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...

Black Belt Magazine showcased Hirokazu Kanazawa on the cover of the May 1987 issue. Widely regarded as one of the greatest fighters in...

With a deadline fast approaching, the need for 1,000 words on the business of writing about martial arts and a case of writer's block, I...

Lee’s life read like a novel that frequently found him appearing at the confluence of historical events — from escaping the Communist...

Featured on the cover of Karate Illustrated ’s January 1971 issue, the incredible Thomas LaPuppet stands as a defining figure in...

For years, Cambodia occupied a spot on my bucket list of countries in which I wanted to learn martial arts. Once there, however, I was...

Featured on the cover of Karate Illustrated's December 1983 issue, Mike Shintaku —a dominant force in the Pacific Northwest karate...

The February 2009 issue of Black Belt Magazine featured   Lyoto Machida, a Brazilian mixed martial artist renowned for his elusive...

Much Emphasized, Yet Least Discussed One of the most emphasized yet least talked about karate techniques is kata—the dance-like series of...