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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


Karate Illustrated Cover Story Throwback: Charlie Lee
The December 1984 Karate Illustrated cover featured a young Charlie Lee from Washington DC, with the headline "Tae Kwon Do: a New...
Black Belt Team
Jun 16, 2024


Perhaps Gichin Funakoshi Was Not the Greatest Karateka of All Time
THIS MIGHT COME as a surprise to many who train in Japanese karate, who have come to regard Funakoshi (1868-1957) as the most...
Dave Lowry
Jun 10, 2024


Karate Illustrated Cover Story Throwback: Carlos Bunda 1970
The August 1970 Karate Illustrated featured one of Southern California's top competitors Carlos Bunda, featured on the cover with his...
Black Belt Team
Jun 2, 2024


Karate Illustrated Cover Story Throwback: Bill Wallace 1979
The 1979 Karate Illustrated throwback features Bill "Superfoot Wallace" with PKA Heavyweight Champion Ernest Hart.
Black Belt Team
May 26, 2024


Karate’s Forgotten Pioneer: Yasuhiro Konishi
History has a flow; some characters are caught in the currents and carried along, while others fall into an eddy and are soon forgotten.
Dave Lowry
May 20, 2024


Karate Illustrated Cover Story Throwback: Steve Sanders 1973
The Jan 1973 Karate Illustrated cover featured Steve Sanders, the then International Karate Champion..
Black Belt Team
May 19, 2024


Generation Next: Jamie Christine Lim
Jamie Christine Lim is a Filipino Karateka and SEA Games gold medal champion in the women's kumite.
Black Belt Team
May 15, 2024


Kung Fu Hip Hop, Da Martial Elements And Marco Johnson
A story about a homeless person who’s also a martial arts master, and it became an acclaimed short film titled The Legend of Kung Funk.
Mark Jacobs
May 13, 2024


Do You Understand The Kata? Find Out Now!!
If You’re A Student Of Japanese Or Okinawan Karate, You’ve Been Introduced To The First Of The Five Heian Or Pinan Kata.
Dave Lowry
May 9, 2024


10 Reasons Why We Love Chuck Norris
At 84, Chuck Norris is still at the top of his game, from movies to TV and even endorsements. Here is a special listicle from our publisher.
Black Belt Team
Apr 26, 2024


The Chinese Connection: A Critical Look at Chojun Miyagi’s Landmark 1936 Lecture on the Origins of Karate
A Critical Look at Chojun Miyagi’s Landmark 1936 Lecture on the Origins of Karate
Gary J. Garrahan
Apr 23, 2024


The Hidden Stuff of Karate Kata
In matters of karate kata, there are all sorts of purported explanations for what’s really going on. What appears to be a simple step...
Black Belt Team
Apr 4, 2024


The Next Generation of Legends: Women in Martial Arts Redefining the Game
In the dynamic realm of martial arts, a new generation of super athletes is emerging and they're rewriting the script on what it means to...
George Chung
Mar 29, 2024


7 Movies to Get You in the Fighting Spirit!
Spring is here in the Northern Hemisphere, which means if you’ve been going through the motions the last few weeks of winter, it’s time...
Bo Maxwell
Mar 29, 2024


Unveiling the Legacy of the Legendary Ridge Hand: A Timeless Technique in the Blood and Guts Era of Karate
In the annals of martial arts history, there exists a technique so formidable, so revered, that it became synonymous with the Blood and...
George Chung
Mar 22, 2024


Cover Story Throwback: Christine Bannon-Rodrigues
Christine Bannon Rodrigues 9x WAKO World Karate Champion, SAG stunt woman, master instructor and co-promoter of the Ocean State Grand...
Black Belt Team
Mar 21, 2024


Fumio Demura: The Life of a Legend
by Christopher Cockrell The word "legend" conjures up images of larger-than-life figures who have performed unbelievable feats over the...
Black Belt Team
Mar 20, 2024


The Flying Side Kick
Throughout Black Belt's illustrious 63-year history, the flying sidekick has remained among the most revered techniques, the flying side...
George Chung
Mar 15, 2024


Unveiling the Mysteries: 10 Fascinating Trivia about Martial Arts
Martial arts, a blend of skill, discipline, and philosophy, offer far more than just self-defense techniques. Across centuries, they've...
Black Belt Team
Mar 14, 2024


Tracing the Evolution: The Fascinating History of the Nunchaku
When explaining the origin of the nunchaku, we need to follow different historical paths which lead us to ancient history and direct us...
David Stainko
Mar 13, 2024


World's Greatest Martial Arts Magazines
The debate over what truly defines the world's greatest Martial Arts Magazines is a nuanced one, with various perspectives on the...
George Chung
Mar 8, 2024


Watch Your Words: How Words Affect Form
Think about how words, spoken or heard, can influence the way we train in the dojo. Those same words can influence the way we move our...
Black Belt Team
Mar 7, 2024


Fumio Demura: Shito-Ryu Karate
Ask the average karate practitioner to name the main styles of Japan, and chances are he’ll rattle off shotokan, goju-ryu and wado-ryu...
Black Belt Team
Mar 5, 2024
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