Even as a child, before I studied martial arts, the subject of self-defense would often come up. Granted, it was the late 70s and early 80s, so things were a little different. (Heck, some of us were still eye-balling that book of secrets by Count Dante in the back of our comic books.) However, when people would talk about self-defense it inevitably boiled down to a litany of things in two categories: You should never do this, or you should always do that. The “this” or “that” could be some seemingly innocuous thing that had the potential to result in disastrous consequences. For example, I remember a friend of the family saying, “Never stand with your back knee locked out. Otherwise, if you are attacked and someone kicks your knee, it can bust out the back of your leg.” (gulp) Good to know, even if I was seven. I suspect the advice came from a relatively unique experience that they had or heard about, but it was just one of many “nuggets” of self-defense that was posited in my brain and has stayed there over the decades. After I was a victim of violent crime, I became quite a bit more interested in self-defense and wanted to learn how to protect myself with real knowledge beyond some anecdotal asides and odd advice. Interestingly, after I started studying, I learned rather quickly that every other style, except whatever I was studying at the moment, was “real self-defense,” at least that is what everyone said. For this reason, I would like to stay from which style is best and focus on some universal principles that apply to everyone. Self-Defense A self-defense encounter is different than a fight. I regard a self-defense situation as being a life-threatening experience that cannot be avoided. Whereas, a fight may sometimes be a preventable altercation, and as such, should be treated differently. In fact, self-defense confrontations can be very different. The experience that brought me into martial arts involved three attackers with a knife. A tough situation for anyone, regardless of what martial art they study. Add to that the nature of surprise, and speed, and you have a very arduous confrontation. I’ve heard people say that they will do this , because the attacker will do that , and I usually like to question them: how do you know that that’s what the attacker will do? While it may be tempting to teach and learn with such absolutes, they have no application in the real world. Ultimately, you don’t know what someone may do and I think it is dangerous to assume so. As a rule, I think it is important to keep self-defense training rooted in fundamentals with applications to a variety of circumstances. It is better to have one or two techniques that you can apply to hundreds of situations than a bunch of specific techniques. Keep your training real. Always Below, I’ve taken the always and never categories and included ideas that I believe are useful. (For one thing, you can stand any way you want.) Always accept the random nature of self-defense situations and don’t assume you know what will happen or when. Always train in a martial art that you are confident will supply the proper tools to survive a self-defense incident. (And what a resource you have here at Black Belt.) Always seek to have the proper mental attitude regarding self-defense. Seek a calm mind, and an even temper, and avoid situations that put you at risk. Always train with the assumption that life is not like a movie. While self-defense techniques may work great in the school, when applied in real life, they are messy, and some may not work. May not work? Yes, and so you have to train your mind to move on from plan A to plan B, C, D, etc. Never What are the don’ts? What should you never do? Here are some things that I think should be avoided. Never put faith in a weapon. Weapons can be taken from you, or for some reason be unavailable (can’t get to it) or even fail (doesn’t work on the attacker as intended). A weapon shouldn’t be the only tool you have. Train yourself. Depend on you. Never underestimate your opponent. This one is timeless and yet bears repeating. Never assume there is just one attacker. Never forget that survival means surviving. That could mean getting away as much as vanquishing your assailant. If you can get away, do that. Never stop training your mind and body. Learning a few techniques from a one-day or even a weekend course is no substitute for a deeper level of training over time. The acquired skills and intangible benefits gained from training for a long period exist beyond self-defense and are great for personal development and peace of mind. In the context of a physical attack, there are so many variables that it is impossible to list them all and prepare. That means that a much more concept-oriented approach will work best. Many martial arts are very good for self-defense, but like a gladiator in the arena, they are essentially just the weapon you choose, and ultimately you are the warrior.

Growing up in the 70s, martial arts seemed to be everywhere. Even on the small screen, there were occasional brushes with what at the time was deemed exotic. Whether it was Marcia Brady on The Brady Bunch taking Karate or Laurie Partridge taking Judo on The Partridge Family you couldn't help but notice that martial arts were becoming more popular. Without mentioning the most often talked about film of the era…yes, that one, I was hoping to throw some light on movies that I have always found interesting and often overlooked. Here are some films that you may want to check out if you have an urge for bell-bottoms, silk shirts open to the waist, and some vintage action. The Killer Elite (1975) With secret agents, Ninjas, and plenty of gunplay, The Killer Elite is an action film that satisfies fans of the genre. Released in 1975, starring James Caan, Robert Duvall, and directed by a giant of action cinema and an artist of on-screen violence, Sam Peckinpah, The Killer Elite is a neglected action film classic. Caan and Duvall work as quasi-spies for a CIA-affiliated company. Caan is betrayed by Duvall who strategically injures Caan to force him to "retire." Caan embarks on the long road of recovery and ultimately seeks revenge. Shot in and around San Francisco there is some great cinematography plus it has both Mako and Tak Kubota in supporting roles. The climactic slow-motion Ninja battle aboard a mothballed warship is definitely worth seeing. It should be noted that James Caan is a legit Karate black belt and his work with the cane in the movie is an interesting twist. Billy Jack (1971) Tom Laughlin wrote, directed, and starred in this action-packed socially conscious martial arts film that is truly unique. Oh, and he did it on a shoe-string budget. While The Killer Elite featured Ninjas and Japanese martial arts, the hero Billy Jack doles out justice via Hapkido. The character Billy Jack first appeared in the film Born Losers (1967) and then subsequently in Billy Jack (1971). There are two other films in the series: The Trial of Billy Jack (1974), and Billy Jack Goes to Washington (1977). In the cannon of martial arts films, especially of the era, I believe Billy Jack deserves more recognition as does Tom Laughlin. Check out the fight scene in the park, a classic. Budo: The Art of Killing (1979) When I first heard about the documentary Budo, I was expecting to see secretly filmed deathmatches or something akin to a grainy Bloodsport Kumite. I was pleasantly surprised to find that it was an entertaining presentation of many of the major Japanese martial arts: Judo, Karate, Sumo, Aikido, and more. The film spends a few minutes on each martial art providing some background and featuring footage of students training. I still find it fascinating to watch and I think you will too. Many of the mainstream action films of the decade had elements of Karate, Judo, and Kung Fu. The Mechanic (1972), for example, has a signature scene where star Charles Bronson takes his protégé, Jan-Michael Vincent, to his Karate class. They watch a duel as Bronson's teacher, the legendary Tak Kubota, dismantles a towering upstart. Although there is little empty hand combat in the film, the scene establishes the lethality of Bronson whether he's packing a piece or just staring menacingly while he smokes his pipe. He's calm and confident and why not? Like many 70s film icons, he knows martial arts.

The son of Black Belt Hall of Famer Bow Sim Mark, Donnie Yen has entertained millions with his martial arts. We go one-on-one with the film icon. Donnie Yen first appeared on my radar 25 years ago, when his name often graced the pages of martial arts periodicals. I learned that Donnie Yen, the son of Boston-based wushu pioneer and Black Belt Hall of Famer Bow Sim Mark, stood out from his peers because of his strong stances and aesthetic postures, which helped him dominate the competition at martial arts tournaments. In part because he longed to follow in the footsteps of Bruce Lee , Donnie Yen decided to try his hand at action films. Like Bruce Lee, he opted to return to southern China, where he found work as a stuntman in Hong Kong. Donnie Yen quickly leveled up to starring roles, commanding the screen opposite Jet Li in Once Upon a Time in China II (1992) and as hung gar kung fu master Wong Kei-Ying in Iron Monkey (1993). (The movie found U.S. distribution in 2001 thanks to Quentin Tarantino and Miramax.) With hit after hit under his belt, Donnie Yen built himself into one of Asia's most bankable actors. In 2008 he landed what would be his heaviest role to date: playing wing chun grandmaster Yip Man in Ip Man. (The Chinese family name Yip can be Romanized as Yip or Ip. In this article, I will use “Ip Man" to refer to the movie and “Yip Man" to refer to the man.) Portraying the martial artist who was Bruce Lee 's master didn't come without immense pressure and criticism, but the movie's box-office performance and the rabid following it generated online proved the naysayers wrong — and set the stage for two sequels. When the publicity tour for Ip Man 3 brought Donnie Yen and co-star Mike Tyson to Los Angeles, I got an opportunity to interview Yen and hear about the struggles, triumphs, insights and visions that make up his life. Bearing a gift from my teacher, Black Belt Hall of Fame member Dan Inosanto, I entered the room, hoping for a good conversation. What I got was a great interview with a man who's humble, hardworking and still hungry for higher achievements. *** It's an honor to finally meet you. I have a gift for you from someone you might have heard of: Dan Inosanto. Donnie Yen: Wow! Thank you so much. I've heard so much about him and followed his career for years, but I never had the opportunity to meet him in person. Please thank him for me. I spoke to him just before coming here, and he's a huge fan of yours. Not only does he love your movies, but he also had high praise, saying that Bruce Lee would've been pleased with your work had he lived to see it. Donnie Yen: That's overwhelming. Please thank sifu Inosanto for me. [He tells his wife and his manager excitedly in Cantonese that Dan Inosanto was the training partner, best friend and top student of Bruce Lee.] Get your copy of the Bruce Lee classic Tao of Jeet Kune Do: New Expanded Edition! I always wanted to study Filipino kali from him. I've been a Bruce Lee fan ever since I was a kid, and as you probably know, I did an homage to him by reprising the role of Chen Zhen (whom Lee portrayed in Fist of Fury) in a TV series and feature film. Absolutely. Your performance in Legend of the Fist is one of my favorites. Donnie Yen: It's funny … people asked me whether I knew that Bruce Lee had already done that role. The whole point of me doing those movies and playing those roles was out of respect to Bruce Lee — as a way of showing how much he inspired me in my career. I could never be Bruce Lee. Nobody can. Nor could I imitate him in a way that would do him or the role justice. But just paying tribute to him with those roles was huge for me. I've always said that if Bruce was still alive, I'd have become his most devoted student. How did that weigh on you when you were offered a chance to portray Yip Man? Donnie Yen: The pressure was huge, and it came from a variety of angles, too. Let me share a bit of background with you. The first time I got a call to play the role of Yip Man was a couple of decades ago, but that movie never got made due to problems with the film's backers. Years later, I was at a press conference in Beijing and got another call from a producer, saying that they'd spoken to grandmaster Yip's family, gotten their blessing, were going to make a movie on him and wanted to cast me in the lead. But there was already a film about Yip Man (The Grandmaster, starring Tony Leung and Zhang Ziyi) that the famous director Wong Kar-Wai was going to direct. I asked about that, but the producer said not to worry since Wong has a reputation for taking his time on projects. Even though we were going to involve the same namesake character, they would tell their story and we would tell ours. When the public got word that we were going to do Ip Man, people in the entertainment industry started drawing lines and picking sides. Critics claimed that our director Wilson Yip wasn't qualified to direct a project of that magnitude. At that time, I'd just finished police movies like SPL: Kill Zone and Flash Point, which had a ton of over-the-top action sequences and MMA-based fight choreography. Those movies and Special Identity were the first Hong Kong action movies to take MMA grappling techniques and communicate them in a cinematic language. So critics also said that I wasn't suitable for the role of grandmaster Yip or to showcase wing chun cinematically. All this even before you started shooting? Donnie Yen: Yes. I never expected there to be so many doubters, even though I knew this to be an iconic role. Preparing for a role like that must have been different, considering your extensive martial arts background. What was your foundational training in with your mother? Was it modern wushu? Donnie Yen: No, it was traditional Shaolin kung fu and then tai chi, but my tai chi is a little different. My mother's master Fu Wing-Fay had a different style, and I've added my own flavor to my tai chi. Growing up in Boston, did you get to experiment with different martial arts? Donnie Yen: When I was a kid running around Chinatown, hung gar was really big, really popular. I used to study the old Lam Sai-Wing books on hung gar with the line drawings and practice those stances and postures. But back then, I was so curious and excited to learn martial arts from any source, regardless of style. I just wanted to absorb as much as I could. I'm still that way when I see something I like. Wang Bo, formerly of Shaolin Temple, is the featured instructor in an online kung fu course from Black Belt. Titled Tree of Shaolin, it streams video lessons to your preferred digital device. Sign up here and start your journey along the 1,500-year-old Shaolin path! Did you get any formal wing chun training back then? Donnie Yen: Unfortunately, I did not. But there was one kid that knew a little bit, and we'd skip school and train in the park together, sparring and practicing techniques on each other. Back then, I was just trying to learn moves from the different styles and systems, including taekwondo — not just Chinese martial arts. You mentioned Bruce Lee as a source of inspiration. Did you watch other kung fu flicks? Donnie Yen: Oh, yeah. I was a big fan of those movies as a kid. I'd see some move that I thought was cool or some character that inspired me, and I'd try to imitate them physically or philosophically. When it came time to prep for Ip Man, I understand that you spent time with both of Yip Man's sons. Donnie Yen: I actually spent a lot of time studying Yip Man's personal story in terms of his history and background, not just studying wing chun. To get as close as I could to the source, I spent time with his sons, listening to them talk about their father, their family life and their art. I even went to Futsan (Foshan, China) to see where he lived. Were the Yip brothers your technical trainers for the movie? Donnie Yen: I actually had a bunch of different wing chun trainers to help me learn the forms and the basic drills, like the lap sau and chee sau (sticky hands) drills. The big thing they helped me with was learning the forms. I didn't have three years to devote to mastering wing chun, so I could only try to embody the mindset and philosophy. So there wasn't just one master who oversaw all your training? Donnie Yen: No. I didn't want to try to be a clone of any one sifu. I knew that I could never imitate grandmaster Yip Man perfectly. I could only do the role justice by offering my interpretation of his philosophy in movement. Actually, studying the old black-and-white films of grandmaster Yip was very valuable. If there was one source that I tried to draw on most, that was it. I also tried to get a sense of Yip Man's movement and personality from his students outside the family. I actually used social media a lot to see how the different groups interpreted wing chun. It was very interesting. It gave me a chance to see how different wing chun people expressed the system physically and strategically. From the super-traditional to the more modern and aggressive versions, I wanted to get a broader view of what direction people were taking the art. All that figured into how I moved and how I portrayed the character. Luckily, the public reacted well to it. There seem to be some signature moves in the fight scenes throughout the Ip Man franchise. Donnie Yen: You see a lot of the mun sau posture from Yip Man because it fits [him]. He was originally from a well-to-do family, scholarly, very reserved. Wing chun is also a physically conservative style. You're not going to see a lot of flash or wasted movement. So making the action exciting meant that the fight scenes had to educate the audience in a way that made those more efficient movements visually appealing. The Ultimate Guide to Martial Arts Movies of the 1970s: 500+ Films Loaded with Action, Weapons & Warriors, by Dr. Craig D. Reid. On sale now! In Ip Man 3, as in the two previous movies, there's a strong thematic element of family. There's a push-pull that's evident between Yip Man and his family in which he's pulled out of involvement in some aspects of the martial arts while being motivated to accomplish more as a martial artist because of them. Is this a bit of art imitating life with you? Donnie Yen: Absolutely! As you can see, my wife Cecilia is here in the room with us, as she's also my business partner, but I absolutely know how that goes. Luckily, my wife sees everything I go through. She understands me and what I need to do. For an actor to really nail the character, he has to live through something similar to be able to call on that kind of emotion and bring it to life for the camera. If you've never been through something, you won't have the same depth of experience to be able to share on-screen. What's smart about Wilson Yip, the director of the Ip Man movies, is that he not only understands filmmaking but he understood what kind of stages I was going through in my personal life. So he wasn't just creating another role for me to play. He made it so that I could bring something special to the character as it was written and the character would allow me to express those aspects of myself, as well. I can't tell you how precious that kind of work environment is in acting. After you did Ip Man and Ip Man 2, did the wing chun world give you any special status? Donnie Yen: Look, I come from a traditional martial arts household, so I know how it goes with status. [chuckling] I don't care about seeking status in martial arts from my films. Like if you asked me to teach you wing chun, I'm not the guy who's a wing chun master. There are many other people who've devoted their lives to learning, researching and developing wing chun. Those are the wing chun masters, not me. Silat for the Street is the title of an online course from Black Belt Hall of Famer Burton Richardson and Black Belt magazine. Now you can learn the most functional silat techniques whenever and wherever you want on your smartphone, tablet or computer. Get more info here! What's important to me is that authentic, traditional martial arts were overlooked for years in favor of making more exciting action films. But now that audiences are more educated and can recognize traditional martial arts, it's more important than ever for me to portray these arts and the personalities around them with a certain dignity that's appropriate. The fight scenes have to convey a sense of realism, as well as communicate the principles of the styles that are portrayed. When the movie does well and inspires people to do more with their lives, that's the reward for me. With the Ip Man movies, it's not about what I did for wing chun; it's about focusing on a character that inspires people. It's not about wing chun versus this style or that style anymore. Last question: I heard a rumor that you were phasing out martial arts films. What's the scoop with that? Donnie Yen: I'm human. Sometimes we say things in the heat of the moment. For me, there have been days when my body is just tired of the beating that I put it through in a high-powered, high-intensity action flick. But at the end of the day, if I sit down and watch TV or see an action sequence on the screen and think, “Oh, come on! That's it? I can do better than that!" then it stirs that competitive spirit. I'm an actor, but inside I'm also a fighter. As for kung fu movies, I don't really have as much motivation to conquer anything more, especially after doing roles from Guan Yun-Chang in The Lost Bladesman to the Ip Man franchise. But especially when it comes to contemporary fight scenes, I feel like there's a lot of knowledge about using martial arts and cinematic techniques in harmony that I still have left to show, that I still want to show. About the author: Dr. Mark Cheng is a Black Belt contributing editor and doctor of traditional Chinese medicine. In his free time, he teaches shuai chiao, tai chi and kettlebells. Photos Courtesy of Well Go USA

Martial arts teach countless techniques for dealing with an opponent. Whether grappling on the mat in BJJ, Shuai-Jiao, or Judo, or squaring off in a ring with kicks and punches in Karate, Kung Fu, or Taekwondo, the goal of martial arts is to learn the skills, practice them until they are second nature, and then use them to defend and/or defeat an opponent or adversary…or is it? How to win over fear? Attaining Martial Skills The first step toward any level of mastery requires repeating a technique or skill thousands upon thousands of times. The maxim of “10,000 times a master,” rings true here. Through endless repetitions, the student trains their muscle memory, builds up strength, trains proper bone alignment, and, eventually, acquires the speed and agility to make the technique effective. As many students and teachers know, this process is long and arduous and there is no shortcut. There is no fast track or way around putting in the work to be successful. For many, this is when it all comes apart. It is inevitable, as we are all human, that when faced with the task of what may seem like endless repetitions of material already learned, the student may begin to think that maybe this is not what they want to do. “Maybe this isn’t the art for me,” “This is boring,” and other thoughts become prevalent, “Maybe I’ll take a break.” (Quitting?) While mastering the fundamentals is not a sexy process, I can’t think of a more important step in a student’s development than perfecting basic skills. Time and again, when a practitioner is floundering, a return to the basics, the fundamentals, is the recipe for getting to the next step in development. For the student, a decision is made: either they will continue or they will quit. It is at this crossroads that a student is fighting with themselves, and either they will defeat the seductive whisper of surrender with renewed commitment, or succumb and walk away. Win over fear: Application of Skills Let’s say the student continues. So, they have an awesome roundhouse kick or armbar. Now what? Now they have to be able to use it. Everything works on a compliant partner or a partner holding pads, but that isn’t what they’re training for. This step would seem to be more about your opponent than the student or practitioner, but it isn’t. Facing an opponent brings a new level of difficulty, realism, anxiety, and sometimes some internal drama, to their practice. This is when, “It all gets real,” as they often say now. As you face your opponent, whether sparring or in competition, you must ask yourself, “Do I attack now?” Which can be followed by questioning thoughts, such as: “Can they hit me?” What if it doesn’t work?” What if he counters?” “What if I lose?” All these thoughts, and more like them, have little to do with an opponent, and more to do with fear, insecurity, and the ego. It is a grappling match with the self as it works its way through the complexities of confrontation. Knowing a slick technique is great, but if it can’t be used, then it is useless. The mind must be conditioned as well as the body. Forging the Will Arts like Kyudo (The Way of the Bow), Japanese archery, Iaido (The Art of Drawing the Sword), and even Tai Chi Quan, are disciplines that don’t directly engage with an opponent but instead focus on achieving a high level of skill in their respective arts that can only come when the student has mastered themselves. Tai Chi Quan, Kyudo, and Iaido are arts that are beautiful to behold and awe-inspiring in the discipline students learn in executing the techniques. They each have a slow, meditative, and deliberate process of training that is useful and transferable to life beyond the dojo floor. Doing something with intention requires presence, awareness, and a subtle way of being while executing the technique. Defeating distractions, self-doubt, procrastination, and all the greatest hits of human behavior that keep us in our cycles of defeatist thinking and mediocrity are necessary as we face our greatest opponent. The Greatest Opponent Success in martial arts was taught to me long ago: You get out of it, what you put into it. That is true of much in life and was one of the kernels of wisdom I gleaned on my martial arts journey. Learning to have courage and confidence to defeat a challenger or attacker may be the outward aim of martial arts, but really we are training to defeat our procrastination, limiting beliefs, aversion to difficulty, and many more negative traits that can keep us from meeting our full potential. While pushing through a particularly difficult training session, competitive match, or dealing with any number of the fated setbacks that accompany our journey through martial arts, it is important to remember that we are the greatest opponent of all, and we must win.

Fabricio Andrade via ONE Championship Martial artist and UFC color commentator Joe Rogan has been enjoying what ONE Championship is bringing to the table as of late. Over the past year, Rogan has loved what he has seen across the board. Most of all, he credits ONE Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong with giving a platform for martial artists of every discipline to shine. “What I love about Chatri [Sityodtong] and what he’s doing with ONE [Championship] is they’re embracing all the aspects of martial arts. They have Muay Thai with little gloves. They have jiu-jitsu. They have real elite-level MMA. It’s great,” Rogan remarked. Among the many events and athletes he has praised, one of the standouts has been Fabricio Andrade. During an episode of The Joe Rogan Experience with Demetrious Johnson, the two talked about how skilled the Brazilian was following his destruction of John Lineker for the ONE Bantamweight MMA World Championship. Andrade will return to the global stage at ONE Fight Night 16 against Jonathan Haggerty in an attempt to become a two-sport king and grab the vacant ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Title. The lifelong martial artist has loved the striking arts under ONE’s banner, including the Muay Thai war between Rodtang Jitmuangnon and Superlek Kiatmoo9. He also has loved the creativity ONE has shown in creating superfights, such as Johnson’s battle with Rodtang in a mixed-rules superfight. “What a dope move of him [Johnson] to go over there and fight Rodtang. Fight Rodtang, one round of pure Muay Thai. So he has to survive for one round against one of the most frightening Muay Thai fighters of all time,” Rogan said. Rogan’s comments show how much passion he has for martial arts as a whole and not just MMA. And it is an example of how ONE Championship has facilitated the growth of Muay Thai and submission grappling on a global scale. Rogan recognizes how important that has been and appreciates where ONE has taken these sports with an even brighter future ahead. Fabricio Andrade goes for kickboxing glory at ONE Fight Night 16 . The action airs live on Friday, November 3, at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on Prime Video. The event is free for all Amazon Prime subscribers based in the U.S. and Canada.

Clay Donahue Fontenot is one of Hollywood's most sought after and successful stuntmen and coordinators. He has doubled some of Hollywood’s biggest stars. His work includes such huge hits as Blade, Iron Man , Logan , Django Unchained and most notably the Equalizer franchise. Business Insider named Fontenot one of the most famous stunt doubles in Hollywood. But remember, we all learn from someone: "Chuck Jeffries is and has been the most influential martial artist in my life time and I look up to him the most over all others!" Here's his advice for those wanting to break into the field.

by Graciela Casillas In terms of the physical aspect of self-defense, it's essential to acknowledge the distinctive differences in a woman's approach compared to a man's. While training techniques may vary, understanding these differences is crucial. First, there's a disparity in physical strength and size between genders. Men typically possess greater muscle mass and physical power, while women often rely on agility, flexibility, and technique. Consequently, women's training should leverage these natural strengths and employ techniques that align with their physical attributes. Secondly, specific vulnerabilities women may face in self-defense situations need to be addressed. Recognizing the prevalence of gender-based violence and the potential for attackers to exploit perceived weaknesses, women's training should encompass strategies for situational awareness, assertiveness, and de-escalation. By understanding and recognizing potential threats and confidently asserting boundaries, women can enhance their ability to prevent, avoid, or respond to dangerous situations. Additionally, psychological factors unique to women's self-defense should be considered. Societal conditioning may discourage assertiveness or self-defense, leading to hesitation or self-doubt. I personally experienced this growing up in a traditional Latino family, where I had to hide my kickboxing pursuits. It took years before my mother understood and supported my passion for martial arts, realizing its importance in teaching my own daughters the benefits of self-defense. Empowering and inspiring women to overcome these barriers and to build confidence, assertiveness, and self-worth is a vital part of training. Many school owners struggle to attract and retain women in their programs. To address this, creating a safe, inclusive, and supportive training environment for women is essential. Acknowledging the potential discomfort or intimidation women may feel in male-dominated spaces is equally important. Offering women-focused self-defense classes or women-led training can foster confidence, certainty, and comfort. Shifting the focus to the practical aspects of self-defense, a clear distinction emerges between art, sport, and street self-defense. When it comes to instructing street self-defense, the primary focus should revolve around useful skills, such as striking, blocking, grappling, and situational awareness. These training sessions should prioritize the development of muscle memory and reflexes, enabling someone to respond swiftly and effectively in a real-life situation. Learning self-defense requires a strong commitment to developing the necessary skillset to survive an assault. Often, when attempting to recruit women to self-defense seminars, I encounter the comment, "I attended a seminar a few years ago." It's crucial to understand that learning self-defense requires repetition, just like any other physical skill. Attending one dance class doesn't make you a dancer, and one-time exposure to a skill isn't sufficient for proficiency. Yet, when it comes to self-defense and protecting our bodies, we often invest the least amount of time. In today's social media landscape, there are many self-defense "experts" claiming to have the best programs for modern self-defense needs. While platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook may offer useful videos, nothing replaces the experience of learning and training in a classroom under the guidance of a seasoned instructor. For those without consistent access to school-based training, self-defense seminars have many benefits. They provide concentrated and intensive learning experiences, offering valuable knowledge and skills in a shorter time frame. However, what's learned at seminars must be consistently practiced in order to develop greater proficiency. Seminars also provide opportunities for participants to engage in realistic simulations and role-playing exercises, boosting confidence and preparedness for real-life situations. Furthermore, seminars foster a sense of community and solidarity among participants. In these settings, individuals with a shared interest in self-defense come together, forming connections and support networks. This community aspect is especially empowering for women facing unique challenges in self-defense. When it comes to street self-defense, it's crucial to focus on techniques that are not only effective but also practical for real-life situations. Situational awareness is the foundation. Being mindful of one's surroundings, body language, and potential threats is essential for preventing confrontations. Maintaining a heightened sense of awareness can enable you to avoid dangerous situations, while taking necessary precautions. Effective striking techniques are another useful aspect of street self-defense. I emphasize learning to strike with precision and power, targeting vulnerable areas of an attacker's body. Techniques such as punches, kicks, knee strikes, and elbow strikes provide the means to defend yourself more effectively against physical aggression. Additionally, the importance of learning defensive maneuvers helps neutralize an attacker's advances. Techniques like blocks, parries, and evasive footwork aid in avoiding and deflecting incoming strikes, creating opportunities to counter-attack or escape from dangerous situations. Grappling techniques also play a significant role in street self-defense. Understanding basic grappling techniques such as joint locks, escapes from holds, and takedowns can be invaluable in close quarters combat situations. These techniques allow someone to control and subdue an attacker, providing an opportunity to escape or seek assistance. There are many mental preparedness and verbal de-escalation techniques, because not all confrontations require physical force. I encourage individuals to learn how to diffuse a potentially dangerous situation through effective communication and assertiveness. By employing verbal de-escalation techniques, an individual can potentially resolve conflicts without resorting to physical violence. In summary, I strongly advocate for a multifaceted approach to street self-defense. Mastering situational awareness, striking techniques, defensive maneuvers, grappling skills, and verbal de-escalation techniques has empowered me to protect myself many times in real-life scenarios. By sharpening these skills and techniques, I've not only increased my personal safety but also boosted my confidence and overall well-being when faced with potential threats on the streets.

Jared Wihongi is a full-time International Close-Quarters Combat (CQC) Instructor. His TRICOM combatives system is an integration of empty-hand combat, impact weapons, edged weapons and firearms tactics. Jared has trained in multiple traditional martial arts for 40 years, and is a senior Tuhon of Pekiti-Tirsia Kali under Grandtuhon Leo T. Gaje Jr. He is the founder and President of the Pekiti Tirsia Tactical Association. Jared worked 23 years as a Police Officer and Operator on three SWAT Teams, and was contracted as a U.S. Army Special Forces Combatives Instructor for almost two decades. These experiences heavily influenced his training programs. He has taught his TRICOM programs to police and military Special Operations personnel and civilian martial artists across North & South America, Western & Eastern Europe, East & Southeast Asia, Australasia and the Middle East. In this interview, Jared and Tony Parrish discuss military and special operations, weapons, close-quarter combat, and more. For more about Jared, visit: www.tricomtraining.com for TRICOM programs. www.pekiti.university for Kali programs. www.jaredwihongi.com for personal Bio.

For some, it may be difficult to remember a time when Chuck Norris wasn’t an established action-movie star. Although Norris’ legendary appearance in Bruce Lee’s film, The Way of the Dragon(1972) brought him to the attention of film audiences, a trio of action-martial art movies made in the late 1970s, consolidated Chuck Norris’ reputation to deliver top-notch entertainment, making him a bonafide movie star, as well as bringing martial arts films into the mainstream. By using successful film tropes of the era, such as the trucker movie, Breaker! Breaker! , conspiracy/spy films, Good Guys Wear Black , and the battle against the drug culture, A Force of One , Norris was able to make films that were more relatable than traditional martial art movies had been up to that time. There were no kung fu school rivalries or masters to be avenged. Norris injected his distinctive martial arts skills into what were usually standard pugilistic fight scenes and set himself apart. Here are the classic 70s films that brought an icon to prominence and every fan should see. Breaker! Breaker! (1977) It may not be a well-known genre now, but in the 1970s, movies about truckers were very successful. Smokey and the Bandit was one of the top-grossing movies in 1977 and Convoy, based on C.W. McCall’s chart-topping hit of the same name, was a success the following year. Breaker! Breaker! is a different movie from TheWay of the Dragon , and it put Chuck Norris in a setting that American audiences could identify with (He’s looking for his missing brother in a corrupt town, ala The Dukes of Hazzard , which would debut a few years later) and highlight the one major difference that Norris could supply: Chuck Norris kicking ass. Norris’ moves are crisp and they’re head and shoulders above the standard haymakers thrown in typical Hollywood movies at that time. With no special effects to hide mistakes, or wire work to enhance his movement, it is a testimonial to Chuck Norris’ ability that he sells the fights because he is a highly skilled martial artist. Overall, the fights are shot wide and there are no quick cuts. Today’s audiences may not be used to the look, but martial arts aficionados should be able to appreciate the work on the screen. The finale has slow-motion action, ala Sam Peckinpah and it should be noted that the final kick is the same flying kick used to sell his next movie: Good Guys Wear Black . Good Guys Wear Black (1978) The first Chuck Norris movie I ever saw was Good Guys Wear Black . I had never heard of Chuck Norris and didn’t see TheWay of the Dragon until many years later. I remember coming home from school and seeing the TV ads, which featured a guy jumping and kicking through a car windshield. I had to see it. The film wasn’t just my first Chuck Norris movie, but the first movie I had seen with legitimate martial arts, and it made an impression. At the time, America was still reeling from the Vietnam War and Watergate, and there was a general distrust amongst the citizenry of what had previously been unquestioned institutions. The unrest had given birth to a crop of films hinging on elaborate conspiracies, such as The Parallax View(1974) and The Marathon Man(1978). In Good Guys Wear Black , Norris plays, John T. Booker, once a member of an elite commando group called the “Black Tigers.” They were double-crossed on a rescue mission to retrieve POWs, and now someone is bumping them off, and Norris is next. There is a big opening sequence that includes Norris dispensing kicks amid explosions and a firefight. Although the flying kick through the windshield was the selling point for the movie, the fight in the parking lot, later on, is where Chuck Norris shows his martial prowess against three opponents, one of whom is Pat E.Johnson, legendary stunt coordinator and martial arts choreographer on The Karate Kid . Good Guys Wear Black provides the opportunity for Norris to do what his action star competition can’t, and that is to use incredibly quick punches, spinning back knuckles, and precise kicking where the standard, overly telegraphed, hook punches used to go. Because of it, and Norris’ cool-as-a-cucumber demeanor, he carved out a unique position in the genre and established himself as the one to watch. A Force of One (1979) In A Force of One , Chuck Norris plays Matt Logan, a Vietnam veteran, as he did in Good Guys Wear Black , although now he’s fighting professionally and running his own karate school. The film features Bill “Superfoot” Wallace as Logan’s nemesis, “Sparky.” A killer is using martial arts to take out cops investigating drug trafficking, so the police decide to add some martial arts to their training while working the case. Norris’ Logan is enlisted to train the narcotics unit investigating the murders, which provides a chance to see Norris teach self-defense to the officers. As Logan is a fighter, there is more action inside the ring than out of it. The kickboxing bouts are shot in a realistic style that is exciting and effective in getting the point across that Chuck Norris is for real. The fight footage shows Norris’ signature moves of kicking, punching, and throwing. Similarly, Bill Wallace’s character “Sparky” gets a chance to show his distinct style in the ring, and viewers get a taste of 70s kickboxing action. Pat E. Johnson, who wrote the story, makes an appearance as a referee of the first fight in the movie. Norris showcases a variety of techniques in the ring, including spinning back knuckles and reverse crescent kicks to great effect in the match between Norris and Wallace. The match eventually spills out into the street and turns into a fight to the death. A Force of One is my favorite of the three films and rounds out the Chuck Norris movies of the 70s. By making action films with great martial arts, rather than martial arts movies, Norris’ films enabled the viewer to enjoy them without understanding the esoteric nuances of the master-student relationship or other inside references. It broadened the scope of martial art films and made them accessible to a larger audience. For instance, my father had no interest in The Drunken Master (1978) , but he took me to see Good Guys Wear Black because he wanted to see it too. The work Norris put into the 1970s positioned him for the next decade and his next film: The Octagon . We’ll take a look at Norris’ work in the 80s next time. Until then, break out the bell bottoms and turtle necks, and have a screening of these action classics from the legend, and martial arts film icon: Chuck Norris.

An undefeated boxer and kickboxer, Graciela Casillas is the first athlete male or female to hold 2 world championships in martial arts and boxing at the same time. Long time advocate of self defense training for women, Graciela has expertise beyond the ring as a certified NRA weapons instructor, Kali FMA master, and one of the first and few women to graduate the ESI Executive Protection Program. Today she is one of the most sought-after martial arts and tactical trainers in the world teaching self-defense programs with stick blade gun and empty hand to civilian law enforcement and even military personnel around the world. She is also an adjunct professor at Oxnard College with two masters degrees. When you became the first person to hold world titles in kickboxing and boxing, how did you prepare for that? What was the lead up like for tackling two different disciplines at the most elite level? When I first began kickboxing, fights were few and far between since there were so few women in the sport. I trained each day with the hope that I would get a fight. I had to be strong emotionally and mentally. I only trained with men because there were no women to train with and they did not go easy on me. During the 70’s training was not sophisticated. Our workouts were several hours long and incredibly rigorous. Refugio Flores, who led the fighters and eventually became a world champion, worked us to the bone. We sparred hard, hit heavy bags, did focus mitt work, hours of conditioning, and just when we thought the workout was over, we would pile into a car and go to the high school to run the track. I often went home with a busted nose and bruised ego. At the time I was a student at University of California Santa Barbara, so I would drive every evening from the university to Oxnard and back without letting my parents know what I was up to because they would not approve of me fighting. My training paid off and I was winning all my fights, yet the struggle to get fights, equal treatment and respect from the other male fighters and promoters never stopped. I had to focus on preparing for the fights while dealing with rejection and unequitable treatment from a male dominated sport. Nevertheless, I was not going to give up on my dream to be a fighter. I continued to fight whenever possible and once I graduated from UCSB I decided to move to Los Angeles where I could get professional training and hopefully more fights. My kickboxing trainer at the time, Hap Holloway, would take me along with his other fighters to the Hoover Street Boxing gym where trainers worked with our hands. We also had a training session with Arnold Urquidez, brother, and trainer to world kickboxing champion Benny Urquidez. That was the first time I met his sister, Lilly Rodriguez. She was a ferocious fighter and I was impressed by the fact that she was a kickboxer and boxer. After meeting Lilly, I was determined to do the same. I showed up to the Olympic boxing gym where Jimmy Montoya, who I had met previously had the largest boxing stable in the world with many top-rated fighters. I told him I wanted to box professionally and asked if he would train me. Armature boxing did not exist for women at the time. He reluctantly agreed, and my boxing journey began. I initially thought ‘how hard could it possibly be?’ Remarkably hard. I kept telling myself to keep my feet on the ground. I quickly realized that boxing was more mental than physical. The fact that you were within arm’s reach of your opponent vs kickboxing where you could hang in kicking range brought on an entirely different dimension – and set of challenges. With boxing I learned that your opponent primarily targets your head and body whereas, kickboxing allows you to control distance with your legs. I did not belong to a dojo, so I simply trained at the boxing gym. When I needed to train for a kickboxing match, I would train with two professional champions, Howard Jackson, and Steve Fisher, both of whom were a significant influence on my fighting style. You were an early adopter to FMA tell us how that relationship began? In the year 1980, after fighting for several years, my journey took a significant turn. I had achieved victories in my fights, possessed physical strength, and knew how to finish a fight. However, at the end of the fight, one wondered who won the fight. I would leave the ring looking as bad as my opponent. Paul Maslak, editor of Inside Kung Fu and friend was concerned that my lack of lateral movement and footwork posed a threat of potential harm in the long run. He suggested someone who could refine my fighting skills and enhanced my overall performance. That person was none other than Dan Inosanto. Guru Dan Inosanto is a revered figure in the world of Filipino martial arts and Jeet Kune Do. His expertise spans a multitude of disciplines. While my initial goal was to develop lateral movement and footwork, it was the kali that truly captured my attention and passion. Kali, with its rich history, fluid movements, and explosive techniques. What particularly resonated with me was his philosophy of adaptation and progression within martial arts. He emphasized the importance of constantly evolving and adapting techniques to suit individual needs and circumstances, a belief that closely aligned with my own. Now, with over four decades having passed since I began this journey, my appreciation for martial arts continues to grow. As both a student and an instructor, I value the lessons learned under Guru Dan’s tutelage and carry them forward. This interview was taken from portions of a longer interview. For more on Graciela, check out the Black Belt+ exclusives section.

NBA Legend Kareem Abdul Jabbar, forever known for his role in the Game of Death , with his mentor Bruce Lee by M. Uyehara He ducked his head as he walked through the door. When he stood up straight, his head almost touched the ceiling. Everyone in the office paused as the well-known figure nonchalantly strolled into the display room to browse through our books. “He’s tall!” I murmured. “Are you Lew Alcindor?” I asked. He nodded sheepishly. I felt foolish afterward. How could he be anyone else? But then, what else could I have said to start a conversation? I’d seen him many times on television as he led the UCLA basketball team to the NCAA championship, but he didn’t seem awesome until I was face to face with him. (Back then, he was known as Lew Alcindor, but he later changed his name to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.) The basketball star had just returned to Los Angeles from New York to finish his last year at UCLA. He’d studied aikido in New York from Yoshimitsu Yamada and wanted to continue with the martial arts. “Do you have any book on tai chi?” he asked. “Sorry, we don’t,” I answered. “But if you’d like to know about any Chinese martial arts, I know someone who can help you.” “Who is he?” “Have you heard of Bruce Lee?” I asked. “He was Kato on The Green Hornet TV series.” “No, I’ve never watched those shows,” Abdul-Jabbar responded. THE BALLER Later, during a visit with Lee at his Culver City, California, home, I discovered that the martial artist didn’t know about the basketball player, either. “You mean to say that you haven’t heard of Lew Alcindor?” I asked. “Gosh! Everyone has heard of him. He’s the most sought-after college athlete in the country right now.” “How would I know him?” Lee replied. “I don’t know anything about basketball, baseball or football. The only time I ever got close to an American sport was when I had to walk across a football field when I was attending the University of Washington.” After a long pause, Lee looked at me and asked, “What is so special about this Alcindor guy?” “He’ll be the highest-paid athlete coming out of college,” I replied. “For someone that tall, he’s supposed to be real smooth and quick.” “How tall is he?” “He claims to be 7 feet 2, but many think he’s closer to 7 feet 4.” Suddenly, Lee pulled out a chair and jumped on it. He called his wife Linda to get him the measuring tape. “Hold the end of the tape to the floor,” Lee said as he stretched the tape to 7 feet 2 inches. He dropped the tape but left his extended hand in midair, eyeing the distance from the floor to his hand. “He’s not that tall,” Lee remarked. “I’d like to meet him. I wonder how it feels to spar with a guy that tall. Can you arrange for me to see him?” THE FIGHTER A week later, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar called again, and I informed him that Bruce Lee wanted to meet him. It was the beginning of a friendship that lasted several years. Apparently, imagining a height of 7 feet 2 inches and actually seeing someone of that stature are very different. Lee was so awed by Abdul-Jabbar’s height that he kept muttering, “I never realized anyone could be that tall.” But Lee was not so impressed by Abdul-Jabbar’s sparring ability. “I told him to get into a flying stance and attack me first, but he was too slow,” Lee said. “He could never touch me. Before he could even move, I was gone — out of his reach. “Then I told him to be on the defensive. That guy had such long arms and legs. It was impossible for me to hit his face or body. The only target open was [the] knee and shin of his lead foot. “He’s too slow for me. I would have killed him in an actual fight. I would have first busted his leg, and there’s no way he could have stopped me.” Lee postulated that the only way he would be able to reach Abdul-Jabbar’s body would be with a kick. “If he should stand with his feet together, his stomach and groin area would be exposed,” Lee said. He must have talked Abdul-Jabbar out of tai chi chuan because after their initial meeting, the basketball player seemed to lose all interest in other martial arts except jeet kune do. From that day on, he became Lee’s constant companion and student. THE CONNECTION Abdul-Jabbar amazed Lee with his jumping ability. “For a guy that tall, he sure can leap,” Lee said. “One day, he jumped toward the rim of the basketball hoop and hit it with a front kick. I don’t think there’s anybody in the world who could do that.” Abdul-Jabbar had a keen interest in the history and philosophy of Asia, and Lee’s knowledge of Chinese philosophy made an impact on the young man. From time to time, Lee would take him along to see Chinese or Japanese sword-fighting movies. Eventually, the basketball star became hooked and would sit by himself in a movie house if he couldn’t find a companion. Lee also took him to see karate tournaments, but Abdul-Jabbar never seemed to enjoy them. One problem was the autograph seekers. Whenever he attended an event, his name would be announced and the fans would swarm like angry bees. At the beginning of their relationship, Lee could not understand Abdul-Jabbar’s behavior toward autograph seekers. “I can’t figure him out,” Lee used to tell me. “It doesn’t take but a second to sign his name. I don’t know why he gets so peeved and upset over it. Sometimes, he can get real rude and just refuse them point-blank. “For me, I don’t mind it at all. Actually, I think it’s a pleasure to autograph my name, especially if it’s for the kids.” Lee’s appraisal of the ball player’s attitude changed one day, however. The three of us were going out to lunch. Knowing that Abdul-Jabbar resented being pestered in public, I suggested a Japanese restaurant. I figured few patrons there would recognize him. He seemed pleased with my concern. Lee had an old blue Chevrolet at the time. The paint was turning dull from lack of polish — he apparently never shined it. The car’s only distinctive feature was a sticker on the back window with the inscription, “This Car Is Protected By Green Hornet.” Lee boasted of the sticker because it was so rare. “Only a few hundred were printed,” he said with a smile. “I tried to get more, but even I couldn’t get any.” As I got into the car, I kept wondering how Abdul-Jabbar could squeeze into the front seat, but he had no problem. He just slouched gently and raised both knees over the dashboard. Later, Lee told me that Abdul-Jabbar’s car is unique. “He took out the front seat, and he drives from the back seat. I feel funny when I ride in it because the dashboard is so far away.” The three of us arrived at the Japanese restaurant before the noon crowd. Only a few customers were there. As we entered, however, all eyes turned to us. We sat at an empty table, and Abdul-Jabbar felt quite at ease because no one bothered him while he studied the menu. But his comfort lasted only a minute. As soon as he had placed his order, a daring customer approached our table for an autograph. Then another came, and within minutes a line had formed. Abdul-Jabbar labored on, signing his name on any materials the customers could find in the restaurant — business cards, napkins, matchbook covers. When the food was brought to our table, I expected the customers to have enough sense to leave us alone and return to their tables, but I was mistaken. They kept disturbing him, not giving him a chance to take a bite. Finally, he politely but firmly blurted out, “Can I do it later? I’d like to have my lunch first.” The crowd dispersed instantly, but that exposure sure taught us that being a celebrity has its disadvantages. I thought Abdul-Jabbar kept his cool pretty well through the ordeal. And I think Lee felt sorry for him then. After we had eaten, the customers began to eye our table, but Abdul- Jabbar and Lee left before they could react. As I went to pay the check, one of the Japanese waitresses rushed out of the restaurant after both men, yelling, “Wait, wait, please! I need one more for Stanley!” They kept walking swiftly toward the car, ignoring her. But the waitress was persistent. She ran until she caught up with them at the parking lot a half-block away. Although Abdul-Jabbar gave his autograph, he was furious with her. THE TRAINING Lee had Abdul-Jabbar work out daily during the basketball season. “Lew is really getting into top shape right now,” he commented delightedly. “I have him jog four to five miles a day, lift weights and do our regular workouts when he’s not practicing basketball.” “Does the training help Lew?” I asked. “The shuffling [movement] that I taught him helps him a lot, and he says he’s getting better balance.” After basketball season, Abdul-Jabbar still visited Lee because the ball player wanted to put on more weight. He believed he needed 30 more pounds to compete against big pro basketball players like Wilt Chamberlain. Lee placed him on a special diet and tried to coerce him to lift weights regularly but failed. “After the season, he didn’t want to train at all, especially with barbells,” Lee said. Abdul-Jabbar didn’t want to work out every day he came to visit Lee. Sometimes they would just talk about a topic, but in between they still worked out. Once, when Abdul-Jabbar and Lee came to our office, both were completely drenched with perspiration. “What have you two been doing?” I asked. “I got him to try out my trampoline,” Lee said with a smile. “You what?” I cried out. “I got him jumping on the trampoline,” he repeated. It was hard for me to conceive of a giant like Abdul-Jabbar jumping up and down on that springy equipment without injuring himself. “You just signed a contract over a million dollars, didn’t you?” I asked Abdul-Jabbar. “Yeah,” he said, nodding his head. “What would happen if you had fallen off and got hurt?” “The contract is already signed, so I still get paid,” Abdul-Jabbar said. THE GAME The long friendship between Bruce Lee and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar began to deteriorate during the filming of Game of Death. Abdul-Jabbar was taking a vacation in Asia and was determined to see Lee. By this time, both men were crowned with success. Lee was the biggest movie idol in Hong Kong, and Abdul-Jabbar was the top player in the NBA. When the two friends met, Lee was completing Way of the Dragon (released in the United States as Return of the Dragon ), which he produced almost single-handedly. He did nearly everything —directed, produced, wrote the script and acted. When Abdul-Jabbar dropped in, Lee took advantage of the situation: He convinced his friend to do a movie with him. With only limited time and without a script, Lee began to shoot mostly fighting scenes. For the next two weeks, they spent hours on the set, shooting reel after reel of film. During one segment, Lee and Abdul-Jabbar almost got into a scrap. “Lew got angry because I scraped him while doing a high kick,” Lee said. “He clenched his fists and started to come after me. I just stood my ground and told him that if he wants to fight, it’s OK with me. At this time, the stage hands and all the crew got excited and came to watch. “Lew finally backed down and said, ‘Let’s forget it.’ I told Lew that he must expect to get hit when making a martial arts movie. There’s no way I can prevent hitting him if I want to put realism in the movie. “I guess Lew’s trip to Hong Kong wasn’t so pleasant. At home, Lew is a celebrity, but in Hong Kong, he’s nobody. People here don’t know anything about basketball. When he first came down, my workers, who always made sure to take care of my needs, kind of ignored Lew. I think he felt slighted by their attitude, although I tried to instruct them to take care of Lew, too.” Working with a tall person like Abdul-Jabbar also took its toll on Lee. “I had to take it easy for a full month before I could kick again,” Lee complained. “I was trying to get a perfect kick to Lew’s jaw, and I must have kicked at least 300 times that day. You know how high his chin is? I had to really stretch my legs. Well, I finally pulled a groin muscle.” It’s unfortunate that Game of Death was not completed by Lee.When he died, he left reels of footage but never got to it. After his death, the film project lay dormant until it was finally completed in 1978. This article was published in the August 1979 issue of Fighting Stars, a sister publication of Black Belt. It was written by M. Uyehara, the founder of Black Belt magazine. BRUCE LEE is a registered trademark of Bruce Lee Enterprises LLC. The Bruce Lee name, image and likeness are intellectual property of Bruce Lee Enterprises LLC.

History has a flow; some characters are caught in the currents and carried along, while others fall into an eddy and are soon forgotten. Most karateka will recognize names like Gichin Funakoshi and Choki Motobu. Far fewer know anything about Yasuhiro Konishi — even though he was a pivotal figure in the development of karate in Japan and its evolution as a budo. Konishi (1893-1983) began training in the Muso Ryu of jujitsu at age 6. Shortly thereafter, he joined the Takeuchi Ryu, another school of jujitsu. Seven years later, he began training in kendo. He attended Keio University and became the university club's kendo coach. Konishi was a person who was utterly occupied by budo. One of the kendoka attending Keio University at the same time was Tsuneshige Arakaki, an Okinawan. At a party, he demonstrated a karate kata. Konishi was instantly intrigued. He began learning the art from Arakaki. After graduating , Konishi worked for a company for a short time, but in 1923, he opened his own dojo, called the Ryobu-Kan. There, he taught kendo and judo — and continued to learn karate. This was a fertile period for karate in Japan. In 1922 Funakoshi demonstrated the art at judo's Kodokan, which attracted considerable attention. In 1924 Funakoshi approached Konishi and asked about renting space in the Ryobu-Kan for training. At the same time, two other Okinawan karate experts, Motobu and Kenwa Mabuni, also came to the Ryobu-Kan, using it for their own training. Meanwhile, Konishi pursued his kendo practice, learning under Nakayama Hakudo, one of the luminaries in the sword art. Simultaneously, he worked with aikido founder Morihei Ueshiba, who encouraged him to create a karate kata that emphasized a formal system of footwork. Think about it: The most famous and accomplished martial artists in early 20th-century Japan were either training or teaching at Konishi's dojo — or they were tutoring him. It's fascinating to think about the energy and talent that existed in that small space. Additionally, in the early 1930s, boxer Tsuneo "Piston" Horiguchi came to Konishi to improve his skills. That same year, he won the featherweight boxing championship of Japan. One of Konishi's more interesting contributions to karate's early development had to do with the establishment of the art as a real form of combat. This was a period when karate schools were being encouraged by the Japanese government to formalize their organizations. Karate in Okinawa had always been taught in a very informal manner. The Japanese wanted names and specific curricula to keep things in order. Given the rising militarism and government control in Japan, the urge was to codify everything. In response, Konishi chose the name Shindo Jinen Ryu for his system. Characters for the second word are more commonly pronounced shizen, or "natural." Shindo refers to the "divine path" and was a clever choice by Konishi. Many schools of swordsmanship used this term in their names; it suggests a divine inspiration for the founding of the school and connects it with Shinto. By using it, Konishi implicitly linked his karate with ancient Japanese traditions, making it seem more familiar and worthy of respect. Konishi was also instrumental in gaining official recognition of karate within the influential Dai Nippon Butoku Kai. Using his position as a senior kendo instructor, he convinced the leaders of the Butoku Kai, who controlled all the modern budo in Japan, to include karate in their sponsorship. He was the first karateka to receive, in 1935, a title as a Butoku Kai ranked teacher. Despite the fact that Funakoshi, Mabuni and Motobu were his teachers, they would not receive this title until six years later. One of Konishi's more interesting contributions to karate's early development had to do with the establishment of the art as a real form of combat. Remember: There were hundreds of jujitsu schools all over Japan during the '20s and '30s. They fought among themselves, mostly to establish which school was the "best." Challenges were common and the competition fierce. So you can imagine how these schools reacted to a completely new fighting art coming onto the scene and trying to make a name for itself. When Funakoshi began publicly teaching karate, those challenges were numerous — and serious. Here's how it worked: You came to the dojo and requested a challenge. You would then face a senior student. Beat him and you had the right to face the teacher. Beat the teacher and you took the dojo sign as a trophy. Fortunately for Funakoshi, he had Yasuhiro Konishi and another senior student named Hidenori Otsuka, both of whom were eager to face these challengers. That they were successful did as much to solidify karate's reputation as its official recognition by the Butoku Kai. Finally , Konishi made a less dramatic but equally important contribution. He was an adherent of sekkotsu, a practice similar to chiropractic. He also had a thriving real-estate business. These afforded him the funding to keep up his dojo as a gathering spot for martial artists, and they allowed him to sponsor karate teachers. Motobu, for instance, had little money and did not speak Japanese well. It was Konishi who provided the funds for Motobu to stay in Japan and teach. After he died in 1983, Konishi's son took over the Ryobu-Kan. It remains a small but energetic karate system in Japan and has practitioners and teachers throughout the world. It's useful to look back at what Konishi did and how he did it. He was an accomplished fighter, a successful entrepreneur and a respected senior in the budo community. He's not as famous as other Japanese karateka, but he is a good model for those who want to pursue karate today. Dave Lowry has written Karate Way since 1986. For more information about his articles and books, visit blackbeltmag.com and type his name into the search box.