Related Articles

The Thumb Jab
I'm sure a lot of you remember the scene in the movie "The Presidio" were Sean Connery's character decimates the jackass in the bar with nothing more than his thumb!Some of you may remember Andy Adam's book on Ninjutsu highlighting Hatsumi. Several photos showed the intense conditioning of natural weapons including the 'boshiken" or thumb fist.

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The Dojo
Just as an aside. For those who would "box" us in to specific "category".

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John Styers
Most people have only been exposed to John Styers work through the book "Cold Steel".It is important to remember that first and foremost this book outlines a BASIC course of close-combat instruction.

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Grown Man Quits After 3 Mat Pulls!
A matt pull is the simple act of lying on flat on your stomach, reaching in front of you and pulling your self across the mat. This is one exercise that helps develop your muscles for grappling.

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COMBATIVES? ...... Don't Tell Me. I Know What That Is! (Part 1)
"Combatives" from the root word COMBAT - "to fight in direct contact", "active fighting between enemies", "any fight or struggle".Well, let's see??????.

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The Economics of Self Defense
The following is a recent email I received; I thought I should respond to the list rather than to the individual because this situation is common:"I'm a 52 year old guy who has been pretty active lifting weights for about 20 years but about a year ago I found myself in a situation where a guy suckered me and I friggin was so intimidated that I walked away with my tail between my legs. Thankfully the only damage was to my ego cause I totally wimped out in front of my buddies who were there.

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Generating More Power from Hip Rotation - Lessons from Martial Arts
One of the important lessons of Martial Arts training is the ability to use hip rotation as a way to generate power and speed for maximum impact.Martial artists know that the hips are where the body's 'center of gravity' is located.

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The Acronym That Saved My Life
Frequently, I get asked about certifications, systems or methods. We made a decision a long time ago of purposely staying away from things like this.

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Who Created Tai Chi Chuan (Tai Chi Boxing)?
I have read a number of books, articles, and novels, and have watched movies and television series that touched on the origins of Tai Chi Chuan (Tai Chi Boxing), and the question, "Who Created Tai Chi Chuan?" made me concern very much!Although knowing the origins or the source of Tai Chi Chuan is not going to have much effects on your learning and practicing of the art, it is my responsibility to share with the masses of what I have found out. And understanding the origins of something that we loved so much about will make us appreciate the understand it better, if not improving our skills.

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Is it a "Hurt" or is it an "Injury"
My father fed me this line every time I felt pain or discomfort. Growing up the coach's son was not without difficulty.

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Martial Arts and The Bible
As a Christian and a martial arts student, I have often wrestled with the idea of self-defense. Does God expect me to defend my family and myself when physically attacked or am I to "turn the other cheek" and endure it in the name of Jesus? As I considered the many comments I encountered on this topic, I became even more confused.

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Safety Awareness & Self Defense: Circle of Safety
Safety Awareness & Self Defense is the responsibility of each individual. Knowing your surroundings and being aware of potential dangers is your first step towards self-defense.

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Aikido Philosophy: An Oriental Concept of Energy, Self, and Mind
PrefaceThere are many different ways to understand Aikido philosophy and perceive, utilize, and benefit from energy. What I offer here is one of many ways.

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Martial Arts Strength Training
According to various sources on the internet, a 1996 article in Iron Man Magazine revealed Bruce Lee's workout. In addition to his cardio and karate workouts, Lee lifted weights three times a week and performed the following routine: clean and presses 2 x 8 squats 2 x 12 barbell pullovers 2 x 8 bench presses 2 x 6 good mornings 2 x 8 barbell curls 2 x 8 Unfortunately, he injured his back doing good mornings, which nearly ruined his career.

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Im Soooo Confused...
I was going to write about the BASICS of "practical unarmed combat". Things like a solid and productive core of strength training, development of real speed and power.

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Historical References to W.E. Fairbairn, E.A. Sykes AND Dermot Pat ONeill
FROM THE BOOK: "PIERCING THE REICH" AUTHOR: JOSEPH E. PERSICOThey learned the art of silent killing, perfected by W.

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Martial Arts and The Zone
On the occasions you delivered the perfect strike; blocked without the need to think or performed a near flawless kata, did it feel difficult? Or did you get the sense it happened by itself? The 'zone' is a place where athletes describe this sort of experience. Studies suggest its a state of 'effortless merging of action and awareness'.

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The Rebels Guide to Cultivating Vitality
Many Taoists recluses and Buddhists monks dwelled in mountains and forests to observe, listen, and meditate in order to gather deeper understanding and greater knowledge of nature than is possible when living in the milieu of human society.Often in search of extraordinary longevity and treasures of life, these extraordinary men (and a few women) moved from observation of nature to experimentation and development of the body.

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Martial Arts Sparring and Training Protective Equipment
The benefits of Martial Arts has always appealed its practitioners. The disciplined training of the mind and body give a sense of well being but some aspects of Martial Arts training do present a problem.

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Content, Are We?
I asked a simple question at the last seminar:"How much has everyone improved in the year since we last got together?"I've practiced the same basics everyday for decades.Everyday Rain or shine.

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