top of page


Ken Ki Tai Ichi: How to Have a Perfect Strike in Japanese Martial Arts
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...
Dave Lowry
10 hours ago


Judo vs. Wrestling: Which Style Is Better?
The wrestler — having quickly disposed of his first four judomen — stood before the fifth opponent, glaring like a wild animal about to...
Hayward Nishioka
1 day ago


Fists of Love: The Mothers Who Raised Martial Arts Legends
We’re honoring the matriarchs of martial arts. Sometimes, the most powerful warrior in the story we see never throws a punch—she raises...
Justin Lee Ford
2 days ago


Cover Story Throwback: Mel Wise
Who remembers this iconic cover—the July 1975 issue of Karate Illustrated ? It inspired decades of look-alike poses, emulated by martial...
Black Belt Team
2 days ago


Master or Manipulator: The Dark Side of Trusting Your Karate Sensei
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...
Dave Lowry
6 days ago


The Boulder-Throwing Boxer: Stanley Ketchel’s Old-School Punching Power
Stanley Ketchel, aka “The Michigan Assassin,” was one of the greatest middleweight boxing champs of all time. He was noted for tremendous...
Mark Hatmaker
May 5


Cover Story Throwback: Jean Frenette
The May 1988 cover of Karate/Kung Fu Illustrated spotlighted Jean Frenette , a 10-time Canadian kata champion and WAKO World Champion....
Black Belt Team
May 4


Cover Story Throwback: Pu Gill Gwon
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...
Black Belt Team
May 1


Cover Story Throwback: Peter Morales
He brought a new level of performance to an era when traditional forms still dominated the tournament circuit. Peter Morales , featured...
Black Belt Team
Apr 27


Cover Story Throwback: Masaaki Hatsumi
The January 1987 issue featured Hatsumi Masaaki, best known as the modern grandmaster of Ninjutsu. Born on December 2, 1931, Hatsumi is...
Black Belt Team
Apr 24


The Bushido Code Is a Lie (And It’s in Your Dojo)
Imagine a political leader going to Duluth to tell Minnesotans this: “You are the descendants of Vikings. You have the blood of warriors...
Dave Lowry
Apr 23


Cover Story Throwback: David Deaton
Think you know your Karate history? Meet David Deaton —Karate Shihan and beloved champion. Named the #1 Lightweight Fighting Competitor...
Black Belt Team
Apr 20


Cover Story Throwback: Thomas Mitose
Who knows the legacy of James Mitose? The November 1992 cover of Black Belt Magazine featured Thomas Mitose , son of the legendary...
Black Belt Team
Apr 17


The Olympic Effect: Has It Helped or Hurt Traditional Martial Arts? (Part 1)
Part 1 of this article examines whether the Olympic Games have been good for judo and taekwondo. For input, we interrogated fire experts,...
Black Belt Team
Apr 15


San-Jitsu vs. the World: How Frank Sanchez Took On the Martial Arts Elite
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...
Floyd Burk
Apr 14


Cover Story Throwback: Ray Sua
Remember this powerhouse? The October 1975 cover of Karate Illustrated spotlighted a rising star—Ray Sua. Then an up-and-coming...
Black Belt Team
Apr 13


Cover Story Throwback: Richard Norton
The March 1994 cover of Black Belt Magazine featured Richard Norton alongside kickboxing champion Peter Cunningham, photographed by Doug...
Black Belt Team
Apr 10


No-Frills Fighter: A Visit to The Pit With John Hackleman
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...
Robert Young
Apr 9


Cover Story Throwback: Christine Bannon-Rodrigues
Featured on the cover of Black Belt 's December 2005 issue, Christine Bannon-Rodrigues poses with grace and power. The Rhode Island...
Black Belt Team
Apr 6


Rorion Gracie: The Man Who Revolutionized Martial Arts—And Why He Walked Away from the UFC
In the martial arts, few individuals honestly can be said to have changed history. Among the handful who have, perhaps none generates a...
Mark Jacobs
Apr 2


Small Circle Jujitsu: The Secret to Controlling an Attacker
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...
John Mellon
Apr 1


Punch Harder with Less Effort—The Unexpected Lesson from Sushi Chefs
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...
Dave Lowry
Mar 31


Cover Story Throwback: Parker Shelton
The May 1975 cover of Karate Illustrated featured Parker Shelton , a leading competitor in judo and karate during the 1970s. Ranked as...
Black Belt Team
Mar 30


The Black Belt Podcast with Harinder Singh Sabharwal - Stephan Kesting - Season 4 Ep. 7
“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...
Black Belt Team
Mar 28
bottom of page