Many Black Belt  readers may be familiar with the Japanese phrase ken ki tai ichi . It means that one’s weapon ( ken , which can be...

The wrestler — having quickly disposed of his first four judomen — stood before the fifth opponent, glaring like a wild animal about to...

We’re honoring the matriarchs of martial arts. Sometimes, the most powerful warrior in the story we see never throws a punch—she raises...

Who remembers this iconic cover—the July 1975 issue of Karate Illustrated ? It inspired decades of look-alike poses, emulated by martial...

Here’s one for you to kick around with your dojo mates the next time you’re relaxing after training. It was back in the 1960s, a time...

Stanley Ketchel, aka “The Michigan Assassin,” was one of the greatest middleweight boxing champs of all time. He was noted for tremendous...

The May 1988 cover of Karate/Kung Fu Illustrated spotlighted Jean Frenette , a 10-time Canadian kata champion and WAKO World Champion....

Who remembers this tae kwon do star? The June 1982 cover of Black Belt Magazine featured five-time cover star Pu Gill Gwon , a tae kwon...

He brought a new level of performance to an era when traditional forms still dominated the tournament circuit. Peter Morales , featured...

The January 1987 issue featured Hatsumi Masaaki, best known as the modern grandmaster of Ninjutsu. Born on December 2, 1931, Hatsumi is...

Imagine a political leader going to Duluth to tell Minnesotans this: “You are the descendants of Vikings. You have the blood of warriors...

Think you know your Karate history?  Meet David Deaton —Karate Shihan and beloved champion. Named the #1 Lightweight Fighting Competitor...

Who knows the legacy of James Mitose? The November 1992 cover of Black Belt Magazine featured Thomas Mitose , son of the legendary...

Part 1 of this article examines whether the Olympic Games have been good for judo and taekwondo. For input, we interrogated fire experts,...

Frank E. Sanchez has been around the block. As a youth in Guam, the U.S. territory in which he was born, he frequently had to call on his...

Remember this powerhouse? The October 1975 cover of Karate Illustrated  spotlighted a rising star—Ray Sua. Then an up-and-coming...

The March 1994 cover of Black Belt Magazine featured Richard Norton alongside kickboxing champion Peter Cunningham, photographed by Doug...

On my way to California’s Central Coast to interview a 57-year-old male martial artist who paints his toenails, I got bogged down in...

Featured on the cover of Black Belt 's December 2005 issue, Christine Bannon-Rodrigues poses with grace and power. The Rhode Island...

In the martial arts, few individuals honestly can be said to have changed history. Among the handful who have, perhaps none generates a...

Wally Jay and the Evolution of Small-Circle Jujitsu Ask anyone to compile a list of the martial arts movers and shakers of the 20th...

Using a serrated bread knife, can you cut a baguette, a loaf of French bread, in a single stroke? If you can't, you have work to do in...

The May 1975 cover of Karate Illustrated featured Parker Shelton , a leading competitor in judo and karate during the 1970s. Ranked as...

“You can’t define someone else’s success—choose your own path in martial arts and life” –Stephan Kesting In this episode of The Black...