Wen Hsiu Quan

I have enjoyed Black Belt TV's Move of the Day inserts since the channel came to South Africa. The inserts show some martial arts movie legends demonstrating the most basic of moves. This is actually a nice way of interacting with the viewers to get them interested in martial arts. The back fist demonstration, however, was not on. I recognised the type of back fist as the one I used to perform when doing the Shotokan kata, Tekki Shodan. Let's just say that I have found no use for that technique in actual combat and when I began developing my own style- that technique was gone before even the first unwanted techniques got thrown out. If I could re-write that kata- I would have put a descending hammer fist there! In the video I demonstrate and discuss the proper technique when performing the back fist strike. I have left out some of my favorite methods to perform the strike and used only the most common and basic examples. If you want to know more about the versatility of...

Depending on which style you practice or which technique you prefer- this kick could either be your weakest or your strongest kick. This video is especially a must-see for any karateka who wants to test himself in the MMA arena. Feel free to comment or to email me at boshoffm3@gmail.com.

I'll admit that I don't practice with this weapon much. Recently I decided to make the chain longer for extra reach. For those who do not know this weapon it is a chain with an iron weight at each end. The weights are flung at the opponent to stun him/her while the chain itself is used to ensnare or as a garrot. This particular weapon is associated with Ninjutsu, but Chinese martial arts have similar weapons using blades or weights at the end of ropes or chains. As you can see from the video I have some trouble controlling this weapon. If anyone has a better video to post- you can email it to me at boshoffm3@gmail.com.

Most of us who have actually joined a dojo for martial arts like karate or judo know that running does not feature as one of the techniques taught. Fact is, however, that the running technique worth mentioning is not taught- it is developed. In an age where martial arts were actually used in warfare and not just as a sport- exponents of some known martial arts relied not only on attacks, but also on ways to move oneself as efficiently as possible by climbing, running and jumping. Shaolin has a known skill called "Running on Grass". The translation from Chinese makes very little sense to me, but it's supposed to mean that the exponent can run really fast... A known technique which most of you will probably have heard about a couple of years too late is the straw hat- sprints used by the Ninja. Young students from the age of about 8 and up are given a straw hat. they are then made to run fast enough, without holding the hat in their hands, for the hat to be pressed...

Finally! I got ankle weights, wrist weights and power bands. This is THE way to train for karate or kickboxing! If you have been practicing martial arts for at least a year I am sure you don't need a DVD to tell you how to execute your techniques. With the resisitance from these training aids your workout should be a lot more fun!  

I have combined the PT247 with ankle weights and wrist weights to give me a great workout. Following the example of Goku and Rock Lee, I can testify that this workout works wonders!

Rugby is definitely close enough to a fighting sport as it is. It is a tough contact sport that requires physical strength as well as psychological toughness. The most successful team in this sport is undoubtedly the All Blacks. No doubt that the warrior spirit displayed by the Haka plays a crucial part in their success. Their passion and skill are world renowned and they are known as a force to be reckoned with throughout the rugby community. I have stated in an earlier post that the martial arts are comprised of 3 elements- power, technique and tactics. This post briefly evaluates the All Blacks in these 3 respects. 1. Power: Whether it is the front row taking and dishing out punishment in the scrums and the rucks or Dagg that can kick a ball hard enough to drop a sturdy built front row player to his knees- the All Blacks have shown us that their players have all the physical strength they need. Being elbowed in the face, stepped on and knocked really hard ...