Black Belt Magazine December 2015 - January 2016 2

Let’s travel back in history a bit. Shortly after the VHS and Betamax videotape formats were developed in the mid-1970s, martial artists jumped for joy. Now they could see the best instructors on earth demonstrate the moves of their arts with precision. Not only that, but they could watch the techniques over and over, even in slow motion to analyze all the hard-to-see parts. In the late 1990s, the DVD was unveiled, and its digital technology began to displace the videotape, but things didn’t change much for information-hungry martial artists — except that now they could do those rewinds without fear their VCR might eat the tape. Yes, the resolution was significantly better with DVDs, but for the most part, the user experience didn’t change: You watched at home, usually…

ALL-STAR TEAM UPS THE ANTE ON MARTIAL ARTS ENTERTAINMENT With not one but two high-octane martial arts films under its collective black belts, Silent Partner Pictures is making a big noise in the world of action entertainment. First from the production team, which is composed of German actor-turned-producer Ruediger Kuermerle and Hong Kong–based writer/producer Mike Leeder, is One Million Klicks. It’s been described as a “full-blooded, high-impact martial arts adventure.” The film stars German martial arts maestro Mike Moeller (Urban Fighter) as a young fighter looking for something to believe in — or maybe just something to punch. A chance encounter with two businessmen leads him into the world of illegal underground competition. “At first, he’s happy to fight just for the rush, and of course, he loves the quick…

After suffering a knee injury early in her judo career, she developed an aggressive style that sought to take the fight to the mat as quickly as possible, where she’d dispatch foes with brutal efficiency. By now, everyone knows Rousey’s story, her rise to become the toughest female MMA fighter in the world. But what’s less well-known is the tale of the fiery woman who taught her what it means to be tough — and how to break an arm. ONLY FOUR AMERICANS have ever won the World Judo Championships: Kayla Harrison in 2010, Jimmy Pedro in 1999, Mike Swain in 1987 and AnnMaria De Mars (then known as AnnMaria Burns) in 1984. That makes her the first American to garner judo gold, and she did it like a true…

I escape when he rushes in, and I hit him until he goes down. It’s like fighting a tree. Attack the upper extremities, break his branches. When he goes down, attack the lower extremities. When you see that he’s tired, you grab his joints and do manipulations. You can control even the biggest guy by grabbing one of his fingers.” Most Filipinos are familiar with kali, escrima and arnis, which are prominent weapons systems here. Aycocho, however, practices kuntaw, the art of hand and foot fighting. It’s a fierce style that can be used for serious self-defense, as well as for professional competition, he said. To drive home his point about selfdefense, Aycocho, who’s based in Manila, Philippines, demonstrated a stomping kick in which he used the ball of his…

It means that one’s weapon (ken, which can be written to refer to a sword or a fist but which really applies to any weapon), one’s spirit or energy (ki) and one’s body (tai) must all be ichi — “one.” All must be employed in coordination and at the same time. If your weapon reaches the target but your body positioning is poor, it’s un likely your strike will be immediately or convincingly effective. If you have a strong spirit but lack the proper weapon — let’s say you cannot make a solid fist — once again, the chance of failure is significant. It’s very common to see less-skilled karateka poke or jab at their opponents in sparring. They’re delivering weapons, but their bodies remain unconnected, so it looks more…

Think of it this way: If it makes you uncomfortable to have to fight inside, imagine how it makes your attacker feel. Most people choose to fight outside, reaching in only when they can snipe. They feel more comfortable when they can see the whole situation. To fight effectively, you have to be within range to hit — which, of course, means you’re within range to be hit, as well. Although you no doubt prefer to control the fight and choose the range at which it takes place, you need to be able to function when your opponent gets in your face. TO THAT END, every so often you should gear up and use the focus mitts and/or muay Thai pads to do a workout that uses only short-range weapons:…