In 1984, everybody wanted to learn karate. Every kid wanted to be like Ralph Macchio in the Karate Kid, or beat his ass. Ever since, Karate spread rapidly into mass popularity.
Karate is known primarily as a striking art, featuring punching, kicking, knee/elbow strikes, and open-handed techniques. It is divided into kihon (basics or fundamentals), kata (forms), and kumite (sparring).
Here is one of the popular Karate forms from that era, as performed by 4 time Karate World champion, Jean Frenette:
Today, with the rising popularity of MMA, kids are going to muay thai and jiu-jitsu gyms. Nevertheless, karate, with its thousands of years of evolution, is here to stay. Influenced by Chinese merchants, the people of Okinawa developed Karate into a time-tested martial arts.
Here is Bas Rutten, the vicious MMA fighter, paying homage to Frenette:
Lyoto Machida, one of the most elusive fighters in mma, is a karate stylist and bjj expert:
Knock-out artists, they hit fast and they hit hard. Their fists come out of nowhere and put you to sleep. Here are the top five:
5. Kelly Pavlik
Known as “The Ghost,” Kelly Pavlik is an American professional boxer and the reigning WBC & WBO unified middleweight champion. His record currently stands at 33-0-0, with 29 of those victories coming via knockout.
4. Manny Pacquiao
Known as “Pacman,” Manny Pacquiao is a Filipino professional boxer. He is a former world champion at IBF Super Bantamweight, and WBC Flyweight divisions.
3. Wanderlei Silva
Silva earned the nickname “The Axe Murderer” for his extremely aggressive fighting style; the majority of his fights have either ended in a knockout or referee stoppage due to his strikes. In the ring, he is known for engaging opponents with punches and utilizing knees in the Muay Thai clinch. He is also known for kicking and stomping downed opponents as well as his looping punches.
2. Mike Tyson
He was trained by Cus D’Amato in the early part of his career, Tyson unified the belts in the splintered heavyweight division in the late 1980s and won many of his fights by knockout. He knocked out his first 19 professional opponents no later than the sixth round, and 13 of them in the first. He was the undisputed heavyweight champion for over two years before losing to Buster Douglas in 1990.
1. Benny Hinn
People around the world know Pastor Benny Hinn as a noted Christian healing evangelist, bible teacher, and the author of a number of best-selling inspirational Christian books. To some, he is the king of knock-outs.
Judo has something for everybody. For kids, it is a natural form of activity, being a disciplined form of playground rough and tumble. For adults, it is a physically demanding sport perfect as a combat form, fitness training, and character-building.
Founded in 1882 in Tokyo, Japan by Jigoro Kano, Judo is often translated as the “Gentle Art.” There is nothing gentle about the sport, implying that force is never resisted but given way to and used upon itself.
Technically, Judo consists of three main branches:
throws
groundwork (strangles, joint-locks, chokes)
striking techniques (kicking and punching)
Starting Judo
In Judo, you have to learn to beat anyone, no matter how big or small. The feel of the throw varies considerably depending on the body size of the opponent. This means you must practice throwing with as many various size of people possible.
The only gear required for Judo is a Gi and and a belt. A Judo-gi is a strong, loosefitting garment that can withstand a lot of pushing and pulling.
When joining a club, you will be first shown how to fall properly, and then gradually introduced to the techniques of randori. Not necessary to be super-fit, the limited amount of relaxed Judo you will do in the beginning will gradually condition you for more intense free-fighting.
Personal hygiene is important in Judo. The gi must be washed and kept white all the time. fingers and toe nails must be kept short to prevent scratches and deep cuts against another person. Feet must be kept clean, and jewelry must be taken off.
Stubbed toes, bruised shins, mat-burns, and raw neck are common complaints among beginners. Carry on training and they will disappear for good.
How to Fall Properly
Let your back take the fall.
Tuck your chin in, keeping your head off the mat, preventing it from whiplashing into the mat.
Beat the mat hard with your free arm the moment your back touches the mat.
A method of practicing the fall is the forward rolling breakfall. This is like the gymnastic forward roll, except that it is done not squarely to the front but diagonally across the back.
How to Grip
Most Judo throws are done by holding the opponent’s jacket. In the standard hold, one hand grips one side of the jacket above the belt and the other hand the other side of the jacket above the belt.
How to Move Around the Mat
The correct Judo stance is upright, with your feet about shoulder width apart from one another. This stance should be maintained as much as possible when moving around the mat. Crouching and spreading the legs reduces mobility. It is better to keep the back straight, head up, and move in a relaxed manner.
Throws
Ippon Seoinage (One-arm Shoulder Throw)
Harai Goshi (Sweeping hip-throw)
Osoto Gari (Large Outer Reaping)
Training
In Judo, one best helps oneself by helping others. Care is taken not to injure the other party and similar care is expected in return.
The Essence of Judo
Kyuzo Mifune and his students demonstrate Judo.
10. Urijah “California Kid” Faber
Known for his conditioning, relentless attack, and an iron will, Urijah dominates the featherweight division of World Extreme Cagefighting. With an MMA record of 20 wins and 1 loss, Urijah has been proven unstoppable. He is scheduled to fight the the veteran Jens “Little Evil” Pulver.
9. Norifumi “Kid” Yamamoto
Due to his aggressive, well-rounded style and controversial persona, Kid Yamamoto quickly gained popularity in Shooto, Pride, and K-1. At 17 wins and 2 losses, Kid continues to dominate the 155 lbs division.
8. Frank Shamrock
As a master of catch wrestling and kickboxing, Frank was the five time defending undefeated champion of UFC Light Heavyweight. He was also crowned a Interim King of Pancrase, and the current Strikeforce Middleweight Champion. He is scheduled to fight the San Shou fighter Cung Le.
7. Chuck “Iceman” Liddell
Known for his exceptional takedown defense and knockout ability, Chuck is among the feared strikers in the UFC Light Heavyweight division. His hands can put anyone to sleep.
6. Quinton “Rampage” Jackson
As the current UFC Light heavyweight champion, Rampage holds a record of 28 wins, 6 losses. Well versed in wrestling and boxing, Rampage is known for his power slams.
5. Anderson “The Spider” Silva
Laser-accurate punching, kicks, and knees have garnered Anderson Silva the UFC middleweight championship belt. Although known primarily for his skills in Muay Thai, Silva is also a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He is scheduled to fight the powerful Dan Henderson.
4. Georges “Rush” St. Pierre
GSP is the most well-rounded mixed martial artist, well-versed in kyokushin, wrestling, kickboxing, and Brazilian jiu-jitsu. This athletic, hybrid fighter is the interim welterweight champion of the UFC.
3. Randy “The Natural” Couture
His styles are Greco-Roman Wrestling, Submission Wrestling, and Boxing. He is a master of the clinch and dirty boxing. At 45 years old, Randy is still among the deadliest mixed martial artists in the world, defeating notable opponents such as Chuck Liddell, Tito Ortiz, Vitor Belfort, Pedro Rizzo, Kevin Randleman, Jeremy Horn, Gabriel Gonzaga and Tim Sylvia.
2. BJ “The Prodigy” Penn
Along with his strong striking skills, BJ is unmatched when it comes to jiu-jitsu. He holds notable wins over Matt Hughes, Takanori Gomi, Jens Pulver, Caol Uno, Duane Ludwig, Matt Serra, Rodrigo Gracie, Din Thomas, Renzo Gracie and Joe Stevenson. At this point, BJ is unstoppable.
1. Fedor “Russian Experiment” Emelianenko
Master of Sambo, Boxing, and Muay Thai, Fedor has been considered the best heavyweight fighter in the world for the last five years by many major publications, including ESPN, the Orange County Register, The Fight Network, the Houston Chronicle, and The Wrestling Observer. As of January 2008, Emelianenko has compiled an amateur record of seven wins without any losses, and a professional record of 28 wins, one controversial loss, and one no contest. Six of these wins are by knockout and fifteen by submission.
Muay Thai enjoys an increasing popularity as a competitive sport, form of self defense, and fitness exercise. Whether you’re a beginner wanting to get into shape or an advanced student ready to fight and hone your skills, Muay Thai is an efficient striking art that will develop your stamina, power, and techniques.
Rules
Thai boxing is subject to strict rules and regulations. Amateur and professional bouts are classified by weight divisions. Fights are carried out with 8-ounce gloves; heavier divisions use 10-ounce gloves. Athletes must use mouth guards, groin protectors, and sometimes elastic bandages around the foot joints. Amateurs must also use head guard and shin guards.
Required gear: 16-ounce gloves, headguard, shin guard, hand wraps, mouthpiece
Professional fights go through five rounds of 3-minutes each. Between rounds there is a 2-minute break.
The opponent can be hit, kicked, and pushed with any parts of the body except the head. The body weapons utilize by Muay Thai are hands, elbows, knees, and feet. An attack may not be directed toward the genitals, the back of the body, or the eyes. A down opponent cannot be hit.
Holding on to the ropes, or intentionally turning one’s back is not allowed; neither is tossing opponents with Judo techniques. Biting, spitting, and verbal abuse are also not permitted.
Ceremonies
Whai Khru and Ram Muay are dance ceremonies performed by the athletes before the fight. Whai Khru is a form of greeting that lets the fighters express their respect for the ring. It is followed by Ram Muay, which combines different dance styles. Through its performance, the fighters honor their trainer and their gym.
Stamina Training
As a physically demanding sport, cardiovascular conditioning are required to practice Muay Thai. The technique drills are enough to develop stamina, but pro fighters also train with running, swimming, bicycling, and other forms of exercises.
Power Training
Muay Thai requires conditioned trunk-muscles that are capable of withstanding many hits. Push ups, sit-ups and pull-ups are necessary to strengthen the stomach and the lower back muscles. Strong neck muscles are required to lower the impact of hits to the head.
Nutrition
For better energy, fitness, concentration, and recuperation, proper diet and food selection is a must. Eat complex carbohydrates, and avoid simple carbs found in sweets and soft drinks.
Basic Techniques
Punches
The punch techniques in Muay Thai were originally quite simple being crosses and a long (or lazy) circular strike made with a straight (but not locked) arm and landing with the heel of the palm. Cross-fertilization with Western boxing and western martial arts mean the full range of western boxing punches are now used (jab, straight right/cross, hook, uppercut, shovel and corkscrew punches plus overhand or bolo punches).
Jab
Cross
Hook
Uppercut
Spinning backfist
Superman punch
Kicks
The Muay Thai angle kick has been widely adopted by fighters from other martial arts. The angle kick uses a rotational movement of the entire body. The angle kick is superficially similar to a karate roundhouse kick, but omits the rotation of the lower leg from the knee used in other striking martial arts like Karate or Taekwondo. The angle kick draws it’s power entirely from the rotational movement of the body. Many Muay Thai fighters use a counter rotation of the arms to intensify the power of this kick.
Leg Kick
Body Kick
Inside Leg
Front Kick
Knees
The straight knee (also known as a front knee) is a typical knee strike, and involves thrusting the front of the knee into the head or body of an opponent. A flying knee (known as hanuman thayarn in Muay Thai, and sometimes called a jumping knee) is a knee strike very similar to a front knee, except that it is performed in stand-up fighting by jumping, and often by rushing towards the opponent.
Stright Knee
Flying Knee
Elbows
The elbow can be used in seven ways: horizontal, diagonal-upwards, diagonal-downwards, uppercut, downward, backward-spinning and flying. From the side it can be used as either a finishing move or as a way to cut the opponent’s eyebrow so that blood might block his vision. The blood also raises the opponent’s awareness of being hurt which could affect his performance. This is the most common way of using the elbow. The diagonal elbows are faster than the other forms, but are less powerful. The uppercut and flying elbows are the most powerful, but are slower and easier to avoid or block. The downward elbow is usually used as a finishing move.
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