Master Clark

The two most common martial arts practiced in North America are karate and tae kwon do. Many wonder what the difference between these two martial arts is. This is especially the case for those who are just starting to look around for a martial arts studio. After all, most practitioners in both karate and tae kwon do seem to wear the same type of white gi uniforms with various colored belts.Modern traditional karate was developed in the islands of Okinawa in Japan after some influences from Chinese martial arts. There are actually different styles of karate but they are all commonly considered as Japanese martial arts today. The colored belt system was developed to show the various ranks of...

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 the...

Named for a town on the northern Japanese island of Honshu, the Akita was a sporting dog of the noble houses. Each Shogun kept a kennel of the big dogs to hunt deer, bear and boar. It was forbidden to speak to the dogs or about them except in a special language called "dog words".Good examples of the Akita were jealously guarded and it was not until after World War II that any appreciable number left their homeland. They were accepted for registration in the American Kennel Club in 1973.BODY TYPE:A powerful looking dog with a distinctive, bear-like expression. Height: 24-28 inches (at shoulder) Weight: 75-110 pounds The tail is set high and curls forward over the back. It is never altered...

How often do you perform a kata movement and think, 'What on Earth could this be about?" Times change and so does the nature of karate. We are better off working with kata movements in a modern context than trying to guess the original intention of the technique. So why not do a little research and experimentation of our own? The term bunkai means to break down and study. Anyone with a little imagination and common sense can contribute to this area of karate as long as you understand the basic principles that hold kata together. You can begin by learning the interpretations created by other people, or better still, discover how they added meaning to the techniques. We can start with a simple example...

If your goal is to improve your fitness or lose weight but you need to do something more exciting than jogging on a treadmill to keep you motivated, perhaps you should consider doing a martial art like boxing, kickboxing, karate, or judo.In this article we list the top 10 reasons to consider doing a martial art for fitness and weight loss to help you decide if doing one is right for you.1. Doing martial arts for weight lossIt's no coincidence that gyms, personal trainers and producers of exercise videos and DVD's are now heavily incorporating training techniques and exercises from a wide variety of martial arts in their workouts.Boxercise, Tae Bo, Cardio-Kickboxing, Kung Fu Aerobics, and personal...

The two most common martial arts practiced in North America are karate and tae kwon do. Many wonder what the difference between these two martial arts is. This is especially the case for those who are just starting to look around for a martial arts studio. After all, most practitioners in both karate and tae kwon do seem to wear the same type of white gi uniforms with various colored belts.Modern traditional karate was developed in the islands of Okinawa in Japan after some influences from Chinese martial arts. There are actually different styles of karate but they are all commonly considered as Japanese martial arts today. The colored belt system was developed to show the various ranks of...

Once martial arts competitors and coaches decide to follow one of the large karate circuits like NASKA or NBL, it will soon be realized that participation in this sport can be very expensive. Many years ago, I attended a seminar conducted by Charlie Lee and he said that the only main difference between many national and local competitors is that the national ones have the funds to travel...

Kempo Karate, also known as Kenpo, is one of the most popular forms of Karate that was developed in the West. The word kempo means law of the fist, and this form of martial arts has long been regarded as a combination art for the fact that it involves the use of hard fist (Karate Do), soft fist (Ju Jitsu) and weapons (Kobudo). On the most basic, Kempo Karate teaches sparring and sparring drills for one particular purpose to help the students learn and understand the fundamental movements as well as the application of the kicking and punching combinations. This is actually where the Kempo Karate sparring techniques come in. Well, the sparring techniques can be classified according to the intent of...

What do you do when, you want to pursue the study of the martial arts or learn real-world self-defense and there are no schools near where you live? What do you do even if there are martial arts schools or self-defense classes being offered in your local area but......they're just not up to par with what you want or need.How can you get what you know you need without compromising quality and settling for what's available or, even worse......not pursuing your goal at all?Well, you have two choices, really......you can accept defeat or the fact that maybe your standards are too high and settle for what's available, or......you can do what scores of very skilled practitioners have done before you...

A lot, if you value your physical health!Tae Kwon Do is Korean Karate. It means The Way of the Hand and Foot (punching and kicking). There are basically four sections to the art: Toning, Sparring, Forms and Self Defense.It is a well rounded exercise program that encompasses muscle toning, stretching and flexibility, increasing strength and stamina through aerobic sparring and mental challenges through becoming proficient at the patterns or forms.Most classes start out with warm-ups. These exercises are the calisthenics such as push ups, sit ups, jumping jacks, trunk rotations, squat kicks and various leg stretches. For certain you will tighten your abs and strengthen your arms just from...

There are literally dozens of reasons to study the martial arts. Everyday, countless numbers of children and adults take up the practice and study of such martial arts as karate, judo, aikido, as well as many other mixed or ecclectic forms. And, for the most part, a student will probably find what he or she is looking for in the program that they choose. I say "for the most part" because, the one area of study that cannot be left to chance is that of self-defense.While just about every form of martial art can help a student to develop personal success traits like...ConfidenceDisciplineFocus, and...RespectNot every art, or teacher for that matter, is cut out to teach you what you need to know to...

An actual self defense situation is very different from the safety of a karate class. Most people have no real-world Self defense training. A karate student having spent many hours with martial arts teachers only learn self defense in a controlled setting. In a real life self defense incident your mindset is sure to be heightened. There will be no instructor only your survival instincts. While there have been countless martial arts and self defense systems designed around a particular emotional response mode, no one mode is right or wrong. It is almost impossible to duplicate the actual actions of someone fighting for their life in a classroom. Your response mode will most definitely result from the...

Summer day camps are summer camps where the campers can go home at the end of the day and return the next day. These camps are designed for children who may not be able to handle long periods of being apart from their parents. Usually, these camps also offer the same activities and the same games that traditional summer camps offer. One of the most popular summer day camps are martial arts day camps.Advantages of Martial Arts Day CampsThe advantages of going to martial arts day camps are geared towards providing children with certain skills that they can apply in their lives. One of these benefits is that your child is able to develop self-discipline; martial arts training can give your...

There are many forms of treatment now available for anyone suffering from Lyme Disease, in particular chronic or late stage Lyme Disease. Once you can get a diagnosis, traditional medicine does have viable therapies, mostly anti-biotics that can be effective in treating Lyme Disease and many co-infections related to Lyme such as Babesia and Erhlicia. Alternative medicine offers everything from herbs, hydrogen peroxide IV therapy, high dose Vitamin C IV therapy, sauna, ozone, and a host of others. All of these work in varying degree depending on the person and the level of infection. Lyme is extremely complex in it's form and in treatment options. Energy Medicine, the new kid on the block, has been a...

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...

Many martial arts focus on one range of fighting and some of the more diverse martial arts may incorporate two ranges of fighting. The ultimate goal of any martial art is to instil both the skills and the confidence in its students in order for them to be able to defend themselves in a real life situation. No other martial art does this as effectively as the Israeli system of defensive tactics knows as Krav Maga. Krav Maga which is a martial art that incorporates all ranges of fighting was created in Israel in the year 1948 by a man named Imi Lichtenfeld.During the time period that Krav Maga was created, the Israelis were still under British rule and had to find a way to defend themselves...

For millions of Americans who walk, run, jog, or cycle in public parks, city streets, or rural neighborhoods the threat from a dog or a pack of dogs attacking is a daily reality. I see more and more anecdotal evidence as I make the rounds in the heartland-walking sticks, canes, anything long that can be used as a weapon against a dog attack. I even know of a couple in Colorado who are using a stun baton to protect themselves and their dog when out walking. Each year man's best friend bites that friend 4.7 million times according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Of those, 800,000 Americans seek medical attention annually for dog bites-half of these are children. Of those injured...

At one time, it was not illegal to defend yourself if someone attacked you on the streets. However, ina few states, if you retaliate when assaulted, both parties are arrested, even though you were merelydefending yourself against the attacker. This is sounds like insanity, but the laws has determined that "word against word" is the issue; thus,the crime should be taken to court to determine what caused the incident, why the incident occurred,and who is responsible for the crime committed. If there is a third party involved in the act--rather ifa third person intervenes in an attempt to protect the victim--it may fall under the "alter ego rule" orrather the third person is permitted to defend the...

Meeting the Master of Macabre Poetry [Dedicated to Clark A. Smith]I met CAS on the docks of Poseidonia (In my dreams last night) He was playing the god Ougabalys With three horns Above his double crown; He had eyes of the dead As if he had pulled them out of a Rotting head; incredible, insane But ghouls and spirits came To see him all the same: Yes, even in the dead lands he Had fame, lapsing fame...

This is based on something that I wrote in my "KUBOTAN: Self-Defense Keychain" ebook. And, although the discussion was aimed at the weapon that served as the focus of the book, in actuality, any weapon, modern or traditional, can be substituted.Now, please don't confuse what I'm about to say with whether or not I use weapons. Weapons should be a part of any sound self-defense and martial arts program, training, and strategy. However, far too many people rely on a quick-fix. The Self-Defense Keychain book, in fact none of my books or videos were created to be a comprehensive training course in the use of any particular weapon. No single resource can be.This is so for two very important reasons...

This ten article series will deal with the various components that need to be addressed when considering the utilization of a particular kick in a combat or self-defense situation. These ten components can also be used by the tournament competitor although certain segments would have to be modified slightly for the tournament aspects of kicking, rather than the more intensive nature of using a kick or kicks in combat. Although all of these individual components are important, they are most effective when combined together and utilized correctly when executing a kick. Although I will only be discussing one of the components in this article, here is the complete list of all ten of them. 1. Your...

Besides rocks, one of the most basic of all weapons throughout mankind's history across most cultures has been the long wooden stick. This makes sense since sticks were always readily available in the forests or could be easily made. The Asian martial arts took the long wooden staff into an art form as many martial art styles include the long staff in their systems. Some styles even have traditional weapons forms or katas featuring the long staff. Some systems of martial arts train with weapons such as the staff through practical techniques only without the use of set forms.Unlike many martial art weapons such as swords, knives, kamas and sais which are short range, staffs are long range weapons...

While some see Driving While Illegal (DWI) as another issue in the illegal immigration debate, for police officers around the country it is just another potential danger. Every time a police officer gets out of a cruiser for a routine traffic stop, he or she isn't safe until it is over. The Town of Framingham, Massachusetts, located twenty miles west of Boston, was recently in the news when a local paper profiled an illegal immigrant who says he lives in fear of being pulled over by police and the ensuing possibility of deportation. Sure he's in the country illegally, employed illegally, and driving with an expired foreign driver's license, but he was painted as the victim. Millions of illegal...

Physical fitness is a key part of martial arts training. One key secret for martial arts training is knowing how to train your muscles. Martial arts training involves amounts of physical training. Children learn about discipline, desire, commitment and goal setting through martial arts training. High ranking instructors quickly point out that they still consider themselves to be students. Martial arts is a lifelong study. Martial arts instruction is not limited to just kicking and punching. Some martial arts lessons teach you how to use your opponent's strength against him through techniques that upset a person's balance, or you can study the techniques of joint locks and nerve manipulation. You...

While you can find much in common across various fighting systems in terms of teaching methods, techniques, and goals it is also possible to find many ways in which each system is unique. It is often difficult to make direct comparisons between different fighting systems as there is no standard format for making objective comparisons. It is important to recognize that the physical component is just one aspect of many fighting systems, as many also include a strong philosophical or spiritual ideal. Examples of this are the Confusion principles behind the teaching of many Japanese, Korean, and Chinese systems. Other example are the systems which are more sports oriented and have a unique set of...

How's your garden doing? Is it rich and thriving or are you constantly dealing with pest insects and bugs? Are you spending more money than you want buying chemical fertilizers and pest-be-gone substances from the garden store? Are the weeds the only thing thriving? Perhaps it's time to take a look at a natural, and ultimately more effective (and environmentally friendly) way to rid your garden of detrimental bugs and insects. Most people only think about pest control when they are already having problems. Unfortunately, it's often harder to eradicate an existing problem than to prevent one from taking root in the first place. You can go a long ways toward creating a pest-insect-free lawn or...

I have been a fan of Edith Piaf's for many years. Among her esoteric US following was the basketball team at my college, which used to warm up to her song, "Milord." I was also a student of French, and learned to sing along with many of her songs. Even though I knew nothing of her life, and no one off my college campus had ever heard of her, her singing was inspirational to me at the gut level. It is something in the voice itself. The story of Edith Piaf's life, told in the movie "La Vie en Rose," is so turbulent and full of tragedy and success that it lends itself to mythologizing, though that isn't necessary. The verifiable facts are enough. With parents who were a street singer (mother) and...

What do you do when, you want to pursue the study of the martial arts or learn real-world self-defense and there are no schools near where you live? What do you do even if there are martial arts schools or self-defense classes being offered in your local area but... ...they're just not up to par with what you want or need. How can you get what you know you need without compromising quality and settling for what's available or, even worse... ...not pursuing your goal at all? Well, you have two choices, really... ...you can accept defeat or the fact that maybe your standards are too high and settle for what's available, or... ...you can do what scores of very skilled practitioners have done before you...

Muay Thai or Thai Boxing is the Thai name for a indigenous form of martial art practiced in Thailand and several southeast Asian countries including Cambodia (where it is known as Pradal Serey) and Myanmar where it is generally known as Lethwei. Traditional Muay Thai has a long history in Thailand as a martial art used by the military. The military style of Muay Thai is called Lerdrit, while today's "Sport Muay Thai" slightly varies from the original art and uses kicks and punches in a ring and with gloves similar to those used in boxing. Muay Thai is referred to as "The Science of Eight Limbs", as the hands, feet, elbows, and knees are all The training of a Thai boxer and...

Kids know about martial arts from just out of the crib these days thanks to the Power Rangers and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. While they are entranced and excited by the fast and fantastic action they see in animated shows in those early years, their fascination with martial artistry takes a giant leap with big screen experts like Jackie Chan, Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris, broadcast into the family room. With such exposure it's not surprising that there is a real growth in kids karate today. The Pluses of Kids Karate Parents often shudder at the thought of kids karate: the violence, the injuries. Within the plethora of martial arts, many forms actually instill respect and those forms are the ones...

There are several reputable schools out there that have the complete package. Great martial arts and a great business for the owner. I believe the McDojo's are the extreme and we should not throw out the baby with the bath water. Perhaps we should take a good look at how martial arts are taught today and the different mentalities involved. Maybe we should question not our methods of Wing Chun, but our motivations for teaching this great fighting system. There are several questions that come to mind when I think about how excellent Wing Chun is as a fighting system and yet here in the United States, we are few in number. If we were to compare to Tae Kwon Do schools we are last place. They have really...

In this free report you will learn everything you need to know about martial arts schools and how to choose the best one for your child. My goal is to make you a Black Belt Shopper! Once you understand the differences between schools, you will be able to make a good decision instead of guessing. Dont be fooled by flashy techniques and window dressing! You are shopping for your childs future you cant afford to make the wrong choice! Topics in this report include: * The 3 Dangers of Choosing the Wrong Martial Arts Program for your child * How to Avoid the 2 Biggest Martial Arts Rip-Offs! * 4 Costly Misconceptions About Martial Arts * The 3 Deadly Secrets About Martial Arts Schools * 3 Mistakes to...