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Karate Illustrated Cover Story Throwback: Jerry Piddington
Jerry Piddington graced the 1974 issue of Karate Illustrated Magazine described in that article by his fellow karateka as "one crazy dude"
Black Belt Team
Sep 1, 2024


Unveiling the Mystique of Martial Arts: From Ancient Origins to Modern Influence
Martial arts have fascinated humanity for millennia, blending physical prowess with mental discipline in a way that transcends mere combat.
Black Belt Team
Sep 1, 2024


Karate vs. Kung Fu: The Ultimate Showdown of Martial Arts Mastery
Let's delve into the history, similarities, and differences between these two martial arts to determine which might suit you best...
Black Belt Team
Aug 26, 2024


Karate vs. Taekwondo: Discover the Differences Before You Choose
When it comes to martial arts, few disciplines are as widely recognized and practiced as Karate and Taekwondo.
Black Belt Team
Aug 22, 2024


Shotokan from the Source: Kyle Funakoshi Karate Master from Indisputable Lineage
If there’s such a thing as karate DNA, the Funakoshi family must have it in spades..
Robert Young
Aug 7, 2024


Event of the Week: The Internationals
The Long Beach International Karate Championships is an international karate and martial arts tournament first launched in Long Beach...
Black Belt Team
Aug 3, 2024


Shiro Saigo's Approach to Defeating Much Larger Opponents
SAIGO lived and thrived in the tumultuous era of Japan’s early modernization. Jigoro Kano’s Kodokan was emerging as an influential force...
Black Belt Team
Jul 29, 2024


Navigating the Maze That Is the Japanese Language
Those giant mazes, made of hedges or carved from cornfields and designed so that you have to wind your way through..
Dave Lowry
Jul 25, 2024


Black Belt Cover Story Throwback: Hidy Ochiai
The 1980 Black Belt Magazine cover featured world-renowned Master Hidy Ochiai who brought Wa-shin Ryu Karate-Do, from Japan to the US in...
Black Belt Team
Jul 25, 2024


Take Your Dojo to a Higher Rank in 3 Easy Steps!
I’ve run martial arts schools for many years. Like most school owners during the days before Google and Bing, I depended on listings in...
Floyd Burk
Jul 24, 2024


Black Belt Magazine Cover Story Throwback: Cobra Kai
Throwback cover from the February/March 2021 edition features the cast of Cobra Kai--Ralph Macchio, William Zabka, and Martin Kove!
Black Belt Team
Jul 18, 2024


Martial Arts Worldview: Training in Hapkido, Watching 'Billy Jack' and Becoming a Sheepdog
As a 23-year-old graduate student in Middle America in the early 1970s, I was hungry for whatever I could learn about the Asian martial arts
James D. Brewer
Jul 18, 2024


Do Karate Students Need to Know About the Japanese Sword?
In short, karate and swordsmanship are both fighting arts, but there’s little in the way of technical or strategic overlap..
Black Belt Team
Jul 16, 2024


Fighting Stars Cover Story Throwback: Angela Mao Ying
The October 1974 cover of Fighting Stars featured a 22-year-old Angela Mao Ying in her unforgettable role as Bruce Lee's sister...
Black Belt Team
Jul 14, 2024


The Sword Behind the Smile: Samurai Poker Face
I remembered one that I heard as a child: umi no uchi no katana, “the sword behind the smile...
Dave Lowry
Jul 9, 2024


Positional Setup: Win More Fights By Predicting Opponents Next Moves
How many times have you entered the ring at a martial arts competition and faced your opponent and had no idea what he or she was about.....
Perry William Kelly
Jul 8, 2024


Karate Illustrated Cover Throwback: Donnie Williams
It was through his involvement in karate that Donnie Williams ventured into the world of movies...
Black Belt Team
Jul 7, 2024


Event of the Week: US Open
Entering its 40th year the Tournament has become one of the most influential and prestigious tournaments...
Black Belt Team
Jul 6, 2024


World's Most Prestigious Martial Arts Tournaments
In honor of this significant milestone, we are listing some of the most important tournaments in modern martial arts history....
George Chung
Jul 5, 2024


The Sai: A Classical Approach to Wielding a Classical Weapon
There has been a sea change in thinking among practitioners of the traditional martial arts in the past 30 years...
Chris Thomas
Jul 4, 2024


Kyle Funakoshi on Shotokan Karate’s Proven Strategies for Faking Punches and Kicks
“In shotokan, we start off the beginners just standing up and making sure their feet are in the correct position so they get the proper...
John T. Bingham
Jul 2, 2024


Karate Illustrated Cover Story Throwback: Patrick McCarthy
The May 1984 cover featured Karate Master and Champion Patrick McCarthy. Originally from Canada, McCarthy migrated to Japan during the...
Black Belt Team
Jun 30, 2024


Osu! The Origin Behind the Karateka's Exclamation
I occasionally greet people with, “Ehh, howzit?” Those people are my age or younger, people I know well and who have some conversance...
Dave Lowry
Jun 25, 2024


Karate Illustrated Cover Story Throwback: Keith Cooke
The November 1984 Karate Illustrated cover featured a young Keith Cooke before his explosion as action star on the silver screen. Even...
Black Belt Team
Jun 23, 2024
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