Japan
Undefeated In Over 9 Years, Judo Legend Yasuhiro Yamashita
When competing in judo one can score points by performing an effective throw, or by forcing an opponent into submission.
Judo players, a.k.a. judoka, will do their best to gain control of their opponent before applying a throwing or holding technique.
Tipping Off March Madness With The Week In Review
“Variety is the spice of life.”
I am trying to live up to that saying by posting about different topics that relate to martial arts or not. Anyway ….
In case you were too busy being busy, here’s what you missed:
Bulgarian Greco-Roman Wrestler Is Big In Japan: The David Beckham Of Sumo
It Happened In 1935 … Sarah Mayer, First Non-Japanese Female Judo Black Belt
The Question Is: “Honestly, Are You Really Prepared To Fight If You Have To?”
With ‘The Sensei ‘, She’s Creating Buzz In The Movie Industry And Let’s Just Face It … With A Name Like Lee Inosanto, She’s Got To Be Good
What Goes Up, Must Come Down. With This Guy, Things Appear To Be A Bit Different. Thai Action Movie Star Tony Jaa Defies The Law Of Physics.
There you have it: The Week In Review At TheMartialArtsReporter.com
Have a great Sunday!
I will be reporting again from here tomorrow.
The Highest Ranking Female Judoka In The World
As you know by now, it is always a pleasure for me to post something interesting and inspirational about and for female martial artists.
Today we continue our tradition and this a big one!
Our featured female martial artist, Keiko Fukuda, was born in 1913 in Tokyo, Japan.
It wasn’t until 1935 that she actually started practicing the martial art of judo at the age of 21. Look at those dates again and be amazed like I am.
At that time, Japan and many other industrialized countries were still deeply affected by The Great Depression that started in 1929 and continued for many even until the end of World War II in 1945.
I don’t consider myself a Japanology expert, but I am pretty sure that Japanese women weren’t necessarily encouraged to pursue a martial arts career in the 1930s.
Keiko Fukuda was even exceptional in those days by flat-out rejecting an arranged marriage to do just that after being being invited to study judo by its founder Jigoro Kano himself in the newly created women’s division!
Kano had been a Jujutsu student of her grandfather, Fukuda Hachinosuke, who at one time had been a samurai.
Amazingly, today Keiko Fukuda is the last living pupil of Kano.
Empowering and inspring women about the kata (forms) of Kodokan judo, Keiko Fukuda published the instructional book Born for the Mat in 1973.
In 2001, the United States Judo Federation awarded her a rare red belt for her lifelong contribution to judo.
It was in January 2006 that the Kodokan Judo Institute also awarded her the 9th degree black belt (9th dan).
Keiko Fukuda is currently the only woman in the world to hold a 9th degree black belt from any recognized judo organization.
At the time of writing this post, Keiko Fukuda is close to 97 and I bet some of you are thinking that she probably spends her days just sitting at home in front of the TV watching The Price Is Right or whatever.
Nothing could be further from the truth, because she still teaches at the Soko Joshi Judo Club in the Noe valley district of San Francisco, California as well as at the annual Joshi Judo Camp, a camp she founded in 1974 to give women judoka an opportunity to train together.
Gentle, Strong, Beautiful, she is judo pioneer, Keiko Fukuda, the highest ranking female judoka in the world.
I am dedicating today’s post to all female martial artists. Past, current and future.
Robert Trias, Founder Of The First U.S. Karate School
With today’s post I am continuing my sporadic series of all-time “First …”.
Yesterday, we had “James Cagney, First Martial Artist To Star In A Movie” and just about 3 weeks ago “First U.S. American Judo Brown Belt And 26th U.S. President“, remember?
Well, today I would like to honor a gentleman who was truly a trailblazer. He is considered the “Father of American Karate”.
His name: Robert Trias.
While stationed on the British Solomon Islands in 1942 (and remember that these were truly world-changing times after the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941), U.S. Navy serviceman and middleweight boxing champion Robert Trias was getting ready for an upcoming boxing match.
I don’t know about you, but I don’t believe in coincidences anymore.
Why do I say that?
While preparing for his match, Rober Trias made the acquaintance of a Chinese missionary on the island.
The missionary just happened to be a master in Hsing-Yi, which Trias wasn’t aware of.
Well, anyway, the missionary, Master T’ung Geee Hsing offered Trias Hsing-Yi lessons in exchange for some boxing.
But according to reports, at first Trias wasn’t very inclined or better, was more pissed off by this dude ruining his concentration during his training.
Finally, he gave in to the missionary’s request with the intention to teach him a lesson the boxing ring.
But things didn’t go according to plan, because Trias didn’t land one punch!
This was a turning point in the life and fighting career of Robert Trias, because from then on he would pursue Master Hsing’s art and thus Karate would become his life.
After being transferred to Singapore, Mr. Trias continued his martial arts training with a different instructor who had been taught Kempo Ju-Jitsu in Japan by Master Fukuda.
The electic style that Grandmaster Trias would later develop is known as Shorei-Goju Ryu, Shorei-ryu and Shuri-ryu and many organizations claim to trace their roots to him and the USKA.
The shorei-ryu system is a blend of the Chinese arts of mo-kempo and pakua and the ancient Okinawan art of Naha-te. It is a style which is noted for its low stances, powerful moves and circular motions.
After returning from his military service in the Pacific Theater during WWII, Grandmaster Robert Trias founded his school in 1946 in Phoenix, Arizona.
Through his pioneering efforts in Karate, Grandmaster Robert Trias became the United States’ liaison with Korea, Japan, China, and Okinawa for many years.
He was instrumental in promoting the first world karate tournament in 1963 in Chicago.
His rules for tournament competition are still used today with slight variation.
Trias died in 1989 of cancer leaving the Shuri-ryu system to his daughter Roberta Trias-Kelley (10th Dan), inheritor of Shuri-Ryu and Menkyo Kaiden.
Robert A. Trias is the author of “Karate is my Life”"The Hand is my Sword”, “The Pinnacle of Karate”, “The Supreme Way”, and “Render Yourself Empty”.
Judo: No Kicking And Punching, But It Can Still Hurt Like Hell!
The Japanese martial art of Judo, means ‘the gentle way’ in English. I still haven’t figured out the gentleness of it all.
I took some Judo classes way back when and I gotta tell ya that some of those techniques sure can hurt like hell.
Those guys would grab you and throw you around like a rag-doll.
Slam you down on the mat and then apply a lock or a bar or something else that created the feeling of “OUCH! *#%!* YOU WIN! CAN I PLEASE GO HOME NOW?”.
There was a lot of tapping going on. Not the Sammy Davis Jr. or Geogory Hines-kind of tapping.
More slapping the mat like a fish caught on board a trawler gasping and knowing that it’s going to end up in a grocery shopping aisle real soon.
I think you get my drift by now.
Judo doesn’t offer or better doesn’t allow flashy kicks that would make it so much more appealing to the masses.
But let’s face it:
Judo in all its subtle and gentle way is still an extremely effective martial art that was the base for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu developed by the Gracie family. That’s gotta tell ya somethin’!
I thought you might enjoy a video with two guys who are constantly getting out of their comfort zone by trying a different martial art on a regular base in a foreign country.
Today, they dive right into Judo in Tokyo, Japan, the birthplace of this Olympic martial art introduced by Jigoro Kano over a hundred years ago.
Very cool!
One Of The Best Weeks In Review At TheMartialArtsReporter.com
I hope you are enjoying your weekend as much as I am enjoying mine.
Time sure flies when you’re having fun.
Putting these posts, articles, stories together for you is fun for me.
So, please keep on visiting TheMartialArtsReporter.com and tell your friends and family about this blog.
It’s about informing, inspiring and entertaining martial artists and martial arts enthusiasts.
Are You Ready For Tonight’s UFC 107 BJ Penn Vs. Diego Sanchez?
BJ “The Prodigy” Penn Vs. Diego “The Nightmare” Sanchez At UFC 107 Lightweight Title Fight in Memphis, TN.
Amir Perets, Martial Arts Champion, Fitness Guru, Israeli Self-Defense Expert
The Real Deal, Amir Perets Shows You Self-Defense That Works… For Real.
Legendary Renzo Gracie Gets Multi-Fight deal With The UFC
UFC Dana White Gets BJJ And MMA Legend Renzo Gracie Back Into The Octagon.
Fight Deal For Manny Pacquiao Vs. Floyd Mayweather set For March 13, 2010
Already Heralded As The Fight Of The Century: Manny Pacquiao Vs. Floyd Mayweather Jr. On March 13, 2010.
Before Steven Seagal Was “Lawman” And “Above The Law”
Action Movie Superstar And Martial Artist Steven Seagal Stars As “Lawman” In A&E Reality Cop Series.
TKD Gold Medalist Dana Hee And Change “I Can’t” To “I Can”
Taekwondo Gold Medalist, Actress, Stuntwoman And Motivational Speaker Dana Hee Knows A Thing Or Two About Changing “I Can’t” To “I Can”.
Hope you enjoy catching up on some of the posts you might have missed. Or maybe you liked them so much that you just have to read them again.
I can’t leave you without two really good quotes:
“Happiness depends on ourselves.”
Aristotle
“Every man dies; not every man truly lives.”
Mel Gibson (Braveheart)
Before Steven Seagal Was “Lawman” And “Above The Law”
Currently Steven Seagal is starring on the A&E reality series “The Lawman”.
He has worn quite a lot of hats in his career and in his life.
What do I mean by that?
Steven Seagal has been known as an action movie actor, producer, writer, director, martial artist, philanthropist, guitarist, singer-songwriter, energy drink entrepreneur, and deputy sheriff.
Before Steven Seagal was a recognized household name, launched to stardom by movies such as “Above The Law”, “Under Siege”, “Exit Wounds” and many more, he was an Aikido instructor in Japan.
That’s right in Japan and that as a foreigner.
In the early 70s, Steven Seagal was reportedly the first foreigner to run an aikido dojo in Japan.
And the rest is history, as they say. Check out some footage of Steven Seagal as a martial arts instructor:
Senior Grandmaster Ed Parker Sr., The Father Of American Kenpo Karate
Ed Parker Sr. certainly influenced quite a number of martial artists and his influence continues long after he passed on in 1990. Sadly, he died of a heart attack at the early age of 59.
Grandmaster Parker grew up in Hawaii and started with Judo and Western Boxing at a very young age.
In his late teens, Frank Chow introduced him to Kenpo Master William Chow by whom he was promoted to black belt in 1953.
After moving back to the U.S. (Hawaii did not officially become a state until 1959) he opened up his dojo/karate school in Pasadena, right outside of Los Angeles, California, in 1956.
Grandmaster Parker’s studies and practice of karate were influenced by Japanese and Okinawan elements which guided him in the creation of his very practical and effective martial art and fighting system simply known as American Kenpo.
His teachings had a profound effect on numerous students who went on to become martial arts greats in their own right such as Larry Tatum, Vic Leroux and Dan Inosanto.
Interestingly enough, during the Long Beach International Karate Championships in 1964 organized by Ed Parker Sr., a young and until then unknown martial artist was given exposure to a broad audience and from which he stormed the martial arts scene in a manner never displayed before. His name?
Bruce Lee.
It was also during these days in Long Beach that Bruce Lee and Dan Inosanto met for the first time to become friends and martial arts allies that would change martial arts and the entertainment industry forever.
But back to Grandmaster Parker.
Besides teaching, writing books and promoting Kenpo Karate, helping other martial artists open their own dojos, Ed Parker Sr. was also active in the movie industry as a instructor, stuntman and actor in movies such as “Kill The Golden Goose” and one of my favorites “Revenge Of The Pink Panther”.
Senior Grandmaster Ed Parker Sr., The Father Of American Kenpo Karate.
Shotokan Karate According To Gichin Funakoshi
Today I would like to share with you something about the style that got me so excited about martial arts in the first place.
The style is called Shotokan Karate and who could really describe it better than the actual founder of the style himself: Gichin Funakoshi, an Okinawan who introduced karate to Japan in 1917 and later again 1922.
Shotokan Karate is currently enjoying somewhat of a second wind of attention and popularity especially with UFC top competitors such as Lyoto Machida and Vitor Belfort applying some of its typical elements.
Here are some excerpts of Funakoshi-Sensei’s descriptions and observations:
“In Okinawa, a miraculous and mysterious martial art has come down to us from the past.
It is said that one who masters its techniques can defend himself readily without resort to weapons and can perform remarkable feats: the breaking of several thick boards with his fist or ceiling panels of a room with a kick.
With his shuto (“sword hand”) he can kill a bull with a single stroke; he can pierce the flank of a horse with his open hand; he can cross a room grasping the beams of the ceiling with his fingers, crush a green bamboo stalk with his bare hand, shear a hemp rope with a twist, or gouge soft rock with his hands.
Some consider these aspects of this miraculous and mysterious martial art to be the essence of Karate-do.
But such feats are a small part of karate, playing a role analogous to the straw-cutting test of kendo [Japanese fencing], and it is erroneous to think that there is no more to Karate-do than this.
In fact, true Karate-do places weight upon spiritual rather than physical matters.
True Karate-do is this: that in daily life, one’s mind and body be trained and developed in a spirit of humility; and that in critical times, one be devoted utterly to the cause of justice.
Karate-do is a martial art peculiar to Okinawa in its origins. Although it has in the past tended to be confused with Chinese boxing because of the use of the chinese “kara” character in its earlier name, in fact for the past thousand years, the study and practice of masters and experts, through which it was nurtured and perfected and formed into the unified martial art that it is today, took place in Okinawa.
It is, therefore, not a distortion to represent it as an Okinawan martial art.
One may ask why the chinese “kara” character has been retained for so long.
As I discuss in the section “The Development of Karate-do,” I believe that at the time the influence of Chinese culture was at its peak in Japan, many experts in the martial arts traveled to China to practice Chinese boxing.
With their new knowledge, they altered the existing martial art, called Okinawa-te, weeding out its bad points and adding good points to it, thus working it into an elegant art.
It may be speculated that they considered “kara” (with the chinese character) an appropriate new name.
Since, even in contemporary Japan, there are many people who are impressed by anything that is foreign, it is not difficult to imagine the high regard for anything Chinese that prevailed during that period in Okinawa.
Even at the time of the present writer’s youth, lack of a full set of Chinese furniture and furnishings in one’s home was a serious impediment to the social influence of any leading family.
With this background, the reason for the choice of the Chinese “kara” character, meaning “Chinese,” as a simple case of exoticism is apparent.
Following tradition, the writer has in the past continued to use the Chinese character.
However, because of the frequent confusion with Chinese boxing, and the fact that the Okinawan martial art may now be considered a Japanese martial art, it is inappropriate, and in a sense degrading, to continue use of the old “kara” in the name.
For this reason, in spite of many protests, we have abandoned the use of it to replace it with the new character KARA.
The first connotation of kara indicates that karate is a technique that permits one to defend himself with his bare hands and fists without weapons.
Second, just as it is the clear mirror that reflects without distortion, or the quiet valley that echoes a sound, so must one who would study Karate-do purge himself of selfish and evil thoughts, for only with a clear mind and conscience can he understand that which he receives.
This is another meaning of the element kara in Karate-do.
Next, he who would study Karate-do must always strive to be inwardly humble and outwardly gentle.
However, once he has decided to stand up for the cause of justice, then he must have the courage expressed in the saying, “Even if it must be ten million foes, I go!”
Thus, he is like the green bamboo stalk: hollow (kara) inside, straight, and with knots, that is, unselfish, gentle, and moderate. This meaning is also contained in the element kara of Karate-do.
Finally, in a fundamental way, the form of the universe is emptiness (kara), and, thus, emptiness is form itself.
There are many kinds of martial arts, judo, kendo, sojitsu (“spear techniques”), bojitsu (“stick techniques”), and others, but at a fundamental level all these arts rest on the same basis as Karate-do.
It is no exaggeration to say that the original sense of Karate-do is at one with the basis of all martial arts. Form is emptiness, emptiness is form itself. The kara of Karate-do has this meaning.”
Or as Paul Harvey always said, “Now you know the rest of the story.”
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