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The art of yoga draws power from its roots which lie in the ancient Indian (Sanskrit) history. Martial arts, although varying in disciplines, all draw their effectiveness from similar principles as that of yoga. Here, I will be sharing insights on why and how yoga and martial arts are kinfolks.

Did you know that depression is one of the oldest diseases classified in the history of medicine? Today, more than 600 million people around the globe suffer from depression. And what’s more is that the World Health Organization (WHO) predicts it will be the second cause of disability in the general population by the year 2020! 

Looking to dominate your opponents with superb techniques like Tadahiro Nomura did in Atlanta? If you’re a Judo beginner and looking for the best throws to learn, keep on reading! 

Whether we’re talking about traditional disciplines Karate, Jujutsu or Judo or a more modern combat sport such as Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), boxing or Krav Maga, martial arts provide the perfect platform for becoming a healthier and fitter individual. 

A former UFC (the Ultimate Fighting Championship) fighter, Nick Osipczak competed multiple times for the world’s most renowned fighting organization. Not only that, he was the first fighter to represent Tai Chi Ch’uan in MMA (Mixed Martial Arts). Since then, he has committed his time in effort in achieving mastery in this ancient Chinese martial arts discipline. 

Martial arts is undoubtedly one of the world’s most thrilling arts. Available in hundreds of forms, many of them, such as Karate and Taekwondo, are closely connected to self-defense. Additionally, they are also practiced as competitive sports, learned for pleasure and/or used as a way to maintain a top level of physical fitness. 

One of the world’s most ancient martial arts, Kung Fu comes in a variety of disciplines to explore – it also happens to be one of the most popular styles. Moreover, it has been an essential part of China’ s 5000-year-old culture. It has been long celebrated its land of origin far before the world’s most renowned martial artist, Bruce Lee, left us captivated by the awesomeness that is Kung Fu.

Some footballers (soccer players) may surprise you when it comes to their backgrounds and what they like to do in their spare time. While some opt for owning racehorses or regularly visiting the golf range, some prefer to practice martial arts to keep them fit and occupied. 

Did you know you become a leader the first time you wrap a white belt around your waist? Black belts are usually seen as the leaders in their respective martial arts schools or dojos. However, it’s important to note that other students, regardless of age or rank, can begin working on their influential leadership skills long before they reach advanced levels. 

When you practice martial arts, you are opening yourself up to a multitude of benefits from improving your overall physical health, to gaining better life skills, and even to self-defense. Plenty of studies and personal accounts attest to these benefits. However, the question then arises: are there negative social-psychological effects of martial arts?

Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) is a big mix of the best combat sports like boxing, Jiu-Jitsu, and wrestling etc. and gives us the most entertaining blend of fighting sports - ever. Considered to be world’s second most dangerous sports right next to boxing, MMA brings millions of audience across the globe together to bite their nails while their favorite fighters go rounds upon rounds on each other to prove one thing, who can best mix up their grappling and striking skills.

When it comes to celebrities, it’s hard to imagine that they can be good at something other than the talent that made them famous. But truth be told, there are many celebrities who are multi-talented in ways that you may not be aware of. For starters, you’d be quite surprised to find out just how many celebrities are actually black belts in martial arts!

Now that spring has finally sprung, the warm summer months are right around the corner. It’s time to enjoy the outdoors and engage in your favorite warm weather activities. It’s also the time to ramp up your fitness routine, especially if you have additional weight you want to lose.

When explaining the origin of the Nunchaku, a well-known Japanese martial arts weapon, we need to follow different historical paths and a thorough research of ancient Japanese tales. With their help, we can follow the facts that will reveal the real story behind its creation.

While it’s true that we’re living in a digital age, finding motivation from fictional and real life characters we see on-screen isn’t a quite as new of a trend as you may think!

If one has yet to try martial arts, it is impossible to understand just how dangerous it would be during a confrontation or physical attack. Training in martial arts is an excellent way to become fitter and shed weight - but it could also save lives.

Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) is a combat sport where fighters combine a mixture of fighting techniques – one of them being Muay Thai (Thai Boxing). It is a way of living and a demanding discipline that involves both physical and mental endurance. Anyone in good physical shape can start training in MMA – given that they are taught in a safe environment by certified professionals.

Want to perform better in martial arts? Well, there’s an effective way to do so – and no, I’m not talking about busting your ass for hours on end studying new techniques. I’m talking about how you can help to push your performance to a higher level by using herbal supplements.

A dedicated martial artist spends hours upon hours training, sweating, striking, sparring, throwing, and rolling. They look forward to time on the mat and reaps the mental, emotional, and physical benefits of his or her chosen sport. But every once in a while a change in routine can be just what a martial artist needs. 

If you are planning to join a martial arts training soon, I suggest you to observe those you meet in the camp. You will notice a few people with specific traits which will help you in understanding their preferences and their personalities. You might not fully agree with me, but truth be told, all martial arts trainees fall into one category or the other. Don't believe me? Read on to find out more!

Having fast, powerful and accurate punches give any combat athlete a significant advantage over their opponents. Although there are weapons that may trump punches (e.g. Muay Thai knee technique), having fast, clean and powerful punches is one of the best foundational tools to have in your arsenal. 

As a fighter, to win a competition, muscle endurance and speed are absolute musts. Hence, when you have excess body fat, it can become a hindrance. If you happen to have more than 7% body fat (considered the ideal for an MMA wrestler) and are looking for workouts to safely and effectively lose it, you’ve come to the right place! 

Cornered at close quarters?

Learning the art of Wing Chun can effectively train you to thwart opponents much stronger than yourself. 

“The only time you should ever look back is to see how far you’ve come”

Though we have hit the ground running and are having a fantastic start to 2017, the team at BookMartialArts.com can’t help but look back and revel in our accomplishments last year. Amongst these achievements is our blog. Throughout the year, we were able to continuously share martial arts content which has helped us to significantly grow our community. 

If you have yet to watch it, you might be tempted to dismiss Moana as just another fluffy “Disney Princess” movie. I loved it though – and found it to thoughtfully explore some themes familiar to many of us who train in martial arts:

- Who am I?

- Is there more to life than what I see around me?

- Am I being selfish to focus so much on my own personal development?

It’s a new year and a time of hope, renewal, and fresh starts. It’s also a time for our good intentions and best-laid plans to run head on into reality. Statistics for failed New Year’s resolutions run anywhere between 45-80%. That can be disheartening to the martial artist who wants to kick-start his or her practice at the beginning of a new year. So, on this post, I’ll be highlighting a couple personal tips that may help make both your short-term and long-term goals stick.

Kung Fu practitioners may train every day to become better martial artists, however, if they do not pay careful attention to what they do during and after each training session, they may find themselves injured instead of improving their skills. 

Hoping to finally get that black belt this year? Looking to become fitter & healthier? Or have you simply vowed to make 2017 your best and most accomplished year yet? If you’ve got your eyes set on some goals, chances are that this isn’t the first time you’ve done so. That said, like many others, you may also have fallen short in achieving some of your resolutions in the past, leaving you feeling a bit jaded and skeptical about your ability to follow through.

I recently taught a yoga class to a group of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighters at the local gym. This group of 4 men and 2 women had just finished a class prior to mine and were interested in a relaxing yoga class to unwind.

Asthma, an illness that affects the airways of the lungs, is one of the world’s most common chronic diseases. By 2014, it was reported that around 300 million people globally suffered from asthma, mostly in North America and Europe.

Want to share your passion for martial arts with our community? Contribute your content to us and you can get published on BookMartialArts.com’s blog! 

Are you scared of sparring?                                                                                                                                                                                

You’re not alone…

This is a common question I get:

“Jesse-san, how can I overcome my fear of fighting?”

On this post, I will share my approach to sparring in Karate.

Having a black belt doesn’t mean your life will be free of doubt or uncertainty any more than a college degree or new job would. There are a few things I’ve learned along my Taekwondo journey that have helped me face ambiguous and unstable situations with confidence and self-reliance. Anyone, whether you’re a martial artist or not, can use these learnings to stand tall in the face of uncertainty.

Looking to begin your very own martial arts journey? Or are you seeking for a way to improve your martial arts skills and techniques? Whether you’re a beginner or a professional martial artist, a training camp may just be what you should be signing up for! 

We've received a lot of great feedback on our previous posts on martial arts social media accounts to follow so we thought it was time for another share. This time around, whistlekick is tackling the vast world of Twitter to give you a list of seven accounts worth following!

There are countless reasons why one may decide to train in martial arts. That said, one of the top and most common reasons is so that they can learn moves that can protect them from harm – or even potentially save their life one day.

Work-related stress has unfortunately become a norm for many people no matter where they are in the world. Limited resources, long hours, demanding deadlines, job insecurity, and interpersonal conflict can greatly affect one’s emotional and physical health.

Beginning his martial arts journey with the study of Hung Kuen Shaolin Kung Fu, Nick Osipczak became a national champion in the open-weight division after only two years of study. Not long after, he started his Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) training. Within just 4 short years, he not only became a professional MMA fighter, he competed five times for the largest & most prestigious fighting organization in the world - the UFC (the Ultimate Fighting Championship). Nick then went on to make the bold switch to Tai Chi Ch'uan and five years after, in June 2015, he became the first person to represent Tai Chi Ch'uan in the sport of MMA, winning within the first round!

The 2016 Olympics have begun in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and martial artists all over the globe will be tuning in to watch the highly anticipated events. Taekwondo, one of the world’s most popular martial arts, debuted as an official medal sport back in the 2000 summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia. Prior to that, Taekwondo was a demonstration sport in the 1988 summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea, and later at the 1992 summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain. 

Krav Maga is arguably one of the world’s deadliest martial arts disciplines. Dubbed as ‘The Art of Staying Alive’, this official self-defense system of the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) is a lethal method of survival. 

As a kid growing up in the 1970s, I had the great pleasure of actually seeing a Bruce Lee movie in the theatre. I was so obsessed with the martial arts icon that I begged my father to take me to see his movies not once but usually 5 or 6 times, never once getting bored. Remember this was before we had Netflix, DVD players, or even the good old VHS players! Even to this day, 47 years later, I find myself sitting on the couch catching bits and parts of Enter the Dragon on late night TV.

Several martial arts use forms, or sequences of blocks, kicks, and strikes, as a means of practicing offensive and defensive techniques. Strong stances, powerful blocks, and forceful strikes balance out the calm, calculating flow of most forms.

As you may already know, the grading and ranking of the martial arts belt vary depending on skills and styles. However, for all disciplines, it typically defines the degree of the martial artist’s knowledge and practice.  

Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), the world’s fastest growing martial arts discipline, has enjoyed a surge in popularity and interest in the last few decades. To quench this insatiable thirst for all things MMA, the BookMartialArts.com team recently chatted with Dejdamrong Sor Amnuaysirichoke, an MMA World Champion and an instructor at Evolve MMA, Asia’s #1 MMA gym. 

Loosely translated as “Supreme Ultimate Boxing”, from its gentle movements, most people would assume that Tai Chi or Tai Chi Chuan is anything but lethal. This popular Chinese internal martial arts discipline emphasizes deep breathing and relaxation with slow, repetitive movements as opposed to muscle contractions found in ‘hard’ martial arts disciplines such as Kung Fu, Karate, and Taekwondo.

An injury can be a major setback for a martial artist, not only physically but also psychologically. Pain may put a temporary hold on practice, which can lead to isolation, depression, and discouragement. On the other hand, it can be tempting to avoid seeking treatment due to the fear that you’ll be told to stop training, which could lead to further injury. I’ve learned some valuable lessons about how to respond to a frustrating injury and hope the tips I’ve picked up along the way can encourage those martial artists who are contemplating whether or not to seek treatment for pain.*

As a practicing internal martial artist for more than 10 years now, on this post, I would like to share my experiences, ideas, and well-known scientific resources concerning the effects of internal martial arts.

These days, practically everyone around the globe is sharing posts on popular social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram – and this certainly includes martial artists. If you too happen to be active on social media and are looking to attract a large following to your account(s), we’ve got your back. 

When we first came across ‘The Last Masters’, a blog focused on sharing information and insights about martial arts in China – from Taiji,  Kung Fu to Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), we were instantly hooked. As we dig deeper, we found out that the man behind the blog, Sascha Matuszak, has been travelling around China to meet as many Kung Fu masters and practitioners as he can as a part of his documentary film, ‘The New Masters’.

Maybe you started martial arts because you want to get in better physical shape. Maybe you want to compete in tournaments. Maybe you want to learn to defend yourself. Maybe you just wanted a new challenge. Whatever your reasons are, you will hopefully benefit from the life-changing aspects of martial arts.

So, you are looking for your first training experience with the ninja arts - hopefully overseas. But do you know what exactly to look for?

As you may have gathered, we’re a tad obsessed with everything martial arts related. Hence it’s no surprise that we regularly spend hours on the web searching for martial arts news and information that not only deepens our martial arts knowledge but also entertains us. 

If you’ve been seriously considering signing up for a Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) training camp, chances are, you’ve been browsing the web for useful information that will help you in selecting options that would best meet your needs and preferences. 

Martial arts can benefit women and girls in many ways: it provides a boost in confidence, improves physical fitness, and of course teaches self-defense skills. Even a strong, confident female fighter can sometimes feel like a fish out of water, though. Very often a woman may find she’s the only one in the dojo surrounded by bigger, stronger men. A young girl may be surrounded by a gaggle of rambunctious boys.

Boxing has been one of the world’s most popular form of sports and martial arts for decades. Hence, it’s no surprise that there’s an abundance of gyms that offer boxing training in every major city around the globe. With so many options to consider, it can be a daunting challenge to whittle down a short list of choices on your own. But fret not – we are here to help!

If you consider yourself a martial arts film fan, you probably remembered when the world was taken by storm by the International collaboration film ’The Raid’ and, later on, its sequels which introduced us to the traditional Indonesian martial arts style Pencak Silat.

BookMartialArts.com recently partnered up with PHIT America, a non-profit education & advocacy organization that encourages kids to ‘fight’ the ‘Inactivity Pandemic’ which has increasingly plagued the youth in the US. Read on to find out more about their worthy cause and efforts!

We all go to Thailand to improve our Muay Thai skills or to fight and certainly, we don’t pretend the floor mats to be so clean that we could eat on them. However, you ought to know that people have shared with us many cases of various infections and fungus that they had gotten from training at a Thai camp.

MMAGearAddict – a website specialized in providing you with expert reviews on your Mixed Martial Arts gears - shares a useful guide on how to choose the perfect boxing gloves to elevate your MMA training experience.

The team at BookMartialArts.com had the awesome chance to chat with Sean Fagan, the blogger behind the ‘Muay Thai Guy’. Since Sean is a Muay Thai practitioner with 7 years of fighting career under his belt, we had a lot of fun ‘picking his brain’ on his Muay Thai knowledge and experience.

Have you ever felt like something was off in your martial arts practice? You find that it’s becoming harder to drag yourself to class, and when you do make it there, you’re stealing glances at the clock the entire time. Or perhaps you do enjoy going to class and working out, but it feels like you’re going through the same old motions over and over again. Maybe you don’t feel challenged enough, or you’ve hit a plateau and feel frustrated that you can’t get past it.

The question is  ”Are you burned out, or are you just bored?”

The team at BookMartialArts.com recently caught up with Jesse Enkamp, the author of one of the most comprehensive martial arts blogs available on the web, KarateByJesse.com. Aside from blogging, Jesse is also a passionate martial artist, an international Karate champion, and an Amazon best-selling author.

At BookMartialArts.com, we firmly believe that the only way to achieve excellence is through cooperation and that the path to greatness is along with others. That’s why we are honored to say that we share the path with these fantastic martial arts partners who constantly motivate us to be better everyday. We’re grateful to walk this road together!

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Whilst doing the daily rounds searching for martial arts gems, the BookMartialArts.com team stumbled across Awakening Fighters. On entering the site you are instantly greeted by a bold statement - “The ultimate resource for the female fight community”, so we had to check it out and see if it lived up to its claim.  As you might have guessed, because we’re writing this article – it did, what an interesting website, we were sucked in for some time!

 

MMA fighters love to tweak their diets, especially in the time around competition when all efforts go to maintaining the body mass and meeting energy demands. These goals often override the ones that are more important for our health in a long run: reducing muscular inflammation and enhancing immune function. 

 

The first UFCs in the 1990s were eye-opening to a lot of martial artists. Suddenly it became apparent that a lot of the 'deadly' martial arts techniques that had been trained for years didn't actually work when a 260-pound wrestler was charging at you. 

 

In the self defense world we always stress the importance of awareness and good decision making. With a little preventative maintenance, any individual can reduce their public risk of assault and harassment. Quick fixes like avoiding dangerous locations, cell phone distractions, and public intoxication are great first steps. However, no person is completely safe from danger, no matter how well prepared they are. One perfect example is road rage.

At BookMartialArts, we believe that spending time at a training camp will help you unlock your true potential and to further develop you as a martial artist. Though the best way to learn is to go through the experiences themselves, we also believe in the power of learning from others. With that, we have compiled a list of useful resources consisting of some of our most favorite Martial Arts blogs and websites. May they help you to gain more insights and a deeper understanding of Martial Arts.

The New Year has always been a time for looking back to the past, and more importantly, stepping forward to the coming year. It’s the perfect time to reflect on the changes we want to make and resolve to follow through on those changes. 

Trying to motivate ourselves to exercise especially on a cold winter day or after an exhausting day of work could be quite an effort. That said, if we were to skip out on working out altogether, the lack of exercise will not only deteriorate our physical fitness and health, it can also affect our mental health. According to a popular Latin proverb, “Mens sana in corpore sano” which translates to “A healthy mind in a healthy body”, keeping our body healthy by exercising can be a good way to keep our mind happy.

There’s no refuting that the world wide web is an expansive space, one brimming with websites and blogs covering topics on just about anything we can think of – martial arts included. With such a vast selection of martial arts blogs to choose from, it can be quite difficult to narrow down the ones we should be checking out on a regular basis. 

In the spirit of the New Year, the BookMartialArts.com team recently chatted with David Zhou from Tianmeng Kung Fu Academy about their popular yearlong Kung Fu training program located at the footstep of Tianmeng mountain, China. David is the manager of Tianmeng Academy and is someone who has benefited a whole lot from Kung Fu training. He shared with us that Kung Fu has helped him recover from Neurasthenia, a physical and mental exhaustion condition that caused him to be plagued by severe headaches, insomnia, and irritability.

On the surface, yoga and martial arts appears to be complete opposites. You’d be surprised that once you have a closer look, martial arts and yoga actually have more in common than most of us realize! 

Martial arts is highly beneficial not only in conditioning the body, mind, and soul, but it is also very useful in self-defense. Others engage in training just because of their passion for the culture and history behind it. Indeed, martial arts is one of the oldest forms of fighting and it has survived until today. 

 

If you happen to be currently residing in a country of four seasons, it’s time to brace yourself cause the cold, dreary days of winter is officially here. As the days become colder, it becomes harder to resist the temptation to slouch in the couch all day with boxes of take-aways piled up around you. But instead of doing so, why not fight the urge this time around and use this opportunity to fly off to a sunny destination and stay physically active?

Since the history of evolution, human beings have been developing sets of survival skills and tools to defend themselves. These skills and tools range from sticks and stones first created by Neanderthals to today’s powerful & deadly martial arts. It may even surprise you that there some martial arts that are actually specifically designed to break bones instead of boards.

The BookMartialArts.com team recently had the opportunity to chat with Sifu Clark Tang, the founder of Wing Chun Temple, a certified Wing Chun Kung Fu instructor who studied under Grandmaster Wong Long. 

Prior to discovering Wing Chun Kung Fu, Sifu Clark Tang practiced Kickboxing, Lama Kenpo Karate, Tae Kwon Do, and Tai Chi. Once he was able to find his way to Wing Chun Kung Fu however, it ultimately ‘won’ his heart and soul. As he further deepened his practice, his main goal became crystal clear: to spread the awareness of Wing Chun Kung Fu to as many people as possible. 

Here’s a glimpse to the wisdom and philosophy he had shared with us on the art Wing Chun as well as life in general. Enjoy!

We all have heard of the popular phrase “You are what you eat” which implies that what we choose to consume, our diet and nutrition, plays a great influence in shaping who we are – physically and mentally. At BookMartialArts.com, we believe this is especially so when it comes to the diets of martial artists.

 

Today, Muay Thai is one of the most talked-about topics within Martial Arts communities. If you have had time to check out our previous articles about  Muay Thai, you probably would already understand why we are so eager to master this ‘Art of Eight Limbs’.

If you happen to have checked out our previous post on Muay Thai, you probably know that this Thai martial arts style is often referred to as ” The Art of Eight Limbs”.

Muay Thai is a vital part of Thailand’s identity. It’s not just a sport but a way of life. Some fighters support their families through participation. Also, many children grow up learning the art from a very young age, so it’s not just something you’d appreciate from the sidelines. It is ingrained. The people of Thailand try to keep this tradition alive, and they are very proud of this culture.

If you are a big fan of anything action related, you must already be familiar with Krav Maga.Even if you haven’t exactly heard of it, chances are, you’ve probably seen it in action. From Jason Statham’s typical role as a ass-kicking man of mystery to Matt Damon’s Bourne trilogies, and even Tom Cruise’s Ethan Hunt’s Mission Impossible, many of these renowned Hollywood characters’ fight scenes include  Krav Maga moves.

The Ultimate Fighting Championship started out as a Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) league for guys but has transitioned to allow women to fight due to the growing popularity of the sport. Watching Women MMA match is probably an emotional equivalent of getting tickled when you’re holding a number 1 while being told you’ve just won a million dollar. Okay, that may not be the most relatable experience. But, who doesn’t get excited by watching two attractive half-naked women wrestle each other in a cage, whilst knowing the fact that these beauties can beat the day lights out of you?

Nowadays, everybody is familiar with or at least have heard of the term "Ninja". Thanks to popular Hollywood movies such as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle until Ninja Assasin, the concept of "Ninja" is no longer foreign to most people. However, its place in popular culture has resulted in many misconceptions about the true nature of Ninjutsu. Speaking of which, here are the ten most common myths about ninjas.

 

If you are into martial arts, you must have heard of Capoeira. But even if you haven’t, that’s alright too. Keep on reading, and in less than five minutes, you’ll discover everything you need to know about this fascinating Brazilian treasure – including how it may just help you transform into the sexiest martial artist alive!

Earlier this month, BookMartialArts.com had a great conversation with the man behind KungFu Podcasts, Tim Smith. KungFu Podcasts has primarily served as an inspiration for continuation of his own personal studies and development, and a branch of his initial goal when he started Kung Fu training - to become a better man.

In the world of martial arts, very few icons rival the popularity of Bruce Lee. Even after over 40 years since his passing, millions of people around the globe, both those practicing martial arts and those who don’t, still very much view Bruce Lee as their idol and role model. Though most people are familiar with the part of his life where he became a famous actor, what many may not know is that he had faced tremendous challenges throughout his life before gaining fame.

From Europe to America to Asia, an increasing number of gyms and dojos around the globe have opened up their doors offering to teach Thailand's beloved national combat sport, Muay Thai. With the rapid popularity of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) in pop culture, you would probably have to be living under a rock to not have at least heard of Muay Thai. If you happen to be those who are more familiar with the sport however, you may already know that it is often considered as a crucial aspect of MMA.

It has always been a hassle to find the perfect holiday that allows you to improve your martial arts skills. Most of them are difficult to find. But not to worry, with the launch of BookMartialArts.com you can find any martial arts training easily on one website. Read reviews, compare prices, and find martial arts training holidays from over 150 organizers around the world!

In order to survive in an exceptionally hostile environment, the primitive Chinese ancestors developed primary means of defense and attack that included leaping, tumbling, and kicking. Although they knew how to fight with rudimentary weapons made from stones and wood, fighting with bare hands and fists became essential skills for survival. The Chinese term Kung Fu (or Gong Fu) isn’t just about martial arts; it refers to any individual accomplishment or cultivated skill obtained by long and hard work. In that sense, the actual term Kung Fu can be used to describe any skill obtained in such a manner, not just those of the martial arts variety.