The art and sport of Kickboxing began in 1970 with the exhibition bout featuring Joe Lewis. Lewis was a Black Belt in traditional Karate and a student of Bruce Lee. He grew frustrated with point-fighting. Lewis felt point-fighting didn’t reflect a real fight, so he proposed a full contact bout using a karate and western boxing blend where a fighter could get knocked out.[1]
‟Lewis faced Kenpo stylist Greg ‛Om’ Baines… Lewis won the fight by knockout in the second round.[2]” At this exhibition full-contact bout, the announcers coined the term Kickboxing. Joe Lewis went on to defend his title ten times. The rules for fighting were still embryonically lacking weight classes, and most fights continued until only one boxer remained standing.
The sport continued to refine with the formation of two sanctioning bodies, the Professional Karate Association (PKA) and of the World Kickboxing Association (WKA). These two bodies developed a ranking system and sanctioned bouts worldwide. Several other organizations have come and gone since the mid-70s. The fighters also improved their art by including western boxing techniques and better physical stamina training.[3]
Kickboxing blending with Muay Thai during the 80s, eventually branching into the Mixed Martial Arts sport fighting. There are still Kickboxing bouts, but the field of options has expanded into various forms and governing associations. The most popular one is the UFC.
Legendary Kickboxing Fighters
A few of the early fighters became legends in the sport. Here is a brief list of the most popular and my favorite.
Joe Lewis
Joe Lewis was a Marine and former high school wrestler who studied Shorin-Ryu Karate in Okinawa between 1954-1955. Lewis earned his Black Belt in seven months. After his return to the United States, he entered many point sparring tournaments taking first place in many bouts. Through his continued training with various instructors and his experience in the ring, Lewis developed an influential full-contact fighting art.[5] His art continues through his website Joe Lewis Fighting System. If you are interested in learning his system, join their online training and access to regional seminars.
Bill ‛Superfoot’ Wallace
Bill Wallace is an Airman who studied Shorin-Ryu in 1967. Wallace began to enter point-fighting tournaments and achieved some success. He switched to full-contact fighting with the PKA and dominated the middleweight division. Wallace acquired his moniker Superfoot because of his swift left foot, notably the round-house kick and hook-kick.[6] After retiring from Kickboxing, Wallace began teaching seminars across the country. These seminars were very popular, leading Wallace to produce instructional videos with Panther Productions. I was fortunate enough to attend one of Bill Wallace’s seminar. If you want to learn more about Wallace’s fighting system, visit his website, and join the classes.
Jeff Smith
Jeff Smith is a Tae Kwon Do artist (taught by Jhun Rhee) who is a seven-time PKA World Champion. He is now a 10th-degree Grand Master and teaches at his Tae Kwon Do school in Virginia.[7] During his fighting career, Smith defeated many of the famous fighters in the era. His most memorable bout was the lead-in match for the worldwide broadcast of the 1975 ‛Thrilla in Manila’ featuring Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier.[8] Learn more about Smith at his website.
John Natividad
John Natividad is a champion fighter who fought on the Chuck Norris team. Natividad earned the moniker Giant Killer by defeating the top 5 National ranked competitors. His most famous bout was with Benny Urquidez, which Natividad won in overtime 13-12.[9] Natividad is now a 10th-degree Black Belt in Chuck Norris’ United Fighting Arts Federation. Learn more about Natividad and his school.
Grandmasters Natividad, Olivier, Wilson, and Gabriel
The early 1970s brought about an interest in full-contact Karate in the form of Kickboxing. This testing of martial arts skills in a real fight has led to many innovative changes and a flood of modified styles. With the influence of Bruce Lee and Kajukenbo, martial arts began to move towards realistic versus traditional evaluation of their effectiveness. And this progression percolated in the 1990s with the advent of thoroughly mixed martial arts, full-contact fights.
Muay
Thai is a full-contact sport similar to boxing, except these fighters
can use fist, feet, shins, elbows, knees, and lots of clinching. It
is a swift sport featuring powerful blows, in-close elbows, and lots
of fantastic athleticism.[1] Muay Thai is the national close-combat
martial art of Thailand developed hundreds of years ago. Thailand’s
history includes stories of great Muay Thai fighters and their heroic
battles.[2] Just as Japan is known for Karate and China for Kung Fu,
so is Thailand known for Muay Thai.
A
Brief History of Muay Thai
“The
ascension of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) to the throne in 1868
ushered in a golden age not only for muay but for the whole country
of Thailand. Muay progressed greatly during the reign of Rama V as a
direct result of the king’s personal interest in the sport.[1]”
Muay Thai continued to gain popularity during the early 1900s with
the infusion of Westerners and their interest in the sport.
The
1990s saw Muay Thai gain worldwide popularity, and the governing
federation of fights grew to international proportions. Muay Thai is
now a mainstay in the fighting sports watched by enthusiasts across
the United States. I enjoy watching the skill and power of these
fighters and their distinctive style.
Want to know who the best Muay Thai fighters are? Check out Muay Thai Citizen’s list of the Top Ten Thai Fighters.
Many
UFC and MMA fighters cross-train in Muay Thai to improve their
standing game. Others use a combination of Karate, Kickboxing, or
Savate. The combo of Muay Thai and Brazilian Jui-Jitsu is trendy
among MMA fighters.
Current
Information about Muay Thai
“The
World Muaythai Council (WMC) is one of the oldest and the largest
professional sanctioning organizations of Muaythai in the world for
the sport. The organization was set up in 1995 by parliament
resolution, and is incorporated by the Royal Thai Government and
sanctioned by the Sports Authority of Thailand, …[6]” This is
the organization that approves professional fights for Muay Thai
fighters all over the world. Look for their logo on a sanctioned
fighter. Head over to their website to find out more.
Are you interested in the amateur fighters? There is an amateur body to sanction these fighters too. “In 1993, the International Federation of Muaythai Amateur, or IFMA, was inaugurated. It became the governing body of amateur Muay Thai consisting of 128 member countries worldwide and is recognized by Olympic Council of Asia.[6]” If you want to be knowledgeable about the rising stars of Muay Thai, this is a great resource.
I
want to learn more Muay Thai
Though
I don’t teach Muay Thai at my school, it is an incredible art. If
this article stirs interest in the art of Muay Thai, take a look at
Budo Videos for at-home training
(https://www.budovideos.com/search?q=muay+thai)
This won’t take the place of a qualified instructor, but it will get
you moving in the right direction.
If
you want to add this to your school’s curriculum as a new program,
consider enrolling at KRU Muay Thai (http://www.kru-muaythai.com/)
for their instructor training.
Conclusion
Many
nations and areas across the world have their indigenous martial
arts, developed through history in countless battles. These arts are
national treasures and should be preserved by those willing to put in
the work and dedication to acquire the skills. What other art forms
do you know of from other countries?
This month, we remember the inspirational life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. His words and deed inspire men and women across the nation. He saw the good in every person. He saw a way to undo the injustice found in our great nation, to make it a greater nation. Dr. King’s message inspired those in the early Kenpo community too.
Steve Muhammed (formerly Steve Sanders): A talented athlete and Vietnam Veteran, Muhammed knew about effective combat measures. Mr. Muhammed earned his Black Belt under Dan Inosanto and Chuck Sullivan in Ed Parker’s American Kenpo. Muhammed ‟…established a reputation early on as one of the fiercest competitors ever.[1]” In 1969, he co-founded the Black Karate Federation (BKF) which is ‟…dedicated to promoting fairness on the martial arts tournament circuit.[2]”
Donnie Williams: Originally began training in Karate, later after his tour in the Marine Corp, Williams took up Tae Kwon Do. In the tournament circuit, he was known for high superior kicking and aggressive fighting. Williams met up with Muhammed and began training with the Kenpo artist’s deceptive fighting style. After retiring from competition, he began a film career.[3]
Grandmasters Steve Muhammad and Donnie Williams
Jim Kelly: A talented athlete and Shorin-Ryu Karate practitioner, Kelly had an illustrious career in the tournament circuit. Kelly then opened a Karate school in Los Angeles and starred in numerous films including Enter the Dragon with Bruce Lee. Kelly was an inspiration for many Black martial artist through his films and fights.[4]
In the movie Enter the Dragon, starring Bruce Lee, Jim Kelly played the role of Williams. After Bruce Lee, Williams was my next favorite character. Williams was confident, talented, and honorable. Williams didn’t take any guff. He was a very good fighter. I was sad to see his character die in the movie, but it did mean I was a fan of Jim Kelly.
Goldie Mack, 10th degree Black Belt in Kenpo Karate
Goldie Mack: He began his martial arts career in the late 1960s. Mack was an avid tournament competitor, instructor, and stunt double for Walker Texas Ranger. “Mack has served as a Police Officer in Texas and as a Deputy Sheriff in Kansas. He has conducted over 200-300 anti-rape seminars across the nation annually for the past 20 plus years. He is the author of The Technical training Instructor’s Course, a methods text for martial arts, and…a number of training courses.[5]” I had the great pleasure of working with Grandmaster Mack in 2018.
These individuals worked hard to improve their martial arts and pass the character development qualities of martial arts training to the young men and women of their community. They helped their neighborhoods, inspired the youth to be strong dedicated, fierce, and hardworking. They knew the benefits of Kenpo transcend the harsh realities of everyday life of the 1950s and 1960s.
During this holiday, take a moment to remember that all Americans contribute to this tapestry we call the United States of America. We are strong because of our diversity. We are strong because of our education. We are strong because we are free.
[1] Sanders, Steve and Williams, Donnie; Championship Kenpo; Ohara Publications; 1983; Book. [2] Ibid. [3] Ibid. [4] Wikipedia.org, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Kelly_(martial_artist)
Year of the Pig? Year of the Rat? Year of the Ox? Why is there a new animal every lunar new year? It has to do with Chinese astrology. In China and many other countries share similar calendars assign an animal to each year. There are 12 animals, and they have characteristics and traits that people born in those years display.[1] Western Astrology is similar, where your birth month links to a zodiac sign and signals particular characteristics. Instead of assigning an animal to a specific month, the Lunar system assigns the animal to a year.[2] What is the origin of animal years?
The Great Race
It all began many, many years ago, when the Jade Emperor of the Celestial Kingdom (Heaven) held a contest. The Emperor declared the winners of the Great Race would have years named after them. Cat and Rat were friends. Cat asked Rat to wake him up in the morning so they could run together. Unfortunately, in the morning, Rat was so eager to get started, he forgot to wake up the Cat. When Rat reached the end of the race, he found a wide river blocking his path. ‟How will I get across such a wide river?” though the Rat.
Luckily, Ox was also in the race and came upon the river too. Rat asked Ox if he could ride on ox’s back across the river. Ox agreed, and together they swam across the river. As Ox approached the far shore, Rat quickly ran across Ox and jumped to the shore. Rat continued running and won the race. Thus the first year is named for Rat. Ox climbed out of the river and finished second.[3]
Tiger arrived next. Though Tiger was a strong swimmer, the tide had fought his progress and delayed his arrival. Rabbit soon followed, hopping from rock to rock across the wide river. Rabbit did falter when he slipped off a rock. Luckily, a log floated by, and Rabbit rode it to the shore. The Jade Emperor named the third and fourth year after Tiger and Rabbit.
When Dragon arrived at the finish line, the Jade Emperor asked why Dragon took so long to race. After all, the Dragon can fly. Dragon explained that as he flew by, a small village suffered from a drought, so Dragon gave them rain. Then Dragon spotted a rabbit drowning in the river, so Dragon sent a log to aid him. The Emperor was impressed by Dragon’s good nature and named him the fifth year.
A wet horse galloped towards the finish line, fresh from swimming across the river. Unbeknownst to the Horse, Snake attached himself to Horse’s leg. Once Horse noticed the rider, he reared up in shock. Snake jumped off the leg and crossed the finish line. The Horse followed across to become the seventh winner.
Sometime later, Goat, Monkey, and Rooster arrived at the finish line. They teamed up to overcome the challenges of the race. Rooster found a raft so all three could ride on the raft. Monkey and Goat paddled to the far side. The Jade Emperor was impressed by the teamwork of these three animals and assigned them to the next years – eight, nine, and ten.
In eleventh place was Dog. Though a good swimmer and fast runner, Dog got distracted in the river. Dog played and swam for quite some time before remembering he was in a race. The Jade Emperor decided to end the event and was starting to close down. ‟Oink.”
The Jade Emperor looked down and saw that Pig had crossed the finish line. ‟Why did you take so long to arrive?” asked the Emperor. Pig was hungry and stopped to eat. After eating, Pig grew sleepy and took a nap. Pig woke up and hurried to the finish.[4]
Sadly much later, Cat woke up and missed the whole race. Furious, Cat hates Rat and will chase him any chance he gets.
Here’s the recap of the story. ‟The 12 animals in order are Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep (Goat), Monkey, Rooster, Dog, Pig.” [5] This cycle repeats every twelve years.
In Europe, Greek Philosophy gave us four elements. They are fire, water, earth, and wind. Chinese alchemy has five elements. These elements describe how things interact and relate to each other. They are ‟…wood, fire, earth, metal, and water — are believed to be the fundamental elements of everything in the universe between which interactions occur.”[7]
Often you’ll hear someone say Metal Pig or Earth Rooster. Each year has an elemental yang aspect, the next year, an elemental yin aspect. This pattern repeats six times in a 60-year cycle. Each animal has an elemental aspect of both yin and yang versions. These aspects color the trait for the animal during the year. Again, this mirrors how Western Zodiac behaves with the Greek elements.
What is Your Birth Year and Element?
Confused? Here’s the Wikipedia table to clear up the confusion. Use it to find your Animal and Element. [8]
Once you know what your zodiac animal is and your yin or yang element, you can look up the traits you possess and display to others. For instance, if you were a Rat, you would be intelligent and ambitious. You are good at socializing and keep your personal life private. You may have difficulty trusting others, and you are very bright. If you were a Water Rat, you would express wisdom and display an agile mind. If you were an Earth Rat, you would show nurturing traits and honesty.[9] The possible combinations are immense. Layer in the theory that months have assigned animals, solar terms (two-week segments), and hours.[10] This quagmire of influences is just as obscure as Western Zodiac, which does the same thing with zodiac houses and hours.
By now, you can fully appreciate the Lunar New Year. In my previous article, I explain what the Lunar New Year is and what to expect. My other article discusses the Lantern Festival, which caps the Lunar New Year celebration, dragon and lion dance. These festive activities are the highlight of young and old alike. Until next time, Gong Hay Fat Choi.
[1] China Highlights, https://www.chinahighlights.com/travelguide/chinese-zodiac/ [2] Wikipedia.org, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_zodiac [3] China Highlights, https://www.chinahighlights.com/travelguide/chinese-zodiac/ [4] Wikipedia.org, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_zodiac [5] Your Chinese Astrology, https://www.yourchineseastrology.com/zodiac/ [6] China Highlights, https://www.chinahighlights.com/travelguide/chinese-zodiac/ [7] China Highlights, https://www.chinahighlights.com/travelguide/chinese-zodiac/china-five-elements-philosophy.htm [8] Wikipedia.org, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_zodiac [9] https://www.zodiacsigns-horoscope.com/chinese-zodiac/ [10] Wikipedia.org, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_zodiac
The Lunar New Year ends with the lantern festival, signaled by the arrival of dancers. The most impressive is the Dragon Dance featuring a long serpentine dragon hoisted by many people. The other dance featured at the Lunar New Year is the Lion Dance, in which two acrobatic or martial arts trained people to delight the audience with their antics. These beasts, the dragon, and the lion are representations of the creatures. To an untrained eye, they are difficult to distinguish apart.
What is the difference? I’m here to help you know the difference.
The Dragon Dance ‟…is performed by a team of experienced dancers who manipulate a long flexible figure of a dragon using poles positioned at regular intervals along the length of the dragon. The dance team simulates the imagined movements of this river spirit in a sinuous, undulating manner.[1]” The dragon must be very long and have an odd number of poles or segments for good luck. The fabricated dragon body is very long, writhing up, down, left, and right by the dancers. This is the most distinguishing feature of the two creatures. If there are many dancers hoisting poles, it’s a dragon.
Dragons
represent wisdom, wealth, and power. They also drive away evil
spirits and bad luck. Other performers play instruments such as
drums, gongs, and horns. Colors are generally green or gold
representing the harvest or the Chinese Empire respectively.
Sometimes, the dragon will follow a man with a ball representing the
pearl of wisdom.[2] I’ve been told it is very auspicious to watch a
dragon dance, so take every opportunity to observe its presentation.
The Lion Dance is a much shorter animal. ‟[L]ions have two performers inside a costume (one controlling the front legs, head, and mouth and the other controlling the hindquarters)[4]” These performers must be even more acrobatic and playful because the lion is ‟…curious creatures with a penchant for mischief…[5]” and should be very playful in its dance. The lion performers are hidden by the costume while the dragon performers are visible beneath the dragon’s body.
When
the Lion bats its large eyes at your, that signals your participation
in the dance. Feed the lion’s mouth a red envelope for good luck.
The lion chases away evil spirits and acts as a guardian of the local
community.[6] Martial arts schools gain prestige by providing dancers
for the Lion Dance. We should create a team in our school to dance
around town.
I
hope you enjoyed our second article about the Lunar New Year and the
Dances. The next article will cover the Chinese Zodiac Animals and
how they play into the cycles of the years.
What is the Lunar New Year? It is the start of the year for calendars that use the lunar cycle, from new moon to dark moon, as their months which form a year. Some countries such as China use a combination of lunar months and solar cycles known as the lunisolar calendar[1]. In Vietnamese communities, the new year is known as Tet. For Korean communities, it is Seollal. In Chinese cultures, it is often called the Spring Festival.
The Lunar New Year is‟… [the] festival typically celebrated in China and other Asian countries that begins with the first new moon of the lunar calendar and ends on the first full moon of the lunar calendar, 15 days later.[2]” In San Diego, where we have many people from various Asian cultures, it is a big city-wide event celebrated over the weekend. From my experience with corporate life, in China and elsewhere, the whole community shuts down for the 15 days to celebrate. This is akin to how the US shuts down for two weeks between Christmas and New Year’s Day.
It is traditional to clean your house before the Spring Festival to ensure good luck for the coming year by sweeping out the bad luck. ‟Also on New Year’s day, family members receive red envelopes (lai see) containing small amounts of money. Dragon dances and fireworks are prevalent throughout the holidays, culminating in the Lantern Festival, which is celebrated on the last day of the New Year’s celebrations.[2]”
The red envelopes contain money, usually in the form of coins. This represents having a prosperous new year when you start with money in hand. The envelopes are given you children from their parents and other family members. The festival is filled with sweets and favorite foods, which means you’ll have sweetness in the new year. The celebration is about starting off the new year on the right step, setting up your luck and prosperity.
The tradition of celebrating the New Year on the lunar cycle is thousands of years old. There is a story told of a monstrous beast who eats humans every New Year’s Day. People figured out that the beast feared the color red, fire, and loud noises. This is the mythical reason for the firecrackers, red decorations, and lanterns. They drive off evil spirits and bad luck.[2]
Here are some things you should know about the Lunar New Year celebration.
It’s not called Chinese New Year, even in China.
It’s not one day. It lasts for 15 days.
It’s the season for superstitions.
There are words to avoid because they sound like things which are bad luck.
Firecrackers scare away monsters.
Wear red for good luck.
It’s time for sweets, so take a break from your diet or no-sweets resolution.
It has its own movie genre in China and Hong Kong.
The customs and traditions vary from country to country, and region to region.
Enjoy the celebration!
Look for your local celebration of Lunar New Year. In San Diego, there is a big celebration in the City Heights area every year. As they say in Cantonese, ‟Gong Hay Fat Choi” or Happy New Year!
It is the time of the year to set your new resolution. What is the resolution? Think of it as a goal for the next year. You want to start something or stop something. Usually, that something is a behavior or habit. Experience and cultural expectations tell us that you’ll stop implanting your resolution by the end of January, February at the latest.
This year, resolve to beat that expectation and reach your goal.
Decide what behavior you want to change. Do you want to start something or stop something? Is it because you want to do it or because you think you should? I suggest you do something you are motivated to do. You need passion. If you are doing it for lackluster reasons, you’re doomed to struggle or fail.
We’ll implement SMART goal system. Make your goal specific. The S in SMART. Pick something very clear and easy to identify. If your goal is too vague, it will be difficult to keep it in mind.
You need a way to measure your progress. This is the M in SMART. How will you know if you are doing well or on course if you don’t know how to track your progress?
You should make your goal achievable. The A in SMART. The goal should be realistically attainable using your plan and will power. The goal should also play into your overall vision or multi-year plan for your life. How do you see yourself in 5 or 10 years?
The goal or resolution should be relevant to your life or situation. The best goals are personal goals that mean something to you.
Timely is the T in SMART. This means there is s deadline for your resolution. The best deadlines are soon rather than later or a year off. You need some time pressure to fortify your will power to stay the course. Set a deadline that is reasonable and achievable. If you are tracking your progress, you can adjust the deadline to fit with setbacks or changes to your situation.
Bonus tip! Just like in martial arts, you need to break down challenges into digestible chunks. This is the key to success and victory. Make a big goal into several, smaller goals that lead up to your success. That’s why we use colored ranks leading up to Black Belt.
When you have a plan and a goal, your objective or target will most likely be achieved and successful. Follow these tips to change your life little by little. Need a few sample goals? I know you did.
Start training in martial arts at Golden Leopard Kempo!
A former member? Restart your Kempo lessons with a reactivation program?
Already an active member? Consider upgrading to a more challenging program like the Black Belt Club.
Start a bullet journal or diary to track your thoughts and ideas.
Get active and join our smoking hot Kickboxing class at Golden Leopard Kempo.
Write a cool article for our blog. Send it to our staff for consideration.
There you have it, a great start to the New Year with a little planning and preparation. There is no stress if you map out a route to follow. It doesn’t have to be the plan or route for the entire year. It’s just a place to start. A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Take that step.
You’ll notice that we do the same traditional belt slaps for our Black Belts too. It is a tradition from our Kajukenbo lineage and it awakens the chi in the Black Belt.
GM Suttles is a terrific instructor and a great guy.
It is no secret that Asian martial arts are incredibly popular in the United States. Any given town may have two or three Korean Tae Kwon Do schools, a few Okinawan karate schools, a Chinese kung fu school or two, and a handful of Judo, Aikido, Jiu Jitsu, and other schools scattered about. The prospective martial arts student can pick and choose which style appeals to him or her most and is even free to combine elements from multiple styles. Such was not the case in the founding days of the martial arts, when arts were passed on from student to teacher in a direct lineage. It was not always easy to find a teacher, and the student had to spend a lifetime mastering the art. There was no “picking and choosing”, no shopping for styles and masters. So how have the martial arts integrated into western consumer culture? Quite well, actually. The freedom to pick and choose has allowed the blending of styles that have been separated for centuries. In the end, we are seeing the emergence of a truly American class of fighting styles. This conglomeration of fighting arts is a melting pot, much as America itself is.
It should be pointed out early on that this article makes many sweeping generalizations that are not true of many particular martial arts schools and styles. Some schools proved to be adaptable to local influences almost immediately, while others have retained their traditional characteristics for decades. This article is not intended to say that one way is better than another. It is just an observation of how the martial arts scene, overall, in America is changing.
The first wave of the martial arts boom in the United States occurred in the years directly following World War II. American servicemen stationed in the east discovered the strange, effective fighting arts of Japan while based in the region as part of the post war occupational force. The primary martial art that was introduced at this time was Judo, which was popular in mainland Japan, along with some forms of empty hand martial arts from the island of Okinawa. These Okinawan arts are collectively known by their Japanese name–the words “kara” meaning “empty” and “te” meaning “hand” combine to form the now common word “karate” or “empty hand.” The second wave was an interest in Chinese forms of martial arts (kung fu), largely popularized by the demonstrations and movie and TV roles of Bruce Lee in the nineteen-sixties. The martial arts enthusiasts of generation X can largely trace their martial arts influences to the Karate Kid movies.
Yet, through all of the decades of martial arts practice in America, martial arts remained firmly rooted in its oriental culture and tradition. Classes began with salutations in Japanese or Chinese, and the same languages were used to count out punches and kicks during drills. The more closely the American martial arts schools held to the traditions of their forbearers, the more the art was respected. Schools that integrated oriental martial arts with American boxing and wrestling were often viewed as having somehow “watered down” the traditional nature of their art.
Those views have been slowly changing over time, and mixed martial arts (MMA), which combines striking arts with wrestling and grappling arts, has become an accepted class of martial arts in its own right. This has been particularly highlighted by the success of the Ultimate Fighting circuit, which is as close to no holds barred fighting as you’ll find in modern sports. The early Ultimate Fighting Championships featured competitors who were essentially one dimensional. Someone might be a boxer, a grappler, a karate practitioner, or something else, but rarely did you see true mixed martial artists. However, the one dimensional fighters soon found themselves outmatched by the more versatile MMA competitors. This was most stunningly highlighted recently when Royce Gracie, Jiu Jitsu master and the winner of three of the first four Ultimate Fighting Championships, was defeated soundly in his return match by Matt Hughes, a modern MMA fighter.
Does this mean that traditional martial arts have been supplanted by the new breed of MMA styles? Absolutely not. Rather, it just goes to show that, even in the martial arts, there is not one size that fits all. Clearly, if you are fighting three five minute rounds in a chain link octagon, then MMA might be the way to go. However, who can say what would work best in a real world confrontation? Besides, as any true martial arts practitioner knows, the true value of studying the martial arts comes not in finding ways to beat your opponent–rather, the real challenge is to face down your own failings and become the best person you can be.
Guest Writer bio: Gary Russell is a freelance writer, martial arts practitioner, and software engineer. He is the founder of TopSearch Consulting, a full service web content and keyword article provider.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/220456
Yes, you too could be a guest writer on my blog. Email me your article idea and we’ll talk. I’ve used guest writers for my monthly newsletter years ago and I’ll do it again.
I got an email regarding my last post on Blocking Sets from my friend and fellow instructor Marlon Anthony Wilson. Here’s what he had to say:
Interestingly I added a “blocking set” to my white belt curriculum.
Advance block 1
Advance block 2
Go back block 3
Go back block 4
Turn block 5 (turn to 6:00)
Advance block 6
Turn block 7 (turn to 12:00)
Advance block 8
close
I use it to help emphasize stepping heel to toe when moving forward and toe to heel when stepping back. As well as “everything moves together – everything stops together.”
Nice to see your write up.
Thanks for your response. Stay warm up north during this harsh winter.
