One of the biggest mysteries of the martial arts is internal energy. Wudan arts, like Tai Chi Chuan and Pa Kua Chang and Hsing i claim it. Supposedly it takes lifetimes to build, but when you get it you can defeat attackers with just a sigh and a brush of the palm.Well, the truth of the matter is that internal energy is in many arts, and if it is not, it can be put into any art easily. The principles of internal energy, you see, are easy to...more
Author: Ben Strauss If you had to rip off the eyes of your attacker in order to secure your freedom, would you do it? Would you pluck out the eyes of an attacker come at you with hideous intents you could only guess at, would you pluck out his eyes for your freedom.Many will cringe at the thought of doing such damage to another person but i assure you in the heat of the moment when you are faced with the hard reality that the sucess of...more
Matrixing, to put your fevered mind to rest, is the analysis and handling of force and direction. Everything in the universe has a direction, and everything in the universe has lots of potentials for collision. Thus, the study of Matrixing becomes crucial if one is going to understand things like Shaolin kung fu.Now, to set this article up in the proper manner, let me say that the martial arts are nothing more than random strings of data. This is like somebody memorizing a dozen pieces on the clarinet, and thinking he is the next Pete Fountain. Obviously, one has to do more than memorize a few pieces, one must find the structure of his art, and how to arrange that art before he can lay claim to being a master artist.So, let's talk about Shaolin. Shaolin has a few thousand years of history, and this has resulted in every kung fu monk and his brother adding to the mix, and thus the logic and organization of the art has become thoroughly and totally mixed and muddled. There is a mountain of random data, you see, and there is no set of principles with which to define it.If one studies Shaolin kung fu like Choy Li Fut or Hung Gar, one thinks that the art is filled with deep horse...more
Okay, I've been doing the martial arts for over forty years. I've lived through the arts of the decades, judo in the fifties, karate in the sixties, kung fu in the seventies, and so on, and I've analyzed durn near every art there is. I've made up a list of things which I wish people would have told me, or I somehow could have found out, when I...more
Author: Vikram KumarThere's a telling scene at the end of the movie, "The Karate Kid," that illustrates the true heart of martial arts. As two judges congratulate Daniel and Mr. Miyagi on Daniel's first-place win, the mean sensei, Kreese, breaks through their group to show his contempt. One of the other judges says plainly, "That guy doesn't...more
The problem with freestyle is that it has devolved into fighting. Sounds contradictory, I know, but I began learning martial arts back in the sixties, and I have seen a different face of freestyle. This was a freestyle that was actually more effective, easier to learn, and tempers the personality to grow a better human being.Now, I have nothing against modern martial arts, like the MMA practiced in the UFC, or learning ground and pound and all the other types of freestyle. Truth, I think some of this stuff would have come in pretty handy back when I was first learning the arts. That said, consider my following disgruntlements in connection with freestyle.Controlled freestyle in the martial arts effectively died when people started wearing protective gear. Sure, we occasionally wore wraps and things back then, but the purpose was to protect injuries that had already occurred. The breaking point, however, was when school owners began making money selling pads and gloves, they pandered to mothers fears, and this halted little Johnny from learning about the true control possible through the martial arts.Bruce Lee took a frightful toll on freestyle by introducing bouncing. He watched...more
I don't care if I make enemies, I'm going to say it, the kicking I see on the UFC and MMA type of thing is not really kicking. Truth, it is leg swinging, without focus, and it doesn't work. This article is going to tell you why it doesn't work, and...more
Author: Vikram KumarSports are known for providing a focus around which a community can build. When it comes to building a community, few interests can match the passion and pride of martial arts. The term "martial arts" covers thousands of...more
Consumption is something that is out of control in Americans lives. The inability to take smaller bites and segments to consume has lead us on a dangerous path. We need to temper our emotions and take things in smaller steps.Training too much can...more
One of the oldest of the planetary martial arts is Shaolin. It was brought from India by a fellow named Bodhidharma, and has been pivotal to martial arts the world over. Interestingly, Shaolin eventually changed into an internal art atop Wudan...more
While hanging a punching bag may seem like common sense to some, there are some important aspects that shouldnt be overlooked to achieve optimal workout settings and maintain safety. Theres nothing worse than then having your wall or ceiling come...more
Author: Troy MacraftLathiLathi is a martial art and is also the name given to a bamboo pole, 6-8 ft (1.8-2.8 m) long, with a metal tip at the end, which is wielded like a sword. Lathi is thought to have originated from an ancient and peaceful yogic...more