Wen Hsiu Quan

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 ...

Having researched knockout techniques I have found that apart from the holds and grabs that constrict major arteries to the brain, the type of blow most likely to cause a knockout is a sharp, explosive blow of which the force is channeled into the opponent's body, causing sudden trauma to the brain or heart. To develop such a blow takes the right kind of practice. It already takes a lot of concentration to execute such a technique from a grounded position, like one would do during form practice. So- it will take even more practice and clarity of mind to execute such a technique in a real fight. To give you an idea of the blow you are looking for, take a bucket of water. Then punch into the water with the intent to have as much of that water splash out with one blow. Keep punching until the bucket is almost empty. :)

My mother recently gave me these rubber bands with gloves and straps in a box with a DVD, a nutrition guide and an exercise program. Having enough exercise equipment and an exercise program that utilises the limited time I put aside for it I did not expect much from this gift to be honest. Having watched the first DVD I strapped on the bands- out of curiosity- and I can say that I was pleasantly surprised! One of the first positive changes I have noticed was that I was able to pick my side kick up properly and keep it all together in a way that would have made my first sensei proud. :) Another positive change was that I realised that it was not age that has slowed me down, but a bunch of bad habits in posture that I have developed since I had left the dojo. These bands recitified it all and made me feel 18 again! Billy Blanks, creator of Taebo, came up with these bands as a training method to tone and strengthen muscles while enhancing the Taebo routine....

Projectile weapons may include weapons such as bows and slingshots, but this article focusses mainly on sharp weapons which are thrown by hand. To outline the differences in technique I will differentiate between straight projectile weapons, which include the Chinese throwing knife, needles, quills, the Japanese kunai and the bo shuriken on the one hand- and on the other- spinning weapons, which mainly consist of the Japanese shaken or throwing star, but it van also include playing cards and coins. Straight throwing weapons: Incidentally, many of these weapons make good stabbing weapons as well. Because the sharp tip is the only point of contact the aim of the throwing technique is to have the tip penetrate into the target.  The most effective way to accomplish that is to keep the grip on the weapon very loose during the throwing movement and to guide the weapon by supporting it with the thumb or index finger of the throwing hand.  The weapon is then propelled by ...

It is very easy for caution to turn into a hindrance, preventing us from acting. While it is important to keep one's guard up, to be aware of risks and dangers, one should not be pre-occupied with that. The best way to avoid getting hit is to keep your opponent on the defensive. You will also realise that you have an unhealthy pre-occupation with negative aspects if your fears and concerns prevent you from having a happy and fulfilling life and career.