Applied Kingfu

Bobby lost his left arm because of a childhood illness, but it didn't slow him down. He rode bikes, was athletic, and did everything a child is supposed to do, except for one. He never did the martial arts, he assumed that that was one activity he would never be able to do. When a martial arts school opened up in his neighborhood, however, he could not stop thinking about it. He would pass by the school slowly, staring at the kids working out inside. He would ask his friends who studied martial arts about their training, but he never went inside the dojo because he knew that there was no way he could do that physical discipline. One day a friend of his invited him to the training hall to[..]

I appreciate martial arts students who want to do everything perfectly. They are usually very committed and hard working. They sign up for classes ready to train and full of enthusiasm! Unfortunately, this enthusiasm disappears very quickly. The one problem is that perfectionists worry themselves to death! They start off with a very positive attitude, but set the bar so high that they get depressed and disappointed if they can't meet their expectations. Students with such high anxiety also tend to ask a lot of questions and over-analyze. Instead of enjoying their martial arts training, it becomes stressful. Some don't want to take promotion tests because in their minds, they are[..]

Martial Arts Training or 'The Arts of War' developed from a need to protect oneself, one's family and community from any outside attack by rival groups, raiders, conquering forces and so on. Over time, many regions of the world developed very different styles of martial art fighting techniques. Martial Arts today are practised all over the world and not just by the communities that originated them. Wherever you are on the planet you can bet you are not far away from a class or teacher who will be able to pass on the skills you need to progress. The Arts can often be classified as 'hard' which includes external physical strikes, kicks, punches etc or 'soft', which utilizes internal[..]

The term "martial arts" encompasses many different systems of fighting and self defense. Among the most popular are Karate, Judo, Kung fu and Tae Kwan Do. While each of these systems differ greatly in their teachings, techniques and executions, they all have similar benefits that the practitioner can reap. Martial arts can be learned starting at almost any age. The younger a child starts practicing, the better and more skilled they can eventually become. Some schools will begin teaching children as early as the age of 5. Not only will their fighting skills be honed more sharply, but they will also improve in many other areas. Adults can also benefit greatly from regular training in one[..]

When we are faced in a life threatening situation, our first initial reaction will be shock. Of course, we will be in terrible shock because things are so unexpected and that we were not prepared for such incident to occur. After the shock, here comes fear and being in a panic state. Fear that the assailants might kill us in an instant or perhaps torture us painfully and panic because we are already cramming to escape from the situation and wishing that we are going to be rescued as soon as possible. Those are just normal reactions once you are in deep crisis however, if you want to save yourself from the situation you are in, you need to try relaxing and remaining calm even though you[..]

The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) has experienced a meteoric rise in popularity and ratings over the past couple of years. Love it or hate it, it looks like the UFC is here to stay. Consequently many men in the 18 - 34 demographic are becoming more interested in the martial arts. After watching great strikers such as Chuck Liddell, Anderson Silva and Houston Alexander and watching the incredible grappling and wrestling skills of Randy Couture, Matt Hughes and BJ Penn, many martial artists are asking themselves the question "Will my martial art get me to the UFC?" The answer to this question is very simple. No, your martial art will not get you to the UFC! Make that a maybe,[..]

So you got your kid enrolled in your local martial arts school, congratulations! This is the first step to a rewarding journey for both you and her. You probably have a few worries about what lies ahead but at the same time you're probably really excited to see your child get into the martial arts. So what equipment, uniform and gear do you need to buy for the first class -- and how much should it cost? One of the great things about the martial arts is that it doesn't cost much to get started compared to other activities. For example a set of good golf clubs can cost as much as $1000 or more. Starting soccer can lead to multiple purchases of a soccer shirt and shorts, socks and cleats,[..]

When beginning to learn martial arts, you need to practice form first, followed by accuracy and power. If you try to skip over form, you will be unhappy with your power and accuracy results. Martial arts are based on a long history of precise movements. When these techniques are looked at scientifically, the power from the martial arts' movements come from transferring energy throughout the body. The power of Bruce Lee's one inch punch did not come from his hand or even his arm. When the movement is tracked in a science lab, the energy starts in the foot, travels through the body gaining force, and then is finally released in the punch. Therefore, it is of the utmost importance to[..]

Your baby just came home from school all excited and begging you for the chance to take martial arts classes for kids. Your innocent little baby has a new hero: B.J. Penn. All of the sudden bloody images come flooding into your mind. Broken bones, ambulance rides, choke holds, and didn't you once see some guy break his neck? Every ounce of your being is screaming, “NOOOOOOOOOOO!” But your baby is looking at you with those big hopeful eyes and you say, "I will look into it."  Is it Safe? The first thing you need to look into is the safety of the school. The school should have small classes, or if larger classes, more instructors. There also should me safety equipment. The equipment[..]

This article will walk you through the basic components of creating your own makiwara with parts you can find around the house or purchase at a local building supply store. The makiwara is critical to the development of the martial artist's fist. Makiwara training strengthens the bones in your hands as well as creates tough callouses, so that your fists will be ready to punch at any time. The makiwara is a traditionally Okinawan training instrument for karate practitioners, but recently many different styles of martial arts have found the benefits of makiwara training. The gloves come off, and the bare hands are conditioned to punch hard surfaces (like a face) so that it more closely[..]

Growing up in Puerto Rico I used to love to fight. I became an amateur boxer as a teen just to add to the "reputation." Shortly after 1991, as I made Jacksonville home, I started studying various styles of Martial Arts; it was a more civilized and in a sense, legal way, of getting some of this fighting steam out of me. I have been involved in many fights in my life, but nothing can even come close to the intensity of fighting the good fight of faith. "FIGHT the good FIGHT of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses." (I Timothy 6:12) The assault against our faith is brutal in our secular society today. For[..]

Whether you are a cop, a bouncer, or a guard, learning self-defense techniques can be of great help in protecting yourself from harm and danger. Even if you are just an ordinary person, learning ways to defend yourself is one good thing to learn to fight off bad elements in our society. Self-defense does not necessarily mean building those big muscles for years. It does not always mean being stronger that your attackers but it can be learning the smart way to deal with situations that may harm you. You don't have to carry firearms anywhere, you just have to learn some basic skills in using your body to fend off attackers or keeping the presence of mind during dangerous situations. If you[..]

The exact date muay Thai kick boxing was started is hard to narrow down, but it does date back all the way to medieval times. King Nareasen made it famous in 1560 AD when he was given a chance to fight for his freedom. King Nareasan was victorious, freed, and returned home where he declared the fighting style (then called Siamese style boxing) a national sport. The art of muay thai kick boxing is known as both a hard martial art and as "the deadly art." Muay thai kick boxing is a self defence art developed in Thailand and it enjoys immense popularity in many south-Asian countries as well. There is a wide variety of forms and styles, just like other styles of martial arts. Muay thai[..]

There are many different reasons to begin training in the martial arts. But whatever your reason, self-defense was probably at least part of it. And if this is the case, it's probably a good idea to consider what you can hope to accomplish through your training. If your goal is to become invincible, I'm afraid you've come to the wrong place. Invincibility is an unrealistic goal and anyone that tries to convince you otherwise is probably trying to sell you something. History has shown that there is no such thing as an invincible person, even if you surround yourself with powerful armies, hide in a hole, or spend all your time training and become a big Hollywood action star! I've been[..]

History: Wing chun kuen is one of the many styles of martial arts, whose origins are to be found in Southern China and, compared with other martial arts, it is relatively a newcomer. The term Wing chun is attributed to a woman called Yim Wing chun, who was the protégé of a Buddhist nun called Ng Mui. Wing chun is known a soft style, but is in fact a blend of hard and soft techniques. With reference to the hard concept, in simple terms this means meeting force with force, whereas the sort term refers to more evasive manoeuvres and techniques. Loosely translated, Wing chun means "beautiful spring time" and kuen means "fist" or "fist fighting style". However, many people refer[..]

Some people have asked me how remote viewing is like Neigong Meditation. I want to show you how remote viewing is an extension of Neigong Meditation. Although there are esoteric meditations similar to Neigong, I have chosen Neigong to compare with remote viewing because I am a certified oriental sports trainer; Neigong is part of my studies. I like esoteric solutions which are spiritually fulfilling, therefore I want to show you how eastern and western methodologies have coincided. The spiritually adept people all over this planet have made this possible. First, let's talk about our cognitive commitments that keep us from becoming spiritually adept. The Source of Skepticism Cognitive[..]

METHOD OF INSTRUCTION "Ichí! Ni! San! Yamae! Ichí! Ni! San! Mawatte! Ichí! Ni! San!" Stop! Turn! But do not twitch! Repeat, repeat, repeat! There has never been a more tried and true method of drilling instant reaction than obeying a command. It produces, in most cases, disciplined students with honed reflexes. Close your eyes and think of yourself surrounded by four assailants. When you open them again, fight off the assailants all at once but in slow motion as if in a movie. Special drills put students in different circumstances to broaden the type of reactions they can have and to develop skills within them. Consider the use of the latissimus dorsi muscles. They[..]

While there are literally hundreds of styles of martial arts around the world far too many focus just on style and the sports elements and are not designed for actual combat and use for taking out a real opponent in a real life situation. Too many of these schools teach theory and moves that will take far too long to actually kill an opponent or be effective against someone intent on killing you. You may be surprised to find that most of these you will not see commonly used in the UFC, basically as the techniques taught are banned and are specifically meant to kill. 1. MCMAP MCMAP is the United States 'Marine Corp Martial Arts Program'. This battle tested form of martial arts has been[..]

The origins of Muay Thai are lost to antiquity, but it’s certain that it has been around at least as long as the nation of Thailand. Also called Thai Boxing or Thai Kickboxing, it is the natural choice as the national sport of this country. Among the effective hard styles of martial arts, it is enjoying immense popularity among tournament fighters and those seeking self defense. Among the hard styles, it is probably one of the best and most pragmatic forms available. Muay Thai is a hard style martial art, meaning that the emphasis is on power, speed and toughness. It and the other styles with this emphasis, such as Karate, Western Boxing and Tae Kwon Do, are distinguished from the[..]

In the Ultimate Fighters world conditioning and know how is key, because of the various forms and styles your opponent brings to the table. The Ultimate Fighters training unlike other workouts encompasses weight-lifting, cardio, grappling and boxing. To be the best in this profession, you will have to master many forms of "Martial Arts". Some of these styles consists of Muay Thai, Ju Jitsu, Karate, Aikido and Kickboxing. A combination of all of this, plus the right attitude and focus, will determine how well you will do. This is not done over night, of course, it takes years to perfect these various styles of martial arts. Each fighter takes a different approach in how they train and[..]

There are many Shaolin boxing styles, hundreds in fact. But today, students generally devote themselves to one style. There are six recognized Shaolin boxing styles and one popular style is Arhat Boxing. Also known as Luohan Quan, Arhat boxing was created by Shaolin monks who meditated and also watched and imitated the different expressions and forms of Arhat statues in the temple. They adapted these movements to become skills of combat. The best in the contemporary period was Maestro Miao Xing who was nicknamed Gold Arhat. A native of Dengfeng in Henan Province he knew the combat skills and was also interested in the literal arts, especially Buddhism. He used to chant Buddhist[..]

Classical Martial Arts Mess Back in the late 1960s and early 1970s, Bruce Lee kept talking about the "classical mess." He criticized the fossilized styles. In fact, he had list after list of all the problems inherent in those "clunky" systems of martial arts. Have you noticed that, for the last decade, I have not picked on any one style relentlessly in my articles and books? I mention techniques found in a variety of styles, and while I do mention styles by name, I don't criticize the entire style, just the particular move or strategy. (And I am also free with my compliments on their treatments of particular aspects of the arts.) I never completely "trash" a style as being useless[..]

Mixed Martial Arts is an art where being well rounded in diverse styles is required and training or specializing in one specific style of marital arts isn't enough. This can make the whole process of becoming a well rounded MMA fighter very time consuming because not every academy trains fighters in every style. Actually almost every academy specializes in one specific style for the most part. One of the most important part of becoming a great mixed martial art fighter is very well put in this popular line amongst fighters... "If you fail to prepare, you are preparing to fail" This is a saying that you should always keep in mind if you want to become an MMA fighter, because discipline is[..]

Japanese and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu "What is the difference between Japanese (classical) Jiu-Jitsu (jujutsu) and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu?" The first and most important reason can be found in the art's history and is primary to all others discussed afterward. When you research the history of Brazilian Jiu-jitsu, you will understand that it came from "Judo" in its time of renaissance. In the early 1900's, Judo was being developed from a variety of Jiu-jitsu styles in order to make it the most complete and effective martial art in the world. Some older Jiu-jitsu schools only focused on one area of fighting (some practiced primarily standing techniques) and had been left without a realistic[..]

In martial arts, specifically Taekwondo is considered by many to be an ideal workout as it combines most elements sought after in a balanced fitness program. Many people understand that there are various styles of martial arts but they do not realize that within a style like Tae kwon do there are also various styles. Tang Soo Do: Tang soo do is an extremely popular martial art that evolved from the kicking arts of taekyon and subak. It is similar to tae kwon do and maintains its heritage as a traditional way of promoting the values of self-control, respect, and discipline in the pursuit of self-improvement. Important characteristics that underpin the art include humanity, wisdom,[..]

-link"> In this article we are going to talk about how bodybuilders tend to create massive muscle imbalances and what you can do to not be one of them. Welcome to article number 2 in our series “Bodybuilding Sins That Cause Back Pain and Missed Workouts”. In this article we are going to talk about how bodybuilders tend to create massive muscle imbalances and what you can do to not be one of them.If you missed the first article, you can read it by clicking on the link below.Here’s a breakdown of the articles to look for: 1. Article #1 - Choosing The WRONG Exercises 2. Article #2 - Training Variations for Pain Relief and Maximum Results 3. Article #3 - Targeted Stretching 4.[..]

Welcome to article number 2 in our series "Bodybuilding Sins That Cause Back Pain and Missed Workouts". In this article we are going to talk about how bodybuilders tend to create massive muscle imbalances and what you can do to not be one of them. If you missed the first article, you can read it by clicking on the link below. Here's a breakdown of the articles to look for: 1. Article #1 - Choosing The WRONG Exercises 2. Article #2 - Training Variations for Pain Relief and Maximum Results 3. Article #3 - Targeted Stretching 4. Article #4 - Targeted Exercises 5. Article #5 - Rest, Recovery, and Injury Prevention Article #2 - Training Variations for Pain Relief and Maximum Results[..]

You Can't Prepare for Everything When it comes to being prepared for real life and death struggles on the street or the battlefield you cannot have the false idea that you can be prepared for anything. You can only do your best. Maybe I can give you some idea of how to get the odds more in your favor. First let's look at some forms of preparation which will give you some of the pieces. No one has all of the pieces. Standard traditional as well as sport-based martial arts in general leave much to be desired when it comes to preparation for bloody chaos. The basic exercises such as forms training and some extended sparring will tone the body and give a person some endurance. It will also[..]

The other day I was watching the NCAA Wresting Championships and I started noticing more similarities to Judo than differences. I was also reminded about some things that I have heard from Sensei and Shinan Carl Cestari. Basically, there is nothing really new in Hand-to-Hand Combat or Martial Arts. With all the fads in Martial Arts over the years, from Kung Fu to Ninjas and Mixed Martial Arts, the reality still remains that there are only so many ways to punch, kick, stomp, break, gouge, throw, or choke the human body. NEWS FLASH: It's all been done before and not just in Japan or China. For example, the west has a long history of Martial Arts including Bare Knuckle Boxing, Wrestling and[..]

In United States during the 1960's the civil rights debate raged on around the country, but a handful of men put aside their petty differences and banned together to chase a dream. Under Olympic rules, the host country can add a sport to the games so in 1964 when Japan was selected to host the games, Judo was added to the events. Though this was the first year Judo was an Olympic event the United States still fielded an experienced team made up of Americans from a variety of ethnic, religious and economical backgrounds. From the beginning, Dr. Jigoro Kano Judo's founder taught anyone who wanted to learn. It was the first time this type of training, normally reserved for nobility, was[..]

Using a martial arts DVD to learn basic self defense or to advance your current skill set has become much more common over the past 5 years. Distance learning has become a popular option that meets the needs of a variety of circumstances. However, there are some personal traits or characteristics that a person must posses in order to make learning martial arts independently a success. 1. Self Motivation If you are a very self-motivated individual then distance learning is an option that could prove to be successful. The reason that self motivation is essential is because if you are learning martial arts on your own, then there will no one looking over your shoulder or telling you to do[..]

Being the author of several books on the martial arts and fighting, I am always looking for books of exceptional quality to add to my library. If I have a book in my library, it's definitely worth owning. One such book is Jay Gluck's, "Zen Combat." This is a very well written book and one that I don't believe is in print anymore. The copy I have I ended up finding in an old book store several years ago. This book gives you some outstanding information on the history of primarily the Japanese martial arts and their philosophy. 1. The Bull Story; Masutatsu "Mas" Oyama and Kyokushin-kai Karate: This section covers a lot of, although brief, biography of Masutatsu "Mas" Oyama and how he came[..]

Bamboo - A grass you can use like wood but grows up to 50x faster In North America and Europe, soft woods and hard woods have traditionally been used for house framing, flooring, and doors as well as for making furniture. The problem with using trees for construction is that they take 20-100 years to mature which means that vast tracts of land must be committed for many years between harvests of the wood. An excellent alternative to using hard woods and soft wood lumber is to use bamboo. Unlike hardwood and softwood trees, bamboo grows very quickly and can be harvested in only a few years as they grow up to 3-4 feet/day (1.5-2.0 inches/hr)), with growth rates of 3-6 inches per day being[..]

How do you overcome fear in a self-defense situation? Basically you don't, you learn to use the fear instead. Making it a tool that you shape not allowing fear to control you. All fine and dandy, but how do you go about learning how to use fear? Let's examine what fear is. Fear is an emotional response to stimuli either eternal or internal. Fear has certain physiological responses. Increased heart rate Increased respiration Introduction of epinephrines into the body which constrict capillaries, increase strength and increase speed. __________________________________________ There are various mental responses to fear __________________________________________ Freezing up. Not being able[..]

If you are teaching kids karate and your classes are getting smaller and smaller, it's time to take a good long look at what you are teaching your kids! The last thing you want is to lose your teaching job because no one wants to attend your classes! Here are the top 5 martial arts drills and karate games that kids will go crazy for and that will keep them coming back for more! 1. CATCH YOUR TAIL - This game is easy and geared towards the very young student. It encourages agility and speed and laughter. Choose two students; one to be the head of the tiger and one to be the tail. Take a karate belt and tie it to the back of the belt of the "tail" student. Set your watch for 30 seconds and[..]

With both a martial arts background and a degree in Physical Education, I admit to being skeptical when I read Martial Arts Games for Kids by Aaron Perry. I found some excellent games for education and maintaining student interest, loyalty and promotion of your martial arts school. I also found some points in the book I believe could be improved. Read on.... The Writing Itself I have to admit, I've been in sales related fields over 30 years. Aaron Perry knows how to write good sales copy. Not only that, he has the martial arts knowledge and the ability to transfer his knowledge and experience to his fellow martial arts instructors. I believe this skill was taken into consideration as he[..]