Category Archives: taekwondo

In the Best Karate Training Drills the Eyes Have It

Best Karate Training Focuses the Eyes

In the best Karate Training drills one should look their opponent in the eyes. This is a very interesting and powerful aspect to Karate training, so let me give you some data about it.

First, I have had a lot of people, during karate drills, ask me where they should look. The common answer that I have found over the years, and this is from Karate school to Taekwondo school to whatever Martial Arts school (style) you are studying, is that you should ‘unfocus’ your eyes on the chest. Look at the center of the body and become aware of all the stuff on the outside.

best karate training

You can’t fight what you can’t face!

 


This actually isn’t bad instruction, you want to see everything, but it stops forward progress for the martial artist at a certain point.

The real advice, if you want to experience the best karate training drills, is to look at the eyes.

The eyes are the windows to a man’s soul; look at the eyes long enough…and you can actually see what a man is thinking.

Look at the body, and you stop looking at the mind, and the martial art becomes a thing of reaction, or, at the very least, slow progress.

So you look at the eyes, train hard, do your forms for discipline, and eventually you will actually pick up on the very thought of the opponent.

Tell me this doesn’t give an incredible edge in combat…to know what an opponent is thinking!

Anyway, the point is this: you can’t fight what you can’t face.

And, as you progress, if you don’t look to the eyes, attempt to see the thought behind the action, then you wo’t make the jump from fighting to handling.

You see, in the real martial arts you learn to fight so you can give up fighting.

You don’t look at an opponent and fight him, you predict what he is going to do by reading his thoughts, and then making moves that undo him rather than harm him.

Can anybody spell the word ‘harmony?’

Only idiots fight all their lives. Smart martial arts students, people who want to experience the best karate training drills, watch the eyes and learn to read the mind.

And, eventually, they experience harmony, and greater control.

Opponents become as children, and as easily handled.

And that is why, when it comes to the best karate training drills, the eyes have it.

Check out this great article on Aikido style throws. Or, you could take a look at this course presenting a more combat Aikido style.

The Real Reason Karate Kata Are So Valuable in the Martial Arts!

The True Value of Karate Kata

There are several reasons why Karate Kata are so valuable to the martial artist. Mind you, we are including many forms of Martial Arts, kung fu patterns, taekwondo forms, whatever.

The first reason Karate Kata are so good for you is purely physical. Simply, if you are doing a form, you are doing body weight calisthenics. Many people over look this, but when you do the first form of Karate, Heian One, or Pinan One as it is sometimes referred to, you are doing approximately 20 squats on the front leg. If you do all five of these karate kata you are doing over 100 knee bends, and these calisthenics shape and power the legs in a multitude of ways. Simply, the leg is completely and fully powered up.

karate kata steps

Jackie Chan said he knows enough Martial Arts to start his own style! Why not you?


The second reason Karate Kata are so great for you is that they teach you control.

This starts with control of the body. You learn how to hold your body in a particular position in space, how to move to another position in space through the quickest and most efficient manner possible.

This fact of control progresses into technique, and here is where kata really shine. When you are doing a technique you are learning to take charge of another person’s body. You control it no matter how violent it is, and you learn to handle it without using effort.

Mind you, there are more efficient ways of learning fighting. You could punch a bag as in boxing for hours and hours, and not learn anything new about yourself body. And, to tell the truth, this author finds that method slightly boring.

So Karate Kata might take a bit longer to learn, but you are not learning to just destroy, you are learning to control, both your own body and somebody else’s body. Very valuable stuff. And that brings us to the third reason martial arts forms are good for you.

To control the body takes concentration, and thus you are learning to take charge of your mind.

Did you know that people who learn real karate, or real kung fu, usually do better in life? That is because they have learned not to just to control bodies, but awareness. They have learned to control thought.

And a person who can control thought can control the universe. Thus, the importance of martial arts forms, karate katas, or whatever you call them, cannot be underestimated.

Here’s a really good article on the secrets of the Martial Arts forms, or, you can always take a look at this online karate kata course.

How and Why Matrixing Will Work in Your Martial Art!

Learn a Martial Art in a matter of months!

A lot of people read my site, or articles on the web, and they raise their eyes and say, ‘Oh, right. A guy can learn a Martial Art in a few months? Ha!’

Lot of cynicism out there, and I understand it. Some fellow studies for years to learn Karate or learn Kung Fu or whatever, and I come along and say, ‘You could have learned it ten times faster.’

martial art

Don’t just look at the moon…BE the moon!


That guy is going to be upset! He’s going to think I’m full of it, just because if he doesn’t, then it invalidates all his years of training.

But, when somebody actually does matrix their martial art, and this works for Aikido and Kenpo and ALL other martial arts systems, then they find that I am not invalidating all they have done…I am making it count! I am organizing their data, making it more accessible, and that means their martial art is sharper, quicker, more intuitive…and so much more!

So how do I convince the doubter?

Try these facts on for size.

Take two pigeons and put them together for 6 weeks and they will mate for life.

6 weeks, and you cam MAKE a pea brain MAKE a life altering decision. Doesn’t even matter if Mrs. Pigeon is ugly.

Now this is a stupid fact, but it tends to open the door to facts more pertinent to you and the Martial Arts.

The US army takes a common, garden variety man or woman…and MAKES them into a soldier in three months. Another three months and we’re talking about a high tech soldier, able to use a computer, or some other complicated device, right in the middle of a firefight!

That’s a good fact. It speaks highly of dedicated, factual training.

Here’s another one: there are ads on TV that claim you can MAKE your body into a lean, mean muscle machine in three months. Three months and you no longer have a beer barrel, but, instead, have a six pack!

So the point here is this: if you are smarter than a pigeon, then you can change your mind and change your body in three months.

Or, in other words,

You can learn a martial art in a matter of months!

You don’t even have to believe! You just have to get a martial arts course and do it!

So now we come down to choice.

Do you want to sit around and tweet one liners…or do you want to join a brotherhood that has lasted for thousands of years…the brotherhood of the Martial Artist!

Do you want to be sweet meat for that home invader? That mugger? That guy who wants to take your girlfriend?

Do you want to watch Bruce Lee movies and think, ‘How cool!’ Or do you want to BE like Bruce Lee?

Okay. Nuff said. I hope I’ve changed your mind, gotten you to get up off the coach, inspired you to do something that will give your life value forever!

So take a look at this http://monstermartialarts.com site, check out the courses, and decide what you want to do.

Remember, the only person stopping you from being more than you…is you.

This has been a page about how to learn a martial art, and how you can learn them in a matter of a few months.

Gichin Funakoshi, Dark Alleys, and Gloopy Aliens!

Gichin Funakoshi Self Defense for the Masses!

Speaking of Gichin Funakoshi…let me first say good morning.

Good Morning USA, and world, and, uh, guess I’ll throw in the universe. Never can tell, some gloopy alien with three eyes might be keeping track of those strange critters on earth. Might be reading this article right now making sure we’re not being contentious and guilty of sedition to the alien galactic empire.

Hello, Gloopy Alien. I wonder if he knows what this here finger of mine is for? Hah.

gichin funakoshi

Where is that Gichin Funakoshi guy?

Speaking of weird and Gloopy Aliens, the founder of modern Karate, Gichin Funakoshi, was about 80 years old, and was out for his nightly walk. The night was ominous, Japan was in an unsettled state, and he saw a mugger waiting on a street corner. Gichin knew, deep in his heart, that that mugger was going to try to mug him.

Hey, you think a mugger’s going to risk picking on somebody who is big? Nope, muggers want to get on with their work with the least amount of personal risk, you know? Smart guys, these muggers are.

Anyway, Gichin keeps on walking makes sure he looks feeble, and as he passes the mugger and the mugger leaps at him he whirls and grabs the mugger. Now, you might be wondering where he grabbed the mugger. A death lock on the carotid–a specialized nerve center that immobilizes totally? Well, uh, he didn’t do any of those things. He grabbed him by the, um, cajones. The apples, you know..the coconuts.

He grabbed him by the children he might sire some day, by the future, by his only source of fun on those long, lonely nights that frustrate a mugger when he is all by himself and can’t find anybody who even remotely likes him.

Now the founder of modern Karate has a mugger by the embarrassment, and what is he going to do next? Does he flick a set of knuckles to the throat and crunch the Adam’s apple…cause it to swell up and stop the mugger from breathing? Does he launch a spear hand thrust to the chest and yank the mugger’s very heart out and take a big bite while the terrified mugger watches in terror? Or does he just start to close his hand. Close his hand slowly, and watch the life blood drain out of the mugger’s face, and the very life right out of his quaking and pain infested body, and the happiness out of his future? Squeeze, until the nutty pulp runs out from between his gnarly, old fingers. Squeeze, until a loud popping sound fills the night air. Squeeze, until the mugger screams like a little girl and falls to the pavement, never to enjoy the feel of loving again.

Gichin Funakoshi called for the cops. Yep, he stood on that corner and held that man and called for help. And the mugger was totted away to think about his crimes, and the terror of having his manhood held by another man.

An interesting lesson for a mugger, eh? Another interesting lesson would be if you looked up the real meaning of the word testament and where it comes from and all that.

Anyway, the point of all this is this don’t walk down that dark alley.

Yep. My students have heard me say this, and they know what I mean. When you have a choice of a long walk down a lit street, or a short trip through a dark alley, take the long way.

You can tell you’ve made it, that you do understand what the martial arts are all about when you can see a dark alley before you reach it.

Hey, a sunny street in the heart of town might be a dark alley if there’s some idiot waiting for you. And you should have developed the extra perception, through those endless hours of practice, to know the difference between a dark alley and a well lit street.

This has been a page about Gichin Funakoshi, and here’s another page about the Martial Art behind his shotokan.

This piece on Gichin Funakoshi was reprinted from Matrix Martial Arts 2009/06/04.

Dragon Gung Fu FollowsTiger Gung Fu!

Tiger Gung Fu Transforms into Dragon Gung Fu

Dragon Gung Fu refers to internal martial arts training, and tiger Gung fu refers to external martial arts systems.

Dragon Gung Fu would include such Chinese martial arts as Pa Kua Chang, Tai Chi Chuan, and so on.

dragon gung fu

Official Symbol of Gung Fu at Monster Martial Arts

 


Tiger Gung Fu would include such systems as Hung Gar, but would go outside the Chinese to such systems as Shotakan Karate (Tiger Emblem), Kyukoshinkai, and so on.

The main difference between the hard and the soft, or the external and internal martial arts systems, is emphasis on muscles in the hard, and emphasis on the growth of Chi from the Tan Tien in the hard.

Though, to be honest, do the Tiger Gung Fu styles long enough, and you will morph into the harder Tiger systems.

Now, most people consider that all you have to do is gear your training to development of tan tien based martial arts, and that will transform you into a dragon gung fu stylist. And this is true. But, there is an easier way, one that works more in conjunction with Tiger Gung Fu styles.

This means that if you do what I am about to tell you, you can easily transform your hard style into a soft style with just a little shift in your training.

To make the transformation from tiger Gung fu methods to dragon, first learn how to make grab arts out of the self defense techniques you practice in the forms.

This can be easily done, and probably the best example of this is the Matrix Aikido method.

Now, here is where the change really starts. You must learn how to use less and less force when doing those grab arts.

Instead of slamming with the hips, learn how to nudge and unbalance, and let the unbalancing technique take its course.

Now, I could tell you dozens of things, but I shant. It would turn into a complex discussion, instead of a conceptual principle.

Heck, take apart those techniques by the thousands, get complex, but always refer back to this principle of using less and less effort.

And that is the way you transform Tiger Gung Fu into Dragon Gung Fu.

Here’s a great article on how to make Dragon Gung Fu out of Tiger Gung Fu, and here’s an interesting online martial arts course on the subject.

Karate Throwing Techniques to Make You Grin!

Finding and Define Karate Throwing Techniques!

When this writer first learned Karate, there weren’t any Karate throwing techniques. There was just kick and punch, and so much of it that there wasn’t much interest in how to throw somebody.

Heck, if you wanted to throw, you took Judo, right?

karate throwing techniques

He could punch…and he could throw!

But, as time played out, and arts were learned, the subject of Karate throwing techniques kept popping up again and again.

Interestingly, there were throws in Karate before that art became a mass produced method of making money for US teachers.

I’m not trying to diss anybody here, but the US teachers were all saying ‘My art is the only Martial Art!’ And they were concerned with pushing their tournament fighting, which had no room for throws.

But Gichin Funakoshi was once taking lessons with Jigaro Kano, and suddenly Gichin did a throw that Kano didn’t really know. And when Kano was surprised, Funakoshi passed it off with, ‘Oh, there are a few karate throwing techniques.’

A few throws, indeed! Karate is LOADED with takedowns and locks and all manner of manipulative grappling techniques!

Finding Karate Throwing Techniques in Kata

My favorite example of a karate throwing technique is the move at the end of Pinan Three. You poke over the shoulder and elbow, and slide to the side. Absolutely perfect grab art, if, instead of poking the eyes, you grab an encircling arm and throw on the slide.

Anyway, we could get into a lo-o-ong discussion about the placement of throws in almost every single move of every single kata, but I will leave that up to the reader to explore on his own, and merely say: ‘the throws are there, you just have to learn how to look.’

I will say that the throws in Karate tend to be all over the place. Karate wasn’t organized logically, and the things are placed in haphazard arrangement. That may make your job of finding them harder, but it will also make it more interesting.

I will also say that, in the end, while this writer loves throws and locks, there is greater efficiency in one punching an opponent. I know that some people may disagree with this, but I recommend practicing the punch until it works, and exploring the throws and locks so that you don’t get trapped or fooled by them, and so that you may have options. An option, for instance, in the event that it’s only your drunk cousin…don’t punch him! Just do one of your Karate Throws, over the shoulder and into the trash can…he he!

Here’s a great article about Karate Throwing Technique. You can also check out Matrix Kung Fu at Monster Martial Arts, which is the bible of Karate Throwing Techniques.

How to have Chi Gung Power by the Barrelful!

Chi Gung power That Works!

Chi Gung power is very easy to develop in the martial arts, but it also has a tendency to be subtle. You sometimes have it, chi hung power sometimes has built up within you, but you are unaware of it. Here’s a quick primer on exactly how to build Chi Gung power. No matter if you do Karate or taekwondo or Aikido or Tai Chi Chuan, this method will work. Heck, it is nothing but a logical examination of the classical methods for building chi gung power.

First, make sure you are rooted solidly to the earth. We call this grounding in Matrix Martial Arts. The point is to focus your attention downwards in such a manner that even if somebody pushes on you (into your stance, not sideways across your stance) you can just relax and direct the energy through your body and into the ground.

chi gung power

Second, Turn the body into the martial arts movement. This can be confusing if it is necessary that a body part go in opposition to the forward motion. But the idea is to move as many body parts as possible, and at the same time, into the martial arts movement. The term for this is CBM, which means Coordinated Body Motion. This is the key, and should be put into every move you do. No matter whether you do a Karate kata, kung fu form, Taekwondo pattern, you should analyze the motion of your body for CBM.

Third, move the body into the block or strike. This is to thrust or lunge the entire weight into whatever you are doing.

Now, there is a percentage thing that must be taken into account when you do martial arts moves with these three things. How much percentage do you put into the sinking of the weight, how much into the rotation or thrust? You’ve got to figure it out for every single move in your martial arts forms and techniques.

Now, here is the glory, these three things will create Chi Gung power by themselves. But, when you put all three together, when you work this concept called CBM, Coordinated Body Motion, into your technique, and combine all three concepts, then you are going to have HUMUNGOUS amounts of chi hung power start to build. Guaranteed, it will drip off your hands, glow from your body, and permeate the very air about you.

People, when you do this Chi Gung practice for any extent of time, will start to see that you are a brighter, happier person, and they will respond to the chi hung glow coming off you. They may not even see it, but they will respond to it.

But the real joy, as far as this martial artist is concerned, is that your Martial Arts will glow like the dickens. Your Martial Arts will become filled with Chi Gung power that will make your techniques hard to beat!

Here’s a great piece of writing called Chi Energy Defined. You can also look at the book  on generating Qigong Power, it is called Matrixing Chi and it is at Monster Martial Arts.

Shaolin Kung Fu, from Choy Lee Fut to the Butterfly

Shaolin Kung Fu Spreads a New Set of Wings!

Shaolin Kung Fu is one of the oldest of the Martial Arts. It was started over two thousand years ago, endured through many changes, and is still important and powerful. The question we ask here is: can anything new be added to Shaolin Kung Fu?

The original Shaolin Kung Fu was started during the time of Buddha. Buddha came to the Shaolin Temple and began to instruct the Shaolin Monks in sacred texts. Unfortunately, the monks were of weak constitution. They fell asleep, they were easy targets for bandits, they just couldn’t cut it.

shaolin kung fu

Emblem of the Shaolin Butterfly

Buddha began instructing the monks in traditional exercises to help strengthen them. These were chi building exercises, and the things he was teaching them bears strong resemblance to martial arts drills. Thus, the exercises slowly transformed into forms and techniques that has come to be known as Shaolin Kung Fu. The bad guys in the area around the Shaolin Temple began to finding that the monks were no longer easy targets,and  began to depart the area.

Years passed, and Shaolin endured through many changes. Emperors came and emperors went, but Shaolin lasted, and people who learned the traditional Shaolin Kung Fu lessons came to be in great demand. They would leave the temple and teach the peasants how to protect themselves, train bodyguards how to fend off bandits, and even became involved in training warriors for war.

At last, the emperor had had enough, these Shaolin monks were causing too much trouble, and he ordered the temple destroyed.

Five monks managed to escape the destruction of the temple, and they began to teach martial arts on a broader level. Some of the styles that came about as a result of these monks were Northern Shaolin, Hung Gar, Wing Chun, and so on.

That brings us to the modern era, and the condition of modern Shaolin Kung Fu. While the art is alive and well in some areas, under the hands of dedicated instructors, all too often it has been transformed into tournament arts, flowery systems that mean little, and, of course, the Wu shu of the PRC, which is not true to the original Shaolin Kung Fu. This kung fu was made up by physical education coaches after the Great Revolution, and spread for the glory of the state; not because of a desire for understanding the spiritual teachings originally taught at the Shaolin Temple.

One of the modern systems of Shaolin, a trim and tight system that yet embraces the majority of the original teachings, is the Shaolin Butterfly. This martial art holds to the original principles, such as animal modes of fighting like the tiger, the dragon, the crane, and so on.

It is started with a study of six basic steps, which steps take on a twining, mixing personality, and which are then done upon standing bricks. Thus, the student has to keep balance, all while learning how to kick and strike, how to cling to an attacker, how to entrap and take down with a variety of locks and throws.

There is a science to this approach, a blessing of western culture, that augments the eastern origins, yet enables the student to learn much faster.

That is the history of Shaolin Kung Fu to present times, and while it is a rich history, it manages to sidestep the corruption of art due to influences such as tournaments, commercial interests, and so on.

Here’s a good bit of writing on Shaolin Kung Fu. If you would like to actually take lessons in this incredible art, check out the course at Monster Martial Arts.

Chi Power through Unique Martial Arts Breathing Practice

Martial Arts Breathing and Chi Power

The capacity to generate beams of energy, though I have actually never ever seen nor become aware of it went over, is at the heart of martial arts breathing practices. I feature pressor or tractor or any other sort of beam in this conversation.
A beam is a line of energy drive outward from the body of the martial performer, and this beam is normally built upon a line, though it need not be.
martial arts breath

It can be pointed out that your martial art is not a real martial art unless it creates the capability to produce a beam of energy at will.
Many martial practices on world globe are aspired towards constructing muscle, or the shabby pretext of stimulating body parts. The function of this post is to awaken the reader to the capacity of developing beams of energy.
The first thing to be recognized is that the body is absolutely nothing more than just an appliance. It is a natural machine built of meat and bone and several connecting systems. Definitely, to the individual unused to a body, it can easily appear like a Rubic’s cube, however, in fact, it is remarkably straightforward to make use of.
To utilize the body as a beam power generator one need to engage in classic forms, and comprehend the value of classic postures.
To engage in the classic postures needs work, which work demands the production of energy in the Tan Tien, which is the one point, which is absolutely nothing more than just an energy power generator on a body/machine degree.
This work must be supplemented by breathing in accordance with the development or contraction of the body.
To posture, to work, to breath, to focus interest along the course of the arms, to envision. It is creative imagination that sets us apart from the beasts, and it is creative imagination that is required to produce the concept of a beam of energy coming out of the body. You need to engage in till the mind is calm then it will definitely have the ability to picture.
To check your capacity to beam it is essential to make use of an easy and frequently over looked trick. Set up a candle and face it, punch, and cease your fist an inch from the flame.
Do not trick flick the flame by leaving the line of the beam, however focus, and keep the line of the beam as straight as feasible. With success over time, cease your fist 2 inches from the flame, then further. Enhance distance till you can easily put out the flame from throughout the area. At some point, with fantastic persistence and want, you will certainly have the ability to just examine the flame and make it go out.
There are those that laugh and such practices as detailed right here are of little value, and there are those that will definitely not linger, however look for the instant gratification of easy battling. Then there are those that will certainly find out the depths of their being with this easy activity.
The distinction between the two is faith, view in yourself, and the need to awaken your real capabilities, and therefore awaken yourself, and this is at the heart of the Neutronic idea behind generating a beam of energy through Martial Arts breathing.

From Martial Arts Tournament to Full Contact Fighting to MMA

Martial Arts Tournaments…

When it comes to Martial Arts Fighting, the times have changed, and changed again.

martial arts tournaments

Training for a martial arts tournament in 1974

When I first began Chinese Kenpo, back in 1967, you were expected to have control. Develop your power, but have respect for your karate opponent. We were all very careful, and we learned what hurt and what didn’t.

I remember whent he first full contact matches came about. People started wearing protective gear, started neglecting control (hey! They were protected…what did they care?), and the first full contact tournaments appeared.

Full contact didn’t work very well. A good boxer would go in and clean up. He had superior training methods for that specific form of fighting, and he had better conditioning. The karate tournament fighters didn’t really understand about this type of impact.

I remember watching some of the early fighters, and to hurt their opponent they would hit with ridge hands…on the wrist above the glove. No padding, and it worked better. Nobody figured out elbows.

To be honest, the change from no contact to full contact was not good. Pads and gloves changed focus points, and people with years in no contact were usually better than fellows trying to make the change to full contact. Think about it, people studying no contact could do more damage than people who were studying full contact.

But such factors didn’t matter. People want instant gratification, and full contact answered the call. A knock out, you see, is like a home run; people want to come to see the knock out.

So full contact had arrived, but its progress was slow and spotty. There were fights over rules, fighters tried to skew the rules so they would have an an advantage, and nobody really knew what was happening.

Then MMA arrived. Mixed Martial Arts. And the world changed. Training methods sharpened up, rules became more set in stone, and the real art was re-introduced. The thing became not a downgrade of bad karate, but a side step from good jujitsu.

The odd thing is that, for all the blood and teeth spilled in the ring, people much prefer no contact training methods, or at least very limited contact.

Yes, they want reality, but they don’t want to get mugged on the way to it.

And, one very interesting fact: people are finding out that there is more to learn when doing the older less contact artforms.

When you get into it with an opponent in many mixed martial arts schools, the contest tends to degrade, turn into a fight, a controlled fight, but still a matter of who is better.

This is in opposition to one perfecting one’s technique, which is what the true martial art is really all about.

Still, this last manifestation of lessened martial art is but one more signpost on a constantly evolving facet of martial arts training. From Martial Arts Tournament to Full Contact Fighting to MMA to…beyond, this is a sport that is evolving, growing, adapting…and getting better.

MMA