- Looks like Striking Thoughts has broke 100,oo0 hits. Who would have thought that after at least four years of blogging I’d still be at it?
- I always have mixed views of this whole “Karate for Christ” schtick. On the one hand it bypasses traditions from Okinawa, Japan, and Korea. However I do have to admit that this guy is providing training to many who could not afford it. You have to give him credit for that.
Being a single parent, Stacie Conder also found the karate class to be a blessing with an affordable price of $5 a week.
- Susan Harrow is taking her Aikido lessons one day at a time.
The Aikido community is a tight knit one and people are helpful, committed and generous. Among our social networks we each seek out and find those same kind of like-minded people. It’s just a much bigger dojo.
- Resident World Taekwondo leader is set to publish a book.
The 223-page book contains his ideas on the globalization of taekwondo, the creation of a new taekwondo image, and a vision of sports and peace, as well as his reflections on life.
- If you are near New York state here’s a Karate tournament for you.
Hanshi Rick Diaz announces his upcoming tournament, the 2009 Karate Tournament of Champions, to be held on Sunday, November 22, 2009.
- I’ve been running this news feature for several years now and one thing that continues to please me are stories like this.
The mission of this program is to prevent at-risk juveniles and youth offenders from future and continued adverse encounters with law enforcement and the juvenile justice system through martial arts training.
He said Aikido is a “mostly defensive type of martial arts.”
- If you are in the South West you may have heard about this Karate tournament.
“The karate is a form of exercise … this has everything within, all those physical fitness, cardio and sparring plus an art of defense, and also the most important part, by doing this it builds up confidence and self-respect.”
- It looks like member of the East Coast Karate Academy are being inducted into the World Martial Arts Federation hall of fame.
The WMAF created this gallant event to recognize the achievements of professional martial artists in the United States.
- If you are “across the pond” you may have heard about this tournament.
SIX members of Brothock Shotokan Karate Club travelled to Blackpool for the United Kingdom Traditional Karate Federation Junior Championships.
- SFC Mike Mike Snipes is teaching Tae Kwon Do during his spare time in Iraq.
“For recreation and relaxation, I’ve been teaching karate to a few people within the headquarters company,” he said recently.
- Two kids with Down’s Syndrome are giving Karate a try.
Only months after joining a karate class for people with Down syndrome, two boys are into their first round of grading.
- It looks like the Second Amendment™ guarantees you the right to own military assault rifles and body armor. I’m sure that the kid that used this gear to gun down cops also used it for hunting dear. (that was sarcasm)
Authorities believe Poplawski, wearing a bullet-proof vest, aimed more than 100 rounds at police, using an AK-47, Harper said Saturday.
From the blogs:
- Ikigai looks at the simultaneous high block/outside middle block. In the style of Taekwondo that I studied this appears in the Taebaek, which is the third dan form. (this is the form that I was recently taught!)
I’ve included a few different styles here because, when analyzing bunkai, it’s good to get a broad spectrum of how the technique is executed.
- American Traditional reflects about his first martial arts teacher.
The rules and rituals, the old-style etiquette, make it possible for flawed human beings to show their best.
- Hsoi muses about the Dan Bong.
Some dan bong’s have a thong attached to one end, but that tends to be more from Hapkido than Kuk Sool.
- Maybe you should consider going to China and learning Kung Fu?
There are numerous Chinese Kung Fu Academies located on the sacred Wudang Mountain (Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon), next to the returning Dragon Temple, in the heart of mainland China’s Hubei Province, South West of Shiyan City.
- 24 Fighting Chickens thinks that humiliation is a bad thing.
Being humiliated does not improve you as a person. The experience of humiliation is negative, and while it may serve to provide motivation, it is motivation through fear.
- Black Belt Mama is not worried about how long it takes to get a black belt.
The truth is that the belt doesn’t have any super powers, so there’s really no reason to need one quickly.
- There’s a darn good scientific reason that most masters are called masters.
Nobel Laureate Herbert Simon said: “It takes 10 years of extensive training to excel in anything.”
- Speed is good but timing is better.
You don’t have to be the quickest mover all the time. The “fastest” fighter is the one who gets the job done most efficiently.
- Scott Phillips talks about three powers.
Something that all martial arts share is the three powers. The powers are:
- Front and Back
- Left and Right
Videos:
Let’s close with a little viewer mail! Sharon is studying Jeet Kune Do in England and wants me to post this video which illustrates some core techniques of Bruce Lee’s fighting method. Here you go Sharon!
My likes:
- The non-chambered kicks
- Half slide and half retreat
- Use of low kicks (it’s a Kung Fu thing, folks!)
- Kicks to set up punches
- Forward/backward retreat (I learned something similar in Taekwondo)
- At about 4:18 you can see some cool shadow boxing
My dislikes:
- I’m not too crazy about keeping that lead hand low
- The “circular high kick” aka spinning hook kick in Taekwondo. Yeah I used it to break boards. However, it’s a high-risk move in my opinion.
I’m not sure what’s happening with that “circular punch”. It’ goes so fast I can’t tell if it’s a back fist or not!
~BCP
————————
Want me to include your news item? Then drop me an e-mail at bpatterson67@comcast.net!
Want to discuss the news? Then take it to the Convocation of Combat Arts!
Got a martial arts blog? If so consider joining my Martial Arts Toplist!
Congrats on reaching 100,000 and thank you for the link too.
Nice feature with the MA news.
You are welcome!