“I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times.” This well-known quote by Bruce Lee is as true for the grappling arts as it is for the striking arts. While learning cool throws and exotic submissions is great, drilling down to master every nuance and application of one particular technique is powerful. Each of the latest books by grappling coach extraordinaire Steve Scott — The Juji Gatame Encyclopedia and The Triangle Hold Encyclopedia — is dedicated to just one technique. Recently, I spoke with Steve Scott, who has an eighth degree in judo and a seventh degree in shingitai jujitsu, about his books, his videos and his dedication to being an outstanding instructor and coach for so many years. Focusing on One Thing Flipping through most martial arts books, one is usually struck by the sheer number of techniques being taught. Steve Scott questioned why there needs to be more than one item on the menu. “There are a lot of good books and a lot of good videos out there — good information — but they will give you just a bit of a glance at a subject,” he said. “Just a bit of a look.” He chose to focus on specific subjects. Since there is only one topic in each of his books, the subject matter is very organized, and the subtleties of the versions of the techniques are carefully explained to show the distinctions. Steve Scott explained his method for showing set-ups and variations: “It’s not just the shotgun approach — here’s this, here’s that. We tried to give it some system of basis so you could study it more effectively.” The text, while full of detailed information and tips, also provides plenty of gems of practical advice on the psychology of combat that Steve Scott acquired during his years of training, such as this one from The Juji Gatame Encyclopedia: “People sometimes say that they will ‘rise to the occasion’ under a stressful situation. That’s not true. You rise to your level of training. The better you prepare in your training, the better you will do under stress.” Grappling on YouTube While books are great, especially for reference, with our screen-centric culture, videos are something that students often seek out to see how things are done. This is precisely why Steve Scott has not just one but two YouTube channels: JBBA Judo Education Channel and Welcomematstevescott. They are filled with hundreds of free videos covering just about every aspect of grappling from standing to the ground. “The videos have been the main focus lately,” he said. “And that’s what they’re going to be probably for this next year.” With content varying in length from seconds to several minutes, the material suits the needs of dedicated students as well as those who are just grappling-curious. If you want to catch Steve Scott in person, head to the JudoCon, which will take place in Olathe, Kansas, on August 6-7, 2022. The JudoCon will feature speakers and coaches including Patrick Burris (ninth degree, two-time Olympian and Olympic team coach) and AnnMaria De Mars, Ph.D. (seventh degree, world judo champion). After years of teaching and coaching, why does Steve Scott still do it? “I love seeing my guys stand on the podium,” he said. “Getting that gold medal, that’s great. Silver, bronze, whatever it is. But to get there, I love that just as much, the process of getting them there.” Steve Scott’s overarching commitment to teaching is exceptional whether in person, on the page or on the screen. His mission is to help students understand. “If we can be a positive approach, a positive addition to the world of martial arts, then I guess I’ve done my job.”

Good strikers know that having good power means having optimal posture and structural alignment in the middle of striking and that feinting or baiting poor alignment in your opponent can steal his or her power. The wise combatant trains assiduously for structural perfection whether in motion or stock-still. Nothing I’ve said so far should foster disagreement. Veteran martial artists, please stay with me a wee bit longer as I outline a thought experiment that easily can be taken to the real world. The preceding may be obvious, but even obvious hypotheses should be put to the test to ensure that what’s obvious is also true, as more often than we realize, obvious is sometimes just legend, dogma or simply familiar “truths.” OVERHEAD “LOCKOUT” TEST: For this hypothesis test, you’ll require a partner and a barbell. Load the bar with approximately one-third the body weight of the partner. Have the partner clean-and-press it almost to the locked-out position overhead.(By the way, make sure your partner doesn’t lock it out. Keep a quarter of an inch of muscle cushioning or “play” between the position and true skeletal lockout. The old-timers were scrupulous about this. Why? Ask anyone with arthritis in the knees, elbows, hips, etc.)Once the weight is comfortably controlled overhead, stand behind your partner and slowly use the finger of one hand to push on the right side of the person’s head. Do so until he or she says, “Stop.” If you’re using bumper plates and/or have a safe drop zone, you can go harder and the partner can pitch the weight forward to escape. Taking the head out of spinal alignment, even in slow motion, alters the body’s structural integrity and reduces the person’s ability to perform the lockout to full strength. You can repeat the single-finger push on the left side of the head, or you can push on the back of the head to move it forward or even push on the forehead so the chin is raised. All will result in reduced stability and reduced ability to handle the locked load. If you were to skip being gentle and shove the head, the drop would be exceptionally dramatic — and dangerous. This experiment demonstrates that strength is more than a function of muscles, tendons and ligaments; it’s also a function of alignment. The lockout proves the ability to handle and control a given load, and the shove proves that alignment plays a large part in what we do in most acts — from locking out a weight to sitting in a chair. The single finger did nothing to alter the strength of the muscle; it merely altered a corresponding vital factor. APPLICATIONS IN COMBAT: A good grappler mitigates the power of the person he or she desires to crush by altering alignment in the same way you just “stole strength” in the lockout test. You use a deliberately placed elbow pry to steal resistance to the top wrist lock, you alter the orientation of the radius and ulna to “eat” the strength of the arm that’s stronger than yours, you pronate the foot to make locking the powerful leg a literal snap and so on. Submissions are more than cool moves. When performed scientifically, they are exercises in destructive structural alignment. In striking, particularly for the old-timers and those who desire to save their fists on the street, the incessant probes to the head are less about the intent to connect bone on bone than to inspire head movement that steals power from the opponent’s strikes and opens the way to soft targets.(It is for this very reason that “head movement” in the striking arts is a misnomer. It is actually upper-body movement with the head acting as a structurally locked section of the spinal column. Head movement steals only power and balance, whereas upper-body movement that takes the head with it, well, now you’re talking!) ALLOW ME TO REPEAT The title of today’s topic: “Combat Conditioning: Are You Training for Weakness?” I’m not asking if you’re practicing your combat tactics correctly; I will assume that you are. I am asking if your conditioning is weakening those tactics. Keeping in mind all I’ve discussed regarding the value of alignment, peruse the following questions:• Do you dip your head while doing push-ups, particularly those last few painful ones you squeeze out?• Do you tug your head forward on sit-ups, crunches or SEAL-style flutter kicks?• Do you lean that head side to side while cranking out reps on those heavy hammer curls?• Do you lift your chin on pull-ups?• Do you allow your head to sag on the down portion of burpees?• In short, do you break head-neck alignment while performing any conditioning drills? Likely the Special Forces dictum “How you train is how you will fight” is at the forefront of your mind more often than not, and if it’s not, it ought to be. Often, though, you might get a bit slippery about being scrupulous with your mechanics when what you do doesn’t resemble the fight itself. That’s unfortunate because you presumably are engaging in combat conditioning to better your fight game and your survival chances, and if you choose to steal your own power while you train, what exactly do you think will happen under combat stressors when you require all that sought-after power? How you train is how you will fight. Old-school boxers, wrestlers and combination fighters all stressed proper alignment and scrupulous head positioning. There were precious few exercises in which they permitted the altering of head position, rare circumstances in which it increased power. Follow in their footsteps. Remember that wise martial artists seek to steal power and alignment from their opponents and preserve their own power or increase it, even in endeavors that in no way resemble a fight. Those stress-under-load moments you encounter and the minor corrections you make to reduce their impact can spell large differences in your manifestation of power. Mark Hatmaker’s website is extremeselfprotection.com .

But Peacock has an enduring love for nature and a strong connection with it. After the war, he realized that he needed to get closer to nature to heal. He started going on life-changing solo adventures in the most remote areas of the United States. He believed that the wilderness possesses an intrinsic trait that could restore his belief in himself and, possibly, in humanity. It became his remedy for his broken soul. It enabled him to find a way to hit his reset button in an effort to center himself and deal with the complexities of life. In the spring of 2021, I desperately needed to find my martial arts reset button, get my martial arts motivation. Like most people, I knew that COVID-19 was having a detrimental effect on my life. My mental and physical health had waned, and I became impatient that my “normal” wasn’t returning quickly enough. One noticeable change was my enthusiasm for practicing my forms. It became arduous to work through them, and it felt like a chore, not a passion. Like Peacock, I needed a way to get over this obstacle and revitalize my enthusiasm. I decided to take a reflective sojourn, a short journey designed to help me restore focus and foster relaxation. However, my sojourn would take on a slightly different perspective: It would revolve around revitalizing my martial arts. I choose Estes Park, Colorado, to serve as my residence for three and a half days. Located 90 miles from my hometown, Estes Park sits outside the breathtaking Rocky Mountain National Park. Mountains soar to 14,000 feet, and the 360-degree vistas overload the visual senses. The YMCA of the Rockies would be my abode there. Initially, I wanted to stay in a tent, but the weather in April is unpredictable in the Rockies, so I opted for a bit of climate-controlled comfort. Purposefully, I chose a meager room with a bed, a small table, two chairs, a bathroom and no television. The room resembled a bachelor hovel devoid of individuality and charm. It was perfect. We’ve become a society dependent on electronics. Gazing into our phones, computers and televisions has numbed us. I wanted my senses to come alive again and dance exuberantly with interest. Distractions had to be minimal. My days needed to be full and exhausting so I wouldn’t be tempted to check in with the world. My days started at 6:30 a.m. with a brisk hike on the trails. The bite of snow was hanging in the air, a constant reminder of how quickly nature could flex her muscles on the unsuspecting. After each hike, I stretched and proceeded to practice my forms. The morning sessions were devoted to my color-belt forms, and the afternoons were for black-belt forms. I did each one three times: at half speed, with maximum tension and at full speed. If I struggled, I would focus on the specific problem, breaking down that section of the form and practicing the pieces to exhaustion. Much of what we do in life is dictated by the hands of a clock. I vowed not to fall victim to this societal constraint; instead, I practiced until I was content that I had solved the problem. My days were also filled with meditation, journaling, reading and writing. Moreover, the YMCA of the Rockies has a swimming pool, where I could supplement my workouts. I ran through my forms — as well as my kicks, punches and blocks — in the water. It garnered some bizarre glances, some laughs from children and a few fingers pointing with curiosity. Some people approached and asked what I was doing. Once I explained that I was practicing martial arts, the adults weren’t so wary of letting their kids get close to the “strange man in the pool.” A few of the children worked out with me, awkwardly mimicking my moves while standing on their tiptoes in the deep water. It made me miss my family and reminded me of the aim of my sojourn. On my final night, I was restless and couldn’t sleep. Around 2:30 a.m., I rolled out of bed, got dressed and went outside. I walked until the parking-lot lights were behind me, at which point I was in complete darkness and solitude. Being surrounded by pine trees and aspens made me feel small and insignificant. The sky was filled with bright stars with a hint of dark indigo. A slice of the moon added a trace of light that filtered through the trees. The only noise came from coyotes wailing in the distance — and my heavy heartbeat. I closed my eyes, took a deep breath and started my favorite form. As my foot softly landed to the left, I could feel the crunch of the frozen grass underneath. The smell of the forest and the light breeze striking my face invigorated me. My senses were elevated, and I was in a state of absolute single-mindedness. Being alone and vulnerable awakened something primal. I felt alive. At the end of my sojourn, I noticed that my focus, attitude and vigor with respect to my forms had changed for the better. It was refreshing to be taken out of my comfort zone and do something so different. As with most endeavours in life, the anticipation is more daunting than the event itself, which proved quite manageable, even enjoyable. If you feel like your martial arts practice needs a reset, I encourage you to consider taking a reflective sojourn. Yours can be completely different from mine. For instance, you might go to a spa or hotel, stay overnight in the dojo, take a road trip with workout stops or go on a backpacking adventure. The options are unlimited; it just takes some creativity and initiative on your part. The most important aspect is finding a sojourn that works for you. As Doug Peacock stated, “Sometimes you have to get out to get back in.” He was profoundly correct.

You don’t have to spend much time on social media before you stumble across videos of people performing martial arts techniques, specifically their interpretations of kenpo. The demos are frequently done with poor form and lacking intent, and sometimes they are completely unrecognizable. When these exhibitions pop up online, it doesn’t take long for the negative comments to roll in. At times, the quips are warranted. Other times, not so much. For today’s purposes, let’s focus on properly executed kenpo techniques with solid stances, power, focused intention and superb control. The first and most common judgment posted in the comment section is, “It would never happen that way.” In fairness to the trolls, they are speaking the truth. For the techniques to work as written, everything from strike impact to reaction to terrain would have to play out perfectly. There is no way all the variables will transpire in real life as practiced in the dojo using techniques that are longer than just a few actions. So why do we even bother practicing techniques? Techniques are tools to teach movement and not necessarily a ready-made prescription to handle every threat. For example, the kenpo technique known as “five swords” is not guaranteed to work against a big righthand haymaker. It does, however, show us how to move in and stifle an attack. It teaches taking the foundation away from an adversary with a leg check. It opens our eyes to the principle of rebounding as a means of creating of velocity and power in our strikes. Five swords also shares insight into creating force through simple footwork and stance changes. These mini-lessons are packed into this kenpo technique. In fact, similar lessons are hidden in each of the 154 techniques and their extensions. It’s up to us as martial artists to uncover the lessons and assimilate them into our understanding of movement. So how do we find these lessons and make them part of us? This is where the three phases of training in kenpo come into play. Phase 1 This is known as the “ideal phase.” During ideal-phase technique training, we move with intent while working to perfect our stances and movements. We focus on this because our actions will degrade from the ideal when we’re pressured in a real-life situation. If we practice sloppily in the ideal phase, what happens in real life will be even worse and likely ineffective. And that’s, well, not ideal. Phase 2 Next, we step into the “what-if” phase. It is here that we literally ask ourselves, “What if?” to prepare for the unexpected. If the attacker responds with something other than a typical ideal-phase reaction, what do we do? This is where our imagination and problem-solving skills are tested at “thinking speed.” I refer to this as thinking speed because we take the time to literally think our way and problem-solve as we work through possible solutions to an attacker’s reactions. During the what-if phase, we continue to train our subconscious to deal with anything that may come at us in real life by formulating responses intellectually. Phase 3 The final phase is the “formulation phase.” In it, we generate physical responses to non-predetermined actions. If we wish, we can practice these responses at different speeds — although it’s a good idea to practice a good percentage of the time at close to real-life speed. This is where we start to see which pieces of our kenpo training have taken hold and are readily available for our bodies to call on when needed. When our bodies produce an effective spontaneous reaction to any attack that comes at us in the formulation phase, we are truly enjoying the fruits of our labor in the ideal phase and the what-if phase. Final Thought The more effort we put into practicing our ideal-phase techniques with power and precision and the more intelligently we work through questions in the what-if phase, the greater the chance that when we’re forced into the formulation phase in real life, our bodies will respond in an effective manner.

The first time I heard of Sun Tzu and his classic treatise The Art of War was in the hit movie Wall Street (1987), which perfectly encapsulated the 1980s. Michael Douglas, as Gordon Gekko, quoted Sun Tzu often throughout the film. At the time, it was in vogue to equate business with war. CEOs and executives were reading ancient books on strategy and trying to use martial arts tactics for corporate takeovers and market domination. It shouldn’t be forgotten, though, that The Art of War is a book of strategy regarding war specifically, and even though its lessons can be applied to other subjects, it is first and foremost instruction for winning a conflict — and that is why you should read it. “All warfare is deception.” — The Art of War, Sun Tzu The concept that all war is deception is one every martial artist should take to heart because it has so many applications. Here are three ways you can implement this bit of wisdom in your training: Don’t telegraph your strikes or intentions. Fake high and go low; fake low and go high. Use facial expressions to hide your true feelings. In other words, develop a “poker face.” There are endless applications of the notion that you can cloak your attacks by never letting them be known. The strategic use of purposeful deception is a powerful tool. “Hence the saying: If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles.” — The Art of War, Sun Tzu This maxim advises readers to see their opponents and themselves honestly. In a world of photo filters and exaggerated claims on social media, knowing others and oneself is virtually alien, and it may require some extra effort to achieve an honest assessment. Here are some things you can do: Know your enemy Replace the word “enemy” with “opponent” and learn about the people you train with in your martial arts school. What are their favorite techniques? What are their strengths and weaknesses? Is a tournament coming up? Are there any past matches you can study on YouTube to know how your potential opponent(s) might attack? Know yourself Make a list of what you are bad at doing and practice those things. Are your punches too slow Do you need to improve your application of that submission you know but never practice? Get to work. What are your weaknesses? Procrastination? Fear? Stop making excuses. Write them down and eliminate them. Meditate. It doesn’t have to be for more than a few minutes, and it will do wonders when you can see yourself from within with no external interference. The ideas and concepts presented in The Art of War have endured through the ages because they are useful and they are sound. Whether you practice karate, kung fu, jiu-jitsu or anything else, you will benefit from reading The Art of War . So train hard, practice your techniques with intention and stream the movie Wall Street as you pick out pearls of wisdom from the master.

At the annual meeting of the American Psychiatric Association researchers presented a study indicating regularly engaging in sparring for MMA may lead to neurological damage. The study looked at 92 active professional mixed martial artists and found a relationship between weekly sparring and increased white matter hyperintensity. White matter are the nerve fibers in the brain and hyperintensities in them can indicate damage. It's commonly seen in the elderly and associated with cognitive decline. However, the study also showed regular sparring seemed to lead to an increase in the size of the brain's left and right caudate nuclei, which help control movement-related functions. Aaron I. Esagoff, the study's lead author, speculated this may actually help protect athletes from injuries to the caudate in official fights adding that regular sparring practice isn't entirely good or bad.

When you hear the term “combatives,” maybe you immediately envision a tough, muscular, ex-military brute beating the crap out of you whilst you do everything in your power to cover up and stay alive. Well, guess what? It does not have to be like that and let me tell you why. The fact is, combatives can be trained in a safe, fun and effective way with any martial arts. Here are five things you may not have known about training combatives. K.I.S.S. and Tell Combatives training is simple and it should be. When your life or the life of your loved one is in danger, there is no better formula than the K.I.S.S. formula. K.I.S.S. stands for Keep It Straightforward and Simple. An attack outside the dojo or gym often comes by surprise, with speed and violence of action. Your body will dump adrenaline and you will experience a loss of fine motor skills. When it comes to the martial, throw out complicated techniques that require fine motor skills, complex moves and finesse. Instead replace the complex techniques with gross motor skill movements that recruit major muscle groups and are simple to perform. Work it Baby Like any skill, combatives requires you to train, train again and keep on training. “I will make you deadly in three easy lessons” is a myth. Improving your odds of surviving a violent encounter will require consistent training. Training can be only ten minutes, three times a week to keep your combatives skills sharp. Remember, it should be easy (so not much time will be involved) but nothing can replace the space, time repetition of consistant training. The consistent training is essential for improving your odds in surviving a violent encounter. Truth be Told It is important to understand how street attacks really happen and train against THAT. As a traditional and combat sports martial artist, I instinctively knew that street level violence did not happen the way I was training in the gym, so I studied hours of surveillance and cell phone footage of violent encounters. This was a tool that our martial arts forefathers did not have and hence forth many teachers taught what they thought would happen on the street or they simply taught how to defend against attacks in their own school. But you know what? Street attacks did not happen as we are currently taught in martial arts schools or gyms. When someone attacks you on the streets (based on my research), often times, it will be at a level of middle school kid. Luckily, this lack of “attack sophistication” is easy to predict. It is important that when you train combatives, that you are actually training to defend against common, high percentage type of attacks. Join the Resistance Adding elements of mixed martial arts, Muay Thai and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu will improve your combatives skils one hundred percent. From my background in traditional martial arts (5th degree black belt in tae kwon do and sifu in kung fu), I know for a fact that many martial arts do not have a specific method of training from low resistance to high resistance in a safe, fun and effective way. They often go from low resistance (partner throwing a punch and holding it out there) to high resistance (just going full out) and very little in between. This is where the combat sports can help turbo charge a traditional martial arts school. Pad work (like with focus mitts and Thai pads) and protective equipment (like head gear and boxing gloves) when used correctly, will add new life into your combatives training. Adding safe, fun and effective resistive partner training into your curriculum is essential for the modern martial arts school. 5. Plug and Play Adding combatives to traditional martial arts can be seamless. News flash – many traditional martial arts already train many areas of combatives. Since combatives is simple (see number one above), any traditional martial arts can integrate a safe, fun and effective program into their curriculum to give their members an improved fighting chance. Tiga Tactics is one such program that will help improve the “Martial” in your “Art.” At the Martial Arts SuperShow in Vegas on July 18-20, 2022, I will be sharing how to easily integrate combatives into your curriculum. This is information you can take back to your school and start implementing on Monday. There you have it. One, Combatives needs to follow the K.I.S.S. formula. Two, the secret to improving your odds of coming out alive in a violent is to train something safe, effective and fun…and keep on training. Three, it is important to understand how a street fighter will actually attack you and to train against those types of attacks instead of defending against what commonly happens in a particular style or sport. Four, have a program that introduces resistive partner training in a safe, fun and effective manner. Fifth, realize that combatives training can be implemented into any martial arts program, seamlessly and in a way that empowers your students. Come and experience the Tiga Tactics Combatives program at the 2022 Martial Arts SuperShow for yourself.

Saenchai in his prime was one of the best, if not the best, Thai boxers to ever glove up. While most martial artists consider Samart Payakaroon to be the greatest kickboxer of all time, Saenchai’s record is impeccable, and he has had the kind of longevity that very few athletes get to enjoy. In recent years, he has stepped down in competition and largely fights non-Thai kickboxers for easy paydays. While Saenchai’s opponents today aren’t as strong as those he faced in his prime, they are usually a good deal larger than he is. Yet he’s still able to overcome them. How does he do this? In our search for answers, we must look at the concept of “no man’s land” and examine how Saenchai controls distance. No Man’s Land Cliff Bura, founder of the original Diesel Gym in London, used the term “no man’s land” in reference to the spatial gap between two fighters. The reference comes from the European theater during World War I. The opposing armies were stationed in mile-long trenches. They lived, trained and slept in those trenches, and the only way to reach the enemy was to go “over the top” and cross a large, deadly gulf of mud and barbed wire called No Man’s Land. Crossing no man’s land was a perilous task because you had to essentially waltz through an open field with no cover while the enemy fired at you. Such is also true of fighting in the ring — although in far cushier conditions. To make an attack in the ring, you need to cross no man’s land, and in doing so, you give away your intention. Those who have trained in a combat sport can probably remember the first time they sparred full contact and how it was hard to even step forward and land a shot. They would be stopped, countered or flat-out evaded, and it’s tough for beginners to figure out why. The reason beginners are unable to hit more-experienced sparring partners is they haven’t learned how to cross no man’s land at all. Invading no man’s land requires an unpredictable offense. Double and triple jabs and hand traps are all good ways to control an opponent’s guard while closing the gap. These are skills that take time to learn, and unfortunately for beginners in that scenario, it’s actually a lot easier to control no man’s land defensively than it is to invade. Saenchai’s Control When it comes to controlling no man’s land defensively, Saenchai is a master. His fights are at precisely two ranges: extremely close and extremely far. If he was to stay in a midrange, he would be in danger because he is primarily a reflexive fighter who likes to evade attacks and, although he does have knockout victories, he is not a particularly powerful fighter. Saenchai instead plays the very unusual game of being the out-fighter — but with a shorter reach than his opponents. He stays on the very edge of his opponents’ range to the point where should they throw a kick or punch, he only has to pull back slightly before leaping in with a quick counterkick, then pivot and force his opponent to turn. Saenchai in Action In this video, we see a classic example of Saenchai’s tactics. His opponent Shan is considerably larger than he is. Saenchai makes quick entries with straight lefts or snappy switch kicks. He closes the distance fast, and as soon as he makes contact, he is back on the outside again. Those who come from point-based karate styles like shotokan will probably find a lot in common with Saenchai because this is the same principle of blitzing seen in those competitions. Saenchai’s entries into no man’s land, while being quick and snappy, are also hard to predict because he attempts to sweep Shan on entry. These don’t usually succeed, but they give Shan something else to worry about. When Shan is ready to mount his own attack, he comes in from distance, and Saenchai has time to react and land his counters. It’s often said that Saenchai appears to be sparring with his opponents, rather than fighting them, because of how relaxed he is at all times. While no one can truly speak about what’s happening in his mind when he fights, it’s fair to say his sense of distance and timing is so good that he doesn’t need to stress about his opponents’ attacks. Lerdsila, a former stablemate of Saenchai, has a similarly slippery style. However, Lerdsila is known for being too focused on evading and not on attacking, which has caused him to lose decisions he could have won. How You Can Do This  If you have access to a gym and a hula hoop, you can start practicing this idea with a clear visual indicator of no man’s land. Place the hula hoop between you and your partner. Ensure that both of you are outside the perimeter of the hoop. When your partner steps forward with a jab, you will see his foot cross into the hula hoop. From there, you check the jab and pivot around the edge. The hoop will serve as a guide you can easily circle around. When your partner has to step to reset, make your counter. He then steps back outside the hoop, and you do the drill again, swapping places. The next drill, which also uses the hula hoop, has one person place his lead foot just inside the hoop while the other stays a step outside. When the partner steps into the hoop to make a move, you step backward, leading with your rear foot, before drawing your lead foot outside the hoop. Once you are outside, once again circle around the hoop. This drill helps you build the habit of stepping back and then around because ideally you shouldn’t take more than two steps backward while retreating before circling out. Practicing the drill builds good habits and helps prevent you from accidentally running into the ropes or cage while trying to evade your opponent.

“We have a quick pace, a lot of action and demonstrations, and there is no redundancy. … No one has time to get bored. We want to educate and entertain.” George Chung spoke those words in 1984 when a Black Belt writer asked him about the cable-television series he and Cynthia Rothrock had hosted for four years, but one could imagine that he spoke them yesterday about JungoTV, the streaming-video network he co-founded. JungoTV — specifically, the Black Belt Magazine Channel it hosts — is all about education and entertainment. The education takes the form of instructional footage from the best of the best, both past and current champions, and masters. The entertainment manifests as coverage of the most prestigious tournaments, along with a catalog of martial arts movies starring the likes of Bruce Lee, Chuck Norris, Sho Kosugi, Sammo Hung and Jean-Claude Van Damme. Education and entertainment, indeed! But that’s not to say that inside Chung’s chest there isn’t the heart of a true martial artist. He was a five-time world champion renowned for his forms, and at one point, he was rated No. 1 in the nation — in part because of the way he innovated with music and acrobatic moves like walkovers and cartwheels. “Music is a trend, not a fad,” he told Karate Illustrated in 1980. “[But] I consider the true traditional value of the form. Form helps you develop good basics, for which there is no substitute.” Chung, who was Black Belt’s 1983 Male Competitor of the Year, never let up on his mission to spread the martial arts through whatever means were at hand. Case in point: Regarding the aforementioned 1980s cable series, he said, “A lot of people procrastinate about taking martial arts. We felt if we could show people that they can do it, they would get involved. We show men, women, children and elderly people doing martial arts.” To further propagate the arts, in 1988 he followed in the footsteps of countless other tournament champions, but Chung, always the overachiever, went above and beyond: He co-wrote, edited, co-directed and starred in a film titled Hawkeye (also released as Karate Cops).That same year, when the martial arts academy he and Rothrock ran in Los Gatos, California, caught fire — resulting in total destruction of the dojo — Chung relied on his warrior spirit to endure. “If I lose, I take a champion’s attitude,” he said. “I don’t grieve. Instead, I come back even stronger.” He came back stronger when he, along with Rothrock, wrote Advanced Dynamic Kicks for Ohara Publications, now Black Belt Publishing. He came back stronger when he developed a program for the San Francisco 49ers, luring them in with promises of enhanced flexibility and then teaching martial arts practices and drills that delivered tangible benefits that applied to football. For his contributions to the team’s performance, Chung received a Super Bowl ring. In 1984 a hypothetical was pitched to Chung for the purposes of a Black Belt article. His answer was revealing but not at all unexpected for a true martial artist. “If I had only one day left with my students, I would teach them something physical and I would relate to them something philosophical,” he said. “I would first teach them a short form because if they were never going to see me again, I would like to pass on something to them so that they’ll remember the time they trained with me.“ It would also be my way of leaving something for them to pass along to their students. And then in later years, they can teach that form and maybe they can teach another form of their own. This way, the arts can really grow.“ Second, I would inject them with three basic philosophies of martial arts that I feel are very important. One is training for their own positive being, for their own physical and mental health. Two is not to abuse the martial arts in any way. And third, I would like to see them grow, as well. I would tell them [that] when they pass martial arts on, hopefully they’ll teach in a fashion similar to the way I did but that they’ll also have the creativity and open-mindedness to add and inject their own personality into their own style.” In case you need one last example of Chung’s impact on the arts, travel two years forward in time from when those words were spoken. He and Rothrock appeared in a video that was used in a U.S. Senate hearing to determine the future legality of martial arts weaponry. If you still wield weapons in your dojo, and even if you don’t, you know that his side — our side — won. The staff of Black Belt is honored to have George Chung as its 2022 Man of the Year.— J. Torres

The ninja were accomplished pharmacists, skilled in preparing different poisons and special powders and compounds. Ninjutsu training in yogen (pharmacy) also allowed them to prepare gunpowder and explosives, medicines and even concentrated foods as part of their ninja gear. Ninja Gear #1: Poisons Poisons were made from mineral, plant and animal sources. They were potent enough to kill, but could be devised for putting the enemy to sleep, paralyzing him or making him shake with laughter. Dirks, darts and arrows were tipped with poison for use in assassinations. A poison water gun was designed to blind enemies. It consisted of a long piece of bamboo with a tiny hole at the business end. The ninja concocted the poisonous water and poured it into the hollow bamboo. A smaller piece of bamboo was slid inside the larger section and fitted with a rag at the front end. The small piece was inserted and quickly shoved home, forcing the poisoned water out through the tiny hole. The poison water was usually made from iron powder and a mixture that was ordinarily used to stain the teeth of married women. Ninja Gear #2: Special Devices In addition to poisons, the ninja also had a staggering array of special devices useful to them in their trade. They had all sorts of grappling hooks and ropes for scaling walls and gaining entrance to castles. Some of the more remarkable devices were those for crossing water. So adept were they at crossing moats, rivers and lakes that legend had it they could walk on water. Actually, the ninja had a number of water-crossing devices. One was the ukidaru, or floating pots. They would encase their feet in waterproof reed pots tightly woven for the purpose and use a fan-like oar to “walk" across a moat. They might also use air-filled skins or other attachments to their feet. Another water-crossing device was a contraption resembling a life jacket. Usually made of rabbit or horse skins and filled with air, it was divided into four parts. One section was strapped on each side of the ninja and a third at the rear. They straddled the fourth section and went to work with their trusty bamboo oar. These feudal-age “water wings" came in handy, especially when crossing an enemy's castle moat at night. Ninja Gear #3: The Black Costume The trademark of the ninja was their black costume. The jacket, somewhat resembling the modern judo top, was equipped with various pockets for holding weapons and other devices. A black hood covered the face, with a pair of slits for the eyes. Black trousers and leggings covered the lower part of the body, while the feet were concealed in black tabi and sandals. Since ninja were sometimes called upon to fight alongside soldiers on the battlefield, they were also equipped with a combat uniform. They wore a jacket and leggings of chain mail. Their wrists, hands, neck and head were also protected by mail. All in all, their combat costume was a formidable outfit. Part One: Ninja History 101: An Introduction to Ninjutsu Part Two: Ninja History 101: Spying and Assassination Part Four: Ninja History 101: Ninjutsu Weapons Part Five: Ninja History 101: Ninjutsu Training