Master Clark

Before you begin your karate training I just only want to make sure you do some stretching first. It is basic but it is very important to improve your karate move flexibility. All of your muscle is subject to myotatic reflex. What the h**k is myotatic reflex? What is it doing with your karate training? Simply said, myotatic reflex is stretch reflex which opposes changes in muscle length, especially sudden or extreme changes. When a muscle lengthens beyond a certain point, the myotatic reflex causes it to tighten and attempt to shorten. This is the tension you feel during stretching exercises. In your karate training the myotatic reflex could prevent muscle strains and tears. Without the myotatic...

First, lets look at exactly what karate is Karate has its official origin in the Okanowin islands. But its roots go back even further then that. Karate can trace its roots back to the fighting methods of the Chinese systems of centuries ago. The word Karate means The Empty Hand. Karate is a self-defense and fighting style of martial arts and is rooted in that history. To a greater extent, karate can be broken down into 3 different areas: 1. The basics. 2. Katas (Forms). 3. Sparing. (Simulated self-defense.) The Basics of karate include learning how to punch, kick and how to balance yourself in the proper stances that karate is built upon. It is an art that each move you learn at the basics level is...

There are many myths about martial arts training, and the general public accepts some as fact. In the following article, I have outlined general guidelines, and precautions, for parents who are considering enrolling their child, or children, into martial arts. Below, I have listed some common issues and questions that parents often ask about martial arts for their children. Also, you will be much more informed about the benefits of martial arts, the structure with a martial arts school, and know what to realistically expect. What should I be looking for in a martial arts school? Safety comes as a first priority for parents who seek martial arts instruction for their children. Here are a number of...

Karate (空手) or karate-dō (空手道) is one of the most fascinating martial art in the world today. For me, there is not any martial art that is as flexible and enjoyable as sport. Karate as a martial art was developed and diversified from various forms of Chinese Kung-fu on the island of Okinawa and was taken to Japan in the early years of the twentieth century. Karate is NOT an expression of aggression. Karate is not about violence at all. It is about respect, disciplin of mind and body, confidence, control of oneself, and ends with courtesy and leads to Wa-No-Michi (peace in one's life). Ankō Itosu (糸洲 安恒, Itosu Ankō, Itosu...

As someone who wants to defend herself using womens self defense tactics, a good thing to understand that some of the things you may be carrying around can also serve as makeshift weapons. However, if you don't practice with them, you will not get the most out of using them. Here are some common objects that are used for womens self defense. Out of the list, you may want to select a few to carry around with you. Practice using them and accessing them so you can be the most effective. The goal is to be able to reach for them quickly. 1. Use Your Keys Keys are an excellent tool to use for womens self defense. Instead of putting your keys in your purse, hold them in between your fingers. Form your...

Mixed martial arts, better known as MMA, is a form of sports that involves the use of a mixture of martial art combat techniques to win over the opponent. MMA has become very popular in recent years and MMA championships like Ultimate fighting championship have become very widely known. MMA began with pitting one martial art technique with another under minimal rules, so that the martial art which would be the most effective in day to day life could be found out. Modern mixed martial competitions have evolved from such events, but rules are much stricter due to which, the sport has been promoted into acceptance. However, there is no centralized sanctioning authority for mixed martial arts and the...

Karate, Japanese for 'Open Hand', has probably become the best known martial art in the west, apart from Kung-fu, since the 1930's. However, its complex developmental history spanning over 14 centuries has produced a bewildering plethora of styles. From karate's humble origins in the Chinese form of Shao Lin Boxing known as kempo, initially, an integral part of monastic training, and, subsequently, a defensive form of unarmed combat against marauding bandits; through its refinement in Okinawa; its Japanese introduction in 1922; and US implementation in the 1930's, at least 28 different styles (not counting Korean Taekwon-do) have now resulted. These stylistic differences, applicable to family pride...

According to history, in A.D. 527, an emperor named Wu Di invited an Indian monk named Bodhidharma to travel to China. The purpose of the journey was for Bodhidharma to come and teach his fellow monks in certain exercises to help strengthen their bodies. Monks in Henan province were frequently attacked by bandits and had no training in how to defend themselves. After arriving in Henan Temple, Bodhidharma meditated for nine long years. After he finished the meditation, Bodhidharma wrote two books entitled, "Yi Jin Jing" and "Xi Sui Jing". The former was about exercises for developing external strength while the latter was about meditation and breathing. After finishing the two books, he wrote a...

Learn How To Apply Wing Chun as an Effective Form of Self Defense One of the ongoing things were trying at the dojo is broadening our student base. Lots of students get a little upset at punches flying at them, and the like, so were evaluating some of the softer styles for an introductory class. Im looking at turning Wing Chun forms into the basis for a practical martial arts style, and helping with the instructions with it. First, I learned Wing Chun as a recuperative style I needed some time off to let my feet heal from doing stupid things with a wooden sparring dummy and inadequate footwear. My Dad had taken to Wing Chun for joint ailments as hes gotten older, and had showed me some of the...

The Hanged Man features one of the most fascinating and poetic images of the whole tarot card deck: a man hanging upside down from a tao cross (sometimes a tree or bar) by one foot, his hands bound or tucked behind his back. He is suspended in mid air, his free leg forming the number 4 with his other leg. Unexpectedly, he is not struggling to escape and instead has a look of complete satisfaction on his face. What is the story behind this strangely calm hanged man? 1) The Number Four Four is the number that rules a person ego, implying that the hanged man is suddenly surrendering his own consciousness and will for a much higher one. 2) The Story The story is inspired by the Norse god Odin, who hung...

Can You Practice Street-Fighting Techniques Solo? There has always been a debate as to whether you could actually learn to defend yourself while working out solo. Would you be surprised if I said that the answer is both yes AND no? Look, if you really want to get the feeling of fighting against a street fighter, then you have to fight. That's all there is to it. Or you have to practice in as close to real situation as possible. This is why five million people in the U.S. practice martial arts. This follows the argument of "you can read the mechanics of bicycle riding in ten books, but until you actually experience getting on a bicycle, you won't know the kinesthetics of pumping the pedals...

According to various sources on the internet, a 1996 article in Iron Man Magazine revealed Bruce Lee's workout. In addition to his cardio and karate workouts, Lee lifted weights three times a week and performed the following routine:clean and presses 2 x 8squats 2 x 12barbell pullovers 2 x 8bench presses 2 x 6good mornings 2 x 8barbell curls 2 x 8 Unfortunately, he injured his back doing good mornings, which nearly ruined his career. Otherwise, his weight training was successful in that it is credited with helping him add 30 pounds of solid muscle to his relatively small frame. Although Lee is the most famous martial artist ever, it may be that the strongest was a man named...

Have you ever felt like you are teaching the same thing repeatedly? Have you been frustrated by using the same old practice drills every week? Do you sometimes sense that your students are getting bored or are losing interest? Often one of the biggest challenges for a martial arts instructor is coming up with different ways to present the same material and create varied lessons each week. Finding a balance between teaching the required content and making classes fun and different is not always easy. Rest assured that you are not alone. All instructors at some point in their development feel the need to take their classes to the next level and change things up a little bit. Therefore, if you are at...

The UFC, or Ultimate Fighting Championships, was off to a rocky start in 2001. The first pay per view special went overtime and the viewers did not get to see the end. Additionally, the early era, when rules were much less strict, was seen as spectacle instead of sport. This has completely turned around. The UFC was able to enforce standards, recast from no holds barred to MMA, or Mixed Martial Arts, and now threatens to KO boxing. UFC is sanctioned in twenty states, and the current leadership intends to regularize it across the nation. The lucrative deal with Spike TV is certainly helping, and UFC fights and television shows are very popular. They are currently averaging 2.2 million viewers in the...

My most influential teachers always said the most important karate lesson was whatever fostered greater discipline and self control. They wisely pointed out, that with this foundation in place, everything else follows in natural order. I'm glad that people have started to ask about discipline and self control in karate, because it is not inherently obvious how the practice of punches and kicks can lead to improvement in these areas. In fact it almost seems like a paradox that the practice of martial arts could possibly develop calm, assured and highly disciplined individuals. Are we all falling for the hype that is touted in the popular martial arts magazines or is there really some truth to the...

Growing up in my quiet, little suburb of New York City, my three children and I were surrounded by martial arts equipment, movies and activities. My father, a Wall Street lawyer and his son were attending judo lessons. In addition to traditional judo, the class provided a combination of various styles and techniques, an approach popular these days with the synthesis of different cultures and traditions.  Never allowed to attend class myself, I was always told I was too young. I had to live vicariously through my older brother Daniel. My brother was never into mainstream sports and in some ways could have even been considered on the "geeky" side, but when it came to the sport...

No doubt, martial arts is one of the longest form of self defense technique that ever existed since the beginning of human civilization. Each part of the world region have their own version of martial arts. And if you observe the world history closely, Kung Fu, the chinese form of martial arts is perhaps one of the most well known and practised form of self defense arts from generation to generation. And thanks to the exposures done by martial artists turned movie stars like Jackie Chan, Jet Li, Bruce Lee and a few others, Chinese martial arts, more specifically Kung fu has spread beyond its ethnic root and is gaining attention from all around the world. Most people, when asked about what their idea...

There are many ways that people try to keep in shape. One of the oldest known exercise regimes can be considered is that of martial arts. Of these karate is still the more popular form. To perform all of your karate moves with fluid grace you will need to have a karate uniform. Your karate uniform should be bought with the range of movements in mind. You will find that the karate uniform is designed as a loose fitting tunic and pants. The pants are held to your waist by a drawstring. This drawstring allows you to adjust the fit of the pants with ease. The tunic of the karate uniform is designed so that you can move your arms and body with ease and not feel constricted. While this is the basic karate...

What can we learn from the tragic deaths of two young volunteer police officers? It is not easy to be emergency services anywhere, but in New York City it takes a special breed. In the past few months, lone police officers have had to deal with shootouts, stabbings, riots, and unruly protesters. While events like these are all in the line of duty in New York City, they shockingly routine. What should never be part of the routine though is the deaths of police officers. On the evening of March 15, 2007, the city lost two of its bravest in a hale of gunfire. That night they proved they had courage, but lacked training. Buried with full honors, the greatest tribute to their courage can be...

Taekwon-do is Korean for foot (tae), hand (kwon) and way, or art (do). It can thus be rendered, "the art of fighting using the hands and feet." The word "do", essentially the key to the art itself, implies a totally dedicated way of life, the pursuit of excellence. Strictly speaking, the nomenclature, Taekwondo, is relatively recent, being coined by the Father of Taekwondo, General Choi Hong-hi in 1957, but its roots go back over 2000 tears to c.60 BC to the art of Taek Kyon. Taek Kyon was developed, like karate and Kung-fu, as a devastating, surprise tactic against the depredations of marauders, ironically, in this case, Japanese pirates. The Japanese were both directly and indirectly responsible...

When you learn to read guitar sheet music it will be vital in expanding your guitar playing skills. Playing by ear will only get you so far and I am here to help take it to the next step. I will show you some basic tips and tricks to help you learn to read guitar sheet music and hopefully that will make you a better and more versatile guitar player. I will now give you a list that will show you it is not hard to learn to read guitar sheet music. Finding the right material Most guitar books will have some basic sheet music and songs in the front pages that are designed to help you learn to read guitar sheet music quickly. Once you have basic guitar knowledge it is relatively easy to learn to read...

The question I hear often is, "Am I too old to start Karate?" Another concern people have is that they're not flexible enough to be able to participate in a karate class. What distinguishes karate as a discipline from most other sports is its consideration for a person's current level. A good instructor will be challenged to hone in on each student's current physical level and challenge them at the same time without injury. The idea is to progressively increase that person's level each time they participate in a class. The fact that you think you have to be in good shape before starting a class is wrong, but common. One of the reasons to commit to a karate programme is to get in shape while...

You owe it to yourself to be the very best you can be in everything you do - Why not in the martial arts as well? These seven steps will help you along the path to mastery in your martial arts training if you apply them. I can give them to you, but if you don't take action it's just another piece of knowledge that goes to waste. So start today and apply these seven simple steps and who knows you might be our next martial arts master... Step 1: Practice your martial arts throughout the day - Here is the truth; you don't have to train hours a day. In fact, it's better to take your training time and divide it into two or three sections. Do a little in the morning, a little in the afternoon, and a...

I must have been in the fourth grade when I was called into the school disciplinarian's office. Having just come back from living on Chicago's South Side, I was wound a little too tightly, you could say. "Big city paranoid" might come closer to the mark in describing my attitude. Anyway, I settled scores with my fists. As Sean Connery's streetwise cop said in the movie, "The Untouchables," confronting force with force, never running from a fight, mixing it up; well, it's "The Chicago Way." Mrs. Sturgess was hell-bent on teaching me The California Way. "HERE, we use our WORDS when we disagree with someone," she admonished. Reluctantly, dubiously, but ultimately, I got the message. Words talk and...

I began to learn Karate when I was just eight years old. I am stressing on the word "Karate", so please don't mix it up with Tae Kwon Doe, or Aikido, or Chung Moo Doe, etc. It was the 60's and in America we only knew Judo and a few styles of Karate. As any new learner wants to practice his/her art, I too was curious to apply my karate knowledge to show how tough I was. So, I gave into my urge – and vented out at the age of 10 when I beat up a kid in the school playground. But till today (I mean after approximately 40 years later) the incident is nothing more than a matter of disgrace to me. Can you guess why? My Sensei had taught me to use my skill in self defense only and the kid whom I beat...

There are many reasons that people first get started in the martial arts. Usually the reasons are for self-defense, health and fitness, discipline, confidence, self-control and spiritual growth among others. Most of us have heard about these benefits of the martial arts, yet despite knowing the potential rewards of karate, it is not always clear why we should stay on the path for the long term. I would like to let you know what I believe is the number one reason for you to continue with your karate practice. Before I do that let me give you a very quick rundown of my own personal karate experience. I have been practicing the martial arts, specifically traditional Japanese karate, for more than 25...

Workaholics are oft-times maligned and to be sure, always misunderstood. Most amateur psychologists, disguised as less successful, unmotivated co-workers or relatives, diagnose the problem as one of escapism; escape from a poor home life, damaged self esteem or whatever other topic is hot on the Dr. Phil or Oprah circuit. The truth is we all need workaholics and we should all try to become one. A workaholic is the lifeblood of a business. He or she is the 20% that performs 80% of the work. Consider the positive traits: Arises and begins work early Stays late taking on additional assignments Is fanatically focused on the task at hand Avoids negatives at all cost Is optimistic Takes full...

In most martial arts schools today you can take regular lessons and add some self-defense classes. But there is still the problem of the effectiveness of the martial art and the so called self-defense moves being taught. It has been my experience that many of the martial art methods being taught in the United States are not completely functional in today's world. You have Tae Kwon Do schools, Karate schools, Ju-Jitsu schools and Kung Fu. For the most part these systems are sport oriented in to some degree. There are few like Wing Chun who claim to be strictly "real world self-defense". So what happens if you have a martial art that still incorporates RULES in their system? You end up with a less...

Do you have a preschool-aged (or older) child who has ADHD or ADD? Many times, parents are encouraged to medicate their children to help alleviate the symptoms that can be causing them to have problems both at school and at home. If this is something you've been dealing with for a while, you may be at your wits end and willing to try just about anything to help your child handle his or her symptoms and to relieve stress from their lives. One of the most prescribed drugs is Ritalin. Doctors are even now prescribing it for preschoolers even though it has not been approved for children under the age of six. Studies have shown that the side effects of Ritalin are sometimes so great that parents stop...

Your trip to Las Vegas will be no more or no less than you make it. The problem with gambling destinations such as this is that if you spend your entire allotment of funds in the first few hours you are in for a very long and quite boring and possibly hungry vacation. It requires a great deal of self control in order to really win at the games that are most often played in this city. From the bright and glittery nightlife full of dancing girls, flowing booze, and the eternal ringing of the slot machine, Las Vegas is a city that was quite literally built on broken dreams. If you do not realize this going in, the chances are rather great that you might learn the lesson the hard way. This is in no way...

According to the FBI, four women die everyday as a result of domestic violence and about 130,000 women report that they've been victims of rape or attempted rape annually. Because of statistics like this, many women enroll in self-defense classes to learn the skills they need to defend themselves. The thing is, a short-term self-defense class may not address all of the areas you need to be able to fully defend yourself. While martial arts classes won't specifically train you for combat and fighting, they will give you the ability to defend yourself if you ever find yourself in a situation where you need to practice self-defense. The best part is that this self-defense isn't always physical. What...

In this continuing series, let's address more issues and frequently asked questions that concern parents who seek to enroll their child in a martial arts program. The first question in this part is possibly the most important one of all. How do I find the right martial arts teacher for my kids? You will know when you have a face-to-face meeting and observe him or her teach a martial arts class. The chemistry between a prospective martial arts teacher and you should be good. After all, your child is supposed to learn courtesy, respect, self-discipline, goal setting, and many more life skills from his or her martial arts instructor. If the martial arts teacher you are considering displays none of...

When we begin taking martial arts instruction,we are taking for granted that the person teaching us is showing everything we need to know about the art we are studying. In most cases that is not true. Your instructor will tell you stand this way step that way act. What he is not telling you is the actual basis of what you are doing. The basic lines of movement of most martial arts are the same. The lines of movement that are basic to most martial arts are: Straight Lines Angles Circles Straight line arts like Karate deal with aggression head on,moving from center ,right,left or forward or backward. Arts like Kung Fu use all three principles ,using straight lines,angles and circles in combination...

Teaching financial literacy has been my passion. Over the years I've had an opportunity to speak to parents who want to know how to talk to their children about money and want tips to help them become more independent before they go off into the real world. For many parents it seems like just yesterday that your children were on their way to kindergarten, but now that they're in middle school things seem to be happening way too fast. Tweens seem to go from having play dates to group movie dates right in front of your eyes. And they're fashion conscious and brand sensitive far earlier than we ever were. This is all the more reason for us to help them get a financial grip on money and the need for...

All over the world, boxing is a sports game which fetches more craze among people. The equipments come in different varieties, prices, colors and designs to meet the requirement of the customer around the world. When the person practices their sports activity or they goes for a competition, they use these kinds of equipments. Different sorts of sports equipments are available in the market to meet the demands of customers who needs. Special trainings will be provided to the boxer to compete with the opponent using different techniques available. Generally, when people compete each other will be wearing all kinds of boxing gears on their body. Different sorts of equipments are available in the market...

The term "Martial Arts Supplies" encompasses a host of things that a martial artist may need to become a full-fledged martial artist. It may mean uniforms for the various martial arts that exist, sparring and training gear, weapons, and exercise equipment, among others. So long as it is used so you become more proficient at martial arts, that thing qualifies to be part of the Martial Arts Supplies category. But how do you look for a reliable Martial Arts Supplies retailer? One way is to simply encode the search phrase "Martial Arts Supplies" into your search box and wait for names of ecommerce sites to crop up. You can also get your Martial Arts Supplies from your martial arts school, which may...

If you've ever been in a self defense situation and your techniques didn't work there are several reasons why. Reason # 1 is awareness. By paying attention to your surroundings you can see "what is wrong" with your environment and be able to detect the attack ahead of time and respond accordingly. Inner awareness is even more important because if you're distracted by thoughts or if you're not able to remain calm, the attacker will get the best of you. Reason # 2 the fighting range is poorly measured. If you are not able to fight in your advantageous range at the moment of the attack and your opponent catches you out of this range, the chances of you winning are very small. To avoid this...