Radiotelecomando » Martial

Mixed Martial Arts Continues to Grow in Popularity

admin — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 06:21:35 +0000

There once was a time when boxing ruled the sports landscape. The heavyweight champion was the most feared and famous athlete on the planet. Boxers like Joe Louis, Muhammad Ali, George Foreman and Mike Tyson were household names throughout the world.
However, over the last decade, a sport with history and honor has lost its popularity to upstart sports like Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). The decline of elite fighters in the heavyweight division and the lack of knockouts have led many young men to look for action and excitement in sports like MMA.
Because of the decline of boxing, mixed martial arts has taken over and has become the sport of choice for the age 18-34 demographic and put the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) on course to join the ranks of elite sports leagues like the National Basketball Association and the National Football League.
MMA resounds with 18-34 (year olds) because that age range has a shorter attention span than other age groups. They buy video games, fast cars, cool clothes, all on credit because they want it now. They want instant gratification. In the UFC, the normal bout consists of three five-minute rounds, said long-time fan George Sorrell, 35, of Houston.
MMA is an intense and evolving combat sport in which competitors use interdisciplinary forms of fighting that include jiu-jitsu, judo, karate, boxing, kickboxing, wrestling and other techniques to their strategic and tactical advantage in a supervised match.
The Ultimate Fighting Championship began in 1993, but mixed martial arts dates back to the Olympic Games in Athens, according to the UFC. About 80 years ago, a Brazilian form of MMA known as Vale Tudo (anything goes) sparked local interest in the sport. Now that interest is felt throughout the world as the UFC now offers 12 to 14 live pay-per-view events annually through cable and satellite providers.
Recently, a UFC event in Columbus, Ohio attracted more than 19,000 people, the largest audience in North America to witness a mixed martial arts event. More than 4.7 million viewers tuned in to see UFC 75, the first ever title bout on Spike TV. On a Saturday night, it outdrew college football among young men.
Viewers of UFC 75 saw Quinton Rampage Jackson defeat Dan Henderson to unify the UFC and PRIDE titles in the 205-lb weight-class. Cheick Kong defeated Mirko Cro Cop and Houston Alexander knocked out Alessio Sakara in one minute of the first round. In the title fight, Jackson became the first man to unify a major title with a five-round victory. Judges scored the bout 48-47 and 49-46 twice for Memphis, Tenn. native.
Fans attribute the success of the UFC to clever marketing such as the reality show “The Ultimate Fighter,” because fans can become acquainted with the athletes and begin to follow their careers. The million-dollar question is why are violent sports so popular among young men?
I suppose I like it for the same reason you rubber-neck at a traffic accident. You want to see how bad it can get. You want to see how bad the knockout will be or how slick a submission will be. You want to speculate what you might do in a similar circumstance, said Sorrell.
To many fans, mixed martial arts have already surpassed boxing in popularity, and some feel it will not be long before it is on par with mainstays like football, baseball and basketball. Questionable decisions and a lack of star quality have led to the UFC regularly outperforming boxing in its pay-per-view intake. With such quick success, it seems as if the UFC will soon revival the three big sports leagues in popularity and profit.
And for those who have not yet caught the MMA bug, Sorrell asks them to watch the reality show from the beginning. The UFC packages the fights amidst bad blood while living with each other and training with each other. Also going online and watching some of the signature fights helps. I would also ask them to watch a pay-per-view event or a free night on Spike TV.
After watching one fight, the UFC is certain that it will not be the last.

After attending the very first UFC event in 1993, Steve Doss became an avid fan of this new sport. He also teaches Mixed Martial Arts, Muay Thai Kickboxing, and Self Defense in Austin, TX at Premier Martial Arts http://www.pmaaustin.com

Mixed Martial Arts Today

admin — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 02:22:12 +0000

Some of the most successful fighters today have a ground game, wrestling skills, and superior striking. Look at fighters such as Chuck Liddell, Vanderlei Silva, Randy Couture, and Fedor Emelianenko. They are some of the most dominant fighters today, and all are very strong in the technical areas of the ground game, wrestling skills, and striking. But what if each fighter is evenly matched in skill and technique? What if each fighter has the same mind-set and the will to win? How will today’s warrior continue to adapt in order to win at this elite level? That is the next revolution in the metamorphosis of the sport we called mixed martial arts: the revolution of physical preparation.
In addition to all the technical skills, a fighter must possess the right amount of bullish strength, speed, power, endurance, flexibility, and mental toughness. He or she must also pay great attention to their nutritional and physical status to improve their performance and prevent injury. They must know how, when, and why to strategically train in certain ways at certain times and when to take a day or two off. Without all of this knowledge and understanding, much of the training behind Mixed Martial Arts is just the guesswork that has been used for centuries.
Becoming an MMA fighter doesn’t happen over night. Being able to staying focused and dedicated to learning and wanting to improve will help the new MMA fighter to succeed. Joining with friends or colleagues can also help you to stay motivated. Don’t forget to take an interest in the world of UFC and MMA, as there will be plenty to learn from the professionals both on screen and in interviews. Also, there are many MMA websites that offer advice and training tips.
When you look at the fighters of today, you can see that this revolution has started. The days of the overweight, out-of-shape brawler are a thing of the past. This is the age of the technical, conditioned, fit and strong SUPERFIGHTER.
A fighter’s physical foundation is the cornerstone for eventual success in the mixed martial arts. If a fighting warrior is not as strong, fast, and flexible as he or she could be and has poor nutrition, that warrior will never perform to potential in the ring or on the mat. This will most likely keep an athlete from the pinnacle of the mixed martial arts world.
A warrior never wants to look back at their fight or even their career and know that he or she could have done more, or that the reason for a loss was not being properly physically prepared. No warrior ever wants to see an opportunity for a punch, take-down, or submission and miss it because he or she was too slow, too tired, too weak, or too inflexible to pull it off. Every warrior needs to master this knowledge about their own physical preparation, so that when there is the opportunity to punch, kick, knee, shoot, or submit, THEY SEIZE IT!
If you enjoyed this article and would like to read more about the mixed martial arts please go to The MMA Zone at www.themmazone.net. We have included subjects about the history of mma, training, diet, and mental approaches to the sport.

Troy Macraft MMA Expert Editor, The MMA Zone – “Where the Traditional Meets Cutting Edge!” Martial Arts Supplies If you enjoyed this article and would like to read about the history of mma please go to The MMA Zone at www.themmazone.net

Nothing New Under the Sun: Mixed Martial Arts Bears Striking Resemblance to Ancient Greek Pankration

admin — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 02:22:01 +0000

A lot can change in 2,650 years. Apparently, though, when it comes to sports, everything old is new again. At least when it comes to the sport that boasts the fastest-growing popularity in the U.S. today: Mixed Martial Arts.But whether you call it Mixed Martial Arts or Ultimate Fighting, this sport is far from modern. Combining Greco-Roman wrestling with a variety of martial arts techniques, the sport closely resembles the free-form ancient Greek competitive sport of pankration.Dating back to 648 B.C., when it was introduced into the Olympics, the sport of pankration was bound by two rules: no eye gouging and no biting. Sounds like the rules my Kindergarten teacher established. Beyond that, though, anything was fair game in this competition, whose name comes from two Greek words: pan, meaning “all”; and kratos, meaning “powers.”With individual matches often lasting hours (and sometimes resulting in the death of one or both combatants), the game quickly became the most popular Olympic sport.Its popularity declined at the time of the rise of the Roman Empire, when other combat sports began taking precedence. In the modern Western World, boxing and wrestling grew in popularity while in the East, traditional martial arts flourished.Flash forward to the 1900s. Twenty-one-year-old Brazilian Carlos Gracie, who was trained in judo by renowned Japanese champion Mitsuyo Maeda, began teaching his four brothers the art as it was taught to him. In 1925, Carlos and younger brother Helio moved to Rio de Janeiro, where they opened a jiu-jitsu studio and instituted the “Gracie Challenge,” taking on all who wished to compete against them. Begun as a means of drawing attention to their newly opened academy, the Gracie Challenge drew fighters in disciplines ranging from karate and other martial arts to boxing, capoeira (an Afro-Brazilian fighting form) and even wrestling.Prospective fighters – and hordes of spectators – began to flock to these matches; before long, they were drawing such enormous crowds, the matches had to be held in the largest Brazilian soccer arenas. Eventually, the sport (known as vale-tudo, the Portuguese term for “anything goes”) had grown to become the second most popular sport in Brazil, right behind soccer (a status that is still maintained today).From 1935 to 1951, 135-pound Helio Gracie fought and defeated in excess of 1,000 competitors in this unarmed combat form; many of his opponents outweighed him by more than 100 pounds.In 1993, MMA took on a new dimension with the institution of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, based on Brazilian vale-tudo (which California salesman Art Davie learned from Helio’s son Rorito in the Gracie Jiu-Jitsu school two years earlier).Derided as “human cockfighting,” the no-holds-barred fighting style was often said to be more brutality than sporting competition. Today, MMA and UFC are growing in popularity, with UFC expanding beyond its early pay-per-view audiences and gaining greater exposure on regular U.S. and Canadian cable television.For additional information about MMA, visit www.MMASportsNutrition.com , your online source for superior nutritional supplements for MMA athletes.

Connecticut-based author Rita M. Reali writes SEO-enhanced web content, press releases and informational articles on a wide variety of topics ranging from sports & fitness to the joys of playing the ukulele. She is also a content editor and proofreader. Contact her at ritathewordsmith@gmail.com.

Why Choose Jujitsu Over Any Other Martial Art?

admin — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 14:22:09 +0000

Getting a good Jujitsu Foundation
Judo was the first martial art I ever learned. I was a scrawny kid, with braces. Not quite a book worm, but rapidly on my way to being a teenaged couch potato. My Dad would tell me to run out and play, and I’d stay inside playing on my video game console.
One day I came home from school, and found that my Dad had replaced the video game console with a box, saying “Take a shower, and meet me in the garage at 4.” The box had a martial arts suit (I later learned it was called a “gi”) and my Dad took me to a martial arts class that afternoon, where we both went through the basics of learning judo. It was amazingly cool to do something like that with my Dad. I can still remember the first time I threw him on the mat – he still outweighed me by a good 40 pounds then! He looked so surprised to be laying on his back, then just grinned at me.
Fast forward more years than I like to admit, and I’m thankful that my Dad dragged my sorry butt off the couch. I went from judo to jujitsu, to a bunch of kung fu styles, and now work as a freelance journalist covering martial arts, as well as teaching those classes at the local dojo. Dad still does martial arts, but has moved on to softer styles like Wing Chun, because his joints aren’t as limber as they used to be, and he doesn’t think it’s as fun to be thrown on the mat now that I outweigh him by 40 pounds!
And, well, as all the philosophy stuff says, things come full circle. I’m now teaching the introductory jujitsu classes at the school. In some ways, it’s kind of challenging, I have to filter out the things I’ve learned from other styles, and focus on the basics. Jujitsu grew out of Japan, as opposed to the Chinese Kung Fu styles I learned later, and focuses on a stable stance, grapples, and throws. It doesn’t focus so much on punches, because it was meant to be practiced by a man wearing armor, and punches against another person wearing armor are pretty futile, while putting him on his back makes him considerably more vulnerable.
It should be noted that I teach jujitsu, rather than its sporting form, ‘judo’, because I want to teach the full on martial art, and give someone a basis for learning more martial arts in the future, rather than a “recipe book” of throws, grapples, and such designed to win points in a tournament. I think jujitsu has a lot of practical use as a self defense martial art, mostly because it focuses on joint locks rather than throws. A joint lock is a very practical method of disarming someone; in its most basic sense, it’s a means of applying force to a joint in the way that, mechanically, it’s not meant to know. Anyone who’s had their thumb turned ’round in a Hawaiian handcuff has had a joint lock done on them. The nice thing about joint locks is that they even out strength differentials quite well – originally, they were used to make an armed and armored foe drop a weapon, making him more vulnerable on a battle field, but they’re quite useful for dealing with muggers, or bullies in a school yard.
Anyway, it’s kind of neat, going back to my foundations, my first “real” martial art. I’m wondering if I’ll see any father/son pairings at the school I teach at.

Yoshi I Kundagawa is a freelance journalist. He covers the mixed martial arts industry. For a free report on jujitsu schools visit his blog.

Will My Martial Art Get Me To The UFC?

admin — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 02:24:18 +0000

The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) has experienced a meteoric rise in popularity and ratings over the past couple of years. Love it or hate it, it looks like the UFC is here to stay. Consequently many men in the 18 – 34 demographic are becoming more interested in the martial arts.
After watching great strikers such as Chuck Liddell, Anderson Silva and Houston Alexander and watching the incredible grappling and wrestling skills of Randy Couture, Matt Hughes and BJ Penn, many martial artists are asking themselves the question “Will my martial art get me to the UFC?”
The answer to this question is very simple.
No, your martial art will not get you to the UFC! Make that a maybe, instead of a definite no.
OK, I can already tell that some of you may be shocked at that one line put down of you, your chosen martial art and your UFC aspirations. After all I don’t know anything about you but let me expand on my answer so you know where I’m coming from.
First of all, it is important to understand that no one style has all of the elements of a complete fighting system for success in the Octagon, but many styles have a lot of them. The UFC, Pride, WEC and Elite XC are all labeled under the category “Mixed Martial Arts.” This should tell you a lot in relation to the question of whether your martial art will get you to the UFC. Mixed martial arts is exactly what it says it is – a mix of several different martial arts pulled together to create the full skill set of techniques needed for survival in the ring, cage or octagon (or the street for that matter!)
To be a successful UFC fighter you need to have a great stand-up game and a great ground game. In addition to this you need to learn take-downs and take-down defenses. This doesn’t even include the physical conditioning or the mental aspect of preparing for a fight. So here are some suggestions as to which styles you should study to give yourself the best chance of becoming a good fighter.
· Striking Skills: Boxing, Muay Thai, Shotokan, Taekwondo, Kickboxing, Savate
· Take-Downs: Judo, Hapkido, Sanda (San Shou), Sambo
· Grappling and Submissions: Wrestling, Brazilian Ju-jitsu, Japanese Ju-jitsu, Aikido
There are many other martial arts not on this list that are also worthy of in-depth study; and some of them on the list include all of the above skills to a greater or lesser degree.
So will your martial art get you to the UFC? Not by itself, but if you combine the strength of your chosen art with the missing elements that you need from some of the other styles above, then you will be well on your way.
For more in-depth information on many of the most commonly practiced martial arts, get my FREE “Beginners Guide to Karate”. You will find out how to download it at http://www.freekarateinformation.com
Good luck and best wishes on your journey in karate.

Paul A. Walker, is a 4th degree black belt karate instructor with over 25 years experience in the martial arts. In 2003 he attained his 4th degree black belt, after studying with the legendary Karate Master, Hirokazu Kanazawa in Tokyo for three years. Get more info at http://www.freekarateinformation.com

Martial Arts- What You Know About Martial Arts Training

admin — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 10:21:26 +0000

Like any other arts, martial arts training is an important contributor to your proficiency in the field. Whether you are aiming to participate in competitions or learn for the sake of self-defense, people often to choose MMA or Mixed Martial Arts Training, to develop an overall expertise in the area. Here are some tips to set you on the right path for martial arts training.
These tips are aimed to make you comfortable as well as efficient in each area of martial arts:
1. Wrestling: This is your ground game training where the basic idea is to teach you the art of grappling along with some submission training. Ju-jitsu is the right type of martial arts where you could get a good idea and practice of grappling with submissions.
2. Striking: This is part of your stand up game where you would be trained to master the art of striking like, boxing or kick boxing. Muay Hai is the recommended training to learn the critical art of striking and kicking. This training teaches you the skill of clinching and knee strikes.
3. Cardio training: This is perhaps one of the most critical areas of martial arts training. While you may have mastered the art of grappling or striking, if your cardio training is not up to the mark, you could get beaten by any ordinary person, who may not be as strong as you are in these two areas.
The quality of martial arts training really depends on the type of school you have chosen. There is nothing called the ‘right’ martial arts school as you would have to choose it according to your specific needs, which could any of the following: develop self defense skills; for physical fitness; to participate in competitions; develop self-confidence; or as a purely social activity.
While all these aspects are important, you have to decide which of these is most important to you. For instance, some schools impart martial arts training to make you participate in competitions. Others may just teach you the basics but rarely put you through the entire course of martial arts training.
One very way to get the most out of your martial arts training class is to observe the instructor’s style and listen to his instructions carefully. You should also get to learn the various safety methods practiced during martial arts training. Learn to use safety gear like pads, headgear and mouthpieces.
This is all part of the training program. When you are trying to enroll in a school for martial arts training, watch out for schools which offer 5 to 6 free training sessions. This is sampling the art to you and if you like what you are doing, then you can join them. This is good for beginners as there is no cost involved for these training classes and some schools even allow you to rent uniforms for the free training purposes.
If you are wondering what could be the possible cost for taking martial arts training, you ought to remember that the cheapest school is not necessarily the best. Also the expensive classes like the ones in YMCA or any community center, may also not suit your individual purposes.
When starting out, you could expect to pay anywhere between $30 and $250 per month in a reputed school for martial arts training. Of course the cost of uniforms, tournament entry fees and other equipment like weapons or sparring gear would be extra.

Find out how you can ignite your fighting skills with some of the best martial art training around. Get hold of the secrets of martial arts by going to http://www.martialartsmagic.com right now before we wise up and decide to no longer reveal our secrets!

The 3 Facets of Martial Arts You May Not Know

admin — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 18:23:14 +0000

Introduction to Martial Arts, Part 1
The term martial arts can be defined as an art of combat that combines codified fighting techniques with philosophy, strategy, and cultural traditions. A martial art may be an offensive art for combat or a defensive art for self-defense. It may also be practiced to promote health and fitness, as a means of personal and spiritual development, and as a form of sport or entertainment. Martial arts can be performed both with and without weapons.
Styles of martial art
There are many different styles of martial art practiced throughout the world. Generally, however, they can be categorized into three broad types: traditional martial arts, sport-based martial arts, and weapons-based martial arts.
The traditional martial arts-such as jujutsu, which was used by Japan’s samurai warriors, or La Scuola della Spada Italiana (the Italian School of Swordsmanship)-evolved from battlefield training syllabuses. Employed in combat situations, these arts had the sole goal of equipping a practitioner with the skills and techniques necessary to kill or incapacitate the enemy. Sport-based martial arts, on the other hand, incorporate training regimes that prepare a practitioner for sporting competitions rather than solely life-threatening situations. Muay Thai, Western boxing, judo, mixed martial arts, and tae kwon do are prime examples. Weapons-based arts concentrate specifically on the use of weapons. The techniques learned here can then be applied in either traditional battlefield arts or in sporting competitions. Kendo, bataireacht, and escrima are all examples of weapons-based arts. Depending on the style of martial art, the school, and the individual teacher, varying amounts of emphasis will be placed on each of these aspects, with some martial arts combining elements of all three.
Ancient arts, modern myths
Fighting and humankind’s need to dominate and defend is as old as life itself. Our ancestors’ survival instincts undoubtedly sowed the seeds for the development of martial arts. Primarily methods of cultivating effective battlefield techniques, and first codified to ensure high-quality and consistent teaching across the troops, many of the martial arts practiced today have a surprisingly long history, which is believed to span approximately 5,000 years. Furthermore, contrary to popular belief, they are not solely defined by the traditions of the East. While extensive archeological evidence points to the millennia-old practice of martial arts in China and India, many other nations and cultures can make similar claims. In Egypt, for example, tombs dating from approximately 2000 BCE show that stick-fighting arts were highly evolved, and the ancient full-contact art of pankration is thought to have already been considered an ancient sport at the time of its first appearance at the ancient Olympics in 648 BC.
A global phenomenon
In more recent times, the Olympic movement has further championed both Eastern and Western martial arts. Greco-Roman wrestling and fencing, for example, featured at the first modern Games in 1896, while Western archery, boxing, judo, and tae kwon do made their inaugural appearances in 1900, 1904, 1964, and 2000 respectively. The Asian Games can add karate and wushu to the list of martial arts practiced at the highest level.

Troy Macraft Different Tae Kwon Do Styles Martial Arts Gear

Mixed Martial Arts Fighting, Brazillian Jiu Jitsu and Muay Thai Fighting – Training Tips for Repetition Drilling of Techniques

admin — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 02:23:46 +0000

When first learning a new mixed martial arts fighting technique whether at the fundamental level or the more advanced it is important that we chunk it down into smaller, easily learned units. Once easily assimilated chunks are obtained these must be practiced with repetition to learn them. However, just repeating them over and over again in a session has its limitations.

Studies on a simple nervous system have shown that any more than 10 repetitions of a task in a session does not result in any increase to retention, in addition, performing only one session of learning a new piece of material results in very little retention over a long period as those of you who have been involved in training for serious mixed martial arts fighting are well aware.

The most useful method of repetition drilling to gain the most effective retention is to spread the repetitions over a number of sessions.
A method that has shown a great deal of effect is to carry out 7 to 10 repetitions of a particular technique in a training session. And then carry out at least nine repeat review sessions over several days or weeks. The first repeat session can be within the same session. I would suggest near the end of the session. The following one a day after, then a week etc. The closer the review sessions are together the quicker the optimal retention is obtained.

Another common problem, that many of us experience in mixed martial arts fighting and Muay Thai Fighting, is that of boredom when training the number of repetitions required for drilling the techniques adequately. This is detrimental to retention as the learning process is seriously impaired when we are not concentrating.
Disguising the repetitions in drills, combinations and games that utilize the particular skill involved is a very practical way that will assist you to get around this problem and allow you to increase the versatility of game by drilling the techniques with different set ups, combinations or counters being used against them.

Another more fundamental strategy that I use, particularly in working through my Muay Thai Fighting, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Mixed Martial Arts Fighting techniques, is to repetition the techniques as many times as I can until boredom is noticed, recording the number of repetitions performed in my training diary and then repeating the process in another training session. When using this strategy just develop a determined discipline to complete a predetermined number of repetitions. I would suggest a minimum of 60 spread over a 2 year period for maximum retention.

Bear in mind that this is for the learning and retention of a new technique, not the optimal refinement of it for the highest level of effectiveness that may be required for the rigors of competition in both mixed martial arts fighting and Muay Thai Fighting. This requires the development and sharpening of the various attributes required for optimal performance of the technique, such as: speed, timing, flow, balance, connectivity to the next move, variation adjustment, corrections in balance, preparedness for reaction to the opponent’s movement, etc.

Taking your mixed martial arts fighting skill to this level requires many more repetitions and exposing the performance of the technique to increasing levels of risk through controlled and on to random sparring.

To ensure the best learning of the technique start by learning and drilling the technique under totally cooperative conditions to get it right, this is the
retention period discussed above.

Once a good level of efficacy is obtained, then try to use the technique in controlled sparring conditions or controlled performance drills in which your training partner presents moderate problems to deal with. As your efficacy increases start to utilize it in your sparring, at first against less experienced opponents working up to opponents of higher levels.

Using this strategy for developing and drilling your techniques will not only enhance your game but also make repetition drilling far more enjoyable when training for mixed martial arts fighting..

Dr Geoff Aitken, Ph.D. is a coach of Mixed Martial Arts Fighting, Muay Thai Fighting and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, a former kick boxing champion with over 34 years of experience in mixed martial arts and 15 years as a bouncer. He holds a 6th degree Black Belt in Freestyle Karate (Goju Kai derivative), a Black Belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, certified trainer, referee and judge in Muay Thai Fighting and has trained numerous national and international champions in Muay Thai Fighting, BJJ and Mixed Martial Arts. He has just released a DVD series packed full of concepts and techniques for set ups and Bridging the Gap in Muay Thai Fighting, Mixed Martial Arts fighting and the street self defense situation. Grab your free video and audio clips on Mixed Martial Arts Fighting at http://www.UltimateFightingSystems.com

Facts about Martial Arts for Kids – Part 3

admin — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 14:29:48 +0000

“Martial Arts or Karate may not be a good fit for my daughter.”

We are living in the 21st century, and I still hear this one. This kind of thinking is what has been holding women back for centuries. This statement is not only made by fathers, but by mothers, too. If your daughter wants to try martial arts, let her have a chance. Martial arts classes for girls, or women, are very rewarding.

Over the years, I have coached successful female martial arts competitors who were every bit as good as their male counterparts. In the past, our kids’ karate demonstration team had female captains. At one point, we had more girls on the demonstration team than boys.

Lately, we have hit the opposite cycle, with more boys than girls, as the kids from our kids’ Karate demonstration team perform around the Providence, Rhode Island area. However, girls learn faster, understand precision, can easily grasp complicated techniques, and are usually better kickers.

Some grappling arts, such as Jujitsu, are not as popular with girls, but I have coached good female grapplers, as well. There is no reason to stop your daughter from learning martial arts, if she shows an interest. All of the life skill benefits such as, goal setting, self esteem, self discipline, success, and self defense, make martial arts training as important for girls as it is for boys.

“How can I justify the cost of Karate?”

When you consider that many Karate schools charge less than a babysitter, martial arts training for children is a “bargain.” Consider this formula based upon a fairly high priced Karate studio. Most martial arts studios, in the United States, average around $70 per month to train a child. Granted, some are more and mome are less, but let’s look at your price per hour, if you paid $100 per month.

That comes to just $25 per week, and many Karate studios have a three class limit per week for children. That comes to $8.33 per session for your child to learn life skills, self defense, and play with good kids in a safe environment. Martial arts, for children, are a formula for success, and the cost is really, “peanuts.”

Most well behaved children are allowed to take more Karate classes. The children who “run the staff ragged” will be reminded of the weekly limit. So, the truth is the real cost may be less than peanuts, since there are plenty of martial arts schools, including our center in North Providence, Rhode Island, that charge far less than $100 per month.

Using the formula mentioned above, the cost of Karate per class for a martial arts school, charging the national average of $70 per month, comes to $5.83 per session. Did I say martial arts training is a bargain? Maybe I should have said martial arts training is a steal.

The alternative to plug kids into the television, and put a joystick in their hands, is a big mistake. It’s not any cheaper, when you consider the cost of games and the ever changing video game formats.

On top of that, here’s what video games do for kids: Create anxiety, destroy social skills, teach them a lot about violence, and waste most of their time. All you need to do is throw a Big Mac in their lap every night, and within a year, you should have a child who is a nervous wreck, with poor communication skills, and an obesity problem.

Over the long-term, the wrong after school activities result in very expensive health and psychological care. Therefore, look at martial arts as preventative medicine, and as a bonus, your child is staying out of trouble.

Lastly, if cost is really an issue and you still can’t
justify paying less than you would pay for a babysitter at $5.83 per session, you can still shop around and talk until you find the right karate studio.

A martial arts studio, that is “packed to the rafters” with kids, may not be as negotiable as a Karate studio that is an upstart, or a martial arts center that has plenty of room in their kids Karate classes.

© Copyright 2005 – Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

Paul Jerard is the director of Yoga teacher training at Aura in RI. He’s a master instructor of martial arts and Yoga. He teaches Yoga, martial arts, and fitness. He wrote: Is Running a Yoga Business Right for You? For Yoga students wanting to be a Yoga teacher.
http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org

Will Your Mixed Martial Arts Game Go Lame?

admin — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 14:40:44 +0000

Daily, you should work on the standard: stand-up, clinch and ground game.As a fighter your focal objective beyond conditioning or being in “fight shape” have to be to hone your entire game. You must improve your tools, techniques and games if you want to take on EVERY sparring partners lay before you, and overcome them with ease. Your movements have to be precisely and strategically designed as to wear down your rival’s approach of attack or game against you.As a combatant and competitor of the Martial Arts, you should always work to establish effectual basics, and employyour systems and plans to neutralize your opponent as swiftly as possible, with minimal effort. You must at all times pick a school that can provide a considerable reserve of athletes that are of the same or better talent to you, in order to ensure that a great number of partners are able to push you to your limits. A fighter should always be pushed further than his/her capacity to think clearly or maintain his/her composure. This has been considered as spirit training.Today, numerous individuals are training in Mixed Martial Arts that one should ask, “How many have really been pushed?” and “How far are most willing to really go in their training?” There are a number of MMA athletes who have done anything more than overwhelm their teammates, and are totally content with being “King of the Gym”. But are these competitors really learning and enhancing their performances? Working out with more trained fighters and getting beaten, in order that each be able to hone his/her systems truly educates competitors that there is all the time somewhat new to learn or improve on. Whether one’s weak point is striking, takedowns, submissions, tactics, strategies, mental awareness or conditioning, getting challenged enhances your game.The purpose is to be humble and train hard as well as learn and grow from ALL aspect that you are ineffective in. Don’t make the mistake of merely considering your fighters and trainers learning resources. Gain knowledge from each one, including beginners, intermediates and advanced practitioners. Every single one has something to suggest. Don’t forget, we’re all human, and each one has their strengths and their spots of weakness. One teammember may defeat anyone in stand-up and be like a turtle on the ground. We all can learn from one another to reach the highest potential from our team. If you are the top on your squad, never assume that others got nothing to bring to your progress.When we as humans are tall and powerful, we can repeatedly overlook that our main focus and goal was to improve our talents. When you lose that position, you typically get punched back to the spot you really need to be: humbleness, self-control and the keenness to learn. At all times stay focus and don’t forget: train hard, but train smart!

Dion Riccardo,your MMA coach is the owner of 2 Victory Martial Arts Academy & Fitness Centers located at Forest Park and Orland Park, Illinois and master instructor and has been a martial arts and fitness professional for over 22 years. Visit http://www.yourmmacoach.com for more martial arts instructions.