Stop! Before making the commitment to join a martial art school, there are a few questions which are important to consider. These questions can help you determine whether a particular school is a good fit for you and whether you're ready to start training with them. Ready to dive into the questions that will help you tell whether your school is the right one for you? QUESTION #1: What are your goals? Before you start looking for a martial arts school, it's important to consider what you want to get out of your training. Are you interested in self-defense, physical fitness, gold medals, or personal growth? Each martial art has its own unique focus, so it's important to find a school that aligns with your goals. If you're interested in competition, you might want to look for a school that has a strong focus on sparring and tournament preparation. If you're looking to improve your overall fitness and wellness, you might want to look for a school that has high energy classes or low impact movements (depending on your needs). Different strokes for different folks. QUESTION #2: What is the teaching style of the instructor? The instructor is one of the most important factors in your martial arts training. You want to find someone who is not only skilled in their art, but who can also effectively teach and motivate you . Not somebody who can motivate your best friend. Not somebody who can inspire your family. You need somebody who can connect with you and lead you to where you desire being. Attend a trial class or watch a class to see if the instructor's teaching style resonates with you. Do they provide clear instructions? Are they approachable and open to questions? Do they make the class enjoyable? It's important to find an instructor who is able to challenge you while also providing support and guidance. A good instructor should be able to help you develop a strong foundation in the basics of the martial art while also providing opportunities for advanced training and personal growth. QUESTION #3: What is the class dynamic like? Not to sound like your high school teacher, but chemistry is actually important. I’m not talking about mixing compounds together, I’m talking about the social dynamics on the training floor. Class is about more than just the teacher. The dynamic between them and the other students, as well as the students with each other, is vital to the dojo being a healthy environment for growth. Observe the students and see if they are friendly and supportive of each other. A good martial arts school should have a positive and inclusive atmosphere that makes you feel welcome and safe. Ideally, you want to find a school where the students are supportive of each other and the instructor is able to create a sense of community within the class. This can help you stay motivated and engaged in your training, and it can also help you build strong relationships with other martial artists. When the training gets tough, your classmates should be there to help push you past your limits, not add to your misery. QUESTION #4: What is the class schedule? I’ll keep this short and sweet: consider your own schedule and make sure the class schedule works for you. Look for a school that offers classes at times that are realistically feasible for you. You should also consider the location of the school and how long it takes to get there. The easier it is to get to class, the more likely you are to stick with it. On the flipside, the right school is worth a farther drive if it checks all of the other boxes regarding your needs. QUESTION #5: What is the level of commitment required? Some martial arts schools require a significant level of commitment from their students, while others are more flexible. Make sure you understand the expectations of the school before you join. Ask about the frequency of promotions, and if there are any additional commitments required such as tournaments or seminars. You want to make sure that you are able to meet the requirements of the school and that the school can meet your expectations. If you're looking for a more casual training experience, you may want to look for a school that is more flexible in their requirements. If you're looking to compete at a high level or become a black belt, you'll want to find a school that has a more structured and rigorous program. Accountability can be a necessary component for high performance. QUESTION #6: What is the cost? Martial arts training can be expensive, so it's important to consider the cost before you commit to a school. Ask about the fees and any additional costs such as uniforms, equipment, and testing fees. You should also ask about the school's refund policy in case you need to withdraw from the program. While cost should not be the only factor in your decision, it is an important one. You want to make sure that the cost of training is within your budget and that you're getting value for your money. Consider the quality of instruction, the facilities, and the overall experience when evaluating the cost of a martial arts school. QUESTION #7: Are there opportunities for growth andadvancement? Finally, consider whether the school offers opportunities for growth and advancement. Some people need a school that has a clear progression path. This can help students stay motivated and engaged in their training, and it can also help develop a sense of accomplishment and pride in achievements. With that being said, some of my personal favorite martial art training has actually come from experiences that were much more casual–such as regular meetups in parks or backyards. In those sessions, training and skill progression was its own reward, rank wasn’t a main focus (or even a secondary or tertiary one). At the end of the day, it’s different strokes for different folks. Know what you want and let it lead your consideration for a school. All in all, joining a martial arts school can be a great way to improve your physical fitness, develop new skills, and build a sense of community. However, it's important to ask yourself these important questions before making a commitment. By considering your goals, the teaching style of the instructor, the class dynamic, the class schedule, the level of commitment required, the cost, and opportunities for growth and advancement, you can find a school that is a good fit for you and that will help you achieve your goals as a martial artist.

I walked out of the double doors located at the back of the hotel that led out to the 4-story parking structure. I looked to my left, and then to my right, and I noticed full rows of cars parked directly parked in front of the walls on both sides. For most Executive Protection missions I’m not generally too worried about car bombs packed with high explosives being a factor, but this time I had had reason to be concerned about such an attack, and I included this observation on my tactical diagram that also included a couple of potential HOSTILE sniper positions I had already marked when I was strolling undetected inside the posh Hilton Hotel; high ground positions I would have selected myself if I were an enemy sniper wanting to “take out” a tier one principal. When the day of the mission came, I was pleasantly surprised that not only were the parking spots along the wall empty, but no parking at all was allowed on the entire first floor level of the parking structure. That would explain the two special agents I saw standing next to the arm gate when I first drove into the parking structure, and they directed me to the parking spaces at the higher levels where I parked my big Chevy Silverado pick-up truck that barely cleared the hanging clearance bar hanging by two chains from the cement ceiling. Whether the United States State Department Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) took my advice, or they perceived the same threat as I did, when I turned in my Advance report and tactical diagram the evening before, there was no chance now that the primary principal, or any of the other principals, could be harmed by a Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Device (VBIED) when the guest elevator stopped at the floor where his Green Room and the banquet hall were located. Concerning the potential HOSTILE sniper positions that I had Photoshopped onto the floor plan of my tactical diagram, along with the “fields of fire” I had indicated by red elongated triangles, those areas had special agents posted at each position, thus denying the enemy of that advantage. The only possibility left to get at the primary principal that evening was an armed assassination team, and for that concern I continually ran various Red on Blue scenarios through my head all night long to be mentally, emotionally, and physically ready. Thank God nothing bad happened. An attack was never launched on former Director of the CIA and former United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. When I was doing a walk-through for my Advance report, I noticed that several cars were parked along the wall, and on the other side of that wall were the elevators that the principal would be using. This is exactly where I’d place a car bomb if I were a HOSTILE wanting to assassinate a tier one principal. As I stated before, I had good reason to be concerned about this particular mission, a mission I was a team member on, because the Iranian government still had a hit contract out on Secretary Pompeo’s head. They wanted him dead. The government that continually chanted “Death to America!” for the past 40 years were still angry that the Trump Administration ordered the assassination of Iranian Major General Qasem Soleimani, on January 3, 2020, near Baghdad Airport by a U.S. Air Force MQ-9 Reaper drone armed with Hellfire missiles. Secretary Pompeo, the representative of the United States of America on the day of the attack, asserted that the attack was ordered by President Donald Trump to stop an “imminent attack” on the U.S. Embassy in Iraq. It was for this reason, two years after Secretary Pompeo had been out of office, that the United States government still provided a 24/7 protective detail around him at the tune of $2 million a month. Along with my Advance report that I submitted to the U.S. State Department Diplomatic Security Service (DSS), I included a Tactical Diagram of the Area of Operation (AO) where there could be potential problems, which includes likely attack locations. The event that I just describe at a Southern Californian hotel, took place on November 10, 2022. I had been selected for the team a month earlier to provide overall security for the fund raiser, and to provide Executive Protection (EP) for other tier one and tier two guests that would be there. As far as the U.S. State Department was concerned, anyone on the FRC security detail would be the “second ring” ring of defense. Apparently, I had gained the trust of the federal team leader halfway through the mission, because for about 10 minutes during the dinner portion of the evening I was the only one from the private security side to be on the “first ring” of defense for Secretary Pompeo as he was dinning with his guests. The trust had developed early on when I had met their Advance team (a team tasked with the pre-planning stage of a mission that includes a walk-through of the venue), and they knew that I had not only been a former U.S. federal agent myself, but that I had once taught a course for the Diplomatic Security Service. That, and they had vetted everyone on the team beforehand, and so they already knew who was who in the zoo . Once the special agent, who had been on Secretary Pompeo, came back to his post I was reassigned to protect singer and song writer Steven Curtis Chapman, who was the entertainment after the dinner. When he went up on stage to perform, I was again reassigned, and I finished the rest of the evening protecting former Congresswoman Michele Bachman. She was not without some risk either, because in 2011 she received a death threat from a man who claimed that he desired “to engage in sadomasochistic activities” with her using “a Vietnam era machete.” Besides making sure that nobody harmed the principals, or the 300+ guests at the fund raiser, I was very happy to learn by the end of the evening that my knowledge and tactical skills, when it came to Executive Protection, were still current at the federal government level. The last time I did bodyguard work for the U.S. government prior to the FRC mission was when I was the Security Forces (SECFOR) team leader of the Special Reaction Team (SRT) at Joint Forces Training Base, California, in 2016 when I was assigned to protect Brigadier General David Baldwin of the California Army National Guard and all federal dignitaries visiting the base. When I conducted the Advance, and when I was on duty throughout the evening, I was “wargaming,” the civilian expression for it is “think tactically,” which is the mental exercise of constantly asking oneself, “What if?” and coming up with the proper tactical response to each question. Of course, as a warrior I have been doing this throughout my entire tactical career. When I was a police officer heading to a report of a bank robbery in progress, for example, I’d be asking myself a lot of “What ifs?” as I was racing to the location in my police car: “What if I arrive and the suspect is coming out of the bank armed?” “What if he had just left the bank before I got there? What street would I take if I were in the criminal’s shoes?” “What if the bank robber didn’t exit the bank by the time I arrive, and he has taken hostages inside?” Any good police officer must consider all the possibilities that could happen so that when he or she does arrive on scene they are mentally, emotionally, and physically ready for the most likely scenarios. It’s no different than a professional athlete thinking of their next several moves ahead of time so they’re able to outmaneuver the opponent when the time comes. Although you, as a martial artist, may not be a soldier on a combat operation, nor a bodyguard on a mission, nor even a cop responding to a hot call in progress, you too must get into the habit of thinking tactically when you’re in a potentially hostile situation; a “hostile situation” can be anything from standing in line at McDonald’s to order your food, sitting in a church service, walking down the street, and you mentally running through attack scenarios most likely to happen, and your possible responses to them. I constantly tell my security operations and self-defense students, either in-person or in my weekly Live Zoom Training Courses, “THINK TACTICALLY,” because most people don’t. Most people walk around as if inside a protective bubble totally unaware of the threats around them. Then when an attack is suddenly upon them, they don’t have enough reaction time, and are lacking the knowledge and skills to protect themselves. Let’s use the example of just going from your home to your car to illustrate THINK TACTICALLY. Before you even open your front door and step outside, you should be listening for any suspicious noises on the other side of the door. Then, the moment you open the door you should be thinking, “There could be someone lurking outside on the other side of this door?” Therefore, you look through the peep hole to see if there is someone anyone near the door, and if there isn’t a peep hole in the door you must be ready to immediately retreat into your home if someone rushes up or pounces. If there is no immediate attack upon opening the door you must check the hard corners just passed the threshold of the door as you step outside. Hard corners is a tactical term, which I first learned when I was on my police department’s SWAT team, meaning the extreme corners immediately to the left and right as you enter a room . The average person, the non-tactical person, will only look forward when entering or leaving a room, and fail to check the “hard” left or the “hard” right for an ambush. Of course, the whole purpose of getting into the habit of checking the hard corners when entering or leaving a room, like a SWAT officer does when room clearing , is to be ready if a HOSTILE is near the threshold of the door ready to grab you or strike you as you cross it. Of course, even if you do check the hard corners, you must be trained and ready to fight if you are ambushed. When you start walking to your car you need to scan the path to it, and the area around the car. If you do see someone, or a group of people, you must identify if they are FRIENDLY, NEUTRAL, UNKNOWN or HOSTILE. Obviously, someone crouching behind the car is most likely a HOSTILE. Yet, that middle aged man, who just happened to drop his grocery bag as you are approaching your car, may seem like a NEUTRAL (someone who seems to belong in the environment), but who in fact is a HOSTILE that is tricking you into helping him pick up some dropped items, and when you least expect it, he then pounces. Even if you don’t see anyone from Point A to Point B, you want to remain alert, and not be distracted until you are safely inside the car. Distractions include texting while you are walking, listening to your device through earphones, or being busy with something in your hands and not looking up and scanning the area. As you are walking to your car your car keys must already be in your hand so you can unlock the car door quickly. Of course, if you’re in a rough neighborhood you’ll want your weapon of choice at the ready. You may even want your primary hand on the weapon, and your car keys in your secondary hand (you don’t have a strong hand or a weak hand , as many martial arts schools teach, because words are powerful). Fumbling around for your weapon at the moment of attack will be too late. As you get close to the car you need to be looking for anyone crouching behind it, shadows moving underneath the car (indicating that someone is on the other side of it), or any signs of a car burglary (car door ajar, broken glass on the ground, items inside scattered about). Such signs means you must have a Plan B. When getting into your car you must quickly place any items you are carrying where they need to go quickly, and then immediately lock the doors. A lot of people who are carjacked or kidnapped are confronted as they are getting into the vehicle. The HOSTILE knows that the victim will have their keys in hand, focusing on getting into the car, and no longer paying attention to their surroundings. If you’re not paying attention to your surroundings while you are standing at this fatal funnel , then a HOSTILE can easily be upon you before you know it. Once you are surprised attacked you can be yanked out the vehicle or shoved over onto the passenger seat by the attacker, and he or she then commandeers your vehicle. Therefore, do one last 360-degree scan of the area just before getting into your car. Once inside the car you must immediately lock the doors, which will give you a few extra seconds of reaction time if the HOSTILE tries to get at you by breaking the window with a simple tool or pieces of broken ceramic from a spark plug thrown at the glass, which shatters upon impact. Once safely inside your car, with all the doors locked, immediately start the engine, and put it in the right gear, even if you don’t plan on driving right away. If the engine is running, and your right foot is on the brake, you can always put the vehicle in motion if you are suddenly attacked at this point. Just driving a short distance out of the HOT ZONE will get you away from the HOSTILE and give you a few more seconds to make your next move. However, if the engine is off while you’re sitting in your car, and you’re occupied tending to other matters, you may not be able to start the car in time at the moment of attack, and you are now stuck in the HOT ZONE, which another term for it is KILL ZONE. Provided there is not an incident prior to putting the car in motion, when you start driving you should have your wrap-around ballistic glasses somewhere within reach (and if you are in law enforcement, a military combat operator, on an Executive Protection detail, or private security, you should always have a pair on when inside a vehicle). If you are wearing prescription glasses or sunglasses as you’re driving, then those serve as your protection for your eyes. If you are going to take pistol or rifle rounds through your front windshield, or objects are going to be thrown at the side windows, then eye protection will save your eyes from shards of glass. Fragments resulting from bullet or object impact are call “spall.” If you can’t see, you are not going to fight effectively or you may not have the ability to escape the HOT ZONE. Here I am behind former Congresswoman Michele Bachmann protecting her from any possible threats or embarrassment. I made sure that nobody came up on stage to talk to her, and after her speech she talked to people who came up to the front of the stage. I am scanning the area for any suspicious persons, items, or events. In your car there should be a well-stocked first aid trauma kit; not only for possible violence that may occur during the trip, but traffic accidents are all too common. A fire extinguisher needs to be within easy reach. If you are driving through a metropolitan area, or a high-risk area (such as a military base or downtown area where a riot is taking place) then you ought to have a chemical decontamination kit (for dealing with contamination from lethal chemical weapons used by terrorists or police irritant chemical agents use to control rioters). Such a kit is nothing more than a big jug of water, some dish washing soap, and a large scrub brush for washing cars. A GO-BAG with emergency supplies is always an essential piece of equipment to always have in your car (containing leather work gloves, military 550 cord, chemical light sticks, drinking water, protein bars, travel size toilet paper, emergency blanket, etc.). It takes pre-planning to stock it with the necessary materials, and it requires familiarity with everything in it to quickly access the needed item(s) in an emergency. As you are driving to your destination you need to make sure, through purpose-driven periodic glances at your rear-view mirror, that a HOSTILE is not following you (also known in Executive Protection speak as “a tail”). A skilled HOSTILE who is tailing you is not going to be right on your rear bumper tail gating you, but he or she will be four to five cars back to avoid suspicion. Here is some quick advice that everyone who has been taught counter-surveillance knows. If someone takes the same turn as you TAKE NOTE OF IT. If someone takes the same two turns as you START OBSERVING THEM. If someone takes the same three turns with you then THEY ARE FOLLOWING YOU. The example I used, from your front door to your car, was just one example when it comes to THINK TACTICALLY, but just imagine if you had to do an Advance like I did at the hotel before Secretary Pompeo was scheduled to arrive there. There are an incredible number of details to take in consideration: “What if power is cut?” “What if a chemical agent is used? Do I have a pocket smoke hood for myself and my principal on me?” “What happens if there is a communication blackout sometime during the mission?” “What happens if the bad guys are waiting in front of the hospital when I bring my wounded principal there?” which is a common tactic of terrorists. Based upon your reality (and I use that term because I introduced the term “reality-based” to the civilian martial arts community, through Black Belt Magazine over 20 years ago, to exclude traditional-based and sport-based martial arts when it comes to self-defense) you may not ever have to protect a tier one principal in your entire life, but you may want to do your own rudimentary “Advance” to protect yourself or others at an important upcoming business meeting, or even for your next vacation; especially in an area where crime is on the rise. Granted, a personal visit to various venues in advance may not be possible, but even the professionals do a lot of Internet searches to get as much information as they can before a mission. If you do nothing more than find out where the nearest walk-in medical clinic, hospital, police station, and fire station are located in your Area of Operations (AO), then that’s more than what 99% of the population doesn’t do. Taking it a step further, if you’re going to be in a foreign country your Advance, physically or virtually, must have the locations of a few FRIENDLY embassies and consulates. That’s because if any HOSTILES that are after you know your nationality, the last place you want to go to is your own country’s embassy or consulate where a surveillance team is going to intercept you. You’ll also want a couple alternative routes, indicated on a paper map or on your phone, to the places you are going to visit or stay at. Plus, prior to going on the trip you should give a family member or friend, not going on the trip with you, your itinerary. Should you not show up somewhere on that itinerary, they can report it to the authorities immediately. Doing all of this puts you in the category of more-than-just-an-amateur when it comes to an Advance. Coupled the Advance with good techniques and tactics you’ve learned in your reality-based training, such as tactically going from your front door to your car, then you’re closer to the professional level when it comes to THINK TACTICALLY. BE A HARD TARGET

Some of the principles of martial arts include respect, discipline, courage, integrity and indominable spirit. To be a woman in martial arts truly mirrors these principles. When I started karate back in 2001, I was just four years old, and I was one of the only girls in class. The thought of being one of the only girls never crossed my mind while I was there. I loved every moment of karate; I was obsessed! Even as I got higher up in the ranks, I noticed that I could keep up with all the boys (even the older ones) in class. I will never forget this boy in karate who thought he could be better than me simply because he was a boy. From a very young age I knew that I could be good, if not the best at something if I believed in myself. When I started attending tournaments in 2004, I fell in love with competing in the weapons division. I chose the nunchucks as my weapon of choice. My instructor Matt Emig “was” and is still the best there ever was at nunchucks. He along with my other sport karate instructor, Daniel Sterling became my role models who I would aspire to be every day. I quickly noticed that even in NASKA (when underbelt competitors were put together whether you were a girl or boy) there weren’t a lot of girls competing alongside me. I didn’t let the thought of being one of the only girls intimidate me, instead it motivated me more to beat them and be the best in the division. The motivation inspired me so much that I began to work on my tricking (martial arts acrobatic movements) ability which was also dominated more so by males. Anatomically it is easier for males to be able to trick given their body composition, however, once again I didn’t let that stop me. I would study tricking samplers day after day and learn the tricks all by myself with a crashmat nearby. I became known as one of the best female trickers in sport karate. In fact, people would tell me I “trick like a boy” and I would take that compliment with a huge grin. Setting the new standards is part of who I am. In the current time, I continue to teach private lessons to my students who live all over the country. I find it as part of my duty in the journey of martial arts that I contribute back into the sport that has shaped my life forever. One of my current students, Riley Claire Carlisle aka “RC” is someone to keep your eye out for. She has already made tremendous waves in the sport karate scene and is nowhere near done. Riley is a girl who is surely intense as ever. She competes with three different weapons (including nunchucks) and can compete in both extreme divisions as well as the traditional styled divisions. She reminds me of myself when I was starting up; fierce and determined. Determined to make an impact and let everyone know who she is. My other female student, Bella Nicoli who is a teammate of mine (on team Paul Mitchell) is another superstar. It’s a cool feeling to be able to leave your legacy through your students especially when you they get invited to represent the same team as you. Bella who is also a fellow “nunchucker” is the top ranked female in many of her divisions. She has gone through years of competition where she has been unbeatable. Bella is also another female competitor who brings the fire when she steps in to the ring. Throughout my martial arts journey I’ve been the little girl to look up to great martial arts athletes. I’ve also transformed from being the “up and coming competitor” to being “the competitor to watch” to then inspiring others to achieve greatness within themselves. I’m glad in a “male dominated sport” I can be the role model for young female athletes to show them that it is more than possible for females to be great within the sport. To all the young athletes who may be reading this, believe in yourself and you can open all those doors that are already set for you!

Mount Emei, renowned as one of China's "martial mountains" and home to its own branch of kung fu , was the scene of an unusual fight last week as a martial artist took on some macaque monkeys . A man identified as Mr. Xie attempted to pet one of the animals as it sat on a guard rail along a mountain trail causing the monkey to lunge at him. The scene was caught on film as Xie, who said he practices a "free fighting" style of martial arts, came back at the monkey with some punches but the creature showed superior defense easily avoiding his blows. Meanwhile, Xie's situational awareness could have been better as he failed to notice a second monkey that charged him from the rear and shoved him in the back. Xie continued to throw a haymaker punch and a hammerfist that both missed their mark. Though he reportedly claimed he was holding back on the animals since they're a protected species, it appeared Xie simply couldn't deal with the macaques' superior skills. In other words, they made a monkey out of him.

There are many terms and expressions in the martial arts community that will leave you perplexed. However, don't worry—this post is here to assist! In this blog article, we'll delve into some of the martial arts terminology that is most frequently misinterpreted. We have everything you need, from slang to technical words. You'll be able to wow your training partners with your martial arts language after reading this article and steer clear of any uncomfortable misunderstandings. So whether you're a Black Belt seeking to brush up on your vocabulary or a Green Belt trying to stay up, read on for information on often misinterpreted phrases in the martial arts community. “Karate” (Japanese) Misunderstood meaning: “Empty Hands” True meaning: “Chinese Hands” (originally) Karate is a martial art that developed on the Island south of Japan, Okinawa. Many Southeast Asian nations, including Siam, Burma, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Korea, have long exchanged with Okinawa. However, the island had a particularly strong link to China, and Chinese culture was highly appreciated by the Okinawan people. The Okinawans referred to their assimilated fighting methods as "Toudi," which means "Chinese Hand" or "Tang [Dynasty] Hand" in the Okinawan language. However, when Okinawan Toudi practitioners attempted to spread the martial art to mainland Japan, they were met with reluctance owing to Japan's struggle with China. To make Toudi more palatable to the Japanese people, practitioners altered the name of the martial art to "Karate," which means "empty hand" in Japanese. The adjective "do," which means "road" or "way" in Japanese, was also added to the end of the word "Karate," indicating that Karate was now more than just a fighting practice, but also a philosophical journey of enlightenment. This modification made Karate more widely accepted in Japan, allowing it to grow beyond Okinawa. “Kung Fu” (Chinese) Misunderstood meaning: “Traditional Chinese Martial Art” True meaning: A skill earned through hard work and time Though it is typically said in reference to Traditional Chinese Martial Arts, the term “Kung Fu” actually doesn’t refer specifically to them. In fact, there are numerous other terms that could be said to be more accurate. Some of these terms, such as “wushu” have instead become associated with other activities and others have simply fallen out of common use. "Kung fu" more accurately translated means "skill earned through hard work and time." Though it can still describe Traditional Chinese Martial Arts, it can also refer to any skill or hobby that takes devotion, discipline, and a lot of elbow grease to achieve. Whether you're able to fight with finesse or are able to speed run Super Mario, "kung fu" is all about putting in the time and effort required to become an expert. “Kiai” (Japanese) Misunderstood meaning: A loud yell or scream True meaning: An expression of your focused spirit “Kiai” is a term in Japanese martial arts often used to refer to the short, powerful shout that is made when performing a technique or delivering a strike. The misunderstanding, however, comes when people hear the yell and believe that is what a kiai is all about. The shout is usually made with the intention of focusing one's energy and concentration into the technique being performed, and has a number of beneficial effects, such as helping to intimidate an opponent or to enhance the power of the technique being performed. Though the loud yell is a part of the expression, it is meaningless if the intention isn’t driving the action. It is about the convergence of your energy and focus. The term "kiai" actually involves the Japanese word "ki," which refers to the inner energy or spirit that is believed to reside within all living beings. The “ai” portion of the word is the same character as seen in the word “Aikido”, also referencing a type of harmony. “Osu” (Japanese) Misunderstood meaning: “Yes sir!”, “Hello”, “Goodbye”, and so much more. True meaning: A type of “Oorah” shout with a masculine undertone. “Osu", or “Oss” is a common greeting, farewell, and show of respect in many Japanese martial arts schools, particularly in Karate. It likely has roots in the Officers Academy of the Imperial Japanese Navy, but isn't typically used in traditional Karate dojos in Okinawa, the birthplace of Karate. The truth is, it has a bit of a brash, masculine tone to it. Certainly not something you would say to an elder in a respectful setting. There are various theories about its true meaning and origins, including suggestions that it means "to push". In Japan, the word "oss" overall stands for strength, assertiveness, and masculinity. “Guan” (Chinese) Misunderstood meaning: Martial art school True meaning: Hall The term is often used in conversation with context aligning it with martial arts, but the term itself isn’t used exclusively in this realm. In Mandarin Chinese, the word "guan" is used to refer to a place where a particular activity or skill is taught or practiced. However, the word has many different meanings and can be used to refer to a variety of different types of establishments, including restaurants, hotels, libraries, schools, clinics, tea shops, art galleries, and smoke shops. “Sensei” (Japanese) Misunderstood meaning: “Teacher” True meaning: “One who came before” The word "sensei" is a Japanese term meaning "one who came before." It is used to describe someone who is extremely proficient or knowledgeable in a certain profession or specialty. Yes, a "sensei" is a highly talented martial arts instructor or master. However, the phrase may also apply to someone who is highly recognized in their industry, whether they are a teacher, doctor, or even a manga creator. Lasting Thoughts At the end of the day, taking the time to study the terms you use is just as beneficial as studying the tactics you use. The meaning behind the words can give new meaning to your physical movements and open up ideas that will further your training. This lil’ guide is just the beginning. Invest in this aspect of your training and watch the progress come in spades.

Here are a couple of excellent articles written by Nicolas Messner and video 1 / video 2 that were recently featured on the IJF’s website that I wanted to share as my Black Belt Blog for this week. Every year, International Women's Day is celebrated on March 8th. This year, once again, the IJF and the entire judo family are associated with this day that celebrates women's achievements and helps raise awareness of discrimination. Sanda Corak is the President of the Croatian Judo Federation. She is also an IJF Executive Committee member and the chair of the Gender Equality Commission. Today she told us what she thinks about women's judo. "During the last decade women's judo made significant progress in every aspect. Today, every competition on the national or international level is organized both for men and women. Through the IJF World Judo Tour, women’s judo is promoted all over the world and today we witness that the audience is interested to watch women’s matches on the tatami as much as the men’s. Every national judo federation would like to see their female athletes with medals and when those athletes finish their active sport career, we need to retain them in judo. Today, we are used to seeing women in judo as referees and coaches and also in various technical positions. As Dr Lisa Allan pointed out, though, we need more women in leadership positions. In order to empower women, the IJF made statutory changes and recommends that the gender representation in governing bodies of member national federations and continental unions should be at least 25% for the less well represented gender. It has been proven in many cases that diversity results in better decisions. Judo as an Olympic combat sport has become more popular in many countries and the number of active judoka has risen. With the changes of the rules, judo is easier for non-judoka to watch on TV and with all the values and its moral code, judo is also promoted as an educational method. So many parents find it useful for their children, both boys and girls. Judo is an example of sport where the genders are equal in every aspect of competition, from rules, prize money, competition opportunities and mixed team events, making judo appealing for girls and women. National judo federations together with the IJF are working hard to always highlight the benefits of judo. The IJF is continuously working on different projects with the aim of helping local and national federations to improve conditions in their regions and countries: Judo in schools projects, Judo for Peace. That is also helping women’s judo. With all those joint activities, young girls practicing judo now have plenty of role models who they can follow. Judo is still perceived as predominantly a sport for men in many more culturally traditional societies though, so we all have to continue working, first to attract more girls to judo and then to help them so they can apply and become candidates for various positions, especially leadership positions. Numbers are reliable for making conclusions, although we have only 12 women as national judo federation presidents. However we also have 60 women as general secretaries (Gender statistics, IJF Judobase, 2022) and those are positions that can influence policy and decision-making. I would like to point out that judo has many different aspects and to promote it better we need expertise and knowledge from many fields, such as psychology, kinesiology, medicine, economy, technology, arts etc. Education is an important part of life and educated women in judo can find their roles in developing judo, I am sure. As the situation is different in different parts of the world, besides constant effort to promote female athletes and supporting coaches, at the Gender Equality Commission we think that the exchange of good practices will help all those national federations that do not have enough resources, either human or financial ones, to support women's judo, to see what kind of activities are more successful. So, we plan to start organizing online round tables on gender equality in judo, inviting only a small number of countries to each of the meetings, so we can discuss the pertinent obstacles and ways to overcome them. Recently, the GEC launched a new version of the Gender Equality Strategy, not only as a strategic document for the IJF but also as a suitable framework for all the national federations. We would also like to create a positive atmosphere for women's judo in those countries that are not supporting women in judo, because we know that simply giving both genders the same chances is not enough, as Dr Lisa Allan always highlighted, “we need equity to achieve equality.” Basic problems regarding gender inequality in sports stem from social boundaries such as tradition, culture and the related family or social expectations. Although we cannot remove those barriers through sport systems alone, with judo as a sport focused on the individual but also on the betterment of society, through judo we can make a significant impact on minimizing those barriers. We have to be aware that the social norms in the world are changing fast, so today we have 'the floor' so that through judo we can encourage those changes. Judo needs to be perceived and recognized as a sport equally suitable for women and men." This past Wednesday was International Women's Day. The IWD is celebrated annually on 8th March and is aimed to be a global day for raising awareness of the women's rights movement. Every year, it brings to our attention issues such as gender equality and equity, reproductive rights and violence and abuse against women. The International Judo Federation has been participating in the campaign for many years, while the international judo family is not only focusing on one day, but works throughout the year to guarantee that everyone has equal rights to participate in the sport, while respecting Human Rights and all basic principles and values that help to build and maintain a balanced and positive society. During the Tashkent Grand Slam 2023, we have published many stories and testimonies of representatives of the international judo family, where they expressed their point of view on women's judo. These stories will continue through the week, highlighting women’s achievements and the progress made to ensure all people have the right to progress, work and achieve. To underline the evolution of judo and the non-discrimination policy of our organization and to mark the upcoming IWD, it was noted that women present in the sport hall formed almost 50% of the amassed community, in positions of leadership, as coaches and of course as athletes. Beyond traditional symbols for celebrating women, the judo community reaffirms that there can be no discrimination within our sport. Opportunity here belongs to those who work and commit, regardless of gender. Judo, Just Do It! Like Tina Trstenjak, Nuša Lampe is from Slovenia. After her sports career, she became involved in refereeing and also in coaching and teaching judo. Here in Uzbekistan, on the occasion of the Tashkent Grand Slam 2023, she officiates behind the scenes, controlling the judogi. We asked her to share her experience of women's judo, as she herself says of judo that it is more than just learning combat techniques. She says it is a comprehensive and wonderful system of physical, intellectual and moral education. It has its own culture, system, legacy and tradition. It teaches judoka principles of ethics and a way of life. "I don't see any difference between men and women in judo, because I believe that judo is giving us something very special: equality and equity. On and off the tatami, behind the scenes, everywhere in our lives, we learn that we are equal, in judo. No matter if you are an athlete, a referee, a technical official, the president of a club or federation, an executive board member of the International Judo Federation and of course ‘just’ a judoka, we are equally treated. As women, we feel accepted by everyone and I cherish that. Having said that, yes, sport has been a man’s world and there are always issues but after more than 40 years in judo, I can say that in our sport, those issues are rather small. We can find solutions for all of them. To girls who want to start judo, I have only one thing to say: come on, get in, just dig in! Judo is not just a sport and once you start, you can go all the way. You can even get job opportunities, build a career as an athlete, as a coach or a referee." To paraphrase a celebrated slogan, as Nusa says, ‘Judo, Just Do It!' Taishi’s Tournament 600 competitors with 26 referees provided for an outstanding nationals-like tournament this past Sunday at Cerritos College in Norwalk, California. The results can be found on Smoothcomp . Here are some photos taken by Jerry Hays and myself. Congratulations to all participants and helpers! Calendar: March - 2023 18th Saturday & 19th Sunday - Youth National Championships , Lubbock, TX 25th Saturday - Shoshinkan's Annual Kosen Tournament , Las Vegas, NV 26th Sunday - Shoshinkan's Shintaro Higashi Clinic , Las Vegas, NV April - 2023 1st Saturday & 2nd Sunday - High School & Collegiate Nationals , San Jose, CA 2nd Sunday - Mojica Tournament (16 & Under) , Baldwin Park, CA 15th Saturday - Couchigian Memorial Tournament , Las Vegas, NV 16th Sunday - Ryoku's Amarilis Savon Clinic , Las Vegas, NV 16th Sunday - Garden State Open Judo Classic , Wayne NJ 22nd Saturday - Arizona State Championships , Tucson, AZ 29th Saturday & 30th Sunday - Golden State Open , Azusa, CA May - 2023 7th Sunday - CJI State Championships , San Francisco, CA 20th Saturday & 21st Sunday - Senior National Championships , Spokane, WA June - 2023 4th Sunday - Nanka Spring Tournament , Westminster, CA 16th Friday to 18th Sunday - USA Judo Junior Olympics , Shreveport, LA 24th Saturday - Sensei Gary's Birthday Scrimmage , Claremont, CA 25th Sunday - U.S. Adaptive Judo Championships , Riverside, CA July - 2023 7th Friday to 9th Sunday - USJF & USJA Summer Nationals , New York, NY 16th Sunday - CA State Games , San Diego, CA August - 2023 6th Sunday - Nikkei Games Budo Tournament , Cypress, CA September - 2023 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 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.

In dojos across the world, there is a multitude of incredibly talented women studying and teaching the Arts. They are of varying rank from first-day beginners to the tops of their respective organizations. In this interview, I’ve asked a series of questions of seven black belt-wearing women, all coming from different backgrounds. These are all practitioners that I look up to and respect. Many of them are from a school in West LA, where I’ve had the honor to train with them extensively. You’ll likely recognize a couple of the other women from the movies. The reason for this compilation of ‘Artists and Answers’ is that everyone has their own unique perspective. I wanted to gather that from these incredible women and share their thoughts with you. Whether you’re new to the arts or advanced, striker or grappler, man or woman, there’s something valuable in this article for you. The practitioners: Cynthia Rothrock Michel Manu Barbara White Cheri Temple Angela Dates Cathy Burns Kirsten Blakemore The questions we asked of our participants: Would you please tell us a little about yourself? What systems have you studied, and which would you consider your base art and why? What drew you to the Martial Arts? What was the greatest challenge you’ve faced as a woman in the Arts What was the greatest advantage you’ve had as a woman in the Arts? What would you like to tell women that already train or are thinking about starting? Is there anything you would like to tell the men with which you share the mat? What has surprised you the most during your time training? What is the number one greatest lesson you’ve learned from training in the Martial Art? Is there anything on the horizon that you’re excited about and would like to share or any final words for our readers? Let’s meet the women and see what they have to say without any further ado. Cynthia Rothrock Would you please tell us a little about yourself? Cynthia Rothrock I’m an avid adventurer—world travel and exploration are my great passions. Back when competing professionally in martial arts tournaments, I would focus entirely on martial arts for fear I would hurt myself doing some adrenalin-filled dangerous adventure. Once I reached my goal of attaining five consecutive years of being undefeated in forms competition, I began trekking worldwide to challenge myself further and test my physical limits. Over the past few years, I’ve done everything from white water rafting down class 5 rapids, scuba diving down fifteen stories into the Great Blue Hole of Belize, bungee jumping off the Harbor Bridge in New Zealand, to skydiving from over 20,000 feet. I trekked to the Mount Everest base camp, hiked through the rainforests of Patagonia, and even did a polar bear swim in the icy waters of Antarctica. I don’t think I’ll ever stop looking for adventurous things to do. Michelle Manu Mathematical movement has always been my drug, my body and soul’s medicine. I grew up in hula, jazz, tap, acrobats, cheerleading, surfing, skateboarding, competition gymnastics, and played the cello. I toured the Midwest as a professional Polynesian Hula dancer and choreographer for ten years. As an adult, I played semi-pro American football for an all-women’s league for five years. Vocationally I have a Juris Doctorate (JD), business credentials from George Washington University, senior executive leadership credentials from Harvard Business School, a master’s degree in Metaphysical Science (MMsc), and am a 2023 candidate for a Ph.D. in Philosophy with an emphasis in personal transformation. I have been in the legal profession for 26 years and have taught law at several ABA-approved schools and universities. Barbara White My name is Barbara White, and I have been a practitioner of Martial Arts since 1991. I am married to my best friend, Bob White, and together, we have 6 adult daughters. We own and operate Bob White’s Karate Studio and are fortunate to have been able to travel together teaching Kenpo Karate throughout the U.S., Europe, and South America. My other profession is in the health industry. I earned my degree in nursing at Washington State University in 1980 and have been working in various fields of nursing ever since. Today, I am a Case Manager at a local hospital. I plan the aftercare needs for patients and families, ranging from simple to complex situations. This has become a blessing to me and my family in many ways. I feel grateful for these two careers that allow me to help others. I love to train hard; I am never without at least two books to read. Cheri Temple I’ve always enjoyed sports/athletic activities. My extended family would gather at the gym field on a weekend and play softball – it was such great fun to watch my mom and aunt compete against each other. I was pretty young, but I was allowed to join in compete right along with the rest of them. This was a bright spot in my day-to-day as I grew up in an environment filled with gang violence, drug addiction, and lots of police activity. I loved to read, and this also allowed me to escape to many wondrous places, free of the perils of ‘the everyday.’ My love for reading and sports/athletic activities continued to grow over the years. My favorite sports to watch are Soccer, Baseball, and Tennis! I am in 7thHeaven during the World Cup, World Series, and Grand Slams, and, best of all, the Olympic Games! Now, one of my favorites has become a reality – Tennis. In September 2022, I started taking lessons, and I’m absolutely loving the game – well, sometimes, my knees don’t, but I certainly do! I have discovered that professional tennis players certainly make it all look so easy. I now watch with a totally different respect (and love) for the game. I’m an ‘all-in’ sorta personality, so putting in 3.5 hours on the court is wonderful and continues to fuel my passion to learn and be better. Sadly, getting older is not for the faint of heart. My mind remembers being 30, but that was 33 years ago, and my body is trying very hard to get me to realize that – I’m not going to comply. The love and joy I get from this game is worth it! Angela Dates I was born and raised in Los Angeles, CA. I graduated from LMU with a degree in accounting. I am married with two children, who are now married, and I have two grandchildren with one more on the way. I also love working out, which includes HIIT classes, pickle ball, boxing, walking my dog and of course, karate. Cathy Burns I was a cheerleader in High School. I am a veteran of the US Navy. Married for 36 years. My husband does MA with me. I’m a mother of two boys, worked in the business world, and retired at 50. Kirsten Blakemore I have always been active, looking for ways to enhance my health. I have been a competitive swimmer. I have trained and run a marathon, and a half marathon but turned to cycling, weight training, and yoga after knee surgery. Now, weight training is an essential part of my routine as I get older and ward off osteoporosis. What systems have you studied, and which would you consider your base art and why? Cynthia Rothrock My first martial arts style was Tang Soo Do, where I trained under Frank Trojanowicz in Scranton, PA. After I earned my black belt, I longed to learn weapons, so I studied Pai Lum Kung Fu. At the time, I would travel over two hours to NYC to study Ying Jow Pai with Grandmaster Shum Leung. I was then introduced to Wu Shu and fell in love with this wonderful style. I moved to California and started studying with Roger Tung and Anthony Chan. In 1972, I studied intensively in Chengdu, China. Once I landed in California, I studied Tae Kwon Do with Grand Master Ernie Reyes and joined the West Coast Demo Team. I studied Kempo with United Studios of Self-Defense. I don’t consider myself as one martial arts style more than another, so I’m more known as a Kung Fu stylist. I teach techniques, forms, and weapons from all styles. Michelle Manu I started martial arts at 9 years old. Lua, the native warrior art of the People of Hawai’i, is my only art. The depth of the Lua takes a lifetime to master. I may not cross-train in martial disciplines, but I do highly cross-train in my conditioning, movements, and techniques. Barbara White Kenpo Karate is the only system I have studied for any length of time. My first brief experience in the Martial Arts was in a Japanese system, but the studio was bought out by a Kenpo school within the first year. I will never discount what I learned in that brief period, and love watching the Japanese arts in motion. Cheri Temple I have only studied one art – Ed Parker’s American Kenpo. I took a short course in Aikido, but it wasn’t a good fit for me. Ed Parker’s Kenpo is a very practical art and appealed to my sense of movement and understanding of combat. I saw that Kenpo came in a variety of sizes and skill levels, and to take a technique, put it together, and make it work for your size/skill level piqued my puzzle-solving nature. How can you make this work? What adjustments do you need to make? What are your strengths? I realized that I could find a number of different ways to make a technique effective in different situations. I was extremely fortunate my first time out to have a Head Instructor like Bryan Hawkins. I found that he was a gifted teacher and practitioner. I got the best of both. I’ve gained great knowledge and insights from the instructors that have poured into me over the years, and I’ve also gained a family. Gaining insights from seasoned Instructors that have passed through our doors, sweating it out on the mat through drills and technique lines, certainly builds a bond that is not easily broken. Angela Dates I have only studied Kenpo Karate. Cathy Burns American Kenpo Karate. Only art I’ve studied. Studied since 1998. Kirsten Blakemore I have only studied Kenpo. I enjoy spectating Muay Thai and MMA. What drew you to the Martial Arts? Cynthia Rothrock I’ve always been an out-of-the-box person. I’m attracted to anything unusual. I love traveling the road less traveled. When I was thirteen, I was introduced to martial arts by my childhood friends. The first time I set foot in a dojo, I was hooked. I’d never seen anything like it in my life, and this was back in the 1970s when, in my community, little was known about martial arts. What intrigued me most about martial arts is that you can defend yourself with your hands and feet, but also that it is a tremendously unusual form of exercise. It was a win-win for me. Michelle Manu There was a 2-for-1 special at a local martial arts school, and my mother decided to enroll me and my little sister. We were the only two girls in the class. In the 1980s, martial arts were considered a boy’s activity. Since I was 9 years old, I only trained in two other arts, purely for the cardio, when I toured the Midwest. When I returned from touring, I was strongly drawn to dedicate myself to my martial studies and the full contact aspect of martial arts training. Barbara White As a child, I was a regular fan of the TV show Kung Fu, and of course, the MA movies that came a little later. However, the thought of actually learning Martial Arts or asking my parents about it didn’t occur to me at my young age. I entered Martial Arts as a young mother with a 2-year-old and a newborn and I made the decision completely out of impulse when I saw a newly opened MA school next to my dry cleaners. This turned out to be a decision that impacted the course of my adult life and shows that oftentimes, decisions made out of gut impulse can turn out to be great ones. This one certainly did. Cheri Temple True story, my mom was a Martial Arts buff – she loved watching Kung Fu Theater, and Black Belt Theater. I remember going to the drive-in and watching ‘Five Fingers of Death.’ Martial Arts has always been around me. I never really thought of taking lessons because, let’s face it – flying through the air, jumping from treetop to treetop – well, I just wouldn’t be able to do that. Yes, that’s what I thought. You needed to be able to perform supernatural feats in order to be a martial artist! Well luckily for me, I was watching ‘The Perfect Weapon,’ and someone said that’s Ed Parker’s Kenpo. What! No flying through the air? Well, that long-dormant desire to train rose up to the top and I walked into Bryan Hawkins Kenpo Karate in November 1 992, took my first introductory lesson and never looked back. Angela Dates Funny enough, it was for the exercise. My son was enrolled in the BHKK classes by a fluke since we missed the sign-ups for basketball. We were recommended to Kenpo by a few people, which included friends in the neighborhood. But the most influence came from James Ibraro, one of Mr. Ed Parker’s first-generation black belts. He was painting my parent’s house when I met him. He shared his stories of training with Mr. Parker, as well sharing his articles in assorted magazines. He highly recommended Kenpo as a place for my son to train. I really never thought I would sign up, but watching the classes it looked like a really good workout, so I signed up. I did get the great workouts, but also more. Being an at-home mom for two kids at that time, I realized I was missing being challenged. Kenpo gave me that challenge in more ways than one. Cathy Burns The grace and precision of the movement. I was fascinated by the idea of being able to protect myself with my hands and feet. Also, my two sons and my husband joined the MA in 1997. I wanted it to be a family endeavor. Kirsten Blakemore I had my young boys enrolled in karate. I was around the dojo weekly with them. Although they had asked me to attend an adult class, it never appealed to me. That is until I walked into my home while I was being robbed. I was so unaware of my surroundings (kitchen door was on the floor, the Wii had been pulled out...) that when I walked into my bedroom and heard the robber in my bathroom move, I was paralyzed with fear for what felt like one full minute. I ran back to grab my kids and get out of the house. They never found the robber, but later that week, one of my kid’s karate teachers asked me again to attend an adult class and learn women’s self-defense, and I signed up right then. That was the beginning of my ten-plus year journey to black belt. What was the greatest challenge you’ve faced as a woman in the Arts? Cynthia Rothrock My greatest challenge was competing against men. At that time, martial arts competitions didn’t offer a women’s weapons division or grand champion. There were numerous times I had to compete in forms competitions against the men. In 1982, I was the number one weapons competitor for the year beating all the men. I trained so hard because I couldn’t just be good to win; I needed to be more than good—I needed to be the best. The same challenges occurred when I started doing action movies. At the beginning of my movie career, I was portrayed as “a girl that could fight,” but because of my gender, I still had to be saved by the guy. Things have changed in the industry since then, but on day one, I set a goal to be a trailblazer and champion for women to bring balance and equality. There still aren’t enough strong women gracing our movie screens and martial arts magazine covers. Michelle Manu I am a lifer. There have been, and will continue to be, great challenges at each part of my path. As a woman, I believe this is just how it is for most, if not all of us - the convergence of many things happening all at once that teaches us how to seek balance within ourselves - first, surviving and thriving in the old school training. When I didn’t quit and as I reached a certain level of proficiency, being aware of jealousy within the nuclear group and learning to maneuver with elegance while staying focused on my training. The transformation of being a highly proficient practitioner into a master teacher and teaching all different types of people globally. The backend of teaching like accepting an invite to teach and ensuring my physical safety and managing the increased physical access to me while I am away. Even as an advocate for and a teacher of self-defense, I have experienced (what seems to be the inevitable) sexual advances, badmouthing, stalking, others that try to purposefully injure my reputation or me physically, to the jealousy from fellow female martial artists in the community and sometimes an unhealthy female student who feels she should be in my shoes. All that to say, the above have all been very good lessons, but not my greatest challenge. My greatest challenge is me. I am my greatest challenge, and if I am not always connected with myself, I am my most formidable and vicious enemy. All challenges ultimately bring me to a place of awareness and choice to master myself – not techniques, but my essence. My life is the sum of my essence. Barbara White As a woman in MA, perhaps the greatest challenge I faced at the beginning of my training was the feeling that I was seen as “just a mom with kids” embarking on a hobby. In reality, I have had a passion for the arts since the day I walked into that studio next to the dry cleaners. I have trained consistently for almost 32 years and have read extensively about training, self-defense principles, and other art forms. I will never cease to be a student. When I tore my ACL sparring, the Orthopedic Surgeon recommended I quit “playing karate.” I wonder if he would have said the same thing had I been a man. Women have every right to be taken seriously, to be respected, to be listened to, and to be leaders and influencers in the martial arts. Cheri Temple Assumption. I’ve found that many assumptions are made when a woman walks through the doors of a martial arts studio: Why is she here? Is she serious about learning? Will she be able to handle it? Most Martial Artists are very respectful, but there are those that see you as an object and not as someone who wants to train as a martial artist. I’d like to briefly share an encounter I had with a new male student. At the time, I was a Brown Belt, and the etiquette of the dojo is that you now address the Brown Belts as Mr./Ms. and you give a salute. Well, that was normal for me to do when coming up through the ranks, but now that I’m a Brown Belt, wow, that was a bit unsettling, but I knew that I needed to make sure that I upheld the tradition. I was having a conversation with a student, and the new student walked between us and never acknowledged my rank as etiquette required. Well, that put a few questions in my head, but I chalked it up to him being new. A little later, I was sitting on the mat and having a conversation with another green belt student when the new student came out of the changing room. One of our senior ranks was on the mat stretching, and the new student immediately went to him and saluted. He then made a beeline straight to me and the green-belt student I was talking to and completely ignored that we were mid-conversation and asked the student to come help him stretch, which was declined. I now had more questions in my head. So, I spoke with my instructor about his behavior to see if there was anything I should be aware of. He gave me a bit of the student’s history and finally asked if I had ever sparred with him, I said no, and that was the end of our conversation. Well, we sparred, and after that session, he saluted, addressed me properly and found every opportunity to speak with me after class. I guess it’s true that respect has to be earned. Angela Dates I would say my greatest challenge was fear of myself progressing. I would attend classes at least three to four times a week but was always in awe of the higher ranks. Second guessing myself that I could ever get to their level. Even when I earned my brown belt in the beginning, I would shy away from the advanced classes thinking I was not supposed to be there yet. Cathy Burns Getting over my own self-doubts. Kirsten Blakemore Modifying some of the techniques for the “what if” this were to happen to me rather than a big man. I think having a deeper understanding of the attack and defense helps me to give an alternative, more effective move if such an attack were to happen. Thanks for joining us today. I trust that you’ve learned a lot about these amazing women and perhaps even a bit about yourself through their answers thus far. Be sure to check back soon as we complete the interviews and get answers to the remaining questions in Part 2 of “Insights from Women in the Martial Arts.” Salute, Ian Lauer 3rd Degree Black Belt American Kenpo 1st Degree Black Belt Tae Kwon Do 1st Degree Black Belt Hapkido 1st Degree Black Belt Coszacks Karate

If the reader hadn’t noticed, there is a lot of information available if one is looking for it in Mixed Martial Arts. It is part and parcel to growing a sport in the age of social media. The veteran fans will remember when Dana White, long before the massive Endeavor deal and still under the Zuffa banner, would tweet a location where he – yes, the actual president of the UFC – would meet fans and give them tickets to the UFC event in their area. Those days of the need for guerilla advertising are long gone, but the days of floods of social media content related to the sport are still very present. One particular facet of the proliferation of media is that we get to see things we may not otherwise see in bygone eras. In the past, video footage of sparring or training would only have been seen in very clearly orchestrated pieces done by mainstream sports media. Not so anymore. We now see individual fighters, gyms, specific training camps, podcast appearances, etc. letting us know where a given fighter and his or her trajectory are at all times. A very specific thing might actually teach us something. There is an axiom often stated in all sport, but it bears a lot of weight in combat sport because the stakes can be so very high. It is this: You will always sink to the level of your training. It is likely different athletes and coaches might express the nuances of the idea a little differently, but it seems pretty clear that there is a general principle there all would likely adhere to. Possibly something along these lines: in competition, when the circumstances are such that you are unable to execute at your best, your default base of training will be where you land. You may excel or have flashes of brilliance, but if things go south for whatever reason, it will be your fundamental training that makes or breaks you. Combining the two thoughts that media and access to MMA is at an all-time high and that your training will dictate to some expected level your success, what would the MMA observer see if he was able to peek into the training of some fighters? In particular those fighters that have been found to have trained very specific things that yielded success in competition. Considering four examples ought to show (literally if the video is viewed) that sometimes a massive moment in a fight was indeed built into the respective fighter’s training regimen. We won’t risk links going obsolete, but a quick search will probably get these on the eyes pretty quickly. Example #1: Conor McGregor vs. Jose Aldo UFC 194 (Search: Backroom Locker Practice & Finish): There is side-by-side footage where Aldo’s faceplant after Conor clips him in a light-footed retreat looks so inconceivable that it must have been choreographed. This would be one of those moments where the victim would no doubt say later that he got caught or it was a lucky punch, but that footage makes it undeniable Conor saw that and trained for it. Example #2: Alexander Volkanovski vs. Korean Zombie (Search: Drilling Korean Zombie Takedowns): This was not a fight-ending spectacular finish, but it certainly qualifies as a training moment that was indeed used just as trained in a fight that would be a very successful title defense. “Very” because it was this exact kind of proficiency that the champ clearly had worked very hard to accomplish. Example #3 Jorge Masvidal vs. Ben Askren (Search anything with their names!): Teammate Dustin Poirier tweeted that coach Mike Brown and Jorge showed him video of them practicing that stunning all-time greatest knockout contender 48 hours before successfully delivering it. Apparently practicing that was #supernecessary. Of all on this list, that knee seemed the most probable “fluke.” It happened in the opening seconds where there are lots of flashy moves in MMA. For extra credit find Fabricio Werdum flying sidekicking Ronda Rousey’s husband. No training footage, but an opening move for the collectable shelf. Example #4 Leon Edwards vs. Kamaru Usman (Search: footage of Leon Edwards' team drilling): Another spectacular moment ending with a belt being strapped on the victor. This fight in particular had all the makings of an ending that could only be considered a fluke. Usman the welterweight champ dominated three straight rounds. So, the fight-ending sequence looked way more chance than plan. It was only afterward with the release of training footage that Leon’s coaches can be seen describing how this technique of catching Usman with a headkick when he circled out and dipped his head – just as it happened in the cage – would work. When it is seen that these moments – those one might rightly assume are fluke-ish – are indeed planned for, it becomes evident that training and repetition in Martial Arts can make a huge difference if taken seriously. In some cases, it can be that the thing drilled is the difference between not only wins and losses, but actual championships. It is so intriguing watching Leon Edwards’ coach so casually talk about a potentially effective move after it was employed successfully and not only rescued Edwards from a grueling loss he would have no doubt regretted, but gained the belt and a place in highlight reels forever. If this is what it means to sink to the level of your training, it behooves the martial artist to elevate their training for those sinking moments. If your best training shows up in your worst moments in competition, the odds certainly seem to shift in your favor if history proves correct. You might want to start recording those training sessions too. Just in case someone says, “fluke!”

Martial artists are more fascinating than a college kid with a credit card. Many will agree that the journey of a martial artist is more about conquering ourselves than someone else. In short, training martial arts helps us to be a better person then we were yesterday. This journey will require inward reflection, meditation and self-discovery. It is a journey that we must take on our own, and at the same time, having help is essential. Sure, solo-training is necessary (even essential) but living like a hermit in a cave may slow down your progress. In this article we outline three reasons not to fly “solo” for too long. Listen up Han. Reason One- Body Manipulation: If you are looking to improve in your martial arts (be it self-defense or competition skills), training with others is a must. In many arts, you will need resistant or “live” training in the form of drilling and sparring. In the martial arts, learning to move your own body is a good start and eventually (with the right training partner), you will need to learn how to move someone else’s torso and limbs. If you want to sharpen your skills and take your training to the next level, another person is a must. Reason Two- Cheering Chums: Ever had a hard time dragging yourself to a workout? Maybe the solution for you will be to buddy up. Having a friend to hold you accountable may be all that is needed to get you training regularly. Alone, it is easy to skip your martial arts class. You will improve your odds of showing up to a workout when you have a friend (or friends) waiting for you. A person can go far with the encouragement and accountability from others. Reason Three- The Fountain of Youth: Unless, you just emerged from an ancient temple in the Wu Dang Mountains, you no doubt have read the research- a large contributor to health and longevity is socializing. Yep, getting out there and hanging out with your buds can add years to life (and depending on your circle of friends), life to them years. And as far as I know (and yes, I am shamelessly biased), martial artists make some real cool friends. The friends you make in the martial arts school will challenge both mind and body, and help you live longer. There you go. Three reasons to train with others or in a group setting: one, it will help improve your martial arts no matter if you strike, lock or grapple. Two, your odds of showing up to training is increased and three, you may live longer (not a bad deal at all). Human beings are social creatures and martial arts can reinforce that socializing we deeply crave. Did we miss an advantage about partner training? Please let us know in the comments. About the author: Dr. Conrad Bui is the co-founder of Tiga Tactics, a combatives and self-defense consulting company. As a life-long martial artist, his credentials are as follows: 5th degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do and American Freestyle Karate, full instructor in Jeet Kune Do, sigung in Ba Gua Zhang, maha guru in Pentjak Silat Serak, sigung in Kuntao Silat de Thouars, guro in Kali, coach in Muay Thai and black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. He has competed in point sparring, Muay Thai and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He was also a bouncer in college and is currently a certified pistol instructor with the NRA.

If you’ve watched MMA long enough I’m sure you have seen a guy get stuck trying to finish a takedown off the cage or even stuck in the turtle position and watch his opponent accidentally strike to the back of the head and then the referee intervenes. It does make the bout safer because the rule is in place due to the fact that the back of the head is an extremely vulnerable area of the brain stem and carries a much higher chance of permanently crippling or even fatally injuring someone. It’s the same reason why you cannot target the spine of your opponent as well. All of this is explained in the “fouls” section of the UFC’s unified MMA rules website, which I’ll link here . All of this seems to be in the name of safety for the fighters so I do wholeheartedly support it but there is one unique observation that I would like to bring attention to. It seems that these rules imply there is a zero-tolerance approach to the rule because it is so inherently dangerous but the rules for slamming an opponent attempting a submission or even finishing an explosive double leg seem to almost disregard the safety component entirely. The way it reads on the official website is as follows “It should be noted that when a fighter is placed into a submission hold by their opponent, if that fighter is capable of elevating their opponent they may bring that opponent down in any fashion they desire because they are not in control of their opponents body“ Even though it would seem that the other illegal examples they would also not be in control of their opponents body. It appears on a surface level that safety does not take priority over exciting moments. Perhaps there is a layer I’m not considering or maybe I’m not even understanding what they mean by “In control of their opponents body” but, it seems that they might be only be ostensibly concerned with safety as to deem one technique a foul but then allow a much more severe case of a blow to the same area when it would be more exciting. To put this into perspective I’ll link to the worst case scenario here. VIEWER DISCRETION ADVISED. After watching that video I want you to take a look at this one, where the slam finishes are being celebrated and really think about how big of a difference there is or even what changes could be made to make the sport better, keeping it exciting for fans and safe for the competitors.

One of the main goals of martial arts training is of course learning an effective means of self-defense. Different systems take different approaches toward this end. For today’s discussion, I’m not going to get into the methodology of kicks versus punches versus grappling versus eye gouges, etc. Rather, I will be focusing on how we practice self-defense techniques in American Kenpo, how similar approaches across different styles can prove beneficial, and one of the most important parts of getting the most out of your training. For those unfamiliar, we have over 150 “techniques” in American Kenpo. Each of these is a pre-determined response to a variety of attacks. It’s important to understand that these are simply ideas of motion and not expected to be carried out perfectly in order in a real-life altercation. T his is not unlike a boxing combination. A boxer will repeatedly practice a jab, cross, hook, uppercut combination. However, in the ring, if he starts the combo and the opponent moves in a way that stifles the combo, he adapts. This is the same for the Kenpoist as he formulates on the fly. If a secondary attack comes or the adversary is out of the expected position, the response to the attach morphs. Practicing techniques or combinations is not unique to Kenpoists or Boxers. In TKD and Hapkido we have a series of punch, kick, and grab responses much like those done in Kenpo, only with stylistic considerations more fitting of their fighting philosophy. The same goes for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. At the begging of BJJ class, we drill “techniques” like armbars, chokes, or mount escapes and then put them into practice against non-complying partners in a live roll. The point is that we pretty much all practice some version of techniques, and there is a vital component that cannot be ignored. That all important ingredient to effective training is a good partner! Now, I understand that there may be times when you are forced to study alone. There are even times where it can be ideal to supplement your class time with some solo work at home. In Kenpo we frequently work our techniques “in the air.” This is similar to a boxer shadowboxing. We visualize the attack and respond with our technique against an imaginary assailant. This is an excellent way to get reps and ingrain the motion into our bodies, but it lacks in real-feel contact. It also doesn’t supply the unexpected responses and movements that a live partner will demonstrate. So, though training solo is helpful, it is only a part of the whole. And to get the whole experience, we need quality partners with which to share the mats. I would even take this a step further and ask those of you that practice katas regularly, do you frequently envision the attacks you’re working against in your form? That’s the ideal way to perform katas. However, it often is bypassed as the body just moves to where it is “supposed to go.” That said, if you’re not already doing it, you can apply the same “technique approach” to your katas. Have partners step in with the attacks you’re defending against in your forms while working your way through each step. Then return the favor and attack them appropriately as they practice their forms. When stepping in as a partner on this approach to katas or when simply practicing techniques, it’s vital to be a good partner. A good partner understands the different phases of learning and offers appropriate resistance and challenge dependent upon the phase in which they are in. For instance, if the technique is brand new to the practitioner, a partner is not helping by going 100 percent with their attack. Instead, they should go easy and slow, allowing their buddy to learn what they’re supposed to do and gradually increase speed and power. This goes for standup as well as ground fighting techniques. On the flip side, if the attacking partner never works up to “realistic” attack power and speed, they are doing their friend a disservice. They will never understand what it takes to block a real attack if they aren’t challenged in class. This is where, as a partner, you must gauge those you’re working with and adjust your attacks from slow and easy up to safelyrealistic . None of what has been discussed today is some sort of new earth-shattering revelation. It is, however, a good reminder of how to get the most out of our training. Whether it is typical technique training, rolling in grappling class, or finding function in your katas, working with great partners will undoubtedly boost your performance. You’ll see responses you hadn’t expected. You’ll feel resistance where you weren’t even aware it existed. And most importantly, you’ll walk away from training having learned something new and having helped your training partners do the same. Salute, Ian Lauer 3rd Degree Black Belt American Kenpo 1st Degree Black Belt Tae Kwon Do 1st Degree Black Belt Hapkido 1st Degree Black Belt Coszacks Karate

Martial arts films have come a long way since the first kung fu film was made in China, which starred Beijing opera star Tan Xin-pei in Ding Jun Shan (1905). It’s been 18 years since I wrote the first Top 20 Best Martial Arts Films of All Time, and with time passages I now watch martial aspects with a different eye as I’ve learned more about fight and camera choreography, and have increased my focus on fight creativity, unique stylism and overall ingenuity. It’s why 10 of the original 20 films are no longer on the list. It’s November 2022, and here is what I consider to be The Top 10 Best Martial Arts Films of all Time. 10) The Protector (2005): Tony Jaa displays his passion for elephants in Protector by fighting like the fierce Jaturungs (guardians of the elephant’s feet that Kings rode during battle) and must rescue two elephants by defeeting animal cruelty restaurateurs in Australia. The fight that distinguishes Protector from all other films is the 4-minute oner (one continuous shot in a multi-floored restaurant), which was inspired by Bruce Lee’s Game of Death (1997) where Bruce climbs flights of stairs and fights on each floor. Each of the six floors was split into teams of stuntmen that needed to attack Jaa at the right moments. Yet in fight scenes where timing is everything, the clock didn't always strike midnight. After eight takes, the oner that made the final cut in the film became the oner standard. Still as of this writing, none compared to Jaa’s intensely spiced and flamboyant fiery skills, thus the film’s Thai soup title, Tom Yum Goong. Yet the valiant almost 4-minute oner in Jiu Jitsu (2020), which featured Tony Jaa and Alain Moussi doing two separate oners that merge into one, is a close second. 9) Duel to Death (1983): After a trusted martial arts star/director friend told me I should watch the Rurouni Kenshin films a few months ago, I was flabbergasted as I realized how influential the father of wire-fu and director Ching Siu-tung’s Duel to Death had become. Back in 1983, it was a one-off film and I thought that was that. I was wrong and I’m sure fight choreographer and action director Kenji Tanigaki would agree. Ching’s Duel to Death is the true embodiment where the line between real and the supernatural is poetically blurred, where villains are neither human nor poltergeist. Ching proved that shooting old-fashioned sword fights at 18 frames per second didn’t make the fights look hokey but made them sing with gleeful steel slashing bewitchment. The film intelligently weaves in the traditions of the classic chivalrous and righteous lone swordsman traveling down his path of martyrdom motif with a quasi-modern, German expressionistic visual approach. Ching's swordplay action brought decapitation to new explosive heights and human vegematics to the depths of beauteous slaughter. No one has ever done a samurai/ninja film that comes close to this one, except one film. 8) The Grandmaster (2013): While director Wong Kar-wai spent years roaming China and tracking down old kung fu masters to learn their old traditions, non-martial artist Tony Leung underwent three years of pain-ridden training and broke two bones in preparation for an unknown role. The Grandmaster focuses on Ip Man (Leung) and the martial trade secrets Wong learned from the elders. Grandmaster’s core begins when the retiring head of the kung fu world, Gong Yu-tian, tests his maybe successor Ip Man, via battles of wit, perplexing kung fu governance and subtle cryptic physical combat. It’s purposely confusing because Wong wanted to reserve the esoteric essences for insiders. Fight choreography is intelligently shaped to hide and reveal each skill as the film opens with Ip fighting 12 combatants in the evening during heavy rain, a scene shot over 30 successive nights, where Leung and stuntmen were drenched and disallowed from changing clothes for 30 days. The finale between Gong’s daughter and traitor Ma San confused Western critics; they didn’t comprehend how fa jing strikes can break one’s chi, forcing fighters to lose their abilities for life. If this confuses you, learn real kung fu. 7) The Villainess (2019): Sooh-hee (Kim Ok-bin) is a ballistic-bladed assassin coerced by an untoward agency to be a calmer, more deadly, hatchet-slashing killer. After Soohee’s opening psychotic fight on a multi-floored building full of thugs, one becomes enchanted by director Jung Byung-gil’s novel camera choreography style, what I call ping-pong camera. Imagine a ping-pong ball being a camera and instead of being struck back and forth between players with paddles it ricochets between fighters. The ball’s POV images would be tight, shaking camera angles, with rapid in and out zooms away and toward fighters creating snappy rolling pans, tilts and spins. Now have the ball hit the ground, go up in the air, through a door or out a window three-stories up while recording the actors’ reactions and the spatial displacement between them. That’s how the Villainess ’ fights look. It's ingenious and adds extra kinetic energy to the action, which if it was shot with a wide angle at 24 fps, it would look monotonous and reflect minimal training chops of the actors involved. And now you know why the Villainess used 63 days of their 70-day shooting schedule to do action. 6) John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum (2019): Directed by Chad Stahelski, John Wick 3 is one of the top two best American made martial arts film where each fight features innovative fight choreography and beautifully constructed camera choreography. The fights are so gruesomely violent and ballistically brutal that they’re hilarious as hell. With a bounty on his head, the loveable John Wick’s (Keanu Reeves) survival rests upon apocalyptic action, mesmerizing mangling and grisly grappling that are akin to an exquisite ballet recital. Each fight has less editing, uses wide angles, and features long takes, often 20-25 techniques per shot. Stahelski hides nothing. Of note, at 53 and training for 6-7 months, Halle Berry learned how to fight like Keanu and do so in close proximity while shooting and kicking dozens of thugs in a desert compound. In dance, it takes two to tango, in Stahelski’s fights, it takes two to tangle. 5) Fist of Fury (1972): After the Sino-Japanese War (1894-1895), China was a fractured country and from that point on, Japan played a villainous role in Chinese history. Even after being defeated during WW II, because Japan’s post-war economy was U.S.-supported, the fear of economic backlashes against the Chinese kept Hong Kong and Taiwan (ROC) mum about Japanese atrocities committed against the Chinese during the war. Yet Bruce Lee’s Fist of Fury changed that because his character defiantly defeated Japanese martial artists in the film’s 1909 Shanghai setting, when Shanghai was under strict Japanese rule. Lee single-handedly crashed through that barrier of silence giving the Chinese a sense of identity and pride while sparking a tidal wave of nationalism amongst the world's Chinese population. Lee also legitimized the second genre of Chinese martial arts film, the gong fu pian (kung fu films, where heroes fought with realistic skills) and brought international prominence to Hong Kong’s waning martial arts film industry. Loosely based on the death of the legendary Huo Yuin‑chia, the scene where Lee kicks eight different attackers in the Japanese dojo in one unedited, wide angle shot changed the direction of kung fu fight choreography forever then Lee introduced the world to the nunchaku. 4) Drunken Master II (1994): Although Jackie Chan’s tea house skirmish in Mr.Canton and Lady Rose (1989) features the best use of film props and set environment in a martial arts movie fight, based on fight choreography, Drunken Master 2 is Jackie Chan’s best pure kung fu film ever made. Chan reprises his legendary hero role of Huang Fei‑hung in this sequel that far surpasses its 1978 original. Huang battles traitors smuggling Chinese historical artifacts to the British. At the time of its release, Fant-Asia films were at their peak and other directors were switching to Chan’s wu da style of action. Yet Chan returned to his kung fu roots 16 years after his savvy Drunken Master (1978) to make a superior sequel. Filled with phenomenally fresh fight choreography, Chan avoided the popular bobbing style of choreography used during his first heydays as his martial skills flowed like a waterfall over smooth rocks. The final 16 minutes of the film is as mesmerizing and creative as it is relentless and exhausting to watch, and he does it without repeating the same movements. The bout with Ken Lo in the warehouse, and the spear and sword fight with the 60 year‑old Liu Chia‑liang underneath a train, once and for all shows why Chan is the best when it comes to utilizing his environment during the fight sequences. 3) Rurouni Kenshin: The Final (2021): Rurouni Kenshin’s five films feature a warped love triangle, where a supranatural swordsman is torn between two lovers, two alter egos, and two dogmas within two eras of Japanese history. Played by Takeru Satoh, on one sword, he’s Battosai, anti-Shogunate assassin who falls in love with one of his victim’s fiancé, Tomeo, her wee brother Anishi becomes his worst nightmare. On the other sword, ten years later he’s Himura, who vows not to kill and uses a reverse blade katana to protect those in need, and falls in love with Kaoru, who as Battosai, tarnished her dad’s dojo reputation. As The Final arrives,you can sense the coming madness as Shanghai mafia leader, Enishi, slithers into Tokyo with a macabre cloud of death hunters; sordid fleshy, deformed, maniacal fighters oozing psychotic creepy crawly support. Part human, part gun, part demon, they all psychotically swear to shred Battosai’s life and soul in a way he’s never seen in the Wild Wild East. Enter action director Kenji Tanigaki’s en vogue vicious take, on standard samurai sword combos shot at slower frame rates. He elevates Ching Siu-tung’s frenetic paced surgical sword fights to new levels by adding far out running, sliding and jumping fight gags ala Donnie Yen’s Legend of the Fist (2010) and Legend of the Wolf (1997). As his enemies vanish like kids in Blair Witch Project (1999), Battosai’s feet dance as his body barges, evades and barrels through these horrific hoards, then when he puts his feet on the welcome mat, he says thank you very much and wipes the enemy clean during his magic carpet ride of tenacity and resolve. You blood-shot eyes will remain agog. 2) Enter the Fat Dragon (2020): This film is the result of when you mix the fight sensibilities of Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, Jet Li, Tony Jaa, Iko Uwie, Sammo Hung and Donnie Yen wrapped into one. Enter the Fat Dragon is Yen’s Lee homage with a nod to Sammo’s Enter the Fat Dragon (1978) that combines the best martial arts fight scenes from the above filmmakers-fightmakers. It’s a kick in the groin higher note for Yen, who plays the diet challenged cop Fallon who is sent to Japan on a dregs case and ends up making minced fish out of yokel yakuzas strong arming a female sushi bar owner. The opening fatuous fight in a speeding small van, trapped between two vans, being chased by motorcycles (rings a Raid II bell) sees a skinny Fallon trying to rescue a fellow cop, as he ends up inside the van where he claustrophobically fights a bunch of bank robbers who are armed with knives and guns. The way Yen introduces a hammer and microphone into the fray is downright ingenious and funny as hell. Though using Chan environmentally influenced sets, unlike a Chan fanfare that would feature ultra-comedic sight gags, Yen features Ong Bak brutality without blood and death yet uses the rock-em sock-em robots meet rapid-fire 1980’s Hong Kong comedy gags. The finale nunchaku vs. sai fight is akin to Lee nunchaku vs. samurai sword battle from Fist of Fury , not in the comfort of a dojo but atop Tokyo Tower as an out-of-control helicopter dangerously whirls around the building, which takes the duel to new dizzying heights…it’s a real acrophobic gasser. 1) Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2022): Foundation laid, pole position established, this American martial arts film is a regular riot and instant ripper that has monopolized the position of being the best martial arts film ever…for now. The fact that it’s an American made martial arts movie stuns my soul, I never imagined this happening during my lifetime since I saw Fist of Fury in 1973. The irony is that it’s the best because it’s the only film I’ve seen that beautifully incorporates the intricate fight choreography combative sensibilities of all five marital art genres in Chinese cinema history: wu xia pian; gong fu pian; quo shu pian; wu da pian; and fant-Asia films. Shang-Chi is a modern-day yarn that embraces the spirit of the Jiang Hu world (translated as the kung fu underworld in English dubbed Chinese kung fu films) to create and a new dimension in a nontraditional wuxia setting, which includes Chinese triads that transcends into beastly creatures ala Marvel Universe hysteria. Shang-Chi (Simu Liu) teams up with a hidden Jiang Hu village to fight hideous dark demons and to stop his schizoid dad from destroying Jiang Hu and the normal world. The final icing of the cake beyond the five-genre action is the fight coordinator, Andy Cheng, as he has developed his own style and flavor by adding in a secret ingredient nobody has used before…the AC Way. The next time you watch Shang-Chi , see if you can spot which fights uses which genres and where some use three genres within the same fight.