punching
Another Diverse Week In Review At TheMartialArtsReporter.com
How’s it goin’?
Hope you had a great week, because I sure did, as you can tell from last week’s line-up of posts.
Enjoy all of them in their entirety along with the attached video clips.
Talk to you next week.
The Highest Ranking Female Judoka In The World
Finland: Sauna, Wodka And A Very Eclectic Korean Martial Art
Find Out Who Makes Matt Damon Look Tough In “Green Zone”
Breaking News: Budweiser-Mamas & Mardi Gras Madness
Mardi Gras And Why TheMartialArtsReporter Is Going Nuts
Happy Chinese New Year! It’s The Year Of The Tiger!
Finland: Sauna, Wodka And A Very Eclectic Korean Martial Art
Most of us would make the connection between Finland and Finnish sauna and even some of the most famous Wodka brands money can buy, right?
But Finland and a very eclectic Korean martial art?
Let me tell you how this post came together.
Last Sunday while getting ready for a tennis mixed doubles match I was talking with one of my team members and his wife about martial arts.
They told me that that they had studied some Korean martial art several years ago in Mississippi, which they referred to as Han Moo Do.
I actually had no in-depth knowledge of this style and they were kind enough to tell me a little bit more such as:
Han Moo Do is a fairly young style which consists of elements of Tae Kwon and Hapkido. They probably told me more, but that’s what stuck with me.
That sounded pretty intriguing to me, so I started to dig a bit deeper and here is what I found online:
Han Moo Do was created by 8th dan Young Suk (Yoon Soon Hwang) about 20 years ago, when the first club was established in Finland!
Lately it has been spreading to other Nordic countries, such as Sweden, Norway and Denmark.
The first club outside of the nordic region was recently set up in Limerick, Ireland. But also even in Mississippi in the U.S. Southeast as I mentioned above.
Hanmoodo is descended from other Korean styles, such as Hoi Jeon Moo Sool and Taekwondo, so Hanmoodo resembles these styles as well as Hapkido in many areas.
Hanmoodo’s techniques include kicks, punches, throws, takedowns, grappling , joint-locking techniques and chokes.
Kicks are mostly aimed at ribs or head.
Punches can be targeted to the body only.
Throws and takedowns resemble Judo and wrestling techniques but are done even more elegantly.
Joint locks mainly target the wrist and elbow but there are also leg locks.
Chokes are performed mostly with forearm and wrist.
The art contains three weapon styles: nunchaku, long staff e.g. Japanese bo; and sword e.g. Japanese katana.
Hanmoodo practitioners are also encouraged to engage in exhibitions where a practiced choreography is presented to an audience. These choreographies feature several practitioners performing self-defence techniques on each other.
In competition, Hanmoodo rules permit kicks above the waistline and punches between the waistline and the head.
All strikes must hit the front of the body and other kinds of strikes are prohibited.
Competitors may also grapple by throwing or taking down their opponent and controlling him/her on the mat but striking is prohibited when either competitor has a hold on the other or is considered to be on the ground.
I have found Han Moo Do or hanmoodo to be a rather interesting mixed martial art that covers the four combat ranges of long, medium and close as well as ground fighting. Oh, yeah, weapons, too.
Personally, I can do without the high-flying kicks, which in no way criticizes the style itself. High kicks might have their justification.
Summa summarum, I am impressed with Han Moo Do and to give you some visuals of it all, here is a clip I found. Hope you enjoy it.
P.S.: My wife and I won our tennis match 6-0, 6-3.!
Why Kick High If You Can Kick Low?
I know that well executed high kicks can get people’s attention and admiration. When competing in certain styles such as Tae Kwon Do, Karate etc. that’s how you get the points, right?! I also know they have their justification, so just hear me out.
Speaking from my personal experience, it’s very exhilarating to execute a yodan-kizami-zuki (upper jab), a chudan-gyaku-zuki (cross to solar plexus) and then finalize with a yodan-mawashi-geri (upper roundhouse kick) to an opponent’s temple. Hmm, was just strolling down memory lane. Yeah, baby (was supposed to sound like Austin Powers!).
Now, many years later, for me the first two techniques no problem. The final mawashi geri to the what? Let’s get real, will ya? I am not 20 anymore, so I will simply adapt to circumstances which means I am going apply a Muay Thai round kick to my not so friendly opponent’s upper thigh by using my shin.
Listen up, even without going to the gym or dojo for years and years most people can acquire the skills for this kick fairly quickly. I also believe it’s a pretty neat self-defense technique for women. We all know that legs are more powerful than arms. So let’s just put that knowledge to work in our favor.
This combination and especially the final technique is really fast and really effective. Really!
To give you a better idea of what it looks like, check out this clip and try it. You’re gonna like it.
Every Month Should Be Women’s Self-Defense Awareness Month
How’s it goin’?
I finally got around to watch a movie that I have been wanting to watch for a long time, called “Tears Of The Sun” starring Bruce Willis. I am not a certified film critic, but honestly I wasn’t too impressed with the script itself. However, I do appreciate U.S. Navy Seals Tactics. More on that shortly.
Anyway …..
I have pointed out numerous times during the last couple of months on this blog that I am a fervent supporter of women’s no-nonsense self-defense training for real-life situations.
I am not advocating women to live in constant fear. Instead, I wholeheartedly support programs that empower women to go through life in a state of prepared awareness.
Why? Let’s have a look at some statistics gathered from the U.S. Dept. of Justice, RAINN, CDC, GBI and FBI sources that might shock you:
- 1 in 4 women have been or will be the target of an attempted or completed rape during their lifetime.
- More than 70% of women raped are known to their attackers in some way—an acquaintance, friend, neighbor, co-worker, relative, husband or boyfriend.
- Most attacks and assaults occur within 1 mile of your home, work, school or office.
- 1 in 12 women will be stalked during their lifetime.
- Each year, more than 13,000 women are attacked on the job in the U.S.
- A violent crime occurs every 22 seconds in the U.S. (rape, robbery, assault, murder, with and without weapons).
I can only be the messenger through this blog:
If you are a girl/woman or if you know a girl/woman you care about (and who doesn’t?!), I really urge you and them to look into taking practical self-defense training classes on a regular basis.
I really mean it!
Practical in my mind does not mean practicing Karate kata, which I happen to enjoy myself. But there is a place and time for everything.
The following clip gives a pretty good intro and I know that women, heck, even guys, can benefit from the information put on display.
The Week In Review At TheMartialArtsReporter.com
The Week In Review At TheMartialArtsReporter.com
“Time keeps on moving into the future.”
But that shouldn’t stop us from having a look at this past Week In Review. Enjoy!
This has to be my personal favorite technique ever. Don’t miss “Back To Basics: Karate Middle Punch (Chudan Zuki)“
“Chewing on” an injury myself, I thought you might benefit from “Should Injured Martial Artists Still Work Out?”
At times underrated and underestimated “Judo: No Kicking And Punching, But It Can Still Hurt Like Hell!“
Do you know who ‘The Greatest Sports Figure Of The State of Iowa’ Is? Dan Gable, Olympic Wrestling Icon From The U.S. American Heartland
Yeah, it’s that time of the year again: “Jack Bauer/Kiefer Sutherland Of “24″ And The Art Of Fighting“
Congratulations To Fellow Martial Artist, Robert Downey Jr.! Wing Chun Practitioner Wins A Golden Globe Award for Sherlock Holmes!
Take it from the Little Dragon, Bruce Lee And The Power Of Goal Setting
Enjoy your Sunday!
I’ll be back here tomorrow. You, too?
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!
Honor Student – Muay Thai Style
We have all seen those bumper stickers that read “My kid is a honor student of so-and-so school”, right?!
This morning I came across a video of an honor student of a somewhat different kind of school.
It all takes place at a Muay Thai training camp/school in Thailand.
Now, I will admit that I have read conflicting reports on how old this kid really is. I don’t know whether he is 9 or 12 or even 13 years old.
Does it matter?
You decide for yourself considering that he is showing off his skills during the 4th round of his 5 x 3 minute training session.
Oh, yeah, after he did his daily 5k (3mile) morning run.
Enjoy and be inspired by this honor student – Muay Thai style!
This Week In Review At The MartialArtsReporter.com
Thanks for checking in today.
You are always welcome here at TheMartialArtsReporter.com
Today, I am introducing something here for the first time and I hope you enjoy it:
A Weekly Review Of The Preceding 6 Days – Just Click On The Link Of The Post You Missed Or The One You Liked So Much That You Just Have To Read It Again.
Also, I would like to introduce an inspirational quote that I just know you’re going like.
Wishing you only the very best, always.
Garage-Style Filipino Stick Fighting (Arnis, Escrima, Kali) with Dan Inosanto
Tips From Former Navy SEAL Hand-To-Hand Combat Instructor, Paul Vunak
Senior Grandmaster Ed Parker Sr., Father Of American Kenpo Karate
Joe Lewis, The World’s Greatest Karate Fighter Of All Time
Manny Pacquiao Or What I Learn From My Barber
Albert Einstein For Martial Artists And Anybody Willing To Learn
“The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results” – Albert Einstein
Jhoon Rhee, Taekwondo Grandmaster And National Treasure
Back in the day or should I rather say in the late 70s, when I was actively practicing Shotokan karate, some of my buddies and I would go check out Taekwondo schools on our “off” days.
But there never were any real “off” days, because we were just so karate-crazy. Can any of you relate?
I must say that we picked up some great ideas about improving our own kicking abilities on those “off” days by thinking and looking outside the box.
Then came the phase of incorporating contact in our sparring sessions.
And what a blessing it was when I stumbled across information in some martial arts magazine that Jhoon Rhee had developed Safe-T-equipment in 1972 which absolutely revolutionized karate training and tournaments not only in the U.S. but worldwide.
It sure did for us after we got the large box full of equipment. This must have been in 1979 or so. But here I go dating myself again.
And would you believe that I still have my set of Safe-T’s. I kid you not!
Jhoon Rhee, who is now 77 years young and a 10th dan in Taekwondo, did more than just that:
After leaving Korea and coming to the U.S. in 1956 he successfully promoted Taekwondo on such a grand scale that he is today widely recognized as the Father of American Taekwondo.
Due to his countless activities, especially in the Washington DC area, promoting overall fitness and American values at their best, Jhoon Rhee was referred to by Congressman Ike Skelton as a “national treasure”.
Jhoon Rhee and Bruce Lee became friends in the 60s and learned quite a bit from each other.
According to Linda Lee Cadwell they had a very close and respectful teacher – teacher relationship.
Bruce taught him how to much punch and Jhoon taught Bruce how to kick.
They exchanged letters (that’s what people used to do before email and twitter!).
During the late 60s, Jhoon Rhee’s self-defense classes became the talk of the town in the DC area after this TV commercial that people still talk about today:
Jhoon Rhee also showed Muhammad Ali, aka “The Greatest” a thing or two about punching:
Even at the age of 77, Grandmaster Jhoon Rhee is still as active as ever, working out on a daily basis which he hasn’t missed in twenty years and getting in his 100 push-ups per day.
Thank You, Jhoon Rhee, for your never ending inspiration!
Introducing Wing Chun
In my bio you will notice that 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).
I studied under Sifu Francis Fong, one of the finest Wing Chun instructors in the U.S.
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 Wing Chun practitioners such as Ip Man, Bruce Lee, Ip Chun, Leung Ting, Emin Boztepe, I just had to give it my best shot.
Wing Chun, translated into English, means ‘Eternal Spring or Beautiful Springtime’ and refers to the name of Yim Wing Chun, who received Chinese boxing training from a Buddhist nun.
At the time the style was nameless.
Yim later married and taught her husband this style of fighting. He then simply went ahead and gave the syle her name, Wing Chun.
There are a number of theories and versions about how Wing Chun originated. I like the one I just gave you.
The typical Wing Chun stance is supposed to be like a piece of bamboo, firm but flexible, rooted but yielding.
Wing Chun favors a high, narrow stance with your elbows kept close to your body and your arms are positioned across the vitals of the centerline.
Attack and defense follow along an imaginary horizontal line drawn from the center of your chest to the center your opponent’s chest. The prime striking targets are on or near this line, including eyes, nose, throat, solar plexus and groin.
With the emphasis on the center line, your vertical fist straight punch will be your most common strike.
Your kicks are to be kept below the waist. This is typical of southern Chinese martial arts, in contrast to northern systems which apply many high kicks.
Chained vertical punches are used a lot in Wing Chun.
You develop your reflexes by searching unsecured defenses through use of sensitivity.
Training through Chi Sao (‘sticking hands”) with a training partner, one practices the trapping of hands. When an opponent is “trapped”, he or she becomes immobile.
Wing Chun also offers forms that are meditative, solitary exercises to develop self-awareness, balance, relaxation and sensitivity. They also help you in the fundamental movement and in generating the correct amount of force.
Wing Chun generally consists of three empty hand, one “wooden dummy” and two weapons forms.
There you have it: Wing Chun in a nutshell.
Enjoy the clip and always protect your centerline!
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