I consider myself fortunate to have also studied the Chinese martial art of Wing Chun Kung Fu (or in Cantonese also known as Gung Fu).
Coming from a Shotokan karate training background I will admit that studying Wing Chun was a real change of pace, if you know what I mean.
But after having read about some other famous practitioners such as Ip Man, Bruce Lee, Ip Chun, Leung Ting, Emin Boztepe, I just had to give it my best shot.
I remember talking to one of my teachers once about the traits of a master leader. And though we discussed many topics, traits and themes – attitudinal qualities like “caring,” “trust,” “being a role model;” and skills like “management,” “study,” etc. – ‘the’ trait that lay at the center, or formed the foundation for all of these others was: Decisiveness – the simple ability to make a decision.
Though all of the other traits were and are (more…)
Martial arts is slowly starting to seem like the skills of a bygone era with many of the heroes and villains of today’s cinema preferring guns and bombs to actual close-combat. However, when it comes to everyday self-defense, there is nothing better than being equipped with the old-school skills learnt through martial arts.
Perhaps this is why the art of teaching the skills has remained in business, and whether you are in American (more…)
People often try to separate martial arts business from martial arts lifestyles and martial arts traditional teachings. This is a horrible thing to do, as it turns a way of life into nothing more than another sport. The philosophies and histories can be applied to all parts of life.
Miyamoto Musashi’s Book of Five Rings is a classic example of incorporating traditional martial arts training into business. All of the traditional ma (more…)
You shouldn’t be surprised that there are so many martial arts weapons that have been developed through the centuries. Since many martial arts have been around since ancient times, martial arts weapons are bound to have evolved too over time.
Take the knife for example – practically all martial arts will teach their students how to use knives as martial arts weapons because almost all cultures have developed and used some ver (more…)
Martial arts equipment has evolved as the different types of marital arts styles have evolved over the years. The term martial arts comes from the Roman god of war, Mars and literally means the art of war. Methods of training vary between styles as do the theories of the official origins. Most experts agree that the foundation of Asian martial arts is likely a blend of Indian and Chinese fighting techniques, as these two nations traded extensive (more…)
Martial arts training has become increasingly popular with both parents and kids as evidence of its benefits continues to grow. While team sports can provide valuable opportunities for physical and social development, they’re limited by season and often inhibit kids’ personal accomplishment. By contrast, classes that teach children karate, judo, and other styles blend physical fitness, emotional control, and a philosophy built upon respect and di (more…)