View All Martial Arts Articles
Aikido Notes from Hiroshi Tada Shihan
Aikido as a discipline is a continuous learning process. Besides the teaching of technique and proper ukemi, it is also about understanding the correlation of what goes on not only with the opponent but also the aikidoka’s surroundings. Read More
Aikido: Harmony of Body and Spirit
For every yin, there is a yang. Opposites are never entirely opposite but rather can be complementary. A discipline that bats for harmony and restraint. Read More
Ba Gua
Ba Gua, Pa Kua, Bagua, Pakua, Bagua zhang, Bagua Quan, Pakua Chuan, which ever way you prefer to spell or pronounce it, it is the same sysytem. Read More
Bakbakan Filipino Street Fighting
Bakbakan International is a brotherhood of martial artists from different disciplines of martial arts. It is not a style nor representative of any single style. It is a center for the sharing of ideas, techniques and knowledge. Read More
Gracie Style of Jiu-Jitsu
The Gracie style of jiu jitsu is the "hottest" item in mixed martial arts today. Carlos Gracie, who was a keen student of the traditional Japanese jiu jitsu under the great Japanese champion, Mitsuyo Maeda (known in Brazil as Conde Koma or the "Count of Combat"). Read More
Guiding A Student's Mental Development
The aim of this article is to explain the process of guiding students through the ranks, from White Belt (10th Kyu) up to Black belt (Shodan) in the context of Zen principles. Read More
How To Throw a Ninja Star Shuriken
Multi-pointed throwing weapons called Shuriken (pronounced "Sure-ee-ken"), were an indispensable part of the tonki arsenal used by the NINJA , secret agents of Japan's feudal era from the 13th to 17th Century. Read More
Imrich Lichtenfeld, Founder of Krav Maga
Imi (Imrich) Sde-Or (Lichtenfeld), founder of Krav-Maga was born in 1910 in Budapest and grew up in Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia. Read More
In Reverence of the Hakama
Some may say it looks like a skirt. Some, a divided skirt used for riding. To others, it is the honor earned through years of dedication, practice and respect for the principles of Japanese martial arts. Read More
Internal / External What's the Difference?
Though there are many schools of thoughts on what makes a martial arts system internal or external, I believe that there are a few key points that divide them. I have heard such things that one who practices internal arts will know the external, but those who practice external will not know internal. Read More
Kata Practice and Bunkai
The practice of kata may be studied in a very in depth & narrow way, where your main focus is on perfection and the blending of power with technical precision. You may endevour to perfect these movements with fluidity & grace thinking that they are fighting an imaginary opponent. Read More
Khukuri Knives Article
I've always been a fan of big blades. In my line of work as a survival instructor/wilderness video producer, I spend a lot of my time chopping, shaping and carving wood and bone. During the 30 years I've been doing this sort of thing, I've learned that you can use a big knife to do a big job. Read More
Knife Blade Hardness and Indestructability
Knives are designed to cut 4 types of materials: vegetables, fiber rope and cloth, animal flesh and hide, and wood. Sometimes knives are expected to do alot more than just cut these basic materials. Read More
Krav - Maga Martial Arts
Krav-Maga, the official self-defense and hand-to-hand combat system of Israel, is a martial art first developed by Imrich Lichtenfeld in Czechoslovakia in the 1930s. It is a practical and tactical system that teaches how to prevent, deal with and overcome all kinds of violence and attacks. Read More
Martial Arts - A Real World Perspective
Far too many martial arts students are attempting to learn self-defense without knowing what they will need to be able to handle a real-world situation. They are attempting to learn from instructors who are teaching without this perspective. Read More
Sword Care & Maintenance
The beauty and the value of the samurai sword are chiefly on the excellence of its flawless polish. The blade should never be touched with the hand because it is dangerous and will lead to eventual rusting. Read More
Sword Information
Statistically, there were around 1 1/2 million swords existing before World War II. Around 1/3 of them were over 2 feet in length (daito). Read More
Sword Terminology and Definitions
Katana: Long Sword; Wakizashi: Medium Sword Read More
Tang Types
The tang is the portion of the blade that is inside the handle. Read More
The Journey of A Martial Artist
The path of the warrior is a continuous journey, begins in the body through training and then ends in the mind. Many strive to attain belts and ranks as their aim and objective but this focus is so wrong. Read More
The Keys to Martial Arts Life Mastery - Key 1
Deep within each one of us is a driving force waiting for its time in the sun. We recognized it as children as we dreamed of great things in our futures. Read More
The Keys to Martial Arts Life Mastery - Key 2
Nothing causes conflict more than a self-centered, "my-way or the highway" attitude. As martial artists, we know the trap that increased confidence and power can bring. Read More
Tigress of Canton - Mok Kwei Lan
Madame Mok Kwei Lan was recognized as the "Tigress" in Mok gar Kung Fu and this is not because she was a shrew. Read More
What is Martial Arts - Basic Review
"Martial arts" is a general term for various types of fighting arts that originated in the Orient. They are bodies of codified practices or traditions of unarmed and armed combat, usually without the use of guns and other modern weapons. Read More
Aikido as a discipline is a continuous learning process. Besides the teaching of technique and proper ukemi, it is also about understanding the correlation of what goes on not only with the opponent but also the aikidoka’s surroundings. Read More
Aikido: Harmony of Body and Spirit
For every yin, there is a yang. Opposites are never entirely opposite but rather can be complementary. A discipline that bats for harmony and restraint. Read More
Ba Gua
Ba Gua, Pa Kua, Bagua, Pakua, Bagua zhang, Bagua Quan, Pakua Chuan, which ever way you prefer to spell or pronounce it, it is the same sysytem. Read More
Bakbakan Filipino Street Fighting
Bakbakan International is a brotherhood of martial artists from different disciplines of martial arts. It is not a style nor representative of any single style. It is a center for the sharing of ideas, techniques and knowledge. Read More
Gracie Style of Jiu-Jitsu
The Gracie style of jiu jitsu is the "hottest" item in mixed martial arts today. Carlos Gracie, who was a keen student of the traditional Japanese jiu jitsu under the great Japanese champion, Mitsuyo Maeda (known in Brazil as Conde Koma or the "Count of Combat"). Read More
Guiding A Student's Mental Development
The aim of this article is to explain the process of guiding students through the ranks, from White Belt (10th Kyu) up to Black belt (Shodan) in the context of Zen principles. Read More
How To Throw a Ninja Star Shuriken
Multi-pointed throwing weapons called Shuriken (pronounced "Sure-ee-ken"), were an indispensable part of the tonki arsenal used by the NINJA , secret agents of Japan's feudal era from the 13th to 17th Century. Read More
Imrich Lichtenfeld, Founder of Krav Maga
Imi (Imrich) Sde-Or (Lichtenfeld), founder of Krav-Maga was born in 1910 in Budapest and grew up in Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia. Read More
In Reverence of the Hakama
Some may say it looks like a skirt. Some, a divided skirt used for riding. To others, it is the honor earned through years of dedication, practice and respect for the principles of Japanese martial arts. Read More
Internal / External What's the Difference?
Though there are many schools of thoughts on what makes a martial arts system internal or external, I believe that there are a few key points that divide them. I have heard such things that one who practices internal arts will know the external, but those who practice external will not know internal. Read More
Kata Practice and Bunkai
The practice of kata may be studied in a very in depth & narrow way, where your main focus is on perfection and the blending of power with technical precision. You may endevour to perfect these movements with fluidity & grace thinking that they are fighting an imaginary opponent. Read More
Khukuri Knives Article
I've always been a fan of big blades. In my line of work as a survival instructor/wilderness video producer, I spend a lot of my time chopping, shaping and carving wood and bone. During the 30 years I've been doing this sort of thing, I've learned that you can use a big knife to do a big job. Read More
Knife Blade Hardness and Indestructability
Knives are designed to cut 4 types of materials: vegetables, fiber rope and cloth, animal flesh and hide, and wood. Sometimes knives are expected to do alot more than just cut these basic materials. Read More
Krav - Maga Martial Arts
Krav-Maga, the official self-defense and hand-to-hand combat system of Israel, is a martial art first developed by Imrich Lichtenfeld in Czechoslovakia in the 1930s. It is a practical and tactical system that teaches how to prevent, deal with and overcome all kinds of violence and attacks. Read More
Martial Arts - A Real World Perspective
Far too many martial arts students are attempting to learn self-defense without knowing what they will need to be able to handle a real-world situation. They are attempting to learn from instructors who are teaching without this perspective. Read More
Sword Care & Maintenance
The beauty and the value of the samurai sword are chiefly on the excellence of its flawless polish. The blade should never be touched with the hand because it is dangerous and will lead to eventual rusting. Read More
Sword Information
Statistically, there were around 1 1/2 million swords existing before World War II. Around 1/3 of them were over 2 feet in length (daito). Read More
Sword Terminology and Definitions
Katana: Long Sword; Wakizashi: Medium Sword Read More
Tang Types
The tang is the portion of the blade that is inside the handle. Read More
The Journey of A Martial Artist
The path of the warrior is a continuous journey, begins in the body through training and then ends in the mind. Many strive to attain belts and ranks as their aim and objective but this focus is so wrong. Read More
The Keys to Martial Arts Life Mastery - Key 1
Deep within each one of us is a driving force waiting for its time in the sun. We recognized it as children as we dreamed of great things in our futures. Read More
The Keys to Martial Arts Life Mastery - Key 2
Nothing causes conflict more than a self-centered, "my-way or the highway" attitude. As martial artists, we know the trap that increased confidence and power can bring. Read More
Tigress of Canton - Mok Kwei Lan
Madame Mok Kwei Lan was recognized as the "Tigress" in Mok gar Kung Fu and this is not because she was a shrew. Read More
What is Martial Arts - Basic Review
"Martial arts" is a general term for various types of fighting arts that originated in the Orient. They are bodies of codified practices or traditions of unarmed and armed combat, usually without the use of guns and other modern weapons. Read More