Many people come in contact with martial arts first as children, and it can be hard for them to shake the feeling that martial arts is just for kids. Nothing could be further from the truth, however, and as an adult, there are plenty of benefits that you can gain from [...]]]>
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Many people come in contact with martial arts first as children, and it can be hard for them to shake the feeling that martial arts is just for kids. Nothing could be further from the truth, however, and as an adult, there are plenty of benefits that you can gain from stepping on the mat and taking a shot at something like kung fu, aikido or karate. Plenty of adults take advantage of martial arts classes in their area and you will find that these classes have plenty to offer you.

First and foremost, martial arts will help you develop physically. Rather than being a workout that only focuses on one aspect of your health and physical well being, martial arts takes a more full body wellness approach. You will receive instruction that helps you gain flexibility as well as muscle tone, something that can be very important if you work at an office or spend most of the day in front of a computer! Martial arts is a great way for you to get in shape and stay there.

Martial arts also has an impressive ability to help you maintain your body. Have you been plagued with a yo-yoing weight your whole life? When you work in martial arts, you will be able to maintain your physique. The constant regular workouts will provide you with a routine that you can use to stabilize your weight, something that is very important in terms of staying healthy as you age.

If you are missing a spiritual element in your life, you can find many schools of martial arts that will help you find it. Martial arts is about a wellness of the mind as well as of the body and you will find that there is a great deal that you can discover by working towards both at once. Many martial arts schools emphasize how equally important the body is to the mind and vice versa.

Finally, keep in mind that martial arts can make you a great more confident in the face of the world around you. A good martial arts class will push your physical limits and more often than not, you will find that you are a capable of a great deal more than you thought you were. With the confidence comes a degree of discipline you may not have had before. Martial arts can be demanding in terms of commitment, and the discipline you learn on the mats is something that will be carried through to the rest of your life.

The key is to finding a school that suits you. Unless you are planning to learn along with your child, skip the schools that have children as students; the atmosphere is totally different and whether you are interested in getting in touch with your spirituality or getting a real workout, having children around can change that. Go to a few studios in the area around you and check them out. The atmosphere you get from a school that focuses primarily on going to competitions is very different from the one that works on balance, centering and looking within.

Whether you’re looking for more self-confidence or more control, more flexibility or more strength, there is a good chance that you can find it in a martial arts school!

For more information on this article or others go to Articles on Martial Arts

Robert Jones runs three successful martial arts schools located in Bellevue, Lynnwood, and Federal Way Washington. He has been helping families make positive changes in their lives through martial arts for over 20 years. He has also written A Guide on How to Pick a Martial Arts School.

He can be reached at the Academy of Kempo Martial Arts. 800-508-6141. His schools can be found on the web at Bellevue Martial Arts and Kung Fu.

If you want to learn how to really punch, and if you can find a copy of the following book in either its original hardback version, or the reprinted paperback version, I strongly recommend that you purchase it and read it. However, be advised that it has been out-of-print for sometime and [...]]]>
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If you want to learn how to really punch, and if you can find a copy of the following book in either its original hardback version, or the reprinted paperback version, I strongly recommend that you purchase it and read it. However, be advised that it has been out-of-print for sometime and can be quite expensive if you are lucky enough to find one to purchase in the first place. Just exactly what book am I referring to, well it is the book called “Championship Fighting” by Jack Dempsey and it was originally published back in 1950. The edition I have is the 1983 paperback edition published by Centerline Press.

Jack Dempsey, as you may or may not know, was the heavyweight boxing champion of the world in the early 1900’s. Being rather small for a heavyweight, Dempsey more than made up for it with the devastating power he had in his punches. Over numerous years both during his boxing career and after, Dempsey kept meticulous track of just exactly how to develop punching power not only through his own training and experience, but also through numerous others. What he discovered is contained within the pages of this book.

Now if you keep in mind that this book was originally written over 50 years ago, you will be even more amazed at how profound and relevant the information contained within is to our current day and age and with a little adjustment, is even relevant to perhaps any and all martial arts and combative systems in one form or another. That is perhaps the one single thing that stood out and impressed me the most about this book and its author, and that is the fact that the information provided was and is way ahead of its time and soundly based in fact and principle.

Dempsey starts out his book by giving you some background into his punching prowess and his reasoning behind writing this book and supplying you the reader with such a treasure of punching information. Dempsey teaches you all of the various components that you will need to learn and practice in order to improve your punching power and give you the ability to knock out your opponents. These various components include; the different types of punches, the correct stance, how to drop your body weight, proper body movement, etc.

Being a practicing martial artist for over 25 years, I saw a lot of relevant information in this book that could be applied to the martial arts with just a little bit of modification for the technique being used. Even though Dempsey is talking about punching, a lot of the principles he teaches can also be applied to kicking, throwing, grappling, etc.

Here is a list of the chapters that are included in this book.

1. Explosives at Toledo

2. Good and Bad Toledo Aftermaths

3. Punchers Are Made; Not Born

4. Why I Wrote This Book

5. Differences Between Fist-Fighting and Boxing

6. You’re the Kayo Kid

7. What is a punch?

8. The Falling Step

9. The Power Line

10. Relaying and Exploding

11. Stance

12. Footwork

13. Range

14. Straight Punching from the Whirl

15. Purity in Punching

16. Hooking

17. Uppercuts

18. Punch Ranks First

19. Your Sparmate

20. General Defense and Blocking

21. Deflection

22. Evasion

23. Feinting and Drawing

24. Training

25. How to Watch a Fight

No matter what your own level of expertise or experience is, you will benefit from the information contained within this book. Do yourself a favor and locate a copy of this book and purchase it, and then read it from cover to cover numerous times and practice the information contained within after reading it and you will see a noticeable increase in your punching power. Don’t take my word for it though, buy the book and see for yourself. You won’t be disappointed!

Shawn Kovacich is a high ranking black belt in both Karate and Tae Kwon Do. Shawn is also a two time world record holder for endurance high kicking as certified by the Guinness Book of World Records. Shawn is the author of Wheel Kick, volume two in the highly acclaimed Achieving Kicking Excellence™ series.

Sparring is often used in martial arts training. Specified rules are followed during sparring to decrease the likelihood of injury and still allow the student to improve his or her agility, balance and performance.

Two types of protective gear used in martial arts sparring are foot gear and gloves. Both are made of [...]]]>
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Sparring is often used in martial arts training. Specified rules are followed during sparring to decrease the likelihood of injury and still allow the student to improve his or her agility, balance and performance.

Two types of protective gear used in martial arts sparring are foot gear and gloves. Both are made of vinyl-dipped foam. Good quality foot gear provides good traction and air flow. Sparring gloves give the student full hand and wrist protection with minimal restriction.

Steady focus is essential to martial arts sparring. All martial arts are based on an interaction between the mind and body. Focus requires practice and mental skills development. Both external distractions, such as room temperature and movement, and internal distractions, including the student’s physical state and self talk, must be blocked. Relaxing breathing exercises are a useful tool for focus improvement. Becoming aware of and ignoring negative self talk also enhances focus during sparring.

Kick pads are made of padded high density foam. Kick pads cover either the abdominal area or the arms and are held by the trainer or sparring opponent. Hand clasps and straps are on the underside of the kick pad for easy handling. The abdominal kick pads are used for practicing foot jabs, front and side kicks, knee strikes and punches. Arm kick pads are used in sparring for front and side kicks. The assistant is well-protected by the kick pad, and the student can concentrate on increasing accuracy and power.

Kick bags can either be held by the trainer or sparring partner or hung against a wall. Kick bags are made of durable fabric, usually canvas, with a leather kick area, and may have removable stuffing so that the student can adjust the density according to his or her skill. Kick bags are used to improve the power of side and front kicks.

Protective head gear for martial arts sparring is made of thick quality foam for maximum shock absorption. It should protect the entire head and have additional padding over the ears. Ventilation holes in the head gear allow for good air flow and adjustable straps ensure a comfortable fit.

Another piece of martial arts sparring equipment is the protective chest guard. These are normally made of high density foam covered with soft vinyl. A protective chest guard needs to cover the entire collarbone and shoulder areas. Chest guards reduce the risk of injury during sparring, but full protection cannot be guaranteed.

Clear face shields attach to protective head gear. A face shield should not reduce peripheral vision and should also be impact tested. Face shields are more comfortable if they include adjustable straps and have air flow openings.

thacker
Taekwondo Uniforms
Sparring Gear

There are many different weapons that may be used for self-defense. However, in most cases, they tend to be bulky (canes, sais and katanas), risky to the user (pepper sprays) and even illegal in some areas (stun guns or tasers). A kubotan, on the other hand, is an incredibly useful self-defense weapon. [...]]]>
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There are many different weapons that may be used for self-defense. However, in most cases, they tend to be bulky (canes, sais and katanas), risky to the user (pepper sprays) and even illegal in some areas (stun guns or tasers). A kubotan, on the other hand, is an incredibly useful self-defense weapon. It’s handy, easy to carry and, if you know how to wield it, very efficient. Here are tips on how to use a kubotan safely and effectively:

Know what it is.

A kubotan is also called a yawara or yawara-bo. It’s actually a short stick, made of a strong material such as wood, metal, PVC (a very sturdy plastic, same material used for pipes) or even bone.

At only 5.5 inches long, the kubotan can fit in the palm of the hand, slipped into a pocket, tucked inside a handbag or even used as a keychain. It may not seem like a lot but if you know how to use it, it can be so much more than a decorative stick. Therein lies its function – it will help protect you, prevent bodily harm on your person and stop your attacker if you know how to use it.

Grip it firmly.

A kubotan is designed to fit the hand, with an inch or an inch and a half of material protruding from both ends. The key is to be familiar with your grip – not too light that the kubotan would fly off your hand during an attack and not too tight that you’d hurt yourself. Grip it in the most comfortable way for you so you are more comfortable using it.

You could choose a kubotan with a flat end, a rounded one or a sharp one, depending on your needs.

Know where to hit.

The kubotan is designed to hit certain points of the body. These are the points that will hurt most, allowing you to stop your assailant. These are:

- the eyes and the area between the eyes

- nose

- throat and either side of the neck

- chest area, particularly the diaphragm, the upper area near the center of the ribcage

- underneath the armpit

- pectoral muscles

- lower back at the bladder

- groin

Types of thrusts

A thrust can be downward, upward or sideways. Just make sure that the tip of the kubotan makes the maximum impact. Learn to direct your strength from the arms to the hands so you could use the weapon more efficiently.

Practice.

Don’t wait until you’ll really need to use a kubotan to wield it. Practice for 30 minutes with it several times a week. This will help make you more confident in using it and build your strength. Try to focus on the main targets (use a dummy or a punching bag). The better you are at hitting your target, the more you can protect yourself.

Steve Thibeault is the owner of TBO-TECH, a company that understands your self protection needs and offers products that are practical and effective. Other than a wide range of pepper sprays, stun guns and batons, the company also provides martial arts weapons, personal alarms, hidden safes, spy gear and sporting products like slingshots and blowguns. For more information on self defense items, visit TBO-TECH.

What is the best way to memorize? We could all use better recall so here are some basic tips on how you might improve that part of your brain.

After doing some research on what is the best way to memorize, I found some common elements among what experts recommended. Much of what [...]]]>
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What is the best way to memorize? We could all use better recall so here are some basic tips on how you might improve that part of your brain.

After doing some research on what is the best way to memorize, I found some common elements among what experts recommended. Much of what is given is common sense and is something you probably do without thinking, but other ideas may be new to you. Either way many of these tips can make your ability to recall better.

The first tip on how to memorize is repetition. This is one that is used by most people and one that experts on memory continue to recommend as the cornerstone of your recall. It is most often the case that if we repeat something, be it a phone number or a song, the more likely we are to remember it. Repetition helps the brain to form a stronger connection related to that piece of information. It also helps setup that piece of information for storage into long term memory from short term.

Another tip on how to memorize information is to keep in mind that people can only hold an average of 5 to 9 pieces of information in their short term memory at a time. Since most of what we process into memory has to start here it is helpful to concentrate on only a few pieces of data. For example, if you have to memorize a list of 15 items, start with the first 5. Repeat those items until you have them memorized and can repeat them without looking. Then do another group. Repeat both groups until you have them committed to memory. Keep going until the list is in your mind then repeat the list.

Experts also suggest a slightly different take on this tip on how to memorize information and that is break up the data into clusters. Each cluster then becomes one “piece” of data. Using a telephone number as an example, you could try to memorize all 10 digits individually or you can break up the number into larger numbers…so 553-667-8483 becomes 55, 36, 67, 84 and 83. It is sometimes more helpful to remember a smaller grouping of larger numbers than a larger set of single numbers. This goes with data other than numbers, try organizing the information into clusters that make sense and reduce the total number of individual data pieces you are trying to memorize.

But does this work for something more complex? What is the best way to memorize something like a speech for instance? Well, obviously repetition is still helpful. The more you practice your speech the more likely you will be able to give it without having to constantly read your notes. However, another technique that might help is to take the clustering idea and group parts of your speech or at least key ideas in each section and then attempt to associate them with something familiar.

The trick to this is making sure you associate with something that is easy for you to remember. It doesn’t help if the association is also something that you have trouble recalling as well. Then as you go through your speech you think about each association and the idea that goes with it as you work through the topic.

While not specifically a tip for what is the best way to memorize, it is important to deal with secondary factors that may impact your ability to memorize. It is critical that when you are trying to memorize that you do so in an environment that is free from distraction, that you are getting good rest and that you eat well. These factors all impact the way our brains work and the quality of how it works. If you are really gung ho about your memory and mental function then you can also look into herbal supplements like Ginkgo and Ginseng that help improve mental function, concentration and memory. While not a huge mystery is it good to revisit these ideas on improving memory retention. Many of us tend to forget that there are ways to increase our mental ability with simple techniques and less frustration.

J. Wall has an avid interest in natural remedies for the treatment of memory loss. He is a regular contributor to the How To Memorize section of http://www.memory-enhancement-guide.com, a site dedicated to improving mental ability and cognitive function.

Only the person who seeks to train in martial arts can tell you why he has chosen to do so. For many people, they turn to martial arts to learn self-defense. Some choose to get into martial arts for the physical challenge and conditioning of the art, or some may be seeking [...]]]>
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Only the person who seeks to train in martial arts can tell you why he has chosen to do so. For many people, they turn to martial arts to learn self-defense. Some choose to get into martial arts for the physical challenge and conditioning of the art, or some may be seeking the spiritual side that comes with all martial arts. No matter what the reason is, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu has it all.

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu has grown in popularity over the years since 1993 when Royce Gracie won the Ultimate Fighting Championship in Colorado. Since then an avalanche of BJJ academies have emerge from the over flow of people wanting to learn this unique martial art in the US and around the world.

The first picture that was etched into my mind about Brazilian Jiu Jitsu was when I saw a magazine of Rickson Gracie on a mountain sitting on top of a rock with his eyes closed meditating. For some reason, that picture was burned into my memory and lead me to train in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.

Ask anyone who has ever trained in BJJ and they will tell you that it is fun, exhausting, and challenging. As in most martial arts, there is a belt system in place, with the black belt, or the red and black belt in BJJ , being the goal and a great achievement!

Within each belt level you learn something new about yourself. For beginners, no matter how strong you think you are, the smallest guy in the class is going to hurt your ego. BJJ was designed for the smaller guy to use leverage and chokes to submit heavier opponents. This bruise to your ego will tend to have you rethink your position that the strongest guy always win.

As you progress up the belt ranks, which can take many years, and can take up to ten years to get a black belt, you begin to seek other ways you can improve in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. One of the first things people do to improve is to work on their physical conditioning. Many people don’t realize how out of shape they are until they find themselves exhausted on the mat, so they begin working out and building their stamina. Another option is to watch instructional videos and books. There are books that display different techniques from different body control positions and can be very useful when watching videos is not an option.

For a few people, they’re merely interested in learning as many Brazilian Jiu Jitsu techniques and submissions as they can. Although, knowing a lot of submissions is one thing, it takes proper technique and years of training to get really proficient.

No matter what reason you have chosen to train in BJJ, you will discover a lot about yourself. I know I have. At one time I could not stand not being able to breathe, however, I learned to slow down and breathe and relax. Just like life. We should slow down more and breathe and relax. I have also learned to lose (tap) and start over again. Learning more about yourself on the mat, that is why we bow down and pay our respects before entering the arena where we dare to learn more about ourselves and discover our potential.

Benicio Cruz is a blue belt in Brazilian jiu jitsu and also trains in MMA. For all your Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Gear, visit Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Hub.

When your child or children begins studying martial arts, it is important to make sure that they have the right martial arts shoes. Protective gear for the feet is essential for proper safety, and most types are made of lightweight material that is designed to provide flexibility and traction.

Most sparring moves involve [...]]]>
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When your child or children begins studying martial arts, it is important to make sure that they have the right martial arts shoes. Protective gear for the feet is essential for proper safety, and most types are made of lightweight material that is designed to provide flexibility and traction.

Most sparring moves involve striking with the top of the foot, which is why sparring boots are made with foam like material to provide cushion for the feet and ankle joints, which the most commonly injured bones during martial arts exercise. Most of these shoes also extend over the top of the foot to provide ultimate protection. Children’s feet are constantly growing, so it may be tempting to purchase lesser quality gear. This is one area where you should splurge, for the very reason. Growing feet need support, particularly developing tendons and bones.

Shoes that are too small can cause corns, calluses, and blisters, and can result in impact related injury, since they essentially restrict the movement of the feet. Combine this with the high impact nature of martial arts sparring moves, and it is easy to see why shoes that are too small are a major cause of sparring related injury. Conversely, shoes that are too big can result in blisters and injuries related to slipping and falling during a practice or match. This is not the time to purchase shoes for your children to grow into.

You can find martial arts shoes for children in a wide variety of colors and styles, the most common being black, dark blue, red, white, and pink. Depending on the skill level of your child and the preferences of the instructor, the choice of shoes may be more or less limited. If cost is a factor, you may want to consider purchasing a high quality used pair. Make sure to let your child or children try on the shoes before you purchase them, even if you are sure of their size, since sizing standards vary widely by manufacturer.

The most important thing to remember is that the right pair of shoes, like the other martial arts accessories are designed to protect your little one while they perfect their martial arts skills. Look for shoes that are well constructed, flexible, durable, and that fit your child well and your child will be ready to begin learning martial arts sparring moves, the safe way.

The author has been practicing karate for nearly 15 years, and he prefers to shop online for martial arts shoes

Those of us old enough will remember trying to find a martial art club was almost impossible. Many clubs trained in backstreet gyms and halls, were often just a small group of friends. If you knew someone training already, it was easy to get in, if you didn’t, well, it was virtually [...]]]>
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Those of us old enough will remember trying to find a martial art club was almost impossible. Many clubs trained in backstreet gyms and halls, were often just a small group of friends. If you knew someone training already, it was easy to get in, if you didn’t, well, it was virtually impossible. Fast forward to the early 70’s. It was at this time that the ‘Bruce Lee Phenomenon’ hit the West. Enter The Dragon, a major Hollywood backed film, hit the silver screens. It was explosive, here was a guy who could do almost magical things, at blistering speeds, and so, as a direct result of that film, so was born the modern age of martial arts in the West.

Clubs began to spring up everywhere, people flocked to be trained so they could be like Bruce Lee! The reality of that was somewhat harsher! Soon, may realised that to reach even a fraction of Lee’s ability required years of painstaking practise!

The first martial art to really explode as a result of Lee’s film was Karate. With schools already well established in the UK, they capitalised on the phenomenon by coming out of the back streets and into the school and church halls etc. Adverts sprang up, and all of a sudden, you could find a club to train at! Karate is perhaps one of the most well known of all the martial arts, with a rich history and tradition spanning centuries. And so Karate clubs began to boom, along with other martial art styles, which began to gain interest from a Western culture suddenly smitten with the lure of Eastern mysticism and legends.

Inevitably, this boom faded, people left because it was too hard, that to get anywhere was a lifelong commitment, not something achieved in a matter of weeks or months, but years of hard graft. And so, clubs lost members, but not to the extreme levels that they disappeared back into the dingy training halls of earlier years. Many thrived with a steady increase in students, losing others along the way, but retaining sufficient to keep going.

Then, as with the Bruce Lee films, along came another Hollywood Blockbuster that was to push martial arts back into the public domain…Karate Kid. The film was simple, a young lad being picked on by a group of Karate school bullies, boy comes across a Japanese janitor, who just happens to be a master in Karate….Mr Myagi. It was a wonderfully simplistic film, where, I am sure we all remember, the young lad, ‘Daniel san’ was taught the rudimentaries of Karate through washing a car! ‘Wax on, wax off’…..marvelously clever analogy, from which he learnt everything he needed to do Karate! Of course, it is not that easy in reality, but here we had a film, which spawned 2 sequels, that suddenly showed that training was not only hard work, but could be fun as well!

And, what this film did that no other film before it had done, it attracted Children to the martial arts! It was truly a catalyst in the meteoric rise of martial arts clubs across the world, with parents rushing to sign up their kids to learn about this wonderful way of looking after yourself, of learning respect and discipline, and making their children better people for when they finally enter the world as Adults. Karate was the main benefactor of this boom, obviously I guess given the film’s title, but the knock on effects were felt right across the various martial art styles. Popularity rose through more films, with stars such as Jackie Chan, who, with his unique blend of undoubted skills and comedy, made Chinese martial arts seem fun to learn. And so there we have it, a very brief history of the rise in popularity…But! Here we are in 2008, and despite all the publicity, do you know which martial art is which? I hope the following will give you some guidance:

Karate – Probably one the most recognised. There are several styles, which I will not elaborate too much on here, suffice to say that each does have it’s differences, but each also has many of the same characteristics, namely a focus on traditional etiquette, discipline and hard work. Karate (meaning Empty Hand) is a very traditional martial art, where you will certainly learn respect for others. The main styles are Shotokan, Wado Ryu, Goju Ryu, and Shitu Ryu, though there are a great many more. Karate has also become one of the most ‘bastardised’ styles. There are a great many schools and organisations whose Chief Instructors have studied many of the styles, and have combined this knowledge to develop their own systems. These Organisations have developed their own curriculums and grading syllabus. Essentially they are still Karate, and, with the right club or organisation, you will learn a great deal about yourself.

Taekwondo (or Tae Kwon Do) – This is a Korean martial art, thousands of years old, but only really becoming popular in the past 20 or 30 years. The modern concept of Taekwondo was developed by General Choi in Korea during the 1950’s. Today, there are two styles, ITF (International Taekwondo Federation) and WTF (World Taekwondo Federation). Both teach the same basic ideals. Taekwondo (meaning the way of hand and foot) is, predominantly, a martial art based around kicking techniques. Very spectacular and effective techniques, but those learning Taekwondo will also learn valuable hand techniques, and self defense. ITF Taekwondo is much closer to the original concept of General Choi. The WTF style has developed more into a Sport, and is, in fact, a recognised Olympic Sport. ITF sparring is semi contact, whereas, if you fancy your chances, the WTF style concentrates on full contact.

Judo – Judo means ‘The Gentle Way’. It is a very modern art, and, in fact, is not really a martial art, but a sport. Judo is, however, a very effective self defense art, teaching you how to put locks and holds on an opponent, and how to throw. There are no kicks or punches in Judo. A well established Olympic sport, it offers an alternative to more traditional ‘combat’ style martial arts.

Kung Fu – A Chinese martial art. There are hundreds of styles available, the most popular today being Wing Chun. Bruce Lee was a famous exponent of Kung Fu, but he also studied many of it’s various styles and developed his own Jeet Kune DO (JKD), a method of fighting that used real life street situations to develop an effective method of attack and defense.

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu – This is the fastest growing martial art style in the world today. Japanese Judo and Ju Jitsu masters exported their martial arts to Brazil around the 1940’s and 50’s, where it quickly gained popularity. A Brazilian family, the Gracies, took this knowledge and developed it into one of the most effective ground fighting systems known today. Although similar to Judo and Ju Jitsu, the Brazilian art concentrates much more on getting your opponent into a submission by locks, holds and chokes. It is, to many, a much more realistic method for the street, where rules do not exist.

MMA - Not really a martial art as such. MMA means ‘Mixed Martial Arts’. It’s origins are again Brazil, where it is known as Vale Tudo. Today, MMA, or perhaps you would know it better as ‘cage fighting’ is a huge sport, dominated by the UFC, Pride and Cage Rage. It has, for many, become an alternative to boxing. MMA is a ‘no holds barred’ sport, whereby opponents can punch, kick, elbow, knee and wrestle each other into submission, or, get a knockout. Very explosive, and certainly not for the faint hearted! Those in MMA will have also trained in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, as well as Karate, Taekwondo or other martial art style, hence the term Mixed Martial Arts.

Kickboxing – Probably the second largest participant club sport in the world. Developed by the Americans as an alternative to Boxing, Kickboxing is, as the name suggests, a Boxing sport, but you are also allowed to kick. Training is hard but rewarding. As well as traditional boxing techniques (jabs, hooks, crosses, ducking and weaving etc), you will also learn a variety of kicks, most of which derive from Taekwondo in style. In fact, many Taekwondo clubs will also run their own Kickboxing clubs, as the two styles compliment each other extremely well.

Choi Kwang Do – Another Korean art, this concentrates mostly on the practical side of ‘what works in reality’. Kicks, generally, are not above the waist, and you will learn a variety of hand techniques, all designed to work ‘on the street’.

Tai Chi – Another Chinese art. Often thought of as an ‘old people’s’ martial art. Whilst it certainly lends itself well to the older generation, in my personal opinion, it should not be overlooked. It teaches meditation and relaxation, but also it teaches you to focus your inner energy, or Chi, very effectively.

In some ways, it is sad that, as a result of the modern age, there are also some excellent, but increasingly forgotten martial arts worth investigating. Aikido and Hapkido (Japanese and Korean respectively) have become victims of the increase in popularity of the more explosive martial arts. These are predominantly self defense systems, but incredibly effective. If you aren’t sure, watch some of Steve Segal’s early films. Segal is a world recognised master of Aikido, it is one of the single most effective martial arts for self defense, but, sadly, it receives little publicity nowadays. It’s principles are the teaching of using your opponents own momentum for your own gain, it also teaches pressure points and restraints. Even if you study one of the more popular styles, Aikido or Hapkido are definitely worth considering as a second martial art.

Today, choosing which martial art you want to do is actually much easier than you think. A great many clubs will offer you a first lesson free, so take advantage of that fact, and go and try as many as you can. In this way, you can find out which one suits you best.

I will give a couple of words of caution!!

1. Do not be tempted to sign up to a membership or any payment plan on your first lesson, or even in the first 3 or 4 lessons. Make sure it is right for you first!

2. Avoid buying any uniform for the same period. Otherwise, if you decide it’s not for you, you will have wasted your money.

3. Go along and watch a few classes first, before actually trying. Most clubs will let you watch. You will get a different perspective on the class teachings this way.

4. Talk to other members, or even the Instructors. Nobody will mind you asking questions. Believe it or not, the vast majority of clubs are not interested in just taking your money only to see you leave. They want you longterm, because they genuinely want to teach you and see you develop.

There are, unfortunately, plenty of organisations out there who will happily take your money. The ‘McDojo’ as they are derogatorily referred to by our American friends are out there, waiting for the unsuspecting student or parent. These will try the hard sell, some even go cold canvassing onto the streets! Don’t be easily tempted by promises of a Black Belt in a few weeks or months, it simply doesn’t happen that way.

So, how long will it take to get a Black Belt? Well, on average, you should allow a minimum of 3 years, and that is based upon a lot of hard work, and regular weekly training, at least twice a week! And remember also, a Black Belt does not mean you are an expert! On the contrary, getting your Black Belt is merely akin to completing your apprenticeship of learning…Once you get your Black Belt, the real learning starts, it is your doorway to a wealth of knowledge and experience that awaits you on the other side.

Too many people look at trying to grade every 3 months, which is fine. But, it is not how quick you get your Black Belt that counts, it is EARNING your Black Belt that will make it most satisfying.

Learning to defend yourself, and others, is only one aspect of Martial Arts, but Martial Arts is not about learning violence. It is, and remains, one of the most effective methods of fitness in the World. It will teach you confidence, respect, both for yourself and others, you will learn discipline and above all, you will learn how to become a respected and well rounded individual.

And when you do decide which martial art to practise, don’t be afraid to check out just where you can get your equipment. Often your Instructors can supply you the equipment you need, but if you feel their prices are too high, check out the Internet of a Martial Arts Magazine for guidance. Instructors do, on the whole sell to you at the same price, but unfortunately some like to try and make a fair nit more if they can. Fortunately, the boom in Martial Arts has also seen a boom in the choice of Martial Arts Supplies available. So, whatever you do decide to practise, you will also be spoilt for choice as to where you can go to kit yourself out!

So go on, give it a try, and you will never look back!

Steve Turner Black Eagle Martial Arts Equipment