Martial Arts News 3.1.09

• The World Boxing Association gets another black eye.

Just when you thought a sanctioning body couldn’t sink any lower, the World Boxing Association (WBA) has found yet another level to sink to.

• West Coast Karate team returns with nine trophies.

Congratulations to the karate team of the City’s Newhall Community Center… The team brought back a total of nine trophies, taking five first place trophies, two-second place trophies and two fourth place trophies.

• Another former streetfighter to join the MMA show.

“He hasn’t wrestled. He was actually quite a streetfighter (in Baltimore) so people said he should box,” Gelke said of Rahman, who took up boxing at the relatively late age of 20. “He’s like Quinton (Jackson) and Kimbo in that sense.”

• Smith Taekwondo Center wins at kickboxing tournament.

Coaching these fighters with years of wisdom and experience was Master Bob Smith, Owner and Grand Master of Smith Taekwondo & Pro-sport Kickboxing Center.

• The UFC may have paid money for a broken fighter.

Unless his reflexes suddenly snap back to pre-knockout levels, the UFC is paying big money for a fighter who may very well be shot. And unlike in Japan, UFC is not going to put fighters who couldn’t even win in minor-league shows against him because he’s a draw.

• Pennsylvania legalizes MMA.

The state said it anticipates regulating as many as five MMA events per month, which may generate as much as $80,000 per year in revenue for the athletic commission.

• Pakistan Judo team is headed to Iran for a tournament.

Pakistan judo squad will leave for Iran on March 7 to feature in the Eighth Azad Islamic University Judo tournament and to undergo a month long training in Tehran in connection with the preparations for the First Asian Martial Arts Games to be held in Bangkok from April 25 to May 3.

• Perhaps you can learn martial arts from the internet?

Lee Mainprize has launched Martial Arts Training TV which currently offers three step by step easy to follow martial arts training programs online in video download format, making martial arts training more accessible and affordable to people who wouldn’t necessarily go to a formal class or may simply want to build on their existing skills in their own time.

• Now here’s a Hapkido club that’s in my neck of the woods.

Hapkido Club was founded by Brandon Sieg, an assistant professor of kinesiology, when he arrived at DePauw 10 years ago and began teaching martial arts courses… The club also provides a way for students to progress through the ranks, and those who start out early have the opportunity to earn a black belt.

• Blind Judo championships to be held in San Diego.

USA Judo, Inc. will host Blind Judo at the Senior National Judo Championships in San Diego on April 16-19, 2009.

• Cops in India may have strong Kung Fu.

Policemen from the western suburbs finished a 10-day rigorous training in martial arts, like kung-fu, on Friday.

Then again after only 10 days maybe not…

There was a LOT of MMA in the news this week. Anyhow, on to the blogs!

• AKF Martial Arts has photos up from some black belt tests.
• TaiJiQuestion tells us about stances.
• Fightback59 experiences racism in the martial arts.
• Matthew finds mountains and more in Colorado.

Let’s close the blogs with a new favorite blog and a favorite blog post. First I give you Wim Demeere’s blog from Beligum. How did I find Wim’s blog? He started leaving comments over here! I’ve spent some time perusing his work and he’s got some really good stuff so please check him out. In particular, those of you who like practical self-defense should give him a look-see. Oh, and he has a connection to Loren Christensen whose been on my want-to-read list for some time now!

My favorite blog post of the week goes to RossTraining.com. Check out his homemade isomentric tool! It sorta looks like some sort of S&M device we’d expect to see at the Dojo Rat’s love shack! Anyhow, I’m all about avoiding he gym and saving that money for my martial arts training. If you are too you really should spend some time over at the Ross blog!

A combination of the Ross post, one comment, and one e-mail have inspired me to update my homemade Mook Jong post. Prior to Taekwondo I was taught a bastardized version of Wing Chun. Really it was mostly me cross training with someone who had WC and “reality” system experience. I gave him a little PPCT and he showed me his stuff. It was ugly but the experience was enough to light the marital arts fuse and get me back into Taekwondo.  Hat tip to Jason for a new link to some slightly differnt  Mook Jong plans than the ones I used to make Mrs. Esterhaus!

No offense to the purists but you CAN use a Mook Jong to practice various martial arts techniques on. I used it during Taekwondo and I am now using it with Praying Mantis. However, it’s no substitute for a live partner but I’d argue it’s a darn good supplement.

Let’s close with a video of the infamous “slam set“. Not for the purists but for those of you who want something to work techniques on then this may just be for you!

~BCP

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