martial arts
Unarmed Self Defense Tactics
The human foot is made up of 26 bones that are tied together by strong ligaments. Of these there are seven tarsal bones that form the area directly below the ankle joint and make up the instep of the foot. Five metatarsal bones that make up the ball of the foot then follow these seven and of course you have fourteen phalanges that form the toes. For those wondering how five toes divide into fourteen bones it is simple, there are only two bones in the big toe and three in the others.
By now you are probably also wondering what basic foot anatomy has to do with an assailant. Actually the knowledge of how the foot and hand (which we will cover shortly) is made up will enable you to better understand how to use them against an assailant.
The heel of the foot is the toughest bone of the foot and it is unlikely you will be able to do damage to it. The ankle bones can be hurt but are supported by the heel so more effort would have to be expended. The tiny bones that make up the instep and the toes on the other hand are very vulnerable and easy to break.
When a male or female assailant grabs you, there is an excellent chance that they have your hands, wrists or arms pinned and out of commission. By pinning you in this way, your assailant has affectively removed two of your most powerful weapons, both hands and elbows.
At the same time, it is important to remember they are not the only weapons you have in your arsenal. Your most powerful weapon is of course your head and by using it while staying calm, you are already in a stronger defensive position. Another strong set of weapons is your legs and feet.
It is possible to break the small bones of the feet regardless of which way your assailant has you facing in regards to him. The important part to remember is to use your own strong heel to make the strike, not the ball of your foot or instep.
To get the desired effect you will need to bring your knee up as far as possible and then slamming it downward with your ankle flexed upward so your heel hits first. For any of the following instructions to work, you must be within striking range of your assailant. YOUR striking range, not his.
If your back is to your assailant, you can bring your knee up without impediment and think for a moment of how a mule kicks with his rear legs. He will bring his leg up with the hoof close to his underside and then kick straight back. In some styles of martial arts, bringing your knee and foot up and also kicking straight back just happens to be termed a “mule kick.”
Ideally, as you slam your heel backwards, you will hit the assailant’s knee, a very unstable, vulnerable joint. Regardless if you hit the knee or the shin, the rest of the technique requires you to allow your heel to slide down the assailant’s leg and onto the bones of the instep or toes.
For those that wear high heels or boots, you will have an added advantage although the technique will still work well in tennis shoes or bare feet. You just have to remember to put as much force behind the strike as possible.
If you have been lucky enough to hit the knee or break the bones of the foot, don’t stop there. Use your head as a battering ram against your assailant’s nose and mouth, if your arms are pinned but your hands are free, attempt to step backwards as close to your assailant as possible, use your strongest hand to reach back and grab a handful of testicles or pinch as hard as you can on the inside of the thigh as close to the groin as possible. To get the idea of how light a pinch can cause pain, reach down and pinch the inside of your own thigh.
As to the human hand, there are twenty-seven bones that comprise the fingers, palm and wrist. The wrist itself has eight strong cube shaped bones that attaches the actual hand to the end of the arm. The palm is made up of five long metacarpal bones. From the palm, fourteen phalangeal bones become the fingers with the same breakdown in individual digits as listed in the toes. Three bones are in each finger, two in the thumb.
The hand itself with all the fingers grasping your wrist, shoulder or arm is strong but one finger by itself is weak. For the sake of simplicity, lets assume your assailant has a big meaty hand wrapped around your left wrist or lower arm. Regardless as to who this person is, he or she has no right to touch you without your permission and if permission has been given, the point of this article would be mute.
Keeping calm, look down at the offending hand, reach over with you right hand and instead of grabbing their wrist or entire hand, simply grab one little finger. The weakest fingers in an average person’s hand are the pinkie and the ring finger. Use this knowledge to your advantage. Wrap your hand as best as possible around the pinkie and with a sharp motion down and back, make the back of the finger smash into the back of your assailant’s hand. You must do this quickly, forcefully and be committed to the act.
By hesitating, the assailant is given time to be aware of what you are doing and take appropriate actions and if you feel squeamish about breaking someone’s bones, you won’t use the force needed to do the most good.
If your assailant is holding your hand in such a way you can’t get a good grip on the pinkie or ring finger, don’t give up. The index finger or the thumb will be as affective; they just require a greater deal of force.
To give yourself an added advantage, precede the breaking of the finger with the foot strike and stomping of toes to get your assailant distracted first. If you are facing him, you can see exactly where the knee and foot for the best quality strike.
These suggestions are just a couple of the possible self-defense escape methods that can be used. As with any technique, no single one works 100% of the time in all given situations and against any or all opponents. They can be affective though by themselves or as follow-ups to other types of defensive moves.
As with any and all techniques, they do little good if they have not been practiced and require a period of thought on you part to remember. With any attack, you will have a very small window of opportunity to get your strikes in and get away. After all, that is your main objective, to get away. Once you are free, run, don’t walk to the closest safe place you can find and call for law enforcement authorities to handle the matter from there.
Martial Arts and Daily Living
Focus
Many students ask - what do I do with my eyes? Where do I look? Regardless what the practice is - standing, walking, moving - eyes are looking straight but your mind does not register information taken by your eyesight. The gaze is turned internally, observing your muscles, your legs, your hands, scanning every single part of your body with your mind. I used to go to crowded places to train for competitions - the more distraction the better it was. Well, no doubt, I learned how to focus and keep final destination constantly in my mind - perfection of the body posture, allowing the energy to flow freely like cleaning blocked pipes or dirty chimneys. Meridians are fresh, blood circulates to all parts of the body, there are no blockages and as qi starts in your dan tian it swirls through the whole body and is being released into the ground. To reach perfection you first hear about what it is that you are looking for and then step by step focus on each requirement until you get it and lift yourself up to new horizons. I take focus as another insight for daily living.
Flexibility
A lot of people are put off by the idea of martial arts for a simple reason that you need to wake up early and practice outside during winter. In my opinion these are such minor components of the whole practice and if you do get into practicing at dawn and during the winter than you are already into it that much that it does not matter. Your teacher may be flexible enough to assist you in learning whenever it is convenient for you, some teachers take it easy during winter and if you have a spacious apartment you can practice at home. So, first of all martial arts teaches about flexibility. By being flexible I mean physically and mentally because it is all connected and one directs the other.
Calm
Another simple implementation of martial arts in daily living is that you learn how to keep being focused and relaxed while doing strenuous exercise. The practice gets your body to twist in new directions, to use muscles you haven’t used before, to learn what ‘natural posture’ means in terms of martial arts. After a while your body becomes soft outside (for the observer) and hard inside (you experience the flow of qi in your body). Simply, if you manage to keep your body relaxed during strenuous exercise then in daily living you can maintain being relaxed in stressful situations. Needless to mention, daily practice enables you to remain calm and focused despite the circumstances and the environment.
Patience
Recently I have been translating for Liu Sifu - he has new students who do not speak much of Chinese and I am amazed (again and again) how much patience he has. Each student is treated in a new way, with new perspective, so much appropriate for their personality. I stopped asking how he does it, each time it is just as if he knows how nature works. Of course, practicing ba gua was helpful for increasing this insight (amongst other things). As I translate I keep rushing ahead, giving my perspective on what is being said, talking about my experience while he sits calmly and waits for me to finish. Never a single comment, never a single request. I look at new students practicing zhang zhuan (standing stance) and keep thinking: they must be bored, there is so much more to it! And yet, I realize - their mind and body are so occupied maintaining the proper standing stance as it looks simple to an observer while the person practicing has busy time thinking of all things that need to be done - usual case with internal martial arts. I learned patience by living in China and I know that patience is part of every journey - accept the fact that beginning is slow and that some things you will do well, some will be hard.
Determination and Discipline
Over the course of 7 years of practice I have learned one thing about internal martial arts - there are times when I enjoy it, when the flow of it is so natural and free, by body wakens and mind empties itself accepting nature as the only guide. As everything else in life, there are also times when I am lazy, I dread waking up in the morning, my body rebels, practice seems boring and I question if there is anything coming out of it. Liu calls these times “guan” (”pass”). Each guan is blocking the way towards new learning, realization and expansion. So there is physical guan, lazy guan, guan of doubt etc. It is our choice to stop and retreat from practice or to continue and see what awaits us behind the obstacle. Usually it is expansion of physical and mental experience: body becomes stronger, mind reaches new horizons. However, it does not mean that if you pass one guan you have finished with that lesson. For me, lazy guan keeps coming back but the time needed to pass it is getting shorter and shorter. Lessons are fulfilling enough for me to realize that determination and discipline is what takes me further towards abundant and balanced living.
With flexibility, calm, focus, patience, determination and discipline I look forward to every new challenge.
Facts about Karate
Contrary to popular opinion, the martial art Karate was not invented in China. Rather, it has its origins in the island of Okinawa in Japan. The word “Karate” means the “empty hand” or the “Chinese hand”, and it has been given this name because it involves a rapid use of hands and legs in an extreme close combat.
It was sometime in the sixteenth century that Chinese Kung Fu fighters experimented around with their styles and formulated the “te” technique (”Te” means hand). The art grew in China and evolved from a very rough and simple fighting style into a hard, close-combat style.
Around the late nineteenth century, Gichin Funakoshi, a famous martial arts practitioner from Japan, blended new moves into the “Te” style and displayed his art to the Japanese martial arts masters in early twentieth century. This was the beginning of Karate, as we know it.
Karate kicked off with the original Okinawa style; later on, the Japanese patented their own styles, which are now appropriately called Japanese styles of Karate. With time, many karate schools all cross the world began naming their Karate after their school’s or master’s name, giving birth to many sub-styles.
The original style - known as the Okinawa style - is a very hard and external style. It employs circular means of defense while its attack is linear in nature. The physical condition is extremely rigorous, as compared to the Japanese style of Karate. The Japanese style of Karate is more stylistic and its movements are linear in both defense and offense.
Some of the important Karate sub-styles are: (i) Wado-Ryu style, which combines JiuJitsu movements with Okinawa karate techniques, and (ii) Uechi-Ryu style, which blends Okinawa Karate with Chinese martial arts tactics. The Uechi-Ryu style appears more Chinese than Japanese though it is a blend of both the cultures.
As you know, Karate is a fast-paced martial art that involves electric movements of the hands and legs. So, you need to ensure that you are attired in a comfortable Karate uniform.
As Karate involves close combat and can be lethal, you will also need to protect your head and groin by strapping on a head guard and groin protector, respectively. Arm, chest and leg guards are available too, and so are karate mitts and shin protectors. And, of course, mouth guards can be considered too, just in case.
To train for Karate, you will need jump ropes, breakable boards, a Karate training board and a Karate training system. To perform Karate exercises, you will need leg and body stretchers, mats, water training bags, punching bags and pull-up and push-up bars.
And, finally, before you go out there to practice Karate, do not forget to plug in a first aid kit in your bag.
Karate not only keeps your body fit, it also strengthens your mind and enhances your concentration. Only thing, you must learn to respect it and practice it seriously as an art.
Judo, the art of Self Perfection
by: Anne-Marie RONSEN
Have you ever wondered what exactly is up with Judo? When you talk about martial arts, what comes first in your mind? This informative article can give you an insight into everything you’ve ever wanted to know about judo and Martial Arts.
It’s really a good idea to probe a little deeper into the subject of judo. Today Judo is enjoyed by more than 800,000 men, women and children. There are many reasons for learning Judo. Judo provides exercise, relaxation, sport, an interesting challenge, balance, coordination, self-protection and self-confidence.
Modern Judo is a martial art based on the traditional Jujutsu fighting and self-defense techniques of Japan. It was developed by Professor Jigoro Kano from a martial art called Jujutsu (also spelled Jujitsu). He is often called the “Father of Japanese Sports.” Professor Jigoro Kano eliminated some of the traditional jujutsu techniques and changed training methods so that most of the moves could be done with full force to create a decisive victory without injury.
The Japanese word “Ju” in Judo means “mild” and “natural” and “do” means “art” and “way.” Judo therefore denotes “way to peace” or may be translated as “the Way of gentleness,” with the implication of first giving way to ultimately gain victory.
Judo techniques are divided into three primary catagories - Nage-waza (throwing techniques), Katame-waza (grappling techniques), and Atemi-waza.
Judo training has many forms for different interests. Some students study the traditional art and forms (kata) of Judo. Other students train for competition by sparring and entering the many tournaments that are available. Other students train for self-defense, and yet other students practice Judo for fun and recreation. Black belts are expected to learn all aspects of Judo.
The most important principle of Judo as practiced was to disturb the center of gravity of the opponent, and then pull or push in a way that the opponent cannot stand, exerting skill rather than strength, so that he might lose his equilibrium and fall heavily to the ground. A series of rules was taught respecting the different motions of feet, legs, arms, hands, the thigh and back, in order to accomplish this object.
Judo is an art, after all, a practical approach to life. Judo develops complete body control, fine balance, and fast reflexive action. Develops a keen desire to coordinate mind and body. Also, provides the means for learning self-confidence, concentration, and leadership skills, as well as physical coordination, power, and flexibility.
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Enjoy, and in the words of Dr. Jigoro Kano:
“Before and after practicing Judo or engaging in a match, opponents bow to each other. Bowing is an expression of gratitude and respect. In effect, you are thanking your opponent for giving you the opportunity to improve your technique.”
Copyright © Anne-Marie Ronsen
The Shamanic Origins of Tai Chi
“Only the multi-disciplined warrior, the techno-shaman, can scale the walls of ignorance and shed light over the prevailing darkness. The warrior spirit must guide this process.”
The Warrior’s Edge, Alexander, Groller, Morriss
Under the moonlight, in a village somewhere in the Golden Triangle, the Ka-ren Shaman moved slowly and methodically. He was showing us the movements taught him by his Shaman, which had been passed down through the tribe for generations. The Shaman moved strikingly similar to a Tai Chi master.
The Golden Triangle is a roughly drawn geographic area that overlaps the borders of three countries: Myanmar in the west, Laos in the east, and Thailand in the south. This area gets its soubrette from its most profitable export, the golden excretions of the poppy - opium. The terrain of small brown mountains and narrow forested valleys is ideally suited to guerilla tactics. In the past this incomprehensible landscape acted as a barrier against the encroachments of the Burmese, Chinese, and Cambodian empires, allowing the area’s idigeonous hill tribes to maintain their own autonomy. More recently, the triangle’s remoteness continues to keep much of civilization at bay. Both Buddhist and Christian missionaries have failed to convert but a small number of the people away from their ancient animist beliefs. The Shaman or medicine man still plays an important role in the life of the isolated villages. In 1987 the author visited with the Ka-ren in one of the more remote areas of the Triangle. There he was fortunate enough to spend an evening with a Shaman and witness his Spirit Dance. It was there that the connection between this tradition and that of the Chinese martial arts seemed to meld.
Tai Chi has often been described and written about as form of meditation, a moving meditation. The purpose of meditation is to alter one’s consciousness in order to achieve a variety of goals from relaxation and healing, to extending one’s lifespan and many believe, developing supernatural abilities. The picture that most often comes to mind when we consider meditation is that of the Yogi, the Buddhist, and the Taoist, sitting cross-legged in a temple. The key ingredients are silence, stillness, and solitude. Contrast this image with one of continually flowing, and sometimes explosive movements of Tai Chi, and it would appear to be the antithesis of the conditions needed for meditation. From where then did this unique concept, the linking of physical movement with an altered state of consciousness, originate?
The five elements and their associated heraldic animals represent an ancient knowledge of how heavenly forces could be manipulated to affect earthly destinies. The central ritual of Taoist magic consists in the ability to call up the forces of these Spirit-Generals and indicates that the heraldic Animals are indeed the essence of supernatural powers.
The Chinese PauKua, Ong Hean-Tatt,
In the older martial arts traditions of China, Burma, the Philippines, and Malaysia, there are systems of self-defense that are based upon the combat movements of either real or mythical animals. The better known styles originated in China and include; Tiger, Leopard, Lion, Crane, Eagle, Phoenix, Snake, Dragon, White Ape, Monkey, and Praying Mantis to name a few. Most of the movements of these styles are more complex and vigorous than their passive cousin Tai Chi, and are thus even further removed from the traditional requirements of silence and stillness. Yet it is in the grand ballet of the animal styles that the connection is closest to the ancient origin of moving meditation. That connection can be seen in the oral traditions.
Every style has its own folklore regarding its origins. Often they are like parables that teach moral and philosophical lessons as well as the style’s origins. But there is also a pattern to many of the tales. The following story is typical of these and contains classic story elements that point to an even older origin
In 15th century China, Wang Lang was a young bully who had studied martial arts from a young age. He would strut and intimidate the locals with displays of Kung Fu, but the older men in the village were unimpressed. “Pah! Who do you think you are?” They would mutter, “Your skills are nothing compared to even a Shaolin novice.” Stinging from such rebukes, Wang vowed to find this Shaolin Temple, and defeat its master. After an arduous journey, Wang reached the Temple and challenged the monks to a duel. Initially the monks ignored him, but day after day Wang issued his challenge and finally the monks accepted. Expecting to duel with the master, Wang was chagrined to find himself faced with the lowest ranking monk. Even more humiliating was his quick defeat at the novice’s hands. Wang sulked off to the nearby mountains where he trained for months. After his confidence was restored, Wang returned to Shaolin and defeated the novice monk that had beaten him earlier. But his next opponent was a senior monk who flounced him effortlessly.
Wang again retreated to the mountains to contemplate his failure. Then one day, while sitting in meditation, Wang was distracted by sounds coming from some bushes nearby. Investigating the source of the commotion he discovered a struggle between a praying mantis and a cicada. As he watched, Wang was fascinated by the mantis’s martial techniques. He captured the mantis and kept it in a cage built from sticks. He used a straw to poke and attack the insect in order to study its fighting strategy. Wang incorporated the strategies of the mantis into his martial arts and returned to the Temple. He defeated every one of the monks sent against him. The Abbott finally ordered a stop to the contest conceding victory to Wang. The Abbot was curious about his unique style of fighting and asked Wang how he came about it. Wang told the story of his encounter with the Mantis. Having also learned humility from the insect, Wang Lang became a Shaolin monk and his Praying Mantis style became famous throughout China.
As a parable this tale illustrates three of the most important strategies of warfare; deception, speed, and surprise. There are also the moral lessons: persevering in the face of failure, learning humility, and the benefits of learning to be in harmony with nature.
But from the perspective of cultural anthropology such folktales may contain an ancient memory of an even older tradition, that of the “Vision Quest”. Common to Shamanism, the Vision Quest is a ritual whereby a young warrior first undergoes a period of training after which he sets off alone into the wilderness. He must bear the hardships of isolation while fasting and meditating until he has a vision. The vision usually takes the form of an animal that reveals certain secrets. This animal then becomes the warrior’s kindred or guardian spirit and will share his powers with the warrior. For example, if the visionary animal was a fox, the warrior would take on the qualities of cunning, an eagle would bestow far sight, a bear - strength, and so on. Compare the elements of the Vision Quest to the story of Wang Lang: his training and initial defeat, his departure into the wilderness to contemplate his failure, the encounter with the Mantis who reveals secrets of strategy and tactics, and finally, Wang’s triumphant return possessed with the powers of the Mantis, as well as a newfound humility.
The conditions that induce these (altered) States include such common experiences as isolation, fatigue, hunger, and rhythmic sound and thus are likely to be re-discovered by different generations and cultures. Since these states may be pleasurable, meaningful, and healing, they are likely to be actively sought and methods of inducing them remembered and transmitted across generations.
The Spirit of Shamanism, Roger Walsh
The folktales surrounding the origins of other martial arts styles also follow the same plot. A Tibetan monk by the name of Ordator was wandering alone in the mountains when he encountered a battle between a crane and an ape. Thinking that the spindly and fragile Crane would soon succumb to the superior brawn and strength of the ape he was surprised when the crane defeated the ape. He studied the movements of the crane and learned that evasion, distraction, and attacking the enemy’s weak points was the strategy a smaller person could use to overcome a larger opponent. The crane’s graceful hoping and turning movements became the basis for the White Crane style, now famous throughout China.
The folklore surrounding Tai Chi’s origins also reflect the same pattern. The legendary founder of Tai Chi is said to have been a mountain hermit by the name of Chang San Feng who lived during the Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368). He wandered throughout the mountains and learned secret Taoist breathing techniques that made him nearly immortal (legend has him living well past 200) In addition, he learned Shaolin Temple fighting from other wandering monks.
One day while living on Wu Tang Mountain, Chang heard a hawk[1] screeching and went to see what was happening. What he discovered was a hawk attacking and doing battle with a snake. Although the hawk was stronger, faster, and had superior weapons in the form of a beak and talons, the snake was successful in driving off the hawk’s attacks. The snake’s soft and circular movements evaded the hawk’s attacks. Chang realized that by adopting the gentle and yielding aspects of the snake’s defense, the soft could neutralize the hard, the weak defeat the strong, and slow overcome the fast, and thus Tai Chi was born.
These folk tales share a common plot theme with the Vision Quest. Each includes a challenge or test, followed by isolation and hardship, then a revelation in the form of a vision of a wild animal that acts as a catalyst for the transformation of body and mind, finally, each takes on the attributes of the visionary animal.
In the fifth century BC there is described the ritual whereby the “inspector of the Region’ would dress in a bear’s skin and accompanied by twelve other attendants each dressed as a different animal, they would perform the “Bear Dance” which was meant to drive away evil spirits.
Bird Deities in China, Waterbury, F.
According to his book, Shamanism: Archaic Techniques of Ecstasy, Eliade recounts that a Shaman must from time to time perform a ritual known as The Spirit Dance. Well known among Native Americans, accounts of this practice also date back 4,000 years in Chinese records. During the Spirit Dance, the Shaman moves in imitation of his animal spirit to call on its powers. It is said that the animal spirit actually takes possession of the Shaman’s body and imbues the Shaman with superhuman strength. This is principle is also mirrored in the martial arts. Performing the movements of Tai Chi is said to generate a spiritual energy – Chi. Like the shaman’s infusion from his animal spirit, Chi also bestows superhuman strength. Could it be that performing the stylized movements of a Tai Chi form, is based on the ancient Shaman’s practice of dancing the spirit?
The Ka-ren belong to the Thai linguistic group whose origins lie in southwest China, possibly Yunnan or Szechwan. In the twelfth century the Mongols drove whole populations in China southwards. The social upheaval this caused helped to bring to an end fabled empires of Pagan and Angkor. The Thai tribes that had been displaced southwards initially settled in the wilderness hill country that bounded these two empires, but when Mongol incursions and civil wars finally destroyed the kingdoms, the Thai came down from the hills and established their own kingdom on the ruins. But not all the tribes came down from the hills. While their cousins went on to found the Thai kingdom, others chose instead to remain in the uplands living a lifestyle little changed over time. Could the practices of the Ka-ren Shaman be a time capsule of an archaic Chinese martial arts system as it existed a thousand years ago? If so would this mean that the connection between martial arts and Shamanism was closer and much older than we thought?
While there are several similarities between the origins of martial arts systems and the Shamanic tradition of the Vision Quest it does not imply that practicing Tai Chi is a form of spirit possession. What it does is suggest is that some of China’s most ancient traditions may be the source, inspiration, or template from which the more refined disciplines such as Tai Chi evolved.
So the next time you go out and practice your Snake Creeps Down, and Crane Opens Wings, in the moonlight, know that not only are you continuing a millennia old tradition of martial arts, but a tradition that quite possibly goes back through the mists of prehistory to the dawn of mankind itself.
How to Keep in Shape and Gain More Confidence With Martial Arts
There are many various forms of exercise that people use to keep in shape. One way to keep in shape and gain more confidence is by doing martial arts. You will find many different types of martial arts are available to those who are interested in this discipline. To help you out with the learning process of martial arts there are academies and dojos where you will have a chance of learning different styles and forms of martial arts.
Is Martial Arts a good fitness activity?
In the academies you will get to learn different techniques and weapons use of the many forms of martial arts. While you can learn more about this ancient form of fighting it is best to experience this learning with a qualified and trained instructor.
With the help of these individuals you can make sure that your training progress at a rate that your body will be able to work with. You will also be shown the right movements so that you don’t cause yourself any serious injurious. Now most of these academies can be geared towards teaching one type of training.
For this reason it is best if you see which martial arts form you would like to learn. Once you have made a decision about the unarmed fighting that you want to learn you can think about where you will get this training. You will find that some forms of martial arts are considered as being more popular than others.
You can look at the enrollment form of different classes in a martial arts academy to see which ones have more people in them. At the present karate is considered as being quite a good martial arts discipline to learn about. Even in this form of fighting you will find sub disciplines. Some of these martial arts are ones that we have heard about.
For instance you will find that Tae Kwon Do is one such martial arts that people take part in. Judo, Ninjitsu, Tai Chi are just a few of the other well known forms of unarmed fighting. You will find that many of these martial arts are inspired by legends who keep the flames of these art forms alive just by their names. For instance we have all heard of Bruce Lee.
The Most Common Reasons Why People Quit Karate
“Hey. Wait a minute! I only just started Karate and now you’re talking to me about quitting already. What do you think I am - an undisciplined, unmotivated loser or what?”
OK, maybe you’re right, maybe I shouldn’t talk to you about quitting yet but I think there are some valuable lessons to be learned from the beginning about the different reasons why people quit karate. By knowing this you will know which pitfalls to avoid.
There are some common reasons for quitting karate that are often beyond our control such as lack of money, moving out of the area, illness or injury, change in family circumstances, the death of a loved one, and other unfortunate circumstances. Although all of these are valid reasons I will list in this short article the reasons that are within our control.
Here are some of the most common reasons in no particular order.
· Loss of interest
· Failure on a promotion test
· Disagreements with fellow members and/or instructor
· The curriculum is too hard or too easy
· Feeling like you’re not getting it
· Feeling intimidated and overwhelmed
· Not getting out of it what you want
· Conflict of values
· Karate is not what you thought it would be
· Negatively comparing yourself to others
· Worried about injury
· Lack of control shown by fellow members when sparring
As always there are many more reasons why people quit karate and the list could go on but above are some of the more common reasons. I would venture to say that many of these reasons are self-made and are fear-based. If you are looking to get started in the martial arts then you might want to take a moment for some honest introspection and ask yourself if you are likely to quit for any of the above reasons.
If you are, then it will be even more important that you do your research beforehand and find a school that matches your goals and your values. When you do this, you increase your commitment by the intensity of your preparation, and you help write an insurance policy on your success.
Remember, success comes from preparation, and this is certainly an important element in that preparation that sends a loud clear signal to your subconscious mind that you are out to do your very best in this endeavor.
My own instructor once told me, “Never be afraid of failure if you try your best”. If you follow this advice then quitting the martial arts probably won’t be a viable option, and as the old saying states so clearly, “Quitters never win, and winners never quit.”
When is your child ready for Karate and Martial Arts training?
When is your child ready for Karate?
Beginner level Karate Kids seem to be getting younger and younger nowadays. What is the right age to start the martial arts? Is your little one ready to become a karate kid?
Back when I started practicing martial arts in the early 1980s in England the youngest child my local karate school would take was 8 years old. Consequently I started karate at the age of 8. I was then thrown in with the older kids and the adults and was given the option to “sink or swim”.
As karate has become more popular over the years, kids of a younger age are getting started in the martial arts. There has of course been a strong influence from the Ninja Turtles and the Power Rangers but also with the ever expanding commercial karate schools, specialized programs for the little kids are becoming more and more popular. Programs with names such as Tiny Tigers, Little Ninjas or Little Dragons abound in most martial arts schools. So at what age are kids being accepted into these programs?
It seems that the age of 3 ½ to 4 years old is the youngest age for kids to be accepted into a martial arts program. This basically coincides with the age that a child can begin pre-school and this is no coincidence. So if your child is around 4 years old then he or she will probably be accepted into your local martial arts school. However there are other factors that you should be aware of.
· Is this the first time your child has been involved in a group activity? If so be prepared for some initial nervousness and unwillingness to get out on the floor without you.
· Have you already taken your child to your local martial arts school to watch a class? If not, then do so as this is a great opportunity to pre-frame your child so he or she knows what is expected and what a karate school and karate class looks like.
· Do you have realistic expectations for your child? Karate for a 4-year old should be about coordination, focus and fun. It is not about self-defense or hard core discipline at this age. These aspects will be gradually introduced over time as they get older.
· Can your child stay focused for about a half-hour at a time? Most young kids have very short attention spans and consequently when teaching karate to a 4-year old an instructor needs to use a series of short but focused drills that flow from one to the other. Be sure to find an instructor who uses this type of method so that your child will maintain interest for the whole duration of the class.
·Can your child follow one or two-step instructions? Your child needs to be able to follow basic directions in order to function in the karate class.
If your child does not do this at home then it may be a sign that he or she will also struggle at first in the karate class. On the other hand a karate class may be the ideal place to help your child learn the value of structure and basic discipline.
All of the above points are just some ideas that you should ask yourself when thinking about enrolling your young child in a martial arts class. The bottom line is you probably won’t know all of the answers unless you give it a go but at the very least you should have some ideas of what to expect and how you can help your child make a successful transition into a fun and very valuable activity.
Russian Martial Arts and Kettlebell Training
Russian martial art training and kettlebell training involves elements of strength, flexibility and relaxation. Many would argue that speed and technique should also be included, but given that you have trained in all three of these disciplines, then speed will come naturally. Technique is immaterial: it is related to what you do, not how you do it.
Training, on the other hand, is how you do what you do. The what is irrelevant. It is the how that matters. A boxer cares not what a karate student does, but only what he himself does. A man or woman facing opponents is not concerned with what others can do, but only with they do themselves. It is not the ‘what’ but the ‘how’ that matters, and the ‘how’ is related to training, practice and knowledge.
The training of Russian martial artists is designed to improved the ‘how’. Russian martial art has no need of pre-orchestrated movements or katas as Japanese and Chinese martial arts have. Much has been written about Russian martial arts and their means of attack and self defence, a lot of which is based on the popular view of the Russian Special Forces. Most Special Forces can employ the techniques used by their Russian counterparts, but it is the Russian methods of training that make the difference.
Pavel Tsatsouline, trainer to the Russian military and then the American Special Forces and other military personnel, teaches you the secrets of the super-strong and of attaining supreme martial arts power. He does this through use of Russian kettlebells and the tension and relaxation techniques used by the Cossacks who could slice a man from shoulder to buttocks with only a light one handed sabre.
The Cossacks trained by standing in a lake or river up to their waist and then slicing into the water with their sabres for hours on end. The secret was to be in total relaxation until the moment of strike when all the power of the body was concentrated in the one blow, and then reverting to total bodily relaxation immediately after. In that way, strength and stamina were maintained while the blow itself was imparted with the maximum possible strength of the whole body.
Flexibility is the true secret behind supreme martial art power, and the one bodily attribute that is most ignored and misunderstood by the majority of martial art exponents. Russian martial art techniques make best use of supreme strength and absolute power through the understanding of how to properly relax between blows. The supreme power of a martial art punch is used through a total understanding of the levers of the body, the muscles that move them and the relaxation that allows these muscles to exert maximum power to the levers.
A powerful punch is a rapid snap with maximum power and then total relaxation until the next punch. Russians are trained in dynamic relaxation exercises in all athletic training, and the fast and loose techniques they use are ideal for the rigors of absolute mastery in martial arts.
Russian martial art training and kettlebell training is not the theatrically disciplined art of the Chinese and Japanese, but a technique designed for maximum power and effect in attack and not just self defence. The use of the power of the human body can be maximized only by developing the supreme strength possible through kettlebell exercise, and the flexibility and relaxation techniques as taught by the master of the Russian martial art, Pavel Tsatsouline, master teacher of Russian and American Special Forces personnel.
The day I figured “it” out.
From: Cindy
I finally figured “it” out… “it” being the key to my training.
Tuesday, when I came in to class (late again), I wasn’t focused on taekwondo. In fact, sometimes I’m REALLY ho-hum about training at night after I’ve spent all day trying to improve my small business (and a little time surfing martial arts websites). Like many extroverts, I learn by socializing and having fun. As you know, martial arts is very much an individual journey.
Tuesday night we had a pre-tournament. Colored belts were grouped as a ring (I’m a blue belt, an intermediate rank in my style). In the nine months I’ve spent sparring, I’ve never won for 100 reasons. I don’t “get” much out of sparring… probably because I wasn’t putting much into it. I’ve been so afraid of kicking someone in the head that I just avoid it altogether.
But Tuesday, I decided to just spar. No worrying.
Something clicked. I switched up stances, interpreted their telegraphy, spun around, and yes, kicked people in the head. I have big boobs, and I even managed to protect my chest. Most importantly, I kept control and attitude at the forefront. No sense in being cocky or overpowering.
I beat every student in my ring/class. And after the pre-tournament training, I beat the highest ranking TKD student (a second degree black belt / trainee instructor).
Just do it! Everything else will follow.
Cindy
former slacker, currently awesome (and a little sweaty) 
PS I’m in a ring with all black belts on Saturday, so don’t expect miracles.
PPS I still don’t like sparring that much, but I do like to win. 
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