martial artist
Bruce Lee Lives On, Even After His Untimely Death In 1973
Man, on this day exactly 37 years ago in Hong Kong, the most influential martial artist and martial arts movie star died at the young age of only 32.
The world knew him as Bruce Lee, aka Little Dragon. He was born in San Francisco in 1940, but he and his family moved (back) to Hong Kong while he was still very young.
And even though it’s been almost four decades since he passed on, Bruce Lee still lives on in so many ways, because he has been able to touch millions of people through his acting and teachings.
I for myself can honestly say that it was Bruce Lee on the big screen that got me hooked on martial arts (in my case Shotokan karate for starters).
This post is not intended to be about me or even to re-hash Bruce Lee’s biography, but what I would love to hear your stories and experience about getting started in martial arts, self-defense training and how Bruce Lee affected your life.
I will leave you with this video clip as a tribute to honor Bruce Lee’s life and accomplishments:
Building Positive Life Skills Through Martial Arts
I was just thinking about the next post here at TheMartialArtsReporter.com when I came across a newspaper article that involved an abused teenager, who in many ways reminded me of myself many years ago.
Growing up in a divorced family and difficult home life, a teenager can feel mighty lonely at times. Especially when you have to hold in all your frustration, disappointment and anger.
Mental and physical abuse at home certainly do/did not make things easier. The sense of helplessness can become overwhelming.
More often than not, teenagers in these situations and surroundings will resort to actions that are counter-productive and that can affect them for the rest of their lives.
In countless cases martial arts have proven to be an constructive outlet for troubled teens. It certainly was one in my own personal experience.
Bruce Lee was my long-distance mentor through his movies and books which got me started in Shotokan karate (yes, I know that Bruce Lee wasn’t a karateka, but a Chinese boxer/kung fu expert. At the time, it sure didn’t matter to me!).
Martial arts training was a great way to escape from a home that really sucked (sorry!). My training helped me learn how to focus, acquire self-defense skills, express myself , build my self-esteem, become really passionate about something, make new friends and so much more.
But enough about me.
Let’s get back to the other teenager this post started about, shall we?!
Money became an issue and attending martial arts classes was in question.
Along came a martial arts instructor and mentor who had the brilliant idea of developing a scholarship program for students with monetary challenges.
I am talking about Sensei Dianne Reeves, founder of Vision Martial Arts Center in Plano, Texas.
Diane Reeve is a 6th-Degree Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do, and holds Black Belts in three other styles: Kenpo, Jujutsu and Kobudo (weapons).
She has been the sole owner of VMAC since its inception in 1995 and has over 2 decades of martial arts experience.
Ms. Reeve is a Registered Nurse and also holds a Master’s Degree in Education. She has two children of her own, but counts each of her students as her children.
Ms. Reeve is a member of the Southwest Kenpo Karate Association and J. Pat Burleson’s World Martial Arts Ranking Association. She was inducted into the World Karate Hall of Fame in 1999 and was World BlackBelt.com instructor of the month October 2002.
She was featured in the March 2003 issue of Plano Profile. In 2004, she was nominated for Children’s Advocacy Center Volunteer of the Year.
She has promoted over 120 people to Black Belt, and higher and has taught martial arts to literally thousands of people, ages 3 and up, from all walks of life.
To learn more about their great program and sponsors, simply visit vmacplano.com
This is an inspirational story and program that is making a real difference in so many lives.
Let me know what you think and if you know about similar stories and programs.
In the meantime I hope you enjoy this video clip of a teenage extreme martial artist:
Today’s Health Info From TheMartialArtsReporter
Whether you are a martial artist or not, this information is for anybody who wants to improve their quality of life by making some simple adjustments.
Just the other day I stumbled across some good reading.
In a medical review published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute it was stated that we could reduce cancer rates by as much as 80 to 90 percent simply by getting rid of environmental toxins.
Several years ago, a review in the British Medical Journal made the claim that close to 75% of most cancers have environmental causes!
It is widely known that toxins are also linked to autoimmune disease and neurological disorders.
And with this post I would like to draw your attention to metals and the effect they can have on our nervous system.
Did you know that people with a high concentration of aluminum in their nerve tissue apparently deal with a greater risk of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia?
The crazy thing about our nervous system is that damage even to small portion can have some serious life-changing consequences.
Aluminum absorption seems to originate from water, food, antacids and deodorants.
Now, why would manufacturers put aluminum in deodorants?
Well, once we apply the deodorant, the aluminum makes its way into the sensory nerves and basically puts them to sleep, which in essence means that the nerves don’t sense heat and as a consequence our body doesn’t sweat.
Just think about it: Aluminum is simply interfering with our nerves’ normal functioning.
Now, some of you might think that we have to do away with deodorants.
Nothing could be further from the truth. Just look for roll-ons without aluminum and parabens. Your body will thank you.
I strongly believe that we have to spend more time reading the labels of the stuff we put in and on our bodies.
You can make immediate changes without reducing, but rather improving your quality of life.
And I didn’t even touch on aluminum foil. Maybe at a later date.
Take care of yourself.
Fellow Martial Artist And PGA-Superstar Phil Mickelson Wins His Third Masters in Augusta!
One of the nicest guys in professional golf and fellow martial artist, Phil Mickelson, was able to play some of his best golf and slip into the coveted green jacket on Sunday for the third time.
Phil Mickelson was featured here at TheMartialArtsReporter.com on March 18
This latest victory comes at a time of extreme personal hardship for the Mickelsons: Both, Phil’s wife and mother are battling breast cancer. Their outlook is positive, but as one can believe, it is having its toll on all family members.
Congratulations to Phil Mickelson (and his family)!
I wish them all the very best!
Move Over, Jackie Chan And Jet Li, Because Here Comes Donnie Yen!
When it comes to martial arts action movie superstars, Jackie Chan and Jet Li have unarguably become household names.
But there’s another performer out there who has been around for many years now and who has been finally getting the attention and, in my humble opinion, long deserved star status.
Well, actually, he is considered the top action movie star in Hong Kong.
He is better known as Donnie Yen.
Martial artist and former stuntman turned actor, director, action choreographer and movie producer, Donnie Yen was born in Guangzhou (Canton), in the Southern Chinese province of Guangdong, in 1963.
When he was 2, his family moved to Hong Kong and then nine years later to Boston, Massachusetts in the United States.
At a very young age he developed a strong interest in martial arts, with his mother being a Wushu and Tai Chi practitioner, who even had a school in Boston.
Donnie studied numerous martial arts from Taekwondo to Wushu and became a very proficient martial artist, who was even admitted to the prestigious Beijing Wushu Team.
In the early 1980s, he starting working in the Hong Kong movie industry as a stuntman and then eventually getting acting roles until his breakthrough in 1992 in Once Upon A Time In China II (together with Jet Li).
He went on to act, to direct, to produce and to leave his mark as a distinguished fight choreographer in a number of productions such as Legend of the Wolf, Ballistic Kiss, Highlander: The Endgame, Blade II, Hero (again with Jet Li) as well as Shanghai Knights (this time with Jackie Chan).
In 2008, he starred in the biggest box office success in Hong Kong and China, Ip Man.
The movie depicts the life of the revered Wing Chun master and teacher of Bruce Lee.
They just recently announced the release of the sequel, Ip Man 2, which will be end of April 2010.
Just to whet your appetite, here’s Donnie Yen in action:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfnXBUrS7E8[/youtube]
How did you like his chain punches?
With A Name Like Lee Inosanto, She’s Got To Be Good
I was just thinking about how a name and family traditions can be passed on down to the next generation.
This definitely applies in many ways to our featured female martial artist extraordinaire, stuntwoman, actress and director, Diana Lee Inosanto.
Some of you might not know, but she is the daughter of living martial arts legend, Guro Dan Inosanto.
Guro Dan’s close friend Bruce Lee was Diana’s godfather, whom as a child she simply referred to as “Uncle Bruce”.
Diana grew up in a martial arts family and environment. Supposedly in the Lee and Inosanto living rooms the coffee tables had to go and make room for mats to continuingly perfect martial arts techniques. I love it!
Diana Lee Inosanto became a highly trained and very proficient martial artist in her own right, to say the least. It also doesn’t hurt being married to highly-acclaimed martial arts expert, Ron Balicki.
After years of working as a successful stuntwoman on projects such as Buffy, The Vampire Slayer and Face/Off, she was able to release her own movie brain-child known as “The Sensei” last year in movie theaters, in which she both acted and directed.
It is now been announced for release on DVD on March 9, 2010.
Critics have called it a very different kind of martial arts movie and that’s fine with me.
“The Sensei” is set in a small Colorado town in 1985, the early years of the AIDS epidemic. The movie battles prejudice and homophobia in 1980s.
McClain (played by Mike O’Laskey) is a gay teenager who is constantly being ostracized. He tries to sign up for classes at the local martial arts dojo to learn to protect himself, but they won’t accept him either.
Karen (played by Diana Lee Inosanto), the black sheep of the family, that runs the dojo, returns to the town after several years away. She privately trains McClain, and the two develop a friendship until a secret Karen harbors changes everything.
My research led me to hear from people who have already seen the movie and this would probably sum it up the best:
“Afraid at first that it would be a cheesy Karate Kid with a gay kid as the lead, but it was so much more than that.
The movie deals with many levels of prejudice, including sexual orientation, race, gender, religion, and HIV. It was touching while sending a powerful message.
The depiction of the victimization endured by the lead character was realistic and horrific.
Some parts of the film weren’t quite as polished and smooth as a major production movie, but it is an independent film.
For anyone who has dealt with any sort of prejudice or hatred, this is a movie that will make you feel strong and hopeful.
For anyone who doesn’t understand what some youths have endured, be it 20 years ago or today, this is a movie that will open your eyes.”
Like I said, the date for the release on DVD is set for Tuesday, March 9, 2010.
Let me know how you like it.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAm_mZyYTlg[/youtube]
We Will Never Forget 9/11 American Hero And Judo Champion, Jeremy Glick
Jeremy Logan Glick (9/3/1970-9/11/2001) was one of several passengers who counterattacked the hijackers of United Airlines flight 93.
On September 11, 2001, “a date which will live in infamy”, thirty-one-year-old Jeremy Glick, and his fellow passengers, sacrificed their lives to prevent terrorists from flying into its Washington, D.C. target.
On that day Jeremy Glick helped save countless lives, displaying character, courage, and honor – he is an American Hero.
Did you know that Jeremy was also an accomplished martial martist? A judoka, to be exact?
I found out that he was trained by trained by Nagayasu Ogasawara, 8th degree Black Belt, who was head judo coach at West Point United States Military Academy Judo Club from 1989 until 1996. Mr. Ogasawara received 1994 National Collegiate Coach of the Year and 1996 Olympic Coach of the Year in Judo.
Nagayasu Ogasawara’s jaw dropped when he saw Jeremy Glick at the 1993 national collegiate judo championships in San Francisco. Ogasawara was coaching Army’s team. Jeremy Glick, a college senior, was at the tournament alone and believe it or not, competing independently.
“He had no team. He had no coach,” said Ogasawara, who had taught Glick judo from the age of 7 until he left for college. “So I said, ‘OK, I’ll coach you.’
Jeremy Glick went on to win the title of US National Collegiate Judo champion in 1993, while he was a student at the University of Rochester.
On September 11, 2002, Glick was awarded the Medal for Heroism, the highest civilian honor bestowed by the Sons of The American Revolution.
He was also awarded the Arthur Ashe Courage Award in 2002.
In September 2008, the United States Judo Association (USJA), awarded Jeremy Glick with an Honorary 10th Degree Black Belt.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNyi8vTzpSA[/youtube]
Get A Great Lower Body Stretching Workout In Only 3 Minutes!
No matter what kind of martial art you practice or not, it’s pretty safe to say that appropriate stretching before AND after any workout can offer a number of benefits such as:
- Increase of range of motion
- Reduce the risk of injury
- Prevent sore muscles after your workout
I speak from personal experience. Maybe some of you out there can relate.
Very often we don’t take the time for proper warming up AND cooling down. It is soooo important, especially the older you, I mean, I get. Haha.
Years ago, we did a lot of ballistic stretching which I today would not favor for lower body stretching. I now prefer static stretching, whereas you stretch a muscle to the point of a tolerable discomfort or better warming sensation and then hold for a defined period like 30 seconds. Just don’t overdo it! Work with your body, not against it.
This has worked for me very well and I just wanted to pass it on to you.
To close today’s post, of course I will not leave you without some visuals:
I came across one of the most effective lower body stretching workouts that really takes only 3 minutes to do.
I highly recommend stretching before AND after your actual workout.
In my humble opinion, it doesn’t matter whether you are a martial artist or not, you will benefit from it. Give it a try and let me know how you like it.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_MVPJ3dX_8[/youtube]
James Cagney, First Martial Artist To Star In A Movie
Academy Award winning actor*, James Cagney (July 17, 1899 – March 30, 1986) gained fame and won major awards for a wide variety of roles.
Cagney is best remembered for playing “tough guys.”
In 1999, he was even ranked #8 among the Greatest Male Stars of All Time by the American Film Institute.
Today, I would like to share something astonishing with my readers that most people certainly do not know.
Not only a proficient boxer, James Cagney was also a certified Judo black belt!
James Cagney starred in the 1945 movie Blood On the Sun, which contained one of the most impressive fight scenes ever shown in a movie. Seriously.
Casually known as “The Professional Againster”, Cagney was definitely the real deal and insisted on performing his own stunts. Thus, Cagney required judo training from expert Ken Kuniyuki and Jack Halloran, who was a former cop.
I was able to find a clip that shows Cagney and Halloran going at it without all the special effects that are available to moviemakers nowadays.
Remember that this movie was made almost 70 (seventy) years ago!
Enjoy James Cagney, First Martial Artist To Star In A Movie!
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqjBMhV4uSM[/youtube]
*Academy Award for Best Actor in “Yankee Doodle Dandy” in 1942.
Congratulations To Fellow Martial Artist, Robert Downey Jr.!
Fellow Martial Artist, Robert Downey Jr. won a Golden Globe Award 2010 for the best comic actor for Sherlock Holmes!
The actor credits the Chinese martial art of Wing Chun kung fu, which he started to train about seven years ago, for giving him the strength to overcome his addictions.
Hey, Robert, Wing Chun looks good on you.
Congratulations from TheMartialArtsReporter.com!
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUQbmFAE5WI[/youtube]
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