Combat Sports Historian and Martial Artist
Posts about martial arts concepts and history.
We included four or more martial arts in our academy’s curriculum. When I look at these arts, I see a distinct reason that I studied each one. These arts cover striking, grappling, ground fighting and a practical self-defense weapon, the cane. I started studying Shotokan karate in the Fall of 1994. I switched to Taekwondo with my nephew in the Spring of 1995. Taekwondo brought
At our fantasy football draft this year, one of the other owners asked me who I thought was the best mixed martial artist of all time. I told him that based on skill, the greatest mixed martial artist of all time was Jon “Bones” Jones. However, Jones’ frequent problems outside of the Octagon would keep him from being considered the
My daughter asked me the other day if I had seen any of the Olympic Judo. She was surprised when I told her I had not. Besides being a black belt in Taekwondo, I’m a brown belt in Judo. Like both my sons, Caity trained in both TKD and Judo as well. However, I dislike the political considerations made in
When I earned my 1st Degree Black Belt in Taekwondo during December 2005 at Willow Martial Arts, I had already studied Judo for three months. My instructor, Master Pat Weseman, is a 2nd Degree Black Belt in Judo as well as a 6th Degree Black Belt in Taekwondo. With this background, a number of our self-defenses were Judo based, so I
When I first started training in martial arts in 1995, the stories tied to the founding of most martial arts were pretty fantastic with superhuman feats of physical prowess and fighting ability attributed to their founders. Whether Kung Fu, Karate or Judo, the founder took the skills learned in previous martial arts, modified it and defeated everyone. These claims are
On Friday, October 14, and Saturday, October 15, 1904, 42 wrestlers in 7 weight classes met in the first Olympic Games contested in the freestyle wrestling method. Prior Olympic Games were contested in the Greco-Roman style of wrestling. The 1904 Summer Olympics was held in conjunction with the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis, MO. St. Louis was well-represented in
Last week, it was testing preparation at Willow Martial Arts. We went through the walking drills, forms and self-defense required for Taekwondo testing. As I observed the students preparing, I remembered a statement Master Pat Weseman often told me when I was a colored belt preparing for my next Taekwondo test. “Practice does not make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect.”
Most self-defense programs are made up of striking or grappling techniques. A few self-defense systems use techniques from both. Striking and grappling techniques can both be effective but sometimes a defender needs an equalizer. Policeman carry night sticks and tasers for this reason. The laws of the United States ban most weapons but one tool legal to carry anywhere is
After watching the recent mixed martial arts match between Luke Rockhold and Michael Bisping, I was reminded of how powerful a set of techniques kicks can be. The leg is much stronger than the arms, so kicks are one of the most powerful techniques in the striking arts. The question is should you use kicks in a self-defense situation. I
When most students start forms training, their main focus is on learning the proper sequence of the techniques to perform the pattern in the prescribed manner. It is unusual for a beginning or even intermediate student to think too much about what they are doing with the techniques and what they are defending against. Is the technique straight forward or