5 Great Martial Art Styles You May Not Know About

A "martial art" is known typically as a fighting style that emphasizes certain techniques, training methods, and philosophies. That means that there are a lot of different types of martial arts in the world, since virtually every country has developed at least one form of combat throughout history. Some martial arts are thousands of years old, and others were created in many of our lifetimes. Here's a short list of fighting styles that aren't as well known as karate or boxing, but are worth knowing just as much. Whether you're just getting into martial arts or been at it for years, it's good to brush up on all the styles out there.

You've probably heard of a more popular variant of Tang Soo Do. Tae Kwon Do sprung from Korean Tang Soo Do in 1964. Lots of Tang Soo Do masters frown upon that because they believe a lot of modern Tae Kwon Do is too sport oriented. Tang Soo Do's history stretches back as far as two millenia, and there were many, many different types of it before it was unified under one name. The art is influenced by some dance-like forms, and you can think of it as a Tae Kwon Do that's focused on more damaging forms of combat, and less oriented towards competition.

Russia's military has a reputation for having some of the toughest, iron-skinned soldiers in the world. Due in part to what is now Russia's national sport, Sambo. Like many martial arts styles, Sambo has branched into the sports world since its founding in the 1920s, created as a very lethal system of hand-to-hand combat for the Red Army. The sport version is very similar to MMA, emphasizing grappling, locks, and chokes, as well as many types of striking. Fedor Emelianenko is a Sambo fighter who until recently was undefeated in his professional career, and to this day is considered by many to be the top martial artist in the world.

Silat is the primary martial art of Malaysia. It's also an older art and branches off into forms that are too many to count. Silat was developed from military styles and hunting methods, and has remained a very lethal and self-defense oriented martial art. Throws and take-downs are among the most common techniques, and are always followed up by strikes to sensitive areas and pressure points, like the throat or gut. The idea is to always have your next move planned, until your opponent is dispatched.

As fun as it looks, Hapkido does not teach you how to jump upside down. Well, maybe advanced students do. Those guys aren't jumping, though. They are being thrown to the ground by a Hapkido master. This is another Korean martial art, and it focuses heavily on self-defense and varies in techniques from strikes and jump kicks to joint locks and throws. A main principle of Hapkido is effectively taking control of your opponent and using circular, efficient motions. This is a good art for people who want to learn a good variety of martial arts techniques.

Everyone knows a bit about ninjas, but a lot of people are surprised when they find out there's actually a martial art called "ninjutsu." As the name implies, it's the martial arts system created by ninjas. Today, it is no longer taught as a style in which to sneak around assassinating people, and has evolved into a self-defense system. It stays true to the unconventional techniques used by ninjas, and weapons skills are still passed down to students. The man you see in the picture is Dr. Masaaki Hatsumi, the 79 year old last living Grand Master of Ninjutsu who is the founder of the Bujinkan dojo in Japan, where martial artists from around the world train. The art itself is as mystical as ninja legends, with a focus on drawing power from your spirit ( also known as "chi") and the Earth.

To learn more about the history of these and other martial arts, visit the martial arts blog at KarateMart.com, where we sell unique martial arts supplies and ninja gear that you won't find anywhere else.

View the original article here

MMA Strength and Conditioning - Train Less And Get Greater Results

MMA or Mixed Martial Arts is a sport that has been around for centuries -- from the time of the Gladiators of the coliseum to the warrior of the rinks and octagon cages today. It has recently become a popular and legally televised sport. Techniques in different Martial Arts are showcased and used to conquer one's opponent but you have to have enough guts to finish the fight all the way. That's where MMA Strength and Conditioning comes in.

This sport combines various fighting techniques, disciplines and backgrounds to be utilized against an opponent. Sport fighting does not only rely on the Martial Art technique alone. You must refine these fighting skills through power, speed and stamina.

MMA Strength and Conditioning is what makes the fighter a total fighter. It is the essential key to winning matches, but often times these athletes over train and the consequences lead to poor performances. In Mixed Martial Arts, it is advisable to train less and get greater results. If you would like to enter in this sport or profession which demands quite a lot of exercise and fight technique training, you must first make a time table based on your daily lifestyle routine. If you are committed to being a full time fighter then 3-4 days a week should be sufficient for such training to come to its full potential.

Remember that this training is different from the Martial arts techniques so you will definitely have to make time on your regular daily schedule. If you want to train to fight just for the rush of it, or if you have a much busier schedule but still have the adrenaline to be a fighter, then 2-3 days of this program would be enough. Training less to get better results means high intensity repetitions at lower weight increments, quality techniques in posture and form that boost power, and good metabolism generated in fast paced lesser amount of time. It is not about lifting heavy weights in the gym or working out for hours, 5-6 days a week. You will just stress out your body and will consequently wear you down in time for your fight.

It is all about important cycles, techniques in speed, accuracy and focus on vital body strengths. Balance of your daily activities, fighting style of your choice, and regular MMA Strength and Conditioning training that will make you a superior fighter. Train in a reasonable amount of time that won't stress out your body. Train hard but less to get greater results!

Want to learn how to train less and get greater results? Check out MMA Strength and Conditioning

View the original article here

Allen Causevic Interview

Error in deserializing body of reply message for operation 'Translate'. The maximum string content length quota (8192) has been exceeded while reading XML data. This quota may be increased by changing the MaxStringContentLength property on the XmlDictionaryReaderQuotas object used when creating the XML reader. Line 1, position 8825.
Error in deserializing body of reply message for operation 'Translate'. The maximum string content length quota (8192) has been exceeded while reading XML data. This quota may be increased by changing the MaxStringContentLength property on the XmlDictionaryReaderQuotas object used when creating the XML reader. Line 1, position 9328.

I'm very excited to introduce Allen A. Causevic. He is one of the top competitors based out of the Chicago area. Many of you know him, some of you don't, but you'll hear more and more about him as time goes on.

Allen is exceptionally eloquent and thoughtful in his answers. We discuss "fighters," gi vs. nogi, Austrian Economics, being a big guy, his favorite grapplers, and his hair.

BJJinChicago: Allen, thanks for taking the time to do this interview. You currently train with Jay Valko. How long have you been training there and what do you like most about the academy?

Allen Causevic: I've been with Mr. Jay Valko since May of 2005. I had started at Carlson's Academy Downtown and would mainly attend the afternoon class that Jay would teach. After Jay went on his own, I had followed him over to his new school in 2007. Since then, the school has grown dramatically. I attribute the growth to the same reasons why I love the academy. We are very open about sharing knowledge and the exchange of ideas. I've visited many schools across the country and many instructors stick to that pure jiu-jitsu game. Unfortunately, this is a detriment to the sport. MMA is evolving. So is Jiu-Jitsu. With the addition of RJ Cohen and his world-class Judo skills, along with Timothy Foley's Division 1/All-American wrestling skills, we are evolving.

The transition from a top stand-up game to a top ground game is the future. This takes the exchange of ideas and knowledge I mentioned before, and for many, a journey out of their comfort zone. Jay has done a great job of creating this advantageous environment. This "ideas friendly" environment is best seen during the Saturday open mat sessions, which are free for all to attend. As a result, we do see a wide array of people visit with different skill levels. Being exposed to different styles from local, national, and international visitors has made all of us better grapplers. As the sport evolves, I'm excited to see the future and our successes.

BJJiC: What are some of your greatest tournament accomplishments to date?

AC: I don't look at Jiu-Jitsu as a fight. The mentality I follow is that it's a competitive match. Having said that, I always look to perform well during any match. Being able to perform under pressure is what sets champions apart and I work very hard to maintain composure and work the techniques that put the odds to win in my favor. As a result, my best performances have been during the:

2011 NYC International Open Purple belt Super Heavy: Gold

2010 Chicago International Open Purple belt Super Heavy: Gold

2009 NYC International Open Blue Belt Super Heavy: Gold

2009 Abu Dhabi Pro-Gi Qualifiers- Blue Belt-Heavy-Gold

BJJiC: What are a few tips for bigger guys who are just beginning jiu-jitsu?

AC: Don't be discouraged when the conventional wisdom you've been following turns out to be false. When I started training, I was 240 lbs., power lifting, and consistently eating a post workout meal consisting of a Whopper from Burger King and the original Muscle Milk. Yes, that is approximately 1700 calories. We're led to believe that there is a correlation between how much weight you throw around in the weight room to your fighting ability. How many times have you heard, "Wow, he's huge! Don't mess with him!"? Well in 2007, I was fed the red pill and my world was turned upside down. I was destroyed by guys half my size. Tapping to a rear-naked choke to someone who weighs 135 lbs. definitely destroys ones ego. You soon realize you've been following the wrong path in life. It's devastating for some. My advice would be to work technique as much as possible and to not get discouraged when losing to smaller opponent. Finally, work your guard as much as possible. Working your weaknesses and removing yourself from your comfort zone will pay off later on in your career.

BJJiC: If you could go back in time...what would you say to yourself as a white belt?

AC: Stop eating Whoppers. Don't start competing No-Gi until after you're promoted to blue belt. There is a long debate on the Gi vs No-Gi advantages. I'm of the school that believes a good Gi game will trickle down to a good No-Gi game. I would try to knock some sense into my old self to start working hard on my Gi base, and then move to working No-Gi afterward.

BJJiC: Royal Rumble - Your hair, Jay's beard, RJ's hair, and Mike's beard. Who wins?

AC: My hair hands down. I could be rolling in a jiu-jitsu class at night, then having a Grey Goose on the rocks in a world-class country club right afterward with my perfect hair part. It doesn't move no matter how much I exert myself. It's the source of my power. Second place goes to Mike Cornille. His beard provides one of the most protective shields known to man.

BJJiC: Who is the best person you have ever rolled with?

AC: This award goes to Mr. Roberto "Cyborg" Abreu. I had visited his school in Miami, FL in December of 2010 and was humbled. I was amazed to feel his skill level in action. The journey of Jiu-Jitsu is a long one, and that experience helped me realize that I was not at the level I would like to be. Seeing where I was has helped me train differently and work harder in many different aspects. It's always good to take a step back and see where you are and decide where you want to go in the future.

BJJiC: Who is the best person you have ever competed against?

AC: This title would go to Mr. Luke Costello of the UK. He is my latest loss that took place at the 2011 World Jiu-Jitsu Championships. After watching video, we have a very similar game but he was better that day. He took me down with a great Uchi Mata, which has not happened in a tournament setting to me in a long time. I lost my composure and was submitted via bow and arrow choke. It's ironic; I was thrown with one of my favorite throws and choked out by my favorite submission. Eating a taste of my own medicine was not tasty. I look forward to a re-match in the future.

BJJiC: How many times a week do you train?

AC: During down times I'm usually there 4 to 5 days a week. If I'm training for a tournament then I'm in the gym 6 days a week. I've added strength and conditioning 3 to 4 days a week to my regiment as well. Hopefully this new combination will lead to new found success in the future.

BJJiC: What kinds of activities do you do outside of jiu-jitsu?

AC: The like to do the following in no particular order:

1. People watching at Wholefoods.

2. Filmmaking and graphic design.

3. Improving my knowledge of the Austrian School of Economics.

4. Eating foods that have not been processed or altered in any way.

5. Volunteering at animal shelters.

6. Sharpening my culinary skills.

BJJiC: Who are some of your favorite grapplers to watch (and why)?

AC: I love to watch Cyborg Abreu and Braga Neto. I'm a bigger guy so of course I like to watch the big dogs. Watching their games has helped me become a better grappler.

BJJiC: What are your plans for competing in the future?

AC: I'm planning on competing in the 2011 Chicago International Summer Open of course. But the big tournament at the end of the year I'm looking at is the Melbourne Open in Australia. I've never been, so I would like to take the opportunity to compete at such a large international event and see the sights afterward.

BJJiC: What else can we expect from you in the future?

AC: I want to improve my Judo game to the highest level possible. I do see myself traveling and competing at the high level tournaments in the USA Judo scene in the future. Training with the best Judoka will take my Jiu-Jitsu game to a new level and I'm excited to learn the new techniques.

BJJiC: Any last comments?

AC: Yes. With the explosion in popularity MMA & Grappling has seen in recent years, the conduct and behavior of the sub-culture that has risen in parallel is appalling. The insane graphic t-shirts to the full sleeve/body tattoos have significantly lowered the esteem of the sport. All too often I see these individuals in social settings bragging to people on how they're ''fighters.'' This disillusioned mentality needs to stop. Athletes should carry themselves to a higher degree and strive to be gentlemen. Poor sentence structure and improper grammar is not cool. This of course is no relation to SubCulture apparel. They have done a great job supporting local athletes and are very active in the BJJ community. SubCulture is the only Gi I wear for competitions and training sessions. I highly recommend them.

Quick Hits

Favorite Takedown: Uchi Mata

Favorite Submission: Bow and Arrow Choke

Favorite Position: Knee on Belly

Interested in learning more about Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) in Chicago?

Visit http://www.bjjinchicago.com/ for interviews, gym reviews, free mailing list giveaways, tournament and seminar information for Chicago and the Midwest, as well as a gym map and complete academy listing!

BJJ in Chicago is your source for submission grappling and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) in Chicago!

View the original article here

Explosive Movements for Judo

To participate in Judo you must have a lot of speed and strength, otherwise known as power. Here are 5 exercises that will build a lot of full body power resulting in you being able to be faster on the mat and have greater strength when turning in for techniques.

Powercleans

Powercleans are a fundamental exercise that will develop power in the legs, hips and back.

You know the feeling when you are four minutes into a fight and you have nothing left but you must use your last bit of energy to explode for a technique but your body is not responding. This is the time when doing countless powercleans in the gym will pay off. Powercleans teach you to explode quickly pulling a weighted bar with you.

To do a powerclean you must have rubber coated Olympic plates and a bar that will allow you to spin underneath it.

- Begin with your feet shoulder width apart and grip the bar just outside.
- Bend your knees and bend at the waist so your shoulders are just over the bar
- Maintain a slight curve in your lower back
- Straighten your arms so they are not bent
- Inhale
- Using your legs begin driving through the floor, lifting the bar off the ground
- exhale
- When the bar passes your knees continue the next part of the movement by thrusting your hips forward and simultaneously contract your trapezius muscles
- As the bar continues to travel upwards start the 'catch' by bending your knees to get under the bar.
- While keeping a grip on the bar rotate underneath and finish with the bar resting on your upper chest with elbows high
- Slowly lower the bar and repeat

Burpees

Everyone who has done any sort of martial arts, boot camps or person training knows what a burpee is. Simply squat down, extend your legs out into a push-up position, perform a push-up, bring your legs back to a squatting position and proceed to explode upwards jumping as high as you can. Perform these as part of a circuit or a warm up at training. Burpees will not only develop tremendous leg power but also get your heart rate through the roof resulting in a higher vo2 max.

Sumo Deadlift high pulls

A killer full body exercise that will have your legs, back and shoulders screaming.

- With a wide stance, grasp the barbell in between your legs with palms facing towards you
- Make sure your back stays straight throughout the entire movement
- Using your legs, lift the bar off the floor and using your arms begin an explosive lift upwards
- Keep your back straight and weight on your heels
- As the bar passes your hips thrust forward to assist the bars movement upwards
- Finish by completing an upright row movement with the bar at shoulder height
- With a controlled movement return the bar back to the starting position.
- Repeat

Perform tabata intervals with Sumo Deadlift high pulls will definitely build tremendous full body endurance.

Medicine ball throws

High throws and shot puts are all explosive exercise that Judokas should be doing on a regular basis.

To perform a shot put simply stand 3-5 meters from a wall. Hold a medicine ball at shoulder height (like a shot put) and throw it against the wall as hard as you can. Retrieve the medicine ball and repeat for desired number of repetitions. This exercise will not only develop Upper body power but also get each of your arms working independently which is useful during grip fighting.

Sprints

Flat or hill sprints should always be factored into a competitive judokas fitness and conditioning program. Sprints develop leg speed and power and are great as they simulate a competition match so closely. This is due to the fact that in a relatively short amount of time your heart rate goes from resting to through the roof.

Short sprints should not be performed year-round as they are very physically demanding and the Athletes will need a chance to recover.

Author: Matt D'Aquino
http://www.workoutsforjudo.com/

Matt is the founder of Beyond Grappling fitness and conditioning. He is a 2008 Beijing Judo Olympian as well as nationally ranked freestyle wrestler and National Champion in Brazilian Jujitsu. Matt has a passion for teaching all aspects of grappling especially the fitness and conditioning aspect. Recently he has been traveling the world aiming to qualify for his second Olympic Games.
To learn more about Matt and his fitness and conditioning training visit http://www.workoutsforjudo.com/

View the original article here

Andrew Smith (US Grappling) Interview

Andrew Smith of US Grappling and Revolution BJJ, took some time to answer a few questions for us. Andrew is a black belt in BJJ, a black belt in judo, and a 3x Pan Am Champion. He currently is an instructor at Revolution BJJ and has brought US Grappling (editorial: one of my favorite tournaments to compete in) to Chicago. Thanks Andrew!

Enjoy!!

1. Have you ever used jiu jitsu in a self defense situation?

Not really, apart from drunken friends horsing around and kind of forcing an impromptu grappling match. Self defense is 99.9% common sense and good judgment, neither of which I was born with. Fortunately, I've learned the value of diplomacy over the years and stayed away from confrontations like that.

2. If you could go back in time and tell yourself anything as a white belt, what would it be?
Invest in Google. Wait, maybe that was blue belt.

3. What role does ego play in BJJ?

It plays an important role. Of course, ego can get in the way of good training, because training becomes more like a fight than like a game. On the other side of the coin, ego is what drives us to improve ourselves. It's important not to neglect ego; you have to want to get better in order to get better. The important distinction is to use your ego properly, not as an obstacle. Jiu jitsu is a game- even competition- and it should be treated as such. There are lessons to be learned every time you roll or compete, and you can't forget that. No match is more important than the lessons you'll learn from that match.

4. What separates those who excel in BJJ from those who do not?

Love of the art and dedication. Give me one student who has two left feet who loves the art, makes the necessary sacrifices, and trains 8 times a week any day over someone who is incredibly talented, trains hard for six months, and then loses interest when they start tapping blue belts.

5. Do you get nervous (either as competitor, coach, etc.)?

Certainly, as both. When I was competing every weekend (circa 2002-2006), I was seldom, if ever, nervous. It was like training. Nowadays, I compete about once a month, so it's a little more special than it was back then. I'd say I get less nervous than your average competitor. As for coaching, I put a lot of stock in how my students perform at competitions, because it reflects on me even more so than as a competitor.

6. What do you say to potential students that are interested in starting BJJ?

Are you sure you want to do this? Kidding. Well, kind of.

7. How do you know when to promote a student?

It becomes very obvious on the mat. That's one thing about BJJ: there isn't any kind of lying when it comes to performance on the mat. When their technical proficiency allows them to execute great jiu jitsu technique above their current level, consistently, then it's time to move up.

Thanks again Andrew!

Interested in learning more about Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) in Chicago?

Visit http://www.bjjinchicago.com/ for interviews, gym reviews, free mailing list giveaways, tournament and seminar information for chicago and the midwest, as well as a gym map and complete academy listing!

BJJ in Chicago is your source for submission grappling and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) in Chicago!

Visit today! http://www.bjjinchicago.com/

View the original article here

Bruce Lee Push Ups!

Bruce Lee weighed approximately 126-132 lbs at his prime. Using this data, the normal man exerts at least one half of his body weight to his arms while doing push ups. I am saying at least because while doing push ups, you tend to accelerate more when pushing yourself up, that creates temporarily a force or pressure on your arms greater than one half your body weight, we can approximate this to an average of sixty percent of the body weight. That means that seventy eight pounds of pressure is applied to the arms when a 130 lbs man is doing a normal push up.

                                                   

So if he can do a one finger, one arm push up, he applies a minimum seventy pounds of pressure on the tip of his finger. The area of the tip of a regular finger is approximately 0.3 square inches. That's an equivalent of 260 pounds per square inch of pressure. We get that by dividing 78 pounds by 0.3. That means that Bruce Lee's fingers can exert a force greater than 260 pounds per square inch. We just do not know how much can he apply when fighting.

The average human skin will start to rupture when it is applied with 460 pounds per square in of pressure. So, if you will only take the data gathered from the one finger push ups, it is clear that the pressure is not enough to rupture the human skin. But two hundred sixty pounds per square inch can definitely cause serious injury, muscles can rupture, internal organs can get damaged even if the skin is not ruptured. So, the conclusion to the question is, yes, Bruce Lee can definitely kill using a single finger!

But wait, we didn't consider the finger nails of Bruce Lee! If Bruce Lee forgets to trim his nails even for two days, the pressure applied will be focused more on his fingernail tips, that will greatly focus the pressure and the 460 PSI will easily be reached.

So now we know that Bruce Lee can kill using a finger with or without rupturing our skin!

Now go out and share our little "Mythbuster" calculations with your friends, I bet they would like to know that Bruce Lee is truly a legend up to this day.

Introduction : Bruce Lee and Martial Arts

Hi,

All Bruce Lee lovers all over the world...!!

This is the new blog dedicated to the legend of Martial Arts Bruce Lee.

He is the founder of Jeet Kune Do also known as "The Intercepting Fist".

Lets join this blog to spread the legacy of Bruce Lee....

Regards,
Sabrez Alam

A blog about Bruce Lee & Martial Arts

Hi,

Everyone This is the blog for all who love Bruce Lee's Martial Arts and also want to learn Martial Arts, Jeet Kune Do. Its all about a real Dragon all the time...

Welcome all Bruce Lee lovers and Martial Arts practicer's  to join this blog and express their views and feelings...

"There would not be Ninja Turtles, There would not be Karate Kid, There would not be Chuck Norris, There would not be Steven Segal, There would not be Jackie Chan, There would not be Jean Claude Van Damme, had it not been for Bruce Lee. He was the one who didn't just, you know, open the door, he was the one who created the portal through which all these people passed"

*********************************

Rules:-

*********************************

1. Don't post anything bad about Martial Arts & Bruce Lee.

2. Respect Martial Arts & Bruce Lee and other Martial Arts legends and Masters.

3. All Martial Arts and Masters are equal.

4. Don't post illeagal links.

5. Please co-operate me to provide best data about Bruce Lee & Martial Arts.

Regards,

Sabrez Alam

http://www.legendbrucelee.blogspot.com