This article celebrates the one-year anniversary of Jackson’s Five , dating back to the Diamond Nationals in 2021 when the historic megafights between Morgan Plowden and Ki'Tana Everett for the diamond ring, as well as Bailey Murphy and Avery Plowden for Virtual Fight Tour’s Last Man Standing, took the top honors on my countdown. I plan to continue these write-ups for every major sport karate tournament that I attend, and I am grateful for all the support these articles have received thus far. As a way of celebrating one year of these articles, I’ll start this countdown a bit differently with an honorable mention. Honorable Mention: Good Judges This is an honorable mention because the Jackson’s Five is meant to highlight the athletes, but I saw a few situations at Diamonds in which judges who have dedicated a lot to this sport deserved some praise. Everyone always talks about what is wrong with judging, rarely do we highlight judges who do an exceptional job. The first instance was in the 14-15 boys’ point fighting ring when Joey Perry took an extra five minutes to explain how the rules were going to be applied in his ring. In a division with a lot of local competitors and unique circumstances like the application of the out of bounds rule in a 7x7 ring, this was a welcomed use of time that got every coach and athlete in the division on the same page. If every center referee had the presence of mind to do this for their ring, it would significantly reduce the amount of arguments and arbitrations that occur when a ruling is unclear. I thought this was an awesome gesture by Mr. Perry. The other instance was in the 14-15 girls’ traditional weapons division when Charlie Lane addressed the athletes after the division. It was a rather large division, and as is the case oftentimes with large divisions, some of the scores were all over the place. One of the reasons that there was such variability in the scores was because Mr. Lane enforced the RIGHT way to use the maximum deviation rule. All too often I see judges have conferences before scoring so that they can adjust for maximum deviation ahead of time. Not only is this a waste of time because both major scoring systems used on the NASKA world tour will apply the deviation rule automatically, but it can cause less-experienced judges to be unintentionally peer pressured into changing their scores entirely based on the opinions of the other judges. A judge should give the score that they see fit, and the athletes should be able to see that score regardless of whether it will be adjusted for deviation or not. Mr. Lane explained the deviation rule to the athletes very well and let them know why the ring was operating this way, which is a shining example of how to apply this rule and how to educate athletes about it. 5. More Moon Moo! Now that I’m off my soapbox about judging and the maximum deviation rule, let’s shift our focus to some incredible athletes that put their skills on display. Jeff Doss is the only featured competitor on this countdown that did not win a diamond ring, but I am a firm believer that performances are more memorable than wins. “Sushi” pulled off one of the most difficult traditional forms that has ever been done in competition. Moon Moo, a 4th degree black belt poomsae from the ITF taekwondo system, is full of ridiculously difficult, slow-extension kicks that result in nearly 70% of the form being done on one foot. The balance, leg strength, endurance, and skill needed to pull off this form is extraordinary. Who better to pull it off than one of the greatest kickers in the history of sport karate? I wanted to be sure that Jeff Doss got his flowers in this article, because he deserves them as much as anyone on this list. I just hope I get to see him run this form again on a NASKA stage. 4. Salef's Sentimental Success Following this theme of performances meaning more than wins, I feel Salef Celiz’s diamond ring-winning effort in the men’s CMX forms division aligns well with this idea. Salef will remember this career-defining win for the rest of his life, but the crowd of Team AKA members rooting for him stageside will remember the moment forever too. Not only did Salef perform an excellent form complete with clean execution, his signature creativity, and elite tricking skills, but he did it while performing to his idol and mentor’s signature song. Micah Karns, arguably the greatest Team AKA member since Brendon Huor, is revered by everyone in the Team AKA system. Countless times he took the stage to “Lights” by Ellie Goulding and brought us performances that would inspire generations. Salef Celiz was clearly one of the young martial artists inspired by those forms and to see him pay tribute to Micah in that way was truly special. Congratulations to Salef on a big win, but an even bigger moment. 3. Castro's Completed Collection Joey Castro came up to me as I was preparing my notes to commentate the night show and shared a variety of helpful information to tell the audience about his form. He taught me some of the details of the kata that he planned to perform that evening, and more importantly told me how significant a win would be for him. Before the Diamonds, Castro had won an overall grand championship at every event on the NASKA world tour. A win in Minneapolis would complete a collection that is reserved for only the greatest and most consistent of sport karate athletes. He took the stage early in the night show, wearing his warm up gear, to accept his diamond ring for winning the senior forms and weapons title during the eliminations. That wasn’t enough, the 37-year-old wanted to prove that he could take down the young guns as well. Despite the aforementioned stellar performance of Jeff Doss and a remarkably strong kata by Cameron Klos, Castro overcame the adversity and left the stage with a ring on his finger. He did it with his signature kata too, Hyaku Hachi Ho, which is the Shotokan version of Suparinpei and is the longest kata across multiple styles of traditional karate. 2. Back-to-Back Champs I don’t think that there have EVER been as many back-to-back champions at the Diamond Nationals as there were this year. Obtaining the highest honor at one of the world’s most prestigious sport karate tournaments two years in a row is an amazing achievement and deserves recognition. Alex Mancillas and Jake Presley of Team Paul Mitchell both repeated their wins in the CMX and traditional weapons divisions respectively. Mancillas came out of top of a stacked final that included teammates Jake Presley and Dawson Holt, as well as Rashad Eugene. Presley also had to battle against a teammate to earn his win as he and Dawson Holt clashed in the traditional final, a common theme this season. In the women’s divisions, Haley Glass took this accomplishment to a whole new level. She was the defending champion in BOTH the forms and weapons divisions, and she was able to defend both titles. What is even more impressive is that she was not able to run her signature kama form that powered her to multiple wins this season in the weapons final, so this time she got the job done with her traditional sword form. Lastly, Bailey Murphy pulled off the back-to-back-TO-BACK in the lightweight point fighting overall grand championship. That's right, Murphy won his third consecutive diamond ring dating back to 2019 and became the first men's point fighter in history to achieve this feat. This time, he made it through a stacked division of lightweights yet again, and faced friendly foe Tyreeke Saint in the final. Saint had his moments in the match, but by the second round it was all Bailey Murphy as he became the fourth athlete to repeat as champion on the evening. 1. Fantastic Female Fights The primary reason that I lost my voice shortly after commentating the night show was because of all the yells of excitement that came out during the women’s team fighting and women’s diamond ring final. The team fight saw Jimena Janeiro and Peyton Fender of Team Revolution take on a hybrid team of Beatrice Garcia from Team Legend and Mouse Millner from Team CBR. Fender and Millner squared off in the first round as Fender rode the momentum of a recent hot streak to a two-point lead for Revolution. In the second round, Janeiro started to pull away from Garcia and brought victory to Revolution in dominant fashion. Janeiro would return to the ring later that evening to fight Drew Beatty for the coveted diamond ring. This matchup was more closely contested, as Beatty used her long legs and elite kicking ability to keep Janeiro on the perimeter and set up scoring opportunities including a beautiful hook kick in the first round. Janeiro, however, was able to work the outside of the ring well and took advantage of opportunities to attack on the blitz. As she started to pull away, Beatty responded to the adversity and brought the match back to within a point, but as time dwindled in the second round Janeiro went on one more run and earned a well-deserved place in history as a diamond ring winner. The team fights and diamond ring final, highlighted by the outstanding performances of Janeiro, prove why female point fighters should be featured in the finals more prominently and more consistently. Special thanks to Lindsey Little Photography for the images used in this article. You can find more of her work on Facebook and Instagram.

Black Belt Magazine’s world sport karate rankings have been updated once again following a few exciting months of sport martial arts action. This includes the WKC World Championships, the Bristol Open in WAKO, and the AmeriKick Internationals and Diamond Nationals in NASKA. If you would like to view the new rankings now, click here. Keep reading for highlights and analysis of the changes in the rankings! Let’s begin with the adult forms and weapons divisions, where several diamond ring winners now hold the number one ranks. Alex Mancillas regained his throne in men’s CMX weapons by defending his diamond ring title from last year. ISKA world champion Jake Presley hangs on to the second spot, and Rashad Eugene moves up to third place following an overall grand championship win at the AmeriKick Internationals. Speaking of Jake Presley, his defense of a diamond ring in the traditional weapons category helps him maintain the top spot there. As for the women, Haley Glass defended BOTH of her diamond rings in women’s forms and weapons, and she is the queen of the Black Belt Magazine Rankings in traditional weapons, CMX weapons, and CMX forms. The only other division for the adult women’s forms and weapons is traditional forms, where Gabrielle Rudolph holds on to her top spot. That leaves the men’s forms categories, in which Mason Stowell’s remarkable performances earlier in the season enable him to remain on top with diamond ring winner Joey Castro very close behind, and Salef Celiz holds the top spot in CMX after a diamond ring-worthy performance that included a homage to Micah Karns. Moving on to the adult fighting divisions, Bailey Murphy remains the king of the lightweights as the overall grand champion for both the AmeriKick Internationals and Diamond Nationals. Close behind him in the second and third slots are Tyreeke Saint and Tyson Wray. Tyreeke defeated Tyson head-to-head at the U.S. Capitol Classics, Tyson responded with a head-to-head win at the AmeriKick Internationals, and Tyreeke advanced to the finals at Diamond in Tyson’s absence, giving Tyreeke the edge. Balint Marin and De Vita Simone make their way into the top five for their divisional wins at the Bristol Open. The heavyweight and open weight divisions presented some challenges for the committee due to varying activity levels of the top fighters. Kameren Dawson remains in the number one spot due to his overall grand championship performances earlier this season and a stellar record in the heavyweight division overall, but a prolonged period of inactivity could influence his ranking in the future. Elijah Everill, who participated in the heavyweight side of the bracket at the Ocean State Grand Nationals and won the overall grand, remains considered a heavyweight for now. He currently sits at the number two spot due to the nature of the rankings and a lack of head-to-head matchups with Kameren Dawson, but the committee recognizes that he is arguably the best fighter in the world right now and that is why he is the top-ranked competitor in open weight. The rest of the heavyweight standings include U.S. Open champion Avery Plowden, diamond ring winner Kristhian Rivas, and AmeriKick Internationals winner Brandon Ballou. Trailing Everill in the open weight category are the lightweight #1 Bailey Murphy, AmeriKick WAKO Open Weight Challenge winner Darren Payne, Bristol Open runner-up Riccardo Albanese, and the always formidable Avery Plowden. The women’s point fighting division is still led by Morgan Plowden, who has been dominant when active. A new number two exists in Evelyn Neyens, whose win at the Bristol Open and clutch performance against Ki’Tana Everett in the Virtual Fight Tour event elevated her to this rank. Ki’Tana Everett sits strongly at three, and she is followed by newly-crowned diamond ring winner Jimena Janeiro. The fifth spot features a tie between Melanie Ortiz and Anne-Sara Cayer after their dominant performances at the U.S. Open and U.S. Capitol Classics, respectively. That does it for an overview of the 18-29 adult divisions, but there is so much more in the full rankings! Be sure to check out the official rankings page to view the senior, junior, youth, and team divisions. Black Belt Magazine hopes that these rankings continue to put sport karate athletes on a pedestal for the broader martial arts community to appreciate, as well as fostering positive discussion about the world of sport karate and its amazing athletes. Special thanks to Lindsey Little Photography for the image used at the top of the article. Please support her Facebook page here.

It’s an average summer day in Oklahoma City – that is, scorching. It’s past three in the afternoon and the sun still dominates the sky, a stranglehold it will not release for another four hours. The paved trails that loop Lake Hefner shimmer with heat mirages. Once it cools down, joggers and cyclists will be out in droves, but now, the shoreline and park are empty. Well. Almost empty. In the trailhead parking lot, a single vehicle is pulled up as close to the shade of a withered pear tree as the spaces allow. It’s a teal-and-white VW van, old but clean. The passenger door is rolled open, revealing a modified interior that looks like it contains both a living room and dojo . The van has two other distinct features. The first is the logo on the side of a hanging bag in mid-swing, encircled by a shattering chain. Sacklife Official, reads the text, and, Beat Depression. Just in front of the painted bag is the second feature: an actual heavy bag, hanging from a mount system built into the van. Like the image of the bag, this one too is in motion, juddering under an onslaught of rapid blows. The van, the bag, and the punches raining down on it all belong to Tim Manthey, aka Mr. Sacklife himself. Despite training at a pace that would make a professional fighter proud, Manthey seems immune to the heat. He’s had plenty of time to get used to it: in Death Valley, on the Las Vegas strip, and during the past week at Lake Hefner. A timer sitting on the pear’s roots chimes, signaling the end of the round and time for a water break. There are plastic cups in the van, as well as a 30-gallon tank of drinking water, fitted where the divider between front and back seats would normally be. It’s another custom addition to the van, one that has made this step of Manthey’s journey possible. And what a journey it’s been. For nearly 1,200 days, Manthey has been training on this bag and living on the road, out of this van. Each day from 5 pm (local time – it depends on where he is at the moment) to sundown, he opens his portable training space to the public. The bag, as well as several pairs of spare gloves, shin guards, focus mitts and Thai pads, are loaned out as needed. Anyone who comes by is welcome to train with Manthey for as long as they want, and he adjusts the lesson to the ability level of each participant. Sparring is on the table, but so are meditation and breathing exercises. The bag and glove that make up Manthey’s logo are well explained – but what about the slogan? What does beating depression have to do with martial arts? Those within the martial arts industry, from companies like Century Martial Arts to individual school owners, have long touted mental benefits of training in addition to the physical ones. You’d be hard-pressed to find a single martial artist who thinks otherwise. And yet, for as much as we believe in these benefits, and as many times as we’ve seen and experienced them firsthand, we still view them overall as a fortunate byproduct of training rather than an intentional end result. We all train for different reasons. For some it’s to improve within a sport. Others find physical milestones to be the biggest motivators. The same standard training program would help each of them, but the athlete would have their needs better served in a program catered specifically towards competitors. With that logic, it should also be possible to train martial arts in a way that amplified the mental health benefits – and that’s what Manthey has done, by merging martial arts with somatic healing. According to an article published in the Journal of Traumatic Stress , somatic healing is “a body-focused therapy… that integrates body awareness into the psychotherapeutic process.” The premise of somatic healing is that, just as how the mind can affect the body, the body can also be used as a tool to affect the mind. It is well understood that mental illnesses can cause physical side effects like head and body aches, fatigue, nausea, and even high blood pressure. Somatic healing seeks to turn that around. If a poor mental state causes a poor physical one, then positive physical changes can be used to improve the mental state. Manthey didn’t start his own training journey knowing this, however. At the time, he was focused on survival. “In 2019, I was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress-induced depression after going through several major losses in my life,” he explains. “I left an extreme religion. I lost contact with the people who raised me. I also lost a nine-year marriage, and was defrauded by a business partner and went through bankruptcy. “It was a heavy accumulation of multiple events. I was declining mentally, despite therapy and medication, and I knew I needed to do something for myself. And that something was to buy a punching bag and start training.” Manthey began with solo training, then started attending a local dojo . Not only did his techniques improve, but his mental health did, too – to the extent that, with his doctor’s blessing, he was able to completely stop taking antidepressant medication. But training? No way was he going to quit. “(Training was a way) for me to release that tension, that stress and anxiety, from my nervous system and channel it in a healthy direction,” he explains. It was then that Manthey began to dig deep into the research behind somatic therapy. The method had been a lifesaver for him – if not literally, then certainly the quality thereof – and he was eager to share it with as many people as he could reach. Starting a social media channel and establishing an online presence was the first step. You can follow @SackLifeOfficial on Instagram and partake in daily, 10-minute somatic training sessions, no matter where you are (or he is!). The Instagram page meant people could find their way to Manthey, but if COVID taught us nothing else, it’s that nothing beats in-person training. Staying stationary simply wasn’t an option. And so, the idea for the van was born. “It’s always been a childhood dream of mine to own a Volkswagen bus and travel the country,” Manthey admits, “but I never thought it would be a reality, or even possible!” Buying the van was phase one. Next came repair and upgrades, followed by more repairs. Once, Manthey set out, having completed work on the van – only for it to break down after three miles. Another time, after initially setting off with no issue, the van broke down again – this time, in Death Valley. Manthey was stuck there for a week with limited cell service, and little food or water (the tank had not yet been installed). “(When I was stuck) I continued to train every day,” Manthey says. “One day, as I was training on the side of the road, a truck drove by and saw me. They pulled over to stop and talk. It turned out they were from a company called Hobo Tactical . They brought me food and water, and some funds for me to continue to feed myself. “More importantly, they introduced me to their social audience and a number of their followers jumped onto my page. One of them was a veteran who was dealing with PTSD. He started participating in the virtual training sessions and went for 100 days in a row. He sent me messages of gratitude of how much it’s helped him – it let me know this is exactly what I need to be doing.” And clearly, he’s doing it right. In just a short time, Manthey has been able to network with big-name nonprofits like NAMI (the National Alliance on Mental Health) and the AFSP (American Foundation for Suicide Prevention). Of course, life on the road isn’t easy. Besides getting stranded in the hottest place on earth, there have been other close calls. A few drunk men tried to steal his bike – while he was riding it – in Vegas. In Oklahoma, a man invited him into his home – an offer Manthey usually declines unless he’s known the person as a follower for an extended period of time – and became belligerent when he tried to leave, resulting in Manthey breaking his door (“It was an accident,” Manthey clarifies. “He told me it was unlocked. When I pulled, it ripped the deadbolt out.”) None of this has deterred Manthey. He prefers to focus on the positive: the dozens of the people he’s trained with, in person or through Instagram, who have reached out to share stories of their progress. The new friendships that span states, and the fact that everywhere he goes, there’s a martial arts gym or dojo with an open spot in their parking lot. “The martial arts community has been the most responsive and the most positive and supportive community that I've found in my travels,” Manthey says. “They all seem to share a growth mindset, which is incredibly important. And they’re super helpful and super responsive. It seems like everybody is interested in learning and growing from each other.” The dream, Manthey says, is to eventually open several locations of his own, operating on the same SackLife principle of free training for those in need, with qualified somatic therapists as well as martial arts coaches on staff. That will take funding, but as his social media following on Instagram (follow him here ) continues to grow, he’s hopeful that he can attract more sponsors. The bus is mobile, after all! In the meantime, though, life on the road continues. “This is what I need to be doing,” he says. “It’s been rewarding to me in so many ways. No one needs to pay me to do it, and no one can pay me to stop.”

Amid the maelstrom of mutual antipathy, Cobra Kai and Miyagi-Do, eyeball to eyeball, the delicious potential for an ultimate rematch confidently and hungrily baits the futures for both schools to create a high intensity fanfare filled with pressure for both sides that could lead to their victory or undoing. Consider the antithesis of offenses and defenses, where too much of each can lead to feeble unlikable paradoxical natures of existence. If you attack too much, it’s very offensive behavior and you’ll be considered a bully, yet if you defend too much, your defensive behavior will create a victim mentality. Daniel La Russo (Ralph Macchio) and Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka) see the pervasive invasion of Terry Silver’s (Thomas Ian Griffith) Cobra Kai as manipulating the minds and endangering the lives of the Valley’s kids. As Silver wins over the youth by enticing them with fancy advertising and lies about Miyagi-Do’s values and traditional martial art ways, it’s a subterfuge for a subversive plan that will be even more damaging to the karate kids of the Valley, America and possibly the world. Yet Miyagi-Do has a secret weapon, the Chozen One (Yuki Okumoto) as he introduces a few tricks of the unknown trade of Miyagi-do secrets. By having Silver in Season 4 and 5, it felt like Cobra Kai was becoming an allegory on bullying, hazing and traditional martial arts. Perhaps something worthwhile to investigate later. Each school portends that they have the confidence and belief to infectiously rise above the other as the Valley is currently caught between the minds of two schools that have opposing philosophies, virtues of grandeur and moral compasses. An ancient Chinese kung fu-like rivalry is repeating itself in Los Angeles, it’s Shaolin vs. Wu Tang (aka Wu Dung), one will rise to be a school of heroes, the other a school of vaporous apostates. Their competitions have become the archetype of a tightly coiled spring waiting to go BOING!! Both sides become packed to the brim and speak of their incomparable and impervious histories. It’s a future without boundaries, Miyagi-Do and Cobra Kai, they’re back, and this time it’s more than personal, it a nasty habit no one wants to drop regardless of the consequences. Both are self-assured that the momentum of chaos will soon return one way or another. Season 4 left us as Cobra Kai, albeit underhanded, became the formidable champions, indisputably the preeminent force, as they intensely gained momentum upon imposing themselves along a menacingly path of malicious intent. Yet today, as Johnny and Daniel become undiluted glue, working together to stick it to Silver’s Cobra Kai, their collective muscles now flexed, straining to be enduringly relevant again at the very top, their history of hysteria beckons possible global fame via an explosive world tournament invite to Japan. Get ready to be enthralled and compelled…light the fuse and stand well back. So how does Season 5’s fights measure up to Seasons 1-4, numerically and time length wise? Like Seasons 1-4, the minutes of fight don’t include training sequences, flashback fights, or friendly dojo sparring. However, for Season 5, the time includes Cobra Kai’s dojo sparring because nothing in Cobra Kai is friendly, even when it’s student on student. Season 1: 6 minutes of fights from five episodes Season 2: 24 minutes from seven episodes, which includes a 77-second oner Season 3: 26 minutes from six episodes, which includes a 112-second oner Season 4: 22 minutes of fights (E9 and E10 used up 12 minutes) and no oner Season 5: 24 minutes of fights from eight episodes (9 minutes in E10) Johnny’s first fight in E1 uses tight angles with a delayed momentum, shifty movement that creates a flickering visual as the camera then goes into a collection of medium to close to tight tilting angles. It’s a bit dizzying, yet if you watch closely, it looks like the fighters are standing around doing minimal movement. Back in 1979 Taiwan, some films created this shifty visual effect by removing frames from the shots. I’m intrigued to see what could happen next. I was not disappointed. Chozen’s E2 fight at Silver’s dojo against six stone-faced senseis hits the bull’s eye by commanding violence and accuracy with total mint-stunning gold. What’s wacky is that although the fight is slow and methodical, it’s exciting to watch. There’s a new dynamic in the way it’s shot and in the rhythmic timing of technique delivery. Yuki’s skills are highlights within themselves as his facial contortions and mood power emphasizes each strike. Add in snap editing with slow motion at the right time creates a different edge to the fights. My sense is that Yuki would steal the show’s fights…and he does, especially in E10. Another cracking piece of combat is the long-awaited rematch between Robbie (Tanner Buchanan) and Miguel (Xolo Maridueña) that features unrelenting kicks by Robbie and electrifying evasions by Miguel. Their movements have become as easy as toasting a pop tart that also appear to be like velvet cushions that turn into a concrete melee. Miquel’s facial snarls sell his emotional commitment, as the anger and rage has been building up for several seasons where each fighter reeks of payback intention You may notice that when it comes to the one-on-one fights between the elder statesmen of each dojo, the fights boil down to mostly combat exposition and climactic tête-à-tête where at the end of the day there is a war of words that has essentially become an important part of the factual fight as they provide markers for each fight’s impassionate furor. One fight is ~120 seconds long, half is dialogue, and the other half is physical conflict that’s mostly shot in slow motion. By doing this, it breaks down the fights into short sequences to where it’s not so much about the non-intricate fight choreography or cool moves that would obviously have needed stunt doubles, but about the mental games they’re playing at, as each one messes with each other’s minds. The gravity and brevity of these key fights also importantly rely on the expansive orchestral music vitality that dictates the voracity of the clash. Thus, between the actual combat and their threats, guffaws and prideful colloquies, the battle intensifies. E10, is a regular hoot, its bedlam meets pandemonium as the high kinetics of each singular and group fray are ferocious, quick, single shots that make up an effective collective of tidbit skills and decent camera work that brings out a different sensibility at each turn of the fight. I had hoped they’d brave the depths of a oner. Though they didn’t, it didn’t matter because I thoroughly enjoyed what they were trying to do. In Chinese film it’s called a Mass Movement fight, where everyone appears to be fighting everyone else. It’s easy on the eyes, yet still has tangible results. Each fighter soldiers on as they have the impetus behind, in front and on each side to continue the barrage. Amid the incisive runs of sweet feet kicks that caress then use explosive power, the decisive bouts of misdirection with paper weight quality that include many moments of invention, we see the wizardry of their skills. Though they consistently and continually took all the punches, kicks, and threats as well as all the ups and downs, and the twists and turns of a snake with an itch, they each prevailed. Yet there will be a different kettle of sharks in the next tournament that awaits them in Japan. End result, the senseis and kids are trying to manufacture angles of attack and defense that turn out to be part keg and part egg, respectively. To understand this, watch the show. I was most impressed by the improvement of Mary Mouser as Sam. In what you might think is a rematch vs Tory that turns into a great sleight of hand clash, Sam pulls off her best combative performance to date where she is sharper than a witch’s tooth. Her poses, postures, and hand en garde positions are authoritative and intimidating, her blocks and strike delivery combos don’t require special camera angles to hide anything…they’re all solid. Bravo, young lass, bravo. She also has the best line in the show. Fixing to begin a fight, she tells a mate, “The reality is, there’s always lots of assholes and bullies in the world, sometimes it’s nice to know how to fight back against them.” Right on young lass, right on.­­­

Kevin Meisner's name is not a well-known one in martial arts. He's never won any major championships, doesn't claim any sort of deadly streetfighting skill nor does he have a chain of schools named after him. But, in many ways, Meisner is the epitome of how a martial artist should conduct himself and how martial arts can have a positive effect on one's life. His lifelong commitment to these arts came about through the not uncommon motivation of childhood bullying. When he was 13-years-old, Meisner visited a local rollerskating rink in suburban Pennsylvania the next town over from where he lived. He was a little better dressed than the local kids and some of the girls seemed to think he was cute. Unfortunately, a group of older teens took offense at his presence. They spread the rumor that the newcomer had been insulting one of their number until the offended boy called him over. As the group surrounded Meisner he was forced to confront his antagonist. They stood there staring at each other for a few uncertain moments until Meisner, feeling uncomfortable, looked away. Suddenly the boy punched him square in the face. "He hit me with a right cross on the left side of my mouth. It was a masterful punch. He caught me right when I looked away and wasn't paying attention. I saw a perfect white flash, my knees gave out and I sat down on my butt. I still have a scar inside my mouth from it," the now 57-year-old Meisner recalled with almost a sense of bemusement. Never having been particularly strong or athletic, the youngster had been the subject of occasional bullying during his childhood and being beaten up by another boy just confirmed in Meisner a growing sense of weakness. He asked his father to teach him how to fight but when that didn't help, he turned to an age-old source of wisdom - comic books. Old comics used to be filled with advertisements promising to develop strength and fighting skill through then esoteric martial arts like karate. Inspired, Meisner found a local karate school and quickly enrolled. Nearly 45 years later, having trained in a variety of martial arts, he continues to practice almost every day. His first instructor, Dave Salyards, was a Vietnam Veteran who taught a form of traditional karate filled with discipline and hard work. While the school was strict demanding etiquette and respect, the class was far from a sadistic, Cobra kai-style boot camp. "It was very formal but I never remember him yelling at me. It was tough but everybody was there because they wanted to be," said Meisner. "It gave me a certain level of fitness, strength and the ability to do things I couldn't do before. Plus, even though I was a teenager, it was the first time I was treated like an adult. I felt good about myself for doing karate and it gave me self-esteem." When he went off to college as a newly promoted first dan, Meisner started teaching a small class just so he would have people to continue practicing with. Since then, everywhere he's lived, he's taught a martial arts class. He estimates he's probably taught about 1000 students over the years and maybe a dozen of them have gone on to start their own schools, though the nature of what he teaches has changed quite a bit. While fighting was never his main goal in doing martial arts - he freely admits he's never liked the idea of hurting people - the notion that what was he was doing would be effective for self defense was appealing. When the UFC first debuted, Meisner was convinced karateka would easily prevail. Of course that's not quite what happened. "It was hard to watch. I considered it a true testing ground and I wasn't real thrilled watching how karate did there," he said. Though disappointed, he was realistic enough to accept that, when it came to practical fighting, he needed to learn more than just karate, if simply to pass on something that was effective to others. He got some boxing gloves and kicking shields and began training with his students in what he imagined was a more realistic manner. "We didn't really know what we were doing," he said. "But one thing I did get from karate the way I learned it was to not give up. I just saw this as another challenge." He started searching out a variety of instructors and disciplines, from self-defense guru Marc MacYoung to firearms expert Massad Ayoob, trained in some kickboxing and went through the Model Mugging course. As an attorney representing the Mohegan Tribe in Connecticut and working frequently with their athletic commission, Meisner also got to rub shoulders with top professional fighters who regularly competed at the Mohegan Sun Casino. He used to attend every fight relishing the opportunity to see the best boxers and mixed martial artists up close hoping to gleam some technical insights. But he rarely makes it to the fights nowadays because he realizes he doesn't enjoy seeing people being hurt and never has. He's at a similar point in his martial arts life, as well. Though he respects hardcore fighting methods like MMA, he now recognizes they're not his main interest nor his forte and that's fine with him. "We used to do some grappling in my class but I know I'm not qualified to teach that so we stopped because I don't want to be a fraud. I don't teach karate basics anymore either because I still want what I teach to be as efficient as possible and I find kickboxing basics more efficient," he said. "I do still teach a few kata because I enjoy them but I don't break them down trying to find the hidden self defense moves in them any more. I really don't teach "self defense" except for the mental part like tactics and strategies for avoiding conflict, which is the most important part." Meisner simply calls what he teaches now "freestyle karate." He looks at it as merely something fun that people can do to stay in shape and maybe acquire a bit of discipline and confidence as he did. He teaches for free every week at a local boys and girls club and on the Mohegan Reservation to a couple of dozen children, many of whom come in having experienced the same bullying and suffering from the same lack of confidence he once did. But he doesn't like to claim martial arts will be a panacea for them. "I don't think it's good for teaching morals or ethics or anything like that. I don't believe it will make them 'bullyproof.' But I do believe kids can develop a little more self-esteem and a bit of discipline from doing martial arts like I did. I've been doing it since I'm 14 years old and I don't plan on stopping," he said. "I don't claim to be a master or that I'm enlightened. And I know there are a lot of people that can stomp me in a fight. I'm under no illusions about any of that. But it's not important. It's never been about what can I get out of martial arts other than the simple enjoyment of doing it and sharing it with others."

Have been reporting on some incredible video footage recently posted to Youtube of a mountain climber in Japan fighting off a bear. The climber, who hasn't been identified, said he used martial arts to defend himself. The video, recorded on a GoPro camera attached to the climber, shows him descending down some rocks when a black bear, apparently a mother protecting her cub, suddenly charges him from above. The climber is able to avoid the bear's initial charge but it attempts to come back up the hillside at him at which point he begins to unload with some hammer fists and stomping front kicks as well as screams, all of which seem to discourage the bear from continuing its attack. In his description of the attack, the Japanese climber wrote in English, "I defended myself with self-defense. I learned karate when I was a child, but I liked mixed martial arts now, so maybe I could use hammer fist instead of punches." He indicates the keys to defending himself besides hammer fists and front kicks were screaming and intimidating the animal. Yet another reason to work on your kiai skills.

Of all the kickboxing competitors and many crossing over from other disciplines and stepping into the ring, it seems one group holds a distinct advantage in the heavyweight division of this striking sport. What would lead us to this conclusion? Well, in 26 of the last 29 years of kickboxing in the largest and most well-known promotions (K-1 & Glory), a Dutchman has held the Heavyweight Kickboxing Title. Let’s see if we can get to the bottom of why this is the case. IL With us today is the owner of Dynamix MMA in Los Angeles and UFC veteran, Dutch Kickboxing expert Antoni Hardonk to share his opinion on why this impressive record stands. But before we do, Antoni would you please tell us a little bit about yourself. AH Thanks for having me. I grew up playing sports with a special interest in marital arts. The popular schools at the time were doing kickboxing, and I fell in love. As a matter of fact, I competed as an amateur and later in several professional promotions, ultimately leading me to K-1 well before my time in the UFC. IL It’s no secret that there is occasionally friction between MMA athletes and traditional martial arts practitioners. One thing that caught my eye in your gym is your karate gi and black belt. So, it seems that despite having competed in the UFC and running a successful MMA gym, you have roots in the traditional arts? AH I started Kickboxing first, but all my coaches had backgrounds in Kyokushin. It was intertwined. The Kyokushin culture was in all we did. We didn’t train in a gi, but the spirit, edict, philosophy, and terminology were all there. Once I was well versed in Kickboxing, I wanted to take it a bit further, and that’s when I put the gi on and started training outside of the basic competition rules. That’s when I got into Judo as well as western boxing, Savate and Japanese jiu-jitsu. I wanted to go deeper. IL I see that you’re an expert in the field and a true martial artist as you have worked to obtain knowledge from multiple disciplines. So, with all your experience, what are some of the training philosophies that give Dutch kickboxers a potential advantage over others? Or what are some main differences in training techniques? AH First, it’s important to note the difference between “system” and “preparation.” When I say “system”, I’m referring to the technical and tactical approach to fighting. For example, a punch, a kick, footwork etcetera. When I say “preparation”, I’m talking about how we practice our techniques and tactics. For example, we use a lot of partner drills. As a matter of fact, I’ve even heard of some gyms referring to partner drills as “Holland” or “Dutch” drills. IL That preparation approach sounds very much like the traditional arts. So, how would you say that Dutch kickboxers train as compared to say western boxers or Muay Thai fighters? AH Well, when you look at boxers or Muay Thai fighters in the gym, they are almost always training as individuals. They’re frequently told to go work on the heavy bag, or the run mitt drills with an instructor, one-on-one. They’re jumping rope, shadow boxing. Again, almost all of which is done with an individual focus. Now, that’s where we differ in our kickboxing training. We do a lot of group work. Partners are almost always paired up to work through the drills of the day. We have many different types of drills. For example, we have drills that focus specifically on movements, clench and tactics just to name a few. But, unlike others, they are all done in a group setting. This group approach is a residual effect and left over from the traditional arts. But that’s not to take away from its effectiveness. We still see this type of training approach in traditional martial arts schools across the world and in the finest military and polices operations such as the Navy SEALS and SWAT teams. IL So I better understand why you train the way you do, what gives it a competitive advantage in your opinion? AH Well when you work with a partner, you quickly learn what works. You’re constantly learning to read an opponent. Compared to when you train on a heavy bag, for instance, there is limited feedback. With a partner you get real-time feedback and see what has a chance of helping you succeed in the ring. But don’t misunderstand me, I’m not against training on the bag. It is just limited. The bag is great for power and conditioning. IL If I’m understanding you correctly, you feel that the tools others use have their place, but you think that time is better spent on partner work. What time allocation percentages would you say the Dutch observe? AH I would say probably 90% partner work and 10% to individual work. But every gym has their own approach, so I can’t speak for every Dutch kickboxing school across the world. This is just what I’ve seen from my years training. Also, I want to quickly clear up a misconception. Some think that all Dutch kickboxing schools are “hard sparring” all the time. This is also something that varies from school to school. A prime example of this is from my years as Ernesto Hoost’s training partner. Not once did we injure each other. In that setting, control was highly respected. I say that just to clarify that the intensity of sparring depends on the school. IL Very interesting! I’ve really enjoyed our discussion thus far and your explanation on some of what makes Dutch Kickboxing different. AH Thanks, I’m glad to have the chance to share from my experience. IL For those reading along, hopefully we’ve shed some light on the Dutch Kickboxing system and maybe even opened your eyes to some tools or thoughts that you can use to enhance your training methodology. Be sure to check back soon for Part 2 when we finish our dig to get to the bottom of what makes Dutch Kickboxing so effective in the ring. Salute, Ian Lauer 2nd Degree Black Belt American Kenpo 1st Degree Black Belt Tae Kwon Do 1st Degree Black Belt Hapkido 1st Degree Black Belt Coszacks Karate

Should you find yourself ever the target of a certain Mixed Martial Arts promotion’s president’s bad side, you may be told you gave a terrible performance in a fight. In fact, you could be what some consider the GOAT Anderson Silva, fight a fight where you were literally never even close to getting hurt and instead of being applauded, you might have to worry about your job... or, your standing as an independent contractor. This begs (or at least mildly asks) the question: What is considered a perfect fight in MMA? Over MMA’s storied history, there are enough types of fights that they might deserve categories instead of being measured individually. For example, the so-called (and hated by this writer) chess match like Thompson vs. Woodley 2. Or the Rock’em Sock’em Brawl where the audience has to watch through their fingers for fear of seeing someone lose an ear or something such as Gilbert Melendez vs. Diego Sanchez (literally a YouTube video titled Best Brawl in UFC History). Is a good fight one where two very evenly matched opponents tactically score against each other so that the fan would be satisfied with a tie? Or what about those flash one-in-a-million knockouts like the legendary vanquishing of Ben Askren by Jorge Masvidal, which no matter what fluke quotient was involved, Jorge insists he knew that coming? Part of the fun of being a fan of MMA is discussing things for which there are not absolutes. How do you determine a greatest knockout, or greatest submission, or greatest fighter of all time? Is it even fair to try and postulate on such things given the subjective nature of the discussion? It is near impossible in most areas to define good, better, or best. Now try and take that to the superlative degree and then define a perfect fight. It is always intriguing to hear a fighter be critical of their own performance, but even more so after a win. You will hear often “I am my own worst critic.” So, a fighter saying they themselves have never fought a perfect fight might mean they are not capable of objectivity. So, if fans opinions are... well... just that: opinions. And if fighters cannot find a target called perfect, how could it be expected there would ever be any sort of normative stand for a perfect fight. We have not even ventured into the Martial Arts philosophy. No doubt somewhere there is a master on a mountain that might posit that the prefect fight is the one that never happened. You know, because violence is bad and we learn to fight so we don’t have to and such. But who are we kidding. MMA fans are not paying to see non-fights. So the question remains: What are they paying for and when would they know if it was perfect? Did the fans that saw Conor McGregor’s thirteen second masterpiece flattening of legend Jose Aldo see a perfect fight? After her statement-making TKO victory over Joanna Jędrzejczyk, did we see a perfect fight in the much-anticipated rematch where Rose Namajunas looked as flawless and technical as any striker in combat sports – ever? Rose literally said in her post-fight interview, sitting next to the belt that said she was the best in the world, that she was not perfect. Which made her win seem even more perfect. This all seems odd considering how her fight against Carla Esparza would look later, but that is a digression for another time. What is the perfect MMA fight? It is probably one of those things no one really knows. And it might just be one of those things we will know when we see it. Here’s to keeping our eyes out for it.

Saturday will see the Martial Arts History Museum in Burbank, Calif. hosting their anti-bullying event, "Karate Chop Bullying." Organized by celebrity fitness coach Eric 'The Trainer' Fleishman, the event will put the spotlight on the problem of bullying and how martial arts can be used as a means of pushing back against it. Expected to appear are Black Belt Hall of Fame forms champion and kung fu film star Cynthia Rothrock, as well as legendary karate champion and Tae Bo founder Billy Blanks who, along with his students, will put on a demonstration. The event is scheduled to begin at 1:30 p.m. and is free to attend. October is National Bullying Prevention month and Blackbeltmag.com will continue to focus on how martial arts training can be used to combat bullying throughout the month.

Jonathan Haggerty is the most exciting new fighters to come out of England, a country known for it’s strong striking credentials. Training primarily out of Knowlsey Academy in London today, Haggerty is a very rare example of a Western fighter that has been training since childhood. Much like the greatest Thai fighters, Haggerty has been training since the age of 7, having various coaches across the years he’s been training. This is probably why, as far as balance and technique go, Jonathan Haggerty is second to none in the UK. While there are many great fighters such as Liam Harrison and Jordan Watson to come from the UK, their success comes more from practical technique and strong fighting ability, rather than the textbook perfect technique you see from Haggerty. Haggerty is able to aggressively jerk his hips to feint kicks, only to follow on with legitimate kicks and punches, without fumbling or compromising his position. A very rare skill outside of Thailand indeed. He blends an agile kicking game with elbow strikes you could make a horror film about. There aren’t many fighters actively twelve to sixing their opponents with jumping elbows, but Haggerty lands these horrifying strikes consistently. Haggerty made his name when he became the first, and to date only farang (non-Thai) fighter to beat Sam-A Gaiyanghadao. Sam-A is two division Lumpinee champion and one of the most technical fighters on the planet, known for his wicked southpaw striking, perfect balance, and high fight IQ. Sam-A will go down as one of the greatest Muay Thai fighters not just of his generation, but of all time. An out and out legend with a record to rival even the greats like Samart Payakaroon and Dieselnoi – so you can imagine the absolute shock when a kid from South London that nobody really knew much about actually managed to beat him. Jonathan Haggerty was the clear underdog in terms of name recognition and skill, while he has trained since the age of 7, he wasn’t fighting professionally for all that time, like Sam-A was from the age of 9. Instead, we saw him use a few tools to exploit habits in Sam-A’s game. Haggerty is known for having a very active and dexterous lead leg, being great at teeping, switch kicking and cross-checking. All of these came into play against Sam-A, with Haggerty using cross-checks to shut down the Thai’s powerful left kick, before returning with needling teeps and counter switch kicks. Don’t let this fool you into thinking the fight was simply a chess match however, while strategies were clearly at play, this fight developed into an out and out brawl that saw both men battered and bruised, with Haggerty sporting a broken nose. It was the type of fight you only get once in a decade, where an unknown fighter steps in against a legend and completely holds their own. More recently, Haggerty is probably best known for his two fights against Rodtang, the first of which was a competitive bout that Rodtang just managed to eek a win out in, the second was a third round stoppage victory for the Iron Man. Both of these fights were legitimately excellent, but Haggerty seems to be almost an afterthought in the two of them now, as Rodtang has become a hyped commodity. That being said with new wins over the Japanese veteran Taiki Naito and Lumpinee Stadium Champion Monkolpetch, Jonathan Haggerty has done well to bounce back from these losses. With easily the best recent record of any UK based fighter, the only thing that can be said against him currently is that his last two fights had to be cancelled due to ill health. Jonathan Haggerty is something you rarely see in Muay Thai outside of Thailand, a fighter with technique and balance on par with the Thais, mixed with the kind of grit and aggression that make western fighters so popular in stadiums. While we certainly love him, eventually the great Liam Harrison will have to retire, as he continues to slow – there’s no shame in it, it’s just life. Haggerty looks poised to fill the gap that Harrison will one day leave – and in truth, Haggerty could eventually prove to be an even greater fighter than the Hitman.

Every time you turn around, you hear another argument of why a Martial Artist thinks their system is the best for self-defense. They hold core beliefs that they use to support their statements. For instance, “90% off all fights end up on the ground,” or “you’ll be up against more than one person,” or “they’ll have a weapon.” With these steadfast beliefs, some push for striking, while others promote grappling as their go-to fighting tactic. Some focus one one-on-one attacks, whereas others look at multiple attackers. Some introduce weapons into training, while others focus on unarmed combat. These perspectives are all viable and deserving attention; however, they often ignore the very people they want to help. Ironically, most frequently omitted from the discussion of “which is best” is the person that wants to learn to defend themselves. Their needs, advantages, disadvantages, and resources are afterthoughts when they should be the focus. So, what do we need to consider? Gender It does not matter if you are a man or a woman, no one is immune to attacks. That said, the kind of attack most likely to happen to a woman is not typically the same as that of a man. It is important to give thought to the types of attack a person is most likely to encounter and choose a system that puts the majority of its energy on dealing with those situations. For instance, a woman is more likely to be grabbed by a larger male trying to subdue her through intimidation and oppressive strength. A man, on the other hand, will likely find himself attacked with punches or an old-fashioned tackle. He may also be more likely to be attacked by multiple assailants. Of course, these are not definitively what will happen, but the probabilities are greater for certain attacks on one sex compared to another. Ignoring sex is a mistake. Understanding the variety of attacks that are more likely to happen to one than the other should lend to choosing a system that addresses the primary necessities of the trainee. Time Commitment How long does the trainee intend to study? Is this a weekend seminar, a three-month venture, or a lifelong commitment? Once again, we must focus on the individual. The length of time a person plans to commit is a vitally important factor in choosing what must be taught and assimilated. For example, women’s self-defense classes are frequently only a few hours. They’re a “one and done” class. There is no time to teach long katas to instill techniques or put in years conditioning the fists on the makiwara board or shins on the heavy bag. What must be conveyed in the short-term training approach are quick, effective, and simple means of escaping a situation that are easy to remember and apply. If someone has a few months to commit to training, you can look at greater depth into more options of defense. Perhaps some simple punches like that of boxers and a few basic grappling moves can become part of a self-defense toolbox in that amount of time. Even with a few months, though, advanced kicking techniques or hand movements requiring extreme dexterity and coordination are most likely a waste of time and only serve to confuse the student. Now, if the plan is to commit years or a lifetime to studying, the doors open to unlimited possibilities. With this option, people can learn to put self-defense techniques into action that they can’t even fathom at the beginning of their training. So, which system do you choose or recommend? Again, this depends on how long will dedicated to training. That said, no matter how long a person plans to train, they should be taught some simple and effective techniques in the very beginning. This will serve as a means of empowering the student from the get-go. Physical Abilities Many of the Arts try to tailor the student to the art instead of tailoring the art to the student. This is a mistake. Sure, there needs to be a baseline of skills that an art teaches. However, the expression and use of the different tools are dependent upon the innate physical abilities of the practitioner. For example, kicks may be a great tool for a 110-pound lady with excellent flexibility, where at the same time they may prove to be only a distraction to an uncoordinated big burly man. Time permitting, the lady may learn some very effective kicking defense options that are suited to her physical abilities, while the man may find more success studying the basics of boxing or wrestling to maximize the benefit of his size. Choosing a system based in the natural strengths of the practitioner is a good first step towards building one’s self-defense arsenal. Conclusion: When picking a system for self-defense, it is most important to keep the individual in mind. By understand the kinds of attacks one is most likely to encounter, how long will be committed to training, and natural physical abilities, one can more easily pick a system that will provide the best benefit for the Martial Arts practitioner. Salute, Ian Lauer 2nd Degree Black Belt American Kenpo 1st Degree Black Belt Tae Kwon Do 1st Degree Black Belt Hapkido 1st Degree Black Belt Coszacks Karate

We live in a pretty dangerous world these days. Despite our best efforts, a physical confrontation can happen at any time during even the most innocent outing. Consider the numerous brawls that have occurred at Disney World Orlando in recent months. Today's society is filled with aggressive people, and knowing how to protect yourself is more important than ever. When it comes to street fighting and survival, there are two main areas of self-defense. These are striking on the feet and fighting on the ground. While knowing both aspects is most beneficial, being proficient in at least one can be the difference between surviving the attack and being at the mercy of your attacker. However, not all self-defense tactics are created equal. Some martial arts based on these two primary areas stand above the rest. In this article, we’ll examine the four self-defense martial arts most effective in a street fight. Having to defend yourself against an attacker when you don’t know how can be terrifying. Adrenaline rushes through your body as fear and panic set in. Your mind races and instantly goes into fight-or-flight mode. If fleeing is not an option, a decision must be made to stand and fight. When you have the skills to protect yourself in such a situation, the decision comes with a bit of comfort and confidence. Ground Fighting According to an article in Military.com , it’s estimated that 85% of street fights end up on the ground. So, it’s no surprise you should be getting some grappling skills. In terms of martial arts, grappling can be divided into three categories, namely Judo, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and wrestling. Judo As one of the oldest martial arts in the world, judo is derived from the old Jujitsu schools of the Japanese samurai. This knowledge was collected by Kanō Jigorō and he then began to teach Judo at the Kōdōkan School of Judo in 1882. Originally designed for real-world combat, it's obvious why it's effective in street fights. In Judo, your opponent is thrown to the ground and controlled by applying pressure to their joints and neck. Judo involves using your opponent's force against them. Rather than opposing their momentum, you redirect it to your advantage. It’s impossible to control the decisions of an attacker, but it is possible to defend yourself from the attack. Using the attacker's momentum gives you the advantage if he or she is bigger and stronger. This is especially beneficial for women and children. As you can see from these real-life scenarios, judo should be high on the list if you are looking for real-world techniques to protect yourself. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Made famous by the Gracie family , Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) is tried and tested on the streets. It was perfected by the legendary Brazilian sports hero and fighter Helio Gracie. In this style of fighting, the fight is taken to the ground intentionally to nullify size, reach, and strength advantages. BJJ enables a smaller person to use joint manipulation and body position to defeat a bigger opponent. Because of its proven techniques, a proficient practitioner can submit a much larger and stronger opponent. There are many videos on the internet showing its effectiveness. Police officers and military personnel receive training in BJJ for close-quarters combat. Combining this martial art with wrestling, our third most effective martial art, can make it 10 times more effective. Wrestling Wrestling is widely considered the oldest form of combat, dating back to the ancient Egyptians. Medieval Europe also practiced the art of wrestling. There are several types of wrestling, including Freestyle, Greco-Roman, Sambo, and Submission. Wrestling is a grappling art that involves: Fighting in the clinch Throwing your opponent Slam takedowns Joint locks Pinning your opponent Because of its effectiveness , it’s also taught to both military and police officers. As a mainstay in school sports and on the Olympic stage, wrestling has been a staple in sports for centuries. Striking on the Feet A person's ability to fight on his or her feet is just as essential as their ability to grapple. It’s vital to know what to do when fighting from a standing position so that you can stop the threat as quickly and effectively as possible. When the fight starts, striking martial arts such as boxing, Muay Thai, and kickboxing are most effective on the feet. You could end the fight early with these skills to avoid the hazards of rolling around on the ground. Boxing, Muay Thai, or Kickboxing When talking about effective striking arts on the feet, you can’t go wrong with any of these for self-defense. Because of this point, we’ll count them as one. All are equally effective in a street fight. Since each of them incorporates different techniques, understanding the differences is important. Afterward, you'll be able to decide which art is right for you. Boxing As with wrestling, boxing dates back centuries. The art of boxing teaches key techniques, such as footwork for body positioning, head movement to avoid punches, parrying incoming punches, and offensive punching combinations to neutralize an opponent. Being skilled in these techniques could effectively end a fight before it even starts with just one accurate, well-timed punch. There are many YouTube videos that show how effective boxing can be in a street fight. Muay Thai Muay Thai (Thai Boxing) originated in Thailand, the land of smiles. Despite its similarities to traditional western boxing, this form of boxing employs more techniques. Besides being one of Thailand's most popular forms of entertainment, Muay Thai is also an essential fighting technique taught to Thai soldiers. Often described as the "art of eight limbs," Muay Thai involves eight points of contact. Standard punching, knee strikes, elbow strikes, and high and low kicks are all used to take down an opponent. Other techniques include the Thai clinch and sweeps. As can be seen here , Muay Thai is an excellent martial art to learn both for self-defense and a combat sport. Due to its intensity, it's also beneficial for overall health. Kickboxing As the name implies, kickboxing incorporates boxing with kicks. This is another proven martial art that can be used to neutralize an opponent. Muay Thai and kickboxing are very similar, with the exception that elbows and knees are not used in kickboxing. Despite that, it’s a great and effective martial art that can be the difference between being the victim of an attack or the survivor of an attack. Conclusion To sum things up, martial arts have been proven useful for self-defense. Choosing the right one is important, as many options are more geared toward sports than real life. Rather than relying on big flashy moves, an effective martial art uses techniques that are practical. They’re based on threat elimination versus scoring points. Being skilled in any of these arts will give you an advantage over most average attackers on the street. In a dangerous situation, knowing what to do will greatly increase your chances of successfully disabling a threat and getting home safe.