On & Beyond Martial Arts

Strawweight, welterweight, heavyweight champion ... it seems like there are lots of boxing titles out there. Did you ever wonder where these came from? The titles are derived from the different weight classes and sanctioning bodies within the sport. Here is what it all means. 

Directly translated into English, Wing Chun (or Wing Tsun) means “an ode to spring”. However, despite its pleasing title and deflective approach to force, Wing Tsun is a direct, destructive and fearsome martial art when dealing with an attacker. 

Cornered at close quarters?

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

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.

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. 

It’s no secret that the martial arts have been around for some time. Of course, there are a few “modern” martial arts like Brazilian jiu-jitsu and Krav Maga, but the practice of recording a structured style, and passing the techniques down from masters to novices across generations, goes back centuries – and longer. 

When it comes to self-defense, not every martial arts training is created equal. Learn why Krav Maga is the right choice for you and get some tips on how to get started.  

Japan is regarded by many to be the place where martial arts originated, even though China and other Asian countries definitely had their own variants of fighting arts. Since Japanese styles of combat have never ceased to fascinate, but there is still some confusion surrounding them, I decided to walk you through the main types. 

Many people are familiar with the term “black belt” and associate it with having a very high ranking in the practice of martial arts. However, there is much more to the system of the martial arts belts, including the order of their rankings and what each color belt means. 

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.

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.

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. 

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.

In order to survive in an exceptionally hostile environment, the primitive Chinese ancestors developed as a 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.