ø Hawtin Arts ø

Is Aikido a Martial Art?

Sensei Henry Ellis – 2001

Co-author of Positive Aikido.

PART 1

At first sight of the above title I am sure that a lot of Aikidoist’s will be angry, they will assume that this is yet another attack on the credibility of Aikido by other martial artist’s.

On this occasion they are totally wrong, I have been a student of Aikido since 1957, In those early days I first started Judo in 1956 at the Kenshiro Abbe School of Budo, I studied Karate with Harada Sensei and Kendo with Tomio O’Tani Sensei, so with my background I feel that I have something to offer to this debate.

First Impressions

The Aikido that I first saw being demonstrated by Abbe Sensei in 1956 was without doubt a positive martial art.

I was immediately impressed by its positive techniques and power, and in those days my fellow martial artists and I were in no doubt that we were witnessing a devastating new form of self-defence as demonstrated by Kenshiro Abbe Sensei.

Abbe Sensei had begun his martial arts career at the age of five and became a legend in his own lifetime. At eighteen he was the youngest ever all Japan Judo champion and also the youngest ever 5th Dan at the world renowned Kodokan. He later became the oldest ever all Japan Judo champion at the age of thirty three.

When Abbe Sensei arrived in the UK in 1955 he was 8th Dan Judo, 6th Dan Karate, 6th Dan Kendo, 6th Dan Kyudo, 6th Dan Aikido,

the question must be asked; would this Budo master have studied Aikido if he did not believe it to be a martial art?

It is my opinion that Abbe Sensei would not have studied Aikido as it is today.

Please break my finger

As a direct student of Abbe Sensei I asked one day whilst we were traveling to a seminar

“Sensei, how did you first become a student of O’Sensei and Aikido”?

He smiled as he reminisced for a few moments; then told me the following story:

He said that he was a young man at the time and the Judo champion of all Japan and traveling on a crowded train across Japan to yet another Judo competion.

Sitting opposite him in the same carriage was an old man who was trying to make some conversation with him, Abbe had his eyes closed as he tried to sleep.

The old man said to him ” I know who you are” Abbe Sensei replied rather modestly ” everyone knows who I am, I am Kenshiro Abbe champion of all Japan” he politely asked the old man who he was, the old man replied

“I am Morihei Ueshiba founder of Aikido” Abbe Sensei nodded politely and suggested that they now try to get some sleep, the old man suddenly stuck his hand forward and offered the smallest digit to this powerfully built young man, Abbe was stunned as the old man said “

please break my finger” Abbe thought I will break his neck if he doesn’t go to sleep, he was now becoming irritated by this old man, he immediately grasped the old mans finger in an attempt to shut him up, he freely admitted that in his frustration it was his intention to break the offending digit. To his total amazement he was suddenly slammed onto the carriage floor. As he lay prostrate and unable to move he knew he had to study with this master. He asked O’Sensei if he could study with him, O’Sensei agreed and Abbe stayed with O’Sensei for ten years.

O’Sensei had spent many years studying various martial arts, I believe that the art of Daito-ryu and Ju-jitsu had more influence on the development of Aikido than anything else he had studied, and we know he went to Mongolia to fight and this would be the perfect opportunity to test his many skills in a real situation, so we can be in no doubt that this incredible man was a true warrior and modern Samurai.

A knife for my enemy

It was this early positive style of Aikido that Abbe Sensei brought to the UK in 1955, at this time there was also the first Japanese master to Europe, this was Tadashi Abe Sensei 6th Dan who was based in France, he was a small man even by Japanese standards, but to my mind he was the hardest man I have ever met.

He was very similar to Kazuo Chiba Sensei who I met with in London’s West End last week, When he traveled he always carried a knife with him, this was not for his own protection but to hand to his shocked opponent, he would say “please, this is for you”.

He said that an opponent with his bare fists was no challenge, but a man with a knife was “very interesting”.

I think we can safely assume that as these teachers were so hard and positive then this must have been the style of Aikido that was being taught at the Hombu dojo in Japan, this was the Aikido of O’Sensei as a young man, the Aikido being taught today is that of O’Sensei as an old man, there is no doubt that as people get older they lose the spirit of their youth and become more philosophical in their approach to life.

My father who was once regarded as the toughest man in town later in life found his peace taking his dog for long walks. I believe that we now have two aikido’s, traditional aikido which if truly traditional (this word is much abused) is the martial side of Aikido, the soft fantasy and dancing style of Aikido should simply be categorized as an “Art”.

Those who are true traditional Aikidoists will take no offence at this article, yet the dancers will probably be offended and I care little for their feelings as I honestly believe that this soft Aikido has no more right to call itself a martial art than has synchronized swimming has a right to be in the Olympics.

——————————————————————————–

PART 2

In my previous article, I attempted to establish the hard style of Aikido that was first introduced to the West in the 1950’s. I would like to emphasize the fact that I get no satisfaction from publicly criticizing Aikido and I get a great deal less satisfaction when I see Aikido being brought into ridicule.

To continue from part one…..

Hard training

The training in and exercises in those early days were very hard and physical, with karate style kicking and punching a very integral part of our warm up, followed by 200 press ups on the backs of the wrists, with fingers pointing both inwards and outwards, very often while you were in the raised position Abbe Sensei would instruct another student to sit on your back, as we were the only group of five Dan grades in the UK and all in the same dojo then this was the training in all the Aikido dojos in the UK and today we are the only organization in Aikido still doing these press ups.

The purists say “these press ups are bad for you” what they really mean is they can’t do them, this is all part of the watering down of traditional Aikido.

Choreography

Aikidoists are often accused of practicing ” Choreographed Aikido” and to be honest I must admit that these claims are very often justified, with Uke (attacker) preparing to break fall long before he makes his attack, and most of them attack off balance , therefore making any multiples of techniques possible with the minimum of effort and of course this makes Tori (defender) look “fantastic”.

What is really sad is that these people believe that this is good Aikido.

Kenshiro Abbe Sensei would always say to us that “two” students are training at the same time, one is Uke who is learning and improving his attacking techniques and his

opponent Tori is also learning and improving his defensive techniques, whilst we were training with Abbe Sensei if Uke’s foot or heel came off the mat as he attacked Abbe Sensei would give the offending leg a good whack with a shinai (bamboo sword) he would then say ” My English is very bad but my shinai speaks fluently!”.

If Uke attacks on balance then it is obvious that Tori’s technique must be good and strong to throw him, and as Abbe Sensei said so many times ” two students are training” .

Mark Eastman a strong young Dan grade with me went on a seminar recently where there was a 6th Dan. The 6th Dan refused to use him as Uke stating ” I can not use you as you do not harmonize with me”, he was not being awkward or difficult just attacking on balance.

Diluted training

Today all of these traditional exercises and training methods have now changed to a simple warm up routine with jumping up and down on the spot and lots of deep spiritual discussion.

Hard exercise is now considered to be aggressive and not in harmony with the true spirit of Aikido.

Abbe Sensei said that hard training developed the spirit, he also referred to Ki during those early days as he demonstrated the power of his technique, when asked to explain the meaning of Ki, he said not to worry about Ki as that would be a part of our training and development.

He then said “Only when you reach first Dan will you be able to understand the true concept of Ki as a further extension of your Aikido.”

I still believe that line of thought, and the instructors in our dojo’s very rarely speak of Ki although it is taught as a important and integral part of our training and study.

Ki Aikido

Although Ki is generally recognized as the spirit and breathing during the application of technique, every teacher and student will offer a very wide and varied and sometimes bizarre interpretation of the meaning of this much abused word.

The main problems arise and are created by the teachers themselves, who very often mislead their students to the extent that they almost believe that Ki is a form of magic. The following is one prime example from a very prominent Aikido magazines letters section.

Title: The Spirit of Protection

I am a carpenter and 2nd kyu in Aikido. I was working in a large new home doing repair work, I had finished my job and was heading for a long staircase when I noticed the owners two year old son was heading for the same stairs from the opposite direction.

As he approached the top of the stair he was watching me and not where he was going. I was too far away to grab him, so I shot to him (irimi) and stuck my arm straight out to him, my “Ki” went through the little boys’ face and out the back of his head, he fell backwards and started crying.

His mother heard the crying and came up the stairs, when I told her what had happened, she thanked me,

I said “Don’t thank me, Thank Aikido”.

That poor child may well now be as disturbed as the writer.

Harry Potter Ryu

There are many such misguided examples which I will refer to in future articles, it is this kind of nonsense that brings Aikidos credibility into doubt I am fully aware that every martial art has its own version of ” Harry Potter” in their ranks, what I fail to understand is that there are more of them in Aikido than all the other martial arts combined.

The reason that I am so critical and vociferous about Aikido is that every day I see these people watering down this great martial art that I have spent most of my life studying, teaching and promoting for the past 46 years. I am often asked “Sensei, which do you think is the best and worst martial art”.

I always make the same reply ” All the martial arts are good, if there is a problem with any martial art, then it can only be the people who represent that particular art who misrepresent their art

——————————————————————————–

PART 3

The Converted

In articles parts one and two I have covered the introduction of Aikido to the West, and the impact on other Martial Artists, Aikido progressed and developed in the UK by visiting existing dojos of all the various Martial Arts and offering to demonstrate and teach for free in the hope of starting a small class in the more receptive dojos, as one can imagine this was no easy task as more often than not our efforts were not an open invitation to most dojos.

In the end the positive style of the early Aikido won through, and this is a very important point to make in the early development of Western Aikido was that most of the new students of Aikido were from other Martial Arts. I do not believe that we could have converted other Martial Artists to Aikido had it not been so strong and effective.

Bad breath!

I have referred to the many changes in Aikido over the past 46 years from its history to training and choreography and Ki Aikido and also the many Harry Potters of the Aikido world, as a direct result of these articles I was contacted by a Aikido student in the UK to tell me that she had now stopped training in Aikido because her teacher stated that he was now going to teach the students “To breath through their toes”.

Lets Dance

The most important of all the changes that have taken place in the past 46 years have to be the changes in technique and its application, the early style of Aikido was very compact and powerful. From the day of its introduction to the UK, Aikido was always taught as a circular moving Martial Art with Tori at the centre of all movement.

As Uke (the attacker) made his attack, Tori would turn within his own circle making it possible to carry out the technique in a very small area of maybe four square feet. Today the fantasy aikidoist need a football pitch.

I have seen some so called “masters” twirling Uke around on the end of one finger and pirouetting several times before being thrown the full length of the mat.

Harmonising

Kenshiro Abbe Sensei always taught that Uke would only “go” if the technique was effective. I often hear and have seen some of these people who say they can throw an opponent without touching them, sometimes by breathing and projecting their “Ki”. I have also had the misfortune to see very high grades with several “*attackers*” making a breakfalling attack at them, amusing? not really, as most of them really believe that the projectile uki is a serious attack.

You cannot do that if someone is attacking on balance, I have never seen anyone do that to a student of mine. Of course if you do attack on balance you will then be accused of “Not harmonizing”.

Aikido for real

I have read various accounts of the first Americans to practice Aikido in the early 60’s. There were Americans practicing Aikido in the UK in the late 1950’s at “The Hut” The Abbe School of Budo.

The Americans were members of the USAF stationed in the UK. they were always questioning ” How would that work in the street?” and we would often finish up in the car park of The Hut after class and engage in some real Aikido.

Afterwards everyone would be in good spirits and have a few beers.

Sunday mornings were always the best practice sessions with the dojo doors being locked to all but the Dan grades. It was then that the Dan grades would fight each other for real. This was the only way to truly evaluate your technique.

On one occasion I was fighting with Sensei Ken Williams (The British National Coach) he hit me hard and I went down clutching my chest and moaning loudly in agony.

It was known that I didn’t go down and I never made a fuss, so now everyone was concerned for me and as Sensei Williams leaned over me asking “Harry, are you OK” I lashed out with my fist at his head, just making a glancing contact, he then stepped back and kicked me in the head putting an end to my cunning.

The smallest of all the Dan grades was Eric Dollimore, he was only about 5ft-6in in height and around 130 lbs.

I always felt that Eric was avoiding me on these Sunday morning sessions, as he was about to leave the mat I said to him “Eric, would you like to try against me” he just turned and said “Sorry Harry, I have to be at my girlfriends home for lunch”. As he left the mat I smiled to myself and thought “That’s what I expected” the smugness did not last long as I heard a voice behind me say

“OK then Harry, can we make it quick as I must get away”.

It was Eric; for a moment I was surprised then I thought to myself if you want it quick I will accommodate you.

I moved in to take him out with the one punch and the next thing I knew I had gone through the dojo office partition wall and I was still lying stunned the office floor when I heard Eric’s voice call out

“See you Monday Harry, gotta go”.

That was a very important lesson to me, I have never underestimated anyone since the little guy taught me a lesson.

The Grading Lottery

If in the 1950’s and 60’s you saw a 5th or 6th Dan you would be in awe of him. I now see so many multi grades and to be honest they would not be graded first Dan in the old days. They make these claims knowing that if they are ever challenged and prove their mettle they know they can claim that this is against the principals of Aikido.

Another favourite of these people is to juggle around with their grades and come up with multiples of matching grades, for a prime example of this abuse check out the article British Aikido-The Controversy.

Mitsusuke Harada Sensei “5th Dan”

Harada Sensei was my Karate teacher in the 1960’s, he was then and still is a 5th Dan at the Shotokan dojo in Tokyo. he was graded by the founder of modern day Karate Gichin Funakoshi Sensei.

He taught Karate to the USAF at the Kodokan dojo after the second world war. He was graded 5th Dan by Funakoshi Sensei in 1957 and is still 5th Dan after 45 years, stating that “Any grade above 5th Dan is totally pointless”.

This is exactly the feeling of Sensei Derek Eastman and myself, although we are two of the only remaining four of the original group left of Kenshiro Abbe Sensei’s group from the 1950’s, we both agreed that there were too many “Harry Potter” grades around, we then decided that like Harada Sensei we would make 5th Dan the highest level in our organization.

Serious study

I will take a break now that these articles are complete and do some serious “Toe breathing”.

This will be my last article for CyberKwoon for a while, I would like to thank Master Fabien Sena for allowing me to air my views on a subject most would try to avoid.

I do not know what direction the Martial Arts will take when all the “Old Timers ” are gone.

As one of the comments (to the Cyberkwoon site forum) said “We can still make a difference”.

To the one who asked after my father, he was not a martial artist, just a hard man who started working at the age of 13 years two miles underground in the South Yorkshire coal mines.

Sensei Henry Ellis. 5th dan Traditional Aikido.

http://www.EllisAikido.org

http://www.british-aikido.com
http://aikidoellisvideo.magnify.net

So you have checked out all the karate videos and would like to advance.

Has the martial arts bug been bothering you for some time now?

If you wish to study karate in depth, your primary objective is to join your local karate course so that you can master the basics correctly.

Without some previous form of karate or karate experience, you will find it very challenging to master the advanced karate steps and techniques that will allow you to grow and develop as a martial arts student.

Whether your rationale in learning martial arts is for self-defense or to compete in tournaments, joining a respected karate course is a vital first step. The most difficult part of this process is choosing the right karate academy as this will determine the result of your martial arts training. It would be a waste to spend hours of training without even mastering the basics.

Here are some tips and general guidelines that should be considered when choosing a good karate school.

One. Proximity. Choose a karate school that is relatively close to your home if possible. If you drive, try to keep this within a half hour. If your shosen course is close, it will be a lot easier to maintain a long-term training program. However this is not a rule. Feel free to choose any course that meets the criteria. You should never sacrifice the quality of your karate training for the convenience of having class within walking distance.

Two. When selecting a martial arts classes, ensure that the program is congruent with your goals. As an example, if your objective is competition and tournaments, it makes very little sense to get involved with a self-defense specialist. Although any karate training will be of great help to your overall development, targeting your goals directly is certainly one of the fastest way to achieve them.

Three. Make sure that your chosen karate school has been in operation for some time and that your intructor has enough background in teaching martial arts. Do some research about the lessons before making a final decision. There are plenty of karate schools in New York, a lot of them close down after the first couple years of operation. If you wish to master the art of martial arts, than select your instructor carefully.

Four. Don’t sweat the small stuff. It is no big deal if you do if you don’t have all of your martial arts gear ready for your first day of training. This acutally works out because ideally, you want to collect your gear little by little as this will allow you to get used to it a gradual pace. Also, it is easier to make adjustments as you are just beginning.

Five. Get all your questions answered. One of the smartest things you can do before joining a martial arts course in New York is to prepare a list of questions specific to the training you would like to have. This can be as small mental note or basic outline. Remember, this is about your martial arts training. It is not a time to be timid as you will be paying for this education, And not just with money.

Take your research to the Internet to make sure that you have covered all the bases. Stay focused and consistent and you are well on your way to mastering the art of Karate.

Remember when you first started training? For some, it was just a few days or weeks ago, for others, years have gone by since we took our first step on the Path of Warrior Mastery. But, can you remember?

Even more importantly, can you remember what brought you to the program? What was going on in your life at the time. How long had you been thinking about taking martial arts classes and why then, at that moment, did you decide to take action?

Remember what you told us you wanted to get from the program? Remember the personal interview during your first visit as-well-as the chats since then? What is it that the martial arts gives you or helps you with that keeps you coming to class?
What?

And, more importantly than “why” you began training is “how do you know it’s working in your life? How have you been tracking your results? Aside from new belts and tips and all the trappings’ that say you’ve done a lot, how has your training been helping with those areas of your life you said you wanted to fix?
You see, it’s one thing to say that you want to learn martial arts or to become a warrior and it’s quite another matter to be doing what is necessary to become the new you in your dreams. As one of my teachers says…

…”everybody wants to progress

…everyone is into personal development, but…

…very few are willing to look in the mirror to see where he or she is, right now. Very few are willing to ask the really hard questions like “why do I do things the way I do,” or, “what habits do I have that are getting in my way?”

“Unfortunately, on the road to anywhere…

…you can’t get there from not-here.”

One of the best signs that your teachers have to see who is, and who is not fully engaged in the program is that questing, seeking attitude. The students and members (yes, parents are learning too) who ask the most questions, or more specifically the right questions, are the ones who are both 1) progressing faster than average and 2) less likely to see that progress because their eyes are constantly on the road in front of them. For these students, the questions are not, “when do I test for my next belt or get my next tip,” but, “how does this ABC relate to XYZ part of my life?

Everyone of us has the capacity to engage in what we are doing at the 100% level. No one can give 110% and giving less is under achievement. But, many students, both academic and within the martial arts, shoot themselves in the foot without even knowing it. It’s almost as, without consciously knowing the damage they are causing, set themselves up for failure before ever taking the first step towards achieving their goal.

One way this is done is in not being able to clearly see or focus on what’s important as discussed above. The other is in being willing to accept less than best at the outset.

While we may be Okay with getting less because we know we gave it our all, many have the habit of setting a goal like, “I want to lose 20 pounds,” and then, in the very next breath, expressing, “but I’d be Okay with losing 5.”

How destructive our speech can be to our own subconscious focus – don’t you think?

So, as we enter the next quarter of this year, let’s focus on the original goals, with any modifications since beginning. And, with an eye on results, lets be here (or anywhere you find yourself for that matter), fully engaged 100%. Let’s ask the questions that will allow growth to be almost automatic and, if we find something that isn’t serving us – if we cannot fully engage – recognize it as a distraction and let it go.

The goal of the Warrior Mastery & Leadership Program is to produce, what in Japanese is called, the Tatsujin – the human being developed to his or her fullest potential.

Not a karate master.

Not a good martial artist.

Not a Black Belt.

The goal is to become a Tatsujin…

…a master of life!

After hundreds of movies, thousands of eye-popping fight scenes and millions of punches thrown?which ones are the best? Which ones have I been missing out on my whole life? Which ones must I have in my collection in order to not bring shame upon my family name?

We’ve scoured the internet. Reviews. Forums. Amazon. Postings. Bulletins. And this list is what we’ve come up with as the greatest Kung-Fu movies of all time and why you should watch each one. Pay attention to movies involving Yuen Wo-Ping as either director or action director, there’s a reason why half this list is movies where he was involved!

If you want to watch trailers of these movies, go to: http://www.experiencemartialarts.com/articles/movies.html

(you can also get directly to these movies in http://Amazon.com from this website)

#1 ? Way of the Dragon (1979)

This is the only finished film to be written and directed by Bruce Lee. (Game of Death is the other one but is unfinished) We could write a lot about the plot, characters or fight scenes?but all you really care about is watching Bruce Lee fight Chuck Norris in the final battle.

Martial Artists: Bruce Lee, Chuck Norris
Director: Bruce Lee

#2 ? Shaolin Temple (1982)

Depicts the amazing history of the Shaolin Temple, the focal point for Chinese Martial Arts. Think of the Shaolin Monks as Jedi Knights (an elite group of fighters) and the rest of China as the messed-up universe that Star Wars takes place in (people who are afraid of the elite fighters and want to take them out of power). Much work to do, you have, young Jet Li. picture Yoda’s accent on that one Define Irony: A movie shot at the site of the Shaolin Temple, telling a story about the fall of the Shaolin Temple, sparks so much public interest that the temple was re-opened shortly after the movie released.

Martial Artist: Jet Li (His debut movie)
Director: Chang Hsin-Yen

#3 ? Ong Bak (2003)

Raw action without wires, Tony Jaa brings a new martial arts style to the big screen and does so in style. Muay Thai (Thai Boxing) is stronger and more direct than the Chinese styles you’re used to seeing with Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan, giving a new look to how a martial arts movie can be done. You’ll be seeing more of him?guaranteed.

Martial Artist: Tony Jaa
Director: Prachya Pinkaew

#4 ? Iron Monkey (1993)

Doctor by day, thief by night?Iron Monkey is your classic Robin-hood meets Kung Fu. It’s an action packed flick that can’t go 5 minutes without an excellent fight scene. It all comes down to a battle between Iron Monkey (ie Robin Hood) and an ex Shaolin Monk (remember, these guys are like the Jedi Knights of Chinese martial arts?they’re elite). Remember that guy Yuen Wo-Ping I mentioned? Well he’s the director in this one, so you know it’s good!

Martial Artists: Yu Rong-Guang, Donnie Yen
Director: Yuen Wo-Ping
Action Directors: Yuen Cheung-yan, Yuen Shun-yi

#5 ? 5 Deadly Venoms (1978)

No room form “martial arts beauties” in this one, there’s so much blood and action that they only cast male actors. Exit the traditional elaborate costumes and enter the muscular, skin-bearing, bloody martial arts style that would become a trademark for director Chang Cheh. Each cast member is trained in an art resembling one of 5 venemous creatures (Scorpion, Snake, Centipede, Gecko, Toad) with the 6th cast member being trained in all 5. Six main martial arts actors = LOTS O’ ACTION

Martial Artists: 6 Martial Artists (yes, 6 main characters)
Director: Chang Cheh

#6 ? The Seven Samurai (1954)

One of the greatest classic kung-fu movies of all time and arguable Kurosawa’s best work. Some Samurai of the time were down on their luck (homeless) and willing to do anything for a meal. A village under attack by bandits recruits a group of seven such Samurai warriors and asks them to help defend their village. The movie is about the Samurai teaching the village how to fight and culminates in a massive battle between a village and almost 50 attacking bandits. The acting is superb, the emotions run high and Kurosawa keeps you hooked from beginning to end.

Martial Artists: 7 Martial Artists (all names you won’t know since this movie is so old)
Director: Akira Kurosawa

#7 ? Legend of Drunken Master (1994)

Some will say this is the greatest martial arts movie of all time because of it’s balance between plot-line, comedy, drama and amazing kung fu sequences. Probably Jackie Chan’s best martial arts performance. You’re going to love the final scene where you learn what “Drunken Master” really means. We’re talking box-splitting, fire-spitting craziness!

Martial Artist: Jackie Chan
Director: Lau Kar-leung

#8 ? Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon (2000)

Based on a Pentalogy (yes, that’s 5 books) written by Wang Dulu, this movie covers mostly the 4th book. Critically acclaimed to cross international borders with it’s amazing character development, intricate plot, martial arts ideals, stunning special effects and quicker-than-the-eye fighting scenes, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon set a new standard for martial arts movies. Telling Zhang Ziyi (the lead female character and an amazing martial artist) to get back in the kitchen would likely cost you 50 punches to the “bags”. Be ready for subtitles, ?cuz turning on the English track is like watching?uh?like watching a kung fu movie in English.

Main Martial Artist: Chow Yun-fat
Other Martial Artists: Zhang Ziyi, Michelle Yeoh, Chang Chen, Cheng Pei-pei
Director: Ang Lee
Action Director: Yuen Wo-Ping

#9 ? Kill Bill vol. 1 (2003)

You’re going to want your home theatre room for this one. It’s tough to beat beautiful women beating the crap out of each other in fast-paced, action-packed, make you cringe, bloody, gory, cut-’em-up (more buzz words go here) movie jam packed with as much martial arts death as possible. Tarantino expertly uses every camera angle and a plethora of special effects to deliver a better-than-real visual experience that gives this blood-and-guts thriller an artistic feel you’ll appreciate at the end. Did I mention is has Uma Thurman in it?

(“Kill bill vol. 2″ brings closure to the set, but hey?we had to choose one movie. Say “Five-Point-Palm Exploding Heart Technique” 5 times fast.)

Actors: Uma Thurman, David Carradine, Lucy Liu, Daryl Hannah, Vivica A. Fox
Director: Quentin Tarantino
Action Director: Yuen Wo-ping

#10 ? Fist of Legend (1994)

A classic story of Chinese vs. Japanese martial arts, Fist of Legend is actually a remake of the original Bruce Lee movie, Fist of Fury. If Bruce Lee is like the original James Bond, Jet Li is the Pierce Brosnan. He’ll never be the original, but the modern film-making and larger budget bring the entertainment value just a hair above the original Fist of Fury. (The ghost of Bruce Lee is probably going to strike me down for writing that) The Yuen Brothers are known for amazing action choreography, and they totally deliver on this one. (Casting Jet Li may have helped them a little too.)

Martial Artist: Jet Li
Director: Gordon Chan
Action Directors: “The Yuen Brothers”

The fun doesn’t stop there.

We tried to stop at only 10?really, we did. But we just couldn’t control ourselves.
“Once it hits your lips, it’s so good!” ? Will Ferrell in “Old School”

To see the movies that deserve “Honorable Mention”, go to http://www.experiencemartialarts.com/articles/movies.html

Whether you enjoyed this list or think we snuffed your favorite movie, we’d love to hear what you think. Post your comments at: http://www.experiencemartialarts.com/blog/archives/16

There was a time when the karate man was looked upon with respect and feared. A time when, if someone said they were a black belt, it caused others to be impressed. You can say that karate has become outdated. But what has really happened is that karate has become exposed. There has been an interesting development in the martial arts in the late 20th Century and into the 21st. Martial arts have evolved and become much more true to life than ever.

If you are one of those people who like to question things then maybe this thought has gone through your mind. Why are there so many different martial arts systems in the world. We all have two arms and two legs don’t we? So why all the different systems of self defense? I know that systems were usually born out of a need such as one group of people having to fight another group who were better armed. So they developed systems to fight those men who used certain weapons a certain way. Unfortunately these men thought their system more effectual than they should.

So let’s look at what we have in the world without going into a deep history lesson. You basically have karate and ju-jitsu from Okinawa and Japan. You have a multitude of kung fu systems from China. You have Tae Kwon Do and a few others like Tang Soo Do from Korea; boxing and wrestling from Europe of course. Of these there is every variation under the sun. You name it and someone has tried to develop it into a fighting system. But what do we really have. The fact is that all we really have is three men out there. It all boils down to THREE. You have boxers or people who fight predominantly with their hands, kickers who like to use kicks as their main weapon and grapplers who like to take people to the ground and finish them there. That’s really it. Just those three. Now there are people who are good at one, two or even three of those methods. Those guys are now known as mixed martial artists.

Someone once asked, what is truth? I think we can ask that same question here. I mean how can the average guy deal with someone who is skilled in one or even three of the main fighting methods? You know, the grappler who can kick and box. If the guy is good at all three methods then do I have to be good at all three methods, too? Do I have to fight in the same manner? I know karate won’t do the job. Definitely Tae Kwon Do will not do. How about adding a self defense class or two. Will that help? I don’t think so. What about kung fu and all the various animal styles? No. You can pretend to be an animal but that won’t beat the skilled boxer, kicker, grappler. So how do we deal with this guy. It can’t be using his own methods. You can’t box a boxer and expect to win if he’s really good at what he does. Let’s just assume this guy is a really good mixed martial artist who happens to be a thug and wants to rob and maybe even kill you. What’s the answer if you don’t have a weapon at hand?

The answer is elementory yet intricate. In order to effectively deal with a skilled thug you must first put away all your preconceived ideas about what real combat is. Forget the ring. Forget what you see on TV. How can an older man; say middle-aged, defend against a group of younger, stronger and faster opponents. It will not be by speed and power. If he is to win; and he must, he has to do something all together different. Yes the older man is a master of self-defense. But his system is highly evolved. He relies on a core group of concepts rather than techniques. Of course he uses proper technique but it is all grounded in his core principals. He also has the amazing ability to fight in a very apropos manner because he is guided by highly developed contact reflexes. In other words, if he is touched by an aggressor, the older man instantly knows all about him and deals with him in proper time with super preparatory application. That means he stops the first attack and all future attacks immediately. He also uses skeletal alignment to enhance his power. He is able to hit much harder than his younger counterparts who use muscle to deliver their blows. The skilled older man delivers his strikes with his bones which feels like being hit with the end of an iron rod.

The answer is to unite with the opponent’s energy. No struggling or resisting but moving according to “the now”. To be able to discharge a highly potent “motion martial art”. Not static or choppy, muscular movements but relaxed yet aligned motions that can deal with an attack as if it were just a crude language. Yes, the answer is to have a highly developed and fluent martial language as a complete and elaborate communication. Yes, self defense can be like this. The only martial art I know that achieves this elevated dexterity is Wing Chun.

If a person truly dedicates him or herself to only doing and developing a system that is fit for the 21st Century real world self defense, then he must use external defenses guided by internal faculty. A system that encompasses the most effective techniques a person can deliver with the most advanced internal concepts one can make manifest. Now I mentioned Wing Chun earlier but not every Wing Chun teacher has developed in this manner or to this level. It is rare to find people who have this high level skill. But they are out there.

If you really want to get involved with a martial art and want to find verity, then take a few steps back. Get back far enough away from what is traditionally known and taught. Take an honest look around and see if the martial art before you justifies itself intellectually. Ask the hard questions. Will it work against the boxer, kicker, grappler guy? Can it be done effortlessly? What makes the most sense? Study and do research before you join a school. I can tell you right now, forget karate and Tae Kwon Do unless you just want to do a sport. Don’t be too reverent with any martial art system. Be honest with yourself and hopefully you’ll find a good teacher.

Martial arts are a sport that combines a variety of different methods of combat. In some cases, martial arts are used only for use, in other cases, they are used in head-to-head combat, in generally controlled situations, such as matches or shows. Because martial arts includes a variety of different styles, it is normal when a person thinks of them, that they think of one specific types, for example, karate.

However, there is more to martial arts than just karate. For instance, Karate is a stand up style of the art, in which Kung Fu, San Shou, Tae Kwon Do, Wushu, Kray Maga, Kickboxing, and Boxing also belong. When focusing on styles such as these, also known as stand u styles, blocking, kicking, and punching are the foremost focus when it comes to these forms of arts.

Another style of the arts is called grappling or ground fighting. These are forms of wrestling, that includes the martial art practices of Greco-Roman wrestling, Sambo, Shoot fighting, Shooto, and Brazilian Jujitsu.

Yet another style is what is called throwing styles, in which an opponent attempts to unbalance the other by using means of locks, trips, or throws. Within this style, arts such as Hapkido, Shuai Jiao, Aikido, and Judo reside.

For weapons based martial arts, these are arts performed using weapons, and for the most part are only used during cultural and traditional displays, though Kali is still used as an effort of self-defense and combat. Arts within this category include Kendo, Lado, and Kali.

Not all martial art styles are used for combative purposes today, even if they were originally designed for that purpose. Now, many are instead used for exercise, relief of stress, internal energy, and breathing. Some of these meditative or low impact styles include the arts of Chi Gong, Ba Gua, and Tai Chi.

Mixed Martial Arts (MMA)

What happens when you combine techniques from the different forms of martial arts? You get what is called Mixed Martial Arts, which is also commonly known as MMA. Mixed Martial Arts is a combination of a variety of styles of the art, in which opponents attempt to overpower the other using a variety of techniques.

While it is a combination of a variety of techniques, the most popular techniques are those in stand up styles, clinch styles, and ground styles. Most fighters focus on a particular skill, but must have training in all skills to be successful. It is more common for fighters to have a variety of coaches that train for the various phases of combat, it is not common place nowadays for a fighter to specialize in one specific area of combat.

Because mixed martial arts is a recognized sport, with two specific organizations, the PRIDE Fighting Championships and the Ultimate Fighting Championship, there are rules and regulations.

For example, weight classes are a requirement in these rules, they pair like weights with other like weights to make fights more fair. In these rules there are a variety of fouls and penalties as well. These rules were designed to eliminate the picture of barbaric fighting, in which two people fight to the death, as many people once believe mixed martial arts to be. These fouls were designed to protect the fighters. Penalties are awarded to the fighter for fish hooking, biting, pulling hair, gouging eyes, and head butting.

Attacks to the groin is illegal in mixed martial arts, as well as strikes to the kidneys, spinal area, and the back of an opponents head. The trachea is off limits as well, a fighter may not grab or strike the trachea of the opponent. Joint manipulation, such as toes and fingers, is allowed. There are many rules, this area has only touched the surface, but you can basically get the idea that mixed martial arts is a controlled and very regulated sport, designed for the physical fitness and enjoyment of the sport, with the health of the fighter in mind.

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.