Grappling.

"Striking" is one strategy in mixed martial arts, but it is not a distinct martial art because it more resembles a category of fighting - many martial arts like boxing make a use of striking. It is similar for grappling. Grappling can be used in martial arts like Brazilian jiu-jitsu, but this doesn't make grappling its own martial art. To call grappling a martial art is a little bit like calling "punching" a fighting style.

Grappling can be great exercise when you focus on grappling exclusively with an opponent who also enjoys martial arts. Like wrestling, it requires you to use a lot of your body as you try to gain a physical edge over your opponent. Striking can be a good exercise, too, but it usually requires you to spar in pads, and even to get hit, so it is better to use striking for training rather than a regular exercise.

In grappling, you might use individual techniques like throws, chokeholds, submissions, and joint locks in order to make your opponent lose a martial arts match. Depending on the kind of martial art you're using, this style of fighting may or may not be allowed.

Does grappling sound like something you might be good at? If so, you may find it fun to try mixed martial arts, or individual disciplines like Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. But grappling in and of itself would probably not be considered a martial art by the people you talk to.

Photo Credits: parhessiastes

Originally posted 2009-10-16 03:41:25.

Boxing is one.

• Boxing. "Kickboxing" more closely resembles our concept of martial arts, but Western-style boxing is a form of "striking" (kicking and/or punching) that can be counted as a martial art. With boxing, the emphasis is obviously placed on punching - so much so that each boxer's fist is heavily padded in order to make the impacts safer. Boxing limits your range of attacks - you can try to tackle or use your legs, for instance - but it also helps improve your striking skills by isolating your fists. In boxing, either you can throw a punch and defend yourself, or you can't.
• Wrestling. Wrestling is another form of martial art that isn't typically viewed as a martial art because it isn't rooted in Eastern culture. Wrestling has its roots in both ancient Greek and Roman athletics: two of the chief styles of wrestling are Greco-Roman and freestyle.
  • Today, wrestling is an olympic sport, and an extremely popular sport among high schools and colleges throughout America. It is also an incredibly exerting, physical sport that requires a lot of physical stamina, flexibility, and strength. Wrestling isn't an ideal hobby for older people, but can be a great workout for younger people who want a new hobby.
• Fencing. When we think of fencing, we often think of 18th Century nobility going at it with thin swords and thinner mustaches. Fencing is also an Olympic sport that has its roots in Western culture - it was around as early as the Renaissance.
  • In fencing, less emphasis is placed on the limbs and more on swords, which are essentially physical extensions of the body that can be used in a variety of ways. Fencing comes with its own set of rules and strategies.

Remember that martial arts don't only have to refer to karate chops. If you're interested in taking "martial arts" lessons, remember that it may include one of the studies mentioned above.

Photo Credits: Dave Hogg

Originally posted 2009-07-24 05:52:17.

Mixed Martial Arts

MMA was created around 648 B.C. during the high point of the Greek empire.  While it was then known as Pankration, this sport was played in the first Olympic Games.  There have been other similar versions of this martial art; however, many of them were never officially introduced.  Later, MMA resurfaced during the late 1800s and early 1900s when it was finally recognized as an official standardized sport in 1993, marking the opening of the UFC, otherwise known as the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

The Ultimate Fighting Championships that the media televises today are increasing popularity at an incredible rate, beating out other huge sports such as boxing.  In terms of tickets sales and ratings, more and more people are starting to tune out of other contact sports and tune into MMA fights.

The major contrast between the MMA that we all recognize and the style before the beginning of the UFC was that the MMA was founded to take fighters from various styles and compare them in battle.  Doing this allowed studiers to analyze and determine the strengths and weaknesses of all the various martial arts techniques.  In these unofficial leagues, there were not as many rules whereas now there are rules--weight class, winning guidelines, illegal fouls, and fighting arena--established for the purpose of keeping everyone safe and preventing injuries that many feel to be inhumane.

1.  Weight Class

With Mixed Martial Arts fights, the opponent is determined based on their weight class.  The five MMA weight class include lightweight, welterweight, middleweight, light heavyweight, and heavyweight.  These classes are calculated based on the fighters' weight in kilograms; a simple extra pound in weight gain can bump them up to the next level.  There are a few other weight classes, but they are not a UFC standard.

2.  Winning Guidelines

The goal of Mixed Martial Arts is straightforward; you must either knock your opponent unconscious or hurt him enough to where he will give in and tap the floor thereby declaring a submission to the other opponent.  However, if neither fighter backs down or gets knocked out by the end of a round or match, the winner is determined by the judges.  The only way a fighter will lose a match is if he gains a foul called by the referee.

3.  Illegal Fouls

A foul consists of any form of illegal contact committed by a fighter onto their opponent.  If the referee sees the contact was deliberate, he has the power to disqualify the fighter from the match and if it was not intentional, the referee can declare the match to still be in play.

4.  Fighting Arena

Another huge difference between MMA and other sports is that the MMA arena is in the shape of an octagon, resembling a structured cage, and the fighters are restricted from using padded gloves.

Photo Credits: mkm photography

Originally posted 2010-03-23 03:22:47.

1-2-3-4-5.

#1: Self-discipline.

There is no achievement without discipline, primarily because without discipline, you won't have the fortitude to continue to work towards a goal. You can't effect a lot of change in your physical or mental fitness if you don't have the discipline to maintain a habit - even when that habit is not necessarily pleasant to maintain. Self-discipline is considered one of the great reasons to take up a martial art - but you also have to find it within yourself.

#2: Self-confidence.

If you tell yourself "I can't beat this opponent," then the opponent has already won. When you lack self-confidence, you don't need to do any fighting, because you've already laid out your plan for yourself. You know you're going to lose, and you do. Self-confidence does not necessarily mean that you'll always have total belief in yourself. But it does mean that you should trust yourself to perform well.

#3: Belief.

Do you believe that what you've learned is going to work when you spar? Do you believe that you are one of the best fighters in the room? Do you believe that you're a great martial artist? If not, then you're probably none of these things. Belief can create a self-fulfilling prophecy: if you believe that you are going to win more than your opponent believes it, you stand a good chance at winning.

#4: Vision.

If you can't see yourself fighting with strong discipline and courage, then how do you ever expect to achieve that level of confidence? You have to create a vision of yourself as successful before you become successful. You can do this through training and hard work, but you can also put time aside in order to practice visualizing yourself as successful.

#5: Persistence.

Nothing is achieved without persistence. Without it, you aren't able to make any lasting changes in yourself or your environment. If you give up at the most difficult times, you lose opportunities to grow as a person.

Photo Credits: Arjana

Originally posted 2009-08-05 05:32:43.

What type of Martial Arts are you looking to do?

Striking: Punching, Kicking, and Blows

The "striking" category includes many of the popular martial arts many people in Western culture are aware of. If you've ever seen a martial arts movie on television, and the fights were a series of punches, blocks, and kicks, you probably saw a martial art that emphasizes striking. Heck, even Rocky Balboa was a master of a "striking" martial art!

In striking, the emphasis is placed on quickness and power - can you knock out your opponent with quick blows that take him off-guard? If so, you might be able to neutralize any size or weight advantage the opponent has. Learning how to strike also includes learning to believe in yourself and having the power to break wood using only your fist.

Martial arts that emphasize striking: Boxing, Kickboxing, Karate, Tae Kwon Do, Muay Thai

Grappling: Locking and Throwing

In the Mixed Martial Arts world, grappling is what you often hear referred to as "ground game." In grappling, your power and technique is directly pitted against your opponent's as you wrestle out the match on the ground. Being an effective grappler means being able to defend yourself at a tremendous disadvantage, as well as capitalize on a "takedown" - when you bring your opponent to the ground.

Martial arts that emphasize grappling: Wrestling, Judo, Jujutsu, Brazilian Jujutsu, Sambo

Weapons: Extending Your Body's Radius

Striking and grappling have one thing in common: they both force you to rely on the weapons you always have available in your body, such as your arms and legs. When it comes to weapons, you are essentially extending the amount of damage and the potential area you can strike in with a foreign object. In other words, you're using something outside of your body to take down an opponent.

Martial arts that emphasize weapons: Fencing, Kendo

Photo Credits: Frank Peters

Originally posted 2009-08-20 03:29:06.

Confidence or Cockiness?

In Bruce Lee's "Jeet Kune Do," he strove to create a type of martial art that would incorporate the others, not striving to be flashy at all, but instead simply be the most effective as possible against an opponent. In Lee's own philosophy, he told people that they should strive to be like water, in that water is flexible, ever-flowing, but can also be focused to make a formidable force.

Understanding confidence from this perspective is important. The urge to dominate other people is not what defines martial arts - if that were the case, then you've come to the wrong place. Instead, true confidence comes from discovering the power within yourself to create a true system of self-defense that simply works.

What is that system? True self-defense would mean never fighting; living a life of peace. And many martial arts stress that the warrior is meant to be at peace, and that war is what happens when people fail to achieve it.

Can you tell the difference between confidence and cockiness in this context? A confident martial artist will have no need to show off their fighting skills; a cocky martial artist, who is not confident but instead feels the need to prove something, is actually less effective because of his or her arrogance.

Embrace the functional ideas of Jeet Kune Do; strive for what works, not what impresses other people. If you're in martial arts to become cocky, you're in the wrong discipline. If, however, you want to learn martial arts in order to gain confidence, then you're on the right path. Find a martial art that aligns with your values of true self-confidence, not something that feeds your ego's need to dominate other people. You'll learn that self-confidence was the true path all along.

Photo Credits: Igor Bespamyatnov

Originally posted 2009-12-15 03:51:26.

Martial Arts

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.

Shaolin Kung Fu

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.

A little girl praticing Tae Kwon Do.

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.

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.