Kent Ninomiya Martial Arts

Football and Martial Arts

2009-07-11T18:06:00.001-05:00

Studying tae kwon do can improve your football skills. Just ask Tae Kwon Do master Joseph Kim and the NFL. The Buffalo Bills just hired Kim to teach tae kwon do skills to their line backers and defensive lineman. It turns out that TKD hand to hand combat skills help linemen get their opponents off balance and help line backers make effective tackles. This link between TKD and football is not a bizzare fluke. Master Kim has also worked with the Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys, and Miami Dolphins. Aspiring football players would be wise to consider tae kwon do training as an off season workout option.

No Excuses

2009-06-19T15:54:00.001-05:00

Not only do active children and adults benefit from martial arts training, the elderly and physically challenged can thrive as well. Martial arts is all about using your strengths against your opponent's weaknesses. Each martial artist will have their own style based on their strengths, and will adapt their technique depending on the weaknesses of their opponent. Martial artists include paraplegics, the blind, and 90 year old grandmothers. Allow no excuse to stop you from indulging in martial arts training. It offers increased confidence, better health, and mental harmony.

Quality not Quantity

2009-06-18T13:42:00.001-05:00

There is a wide variety of tae kwon do and other martial arts schools to choose from. A common mistake martial artists make is to latch on to a school that does not suit their needs. Big schools offer large facilities and plenty of varied partners, but can often neglect the individual lost in a sea of students. Small schools offer individualized attention in a more intimate setting, but might not have all the fancy equipment. Each martial arts student must ask themself why they are studying the martial arts. If the answer is to be part of a large social setting with other martial artists, then a larger school is a better choice. If the answer is to hone your martial arts skills, then you would benefit from the personal attention of a small school. The bottom line is that it come down to quality instruction. Good instructors train quality students. You are not getting quality instruction if you are left alone with someone without a black belt to supervise you. Only black belts are qualified to teach. If a school tells you otherwise, go somewhere else.

Martial Arts Wandering

2009-06-17T01:19:00.000-05:00

The study of martial arts should ideally be done under the tutelage of a single qualified master. However, in today's modern society people move, schools close, and students get bored.
A lifelong student of martial arts may need to transition to several different martial arts programs in their lifetime. This can be incredibly difficult if you study a somewhat obscure martial art like hapkido. There are very few hapkido schools, so finding one when you move is a challenge. This is why tae kwon do is a good martial art to study if you plan to move a lot. No martial art is more pervasive in America today. The two largest factions of tae kwon do are the World Taekwondo Federation and the International Taekwon-do Federation. Their systems are somewhat standardized. If you study WTF or ITF tae kwon do, you should be able to find another school teaching pretty much the same way in another city. Your rank will also transfer to the new school. This allows you to continue your studies unabated.

What's in a Name?

2009-06-12T18:27:00.001-05:00

I am often asked the differences between tae kwon do, taekwondo, taekwon-do, tang soo do, moo duk kwon, jhoon rhee, etc. They are all descended from Korean martial arts masters developing their own styles following World War II. These masters were influenced by Japanese karate, but decided to take their arts in their own direction. This evolution continued as tae kwon do spread to American and around the world. You might find several martial arts schools in your neighborhood teaching a variety of these styles. They are all essentially teaching the same thing. They may have different forms, techniques, and belt systems, but at the end of the day it is all about punching and kicking. This tae kwon do topic page strives to encompass ideas from all these styles and freely exchange ideas without judgement. It also strives to reach out to cousin martial arts such as karate, hapkido, and MMA. Tae kwon do sits somewhere between karate and hapkido/MMA on the martial arts evolutionary scale. Whatever you decide to study, make sure that it suits your interests. Also remember that you can study more than one style. Perhaps someday you will start your own martial art.

Karate Is Back

2009-06-11T21:53:00.001-05:00

When Lyoto Machida won the UFC Light Heavyweight championship two weeks ago, he declared that "karate is back." Machida's martial arts training started at the age of 3 with instruction from his father, a shotokan master. Machita later branched out to sumo, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, and eventually mixed martial arts. He rose to the top of the UFC using a combination of his skills, but his technique remains dominated by the karate style he learned as a child. Tae kwon do and karate are closely related martial arts. You can see elements of these styles as you watch Machida fight. He is elusive. Machida never stands directly in front of an opponent, so rarely gets hit. He moves laterally with ease and strikes unexpectedly with remarkable precision. This karate style has frustrated opponents used to pounding opponents into submission. The UFC has long been dominated by submission specialists and heavy handed ground and pounders. Karate and TKD have long been written off as impractical for mixed martial arts. Machina is rewriting the qualifications for a mixed martial arts champion.

Tae Kwon Do Evolving

2009-06-06T21:33:00.002-05:00

An 18-year-old second dan named Dakota Srigley just won the ITF tae kwon do Canadian nationals. When asked about his aspirations, Srigley stated that he plans a career in mixed martial arts.
This on top of his next project, appearing in an upcoming movie starring Pierce Brosnan and Uma Thurman. This points out an interesting trend in martial arts. Students are seeing tae kwon do as a springboard to other things. Any actor who wants to be an action star needs to know how to fight. Many actors study tae kwon do strictly for career development. Mixed martial arts is all the rage these days. Kids watch MMA fights on TV then head to the Dojang to try them out. Many move on to other martial arts when they realize that tae kwon do wont help them with their ground game. If this trend continues, it wont take long for the tae kwon do schools to adapt. We will see more hybrid programs and fewer pure tae kwon do schools. Could this be what TKD is evolving into?

The Evolution of Mixed Martial Arts

2008-09-21T10:22:00.000-05:00

It was inevitable. Mixed martial arts is evolving beyond its original design. MMA is itself a hybrid. The grand plan was to take the best from all martial arts and pit them against each other in a winner take all free for all. It was a brilliant idea that spread across the world beyond every ones expectations. What eventually happened is MMA developed its own identity. It was no longer specialists in different areas competing against each other. The modern MMA competitor must have a well rounded game. They must be good standing up, on the ground and in between. MMA fighters quickly figured out what worked and what didn't. They all developed fast hands, safe low kicks and devastating tap out maneuvers. The fighters all started looking the same. Mixed martial arts became a unique martial art in itself. Schools devoted specifically to MMA are popping up all over the world. This is a mixed blessing for the sport. The fighters are certainly better trained and more professional. The elite competitors are world class athletes. However, all out free for all slug fests are increasingly rare. MMA was founded on the promise of action. The fans still demand it. Professional MMA fighters, worried about their records, are now playing it safe. They are reluctant to throw spectacular yet risky techniques. Instead they walk around their opponent waiting for them to make a mistake. It is common to hear fans booing when cautious fighters dance around each other for three rounds or try to "kill the clock" when they are ahead. Hopefully this is small setback for the sport of MMA. Rule changes are needed to reinvigorate the sport. Penalties for stalling should be severe and fighters should be docked points if they ignore warnings. Perhaps fighters should be put down on the mat when there is a stand up stalemate. This makes sense since they are stood up when there is a stalemate on the mat. In summary, MMA needs to evolve to survive in the same way it evolved into life.
*** Kent Ninomiya ***

UFC Wannabes

2008-09-14T15:46:00.003-05:00

Mixed Martial Arts is enjoying unpresidented popularity. The undisputed king of the genre is the UFC. They deserve their success. The UFC endured lack of interest, a hostile economic environment and lawmakers who wanted to shut them down. Like a true MMA champion, they survived it all to raise their arms in victory. Even though I am a martial arts purist, I confess to enjoying the UFC. I like watching these amazing athletes demonstrate their skills. They are professionals and highly trained. Unfortunately, wherever there is success there are cheap imitators. Several inferior leagues have popped up trying to cash in on the UFC's popularity. Some of them are downright pathetic. For example, I was watching HD Net Friday Fight Night. It was far worse than amateur hour. The fighters are dismally bad. Some are downright fat. They look like they just put down their beer and pried themselves off the couch to fight. Predictably most of the fights last just a few minutes since they have no skills or conditioning. The winners then have the nerve to parade around like they've vanquished Mohammad Ali in his prime. I saw one guy with a 1-6 record win and act like he was the champion of the world. I witnessed another guy with a 6-5 record act like a punk taunting his downed opponent. The worst part about watching it on high definition is that it's crystal clear how sad the whole scene is. It made me wish I had an old blurry black and white TV.
*** Kent Ninomiya

When To Begin Martial Arts Training

2008-09-07T13:16:00.001-05:00

How young is too young to begin martial arts training? I started my studies at 5 years old. I don't remember a time when I didn't train. It was as much a part of my life as school and breathing. I wanted the same for my children so enrolled them when they were very young. It turns out, my perspective as a parent is much different than my perspective as a 5 year old. I remember being very focused and disciplined as a child. After observing my own children, I now realize that I could not have been. 5 year olds have extremely limited attention spans. They are also in the early stages of developing coordination. As a result, they tend to fall down a lot and lose focus quickly. I was forced to realize that martial arts for 5 year olds is little more than glorified play time. Actual martial arts skills and proficiency are years away. What martial arts training can provide young children is discipline and respect for authority. It gets them used to an organized athletic setting where they need to pay attention and follow the rules. As their coordination and attention span catches up, they will be ahead of other children who have not learned to focus. If this is the lesson you want your children to learn then starting them at 5 or 6 years old is fine. Just don't expect too much from them right away. Keep it fun or you may find them begging you to quit.

Definitive Martial Arts Movies

2008-09-01T20:14:00.000-05:00

I happened upon the Discovery Channel web site and found their list of the "definitive movies" of the martial arts genre. They claim these are:

Karate Kid
Drunken Master
Fists of Fury
Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon

I find these to be interesting choices. There is no debating Fists of Fury. It was Bruce Lee's first starring role and launched the entire martial arts movie genre in America. Bruce Lee is the father and Grand Master of popular martial arts culture and Fists of Fury is his defining work.

Drunken Master would also top my list. If Bruce Lee was the Grand Master of popular martial arts culture then Jackie Chan was his disciple. Chan took the genre in a new direction and to new heights. Unlike other imitators, Chan did not try to be another Bruce Lee. Instead, he made fun of himself and showed that a martial artist could also be kind, sensitive and funny. Drunken Master defined Jackie Chan as an actor who excelled in martial arts and didn't take himself seriously.

Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon was also a landmark movie for its use of cinematic effects and epic story telling. It was a very good movie that enjoyed worldwide success but I don't know that it is definitive. There are many similar films like Hero and House of Flying Daggers. Still, it did define Chow Yun Fat as a worldwide movie star. He showed that there was room for more than one martial arts movie star at a time. Chow is the classic leading man. He is tall, handsome and suave. Jackie Chan is the comic actor while Jet Li is the character actor. I don't object to
Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon being on the list, however it should represent the shift in the martial arts genre as opposed to defining it on its own.

The one movie on Discovery's list that I have a problem with is Karate Kid. Does Ralph Machio belong on a list with the greatest martial arts movie stars of all time?!? No way. The film did raise awareness among American youth but the martial arts in the movie were contrived and hardly realistic. In many ways the movie harmed martial arts by making it look like an after school special. Are martial artists really supposed to believe that Pat Morita was the master? Pat Morita? Loved him in Happy Days but he isn't legit in the martial arts world. I would ask the Discovery Channel to rethink this entry on their list. Then again, they are main stream movie watchers and not martial arts enthusiasts like us.

Satori - Kent Ninomiya

2008-08-24T16:50:00.000-05:00

by Kent Ninomiya

Satori is a beautifully simple yet infinitely elusive concept. This is especially true for the western mind that deals primarily in the physical realm. Yet I would argue that it is the western mind that is especially in need of attaining satori. Defining satori is as evasive as satori itself. Ask many experts and you will get many answers. None of these answers will tell you how to attain satori or even what to look for. There in lies the difficulty for the western mind that is used to following explicit instructions.

My personal definition of satori is enlightenment attained by a seemingly unrelated event. One of the guiding principles of Zen is that the harder you try to be enlightened the less enlightened you are. Only through purging yourself of desire can you attain all you seek. I know, it messes with your mind. A famous story about satori involves a monk who meditated for decades in isolation but never achieved enlightenment. One day he was sweeping his walkway when the sound of a pebble hitting a rock suddenly gave him satori. He then understood everything. All that meditating did nothing. The sound of the pebble broke through all barriers to his understanding. I know, it messes with your mind.

The word literally means "understanding" in Japanese. It's been said that satori is the reason Zen exists. Without satori there would be no Zen. I agree. However, you don't have to understand Zen or Buddhism or even enlightenment to appreciate this.

Here is a western way to look at it. Just imagine working diligently for many years on a task only to achieve modest success. This could be your career or sports or a relationship or anything. Suddenly one moment something unexpected happens where you suddenly realize you were looking at it all the wrong way. One moment before you knew nothing. Now you see the big picture clear as day and wonder why you never saw it before. That is satori. It is an unanticipated turning point we can all relate to. It is a gift of awareness and understanding.

*** Kent Ninomiya ***

The Correct Way to Back Roll

2008-08-17T09:14:00.002-05:00

The Correct Way to Side Fall

2008-08-10T07:18:00.002-05:00

Being able to safely fall is one of the most important things to learn in martial arts. Surprisingly many experienced martial artists do it incorrectly or never learned to do it at all. This is incredibly dangerous. In a conflict, nothing is more vital than the ability to hit the ground and bounce back up unharmed. Today I begin a series of articles on the proper way to fall. Today: Sideways Fall

The Hapkido Sideways Fall allows the martial artist to fly through the air sideways and land safely. This is handy if you are suddenly knocked down by anything from a person to a car. We will show you how to safely dissipate the forces of falling that would ordinarily injure a human body.

Prepare Your Arms
Start from a standing position. To fall sideways sweep one leg across your body and lean in the opposite direction. At the same time cross your arms in front of you with the hand on the same side as your sweeping leg closer to your face. You will use your hand to absorb most of the impact from your fall.

Turn Slightly Away from the Ground
As you are falling turn your body slightly away from the ground. When you fall you must protect the fragile parts of your body that can break. Bones like the hips will snap like twigs when impacting concrete. Turning slightly away from the ground moves your hip bone out of danger and lets the soft part of your rear end absorb much of the force. Don’t turn too much. You don’t want to expose your back or tail bone to injury. At the same time press your chin to your chest. You could suffer a fatal wound if your head bounces on the pavement. Tucking your chin keeps your head from wobbling around on impact.

Slap the Ground at a 45 Degree Angle
Your arm will save the rest of your body. I am not talking about your elbow, wrists or fingers. They will break just as easily as any other bone in your body. Landing safely requires that the force of your fall be dissipated by as wide a surface area as possible. If your entire body weight came down on your wrist it would probably shatter. However that same impact is harmless if spread out along your forearm, leg and rear end. If you followed the last tip then you are now falling sideways turning slightly away from the ground. This is protecting your hip bone. Reach out and simultaneously slap the floor with both the arm closer to the ground at a 45 degree angle from your body. Do NOT reach down and try to stop falling by holding your arm down straight. This will snap your forearm in two.

Slap the Ground with the Side of Your Leg and the Ball of Your Foot
At the same time your arm slaps the ground the side of your leg closer to the ground should also land. This should be the fleshy outside of the leg not the knee or ankle. Meanwhile the ball of your other foot should land as well. This is important for spreading out the force of the impact over as much safe body area as possible.

Brace for Impact
If you do not prepare yourself for the impact of the fall you will likely have the wind knocked out of you. This is a rather unpleasant experience. To avoid this you must tighten your abdomen and let the air out of your lungs. Martial artists will let out a yell called a “kyup.” This takes the jolt out of any impact.

Use Perfect Technique
Ultimately the Hapkido Sideways Fall is a timing move. Everything needs to happen at once. Remember, once you are falling sideways you must protect your vital regions and break your fall with your non vital regions. Let’s review. Sweep one leg across your body while crossing your arms and tucking your chin to your chest. Turn your body slightly away from the ground to protect your hip bone. Reach out and slap the ground with your arm closest to the floor at a 45 degree angle to your body. At the same time the fleshy side of your leg closest to the ground and the ball of the foot on your other leg land. Let out an abdomen tightening yell as you impact the floor. If you do it right you will bounce right back up without a scratch or bruise.

•  The Hapkido Sideways Fall requires confidence. If you are afraid to fly through the air and land on your side then you will hesitate and hurt yourself. Commitment to the move is essential. Practice slowly at first with a partner on a soft surface. Once you realize that you wont be injured if you do it correctly you can move up to harder surfaces like grass. Take it slow. Martial artists practice years to perfect this technique.
•  There is risk of injury with any martial arts technique. No move should be attempted without proper training and adequate supervision by a qualified professional. Always guard your head, neck and vital organs from injury. Take all reasonable precautions. Don't attempt any technique alone.

The Correct Way to Back Fall

2008-08-03T13:00:00.002-05:00

Being able to safely fall is one of the most important things to learn in martial arts. Surprisingly many experienced martial artists do it incorrectly or never learned to do it at all. This is incredibly dangerous. In a conflict, nothing is more vital than the ability to hit the ground and bounce back up unharmed. Today I begin a series of articles on the proper way to fall. Today: Backward Fall

The Hapkido Backward Fall allows the martial artist to land safely on his back after being knocked suddenly from his feet by a force in front of him. This can be anything from a push from another person to the momentum of walking backward and tripping over a rock. We will show you how to safely dissipate the forces of falling that would ordinarily injure a human body.

Prepare for the Hapkido Backward Fall
Cross your arms in front of you in a standing position. You will use them to absorb most of the impact of falling backward. When you first attempt the Hapkido Backward Fall you should squat down until you are nearly sitting before falling backward. As you improve your technique you can fall from higher and higher starting positions. For now squat down and start leaning back on your heals.

Protect Your Hips and Head
Kick your legs upward as you fall backward. This is important. When you fall you must protect the fragile parts of your body that can break. Bones like the hips and tail bone will snap like twigs on impact with a very hard surface. You must get your hips off the ground at the moment of impact. At the same time press your chin to your chest. Fatal injuries can occur if your head bounces off the ground. Tucking your neck protects your noggin from smacking into the pavement. This is very, very, very important to remember.

Slap the Ground at a 45 Degree Angle
Reach out and simultaneously slap the floor with both arms and hands. They should impact the ground from elbow to fingertips at the same time at a 45 degree angle to your body. Landing safely requires that the force of your fall be dissipated by as wide a surface area as possible. If your entire body weight came down on your elbow it would probably shatter. However that same impact is harmless if spread out along your forearms, hands and upper back. Do not reach down and try to stop falling by holding your arm down straight. This will snap your forearms in two.

Yell on Impact!
Let out a yell and tighten your stomach muscles as you land. If you do not prepare yourself for the impact of the fall you will likely have the wind knocked out of you. This is a rather unpleasant experience. To avoid this you must tighten your abdomen and let the air out of your lungs. Martial artists call this a “kyup.” It takes the jolt out of any impact.

Use Perfect Form
Remember, once you are falling backward you must protect your vital regions and break your fall with your non vital regions. Ultimately the Hapkido Backward Fall is a timing move. Everything needs to happen at once. Let’s review. Kick your legs in the air to get your hips off the ground and press your chin to your chest to protect your head. Then slap the floor with both arms flat at 45 degree angles to your body while letting out an abdomen tightening yell. You should impact the ground on your arms and upper back. If you do it right you will bounce right back up without a scratch or bruise.

•  The Hapkido Backward Fall requires confidence. If you are afraid to fall backwards then you will hesitate and hurt yourself. Commitment to the move is essential. Practice slowly at first with a partner on a soft surface. Once you realize that you wont be injured if you do it correctly you can move up to harder surfaces like grass. Take it slow. Martial artists practice years to perfect this technique.
•  There is risk of injury with any martial arts technique. No move should be attempted without proper training and adequate supervision by a qualified professional. Always guard your head, neck and vital organs from injury. Take all reasonable precautions. Don't attempt any technique alone.

The Correct Way to Fall Forward

2008-07-27T05:27:00.002-05:00

Being able to safely fall is one of the most important things to learn in martial arts. Surprisingly many experienced martial artists do it incorrectly or never learned to do it at all. This is incredibly dangerous. In a conflict, nothing is more vital than the ability to hit the ground and bounce back up unharmed. Today I begin a series of articles on the proper way to fall. Today: the Forward Fall.

The Hapkido Forward Fall allows the martial artist to fly through the air and land safely face down after being knocked suddenly from their feet by a force behind them. This can be anything from a push from another person to the momentum of tripping over a step. We will show you how to safely dissipate the forces of falling that would ordinarily injure a human body.

Ready Position
Start from a standing position with your arms in front of you. You will use them to absorb most of the impact of falling forward. When you first attempt the Hapkido Forward Fall you should start on your knees and slowly lean forward to fall. As you improve your technique you can rise to your feet then later jump into the air from increasing heights.

Spread Your Body Out and Up
As you are falling forward thrust your feet outward and your rear end into the air. Yes this looks funny but it is very important. When you fall you must protect the fragile parts of your body that can break. Bones like the hips will snap like twigs when impacting concrete. You must get your hips off the ground at the moment of impact. At the same time turn your head to one side. You could break your nose or teeth if your face bounces off the pavement. Turn your head!

Slap the Ground with Triangle Arms
Your arms will save the rest of your body. I am not talking about your elbow, wrists or fingers. They will break just as easily as any other bone in your body. Landing safely requires that the force of your fall be dissipated by as wide a surface area as possible. If your entire body weight came down on your wrists they would probably shatter. However that same impact is harmless if spread out along your forearms, hands and feet. If you followed the last tip then you are now falling forward with your rear end pointed in the air. This is raising your hips off the ground. Reach out and simultaneously slap the floor with both arms and hands. They should impact the ground from elbow to fingertip at the same time. Your hands should land beneath your head angled at 45 degree angles inward toward the line of your body. It will look like a triangle with your forearms and an imaginary line between your elbows. Do NOT reach down and try to stop falling by holding your arm down straight. This will snap your forearms in two.

Make a Pyramid
At the same time your forearms slap the ground the balls of both feet should also land. There should be a triangle formed by the balls of both feet and your two hands beneath your head. Your rear end should also be pointed in the air making you look like a pyramid. This stance spreads the impact of the fall along a wide area. You may look ridiculous but you wont have any broken bones.

Brace for Impact
If you do not prepare yourself for the impact of the fall you will likely have the wind knocked out of you. This is a rather unpleasant experience. To avoid this you must tighten your abdomen and let the air out of your lungs. Martial artists will let out a yell called a “kyup.” This takes the jolt out of any impact.

Time It Right
Ultimately the Hapkido Forward Fall is a timing move. Everything needs to happen at once. Remember, once you are falling forward you must protect your vital regions and break your fall with your non vital regions. Let’s review. Shoot your rear end into the air to get your hips off the ground and turn your head to the side to protect your pretty face. Then slap the floor with both arms flat at 45 degree angles inward from the line of your body while the balls of both feet land on the pavement. Let out an abdomen tightening yell as you land. You should impact the ground looking like a pyramid. Your hands and the balls of the feet should be three points of a triangle and your rear end should be the apex of the pyramid. If you do it right you will bounce right back up without a scratch or bruise.

•  The Hapkido Forward Fall requires confidence. If you are afraid to fly through the air and land with your face inches from the ground then you will hesitate and hurt yourself. Commitment to the move is essential. Practice slowly at first with a partner on a soft surface. Once you realize that you wont be injured if you do it correctly you can move up to harder surfaces like grass. Take it slow. Martial artists practice years to perfect this technique.
•  There is risk of injury with any martial arts technique. No move should be attempted without proper training and adequate supervision by a qualified professional. Always guard your head, neck and vital organs from injury. Take all reasonable precautions. Don't attempt any technique alone.

The Correct Way to Front Roll

2008-07-20T00:09:00.000-05:00

Proper Roundhouse Kick Technique

2008-07-13T16:07:00.000-05:00

The roundhouse kick is an essential technique in any martial arts training that involves kicking. It is halfway between a front kick and a side kick yet completely unique at the same time. The nature of the roundhouse kick allows it to be thrown deceptively so it can sneak between defenses while delivering power from the hip and circular momentum.

Assume a fighting stance. Stand with feet shoulder width apart and one foot a step ahead of the other. Your weight should be evenly distributed between your legs. Keep your hands in front of you with fists clenched. Face your target.

Shift your weight to your front leg while your pivot the foot so that your toes point outward. You should be standing on the ball of your foot. The foot should be parallel to your target. This may feel uncomfortable but you will only be in this position for a fraction of a second.

Bring your body around to follow your pivoted foot. Lead with your hip. Your kicking leg should trail behind. This is important to generate the force of the roundhouse kick. Push your hip forward as you whip your body around in an arc toward your target. Keep your hands up and near your body.

Follow your hip with your trailing leg. As you swing your leg around it should be wound up for the kick by bending your leg. At the last moment kick your foot outward so that the potential energy stored up in your hip, knee, foot and circular momentum are released at once. Your leg should now be fully extended and impacting your target with your body comfortably at a 90 degree angle to your target. Your foot should have followed a sweeping arc from the ground up and around to the target. Strike your target with the instep of your foot or the ball of your foot.

Recover from the roundhouse kick. Do this by either pulling your leg back to the starting position or stepping forward on the kicking leg. If you are perfectly balanced on your plant leg then you can withdraw your foot. If you kicked for power and leaned into the roundhouse kick then you can advance by stepping forward.
Tips & Warnings

* Roundhouse kicks can be done for speed or power. When done for speed they are intended to loosen up an opponent by attacking the sides and the legs. When done for power they are intended to do damage to ribs or the head. Roundhouse kicks can be delivered from a standing position, while walking forward or jumping. It is one of the most versatile kicks in martial arts.

Correct Sidekick Technique

2008-07-06T13:27:00.000-05:00

The power side kick is one of the most explosive kicks in martial arts. It is also known as a step side kick or sliding side kick. The martial artist gains power by sliding sideways, winding up their leg and hip, then unleashing it in a single powerful blow. It can be used to finish off an opponent or break down a door. The power side kick is an essential technique for every martial artist to know.

Stand in a side stance with feet about one and a half shoulder width apart. Distribute your weight evenly between your feet. Your body should be sideways so that a line drawn through your two feet would point at your target. Hold your hands up in clenched fists. Turn your head to look at your target. Maintain eye contact with the target throughout the power side kick.

Step toward your target with your rear leg while keeping your forward leg where it is. Place your rear foot behind your forward leg. You should now be standing with your legs crossed standing flat on your front foot and on the ball of the rear foot. You will only be in this position for a fraction of a second. The purpose of the step is to propel you toward your target with significant momentum.

Wind up for the power side kick by raising the knee of your front leg. Bring it as high up and away from your target as you can. The more you turn your hip the more power you will have in your power side kick. Transfer your weight to your back leg. Your body should still be moving forward from the momentum produced by your initial step.

Unleash your power side kick as you approach your target. Time your kick by estimating your momentum, the speed of your kick and the length of your leg. They must all be released at the same moment into your target. When you kick push your leg out sideways with your hip as if you are stomping your target. Strike the target with the heel of your foot.

Follow through with the power side kick. Be sure to transfer all your energy by kicking through your target. Do not pull your leg back too soon. Since this is a power kick you want to cause maximum damage. You therefore must be extremely accurate with your power side kick. Maintain eye contact with your target through the entire kick and aim at it with the heel of your kicking foot.
Tips & Warnings

* Since the power side kick is dependent on momentum, many martial artists like to skip into it. Instead of taking deliberate steps try shuffling your feet like you are running sideways. Just be sure to step behind your kicking foot.

Wrist Stretching

2008-06-27T01:12:00.000-05:00

Wrist stretches are very important in Hapkido. The martial art uses many wrist locks and throws. Flexible wrists are necessary to perform these techniques and to avoid injury. There are four basic types of Hapkido wrist stretches. They should all be performed prior to any Hapkido work out.

Bend your wrist straight down for stretch number one. Hold your right hand like you are going to give a salute except place it in front of your chest. Place your left hand on top of the saluting hand and wrap your thumb and middle finger around your right wrist. Bring your elbows down and toward each other while you bend your right wrist straight down. Push on the wrist with your left hand. Feel the stretch in the top of your right wrist and forearm. Press for at least ten reps before switching hands.

Twist your wrist for stretch number two. Place your right hand in front of your face. Twist it clockwise until your pinkie finger is pointed toward your face. Reach around the thumb side of the right hand with your left hand. Place your left middle finger in the right hand's palm and your left thumb between the knuckles of your right ring finger and middle finger. The rest of your left hand should be around the meaty part of your right palm below your thumb. Now pull your right hand straight down and twist your wrist around by pressing with your left thumb. Stop when you get to your belly button. Press for at least ten reps before switching hands.

Create an "L" with your wrist for stretch number three. Point your right arm straight out in front of you. Twist your hand counter clockwise until your pinkie finger points straight up and your thumb points down. Place your left hand on top of your right hand with your left thumb in the middle of your right palm and your other fingers of your left hand across the back of your right hand. Now pull your right hand toward you until your right hand is at a right angle to your right forearm. This is the "L." Now turn your right wrist up and toward your nose. See if you can touch your nose with the pinkie of your right hand. Press for at least ten reps before switching hands.

Bend your wrist back for stretch number four. Point your right arm out in front of you. Turn your palm up. Grab the fingers of your right hand with your left hand. Pull the fingers of your right hand down and toward your body. You should feel the stretch in the inside of your forearm. Pull for at least ten reps before switching hands.

Perform all Hapkido wrist stretches slowly and gradually. If you are too rough you may hurt yourself. Shake your wrists out between sets and exercises. You want to keep them loose so you wont cramp up.

dojos - Kent Ninomiya

2008-06-15T20:09:00.000-05:00

Kent Ninomiya. A little commentary about the sad state of martial arts schools in America. It is a tragedy that anyone can open a school and claim to be a "master." There are literally no qualifications to open one nor a universal governing body overseeing martial arts schools. As a result some complete idiots teach martial arts breeding generations of other idiots who pass on their bad examples. Even well meaning school owners must face the grim economic reality of running a business in America. In order to pay the bills they must maintain a steady stream of paying students. Martial arts are hard to learn and take years of consistent training to perfect. Few Americans have the fortitude or commitment to follow through with that training. Instead they try it, decide it's hard, then quit. You can't run a business that way. As a result schools use gimmicks to squeeze revenue out of their students. The rainbow of belts has exploded from 3 to 5 to 7 to a dozen or more colors sometimes with stripes. Each promotion is accompanied by a charge. All students ever do is go through promotion ceremonies. It makes the students feel good to promote but how much are they learning about the martial art they're supposed to be studying? Whatever happened to adhering to the traditions of our ancestors? I have lived in many areas of the country and investigated schools everywhere I've been. There are a few good schools out there but many more bad ones. I wish I had an answer to the dilemma of how to keep a good school economically viable, but I don't. Some of the most successful schools have horrible commercial values while some of the best schools go bankrupt. The moral here is if you find a good school, do your best to keep it running.

Kent Ninomiya

Kent Ninomiya - Chow Yun Fat

2008-06-01T01:14:00.000-05:00

Kent Ninomiya

I wrap up my look at surprising martial arts stars with Chow Yun Fat. Of the three, Chow is the most like an old fashioned movie star. He is typically tall, dark and handsome and carries himself with class and confidence. While Jackie Chan is the self depreicating comic and Jet Li is the underdog actor fighting the establishment... Chow Yun Fat acts the classic leading man. His catalog of work contains period pieces and cop dramas. He is always in charge and in control. America wants to push Asian actors into supporting roles. Chow Yun Fat shows that he can carry a movie with flair.

Kent Ninomiya

Kent Ninomiya Jackie Chan

2008-05-29T23:27:00.000-05:00

Kent Ninomiya

In the same way that I am impressed by Jet Li's acting, I marvel at Jackie Chan's originality. When Jackie was just starting out, industry executives tried to cast him as the next Bruce Lee. If Jackie continued on this path he would have been just another forgotten imitator like Bruce Li, Bruce Le, etc. Instead Jackie poked fun at himself. He's really funny guy and he lets his audience in on the joke. While he's a tough guy, he's a lovable down to earth tough guy. He's like a teddy bear who kicks ass. How can you not adore Jackie when he's standing up for truth and justice? Watching a Jackie Chan movie is a roller coaster of laughs and chills and oo's and ah's. It's entertainment at its finest and truly original. Jackie Chan invented his own genre of the martial arts comedy. Instead of becoming the next Bruce Lee he far exceeded Bruce Lee.

Kent Ninomiya

Kent Ninomiya Jet Li

2008-05-20T14:07:00.000-05:00

Kent Ninomiya

I have become a big fan of Jet Li since watching some of his more obscure movies. By obscure I mean obscure to the American audience. Li is a huge star in Asia where he makes blockbuster films. In America he is known for his niche movies focusing on his incredible martial arts abilities. However in Asia he is widely acclaimed as an actor as well. Li makes political films, historical films, crime films, period pieces. He has a wide portfolio of work. In all his movies he conveys convincing characters you care about in addition to spectacular fight scenes. As I watch Jet Li I find myself enjoying the story as much as the fighting.

Kent Ninomiya

Xie Miao - Kent Ninomiya

2008-05-07T21:32:00.000-05:00

Kent Ninomiya. Who is this kid Xie Miao? He stars as Jet Li's son in two movies. The New Legend of Shaolin (1994) and The Enforcer (1999). In both films he is a round, dumpy kid with impressive martial arts skills. The boy is also a fine actor. Xie is all grown up now and he lost all his baby fat. I regret that I am only now becoming a fan of his. When I went to look for information on him I found almost none. Can anybody tell me what he's doing these days and if he made any more films? Thanks. Kent Ninomiya