you don't have without that code.
2. Having a personal code helps determine principles for action. Having a personal code of conduct or honor means that you can cut through some of the ambiguity in life. Sometimes, for example, we don't feel comfortable helping others if no one else seems to be taking notice of those in need. In that case, helping others could put us under a social spotlight. But a person who has a strong personal code knows that helping that person is all the more effective because you're putting yourself out there. Think about the time you saw a waitress spill something and no one helped clean it up. Did you want to help, but didn't because no one else was? A personal code helps you take right action in daily life, not just in the martial arts dojo.
3. People will respect you the more you respect yourself. When you have a personal code, it means you respect yourself enough to live by certain rules. You take care of yourself and those around you. When you respect yourself, others follow your lead. For example, if you take your time management seriously, you'll be more willing to tell others when you need to leave. This makes them realize that your time is something you value, and they don't want to infringe upon that.
Having a personal code doesn't only help you build self-discipline, it helps you lead a healthy and happy life. How's that for self-defense?
Photo Credits: UNC - CFC - USFK
Originally posted 2009-10-19 03:44:40.
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Posted by Martial Arts Karate Kung Fu on May 14, 2012 in
Martial Arts
Ultimate Fighter
You've heard it said before. "If you want to learn to speak German, there's no better place to be on the Earth than Germany." Why do so many people say this? Because it's true! If you want to get fully immersed in a new skill, it's often simple smarts that tell you that you should go to the source. So why wouldn't you apply this same principle in order to fix your martial arts woes? If you really want to be great, you've got to seek greatness. It won't find you. Here are some of the best countries to visit.
Brazil. Brazilian jiu-jitsu has quickly become one of the most popular forms of martial arts on the planet, and if you're serious about mixed martial arts, then you need to be in Brazil, at least at some point in your life. The name of the country is in the fighting style! You can't miss by going to Brazil in order to shore up what UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) fans would call your "ground game." This isn't the prettiest style of fighting - at least not for an audience - but it can help you gain advantage over an opponent who has you on the ground.
Japan. There is perhaps no place more famous for martial arts than Japan, the birthplace of Karate, which more accurately was generated in Okinowa. Although Karate itself has expanded to find homes all over the world, including in Canada and the United States, Japan is its birthplace, and sometimes there's no replacing that sense of history than by traveling to where it call began. You won't find any shortage of martial arts in Japan, and if you're a serious martial artist, you'll probably find yourself traveling there at some point, whether you originally planned on it or not.
The United States. The United States is, quite simply, where martial artists come to make it. Cities like Las Vegas provide arenas for some of the world's most popular martial arts events. If you want to make it as an Ultimate Fighter, you're going to have to go to Las Vegas at some point. If you want to find the best teachers around the world, many of them are in the United States, where the demand for martial arts training is high.
Photo Credits: Kaloozer
Originally posted 2009-11-26 03:42:42.
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Posted by Martial Arts Karate Kung Fu on May 13, 2012 in
Jiujitsu, karate, Martial Arts
Flying Sidekick.
If you've decided to take up a martial art, or if you're providing for someone who has, you know that it's time to get stocked up on gear. Along with a new hobby usually comes a new way of dressing - sometimes for aesthetic purposes, and sometimes for practical purposes. When it comes to martial arts, it's important to make sure that you've got both the aesthetic (uniforms) and the necessary (helmet and pads). It's time to stock up on some essential martial arts gear.
Head Gear
First, you'll want to make sure that you're stocked up on head gear. The first thing anyone who's sparring needs to do is to make sure that they're essentially wearing a helmet to compliment the protection they already have with their skull. Your brain is your most vital organ, so make sure that you keep it shielded from potential injuries like concussions. This means wrapping your head up with some effective helmets.
Sparring helmets typically look like wrestling helmets. The Dyna Sparring Gear Set includes a helmet that protects the head, ears, and the cheeks, while allowing for a degree of comfort, as well as holes so that air isn't trapped by sudden impacts.
Remember that head gear also refers to mouth guards - mouth guards can do a lot to protect your head. Don't consider a mouth guard to be an "optional" item - they're nearly as important as helmets. Mouth guards help prevent concussions be softening the impact your head has with your jaws. When you're sparring, make sure you have the right kind of head gear - both inside your head and outside.
Other Sparring Gear
Once your head is protected, you've done a lot to keep yourself safe during a sparring session. But the other gear you'll need also pads some of your loosest joints and most frequently impacted bones. Gloves should protect both your fingers and your knuckles, providing plenty of padding - it should be relatively easy to punch a solid surface without feeling too much pain.
Sparring gear also can go over your chest and other areas of your body - the more area you have protected, the better. Sparring gear will help to make sure that you avoid injuries while practicing your martial arts, allowing you to maintain your habits and discipline.
When it comes to the everyday gear, many martial arts centers will tell you where to find uniforms and might even provide a belt for you. Remember to ask your trainer about the kind of gear you'll need, and try to err on the side of safety.
Photo Credits: kaibara87
Originally posted 2009-07-21 05:36:09.
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Posted by Martial Arts Karate Kung Fu on May 13, 2012 in
Gear, Martial Arts
Karate Primer.
A hand chop here, a punch and block there; essentially, it looks like choreographed dancing. But in reality, Karate is more than fighting well enough that you look good; it's about understanding the power already contained within yourself to become a more assertive, disciplined human being. Let's take a look at some of the goals and characteristics that make karate, karate.
First, karate is primarily a form of martial arts that focuses on striking, much like Tae Kwon Do. Striking refers to blows you rein down on an opponent through the use of the legs and the arms. Punching, kicking, and blocking are emphasized heavily in karate. If you want to know how to both throw a punch and block a punch, studying karate would be the right discipline to choose. It also introduces more elements than a martial art like boxing in that you can use your feet and legs more aggressively.
Karate also incorporates locks and throws, which gets closer to a more Brazilian jiu-jitsu style of fighting without fully embracing it. You might think of karate as learning how to fight at a medium distance: you aren't locked fully with your opponent, but you aren't shooting arrows at them, either. In karate, you can get close enough to "throw" an opponent, but this isn't always the primary way of fighting.
Karate emphasizes self-defense. By teaching you how to strike and block strikes, it gives you an ability to read a situation and adapt through a variety of self-defense techniques. In other words, you learn how to defend yourself. You learn to strike back so you can disable your opponent, as well as how to take them aground so that the fight can end.
Like many martial arts, much of karate emphasizes self-discipline and confidence that allows you to carry yourself in a more assertive way, hopefully leading to a decrease in the amount of people that want to attack you in the first place. Through training and dedication, you can give off the energy of "someone who knows Karate" and avoid fights before they happen, which hopefully leads to a greater amount of peace both in your life and throughout the world.
Photo Credits: tomer.gabel
Originally posted 2009-08-06 05:36:31.
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Posted by Martial Arts Karate Kung Fu on May 13, 2012 in
karate, Martial Arts
Is kickboxing for you?
When most people think about kickboxing, they don't necessarily view it as a martial art, but virtually any type of active, physical fighting skills that are developed do indeed count as "martial arts." So what exactly separates kickboxing from the other popular martial arts you've heard of, such as karate or kung fu? The more important question is clear: whether these differences mean that kickboxing might be the sport for you.
What is Kickboxing?
In simple terms, kickboxing is a form of martial arts that incorporates both boxing (punching with gloves on) with influences of other martial arts, which means that the use of kicking is allowed. Kickboxing has its roots in karate, even though the name suggests that it comes from boxing.
Most people think of kickboxing as being essentially "boxing with kicks," which works as a general statement, but doesn't get to the heart of kickboxing itself. Knee and elbow strikes, headbutting, and takedowns are also incorporate in kickboxing, further separating it from the sport of boxing, which is limited to basic striking and blocking. If a boxer tried to use many of the moves from kickboxing, he would likely get disqualified!
The Goals of Kickboxing
Like many martial arts, the primary goal of kickboxing is self-defense. By learning striking, kicking, blocking, and throws, you should be able to use some of your kickboxing skills in the real world should you ever need them. Kickboxing is also used as a competitive sport and has matches similar to boxing in which a knockout can come into play.
But this isn't the only goal of kickboxing. Today, gyms across the United States will provide kickboxing classes to help people stay in shape; the incorporation of almost every body part helps to create a full-body workout and can really work up a sweat. Kickboxing classes also help people build confidence because they can simultaneously work on their self-defense skills.
Is kickboxing for you?
That will depend on your individual goals and needs. Kickboxing can be useful both as a method of self-defense and way to get in shape. Like many other martial arts, you can also learn self-discipline through the pursuit of kickboxing. Does kickboxing offer you something unique, or do you feel that another martial art is more closely suited to your style? Ultimately, however, only you will be able to answer whether or not kickboxing is right for you.
Photo Credits: teanitiki
Originally posted 2009-08-04 05:28:30.
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Posted by Martial Arts Karate Kung Fu on May 12, 2012 in
Kickboxing, Martial Arts
Bruce Lee Statue
The term "martial arts" generally refer to the study of war. But for many people, the martial arts mean more than simply fighting. Martial arts, to them, mean "the art of survival." One way to learn how to survive is to learn how to defend yourself.
But many martial arts were developed back when conventional weapons and hands and fists were used to dominate other people. Today's world is drastically different. If you want to become a world-class survival artist in the modern world, you have to embrace not only martial arts, but knowing how to avoid trouble in the first place and build a secure, balanced life. Here's how you can hone your survival skills outside of the conventional martial arts.
Learn urban and rural survival skills. Sure, you may be a good martial artist, but if you're ever caught in a tough situation in an urban environment, could you survive with your wits alone? Urban survival can include different skills such as blending in with the crowd, learning how to escape a city, and using technology to your advantage. Rural survival skills are also crucial, as you never know when you might get trapped in a survival situation far from the comforts of civilization.
Learn financial survival skills. The economic crisis that the world sunk into last year is a wake-up call: today's financial world doesn't stand on stable ground, and all of the martial arts skills in the world won't help you retain your bank account should a bigger crisis hit. How protected is your financial situation? If you lose your job, will you be out of money in a hurry, or do you have emergency funds saved? Do you have all of your money in cash, or do you diversify with commodities like gold and silver?
Avoiding danger, even while traveling. It's not possible to always avoid danger, but that doesn't mean you should walk into the rough part of town simply because you have a black belt. A wise martial artist knows how to avoid danger in the first place, even if you're in places that you don't know quite as well as your home. Make sure that you generally avoid bad areas, rough situations, and, when overseas, areas where tourists are constantly targeted. Information is valuable, so ask around if you're not sure.
The modern renaissance man won't only know how to defend himself, but how to protect himself and his lifestyle. Being able to block a punch is great, but achieving more balance can help you survive other threats to your livelihood.
Photo Credits: juanma.
Originally posted 2010-01-26 03:36:15.
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Posted by Martial Arts Karate Kung Fu on May 12, 2012 in
Martial Arts, Survival Skills
Martial Arts Conditioning.
One of the great advantages to taking a martial arts class is that it boosts your discipline and gives you an excuse to stay in shape. After all, you can't spar at your highest level unless you're breathing easily and your weight isn't dragging you down. But for the more advanced sparring enthusiasts out there, you can train for your sparring matches in a way that gives you an advantage over your opponent. It's about proper
conditioning - and when it comes to martial arts, there's a specific way to do it.
First, you can't be a zealot for one type of work out when you're conditioning for martial arts. Running in on the treadmill will definitely build leg endurance, but if that's all you're doing, you'll be in for a rude awakening. Conditioning for sparring means making sure that all of your body parts and limbs have enough muscle and enough power to last throughout the match, and ultimately wear down your opponent. This means you can't train with just one exercise. You have to mix it up.
If you watched many of today's mixed martial artists train, you'll notice they incorporate a wide range of gut-wrenching exercises aimed at improving every possible muscle on their body. You don't have time to train for five hours a day, however, so let's ask a specific question: what parts of your body can use the most attention?
Start with your legs and make your way up. Training the legs can include everything from swimming and running to squats and leg presses. Moving up the body, you can exercise your core through a rigorous swimming program, and improve your pectoral muscles through bench presses. Your arms can also respond very favorably to weight and resistance training.
It isn't only about the stamina you build up, but the explosiveness. You should be able to exert yourself for furious spurts of intensity and then come back down without making yourself dizzy or light-headed. In order to train for this, you'll often have to do it so that your body becomes used to the demands you place on it. For more help, be sure to consult a fitness expert or personal trainer, and let them know what kind of goals you have. Many trainers offer free consultations, so make sure to take full use of their advice of you're short on money.
Conditioning yourself for martial arts sparring is different than training for a race or a marathon. Be sure your exercises reflect that difference.
Photo credits: thivierr
Originally posted 2009-08-13 03:07:56.
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Posted by Martial Arts Karate Kung Fu on May 11, 2012 in
Martial Arts
Karate in Action.
Many of us have heard of martial arts films. We've seen them, we've heard of fighting styles like karate, kung fu, and tae kwon do. However, if we were ever asked to differentiate between the styles, how many of us in the west would really know how? We throw out the term "karate" as if it applies to any traditional Eastern fighting style, but karate is actually a style distinct from other styles. It also includes its own sub-set styles. So what really makes karate...karate?
Striking
First, karate is primarily a striking art, though not exclusively, like Tae Kwon Do. "Striking" generally refers to quick thrusts like kicks and punches that are aimed at disabling or quickly stopping an attacker. Other martial arts styles like jujutsu are in direct contrast to karate, as they emphasize using ground techniques and wrestling strategies in order to counter an oppontent.
Karate generally functions by teaching its students to defend themselves from strikes using blocks, and then to counter-attack with strikes that will disable the opponent. Karate can include other types of strategies like locks and throws. If you see two martial artists fighting each other through punches and blocks, there is a chance that you're watching karate.
You'll that weapons in karate can be employed, but they are often related to farm tools, as the original practioners of karate were banned from using weapons, and instead training using the tools they had at their disposal.
Goals and Philosophy
Like other martial arts, karate generally has a goal of promoting self-discipline and the ability to defend yourself from an attacker. Karate's method of doing so generally relies on blocks and strikes, rather than directly using an opponent's weight against them, as you often see in jujutsu. Karate is generally a "standing up" form of combat, as opposed to "on the ground" fighting. Mixed martial arts can incorporate both of these types of fighting styles, so karate could be included in the mixed martial arts.
Should you study karate?
The only one who can really tell if karate is for you is you. If you're an aspiring martial arts student who wants to learn a style of fighting that includes standing-up kicks and punches, karate is probably for you. But there are other styles out there, including jujutsu, Tae Kwon Do, wrestling, and grappling. If you're really interest in martial arts, it's best to go with whichever discipline you'll enjoy the most, as this is the discipline you're likely to stick with over the long haul.
Photo Credits: Szift
Originally posted 2009-12-01 03:53:33.
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Posted by Martial Arts Karate Kung Fu on May 11, 2012 in
karate, Martial Arts
Karate Footwork
Whenever you're engaged in any activity that involves your own movement, it goes without saying that your footwork is absolutely vital. Good footwork keeps you quick, grounded, mobile, agile, and ready to adapt to different situations. Bad footwork will mean you're susceptible to quick attacks and won't have the leverage to hold your own when it counts. This is true in karate, when your footwork will be essential to maintaining a strong combat presence at all times during a spar.
Spend time practicing just your footwork. If you really want to build up your footwork skills, spend time practicing just your footwork. Former professional football cornerback Deion Sanders reportedly would spend time having his hands tied so that he could isolate his other body movement when covering wide receivers. Isolate your own skills in this way - spend some time just focusing on this one area of your karate skills and you will find that you are vastly improved when you bring it all back together.
Know when to plant and gain leverage. When people think about footwork, they often think about remaining shifty and light on their feet. But footwork is also about gaining leverage and using your body weight to deliver a solid strike to your opponent. Know when to plant your feet - and how to do it - when it's the time to strike. Karate often emphasizes striking, so be sure to ask your instructor if you're still unsure about how this is accomplished.
Practice footwork in 360 degrees. Karate is not two-dimensional. That's why you'll want to work on your footwork to the point where you can move forward, backward, and in all directions you can in order to maximize your mobility and adaptability. If you have strong footwork, you'll have an advantage against any opponent who hasn't studied this area of their lives and put in considerable practice. You'll also be quicker, with a more unpredictable presence in the mind of your opponent.
Learn about shuffling. Footwork is about utilizing minimal movement for maximum gains. This means that you don't want to step and jump everywhere you go - you should be ready to shuffle at the right times. Consult your karate teacher to learn more about proper shuffling techniques and, if you're not satisfied with the answers, continue researching this yourself and possibly look for an instructor who knows what you're asking about.
Photo Credits: mikebaird
Originally posted 2009-11-10 03:57:11.
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Posted by Martial Arts Karate Kung Fu on May 10, 2012 in
Footwork, karate, Martial Arts
Use these 4 tips to improve your matches!
Understanding martial arts can often feel like a study in physics - understanding leverage, force, momentum, and yes, body weight, can make the difference between someone who knows his stuff and someone who's destined to stay at white belt forever. If you're a Newtonian at heart (Force = mass times acceleration), then this article is for you. here's how to use your body weight in martial arts.
It's not about being big.
The old phrase "the bigger they are, the harder they fall" can be true in martial arts. Sports like jiujitsu are often built around the premise that your opponent's weight and momentum can quickly be turned on them. That's why it's not always about being the bigger or stronger one, but the one who can utilize leverage and martial arts principles.
Understand that winning a sparring match isn't about being big or small, it's about having the stronger presence of mind. Your beliefs and skills will be more important than your body weight; the more advanced your skills, the more you'll be able to maximize your own.
Enhance your strikes.
Putting the force of your body weight behind your strikes will add more power to your moves, catching your sparring opponent off-guard and letting them know you're not to be trifled with. An amateur will punch with his hand - a professional will punch from his shoulder. You will seem to gain strength and power out of nowhere if you can properly leverage your body weight.
Take advantage of your opponent's weight.
Taking advantage of your knowledge of body weight means you should be able to use that knowledge on your opponent. For example, you can grab their hand, but it's more powerful to grab the area that controls more weight - the wrist. The more control you have over your opponent's weight, the less power they'll be able to muster to fight back. It's important to understand how to use your own weight so that you know how to keep an opponent off balance.
Staying grounded.
When defending, it's important that you don't lose your cool and forget to keep balanced and grounded. It's much harder to attack someone who has strong footing than someone who is distracted and off their guard. Try to stay balanced as much as possible - oftentimes the person with the best balance wins the sparring match.
Photo Credits: parhessiastes
Originally posted 2009-08-19 03:09:31.
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Posted by Martial Arts Karate Kung Fu on May 9, 2012 in
Attack, Defend, Martial Arts, Sparring
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