Anita Wilson a long time student and assistant to Sensei Henry Ellis was very fortunate as a child to meet many of the most important martial arts masters who would visit her father in London as he is one of the UK's leading dealers and experts in Japanese arms and armour. Women In The Martial Artsby Anita Wilson 1st Lady Assistant to Sensei Henry Ellis Ellis Schools of Traditional Aikido I was born in West London in 1963, my father was very involved in the martial arts and a dan grade in Karate he was also a dealer in ancient Japanese arms and armour, although my father has an antiques shop in London's Bond Street, my home was more like a samurai warriors dressing room, with original suits of...

There's no better way to stick your neck out that coming up with a top 10 "anything" list. It just gets worse when you talk about combat sports like boxing, kickboxing or mixed martial arts. However, here it is, my top 10 list of heavyweight MMA fighters on the planet. I need to tell you that when I decided to write down my top 10 list, I didn't think it would take too long. I believed that I could easily pick 10 fighters that were heads and shoulders above the pack. It wasn't that easy. I'm sure that there will be a lot of people who disagree with my picks, but isn't that the point, to start a discussion of who's the best and who is just there for a paycheck? The 10th best heavyweight MMA...

Wanderlei Silva (31-7-1) is back at Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas training for his next fight. Everyone is reporting that it'll be at UFC 79 in December against Chuck "The Iceman" Liddell (20-5-0). Although the Xtreme Couture camp can't confirm who, they can confirm the rest. "Wanderlei is going to fight someone on December 29th in Vegas. Though rumors are flying, we can't say who yet" is what the Xtreme Couture blog said. If the rumors are true though, it's the fight that fans have been waiting for almost 4 years now. It almost seemed destined that the biggest fight in MMA history wouldn't ever happen because of unforseen circumstances. If you would've told me that Wanderlei Silva would be knocked...

Mixed Martial Arts While browsing ESPN, you spot what seems like a boxing match, until suddenly opponents start to kick one another. The next thing you know, the two fighters are on the ground, striking one another. Welcome to the exciting and increasingly popular arena of mixed martial arts (also known as MMA). You may think this is the next wave in martial arts entertainment, but this combat sport has actually been around since the Olympic games in 648 BC. What to Expect During a Match Mixed martial arts uses three different phases of fighting - stand-up, clinch and ground. Stand-up fighting incorporates boxing, kickboxing and Muay Thai. Freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling, Sambo (from Russia), as...

For those of you whom have stayed around long enough to figure out the differences, there still may be some of you who do not know what this title means. After many years of research, study and first hand experiences I have found a lot about the reasons for training and what styles to train under. Why are we taking any type of self defense course? Why do we train in this style of Kung Fu? Why not just join the armed forces? All of these questions and many others will be answered in this article. Kung Fu or Wu Shu? There have been many students that asked me "What is the difference between kung fu and wu shu?" Let us first go into the translation of these words from Chinese into English: "Kung Fu...

UFC 69 will feature a long awaited showdown between two Ultimate Fighter season one fighters. Josh Koscheck and Diego Sanchez. While I believe that Sanchez should be in line for a title shot, even without this bout, who can argue that it will be an unbelievable fight. During the Ultimate Fighter season one, Sanchez defeated Koscheck by decision after a close three rounds. Considering that at the time Kos was 99% wrestler and 1% MMA fighter, it wasnt' a bad showing for Koscheck. Since then, both fighters have been on a rampage (sorry Quinton), winning victory after victory. That is of course except for Koscheck's one sided KO loss. When I say one sided, I mean that Josh Koscheck was completely...

The history of Karate and other types of martial arts goes back thousands of years. For me it goes back to when I started to take karate classes in middle school after being inspired from watching a series of Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris movies. There was nothing more exciting to me than to learn how to kick the crap out of bullying boys at my school. As I got immersed into the art, however, I found that there is a lot more to it than flashy self defense moves and seldom does it ever involve kicking the crap out of anyone. Although Karate was around long before him, the most significant figure in the modern history of karate was Bruce Lee. Bruce Lee considered himself a true martial artist and did not...

The topic of how effective traditional martial arts is in today's world as a way of protecting oneself is still a very sensitive issue to a lot of martial artists. What is even more sensitive is the issue of how realistic and street effective is the newer styles that have come out since UFC/PRIDE have come into the picture. I am a Registered Black Belt & have nothing against the martial arts and have also studied styles such as Pankration. I know that the techniques I have learned in the dojo should stay in the dojo because they will only work there, that also goes with styles such as the "modern day or reality based systems" they are for sport only. I work as a bouncer/bodyguard & also teach...

Everyone could use self defense training. Why? Because you could be the victim of a violent crime, regardless of your age, sex, or size. Even in rural communities that were once thought of as "safe," children are abducted, women are raped, and men are robbed. As much as the world might like to ignore it, crime is a scary reality today. That is why defensive training is so important. A good training program will teach you several things. The first thing it will teach you is how to overcome the walls in your mind that keep you submissive to an attacker. More often than not, the reason that a criminal is able to overcome his victim is because of the victim's attitude. The victim does not think that he...

Choose Your Weapon: There are many varieties and styles of martial arts and each one involves some kind of physical contact. Whether you are interested in the fast combination kicks and punches of karate or prefer the sweeps and throws of judo, a rash guard is an excellent accessory and should even be considered a required piece of equipment. Rash Guard Basics: Rash guards are protective shirts. They usually come in long sleeved versions for the most protection and are tight fitting. The fabric and design allow for easy movement, something which is very important in martial arts. Although rash guards are not limited to martial arts and are in fact more commonly used in other sports such as surfing...

The martial arts are widely perceived in North America as a form of sport. Parents enroll children in karate classes to instill a sense of discipline. Adults train in martial arts to learn self-defense techniques. Many in the western world strive to obtain a black belt, thinking that this is the pinnacle of their training and education. In eastern countries, the martial arts are much more than sport. They are history, culture, philosophy, and respect. The term "martial arts" is used as a general categorization of fighting systems that originated in ancient times. If you were to fully review martial arts, you would find a vast array of systems; each with its own set of techniques that have been...

Clothing and martial arts have become fused into a culture, a lifestyle, and a visual statement of who you are and what you stand for. I've often stated just how important comfort and mental clarity is for doing martial arts. What you wear and how you feel about it goes a long way to defining your state of mind while practicing the art form. I found that out the hard way when I started practicing. I did not have the right clothes and it made a difference in how I felt. Believe you me, being in the right gear can change everything about how you approach training or competing the field of martial arts. It made a difference to me, I can tell you. When you are fighting or training and your pants or...

Martial arts, used by many people today for the health benefits, another way of getting fit or as a form of self defense. But in fact, martial arts are and can be much more and there are some killer martial arts moves that are choreographed to do what their name implies, Kill. These moves were used in both defensive and attacking maneuvers over the centuries and are still taught today. These moves take years to perfect to reach killing stage and indeed need a much skill to apply correctly. Some of the most deadly moves in martial arts can be modified and used in competition, mostly a mixed competition. Mixed martial arts (MMA) is a combat sport using different styles of martial arts where speed and...

Kids know about martial arts from just out of the crib these days thanks to the Power Rangers and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. While they are entranced and excited by the fast and fantastic action they see in animated shows in those early years, their fascination with martial artistry takes a giant leap with big screen experts like Jackie Chan, Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris, broadcast into the family room. With such exposure it's not surprising that there is a real growth in kids karate today. The Pluses of Kids Karate Parents often shudder at the thought of kids karate: the violence, the injuries. Within the plethora of martial arts, many forms actually instill respect and those forms are the...

The Origin Jiu-jitsu is different from other martial arts because it was not developed from any exact part of the world. On the other hand, it was born from the adaptation of different basics and moved along all over Asia before finally developed in Japan. B.C. 230, there were many Jiu-jitsu schools establishing in Japan. Bare-hand fighting was considered a part of Samurai warriors' practicing as it was used to conquer the armed and armored opponents in the war. In the Meji period, Japan was open to receive other countries' culture, and there were many foreigners coming in. This made the Jiu-jitsu afraid that huge foreigners would know the secrets of Jiu-jitsu. They then broke it into many martial...

The media has fuelled the perception that ordinary people on the street are in constant danger from violent attack, and self-defense classes promise to counter this fear. To attract students, most martial arts schools in the U.S. teach self-defense methods. They make many claims about the usefulness of martial arts techniques in defending oneself against attack. Such situations of attack are rare, however, and can be avoided by not putting oneself in danger (for example, not walking around bad neighborhoods after dark, not buying or selling illegal drugs, not hanging around bars, not getting involved with gangs, and so on). Being alert and aware of one's surroundings and recognizing the types of...

The Internet has sure made it easy for meeting people online. The club and bar scene may be fading into the past. In the cyberspace we live in, more and more people are resorting to their laptops when it comes to discovering new friends and love interests. If you really ponder the possibilities, this is a rather ideal concept. The Internet is infused with chat forums and dating sites where you can locate others who share your interests and/or talents, but while doing so on your couch or bed. Meeting people online has never been easier. When it comes to meeting people, I must admit I'm rather reclusive. I'm a home-body. There's nothing wrong with this, but it can make it difficult for one to make new...

I have a five-year-old son who recently decided he wanted to take up the art of karate. Well, as you can guess, I was thrilled that he wanted to get involved with something that would teach him so much for the life that lies before him. Little did I know that I too, would have to become an expert in the ways of karate fashion! We went through all the steps to get him signed up and get his karate gi. Now all there was to do was await the big day when he was to start his class. He ran around the house with his 'Sponge Bob' karate gloves on, chopping into everything he could get his little hands on. With his enthusiasm, he soon had the whole family getting into the spirit of things and we all were...

My studentsand clients have constantly heard me stress that our Martial Art is more than just a physical discipline; that it is a discipline that develops both the mind and body. This is so important that Soke Masaaki Hatsumi, the grand master of our lineages, has made it the primary thrust of just about every one of his books about Ninpo and Martial Arts in general. The presence of mind that your training demands helps you make wise and thoughtful decisions. Often, these decisions involve choosing others as friends - and all of us would like to choose good friends - people we can consider real "team players." It's sometimes very mysterious why we choose who we do as team players. Often we like a...

According to the most recent government survey conducted by the National Academy of Sciences' Institute of Medicine, Americans need to exercise at least an hour a day. This nearly doubles the previous recommendation.The study was published in a 1,000-page report that came out just a couple weeks ago. For many people, this will mean a significant change in lifestyle in order to accommodate the additional exercise. Rather than focus on the various exercises you could do, or the little changes you can make in order to fit this seemingly undoable amount into your day, I'm going to talk to you about changing your way of thinking about exercise. Exercise should be thought of as a way of life, or a...

Continued from part 1 The Pentjak Silat styles are the indigenous styles which include cultural elements. Here is where you will find the wedding styles, the dance styles, and many of the sport styles. There are also quite a few fighting styles in here. The Pentjaks tend to prefer outside over inside fighting positions. They tend to go from open defensive postures to closed offensive postures. They will occasionally have mystical elements. The Poukilan Silat styles tend to be pure fighting styles without cultural elements. They tend to be direct and to the point. They tend towards close fighting (Poukilan means "impact"). They also tend to prefer outside positions. The Kuntao Silat styles are...

Martial arts, used by many people today for the health benefits, another way of getting fit or as a form of self defense. But in fact, martial arts are and can be much more and there are some killer martial arts moves that are choreographed to do what their name implies, Kill. These moves were used in both defensive and attacking maneuvers over the centuries and are still taught today. These moves take years to perfect to reach killing stage and indeed need a much skill to apply correctly. Some of the most deadly moves in martial arts can be modified and used in competition, mostly a mixed competition. Mixed martial arts (MMA) is a combat sport using different styles of martial arts where speed and...

Of course it is. I know everyone can argue that the storylines are fake and all that blood isn't real. And you are right. The secret to wrestling is that yes it is scripted, the winners are chosen before the match, but the violence you see is semi-real. They hit each other with real chairs, they do break real tables. Don't believe me? Go to a live wrestling match. Depending on which wrestling organization you go to, they might even take the chair you're sitting in and hit their opponents with it. Yes the rings have some give to them, especially in the center, that's why you usually see a wrestler slammed into the center of the ring. Of course you have the wrestlers that...

Just about everyone knows about the popular martial arts, such as Karate, Tae Kwon Do, Kung Fu and Tai Chi...some people have even thought about trying out a class. Bt have you ever actually done it? Do you need a reason? Just about everyone has thought about taking up a martial art at some point in time. Maybe as another way to stay in shape. Possibly as a means to protect yourself from the school bully. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of reasons why people choose to take up an art, but I want to take a second to outline what I feel are the most important reasons to at least try a martial art. Maybe it's for yourself, maybe it's for your children...whatever the reason, all martial arts...

When many people think of Shaolin Kung Fu they think of meditation and chi. While it is true that Shaolin Kung Fu does stress meditation and the use of inner energy, it is actually an external form of Chinese martial arts. This means that it is more involved in the external powers and forces. There are many styles of Shaolin Kung Fu which can include many types of attacks and defenses including joint locks, punching, kicking, throws, straight blocking, force direction, and many more. However, the two things that most types of schools of Shaolin Kung Fu all stress is fast handwork and quick footwork. Many Shaolin Kung Fu exercises promote these skills. When practicing Shaolin Kung Fu, striking it is...

Listen to your body, stretch and condition the way that your body tells you to, yeah, yeah, I get it. But what happens if you DON'T SPEAK your body's language? You want to be flexible but you don't have a clue how to get there. If you want to own the secrets to ultimate flexibility you need to understand how your body works and how it responds to certain exercises and workouts. The secrets to ultimate flexibility lie within you, not with some guy hopping around on a TV screen with a really happy (or really intense) look on his face, bouncing around with at least two hot babes in the background, telling you how to get in shape and achieve the flexibility that you want. Nope, not gonna happen. Your...

Wondering what to do when the weather has you down? There are lots of activities parents might suggest, but many have been shunned or are not as wholesome as you might prefer. Rather than sitting around all day in front of the television, try something new. Family Togetherness Do something as a family. Use the weather as the perfect excuse to head to the mall for a little family bonding time. Pop into everyone's favorite store and pick out a little something new. Rain or snow makes it hard to keep from getting restless, but a brisk walk inside a closed mall might make things fun, and if you stop for smoothies or coffee drinks and encourage conversation, all the better! Something Different Being...

Learning martial arts is not only the need of the hour but also a means of realizing one's potential. Learning martial arts can be a pleasurable and enjoyable experience. So it is advisable that every one learn at least one form or other of martial arts. Judo, karate and jujitsu have been all time favorites for the serious martial art hobbyist. Different types of martial arts are being learnt by people for many reasons. Some of these reasons are self-protection, physical fitness and weight loss. Some people also learn martial arts for peace of mind. Martial arts are known to improve confidence and thinking abilities. A sound body leads to a sound mind. As martial arts make they body physically fit...

There are many different forms of martial arts that are taught around the world. People tend to be most familiar with the far-east styles and Bruce Lee movies, but there are many other places in the world where martial arts is just as significant as in Asia. One of these places is Haiti. And in Haiti, as well as places like Asia martial arts are deap rooted in the region's history and culture. The Haitian martial arts style includes a few prominent styles: * Judo * Brazilian Jujitsu * Taekwando Judo Judo is one of the more popular and recognized Haitian martial arts styles. Judo is a modern self defense style that originated in Japan in the late nineteenth century. It is primarily used as a...

When you start training martial arts or Self Defense you will need the adequate martial arts of Self Defense equipment. Both types of equipment are different and you should know what to look for when shopping for martial arts or self defense equipment. The most common place to buy martial arts or self defense equipment is in the local dojo. Most dojos, training centers, etc.... have a small store where you can buy or order the martial arts or self defense equipment you need for your practice. Buying your martial arts or self defense equipment at your local dojo has a lot of advantages. You will get expert advise from your teacher. He knows your needs and what type of martial arts or self defense...

Most individuals' first experiences with martial arts were watching Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris on the big screen mystifying us with flashy punches and kicks and many times taking out multiple assailants at the same time. While its hard for anyone to doubt the entertainment value of these films, they did start to build a false belief in what an effective martial art can realistically achieve. Kung fu, Karate and Taekwondo clubs were filled from coast to coast and the general consensus was that these arts offered the most effective self defense. As this was going on in America, Brazil was holding open competitions that pitted different styles against each other in order to truly find which single...