Iain Abernethy Sensei recently released Issue 6 of the excellent Jissen magazine. Meaning “actual combat”, each issue of Jissen features a number of articles that discuss applied martial arts.

You can download the current issue and archives of Jissen Magazine directly from the Essential Karate News site, or you can visit Jissen directly

Issue 6 of Jissen features:

Contents: Martial Arts Scepticism: The Pornography of Reality-Based Self Defence – Never Give Up – Bouncer – How to Win a Bar Fight – Karate’s Holy Grail – Whiter Shade of Pale – Anatomy of Back Stance – Flow in Modern Karate – Oh S*it! Taking Chudan Uke to the next level – Stav – Karate Jutsu – Bunkai and the Horseman – The Innocent Walking Stick – Dave Turton Interview – Styles: Are They Killing Karate? – Transitional Aspects of Karate (Part 2) – Contact in Training (Part 2)

Contributors: Jamie Clubb – Lawrence Kane – Geoff Thompson – Rev. Art Chenevey – Michael Rosenbaum – Dave Turton – Andi Kidd – Chris Littlefair – Nikolaj Fænø Skarbye – Eric Parsons – Tony Brush – Kris Mansfield – Ron Briens – Ernest Tuff – Michael Rosenbaum – Iain Abernethy – Chris Denwood – John Titchen

How to download: Right click on the cover image and then select “save target as” (some times “save page as”). Then choose where you wish to save the file (normally the “desk top”) and download it.

To stay up to date with the latest news from Essential Karate, you can now follow us on Twitter. Our username is @essentialkarate.

New posts to our blog will be posted there, and I’ll happily join in on any conversations about news and discussion topics in the blog, newsletter or podcast.

Look forward to tweeting with you soon!

Hanshi Patrick McCarthy (founder of the International Ryukyu Karate Research Society and guest on Episode 001 of the The Applied Karate Show) has announced the release of Volume 15 of his Koryu Uchinadi DVD training series.

Volume 15 provides detailed instruction in McCarthy sensei’s two person drill that comprises the most representative receiving techniques (uke waza, also known as blocking techniques) found in karate.

Based on the premise that most attacks are “received” in predictable targets of the body, this extensive drill develops the ability to receive common attacks and setup for counter attacking.

Although I’ve yet to personally view the video, I did have the opportunity a couple of years ago to learn this drill from McCarthy Sensei. Knowing that this is an excellent drill, coupled with my experience of the excellent production values of the previous volumes, I have no doubt that this will be an excellent DVD. I look forward to receiving a copy soon.

I plan to review this DVD in detail in an upcoming issue of the Essential Karate Newsletter.

Mario McKenna Sensei (interviewed in Episode 12 of The Applied Karate Show) has released the first English language translation of Genwa Nakasone’s An Overview of Karatedo. Regarded as one of the most comprehensive texts on karate published during the golden age of karate, the Japanese version of this book has long been a primary research tool for many historians and authors examining the history of Okinawan / Japanese karate.

Available in hardcover, softcover and ebook formats, An Overview of Karatedo, is a valuable resource for all karateka interested in learning more about the origins of our art.

Visit Mario McKenna’s page on Lulu.com for information on ordering An Overview of Karatedo or other translations by Mario.

A lots been going on in my life, and unfortunately I’ve not had the chance to keep updating the Essential Karate Blog and News site.

I feel bad about this because I have a strong passion for karate, kobujutsu and strength and conditioning arts.

Hopefully the handful of people still subscribing to this site will be happy to see the site starting back up.

Please feel free to contact me and give me any tips about what you’d like to see in this site.

Oh, and yes, the Applied Karate Show Podcast will be restarting soon. But please give me a bit of time to get that going to. There’ll be a bit of work before its ready.

Patrick McCarthy, Hanshi (guest in Episode 1 of The Applied Karate Show) has posted a short (3 minute) video introduction to the International Ryukyu Karate Research Society, a style-agnostic society of karateka interested in researching the foundations of Okinawan karate.

I’ve been a member of the IRKRS for many years now, and can thoroughly recommend membership in the Society for all interested in learning more about the origins and foundations of the arts they study.

I am late to the party here, but issue number 2 of the fantastic Jissen magazine published by Iain Abernethy sensei (guest on Episode 9 of the Applied Karate Show podcast) is now available for download.

Issue 2 contains a variety of great reading for the martial artist interested in the pragmatic aspects of their arts, penned by a range of wonderful authors including Iain Abernethy, Lawrence Kane, Kris Wilder (guest on episode 3 of the Applied Karate Show), John Titchen, Chris Denwood, Jamie Clubb, Dan Redmond and many more.

I highly recommend Jissen magazine, and as a free download, its got to represent the best value in martial arts media.

Thanks to the Goju-ryu Karate Training Log comes this link to a video on YouTube showing what happens to the hand during a breaking techinique.

A must see video for all who practice tameshiwari techniques.

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Founder of Shorinjiryu Shindo Budo Kwai Karate, Kyoshi Michel Laurin, has completed a new action movie in which he is starring.  The below is the theatrical trailer for the movie, The Ninong.

Kaicho Watanabe of Shorinjiryu Kenyukai Watanabe Ha Karate is also making a cameo appearance in the movie.

I am not sure of any other details at this time, but will post when I hear of the release dates, etc.