Gabrielle Rudolph is a trailblazing martial artist and is a featured instructor on the most comprehensive martial arts platform in history Black Belt+ : You inspired so many, who or what inspired you? Gabrielle : My family inspires me to become the best martial artist I can be. My parents are both successful martial arts school owners, so martial arts has always been a very important part of my life. They sacrificed a lot to send me to martial arts tournaments all over the world, and I want to make them proud. My 76-year-old grandmother competes on the national circuit to this day, and she inspires me in so many ways as well. Martial arts has always been a family affair, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Black Belt+ : Black Belt+ was started to help students outside the dojo, what are your expert tips on training solo or remotely? Gabrielle : I almost always train alone. A training tip that helped me exponentially is video study. I would often record myself doing my kata and see how I could improve my technique and how to train. Black Belt+ is an awesome tool to watch videos of world class martial artists and improve your own skills in the process. Black Belt+ : Oftentimes in our training we hit a wall, what’s your advice for students who lack motivation or want to quit? Gabrielle : Whenever I hit a wall in martial arts training, I try to remember what my goals are and why I started this journey. Being true to yourself and connecting to the motivations that got you into this lifestyle are essential tools to pull yourself out of those inevitable low points in your training. Black Belt+ : Traditionally many martial artists start with one style, when do you recommend the best time to branch out and learn other styles? Gabrielle : I think it is best to achieve the rank of black belt in your primary style first, then consider expanding. Expanding to a wide variety of styles too early in your martial arts journey could lead to confusing overlap between the philosophies and execution of techniques. Gaining a good depth of knowledge in one skillset before adapting your movements and mindset for another is valuable. I absolutely feel it is important to diversify, as someone who has trained in Jhoon Rhee taekwondo since I was two years old, now competing on the world tour predominantly as a Goju-Ryu karate specialist. Black Belt+ : What are some changes or developments in your art over the years? Gabrielle: On the competitive scene in particular, there has been a great deal of evolution in the traditional divisions. About 15 years ago, traditional forms on the NASKA circuit were heavily modified. Some were completely fabricated, and others were hybrids of multiple forms from various styles. Today, it is refreshing to see that the vast majority of competitors who have success are performing kata that are more true to their original choreography and bunkai. There are still some adjustments made to maximize visual appeal for the judges, but it is much less adaptation than there used to be. Black Belt+: Today, what is the emphasis of your teaching? Gabrielle: I feel that having a solid foundation of basic martial arts skills is essential to set you up for success regardless of what your goals in the martial arts are. This being said, most of my content on BB+ focuses on giving the audience an in-depth understanding of those basics to help them progress as martial artists no matter their background or goals. Black Belt+ : What motivates you to stay passionate about your art? Gabrielle: My love for martial arts will never fade, it is an essential part of my life. When it comes to staying motivated for competition, achieving my goal of being recruited to Team Paul Mitchell before the 2023 season was a huge motivator for me. Now that I have achieved that goal, I am motivated to represent the legacy well every time I step on the mat. There is no better feeling than having the black and white on my back with my teammates cheering me on. When you represent Team Paul Mitchell, you are competing for something larger than yourself and that means the world to me. Check out Gabrielle Rudolph’s instructional videos on Black Belt+ Download and subscribe directly from Black Belt Magazine at plus.blackbeltmag.com . Or download in the App Store or Google Play.

While the films of the 1970s were often characterized by the term “gritty realism,” the 80s seemed to want to venture far away from that standard. In 1980, The Empire Strikes Back was the year’s big hit. While the stereotypical 80s-action flick, packed with explosions and comedic one-liners, hadn’t been solidified yet, (Still five years away from Rambo: First Blood Part II ) the urge for escapist entertainment seemed to be palpable among filmgoers. Now, with a series of martial arts-action films under his black belt, Chuck Norris entered the 80s. Ninjas were seemingly running amok during the decade with American Ninja (1985), Enter the Ninja (1981), and Revenge of the Ninja (1983), to name just a few of the movies of the genre. Despite its enigmatic title, The Octagon would provide plenty of black-clad assassins to add mystery and intrigue to the first martial arts-action film of the 1980s of screen star Chuck Norris. The Octagon (1980) In The Octagon , Norris stars as Scott James, a former martial arts competitor and soon-to-be exterminator of dark-hooded killers. An assassination abroad sets off a chain of events having implications closer to home. On a night out, James walks into an ambush and is fighting for his life in the darkness against the highly skilled shadow warriors. Although James manages to beat the foes handily, it is not before it ends in tragic circumstances. Knowing the extreme rarity of ninjas, James discovers that the school training them is run by his estranged brother, Seikura (Tadashi Yamashita), and sets out on a mission to settle an old score and rescue his friend held captive. The Octagon cast includes Karen Carlson and Western movie legend, Lee Van Cleef as McCarn. Seikura’s masked and ominously costumed enforcer, Kyo is played by Richard Norton, the legendary stunt performer and martial artist. The mysterious Kyo is a standout both in dishing out harsh discipline to the recruits and for providing a worthy foil for Norris in the last act. Chuck Norris’ brother Aaron Norris and son Michael Norris both appear in the movie. Aaron Norris returns as the stunt coordinator as well. Michael Norris plays a younger version of his father. The pace of The Octagon doesn’t drag, Norris’ Scott James is battling a group of ninjas within the first ten minutes. The film also provides some interesting insight into the ninja mythos. By showing their secretive training methods, The Octagon delves a little deeper into ninja philosophy. “For the ninja, trickery is his weapon. Illusion, a way of life,” states Seikura’s aide, played by Yuki Shimoda. The presentation of the ninja martial art is much more thorough than just some karate enthusiasts who happen to wear black. Their serious and intense attitude toward training is differentiated and illustrated best by Kyo’s use of a throwing star when one of the recruits attempts to walk out on the program. There are no quitters in ninja school. The Fights Scott James decides to try and infiltrate the ninja training camp to get close to his brother and sworn enemy, Seikura, which leads to some great action. A quick and impressive use of kicks is demonstrated when James is challenged at the recruitment meeting. Excellent use of a heel spike to the groin to the out-of-costumed Richard Norton starts things off and is followed by some great applications of the reverse crescent kick to highlight James’ ability to take out multiple attackers with ease. That ability would become more important as things progress. Wall-scaling ninjas try to assassinate James in his hotel room, which gives Norris, as James, the opportunity to show off some horizontal karate while a gunfight rages outside. The fight isn’t long, but it is well done. After the capture of James’ friend A.J., a showdown with Seikura is guaranteed. As Norris goes off into the sunset to confront his long-lost brother, it is the beginning of the epic battle that contains some of the best martial arts in movies. Ninjas drop from trees, roll out of shadows and materialize from the darkness, but all meet the same fate as Norris demonstrates that he has a wide range of material at his disposal to dispense with the hooded threat. As with all of Norris’ films, the techniques are crisp and defined, and he illustrates why an actor that trains in martial arts for a specific role is just not the same as someone that has been doing it for decades. There are a wide variety of techniques incorporated into the fights, and Norris uses sweeps, swords, and staff, as he seamlessly moves on to the next phase. Once in the octagon, Norris exhibits some memorable techniques, including a rolling sweep, knocking the opponent into the water, and then drowning the unfortunate ninja, never using his hands. In the battle with the entire ninja clan against Chuck Norris, we pity the ninjas. The octagon fight culminates in the climactic match between James and Kyo. They start with katanas before Kyo switches to sais. (Some viewers may have flashbacks to the Cobra Kai duel between Silver and Chozen in season five.) Eventually, the pair fight empty-hand and some great throws, counter throws, and kicking and punching are demonstrated by Norris and Norton. One of the benefits of films of the era is that the action is not shot so close and edited so choppy that you can barely see what is happening. Norton and Norris’s fight has a beginning, middle, and end, which is nothing short of poetic fight choreography. The final fight between the brothers, James and Seikura, has them clashing with katana vs kamas as the camp descends into chaos with plenty of explosions which would become a hallmark of 80s action films. What can you expect from The Octagon ? The bottom line is: excellent martial arts, interesting insight into the ninja fighting style, and it still holds up after over forty years. I am probably biased since it is my favorite martial arts film, but I think if you give it a chance, you’ll enjoy this vintage Chuck Norris classic.

Many martial artists aren't just known for their physical prowess, but for their philosophical strength, too. We collected some of the best quotes from martial artists. Which begs the question: are wiser people attracted to martial arts or do the martial arts make you wiser? Naturally, you'll find several quotes from Bruce Lee and Sun Tzu, though others may surprise you. Keep reading to get some inspiration! And if you're inspired to jump start your training, go here! 1. "The more we value things, the less we value ourselves." - Bruce Lee 2. "I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times." - Bruce Lee 3. "The ultimate aim of martial arts is not having to use them." - Miyamoto Musashi 4. "Martial arts is not just about self-defense; it's about self-control and self-improvement." - Chuck Norris 5. "Martial arts training is a path to self-discovery and realization." - Gichin Funakoshi 6. "In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity." - Albert Einstein (a martial artist himself) 7. "A true martial artist is not the one who fears defeat, but the one who never gives up." - Georges St-Pierre 8. "The best fighter is not a Boxer, Karate or Judo man. The best fighter is someone who can adapt to any style." - Bruce Lee 9. "Mistakes are always forgivable, if one has the courage to admit them." - Bruce Lee 10. "If you want to be a true martial artist, you must be able to adapt to any situation." - Jet Li 11. "The more you sweat in training, the less you bleed in battle." - Richard Marcinko 12. "The true test of a martial artist is not in how much force he can muster, but in how much control he can exert." - Ed Parker Ed Parker Quote Black Belt Plus 13. "The best way to defeat an enemy is to make him your friend." - Sun Tzu 14. "In the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity." - Sun Tzu If these quotes are motivating you, check out some instructional videos here: BONUS: While these last two are about martial arts and are widely used, the source is unknown. 15. "A black belt is a white belt who never gave up." - unknown 16. "The ultimate aim of martial arts is not having power over your opponent, but having power over yourself." - Unknown That’s our list. Did we miss your favorite quote? If you're feeling inspired to practice a new art, look no further. Black Belt+ has hundreds of instructional videos in dozens of styles. Check out the biggest martial arts digital platform in history. From its rich history spanning over 60 years, the platform includes thousands of remastered instructional videos, martial arts movies, documentaries, and, of course, digital issues and articles from the iconic Black Belt Magazine . The new app is available on iOS and Android mobile devices and tablets. Or download and subscribe directly from Black Belt at plus.blackbeltmag.co

Part 1: McGregor Movement At the height of McGregor mania, movement training was all the rage. What is movement training? Sometimes it will depend on who you ask, things like Yoga and bear crawls can be considered movement training but this article will focus specifically on the type of movement training popularised by Ido Portal and other movement gurus that took off in the MMA world. This type of training essentially comes down to body awareness, being able to physically move your body in a multitude of ways, be it through imitating various animals, and flowing between different types of movement. Here is a legitimately great demonstration from Ido Portal: There’s no denying that this approach to exercise has got Ido Portal in great shape, along with resistance training. My issue comes less from what he’s doing, and far more with how the modern martial arts community has latched onto it. Conor McGregor took a particular interest in this type of training and while practising it, he happened to become the most famous MMA fighter in the world. McGregor would be constantly talking about movement, and flowing and the common notion was that McGregor was the best fighter, because he had the best movement. MMA fans would always say they loved McGregor and his ‘movement’ essentially just parroting what McGregor said in interviews, as though it was some sort of novel concept. There was an issue however… Conor McGregor’s movement in the cage was genuinely nothing special. While McGregor could absolutely pull off impressive movement routines in the style of Ido Portal, with videos of him doing alligator crawls and different flows in training, this did not translate to him in the cage. McGregor in the cage was a good striker whose success came primarily from a step back counter. For the clearest example of this, just watch his Jose Aldo fight. McGregor did not succeed because of great movement or mobility, he succeeded because he knew how to counter as an opponent over-committed. McGregor wasn’t much of a kickboxer in the same way Alexander Volkanovski or Dustin Poirier is, he wasn’t a great jab or hook artist, he was specifically good at landing a left straight counter. He was so good at it that he could comfortably rely on it. The movement he really excelled at was just a simple pendulum step, keeping him moving back and forth, like any boxer would do. As far as movement when it came to kicks, McGregor wasn’t exactly the picture of excellent kicking form. The truth is, you don’t actually have to be a great kicker in order to benefit from kicking. A kick with bad form does leave you open to be countered, but so does any action you can possibly take in a fight. McGregor wasn’t able to generate much power in his kicks, and his obsession with the false notion that Muay Thai would leave him flat footed (laughs in Saenchai) meant he never really developed that power. McGregor instead would kick frequently to wear down his opponent, but his kicks were often off balance, and you would see him firing off in weird trajectories. None of this is to say McGregor was a bad striker, that would be silly, but McGregor wasn’t a great all-around striker with excellent technique in the way that say Israel Adesanya is. So, the question becomes, what WAS this movement training supposed to do for his fight game? Part 2: Everybody Laughs at Kata Frequent readers of mine know that I’m a Muay Thai practitioner, and we do not have or use kata. This isn’t going to be a defence of kata as something that you can just train all day and suddenly be a good fighter. Kata and forms do not make you good at fighting, and any serious martial artist either knows this, or is deluding themselves. The purpose of Kata is to be a syllabus, a way to catalogue techniques and move sets while training fitness. The irony with the MMA world, is that they seem to have decided that kata, or any aspect of martial arts for performance is just useless. There are videos of experts performing excellent demonstrations of kata and winning competitions, and the comments sections on social media will be full of naysayers laugh reacting and saying that they are useless skills. So why is crawling about on the ground in various animal inspired styles superior to actually training martial arts movements in a choreographed manner? What do they think animal style Kung Fu is doing? I believe that movement training can be a benefit to your overall health and mobility, but what benefits does it provide that aren’t provided in a more sport specific way than training forms? Kung Fu forms will have you practising very low stances, improving your flexibility and mobility while still emphasising punching and kicking. When you are training to be a fighter everything you do have to be optimised for performance in the cage. Bodybuilding and power building workouts? Not especially useful, even if it’s cool to look good and lift heavy. Olympic lifting? There’s far more overlap because you’re building explosive movements. When you’re training a fighter, you need to work on both skills and strength and conditioning and no time can be wasted, if kata is ‘a waste of time’ then how can anyone begin to justify doing movement training? By virtue of training martial arts, you are already training the movements that you need to be good at. Part 3: Old vs New This is a symptom of a wider problem; unlike a lot of older sports like boxing, which are still developing, but in more subtle ways, MMA is very fad oriented. Look no further than Anderson Silva and Lyoto Machida’s front kick knock outs of Randy Couture and Vitor Belfort (who fell for the same kick twice). After those knockouts every subsequent card for months was filled with people spamming the front kick in the vague hope they would recreate that knock out, disregarding any of the set up that made them possible. Traditional martial arts that are not focussed on active competition often run into the problem of becoming more museums than living, breathing arts. It’s easy to be too bogged down in tradition and not assessing whether the art is still practical. Mixed Martial Arts seems to have the opposite problem, of constantly jumping to the new big thing, and neglecting very basic concepts and training principles that will build a strong fighter. It’s no secret that traditional martial arts not named judo or muay Thai, have had trouble finding their place in MMA, there have been a handful of good karate practitioners, but generally the opinion is that traditional martial arts simply don’t work. The word McDojo gets thrown around a lot and it’s often said that karate guys don’t succeed because they spend too much time practising kata. I think the important words there are ‘too much’. Kata isn’t bad, it’s a very useful tool, but it shouldn’t be used in place of hard full contact continuous sparring that you will find in kickboxing gyms. As for movement training? I’m just not seeing the direct benefit.

What is considered the best martial arts? There is no single "best" martial art, as different disciplines excel in different areas and have unique strengths and weaknesses. Some popular martial arts include Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, which is known for its effectiveness in grappling and ground fighting; Muay Thai, which is known for its striking and clinching techniques; and wrestling, which is known for its focus on take-downs and control. Ultimately, the best martial art for an individual may depend on their personal goals and preferences. The above seems to be a pretty basic responds, so we asked this follow up question: What do you consider the best martial art? As an AI, I do not have personal preferences or opinions. However, many people consider Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) to be some of the most effective martial arts for self-defense, as they incorporate techniques from many different styles and also focus on ground fighting and submissions. Other martial arts such as Karate, Tae Kwon Do and Kung Fu are also popular and have their own unique techniques, depending on the style practiced. Ultimately, the effectiveness of a martial art depends on the practitioner's skill level, training, and ability to adapt the techniques to real-world self-defense situations. Ahhh, no you're adding in your AI flare, i see. Okay, let's try something a little bit more in depth. What martial arts is considered the elite art? It's subjective to say which martial art is considered the "elite" as different people have different criteria for what makes a martial art "elite". Some people believe that the martial art that is most effective in real-world self-defense is the elite one, while others might consider the martial art with the most demanding physical training to be elite. Some people might think that the martial art with the most ancient history or the one that is most widely practiced is elite. However, there are some martial arts that are considered as elite by some people due to their effectiveness, physical demands, and historical significance. Some examples of martial arts that are often considered elite are Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Judo, Muay Thai, and Krav Maga. These martial arts are known for their effectiveness in real-world self-defense and sport competition, as well as their demanding physical training and deep historical roots. It's important to remember that martial arts are personal and what is elite for one person may not be for another. O.K, now let's just have some fun with a few questions. BJJ or Karate in self defense? Both Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) and Karate can be effective in self-defense, but they have different strengths and techniques. BJJ is a grappling-based martial art that emphasizes ground fighting and submissions. It is known for its effectiveness in real-world self-defense because it teaches practitioners how to control and submit an attacker using leverage and technique, rather than brute strength. BJJ also includes techniques for defending against strikes and weapons, but its primary focus is on grappling. Karate, on the other hand, is a striking-based martial art that emphasizes punches, kicks, and strikes. It also includes grappling and joint locks, but they are not as emphasized as in BJJ. Karate is known for its strong focus on discipline, respect, and personal development. It is also known for its rigorous physical training and its traditional forms or kata. Karate techniques may be more effective for self-defense in situations where the attacker is at a distance and a strike can be used to defend yourself. While both BJJ and Karate have their own unique strengths, BJJ may be more effective in real-world self-defense situations due to its emphasis on ground fighting and submissions. However, it's important to note that no single martial art can prepare you for every possible self-defense scenario, and the effectiveness of a martial art depends on the practitioner's skill level, training, and ability to adapt the techniques to real-world self-defense situations. And one last one because i know we all want to know what an AI bot thinks of this... Bruce Lee or Chuck Norris? it's impossible to say who would win a fight between Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris as it is a hypothetical scenario and they never fought each other. Both Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris were highly skilled martial artists with their own unique strengths and abilities. Bruce Lee was a martial artist, actor, and philosopher, known for his incredible physical conditioning and speed. He developed his own style of martial arts, Jeet Kune Do, which emphasized fluidity and adaptability. He was also a skilled boxer, wrestler, and Wing Chun practitioner, his skills and techniques have influenced many martial artist and have been studied by many. Chuck Norris is a martial artist, actor, and former professional fighter known for his powerful roundhouse kicks and his role in popularizing martial arts in the United States. He is a black belt in several different martial arts, including Tang Soo Do, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and Tae Kwon Do, which he has taught for many years. It's important to remember that a fight is not the only way to measure the skills of a martial artist and both of them have achieved great success in their own respective fields. Bruce Lee is widely considered one of the most influential martial artists of all time and his legacy continues to this day. Chuck Norris, on the other hand, has had a successful career in the entertainment industry and is also known for his philanthropic efforts.

Martial arts are often associated with physical techniques and skills, but there are also several other components that are important for martial artists to master. One of these is the kiai, the act of focusing your intention that is widely used in many martial arts styles. Let's delve into the history, usage, and application of this powerful yet often overlooked element in martial arts. History of the Kiai Kiai is a Japanese word that literally means "unified energy." Let's think about that for a second. If you stay scattered in thought during the execution of a movement and its accompanying kiai, you are grossly bastardizing the idea. "Unified energy" means it is about taking all of your focus and intention and letting it converge with your action. The feeling is first, the resultant sound is secondary. Flash your intention like lightning and simply let the vocalization of your kiai erupt alongside it like thunder. Unforced, yet naturally powerful. Take note that at no time did I say the shout has to be uttered as "kiai!" or "hi-yaah!" As a technique, kiai have been used in many different contexts throughout Japanese history, not least of all in martial arts and traditional theater. Over time, the kiai became an important part of the training and practice of many different martial arts originating in other parts of the world. For example, it is referred to as a kihap in Korean martial arts. Same character meaning, just a different pronunciation. Today, it is often used as a way to focus the mind and body, control breathing, and increase power and intensity in martial arts techniques. Usage of the Kiai The kiai is typically performed by exhaling loudly and forcefully while executing a martial arts technique, such as a strike, kick, block, or evasion. The timing and volume of the kiai can vary depending on the martial arts style, the technique being performed, and the individual practitioner's preferences. In addition to being used as a way to increase power and focus during martial arts techniques, the kiai can also serve several other purposes. For example, it can be used to intimidate opponents, distract them, or even communicate with training partners or instructors during practice. Application of the Kiai The kiai has several practical applications in martial arts training and practice. One of the most important is its ability to help practitioners develop better control over their breathing. By exhaling forcefully during a kiai, martial artists can learn to control their breath and regulate their heart rate, allowing them to stay focused and calm during training and competition. Another important application of the kiai is its ability to help practitioners increase the power and effectiveness of their techniques. By exhaling forcefully during a technique, martial artists can create a burst of energy and momentum that can increase the force and impact of their strikes, kicks, or other techniques. The kiai can also be used as a way to develop better mental focus and concentration. By using the kiai to focus their attention on the present moment, martial artists can improve their awareness and concentration, allowing them to more effectively anticipate and respond to their opponent's movements. Finally, the kiai can also be used as a way to develop better teamwork and communication skills in martial arts practice. By using the kiai to communicate with training partners or instructors, martial artists can build better relationships and develop a deeper understanding of their techniques and training methods. A good coach or training partner can match breathing with you and signal when it is time to go harder or better relax simply with their vocal tone and volume. Conclusion Summed up, the kiai is an essential element of martial arts that has been passed down through generations. It’s a powerful tool that can help a martial artist increase their focus, strength, and mental fortitude. The kiai can be used in various ways, both in self-defense and in competition. If you're new to martial arts, the kiai may seem intimidating or even strange. Good. It's that discomfort which training seeks to place you in and empower you to break through. With time and practice, a kia can become second nature. It's important to remember that the kiai is not just a yell or scream, but rather a controlled release of energy that requires proper technique and breath control. However you want to identify said energy is likely to be fitting–it is your kinetic energy, mental energy, muscular engagement, intention, etc. Ultimately, the kiai is a physical expression of a martial artist's inner strength, an expression of the essential mind-body connection made during the execution of an action. It's an often misunderstood aspect of martial arts which, when understood, will help unleash new levels to your power.

Aside from Kung Fu Panda , we are counting down Jackie Chan’s top films! Jackie Chan, the renowned martial artist, actor, and filmmaker, has left an indelible mark on the world of cinema. With his distinctive blend of jaw-dropping stunts, comedic timing, and remarkable athleticism, Chan has become an international icon. Throughout his career spanning several decades, he has graced the silver screen with a multitude of memorable performances. In this article, we present a list of Jackie Chan's top eight films that have captivated audiences worldwide. Check out some Jackie Chan classics for free here. 8. Armor of God (1986): In Armor of God , Jackie Chan plays a treasure hunter on a mission to retrieve stolen artifacts. The film combines action, adventure, and comedy, featuring impressive stunts and fight sequences. It highlights Chan's ability to seamlessly blend humor and thrilling action. 7. Drunken Master II (1994): Drunken Master II is a dazzling display of Jackie Chan's martial arts skills and physical comedy. Reprising his role as Wong Fei-hung, Chan engages in a series of exhilarating fights, culminating in an epic battle against a formidable opponent. The film's intricate choreography, combined with Chan's charismatic performance, makes it a must-watch for fans. 6. Police Story 3: Supercop (1992): The third installment in the Police Story series, Supercop showcases Jackie Chan's undeniable talent for adrenaline-pumping action. Teaming up with Michelle Yeoh, Chan plays a Hong Kong police officer tasked with infiltrating a drug cartel. The film's remarkable stunts, including a legendary finale involving a helicopter and a moving train, solidify its status as an action classic. 5. Wheels on Meals ( 1984): The cast alone is iconic! Wheels on Meals teams up Chan with fellow martial arts superstar Sammo Hung and Yuen Biao in a hilarious action-comedy adventure. The trio operates a mobile food truck in Barcelona but gets entangled in a kidnapping case. This film showcases Chan's comedic timing and incredible stunt work, including a spectacular final fight scene in a castle. Watch for free now on Black Belt+ 4. Police Story (1985): Police Story epitomizes Chan's unparalleled dedication to thrilling action sequences. As Inspector Chan Ka-kui, he takes on a drug lord and his gang with jaw-dropping stunts and intense fight scenes. The film's iconic climax, featuring a breathtaking battle in a shopping mall, solidified Chan's status as an action superstar and set new standards for the genre. 3. Project A (1983): In Project A , Jackie Chan combines action, comedy, and his signature acrobatics to deliver an unforgettable cinematic experience. Set in 19th-century Hong Kong, Chan plays Sergeant Dragon Ma, a sailor battling pirates and corrupt officials. The film showcases Chan's versatility as he effortlessly transitions from thrilling fights to slapstick comedy, creating a delightful blend that continues to entertain audiences. 2. Rumble in the Bronx (1995): Rumble in the Bronx introduced Jackie Chan to a global audience, cementing his status as an international action star. The film follows Chan as he takes on a gang involved in illegal activities. Known for its high-octane action, inventive stunts, and breathtaking set pieces, "Rumble in the Bronx" remains one of Chan's most beloved films, displaying his unique blend of humor and martial arts prowess. 1. Drunken Master ( 1978): Drunken Master catapulted Jackie Chan to stardom and solidified his unique brand of action-comedy. In this martial arts classic, Chan portrays Wong Fei-hung, a mischievous yet talented fighter who must master the art of Drunken Boxing to defeat a ruthless assassin. The film showcases Chan's incredible physicality and innovative fight choreography, making it a timeless masterpiece. These films represent some of Jackie Chan's most iconic and critically acclaimed works, showcasing his unique blend of action, comedy, and martial arts. That’s our list. How’d we do? If you need to brush up on your martial arts cinema, you can watch these iconic movies and more at Black Belt+ . Check out the biggest martial arts digital platform in history. From its rich history spanning over 60 years, the platform includes thousands of remastered instructional videos, martial arts movies, documentaries, and, of course, digital issues and articles from the iconic Black Belt Magazine .

Martial arts are not just about physical combat; it is a discipline that encompasses mental focus, self-discipline, and personal growth. To become a proficient martial artist, one must dedicate themselves to rigorous training, constant practice, and mastering various techniques. Let’s explore the key elements necessary for mastering martial arts techniques and how they contribute to overall skill and mastery. 1. Develop a Strong Foundation To become a skilled martial artist, it's essential to establish a strong foundation. This means learning the basic principles, stances, and techniques of your chosen style, whether it's karate, taekwondo, judo, or another form. Begin by mastering proper body mechanics, footwork, and balance. Focus on perfecting basic strikes, kicks, blocks, and defensive moves. Don't overlook important details like hand positioning, weight distribution, and timing. Developing a strong foundation gives you a solid base for learning more advanced techniques. 2. Consistent and Dedicated Practice The saying "practice makes perfect" holds true for mastering martial arts techniques. Consistency and dedication are crucial to progress. Regular practice allows you to develop muscle memory, refine your movements, and increase your overall skill level. Set aside specific training sessions each week and adhere to them diligently. Focus on specific techniques or combinations during each practice session and gradually increase the complexity and intensity. 3. Understand the Theory Behind Techniques To become a master in martial arts, it's not enough to just copy the movements. You must thoroughly comprehend the principles, theories, and strategies underlying each style. Studying the theory behind your chosen martial art, such as timing, distance, leverage, and body mechanics, is essential. A firm grasp of theory will help you adapt your techniques to various situations and opponents. It will allow you to anticipate and react quickly, giving you an advantage. By understanding the principles, you can improve the effectiveness and power of your techniques. 4. Embrace Sparring Sparring is essential for martial arts training. It provides a realistic environment to test your techniques, improve your timing, and develop your instincts. Regular sparring sessions help you apply your learned techniques in dynamic and unpredictable situations. Sparring also enhances your physical and mental conditioning, requiring quick thinking, adaptability, and controlled aggression. It teaches you to stay calm under pressure and make split-second decisions. Embrace sparring as an opportunity for growth, understanding that each bout is a chance to refine your techniques and learn from your mistakes. 5. Continuous Learning and Exploration The martial arts world constantly evolves, offering endless opportunities to learn and improve. As you advance and become proficient in the basics, you can broaden your horizons by exploring other styles, attending seminars, and seeking advice from seasoned practitioners. By learning from various instructors, you can gain valuable perspectives and insights. Cross-training in multiple martial arts styles can also enhance your abilities and give you a comprehensive understanding of combat. Remember always to keep learning, as there are always new techniques, strategies, and methods to discover. 6. Patience To master martial arts techniques, patience is crucial. These techniques involve precise movements and coordination, requiring time and practice to develop a strong foundation. Rushing the process can produce sloppy execution, hinder progress, and cause frustration that can prevent further learning. By focusing patiently on each movement, you can guarantee a solid foundation necessary for mastering more complex techniques. Stay committed to the repetition to develop the correct neuromuscular movements necessary for developing muscle memory. It enables you to perform techniques until they become intuitive and effortless consistently. Don’t get frustrated, and be kind to yourself. 7. Mind-Body Connection To succeed in martial arts, having a strong connection between your mind and body is crucial. Patience is vital, as it allows you to focus on the subtleties of each movement and sensation. By being present in the moment and refining your techniques gradually, setbacks can be viewed as learning opportunities that build resilience and determination. The Path to Skill and Mastery- Slow Motion To become skilled and masterful, it's important to learn various techniques. You can improve your abilities by refining what works for you and finding your approach. Consistent repetition and practice are key to achieving mastery. 1. Body Awareness : Moving slowly while exercising can help you become more aware of your body and its alignment during different movements. This lets you feel which muscle groups are being engaged and coordinated and make necessary adjustments. This body awareness is essential for perfecting techniques and avoiding injuries. 2. Muscle Control and Strength : Slow movements require more muscle control and engagement than fast and jerky movements. For example, kicking slowly requires more strength and stability than kicking fast. By improving the strength and stability from a slow kick, you build the foundation needed for speed and power. By performing movements slowly, you effectively activate and strengthen the muscles and stability involved in the technique. Stability is the essential factor for speed. You will not maximize speed and power if you don't have stability. This helps to develop better control over your body and improves overall strength. 3. Injury Prevention: Moving slowly reduces the risk of injury, especially when learning complex or demanding techniques. It allows you to gradually adapt to the movement and identify potential weaknesses or imbalances that could lead to injuries. As you gain proficiency and confidence, you can gradually increase the speed of the movement. 4. Enhances the Mind-Body Connection: Slowing down movements enhances the mind-body connection. It enables you to be fully present and focused on the execution of the technique, fostering a deeper understanding of the movement and its mechanics. It improves the connection of the nerve impulses to contract and stretch muscles. This connection is vital for improving coordination, balance, and overall performance. 5. Mental Processing and Learning: When performing movements, taking it slow allows your brain to process and comprehend the movement better. It lets you divide complicated actions into smaller parts and gradually combine them into a smooth whole. This intentional practice technique boosts the acquisition and retention of new skills. Additionally, breaking down and analyzing movements can help you understand and execute them more efficiently. It's important to note that while practicing movements slowly is beneficial for mastering the technique, increasing the speed and intensity as you progress gradually is also essential. Slow movements are a starting point, but eventually, you'll want to perform techniques at full speed to develop fluidity, speed, and responsiveness. 10 Step-by-Step Process to Master Techniques 1. Analyze the technique: Start by thoroughly studying the technique you want to learn. Understand its purpose, the movements involved, and the proper execution. 2. Identify key components: Break the technique into essential parts or stages. These may include footwork, hand positioning, body rotation, timing, etc. 3. Practice each component separately: Focus on mastering one part simultaneously. Dedicate focused practice sessions to each aspect of the technique. Repeat it until you feel comfortable and confident with that particular component. 4. Use slow-motion practice: You can concentrate on executing the correct form and technique by slowing down your movements. This approach lets you pay attention to details and accurately perform the technique. It also helps you refine your movements and develop muscle memory while engaging the appropriate muscles for the movement pattern. Make sure to perform each component of the technique slowly and with precision, proper form, balance, and positioning. Moving fast is a feedforward loop of what you can do slowly. 5. Incorporate progressive drills: Once you have a solid grasp of the individual components, combine them into drills by doing the technique slowly. Create step-by-step exercises that integrate the different parts of the technique in a sequence. Begin slow and controlled and gradually increase speed and intensity throughout the drill. 6. Drill and repetition: Repetition is crucial for muscle memory and refinement of techniques. Regularly drill specific techniques, combinations, or movements to reinforce your understanding and improve your execution. 7. Seek feedback and refinement: Practice in front of a mirror or with a training partner to get visual feedback. Take note of any deviations from proper form or execution. Additionally, ask for guidance from your instructor or more experienced practitioners to help refine your technique. 8. Integrate the complete technique: As you become proficient in each component and drill, start integrating them to perform the entire technique. Pay attention to the transitions between segments and ensure smooth execution. 9. Repetition and reinforcement: Practice the complete technique repeatedly to reinforce muscle memory and make it a natural part of your martial arts repertoire. Regular repetition will help refine the technique's timing, speed, power, and fluidity. 10. Engage in partner training: Training with a partner allows you to practice techniques more dynamically and realistically. Spar or engage in controlled drills with a partner. As you progress on your martial arts journey, remember that mastery is not a destination but a lifelong pursuit. Stay committed to continuous improvement, always seeking to refine and perfect your techniques. Embrace challenges as opportunities for growth and remain open to new ideas and perspectives.

Can judo be useful in a street fight? Or could it actually be a hindrance? Judo , a martial art with a focus on throws and grappling techniques, has gained popularity as both a competitive sport and a self-defense system. Let's examine the effectiveness of judo in street fights, considering its principles, techniques, and practicality in real-world confrontations. Understanding Judo: Judo, developed by Jigoro Kano in the late 19th century, emphasizes using an opponent's energy against them. It relies on throws, takedowns, joint locks, and chokes to neutralize adversaries. The art's emphasis on leverage, balance, and timing has led many to believe it can be effective in self-defense situations. Applying Judo Principles in Street Fights: Judo's principles, such as maximum efficiency with minimum effort, can be advantageous in street fights. By utilizing an assailant's momentum, a judoka can execute powerful throws, rendering opponents defenseless. Additionally, judo's focus on proper body positioning and control can aid in subduing an aggressor without excessive force. However, it's essential to acknowledge the limitations of judo in street fights. Judo training primarily occurs in a controlled environment, lacking the chaos and unpredictability of real-world altercations. Street fights involve various factors, including multiple attackers, weapons, and unfamiliar surroundings, which can make relying solely on judo techniques challenging. Practical Considerations: Judo practitioners must adapt their training to address the realities of street fights. This involves incorporating techniques that are prohibited in competitive judo, such as strikes and targeted attacks to vulnerable areas. Additionally, cross-training in disciplines like boxing or kickboxing can enhance a judoka's striking abilities and provide a well-rounded skill set for self-defense purposes. The Importance of Awareness and Avoidance: As always, avoid fights whenever possible! While judo can be effective in certain street fight scenarios, it is crucial to prioritize personal safety through awareness and avoidance whenever possible. Developing situational awareness, recognizing potential threats, and employing de-escalation techniques are invaluable skills that can help avoid physical confrontations altogether. Judo, with its focus on leverage, timing, and control, can be an effective tool in certain street fight situations. However, it is vital to recognize the limitations of the art and supplement training with other disciplines. Ultimately, personal safety relies on a combination of physical skills, mental preparedness, and the ability to avoid confrontations whenever possible. If you’re ready to learn Judo or brush up on your skills, you can learn from the masters for free on Black Belt+ Check out the biggest martial arts digital platform in history. From its rich history spanning over 60 years, the platform includes thousands of remastered instructional videos, martial arts movies, documentaries, and, of course, digital issues and articles from the iconic Black Belt Magazine . The new app is available on iOS and Android mobile devices and tablets. Or download and subscribe directly from Black Belt at plus.blackbeltmag.com .

The Spirituality of Martial Arts Series by Dr. Silvia Reid (aka The Chi Whisperer) and Dr. Craig D. Reid When martial arts rapidly grew during the 1970s (a lot of that had to do with Bruce Lee) and non-martial folks and friends found out that I practiced martial arts, the most asked questions were: “Are you a black belt? What would you do if I attacked you with a baseball bat? Do you think you could beat up so and so in a fight? Which is better, karate or kung Fu?” I knew if I’d answer any of these questions, that’s how people would judge who I am as a martial artist. In 1973, when I began learning martial arts at age 16, I had thought that martial artists were all connected as part of a global brotherhood. As I read more though, I sadly learned there were bitter martial art enemies based on different countries, martial arts within the same country, school philosophies, styles and certainly anger or maybe hate between people based on the martial art one learned. Yet who was I to judge any style or martial arts practitioner? Born into a Scottish family of veterans that lived through two World Wars, I was raised to be respectful, mannerly, don’t complain about our life’s situation and to be kind to others. I understood about war and how things escalate, yet to me martial arts was about learning not to fight and learning how to heal, and I believed that all martial artists could still be brothers. After I read that Lee firmly believed that one should spar with as many different styles of martial artists as possible, it made sense, it could broaden my understanding of combat and how to adapt to unfamiliar techniques and fighting styles. When I arrived at Cornell University, I had never been in a place that had such a diversity of people from other countries. Throughout my whole life I had only met four African Americans and one Asian. Then something hit me. The Chi Whisperer Judging is in our daily life. It is considered necessary or even positive. It is a process used to help us in evaluating values, making decisions, and solving problems. Judging is also the target practice of connecting with Chi! Judging concludes our understanding from connecting the dots. It’s our brain telling our Chi where we stand. Effective and sound judging allows us to make choices for appropriate actions. They require information as the basis to judge. To judge we assess and evaluate available information or options, and analyze, evaluate, and interpret information or situations, then come to conclusions. By considering various factors, evidence, and logical reasoning, we can arrive at well-informed judgments, not based on assumption and biased interpretation. Judging can be seen as negative in some contexts, judging with prejudice and stereotyping involves making assumptions and generalizations about people or situations based on limited information or stereotypes. They lead to bias, discrimination, and unfair conclusions. When we judge in a generalized way, judgement turns into condemning. These types of judging do not connect the relevant dots. In other words, condemning is a lack of exercising real judgement. Being judgmental arises from frequent condemnation. One example of condemning, generalized judging, can be: A good fighter never loses a fight. If a fighter loses a fight, this fighter cannot be a good fighter. It connects loss with bad. There is no fact about the fight. There is no fact about the fighter. Simply connect the available dots: loss and bad. Following the logic of the example: Muhammad Ali lost a fight to George Foreman; therefore, Ali must be a bad fighter. Generalized judging does not help us to connect with Chi. It makes us practice missing the target. The more precise our judging, the more we become connected with Chi. Thoughtful evaluation, constructive criticism, and making moral judgments based on empathy, understanding and kindness can contribute to personal growth, ethical decision-making, and fostering positive change. When we judge with kindness, it connects our brain with our heart. True kindness keeps the Chi in our heart alive and active. In turn, it keeps our heart healthy. When kindness is driven by guilt or we pretend to be kind, we are not connecting our brain with our heart. Sound judgement with kindness unites our brain, heart, and Chi. Dr. Craig: Bouts of Judging with Kindness Helped Prolong My Life In the Understanding Yourself and Chi Connection blog, I shared as I became m ore self-aware in my search to understand myself and what makes other people tick, I recognized how one’s background or culture shaped who they were, and I would try to show support for those who were down and out. Between 1976-1979, when I attended Cornell University, at that time 18% of the student body were Asian, and over the first few months, I asked every Asian male I saw sitting alone in a cafeteria (Cornell had four) if I could join them, hoping that perhaps they were into martial arts and/or Bruce Lee. To my shock, most were serious martial artists and also into Lee. This is how I learned about martial art attitudes from Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, Thailand, Philippines, Asian Americans and non-Asian Americans. I ended up sparring with 50+ different martial art stylists. In retrospect, I realize that although my approach started out from a stereotypical understanding, it ended up broadening my understanding. After each match, there was a bond of brotherhood that came from exchanging blows regardless of the style and the country the martial artist was from. I found that sparring was a quick way to get to know a person’s spirit and intention, and regardless of the style of martial art, we were all basically testing each other. It was never about winning it was about learning and getting to know someone with a mutual interest. What I learned from martial artists from specific countries, practitioners mostly learned an art from their country of origin. It created feelings of personal identity, a sense of belonging and a tool for understanding their lineage, and for self-defense. Asian Americans found their Asian identity through martial arts, and many learned because they were being bullied. The one thing we all had in common was a pure love for martial arts and Bruce Lee. That was the time period. I also learned to never to rush to judgement based on what I had read or heard from someone else about other martial artist styles, nationality, philosophy and who they were. At this juncture in my martial arts development, I reaffirmed to myself that all martial artists can be brothers, and to this day, I fervently believe that all martial artists are kindred spirits. Being kind has positive effects on physical and mental health, and gives us a sense of well-being, yet what I never realized about Chi (How could I back then, I knew nothing about it.) that by making sound moral judgments with kindness kept the Chi in my heart alive and connected to my brain (even though my taking 30/pills a day was fogging it) and kept the Chi flowing in my body, which helped to prolong my life long enough so I could learn Chi Gong and finally defeat cystic fibrosis.

It's long been a bone of contention within the martial arts world as to whether shooting guns should be considered a true martial art. Though traditionalists might scoff at the idea firearms training could have the same mental or aesthetic benefits that arts like karate or kung fu possess, kyudo, traditional Japanese archery, which shares many physical characteristics with shooting a gun, is readily accepted as part of the budo family. For those who doubt there may, indeed, be a commonality between firearms and martial arts training, they might want to attend a shooting class by Gabe White, where the simple act of drawing and firing a handgun is referred to as tai chi at hyperspeed and explained with descriptions like "You go from zero to a maximum of fluidity and speed, then round off to infinite stillness at the end." White, 45, is one of the most highly regarded and sought after firearms trainers out there, a figure universally respected in the shooting community for his ability to merge both the self-defense aspects of shooting with competition-oriented sport shooting, all while demonstrating some pretty incredible feats with his Glock pistol. White can take off on a sprint and reliably shoot a bowling pin jangling crazily in motion at the end of a string 7 yards away. He's capable of drawing a gun hidden under his shirt and firing an accurate shot in less than three-quarters of a second. He can fire off six shots that way in less than 2 seconds. He's best known within the shooting world for reaching the competitive "master" level using his everyday gun and concealed carry gear in the United States Practical Shooting Association's limited division, where all the other guns are heavily modified for competition and almost no one else wears concealment over their holster. In martial arts terms, it's akin to a mixed martial artist who handicaps himself by always wearing boxing gloves, rather than MMA gloves, but who's still good enough to make it all the way to the UFC. The martial arts analogy is particularly apropos when you consider White said his shooting career can only be understood within the context of his being a martial arts enthusiast. Born in Oregon, White grew up in a wooded area near a marsh and said, from a young age, he recognized the cycle of life where big creatures feed on small creatures. "As far back as I can remember, from the time I was maybe three years old, I came to the philosophical realization that everything has a right to try and protect its life, to continue it's existence," said White. "That's the right all others derive from because you have to be alive before you can exercise any of your other rights." White describes himself as a brainy, nerdy kid who wasn't particularly big, strong or mean. Though he didn't suffer from a great deal of bullying in school, he was still bothered by this perceived weakness and said most of his life has been an effort to correct it. He started training in taekwondo at age 7 looking for self defense but was observant enough, even at that young age, to see the complete lack of contact in the training wasn't conducive to his needs. He eventually moved on to hung gar kung fu, which, though perhaps not as practical as some other arts, he still readily calls upon in his teaching and explanations of shooting technique. "I think of shooting as an internal martial art. Hung gar is considered an external art but it has both a hard and soft energy. It's an interesting dichotomy that in gun handling everything, other than the actual shooting process, is mostly a soft art. The great internal struggle of shooting is to relax," he said. "Drawing the pistol out of the holster is similar to the sword drawing art of iaijutsu. It requires you to be relaxed to have hyper fluidity along with hyper speed. But once you get the gun mounted to your eye line and start the process of actually pulling the trigger and shooting, you need more of that hung gar hard energy because of the tension necessary for your grip." White explored several different arts over the years. He was a nationally ranked fencer as a junior, dabbled in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and practiced kali for a while. His pattern was often to practice something to the point where he went through the steep learning curve of getting the basics down but then, when improvement became about continually training to grind out smaller and smaller gains, he'd quit and move on to something else. He started seriously shooting at age 21 and it became the one "martial art" he stayed with and never lost interest in improving on. "I definitely think of shooting as a martial art. My experience is like a lot of people who have come into it from the martial arts world. They get into it for the self defense aspects but then stay for the self-improvement aspects of it. They become what I call an 'enthusiast.' They're no longer there to just check a box and get a certain minimal amount of training but they become dedicated to it because they see what it can do for them as people," he said. What White developed in his obsession to improve his shooting skills was an understanding of the difference between being outcome oriented versus being process oriented. It's something he learned from committing deeply to handgun training but which applies equally well to more standard martial arts training or any other skill development. He cultivated the mental discipline to not be constantly obsessed with the overall results of his shooting but to take refuge in the small details. Rather than fixating on the target and thinking about the success or failure of his accuracy, he instead thinks about something much more minute like the success or failure of how he pulls the trigger each time. He knows if he takes care of the small things, the bigger successes will follow. And by having laser focus on those little details, he avoids the trap of allowing his mind to start wandering into concerns over results, which ultimately leads to distraction and errant shots. He caches it in Buddhist philosophical terms as "being here, now." The implications for other martial arts should be clear. Rather than thinking about winning a fight or even just landing a punch, focusing your attention on correcting the small parts of the process that give you trouble, such as not telegraphing your punch by pulling your hand back first, is what will ultimately improve your skills and make you successful. Though White originally came to shooting from the defensive side, what's called "tactical shooting," he eventually became interested in sport shooting, primarily practical shooting competitions where competitors have to run a course shooting a series of targets at various distances while being scored on a combination of speed and accuracy. He'd been cautioned by his early tactical instructors to stay away from competition as its unrealistic nature would harm his defensive skills. Nowadays, it's a meme-like joke bandied about by elite shooters that "competition will you get you killed in the streets" but 20 years ago, when White was coming up the ranks of defensive shooters, that wisdom was still taken seriously by many. Again, the commonalities between shooting and martial arts are hard to miss. Just as there have long been debates on the merit of "practical" self defense training versus sport training in martial arts, or traditional versus modern methods, these same debates play out in the shooting world. And just as in martial arts, where it's hard to deny the evidence of how good elite sporting fighters like Jon Jones are, it's hard to deny just how good the top practical shooting competitors are in firing a handgun quickly and accurately. White recognized the high level of skill those shooters possessed and wanted to see if he could wed that with his base in proper defensive tactics to become a holistically superior practitioner of the handgun. He did so by not only throwing himself into a fanatic level of training going to the range 3-4 days a week and doing dry fire practice with an unloaded gun at home every single chance he got, but forcing himself to compete in his everyday carry gear. Working under the assumption if he ever did have to defend himself with a handgun, he'd be using what he normally carried, White wanted to get as good with that equipment as he possibly could. While he readily admits that the tactical shooting world has it correct in emphasizing the need for awareness and learning to avoid trouble as the most effective means of self defense, White also said there may be times when our awareness slips or we face a particularly difficult threat that can't be guarded against. It's on these rare occasions he feels the high level of skill developed through serious competition, particularly learning to cope with performing on demand in a stressful situation, becomes necessary. His motto is "technical excellence supports tactical preparedness." "It's generally recognized, when it comes to real situations, you're not going to perform as well as you do in training because of stress. So isn't it better to start from higher up on the mountain so when you fall, you're still at a higher skill level than your opponent?" he said. "The tactical side has it right that things like awareness are the most important part of self defense. But you also want a deep well of technical skill so when the taxman of reality shows up to drain your account, you still have enough left to pay the bill." White makes the fascinating observation, which is just as true for empty hand martial arts as for shooting, that if you're practicing all the things self defense experts preach about being aware and avoiding trouble before it happens, unless you happen to be in a profession like soldier or police officer, you'll likely develop very little real life combative experience. Yet real experience is one of the most valuable things a person can possess when it comes to improving their actual physical skills for self defense. You're then left with the conundrum that when you master the mental aspects of self defense allowing you to avoid real life combat, you'll lessen your physical self defense skills by the omission of experience. The way around that, White believes, is to delve into all realms of training. "All forms of training are unrealistic. But they've all got two or three elements that are worthwhile. It's a big puzzle and each part of it has a small piece they're good at. Tactical training with a handgun may teach you how to use cover properly. Competition won't do that but it will develop your shooting skills to a high degree. But neither of them has an uncooperative opponent. Force-on-force training is done against live opponents but with simulated ammunition, often in a prearranged scenario which is less realistic. The answer is to get facsimile experiences from all those things so if you're ever in a real situation, you have all those fragments to draw from," he said. That variety in training is something that can certainly be carried over into the larger martial arts world and is the method that the very best martial artists interested in practical self defense already incorporate. White believes martial artists can draw other benefits from learning to shoot, as well, even if they choose to never carry a gun in self defense. "You'll learn what to do with a gun if you ever have to pick one up but the main thing you can get is in the self improvement that focused practice on shooting can give you. It's very much about mental self control, about seeing tiny details in high speed and recognizing them in real time," he said. On the other side of the coin, he feels any shooter can benefit from martial arts training, both in terms of the body control it helps develop and the wider array of self defense options it gives you. "You absolutely shouldn't be married to the idea that self defense equals using a gun," he said. "Shooting is using deadly force while martial arts provide a non-deadly alternative. And you can't be one dimensional when it comes to self defense." To learn more about Gabe White, you can visit gabewhitetraining.com

By Kevin Koenig June 24, 2023 Could two of tech’s most famous CEOs really face off in a cage match? If there was ever a time, it’s now. A-list celebrities and titans of industry are putting the muscles they showed off on yachts and beaches last year to use, entering Brazilian jiu-jitsu tournaments after intensive training. Tom Hardy, Ashton Kutcher, Mario Lopez and Mark Zuckerberg are among the combat sport’s best-known amateurs. Jason Momoa dabbles in it, and Elon Musk was recently photographed wearing a jiu-jitsu white belt. Just last week, he challenged Zuckerberg to a fight, writing on Twitter: “I’m up for a cage match if he is lol.” On Instagram, the Meta chief executive replied: “Send me location,” a phrase Dagestani UFC great Khabib Nurmagomedov once used to taunt Conor McGregor. ‘It was fun. I’m a pretty competitive person,’ said Mark Zuckerberg. Brazilian jiu-jitsu is focused on ground fighting, with the end goal being controlling and submitting an opponent. Winning moves include limb-shattering joint locks and consciousness-suspending chokes. Practitioners typically tap out when a submission is in place, rather than suffer the imminent consequences. Though such a rough sport might seem like a surprising pursuit for movie stars and Silicon Valley billionaires, Zuckerberg’s coach Dave Camarillo said it’s just the opposite. “Jiu-jitsu is user-friendly enough for people in their 40s and 50s to start, and you get a lot of what I call tier-one personalities attracted to it—very successful actors and athletes. They like the high-level intellectual problem solving aspect.” Zuckerberg, who didn’t return requests for comment, recently spoke about his participation in the sport on the “Lex Fridman Podcast.” The host, a jiu-jitsu black belt, asked his guest what it was like to compete. “It was fun. I’m a pretty competitive person,” Zuckerberg said. “Doing sports that basically require your full attention I think is really important to my mental health and the way I stay focused on doing everything I’m doing.” For the 49-year-old Lopez, who had his breakout role at age 15 playing star wrestler A.C. Slater on “Saved by the Bell,” the jiu-jitsu gym also offers a kind of sanctuary. “Everyone is equal on the mat. When you’re there, it doesn’t matter who you are, the background you came from, or how much money you have. Life would be better if it was more like a jiu-jitsu academy.” Brazilian jiu-jitsu is often likened to physical chess, with endless iterations of moves and counters, culminating in the tap, which mimics a checkmate. The sport heavily focuses on leverage and technique, as opposed to raw athletic ability. It has often been presented as the one martial art that can help the 98-pound-weakling beat up the all-American jock. Does that mean Zuckerberg could conceivably beat someone like the 6-foot-4 Momoa? “Mark’s a beast,” Camarillo said of his 149-pound student. “And jiu-jitsu is leverage-based and with enough leverage you can cover a big spread in terms of size difference, so he’s got a shot. But man, Jason Momoa, that’s a big boy.” Actor Jason Momoa would make a formidable opponent. Rigan Machado is a jiu-jitsu legend who has coached many Hollywood stars, including Momoa. “He is one of the strongest guys I have ever seen. He is huge, and just a super athlete.” And what does Machado think would happen if Zuckerberg and Momoa got into a scrap? “I’d put all my money on Momoa,” he said. As for reports that Zuckerberg was choked unconscious in a recent match, Camarillo is quick to dispel the rumor. “The ref stopped the match because he thought Mark was struggling,” he said. “But Mark wasn’t going unconscious, he actually had his opponent in a choke, and what the ref heard was Mark grunting trying to finish it. The ref ended up apologizing to us. I think he was trying to protect Mark. All we want is for Mark to be treated by the same standard as everyone else.” One opponent caught a similar vibe from Zuckerberg. “Before our match he went up to me and just said ‘let’s have fun’ and then we went out there and just got after it,” recalls Vijay Hanumantha Raju, a 33-year-old Uber software engineer whom Zuckerberg defeated to win his gold medal at a tournament in May. “He even got a nosebleed in the middle of the match. And he had all his jiu-jitsu basics right. He eventually got on top of me and I couldn’t escape, and that’s how he won.” On his podcast, Fridman asked Zuckerberg if he was worried about being embarrassed in front of people at the tournament. He replied that he’d already had his share of embarrassment in life. “I think maybe to some degree your ability to keep doing interesting things is your willingness to be embarrassed again and go back to step one and start as a beginner and get your ass kicked and look stupid doing things,” the Meta CEO said. Jiu-jitsu caught on early in Hollywood. Mel Gibson used a technique known as a triangle—choking an opponent with one’s legs—to defeat Gary Busey at the end of 1987’s “Lethal Weapon.” One of the spearheads of jiu-jitsu in Southern California was Machado. Machado’s gym, The Academy Beverly Hills, still attracts hordes of A-listers, and can be considered the mecca of celebrity jiu-jitsu. Tom Hardy took gold in a 2022 martial arts competition. “Tom Hardy came in a few weeks ago,” said Machado. “Ashton Kutcher is one of my most consistent students. Wagner Moura is here often, and Charlie Hunnam is a maniac. I keep an eye on the sparring going on at my gym to make sure everything is done as safely as possible, but Charlie invites his friends over to his house and they go at it.” Training at the Academy runs the gamut in terms of intensity, from full-contact sparring to lighter sessions focused on drilling. “I have insurance people coming to my gym all the time,” Machado said. “They worry about the face, they worry about the body.” His focus, he said, is his clients’ safety: “I had Scarlett Johansson come to my academy. I’m not going to let her get roughed up.” Lopez, a longtime boxer, said he sees jiu-jitsu as “a thinking man’s sport, rather than one that relies on brute force. “In boxing you’re getting hit in the head,” he said. “With jiu-jitsu you can always tap out.” And opposed to other combat sports that involve striking, athletes can train and compete in jiu-jitsu at a high intensity without incurring visible injuries, meaning no black eyes at the board meeting. Dana White, the president of UFC, has spoken to both Zuckerberg and Musk about a faceoff. “They are both dead serious,” he said. White ran through their qualifications. “Zuckerberg is in phenomenal shape,” he said, “He does jiu-jitsu, Muay Thai, wrestling. He surfs, he foilboards. That guy is an athlete.” Meanwhile, Musk “is like, yeah I grew up in South Africa, I’ve been in fights,” White said. “He is big, and I assume he is strong,” he continued. “He can probably punch and he can probably kick. He can do the things you need to do in a fight, and also with that size comes power.” Updates: Top Ippons (video) - Ulaanbaatar Judo Grand Slam last week Fuji’s Martial Arts Cruise - - Includes Kayla, Travis & Jimmy Calendar: July - 2023 16th Sunday - CA State Games , San Diego, CA August - 2023 5th Saturday - Beginner & Intermediate Tournamen t, Las Vegas, NV 6th Sunday - Nikkei Games Budo Tournament , Cypress, CA 23rd Saturday - Veterans Judo Open , Myrtle Beach, SC September - 2023 17th Sunday - Nevada State Judo Championship , Las Vegas, NV 24th Sunday - Nanka Fall Tournament , Westminster, CA October - 2023 1st Sunday - Capitol Open Judo Championships , Sacramento, CA 22nd Sunday - Fresno Invitational Tournament , Fresno, CA 29th Sunday - Fight for a Cure Women's Tournament & Clinic , Riverside, CA 29th Sunday - Hanabi Halloween Classic , Albany, CA November - 2023 1st Wednesday to 3rd Friday - IJF World Veterans Championships , Abu Dhabi, UAE 5th Sunday - Nanka Team Tournament , Westminster, CA 19th Sunday - Presidents Cup National Championships , Irving, TX December - 2023 8th Friday to 10th Sunday - Nanka Winter Nationals & Clinics , Azusa, CA April - 2024 7th Sunday - Nanka Spring Tournament , Westminster, CA May - 2024 5th Sunday - Nanka West Coast Invitational , Westminster, CA June - 2024 28th Friday to 30th Sunday - USJF & USJA Summer Nationals , Tacoma. WA September - 2024 29th Sunday - Nanka Fall Tournament , Westminster, CA October - 2024 20th Sunday - Nanka Team Tournament , Westminster, CA December - 2024 6th Friday to 8th Sunday - Nanka Winter Nationals & Clinics , Azusa, CA I’m always looking for new subjects to write about regarding judo as well as contributions from my readers. Please send them to gary@garygoltz.com , thanks.