There is no limit to the number of life-lessons the Martial Arts teach an astute practitioner. However, in my mind, one stands above the others, and it will serve you for a lifetime. This lesson is perhaps best encapsulated by the following popular Japanese proverb. “Fall down seven times, get up eight.” The physical and mental aspects of Martial Arts training embolden your spirit such that you learn to keep moving forward no matter the obstacle. You become the very embodiment of this quotation. Sometimes this happens quite literally. Sparring This obvious parallel on the mats teaches us the literal lesson of getting back up. Undoubtably, we have all faced someone with superior skills at one time or another. That’s just life. But in the dojo, we must step up to the challenge where people regularly avoid potential conflict in everyday life. Because we stand to face the challenge, we are vulnerable to getting knocked down. And when it inevitably happens, we gather ourselves and pop back up for another round. In the middle of the session, little thought is given to the greater lesson. All we know in the moment is that we must get back up and continue. Voluntarily putting ourselves into that position of challenge and responding to whatever results is one thing that separates a martial artist from the general public. While most people would rather avoid an activity all together than risk failure, as marital artists, we know that it is through temporary failure that we learn and consequently grow. Though, not all examples in Martial Arts training are quite so literal… Promotions We have all heard a million times that our focus should be on something other than belts and climbing the ranks. Ultimately, it is the pursuit of knowledge that should be our driving factor, not the strip of cloth around our waist. Despite knowing this, it is easy to get caught up with trying to work our way through the ranks. This can be due to ego, pride, or something as innocent as excitement for learning new material. No matter the reason, it can be a tough pill to swallow if you fail on a belt test or are held at a rank longer than others. I remember early on in my Kenpo journey; I flubbed up on a pre-test in preparation for an upcoming belt test and was forced to wait for the next promotion cycle. In the moment, I was admittedly unhappy with myself. But, when I finally did test, months later, I was all the better for it. As I look back on that moment, I am exceedingly happy that I wasn’t pushed through a mediocre promotion and instead was made to put in more work to be truly worthy of testing. Though I was not physically knocked to the ground in this example, I did have to brush off my ego and step back up to the plate. I know I’m not the only one with such an experience. We all face moments like this on our journey in the arts. We have what we, in the moment, think are setbacks that ultimately become set-ups for a much grander future. Katas Sometimes the lesson is taught in the tiniest of detail. If you’ve been training for several years, think back to the very first kata you learned. Do you remember when you “got it” and thought you knew how to do it perfectly? Do you have it on video? Compare it to how you do that same form today. If you don’t have it on tape, I bet you can still see where I’m going with this. The fine detail, execution, and intention of your kata today are sure to be better in every way possible. Why is this? It’s simply another application of “getting up” again. Though you felt that you were doing it correctly before, you continue to improve through practice. This gets at the heart of the arts. The striving for perfection is on display as we continue to try again and again to master our forms. We try to make it a bit better, closer to perfection, every time. We reinforce the great lesson through these small continual improvements (kaizen). The take-home message of today is that the habit of persistence taught through the Martial Arts is one of the greatest gifts you can receive from your studies. A true Martial Artist knows that there is always room for improvement and strives for it. Not a day will go by that you are not well served by this habit formed by you of the arts. Salute, Ian Lauer 3rd Degree Black Belt American Kenpo 1st Degree Black Belt Tae Kwon Do 1st Degree Black Belt Hapkido 1st Degree Black Belt Coszacks Karate

Years ago one of my dearly departed friends and mentor Karl Geis spoke of developing a program to teach seniors citizens how to fall. Well looks like Karl had the right idea based on these articles I wanted to share as my Black Belt Judo Blog for this week. Sensei Gary Goltz Teaching Forward Ukemi (with his son Nathan in the background) He re's the routine (step forward with hands out, then up, then all the way to your back foot, and finally look to the rear). This seems to work really well. Judo Falls Save All: Tua Tagovailoa Hopes Judo Will Help Him Learn to Avoid Head Injuries The Dolphins quarterback is looking at an unorthodox way to avoid future concussions. Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa had multiple stints in the league’s concussion protoco l this season. As the Miami quarterback looks to enter the 2023-24 season healthier, he has a plan of attack in an effort to avoid future head injuries: Judo! “We’ve got a plan set up and I’ll be doing judo on Fridays so that I can figure out like … understanding my body and how to fall,” Tagovailoa told Kay Adams and Nate Burleson on the Up and Adams show on Friday. “Just trying to help myself.” Tagovailoa was at the center of recent discussion on concussions in football after multiple head injuries sidelined him this season. The Dolphins passer suffered multiple confirmed concussions, the final one coming against the Packers in Week 16. He missed the final three games of the season after that injury. When healthy, Tagovailoa proved that he was good enough to be the Dolphins’ franchise quarterback. He notched career highs in passing yards (3,548) and touchdowns (25). Tagovailoa also completed 64.8% oh is passes this season as he led Miami to an 8–5 record as a starter. The Dolphins made the playoffs with a 9–8 record, and finished second in the AFC East to the Bills. Miami’s season ended with a competitive 34–31 loss in the AFC wild card round to Buffalo, which was missed by Tagovailoa due to his final stint in the concussion protocol. “With @Tua now being a dad, it makes him want do things outside of the NFL to help himself… he will be doing judo every Friday to understand his body and how to fall 🥋 📺: @FanDuelTV | @heykayadams | @nateburleson” The University of Brighton will play host to the Safe Falls Seminar later this month. Taking place on the 11th and 12th of February. The Safe Falls Seminar is an educational programme, based on judo, methodologically developed through scientific research, to teach children to fall safely and securely. This prevention strategy emphasises creating safer environments to reduce daily life risks. The World Health Organization (2021) points out that falls are the second leading cause of unintentional injury and deaths worldwide. This figure comes from the 37.3 million falls that are severe enough to require medical attention each year. Faced with this problem of great social significance, and of great economic expense for all countries, the WHO launched the challenge of responding to this social problem with ‘prevention strategies that should emphasise education, training, creating safer environments, prioritising fall-related research and establishing effective policies to reduce risk’. Institutions such as the European Judo Union and the University of Seville, together with eight other European universities, have reacted to this WHO call and believe that Safe Fall-Safe Schools can respond to the WHO challenge, in a coherent and objective manner. Therefore, they have joined forces to develop the Safe Fall-Safe Schools programme and to bring judo, and its ukemis, closer to society, supporting the EJU motto that ‘Judo is More than Sport’. Montreal Judo courses in Quebec are teaching older people how to fall safely Seniors learn new reflexes to prevent injury when they take a tumble Keep your head tucked in, form your body into a ball and roll. It's what Monique Laroche, 93, did last year when she fell on the bus. "The driver took off too fast and I didn't have time to sit so I let myself slide and I was careful about my head, like how we practised," said Laroche. Laroche walked away without any serious injury thanks to judo courses she's been taking in Saint-Hyacinthe, Que. They taught her how to prevent an injury when falling. Monique Laroche, 93, was one of the previous participants of the judo courses. Offered in various regions in the province, they aim to help seniors prevent injury. (Submitted by Jean-François Marceau) Judo Quebec started the initiative, which now includes three judo schools around the province in Saint-Georges, Saint-Hyacinthe and Sherbrooke. Judo Témis in Témiscamingue, Que., is one of the latest clubs which will start offering lessons on how to fall for people 60 and older. "We are experts in falling," said Ambroise Lycke, co-owner of Judo Témis. Lycke says the first thing a judoka — a person who practises judo — has to learn is "how to fall without injuring yourself." Monique Laroche, 93, was one of the previous participants of the judo courses. She says she used those skills to prevent injury twice. (Submitted by Jean-François Marceau) Our first reflex is a bad habit' Lycke says it's all about teaching people to fight their natural reflexes, such as putting a hand out to break a fall. "What happens is all your weight goes to your hand and that's the place where you'll have [a] fracture," said Lycke. "Same thing for your head. Your head will go back and so you'll hurt your head and you will snap your head on the ground." He notes judo techniques on falling could help prevent serious injuries like breaks that can severely affect an elderly person's health and independence. Judo courses in Quebec are teaching older people how to fall safely A judo school in Témiscamingue, Que., is the latest to offer courses for 60-plus on how to prevent injury when taking a tumble. An often-overlooked risk, the science of slips and falls can be lifesaving 6 overlooked risks of falls for seniors and how to prevent them Quebec seniors across the province can start the new year by learning how to fall like judo black belts. Ambroise Lycke is a Judo teacher and owner of Judo Témis in Saint-Bruno-de-Guigues in the Témiscamingue region. He tells Quebec AM host Julia Caron why it is a valuable skill for people of all ages, but especially seniors. Teaching how to fall, instead of preventing falls Most courses for seniors teach you not to fall, says Benoit Séguin, the founder of the program. Part of what inspired him to develop this kind of course was his time in university when he initially taught the course to people with multiple sclerosis. "Once I gave it to those people with multiple sclerosis I knew right there and then that it would be very important and very useful," said Séguin. From there he began putting together a book on how to fall without injuring yourself. That's when Judo Quebec became interested and implemented a few courses around the province. Séguin held courses in Sherbrooke before retiring. He says he hears a lot of positive feedback from former students, some of whom used the techniques successfully. "One of the women I taught, she was in her late 70s and she fell in the gym and she said, 'everybody was just around me [saying] what happened? what happened?' She said 'I didn't even hurt. And what was funny about it is this big fellow, the next week, he fell the same way as I did, but they had to take him out on the stretcher,'" recalled Séguin. "So it's not a question of age, it's a question of knowing how." Judo course participants learn techniques to prevent injury. (Submitted by Jean-François Marceau) Course goes back to the basics, builds confidence One of the principal lessons is to encourage suppleness and to teach students to not be afraid of falling, says Jean-François Marceau, executive director of Judo Quebec. As part of the courses, students are taught the basics of how to drop down to — and then get up from — the floor. "When you go back to that basic thing then you become less afraid of the floor," said Marceau. "Of course you don't learn to fall in one lesson and then it's acquired for life. You have to practise for several weeks … It keeps the reflex on your body and your mind." Participants of the judo courses are put through various balance and mobility exercises. (Submitted by Jean-François Marceau) That's what happened for 78-year-old Louise d'Anjou. Her husband, Bruno Janssen, helps run the judo courses in St-Hyacinthe with Louis Graveline. She started taking the course in 2016. "I'm getting older, I'm already old now, I told myself why not take this course? So I started and I'm going to do my 11th session this year," said d'Anjou. Over the years she noticed that the people with the least mobility are often the ones who make the most progress in the course. For her, it began to quell her fear of falling. "[At first] even going from a seated position onto my back scared me. My reflex was to put my hands in back of me, but that's the worst thing to do," said d'Anjou. "By the second session, because I already did it and I knew I could do it, the fear wasn't there." Calendar: February - 2023 25th Saturday - Las Vegas Judo Championships , Henderson, NV March - 2023 5th Sunday - Taishi's 13th Anniversary Tournament , Cerritos, CA 18th Saturday & 19th Sunday - Youth National Championships , Lubbock, TX 25th Saturday - Shoshinkan's Annual Kosen Tournament , Las Vegas, NV 26th Sunday - Shoshinkan's Shintaro Higashi Clinic , Las Vegas, NV April - 2023 1st Saturday & 2nd Sunday - High School & Collegiate Nationals , San Jose, CA 2nd Sunday - Mojica Tournament (16 & Under) , Baldwin Park, CA 15th Saturday - Couchigian Memorial Tournament , Las Vegas, NV 16th Sunday - Ryoku's Amarilis Savon Clinic , Las Vegas, NV 22nd Saturday - Arizona State Championships , Tucson, AZ 29th Saturday & 30th Sunday - Golden State Open , Azusa, CA May - 2023 7th Sunday - CJI State Championships , San Francisco, CA 20th Saturday & 21st Sunday - Senior National Championships , Spokane, WA June - 2023 4th Sunday - Nanka Spring Tournament , Westminster, CA 16th Friday to 18th Sunday - USA Judo Junior Olympics , Shreveport, LA 24th Saturday - Sensei Gary's Birthday Scrimmage , Claremont, CA 25th Sunday - U.S. Adaptive Judo Championships , Riverside, CA July - 2023 7th Friday to 9th Sunday - USJF & USJA Summer Nationals , New York, NY 16th Sunday - CA State Games , San Diego, CA August - 2023 6th Sunday - Nikkei Games Budo Tournament , Cypress, CA September - 2023 24th Sunday - Nanka Fall Tournament , Westminster, CA October - 2023 1st Sunday - Capitol Open Judo Championships , Sacramento, CA 22nd Sunday - Fresno Invitational Tournament , Fresno, CA 29th Sunday - Fight for a Cure Women's Tournament & Clinic , Riverside, CA November - 2023 1st Wednesday to 3rd Friday - IJF World Veterans Championships , Abu Dhabi, UAE 5th Sunday - Nanka Team Tournament , Westminster, CA 19th Sunday - Presidents Cup National Championships , Irving, TX December - 2023 8th Friday to 10th Sunday - Nanka Winter Nationals & Clinics , Azusa, CA April - 2024 7th Sunday - Nanka Spring Tournament , Westminster, CA May - 2024 5th Sunday - Nanka West Coast Invitational , Westminster, CA June - 2024 28th Friday to 30th Sunday - USJF & USJA Summer Nationals , Tacoma. WA September - 2024 29th Sunday - Nanka Fall Tournament , Westminster, CA October - 2024 20th Sunday - Nanka Team Tournament , Westminster, CA December - 2024 6th Friday to 8th Sunday - Nanka Winter Nationals & Clinics , Azusa, CA

The beginning of a new year is rife with people making new starts and setting goals. However, lately, I’ve noticed people staying away from that one word that they feel will jinx their New Year commitment: resolution. The word has fallen out of favor as some think the “R” word is the path to failure, and more obscurely, said three times, can conjure up a demonic entity, not unlike Beetlejuice. Well, I may have just made that last part up, but you get the idea. Hence, I shall refrain from using the “R” word from now on. Call it what you like, but the real problem with those New Year goals is follow-through. At the beginning of the year, everything is shiny and new, but within a few weeks, sometimes days, it can all become drudgery and disappointing. As a result, commitment fades into oblivion, taking space next to last year's failed quest for that new rank, or a gold medal at a competition. It doesn’t have to be that way though. Avoid the five common goal-setting mistakes, and you can make this new year the best one yet. Ready? Read on. Be Bold One of the biggest mistakes people make when setting goals is by making them too small. I’ve heard people say they are keeping it “realistic” when coming up with their goals. Does that sound exciting to you? Probably not. And if you’re not excited about it, you’ll probably lose interest and then…Well, we know what happens next. Going for what you think you can achieve, and not what you want, is not really a goal. It’s a safe way to mediocrity. If a goal doesn’t make you excited about attaining it, or scare you a little, it probably needs to be bigger. It's been said by some in the space program, that if President Kennedy hadn’t thrown down the challenge of landing on the moon by the end of the decade, we would probably still be trying to do it (See Yoda about “trying”). Be bold. The Same Old Thing If you are going to crush these goals you’ve set, you’re not going to do it by doing the same old thing, or you would have attained it already. You have to ask yourself: what are you going to do differently? If you want to get on the podium at your next competition, how are you planning to get there? Maybe you need to spar more or do strength training. Are you gassing out early? Maybe you need more conditioning. Ask yourself what needs to change and then change it. Honestly assess where you are now, and contrast it with where you want to be, and the answer should reveal itself. Head Trash What is the tape that plays in your head saying? We all have one. They are those consistent thoughts that tell us we’re not good enough, or that the success we want is not deserved, or unattainable, or any number of negative thoughts. Clear them out. Get rid of limiting beliefs. Where did they come from anyway? It may have been something you heard at a young age or something a friend experienced. Sadly, it could be something a teacher said. Regardless, jettison those thoughts, and slay that dragon of doubt by asking yourself: “why do I believe this?” It is a powerful question. In addition to attaining your goals, you just might change your life. Thinking of All the Ways You Can Fail I write down my goals, but I have friends that won’t, because they tell me, “If I don’t achieve them I’ll feel worse.” While I understand the sentiment, that thought is really just a kind of protection from failure. It is the difference between playing to win and playing not to lose. If you have watched any competition when a competitor plays not to lose, you know it usually doesn’t end well. It is true, you can write down your goals, and do all the things that you should and still not attain them, but that is why it is called a goal and not a guarantee. A goal has some risk involved. You have to put yourself out of your comfort zone and say, “This is what I am going to do.” That said, you don’t have to tell anyone but yourself what you are doing. You don’t have to post it on social media or tell all your friends. I believe your energies will have more power if you don’t tell a soul and just do it. Self-help guru, Napoleon Hill had a great quote for this very thing: “Tell the world what you intend to do. But first, show it.” Quitting The granddaddy of all self-sabotage is quitting, plain and simple. However, quitting shouldn’t be lumped next to those times when life throws us a curve ball. Reaching your goals is rarely a linear path. It should be acknowledged that there can be injuries, financial issues, professional commitments that have to be met, and any number of things we have to contend with to live as responsible adults. It would be unrealistic to think that there won’t be unforeseen obstacles that we need to overcome. When you find yourself in one of life’s temporary stalls, remember that you can still make progress. The lockdown taught us many ways to work on our own. We can do solo training, conditioning at home, and more. We can make the most of the time when we have to be on the sidelines. Always be preparing. Acknowledge that delays are short-term and don’t make them permanent. Don’t quit. You can do whatever you set your mind to as long you’re committed, disciplined, tenacious, and all those other adjectives that get an instant “like” on social media. Regardless of the past, this time you will be unwavering in your quest to achieve. And though it will be difficult, you’ll see it through. Write down your goals. See yourself attaining them daily. Do the work to achieve it, and this time it will be different.

Jay-Z may have said the wisest words that could ever land on a martial artist’s ears. No, I’m not talking about having only ninety-nine problems. “Go and brush your shoulders off.” You don’t have to be a pimp to benefit from remembering to brush the metaphorical dirt off of your shoulders. In fact, experts in many fields expound this very same idea. There's a fable about a donkey who fell down the well that was about to be filled. The farmer who owned the donkey saw it happen and spent many hours trying to help the donkey get out of the well. After some time had passed, he started to question if the effort was worth it however. Deciding that the donkey was too old and that the well still needed to be filled, he continued to shovel in dirt and fill the well. Though at first the donkey cried out in distress, he quickly grew quiet. Figuring that was the end of his livestock, the farmer kept shoveling the dirt in until, to his astonishment, the donkey appeared from inside and simply hopped out of the well. With every scoop of dirt that came down the well and landed on the donkey's back, he shrugged it off and took a step skywards. Rather than be buried by what could have killed him, he shook it off and used it as an opportunity to better his situation. If you accept defeat, you will become defeated. Period. If, however, you don’t stop and instead simply keep shrugging off the dirt–the pain, the stress, the excuses, the challenges life throws your way–you’ll be able to progress towards the “impossible” goals. Develop the resilience to overcome the challenges of the world and also the struggles that arise in your martial art training. Shake off the uncertainty, the boredom, the concerns, and the problems that pop up, and keep stepping skyward. Mind you, the story also goes on to say that the donkey then turns around and bites the farmer who tried to kill him, causing the man to get an infection and die from septic shock. I suppose the lesson from the story could also be that when you do the wrong thing and try to cover your ass, it’ll come back to bite you. Regardless, the story is pertinent to us martial artists. An Immovable Mind In traditional Japanese arts, there is the concept of fudoshin , or the immovable mind. Spoiler alert, life happens and it ain't easy. When the winds of struggle and everyday life come blowing, it takes a strong mind and spirit to stay resolute and rooted in your principles and convictions. This is just one of the important mindsets every martial artist should cultivate within himself, however this is one that is especially important in the beginning of your training journey. When a martial artist starts training in their style, they are faced with many challenges. Like friction sanding an object down before it can be polished, these challenges can be the best preparation for positive change. By overcoming them, we unlock new strengths and experiences to draw confidence from. Something positive can come after something problematic. This is true whether you are facing fear and uncertainty in starting a new endeavor, impatience and frustration while progress is slow, or sheer boredom from repetition of fundamental movements. The only way to achieve the results we desire is to keep a steadfast mind. Maintain the necessary self-discipline and remain resolute in your decision to act or improve. Corrupted Conviction The human mind is nosy and noisy–it particularly loves to listen in on the thoughts you allow to form, even briefly. When we waver in our conviction, we are entertaining a narrative which says that sometimes we give up, sometimes we say things that we don’t intend to actually complete. The more our brain hears this story, the more it believes it. The habit becomes more ingrained and harder to break. Consciously or unconsciously, it becomes our belief system. We begin to negotiate with ourselves as soon as motivation dips slightly–we say that we don’t want it that bad, we’re too busy right now, we can train at another time or another day, or that the conditions for working out aren’t ideal at the moment. Stop that. Author Jim Kwik said “With great responsibility comes great power.” No, that's not a misremembered quote from a Spider-Man comic. It’s the evolution of an idea. If we always blame others or come up with excuses, we are outsourcing our strength and ability to control our environment and circumstances. It is your life and it is your improvement, only you can actually make the decisions to work towards excellence and accomplishment. Once we take responsibility for our actions, or lack thereof up to this point, then we also reclaim the power to change them for the better. Once you set your intention, let your sense of responsibility and conviction carry your actions until completion. This is just as true for techniques and tactics as our personal goals. If we begin to initiate a block or strike, and then become afraid of a potential counter attack from our sparring opponent, our action will be decidedly weaker. Our spirit will be consumed by our opponent in no time. The times when you are punching and kicking are not the times to have commitment issues. Bring your focus to the highest level and keep your composure as things change around you. People punch back and change positions. Accept that without undue energy. Life is unfair and throws curveballs at inopportune moments. Accept that without undue energy as well. The moment you hold this skill in your heart and in your mind, it will show in your every action. A quote attributed to famed swordsman Tsukahara Bokuden reflects this philosophy well, stating “Mental bearing, not skill, is the sign of a matured samurai” Whether you wield a sword or not, these wise words are important. Confidence grows alongside competence. If you are living inside your comfort zone, too afraid to try something new, you are disallowing important growth for yourself. Outside that circle of ease you have leashed yourself to is a world of skill that will allow and accelerate your progress like nothing else. Growth requires discomfort and we must face it with an unfettered mind. Don’t stop. Don’t waver. You’ve got this. Go and brush your shoulders off.

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has announced their list of the 22 sports which will be contested at the 2028 Games in Los Angeles with taekwondo making it on to the schedule. First contested at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics, Paralympic taekwondo provides competition for athletes with limb impairments or arm amputations. Organizers of the 2024 Paris Paralympics, which had already included taekwondo among their events, announced the schedule for their games this week with the first day of competition set to see three taekwondo medals awarded. The IPC chose not to add karate to their 2028 games leaving taekwondo and para-judo, which is contested among judoka with vision impairment, as the only Asian-based martial arts included.

Martial arts are not just about learning to defend yourself. The discipline and training involved can lead to physical, mental, and emotional benefits that can improve the quality of your life in countless ways. Whether you're training in Karate, Judo, MMA, BJJ, or JKD, or working towards a Black Belt, martial arts can help you develop skills that you'll use for the rest of your life. One of the most obvious benefits of martial arts is physical fitness. The training involved in martial arts is intense and rigorous, and it will help you build strength, improve your flexibility, and boost your endurance. This can be especially beneficial if you're looking to lose weight or improve your overall health. In addition, martial arts training can help you build coordination, balance, and agility, all of which can help you perform better in other sports and physical activities. But the benefits of martial arts go far beyond physical fitness. Martial arts training can also have a profound impact on your mental and emotional well-being. For starters, the discipline and focus required in martial arts can help you develop a more mindful and centered approach to life. This can be especially helpful if you're dealing with stress or anxiety, as the repetitive motions involved in training can help you clear your mind and find inner peace. Another way that martial arts can benefit your mental and emotional well-being is by building self-confidence. As you progress in your training, you'll learn new skills and techniques, and you'll start to see yourself as someone who is capable and competent. This can be especially empowering if you're dealing with feelings of low self-esteem or insecurity. Martial arts can also help you develop better social skills. Whether you're training with a partner or in a group class, you'll have the opportunity to interact with other people who are interested in martial arts. This can help you build meaningful relationships and develop a sense of community, which can be especially important if you're new to an area or looking to expand your social circle. One of the most unique aspects of martial arts is the fact that training can be done with a partner. When you're working with someone else, you'll need to coordinate your movements and work together to execute techniques effectively. This can help you build trust and communication skills, both of which are essential in any relationship. Additionally, having a training partner can help you stay motivated and on track with your training, as you'll be able to encourage and support each other. So whether you're just starting out in martial arts or you're a seasoned practitioner, training with a partner can be a valuable experience. Not only will you be able to support each other and work together towards your goals, but you'll also be able to learn from each other and grow as martial artists. In conclusion, martial arts offer a wide range of physical, mental, and emotional benefits that can improve the quality of your life. Whether you're training in Karate, Judo, MMA, BJJ, or JKD, or working towards a Black Belt, the discipline and focus involved in martial arts training can help you develop a more mindful and centered approach to life. And by training with a partner, you'll be able to support each other and work together towards your goals, all while developing meaningful relationships and growing as martial artists. So if you're looking for a way to improve your overall well-being, martial arts may be the perfect path for you.

Criticism of Martial Arts in the Olympics : I recently read a couple of Black Belt Magazine articles on the quality of the Martial Arts in the Olympics. We are talking primarily about the Judo, Tae Kwon Do and the recently admitted (but now uninvited) Traditional Karate events. I was actually surprised to read such negative criticism from both Traditional martial artists as well as Sport Karate enthusiasts. I was able to watch some of the three martial arts represented, and while I can’t say I was a fan of what I saw, I didn’t think it was as bad as some of the criticism I read. Unfortunately, a lot of the criticism felt that the recent 2021 Tokyo Olympics shone quite a negative light on the traditional martial arts that were represented. In trying to determine exactly what the issue was I felt it basically came down to “watchability”. Most of the criticism both from the general audience as well as those practicing the various martial arts was that it wasn’t “entertaining” enough, at least for something as important as the Olympics. As I normally write about the business side of the martial arts industry, I understood that the Olympics is just that - a business (at least they are these days). For this reason, any sport participating in today’s Olympics is expected to bring in viewership which in turn brings in advertisers. Incidentally, I also happened to read an article by Jackson Rudolph on how beneficial it would be (to your business) by adding Sport Karate to your curriculum. The article was well written, especially when articulating how Sport Karate, or parts thereof, can keep your students interested in training, thus helping your retention numbers. Mr. Rudolph, provided several examples of how the popularity of Sport Karate is growing almost exponentially with a number of Sport Karate Champions going on to have lucrative careers in the movies and TV series. I have followed Mr. Rudolph’s career over the past few years and I have to admire someone who while extremely successful at Sport Karate still respects the traditional styles and is a strong advocate of martial artists starting with a traditional foundation. Even in his article on adding Sport Karate to your traditional curriculum, he continues to stress the necessity of traditional styles. He just feels that with the increasing popularity of Sport Karate, it would be an ideal consideration for retention and recruitment purposes. Is it time to give Sport Karate in the Olympics a chance? This made me think, with the last years Sport Karate’s Diamond National bringing in over six million viewers, it is time to give Sport Karate in the Olympics a chance? To assist me in my analysis of such a concept, I reached out to Jackson Rudolph who was generous enough to provide his input into such a controversial question. Mr. Rudolph is a World Champion Sport Karate competitor, a graduate from Stanford University and is presently enrolled in Uniform Services University (Military University) where he studying for his medical degree. In addition, Mr. Rudolph has a very popular Podcast series which usually focuses on Sport Karate so I feel Mr. Rudolph can be considered an outstanding historian of the genre. Olympics now a Business first and foremost We can say what we want about the tradition and legacy of the Olympics, but since (at the very least) the 2000 Olympics, the primary purpose of this noble event is to make money. In other words, the Olympics of today is first and foremost a business, which means they are looking to make a profit, which in turn means getting as many “eye-balls” on each event as possible. If the Olympics cannot make a profit, it can create a sizable financial burden on the Host city as well as the country itself. In fact, the IOC required a guarantee in writing from the Host city and its Taxpayers that they are fully responsible for all cost overruns! This viewership requirement is so important these days that the Corporate and Broadcasting sponsors of the Olympics now have a tremendous say on which events should be scheduled for prime time and which events don’t get any coverage. Unfortunately, the one factor connecting all three martial arts, namely Judo, Tae Kwon Do, or Karate is that unless you are a participant of these martial arts, then you really didn’t know what you are watching and more importantly the events were not audience friendly. This lack of understanding of what the viewer is watching, together with the fact that the martial arts events were far too technical whereby the ‘excitement’ factor was minimal. JR: I also think that the public’s disappointment with what they saw was due to a lack of education. This is one of the important things which is the way it is presented to an audience. It has to be presented appropriately. If your typical viewer watches the event and doesn’t know what they are looking at, they therefore can’t be impressed by it or inspired by it, then you don’t get any traction by it. Clearly these sports are not getting enough traction with the Olympics to get put on TV, to get the broadcasting so the average American viewer, for example, actually sees it. The more people that watch, the more people are going to say, “Hey, I want my kid to try that because my kid could be an Olympian one day”. Sport Karate is a proven spectator sport, so if you get it into the Olympics, then the Olympics benefits because it gets a ready-made spectator sport that people are going to tune in for. Why Should Sport Karate be given a chance? With the recent Sport Karate events having garnered a sizable number of viewers over the various social media and broadcasting platforms, we have to take a serious look at how to best promote the Martial Arts, especially in viewer rich environments like the Olympics. JR: If you put martial arts on display at the Olympics, regardless of what exposure you get for any specific martial arts in the Olympics, that is going to have a trickle-down effect that will benefit all martial arts schools. The problem is the rule sets and the administrative issues, and all of that which creates a sport that really doesn’t look like the Martial Arts of old. It’s essential to keep Traditional Karate in the Olympics, especially if you are going to bring in Sport Karate, and seeing that Sport Karate has Traditional divisions within it so you can very easily make that connection. You need that traditional foundation in order for the audience to continue to understand what’s going on for those dynamic events or whatever the case may be. To bring things back to this whole idea of sports karate in the Olympics, will it work? If at the end of the day you make it happen, it will benefit everybody! Sport Karate is a spectator sport. It is made to be a spectacle. Personally, I have competed in a number of “Open” tournaments as they were called then, where I saw a myriad of styles competing in both Forms (Kata) and Point Fighting. I won a number of the Traditional Kata divisions and was very proud in doing so, especially considering the caliber of competitors. The kicker was that for Grand Championship trophy, the winners of the Traditional Karate Kata division would have to go up against the Tae Kwon Do form winner as well as the Kung Fu style winner. A real test of your martial arts prowess in an extremely inclusive environment. In my time, the night shows not only highlighted the Top Finals competition from the Tournament itself, but included were a number of demonstrations from various martial arts notables (e.g.: Cynthia Rothrock, George Chung, etc.). The combination of competition and showmanship made for an exciting night of martial arts, which the entire family could enjoy. This is what eventually evolved into the various Sport Karate competitions and leagues. JR: One element of the U.S. Open's Night of Champions that most people don't know is that all of the prize money and points towards NASKA world championship titles for the weekend have already been decided at that point. The tournament runs the overall grand championships that determine the money and points during the day, so that the night show is exclusively an invitational event for the ISKA world championships. With the money already decided, all the adult competitors you see on stage are going up there for bragging rights. The promoters structure it this way to guarantee that the top athletes are pitted against each other for television broadcasts and social media streams, which means that all the top competitors know before the event that there is going to be an epic division come Saturday night. We all train for it and compete in it for the love of the game and the glory of being crowned the ISKA champion. The efforts of the promoters to put on not only a fair tournament, but an entertaining one, especially the night show, was primarily to ensure that everyone would come back the next year. It seemed that while the Sport Karate promoters were trying to make their tournaments entertaining, some Traditional tournaments were more concerned about following exacting rules and ensuring everyone was doing their forms or fighting “technically” correct. This may be extremely interesting to those very proficient in the art form, unfortunately it made the event quite unwatchable. In my opinion, Traditional Karate competitors perform for the judges, Sport Karate competitors perform for the audience and the reason the vibrancy at Sport Karate tournaments is always so high. Sport Karate Unity Issues Before we broach the subject of whether Sport Karate deserves a chance to be in the Olympics, there are a number of hurdles they must overcome, with the leading one being unity. With most sports there is one universal governing body overseeing their entry into the Olympics, unfortunately even with Traditional Karate, it took decades of negotiations and compromise before the Olympics would give Traditional Karate an opportunity to partake. There are similar issues within the Sport Karate community. Most Sport Karate organizations are primarily style based and while all Sport Karate tournaments are very open in who they allow to compete, these tournament promoters are not organized in any formal way, mainly for reasons of self-preservation. In other words, the Sport Karate promoters are wanting to ensure their event is profitable which means getting as many competitors as possible and not to lose those competitors to other tournaments. JR: I think the number one problem with Sport Karate getting into the Olympics is unity. There are several major leagues that all think they have it the right way. In fact, in the U.S. there are dozens of these regional leagues. These regional leagues are a great thing for Sport Karate as it gives opportunity to those students that would never otherwise have a chance to compete at a tournament. What it doesn’t do is provide a clear picture to the Olympic committee. The promoters of these regional circuits are always going to want competitors to come to their events, so if they start saying “hey, the whole point of competing here is to get good and then go compete somewhere else”, that’s limiting the half-life of the competitors that are paying you right now. Any tournament promoter is going to want competitors coming back to their event for as long as possible. You would have to develop a partnership between the Regional Leagues and the National Leagues where those promoters work together. I think that partnerships are important so that you can get these competitors who rise to the top of their particular Regional League and then you have them compete in your big world and national events like the Diamond Nationals, AKA Warrior Cup, U.S. Open or the Battle of Atlanta. If those events become a qualifier event for Olympics, then all of a sudden, those regional circuits can become events that maybe you also have to qualify for. If these regional leagues can establish partnerships with other leagues around the country, they could be leveraged for Olympic qualifying purposes. In turn they could then partner with the huge National Tournaments, like the Diamond National, the U.S. Open or the AKA Warrior Cup which would allow them to qualify for the Olympics. It would be a herculean effort but one that would benefit all Karate. Sport Karate Structural Issues Sport Karate has some additional issues in consistency from tournament to tournament, whether it be for Forms or Point Fighting. There are still a lot of discrepancy on how to score Traditional or Extreme forms and whether to have them compete against each other. In Point Fighting, there has to be more clarity on what a point is and how to properly judge a match. In fact, my biggest criticism of Sport Karate Point Fighting is the officiating, which I feel is somewhat lackadaisical in its format. You’ll see the corner judges constantly moving and throwing out points without any real confirmation as the officials want to keep the action flowing. Unfortunately for the viewer, even someone who knows what to look for, it is very difficult to know what technique scored and how. For these very correctable issues, there is a lot of work for the Sport Karate community to come together and develop the proper rules sets, detailed definitions of form requirements and most importantly fully certified Judges and Officials. Seeing that Sport Karate has both Traditional Divisions and Non-Traditional Divisions it should be easy to integrate itself into the Olympics. In addition, Point Fighting divisions can be considered more inclusive as the Sport Karate Point Fighters come from a myriad of styles and disciplines, including Karate, Tae Kwon Do and even Kung Fu. JR: What does it take Sport Karate Point Fighting a successful Olympic sport or a TV sport in general, I think it takes three things: #1 I think you have to have more clear rules. I want to see a kick be effective, not just hit the scoring area, but to be an effective technique in order for that kick to score points. So, which one is it? Some leagues are clearer about that, other leagues are less clear. I think you need a very clear rules set on what is a scoring technique and what is not. #2 and in the same vein, you need to have certified officials. A lot of leagues including some of the best leagues in the world right now do not have truly certified officials. I think there should be a training system in which a judge watches a fight at full speed, in real time and are assessed on their performance. The third, and maybe the most important from a broadcasting standpoint, both for the audience and for the rules set, which is that you have to have video replay. From a rule’s perspective, it would allow judges to make better calls, because if you have video replay, it increases the quality of the judging and will significantly reduce missed calls. It’s a way that makes it more spectator friendly. Next Steps for the Business of Martial Arts in the Olympics I was on the Black Belt Magazine website where the most recent Diamond Nationals were being replayed. I watched a very professional attempt of coverage by a team of broadcasters and people in the know, like Jackson Rudolph. As mentioned above this Sport Karate event had almost 6 and a half million viewers over all forms of social and media platforms. In watching both the Olympic coverage of the Martial Arts as well as the Sport Karate U.S. Open and Diamond Nationals what I did note was the lack of enthusiasm, especially in trying to describe what the viewer was watching. If you are an active participant in the martial art in question, you would have enjoyed watching, but again only to an extent. If more consideration was given to those non martial artists, then in all likelihood viewership would increase exponentially. JR: I think it starts with skilled commentating. I feel that those who are commentating, those particular to or internet broadcasters of these events need to properly explain what’s going on. In order for someone to enjoy a sport they have to know what’s going on. Often when I watch Karate, and I’m not saying this is as a criticism of Sport Karate commentators or Traditional WKF commentators, this is just a general conclusion I have come to …. like Traditional Kata for example, they need to describe what a cat stance is and what it is used for. I truly think that education is really important. We must remember that the broadcast is the product! The winner or loser is not the product. That participation in the event, the judging…none of that is the product; the product is the actual broadcast that those people at home are going to watch. That is what is going to provide the revenue to the Olympics, in the way of the more eyeballs you get, the more money you make from TV ratings. In the broadcast order, if you open the show with the Traditional divisions, that gives the commentators and the broadcasters an opportunity to tell that story…this is a front stance, this is the punching and kicking, these are the basic techniques. In Point Fighting, if you don’t provide Kata first, then a viewer is not going to know the difference between a roundhouse kick and side kick. Then when it comes to the actual broadcast, making sure the commentating is top notch so they properly explain what’s going on, which will allow new viewers to understand the sport. Platforms like Black Belt Magazine, which is all inclusive in their support for Martial Arts in the Olympics, has expanded their coverage of Sport Karate events as well as highlighting Traditional Events in order to get the word out there. With the advent of on-line streaming services, more and more media platforms are dedicating themselves to Sport Karate and Karate in general. There needs to be an organized effort amongst these new Martial Arts focused platforms to ensure growth within the industry to where Olympic participation is a sure thing. With Traditional Karate no longer being a part of the Olympics, some re-thinking is necessary on which components of competitive Karate should be represented in the Olympics going forward. For example, the Traditional Kata event at the Olympics was panned primarily due to the audience not knowing what they were watching, so why not replace it with Team Kata and Bunkai. Here the viewer would not only see some dynamic symmetry, but a visual explanation of the routine they just saw. A more audience friendly experience. JR: If you having viewership issues in the Olympics with the Traditional Karate events, then I think introducing something like Team Kata and Bunkai would be an excellent way to increase viewership. It would be great to have it in the Olympics, but I don’t think you can ever truly escape the solo Traditional Kata, because that’s the foundation on everything else build on top of it. No one is advocating the replacing of Traditional Karate with Sport Karate, but into today’s forward-looking society, we must be open to new ideas including more broad range and inclusive Olympic Karate Events. Unity is a major issue and not only amongst styles of Martial Arts, but all the supporting organizations that have benefited from their participation in the martial arts over the past half century. Only through the combined efforts of all “Stakeholders” will Karate be invited back to the Olympics and unless the “watchability” of the events improve then that invitation may not be forthcoming anytime soon. JR: At the end of the day, if there is any way to make it happen, then you’ve got to make it happen because it’s going to benefit everybody involved. The only way you are going to make it happen is through the unity of the organizations working together to create that pyramid structure in which the top is the Olympics, and everybody is working together to build those competitors up to that point where they qualify, and you have to improve your coverage of it. Final Conclusions While I advocate a renewed perspective on giving Sport Karate a chance in the Olympics, I say this as a Traditionalist, but a Traditionalist only with regards to the martial arts I practice (i.e.: Shotokan Karate and Atarashii Naginata). My first exposure to the Karate tournament scene was through Open or what is now known as Sport Karate competitions and in turn my reason for believing it’s time to give Sport Karate a chance at the Olympics or similar international games (e.g.: Pan-Am Games) Jackson Rudolph mentions in my interview with him that he feels biases will be resolved once the generational change occurs in the ownership of Martial Arts schools and Associations, but considering the lack of unity over the past 100 years of organized Karate, can we wait that long? JR: The answer is a generational shift in that over time it will get better. I think that right now, there are a lot of instructors who are just set in their ways. Say there is a fifty- or sixty-year-old martial arts school owner out there that has decided that they don’t like Sport Karate and they’re never going to teach it, well you not ever going to change their minds. When I post articles on Sport Karate, I’m really not posting it for the fifty and sixty-year-old school owners that are set in their way and want to do it a specific way…. articles like this are targeted at your younger school owners who are just starting out, and any school owner just starting out wants to make money - that’s the priority. They may have started their school because they love martial arts and wants to share it with the world, but when you’re starting a business, you don’t have a choice. You have to find a way to bring in revenue so you can keep the business alive.

Batman punches out criminals in the DC Universe. The Avengers, Spiderman, and Captain America do their thing over in the Marvel Universe. What if there was another universe full of heroes, villains, and epic adventures that existed outside of the current popular worlds previously mentioned? While superheroes often use martial arts, whether superpowered or not, there really isn't a place where martial arts heroes and stories are told exclusively. That is changing. Recently, I spoke with Peter Shiao the founder and CEO of Immortal Studios. Immortal Studios is a multiplatform entertainment company specializing in wuxia. In addition to a love of the genre, Shiao has a resume that is more than appropriate for his position, “I was a film producer with my own film company and my own film fund. I was also the head of content for the Shaolin Temple… I worked inside the temple on all of their global content and cultural initiatives including movies, television, games, live events, and museum exhibits.” Immortal Studios is a company with a unique perspective and purpose. What is so different you may ask? Shiao describes Immortal’s mission, “ We’re building the world’s first interconnected martial arts fantasy storyverse.” Shiao expands further on the company's objective , “Martial arts fantasy as in wuxia, so it's more of a far-east, in Chinese, in origin. This is where the original myth of Kung Fu started, so we're building the world’s first interconnected storyverse in the wuxia genre. And the goal is to bring together all the various influences that have ever existed in the genre under one roof, in a shared universe. And we’re doing it through comics first before going into other media.” What is Wuxia? For those that may not be familiar, I asked Shiao to clarify what wuxia is, “Wuxia is the martial-hero genre. This is the classic story of the making of the hero in the martial arts fantasy tradition.” What are some examples of wuxia? “If you trace the influences, Dragon Ball Z is wuxia, Naruto. In fact, most of the manga titles that do very well. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, The Matrix, Star Wars. These are all classic wuxia titles where the influence is inarguable. It’s non-controversially derived from wuxia.” Wuxia is not just an artistic interest or business pursuit for Shiao, it is his legacy. “My father, whose name is Shiao Yi, is one of the legends in the genre. He’s created 61 novels, 31 of them have been made into film and television shows in Asia. So, when I created Immortal, I actually licensed his entire library of works.” And Shiao’s lineage provides him with a unique perspective regarding the next step for wuxia. “ I believe that people are looking for something evolutionary and also authentic. It’s not something that’s made up by a creator that took martial arts lessons, you know, for three weeks. This is like thousands of years of collected wisdom and practice and authenticity.” Immortal Studios With a legendary body of work to choose from, Immortal Studios is poised to be a force to be reckoned with in entertainment. The focus on superhero and martial arts-oriented films has increased over the past decade, but still one may question: is the general public ready for wuxia-based entertainment? “I think it’s a warm-up. The Shang-Chi response has been amazing, right? And One-Punch Man is being made at Sony, Cobra Kai is clearly resurging, Warrior is on its fourth season* Kung Fu is going on its third season, so clearly the genre is having, not just a moment, it's having a major comeback. But there’s no shared universe, so for the diehard fan, which is probably present company, are you going to follow one story within one milieu? Or do you want to have an expanded perspective, where all those influences, as we’re doing it, is present in a shared universe, where you can really dive in, in an amazing way for the next 50 years?” Even though Immortal Studios produces comic book titles including, Chronicles of the Immortal Swordsmen , The Adept , and has recently launched, Assassin G , the goal for Shiao is not just to be another comic book company. He has a vision far beyond one media, “The comic books are just one of the four legs of our table, if you will. We’re leaving no audience segment untouched.” The metaphoric four legs that Shiao refers to are: comic books, films, games, and metaverse. However, comics are an important part of Immortal Studios, and they have been successful. “We launched with The Adept over a year and a half ago, and it became one of the best-selling single-issue comics ever on Kickstarter. We’re off to a great start.” The Birth of A New Universe For Shiao and Immortal Studios it has been a very deliberate building process to bring wuxia into its own universe, and he has been using a disciplined approach akin to a martial arts student building their skills through fundamental practice, “Basically, we’ve been laying the groundwork…it’s been the horse stance, right?” Shiao continues, “We’ve been getting the foundational pieces right. We’re also building our team, our fanbase, just getting our stories out there. And now that it’s been successfully laid, I think we’re about to hit that moment, I would say this fall.” It should be understood, that for Shiao, Immortal Studios is not just a business opportunity or a niche marketing idea. It is a far deeper commitment. “It’s not a passing fancy. This is something that has taken me my entire life. I was born into it. It’s amazing. It’s fun. It’s also what I see as a lineage holder. I consider myself a lineage holder in the wuxia tradition. So, it’s not a passing fancy. It’s something I’m thinking about for the next thousand years. Because it comes from somewhere. This is a real tradition and it stands for a lot. It’s not just me. I’m literally standing on the shoulders of giants, like my father, and others in the Shaolin temple, and this real body of knowledge that has shaped my life. Inasmuch as it’s fun, it’s exciting, it's also about kind of creating, extending the authenticity of it so that the world can enjoy in it.” You can check out the latest releases and information about Immortal Studios here: https://www.immortal-studios.com/ * Warrior Season 3 is in production now and will air on HBO Max.

We have all heard the cheesy sports mantras that talk about “Never quit!” or “Never Give Up!” It can be motivational from time to time but the man I believe truly embodies never giving up, despite the odds in front of you, is Brandon Moreno. If you polled up and coming fighters, about what their current goals are, I can all but guarantee you that the majority of them will tell you “To make it to the UFC.” Which is by no means an easy task, not only is there no definitive path to the organization but your only reward for clawing your way there is to face tougher and tougher competition in your pursuit of gold. Brandon Moreno knew that and welcomed the challenge. After fighting for 5 years across Mexico and the United States, he would finally get his break with the world's premier mixed martial arts organization. He entered the organization as a very promising prospect, stacking three wins in a row, with two of them being finishes against very stiff competition and claiming a “Performance of the Night” bonus in the process. Lots of eyes were on him in the flyweight division. So, it came as a surprise to say the least that after two losses in a row, the UFC decided to part ways with him while he was still ranked in the top ten. The division was still relatively young and with Demetrious Johnson being as dominant as he was, the most uninformed MMA fans would talk about how the weight class just wasn’t exciting, coupled with relatively poor viewership led the UFC to consider cutting the weight class entirely. However, it was and still is the common practice to cut most unranked fighters after a 2-fight skid. Brandon was a kid with a dream though, and nothing would stop him from chasing it. Despite later admitting that getting cut really took a toll on him and made him feel like a “loser.” Just like when Thomas Edison was watching his laboratory filled with his life's work burn to the ground. Instead of getting upset or calling it quits, he told his son to “Go get your mother and all her friends, they’ll never see a fire like this again.” Mr. Moreno looked fate in the eye and simply said, no. This isn’t over for me, I won’t stop until I am UFC champion. After getting cut he took one year off and came back to fight for the LFA Flyweight title against Maikel Perez where he was able to secure a fourth round finish, claim the belt and once again join the UFC roster. Upon his return, his first fight ended in a draw against Askar Askarov and would leave fans wondering if he did truly belong. Those voices would quickly be stifled though as his next 3 fights would be decisive victories leading up to the epic trilogy he would have with Deiveson Figueiredo. With all three bouts having different results, (Draw, win and loss) it was an exciting saga that we all thought was over. But in his most recent outing, he bested Kai Kara-France for the Interim Flyweight Championship, which will lead to the UFC’s first ever quadrilogy! Where the Baby Assassin and God of War will once again meet in the octagon for ostensibly the final time at UFC 283. Having already fought each other for over an hour of total cage time, they know each other very well at this point and it should be fireworks come January. Firsts are always exciting in the UFC. If there is one big lesson to learn from Mr. Moreno, its persistence in the face of overwhelming odds pays off. Most fighters won’t ever see the inside of the octagon and sign a contract with Zuffa. Let alone, get cut to come back and get another shot at their dreams. Less likely still to achieve those dreams by becoming a world champion. So as cheesy as it sounds, there is something to be said about never giving up on your dreams and pursuing them relentlessly.

When it comes to the 10 Tigers of Shaolin, one account of their story speaks about one of the most famous female martial artists that has ever lived. Her name is closely associated with Bruce Lee, which might explain her increased importance since the early 1970’s. I’m of course talking about the possible founder of Lee’s martial arts foundation style as taught to Lee by Yip Man. Let me introduce to you, come on with a martial arts cheer…Wing Chun. The controversies of her past and namesake kung fu style are much debated among martial arts historians. i.ytimg.com One narrative of the Ten Tigers of Shaolin includes Wing Chun as the only female member. Although I found no in-depth corroboration of this in the literature, yet because of her importance to martial arts history, her ties to the Five Elders and Ten Tigers of Shaolin and cinema history, I have included her in the discussion. Another version notes that if someone perhaps believed one of the Ten Tigers perished at Jiu Lian Shan Temple, maybe Wing Chun was a historic replacement. Fong Wing Chun (Cantonese romanization, where here Wing means forever ) was born in Zhao Xing, Canton, and was the niece of one of the most famous Ten Tigers Fang Shi-yu. Also known as the Third Lady of Wing Chun, she purportedly was the only female student of the Five Elders of Shaolin, Zhi Shan, and she specialized in white crane martial arts, which she learned from the lone female Five Elder Wu Mei. When Wing Chun later married Hong Xi-guan, another significantly famous 10 Tigers of Shaolin, it is believed she taught Hong white crane and Hong combined the moves with his tiger fist to produce Hong's patented tiger-crane style. The film Executioners from Shaolin (1977) features Lily Li playing Hong’s wife Fong Wing Chun who was a kung fu street performer, how they met, married and gave birth to a boy named Wen Ting. The main plot centers around Hong’s attempt to kill the Five Elder and Shaolin traitor Bai Mei. However, in the film, Hong refused to learn Wing Chun’s white crane and as a result dies. To avenge Hong’s death, Wen Ting learns white crane from his mum, combines it with his dad’s tiger style to kill Bai. Historically, Hong learned Wing Chun’s white crane, died at 93 in 1821 and the Five Elder Feng Dao De killed Bai. Another story claims that the Third Lady of Wing Chun was a nun who taught Hong the tiger-crane fist so he could perform an act of revenge. A third legend contends that after the Jiu Lian Shan temple burning, a disciple named Fang Hui-shi escaped and went into hiding. He (or maybe she) taught his skills to his/her daughter Fang Chi-niang, who in turn founded the white crane fist by observing a white crane. Chi-niang later became a nun, assumed the name Wing Chun, where here Wing means to sing or chant. However, some variants stated the belief that Fong Wing Chun, Fang Chi-niang and nun Wing Chun may be the same person. Beyond the dispute that exists regarding whether Wing Chun existed or not, there is also a major controversy surrounding the development of her martial arts style, Wing Chun kung-fu. One story dictates that Wing Chun's first teacher Zhi Shan created the style. When Hong Xi-guan returned from Canton he told Zhi how narrow the streets were. Northern Shaolin martial arts are characterized by broad sweeping motions that may not be applicable in confined spaces. Hong and Zhi subsequently set out to develop stances and hand techniques that could generate similar power within the confines of a four-brick tile space. Since these techniques were perfected within the monastery's Wingchun Hall, the style was called Wing Chun. Another story reveals that Zhi Shan consulted with Hong's wife Fong Wing Chun and so named the style after her. Yet another lineage explains that the art's founder was not Fong Wing Chun, but a completely different lady named Yim Wing Chun. This Wing Chun was never at Shaolin, didn't know monk Zhi Shan, and was not the husband of Hong Xi-guan. However, most legends agree that a lady named Wing Chun learned martial arts either directly or indirectly from Wu Mei. After the Jiu Lian Shan Temple burning, Wu Mei escaped the Manchus by finding refuge at Bai He Shi (White Crane Temple) atop Er Mei Mountain in Sichuan province. While there, after observing a fight between a snake and a crane, Wu was inspired to create a form of white crane kung fu (there are several kinds of white crane kung fu with different origins). The direction of the story now takes different paths. One account alleges that Wu taught her martial arts to monk Miao Shun who passed it on to anti-Ching revolutionary Yim Yee who had set up a tofu shop in Guang Xi with his daughter Yim Wing Chun. Yee taught Wing Chun the art created by Wu Mei, and upon Wing Chun's death, her husband, Leung Bok-chau called the martial art Wing Chun so her legacy could live on. Another popular version explains that Yim Yee set up his tofu shop at the foot of Er Mei Mountain, a shop that nun Wu Mei often visited to buy tofu. One day, after a bully threateningly forced the aging Yim Yee to have his daughter Wing Chun marry him, Wu Mei was incensed and instead of beating up the bully, she secretly taught Wing Chun martial arts, who three years later easily defeated the bully. Wing Chun married Leung Bok-chau and he did indeed use her namesake to coin the art. Director Yuen Woo-ping followed this version of the tale in the Michelle Yeoh starring Wing Chun (1994) as Yim Wing Chun. Silver screen legend cameos one kung fu screen queen, Cheng Pei Pei as Wu Mei and Donnie Yen as Leung Bok-chau. A point of interest to toss into the fire of speculation. Wing Chun martial arts is based upon using one's opponent's energy to redirect the attack, where blocking punches is more of a matter of deflecting and parrying the strikes rather than meeting them head on (like in karate). Furthermore, one of Wing Chun's exclusive pieces of training equipment is the Wing Chun wooden dummy, where to toughen the hands and arms the practitioner forcibly and rapidly strikes a wooden log vaguely shaped like a man, with protruding wooden arms. It was known that when one breaks an arm, the healed bone was stronger at the point of the break, but weaker on either side of the break. So the idea of striking the wooden dummy was to repeatedly hairline fracture the bones and use special medicine to promote healing. Over a three-year period, one's arms would become hard. As previously discussed, one of the most famous and closely guarded secret chambers of Shaolin was the Luohan Hall, a corridor that housed 18 wooden dummies. It seems that for someone to create a training device based on a secret Shaolin method had to either be at the temple or was taught by someone with intrinsic knowledge of the wooden dummies. Wu Mei's white crane martial arts does not use wooden dummies for training so which ever Wing Chun (Fong or Yim) the art is named after, it makes sense that she would have had some sort of intimate tie with the Shaolin Temple. Although we cannot negate the possibility that Yim Wing Chun was not ambitious enough to independently invent the wooden dummy, the Shaolin tie-in perhaps gives more credence to the Fong Wing Chun versions of the legend and her relationships with monk Zhi Shan and Hong Xi-guan. Furthermore, would a lady over 200 years ago in China be willing to smash her arms against wood for three years just to fight a bully? It seems plausible that only a man back in those days would include such bodily harmful methods into his daily training regimen. Next up, the Ten Tigers of Canton and a film title that is the most misleading film title in martial arts cinema, yes, worse that a certain Bruce Lee film.

Eui Min Ko, who held the title of Supreme Grandmaster within World Taekwondo and was a former coach of the South Korean national team, died on Saturday at the age of 81 . A renowned trainer and innovator, Ko numbered among his students other taekwondo grandmasters like Sei Hyeok Kim. Ko was the head coach of the Korean team at the second World Taekwondo Championships in 1975, when they swept the gold in all eight divisions, and at the third world championships in 1977, when they captured seven of eight titles. In 1980, he authored the first book devoted solely to World Taekwondo Federation-style sparring. Ko would eventually take up residence in Germany where he was instrumental in spreading Olympic-style taekwondo in Europe. In 2005 he was named chairman of the World Taekwondo Federation's technical committee. He was honored as "Grandmaster of the Year" by Taekwondo Times in 2008. It's been reported he died of heart failure after suffering from pneumonia.

You (should) suck ! Yep, I said what I said. Not only that, the best martial artists in the world–competitors, teachers, and performers–all suck. Now before you take ‘em as fighting words, let's take a moment to understand what was actually said. (I promise, it relates to the process of becoming extraordinary in any endeavor.) Have you heard the famous saying to “be like water”? I agree with it, but think that the description could be better expanded. Shotokan Karate Founder, Gichin Funakoshi said it well, “Karate is like boiling water”. It must be heated constantly or else it will grow cold. Here is my study on why the top martial artists suck? and why is that a good thing? In other words, unless you want your skills to grow tepid and old–er, I mean cold–you have to keep putting in the work and make sure that flame under your butt doesn’t diminish. Sure, that can mean practicing your kihon and kata each day, but that also entails finding new ways to experience uncomfort. That’s where growth lies, after all. Traditional Japanese martial artists talk about the concept of “shoshin”, or the beginner’s mind. This is about maintaining the open mind of a novice, someone who understands that they don't understand and who is truly willing to grow without any attached ego to their prior experiences. If we don't have the humility to be a beginner, we will never get the glory of being an expert. If you never suck at anything, you will forever suck at everything. The Life Cycle of Success Many don't understand the entirety of what failure and success can mean. Most of us have heard that failure isn't final unless you give up. Firstly, that is true. Secondly, that isn’t all that we need to keep in mind. A receptive mind finds that failure leads to lessons (at least, with the right mentality when facing it), and lessons guide you to success. These two phases are part of a longer cycle however, one which can lead you back into a dismal state. Success can then lead to complacency, and complacency to failure. In other words, when we achieve success, it is easy to stay immersed in the comfort that follows (especially when it is hard earned). This complacent state is one which will quickly lead us back into failure. Complacency is the breeding ground for laziness and sloven work after all. The key to break the cycle is to stay uncomfortable in the appropriate ways and maintain awareness that once we reach success, we need to look back into learning lessons and growing towards success, skipping past the dangerous state of complacency and the failure that follows. The Evolution of Greatness The life cycle of success isn’t the only cycle to be aware of. There's also such a thing as a Confidence/Competence Loop. Here's the lowdown: when we believe that we can do something, we're willing to take action and actually do the dang thing. As we take action, the repetitions increase our competency in it. As our competency in the activity increases, our confidence also increases and we are more willing to continue putting the work into it–we are now more excited and comfortable with it after all. These two attributes, confidence and competence, continue to grow in tandem. As one grows, it inspires the other attribute to soon follow and exceed. What's important is that we have the mentality to actually take the first step, otherwise we will never grow our confidence or competence. If we see the challenge and then shrink from it, we will forever be stuck in our mundane phase. Perpetually average and unconfident. Growth starts with being willing to step out of our comfort zone and starting that cycle. Doing that which we are afraid of or uncomfortable with, such as sparring with high level opponents or showcasing our forms at a large tournament. Our skills can grow, however we must first have the courage to try something new and work to build the attributes. It will take time, however all good things take time. Action Against Limiting Thoughts Our thoughts fuel our actions. If we put in improper fuel, you can bet we aren’t going to go very far or fast in life. The products of our thoughts–words and actions–both become habits which in turn craft our body, mind, and experience. There's the classic tale of a baby elephant who is tied to a pole with simply a string. Being such a young animal, the few strands are enough to keep the elephant leashed. Though it tries and struggles in its youthful years, it never breaks free. Over time, its spirit is defeated and he just gives up. He. Stops. Trying. Fast forward many years and the elephant is now fully grown. An adult elephant can easily break a few strands of thread, however by this point, it no longer has the belief that it is able to escape– thus he never tries. The threads prevail, and will continue to do so, until the elephant's belief system changes. If we entertain thoughts of fear, uncertainty, anxiety–in other words, all of the things that often come with trying new things and entering new territory–we will never grow and discover what we are truly capable of. Step outside of your comfort zone and explore what's out there. Perhaps you rarely compete in tournaments, shy away from working with certain individuals who scare you with their skill, never travel to train at outside seminars, or have rejected the idea of cross-training with others in your area. What makes you uncomfortable likely has a lesson to impart with you. If you are the smartest man in the room, get the heck out of the room–aside from stroking your ego, that comfy room will do little for you. Growth requires action. The most impactful types of growth require the most uncomfortable types of change. You will try new things and you will stink pretty badly at some of them. Good. Over time, you will get better and better. Eventually, you will become an expert at what you once struggled with. At that point, you will then have to make the decision again–stay content with your current level or get better overall by embracing the opportunity to suck temporarily. As always, it’s your call.