Black Belt March 2021 by MASuccess

SPECIAL ISSUE BLACK BELT HALL OF FAME

What You Can Learn From MUSASHI

COBRA KAI

NEW PEARL GI

Exclusive Interview! Ralph Macchio, William Zabka and Martin Kove Talk

Cobra Kai

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FEBRUARY/MARCH 2021

JIU JITSU

FEB/MAR 2021

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BEHIND THE SCENES

“Jiu Jitsu,” Starring Nicolas Cage, Alain Moussi, Tony Jaa Mysterious Origins of the

FILIPINO MARTIAL ARTS MAR

N E W

L O O K

PRO FES S I O N A L- G R A D E

F R E E S TA N D I N G

B AG S

CHALLENGE ACCEPTED s e e t h e f u l l l i n e o f t ra i n i n g b a g s a t

C e n t u r y M a r t i a l A r t s .co m /co l l e c t i o n s /t ra i n i n g - b a g s

T I

F E BRUA RY/M A RCH 202 1 — VO L . 59, NO. 2

C R

ICONS OF COBRA KAI Black Belt gets within striking distance of Ralph Macchio, William Zabka and Martin Kove to learn their thoughts on the success of the first two seasons of Cobra Kai — and to find out what might be coming in Season 3.

2 a a

P E R

FEATURES

P E R

42 WRESTLING WITH THE DESCENDANTS OF GENGHIS KHAN

56 JIU JITSU

70 MYSTERY OF HISTORY

This thriller from the director of the

Although the Filipino martial arts rank

Antonio Graceffo, the martial artist who

rebooted Kickboxer movies stars Nico-

among the world’s most popular fighting

writes our Destinations column, travels to

las Cage, Alain Moussi and Tony Jaa. Our

systems, their origins are somewhat

Mongolia to tangle with some natural-born

reviewer describes it as an “atomic blast

murky. Presented here is an analysis of

grapplers. Before he leaves, he gives back

of martial mayhem” that mixes Predator,

the leading theories about where FMA

by teaching them MMA-style wrestling.

Alien, The Day the Earth Stood Still and Alice

came from.

50 MIYAMOTO MUSASHI

P E R P R

in Wonderland.

This iconoclastic swordsman won more

62 BLACK BELT HALL OF FAME

than 60 duels before middle age, then wrote

Get the scoop on the six men and women

the Book of Five Rings to pass his wisdom

who are being inducted into the world’s

on to all who would listen. Read some of the

most prestigious martial arts hall of fame,

“sword saint’s” most memorable quotes.

continuing a tradition that began in 1968.

DISCLAIMER: BLACK BELT MAGAZINE 1000, its owners, directors, officers, subsidiaries, successors and assigns, as publisher, do not endorse and make no representation, warranty or guarantee concerning the safety or effectiveness of either the products and services advertised in this magazine or the martial arts or other techniques discussed or illustrated in this magazine. The publisher expressly disclaims any and all liability relating to the manufacture, sale or use of such products and services and the application of the techniques discussed or illustrated in this magazine. The purchase or use of some of the products, services or techniques advertised or discussed in this magazine may be illegal in some areas of the United States or other countries. Therefore, you should check federal, state, and local laws prior to your purchase or use of these products, services or techniques. The publisher makes no representation or warranty concerning the legality of the purchase or use of these products, services and techniques in the United States or elsewhere. Because of the nature of some of the products, services and techniques advertised or discussed in this magazine, you should consult a physician before using these products or services or applying these techniques.

Photos Courtesy of Netflix

BL ACKBELTMAG.COM

F E BRUA RY/M A RCH

2021

W in m

THE MARTIAL ARTS SUPERSHOW IS PROUD TO ANNOUNCE

01 21

CYNTHIA ROTHROCK as the

2021 lifetime achievement award recipient Witness her induction into our legacy of individuals who have greatly impacted the martial arts during Opening Night, July 6, 2021.

P E R S E V E R E P E R S E V E R E P E R S E V E R E P E R S E V E R E P R E V A I L

Photos Courtesy of Netflix

S P O N S O R ED BY:

PR E SENTED BY:

Destinations: Antonio Graceffo (right)

18 KARATE WAY

28 SCREEN SHOTS

“When evaluating any aspect of a fighting art, we need to be very

As he reviews the second season of Warrior, the TV series that’s

clear about understanding what that art is for.” If you like those

based on a 1968 treatment written by Bruce Lee, Dr. Craig D. Reid

cautionary words from Dave Lowry, you’ll love the rest of his essay.

reveals its fascinating link to Chinese folklore.

20 FIGHTBOOK

76 BETTER BUSINESS

Wally Jay’s son Leon Jay is on a mission to spread small-circle ju-

Twice a month, Black Belt Hall of Famer George Kirby fires up Zoom

jitsu and small-circle judo. After you read about his credentials and

and conducts a virtual workshop for other sensei. Here’s his advice

his initiatives, you’ll agree that the arts are in good hands.

for those who are interested in doing the same to propagate their

22 DESTINATIONS Contributing editor Antonio Graceffo concludes his look back on a

78 STREET SPOTLIGHT

decade of martial arts travel by analyzing some of the trends he

The debate over what will and will not work in a real fight has raged

noticed while visiting various parts of Asia.

forever. Nevertheless, you’ll benefit from reading what Isaac Cos-

BL ACKBELTMAG.COM

24 FIT TO FIGHT

tley has to say about what makes one technique more or less valid than another.

Mark Hatmaker opens “11 Paths to Kidney-Punching Prowess” with a disclaimer reminding us that these techniques are illegal in competition but fair game on the street when you’re defending your life.

26 COMBATIVES Kelly McCann offers expert instruction in what he’s dubbed “crashing the gap” and explains the most effective way to follow up: with a full-bodyweight strike.

art during the pandemic.

8 EDITOR’S NOTE 10 TIMES 16 COMMUNITY 32 ESSENTIAL GEAR

80 BLACK BELT PAGES 82 FROM THE ARCHIVES

VOL. 59 No. 2. (ISSN 0277-3066, USPS 985820) is published bimonthly by Black Belt Magazine 1000 LLC. Advertising offices at 1705 National Blvd., Midwest City, Oklahoma 73110. Editorial offices at P.O. Box 20172, Sedona, AZ 86341. The known office of the publication is 1705 National Blvd., Midwest City, Oklahoma 73110. Periodicals postage paid at Oklahoma City, OK, and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Black Belt Magazine, 1000 Century Blvd., Oklahoma City, OK 73110. Customer service: (877) 784-7661. Subscription rates in the United States are one year, $34.99. Canada: $39.99. Foreign: $49.99 (U.S. funds only). The publisher and editors will not be responsible for unsolicited material. Manuscripts and photographs must be accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed return envelope. Printed in the United States. Copyright 2021 by Black Belt Magazine 1000 LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction without permission is strictly prohibited.

Photo Courtesy of Antonio Graceffo

F E BRUA RY/M A RCH

2021

DEPARTMENTS

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E D I T O R I A L

LIFE BEGINS (AGAIN) AT 60

lack Belt was founded in 1961. As you know, we just crossed over into 2021. Do the math — this means the world’s leading magazine of martial arts just turned 60. Sixty is a respectable age for any human being to reach. It’s even more respectable

for a consumer magazine, especially in the internet era. Look around. You won’t see a whole lot of magazines that are more than 60 years old. Scientific American, Field & Stream, Time and Sports Illustrated are four that come to mind. Most of the other titles that were founded before we were are long gone — or have abandoned paper for a purely digital existence. A lesser known but no less significant aspect of Black Belt reaching 60 is the special meaning attached to this age. In Japan, Korea, China and likely other Asian countries, turning 60 means you’ve completed one cycle in the grand scheme of life. The Japanese even have a word for it: kanreki. It signals the start of something new. For some of you, that second cycle has already begun, even if you weren’t aware of it when the calendar rolled over. For me, well, I’m not quite there. For the magazine, it brings the launch of a multipronged strategy for content delivery. As in the past six decades, we’ll continue to cover martial arts around the world — martial arts that exist in the dojo, in tournaments and in movies — through our magazine and books. However, our parent company Century Martial Arts is investing heavily in other realms, as well. They include new online martial arts courses (our latest one stars Mike Ninomiya, son of Sabaki Challenge founder Joko Ninomiya), a redesigned website with a vast archive and a user-friendly store, a revamped e-newsletter and a supercharged social media presence. We hope you enjoy all that Black Belt offers in this second cycle of our life. And we hope you have a healthy and happy second cycle, whether you’re already here or have yet to arrive.

BL ACKBELTMAG.COM

F E BRUA RY/M A RCH

2021

— Robert W. Young, Editor-in-Chief

Black Belt • MASuccess

END-USER

 One of the new initiatives at Black Belt HQ involves letting our readers know about products we’re fond of, products that might aid you in your never-ending quest for martial arts mastery — or just in your quest to get in shape. First up: Hit! Balm. These days, you can’t listen to a podcast or browse the web without running into testimonials about CBD, properly known as cannabidiol. To be honest, I was always a bit skeptical, in part because of the ubiquity of the stories. Well, that skepticism waned the day after I hyperextended two fingers on my right hand in a training mishap. It didn’t take long for the digits to turn purple and stiffen up, but I still could form them into a fist — roughly speaking — so I doubted anything was fractured. Before going to bed that night, I decided to apply some Hit! When I woke up, the fingers weren’t back to normal, but there was noticeable improvement with respect to flexion and swelling. I applied the ointment again that morning and that evening, and by the following morning, I was back in business — not yet sparring but able to resume exercising. It would take more than a week for the discoloration to disappear, but that was OK. Functionality was all that mattered. I now consider myself a fan of CBD and a big fan of Hit! More information: hitbalm.com

VOLUME 59, NO. 2 FEBRUARY/MARCH 2021

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Robert W. Young ADVERTISING MANAGER Donna Diamond COPY CHIEF Jeannine Santiago A/R MANAGER Jennifer Rozon ART DIRECTOR Paul Duarte DIRECTOR OF MEDIA AND PUBLISHING DEVELOPMENT Patrick Sternkopf VIDEO EDITOR Alec Sprinkle CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Floyd Burk, Mark Cheng, Antonio Graceffo, Mark Hatmaker, Mark Jacobs, Dave Lowry, Kelly McCann, Dr. Craig D. Reid, Keith Vargo CONTRIBUTORS George W. Alexander, Ph.D., Isaac Costley, George Kirby, Noel Plaugher, S.D. Seong

Black Belt 1000 1705 National Blvd. Midwest City, OK 73110 (866) 626-6226 Newsstand Distribution For more information about selling Black Belt magazine, contact MagDogs at (800) 365-5548. Back issues can be purchased from Palm Coast Data, (800) 266-4066

PRESIDENT & CEO Michael A. Dillard EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT David Wahl VICE PRESIDENT OF OPERATIONS Robert W. Young VICE PRESIDENT OF DISTRIBUTION Darren Chesnut VICE PRESIDENT OF TECHNOLOGY Mike Maloney

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F E BRUA RY/M A RCH

2021

REMEMBERED ON 80TH ANNIVERSARY OF HIS BIRTH

ovember 27 marked what would have been the 80 th birthday of

legendary martial artist Bruce Lee. Despite having died in 1973,

BL ACKBELTMAG.COM

Lee remains a pop-culture icon who still makes headlines nearly 50

years after his death. In October, his daughter Shannon Lee released her book Be Water, My Friend: The Teachings of Bruce Lee, which quickly became the No. 1 martial arts book on Amazon. Several weeks later, as the anniversary of his birth approached, Nike re-released its popular Kobe Bryant brand of Bruce Lee– inspired sneakers, while the Hong Kong postal service said it will release a special set of Bruce Lee commemorative stamps. — Mark Jacobs

1 1

Photo by Ed Pollard

MARTIAL ARTS NEWS YOU CAN USE. READ IT - KNOW IT - LIVE IT

“Bruce Lee” is a registered trademark of Bruce Lee Enterprises LLC. The Bruce Lee name, image and likeness are intellectual property of Bruce Lee Enterprises LLC. Photos © Bruce Lee Enterprises.

T I M E S

In what is probably the world’s most elevated martial arts school, a judo dojo has been established in Nepal on the slopes of Mount Everest. Built by a Japanese nonprofit organization in Khumjung Village, the school was erected at an elevation of nearly 4,000 meters above sea level, almost halfway up the world’s tallest mountain. Fifty tatami mats were brought in by truck and helicopter and then carried by students the last stretch of the way to the new school. The nonprofit organization, led by Olympic gold-medal-winning judoka Kosei Inoue, plans to send Japanese coaches to teach at the dojo and bring in students from across Nepal. — Mark Jacobs

POLICE SHUT DOWN UNDERGROUND FIGHT CLUB After apparently responding to reports of a large gathering that violated

TITO ORTIZ ELECTED TO CITY COUNCIL Known during his MMA career as “The Huntington Beach Bad Boy,” former UFC light-heavyweight champion Tito Ortiz was elected to the Huntington

COVID-19 restrictions, law-enforcement officials in New York discovered an underground fight club that was staging an event with 200 attendees, many of whom were unmasked and failing to follow social-distancing guidelines. New York City deputy sheriffs shut down the illegal club, billed as Rumble in the Bronx, and arrested 10 people believed to have organized the event. Rumble in the Bronx has developed a notable presence on social media and staged fights in other cities. Its next show was supposed to take place in Orlando, Florida. — Mark Jacobs

FRENCH WOMEN DOMINATE AT EUROPEAN JUDO CHAMPIONSHIPS

Beach City Council in Huntington Beach, California.

France prevailed at the 2020 European Judo Championships, recently held in the

Ortiz was the leader among the 15 potential

Czech Republic, where it claimed a tournament-best eight medals, including five

candidates for three open seats on the council

golds, by dominating the women’s divisions. All but one of the nation’s medals came in

with 34,901 votes.

the women’s events as the French captured five of the seven weight classes.

Ortiz, 45, identifies as a Republican and a Photo by Ed Pollard

“Bruce Lee” is a registered trademark of Bruce Lee Enterprises LLC. The Bruce Lee name, image and likeness are intellectual property of Bruce Lee Enterprises LLC. Photos © Bruce Lee Enterprises.

JUDO SCHOOL ESTABLISHED ON MOUNT EVEREST

The French were led by reigning world champion Clarisse Agbegnenou, who

longtime supporter of President Donald Trump. He

won her fifth European title by overwhelming the competition in the under-63-

was selected for the UFC Hall of Fame in 2012 and

kilogram class, winning all her matches by full ippon, the judo equivalent of a

last fought for the Combate Americas promotion

knockout. Several countries, including Britain, had opted out of competing because

in 2019.

of COVID-19 concerns. — Mark Jacobs

— Mark Jacobs

1 1

T I M E S

WORLD TAEKWONDO TO MOVE HEADQUARTERS World Taekwondo, the governing body for Olympic-style taekwondo, will move its headquarters to Goyang City, not far from its current location in the South Korean capital of Seoul. The organization’s President Chungwon Choue signed a memorandum of understanding to relocate to a 10-story building. The move is scheduled to be completed by 2025. The new headquarters will include training facilities, office space and a taekwondo museum.

F E BRUA RY/M A RCH

2021

— Mark Jacobs

PAN AM NO-GI COMPETITION CONCLUDES IN ATLANTA

Chinese tai chi master Ma Baoguo, 69,

Sumo Tournament with a playoff victory

who recently announced he was leaving

The International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Feder-

over Terunofuji. The pair had already met

the martial arts after suffering ridicule

ation recently staged its Pan American No-Gi

in the final scheduled match of the 15-day

because of a quick knockout at the hands of

Championship in Atlanta, Georgia, although with

event, with Terunofuji throwing Takakeisho

50-year-old amateur boxer Wang Qingmin

a field missing many elite grapplers because of

to the ground to win the bout and force

and who released statements claiming

the pandemic. The women’s black-belt compe-

the playoff, which resulted from both men

he’d been tricked into the fight, is facing

tition could muster only enough participants to

having finished with a 13-2 record.

censure from China’s state media.

But Takakeisho, 24, came out hitting in

Videos mocking Ma’s 30-second loss

the playoff, forcing Terunofuji out of the

had gone viral in China, drawing millions of

multi-time IBJJF no-gi world champion

ring to capture the championship, his sec-

views, but now Chinese social media sites

Lucas “Hulk” Barbosa win the heavyweight

ond Emperor’s Cup since achieving ozeki

Bilibili and Weibo are pulling most of them

class, while Abu Dhabi Combat Club world

status, sumo’s second-highest rank. The

down. Rather than trying to spare the con-

champion Kaynan Duarte took the super-

tournament, which had to be moved from

troversial martial artist ridicule, though, it

heavyweight title. The two teammates from

Fukuoka to Tokyo because of corona-

appears the move is part of an effort to limit

the Atos squad then met in the finals of the

virus concerns, was contested without

Ma’s presence online as Chinese state me-

absolute division, but they opted not to com-

grand-champions Hakuho and Kakuryu,

dia have accused him of “poisoning” China’s

pete against each other.

who withdrew because of injuries.

values through his grandstanding antics.

The men’s black-belt competition saw BL ACKBELTMAG.COM

MA BAOGUO REMOVED FROM SOCIAL MEDIA

Takakeisho claimed the November Grand

fill two of its scheduled seven divisions.

— Mark Jacobs

1 1

TAKAKEISHO WINS EMPEROR’S CUP SUMO TITLE

— Mark Jacobs

LONGESTREIGNING BOXING CHAMP FINALLY LOSES

LEDUC WINS AS BURMESE BOXING DEBUTS IN U.S.

RUSSIA DOMINATES WORLD SAMBO CHAMPIONSHIPS

Thailand’s Wanheng Menayothin, who

At the first significant lethwei, or

Russia closed out the 2020 World Sambo

was boxing’s longest-reigning cham-

Burmese bare-knuckle boxing, match

Championships with 17 gold medals. The

pion, recently lost a 12-round decision

contested in the United States, world

tournament, held in Novi Sad, Serbia, was

and his WBC strawweight title to

champion Dave Leduc of Canada defeat-

dominated by Russia, where the sport was

Petchmanee CP Freshmart in Thailand.

ed rival Cyrus Washington by verbal

created, with no other nation claiming

Menayothin, 35, came into the bout

surrender in Cheyenne, Wyoming. The

more than three golds.

having made 12 straight defenses of

two had previously fought to a draw in

his title over the course of six years.

Myanmar under traditional lethwei rules,

lone athlete from outside Eastern Europe

His 54-0 career mark entering the fight

in which no decisions are rendered and

to capture gold, winning the 100-kilogram

would have been the greatest unbeaten

bouts can be won only by knockout.

combat-sambo division with a strong

Cameroon’s Seidou Nji Mouluh was the

and untied record of any world cham-

The sport is contested bare-knuckle

pion in boxing history if he had retired

with only hand wraps used, and knees,

divisions in combat sambo, which allows

with it. Instead, he falls to 54-1 while

elbows and head butts all are allowed.

striking and grappling, and men’s and wom-

Petchmanee claims the championship

Leduc announced via Twitter he believes

en’s divisions in sport sambo, in which only

and moves to 35-1.

he broke his right hand during the fight.

grappling is allowed.

— Mark Jacobs

striking display. The event included men’s

— Mark Jacobs

CHINA SEEKS GREATER REGULATION OF MMA

The Chinese Wushu Association, which oversees martial arts in China, issued a call for wushu practitioners to avoid unregulated free-fighting events and to not represent their arts in such competitions. The announcement came on the heels of a notice from China’s main sports governing body, the General Administration of Sport, calling for greater regulation to improve the safety of MMA and other professional combat sports. In recent years, such events have become a hot-button topic in China with the defeat of several traditional kung fu masters at the hands of kickboxers and mixed martial artists in various free-fighting competitions. — Mark Jacobs

ADCC WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP POSTPONED The Abu Dhabi Combat Club Submission Wrestling World Championship, the most prestigious event in no-gi grappling, announced that it will postpone its 2021 tournament until 2022 because of the pandemic. Tournament director Mo Jassim cited the need to hold trials — several qualifying events have already been canceled — and a desire to have spectators at the championships as reasons for the postponement. The biennial tournament was originally slated for September 2021 in Las Vegas, but the ADCC now plans to hold it in early 2022. — Mark Jacobs

1 1

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Massachusetts Aikido of Bristol County 985 Monmouth St. New Bedford, MA 02745 (508) 542-9437 hatch121@aol.com

Sixkiller’s House of Kenpo Karate 1570 E Northern Ave., Suite B Kingman, AZ 86409 (928) 607-0021 sixkillerjr.jess@yahoo.com

1 Chace Rd., #9 East Freetown, MA 02717 (508) 542-9437 Tenshindojo1@gmail.com

California Blain Cort’s Total Self-Defense 2955 McMurry Drive Anderson, CA 96007 blaincort@gmail.com

North American Kyokushin Karate Association 70C Bananno Ct. Methuen, MA 01844 (978) 683-4287 oyama24@live.com

Golden Tiger Karate 9501 Flushing Quail Bakersfeild, CA 93312 (661) 345-4371 goldentigerkarate@yahoo.com Kuk Sool Won Rohnert Park Martial Arts 311 Professional Center Drive Rohert Park, CA 94928 (707) 494-1151 Kuksoolwonrp@yahoo.com

Borges Martial Arts 122 West St. Gardner, MA 01440 (978) 612-6272 info@borgesmartialarts.com

Michigan Allen Park Martial Arts Center 7318 Park Ave. Allen Park, MI 48101 (313) 928-5288 masterkevin@ allenparkmartialartscenter.com

Red Dragon Championship Martial Arts 1603 Garnet Ave. San Diego, CA 92109 (858) 263-4212 reddragonpb@live.com

Connecticut 2021 F E BRUA RY/M A RCH

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Ohio All American Martial Arts & Krav Maga Academy 4255 US Highway 1 South, Suite 4 St. Augustine, FL 32086 (904) 797-2262 lessons@ staugustinetaekwondo.com

Fugate�s Martial Arts Center 108 W. Ogee St. Tullahoma, TN 37388 (931) 454-9060 fugatesmac@earthlink.net

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BLACK BELT: Cool and casual! Can you name the occasion that brought @chucknorris and #DavidCarradine together for this photo? Noel Plaugher: The movie Lone Wolf McQuade. Has a great epic fight at the end, but I am still holding The Octagon as my favorite. (For more from Noel Plaugher, see this issue’s cover story.)

ON FEMALE FIGHTERS BLACK BELT: My favorite female film fighting (tie): Rene Russo in Lethal Weapon 3 and Linda Hamilton in Terminator 2. What about you? Lottie Dah: Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Or anything else with Zhang Ziyi and Michelle Yeoh (shown)

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F E BRUA RY/M A RCH

2021

David Rieger: Lady Street Fighter! By far the best for me Healthywarrior: Knife fight on train in Furie. Maria Emma: Rene Russo in LW3 always

ON A QUESTION WE POSED

ON A MOVIE BAD GUY

BLACK BELT: Can you iden-

BLACK BELT:

tify the person who said

Familiar face?

this? “Fighting always last answer to problem.”

Martin: I want Tong Po. Give me Tong Po!!

Frozen heart: Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita)

Emmanuel Manny Brown: That is

Galactose Intolerant: Every sensible person? 1 1

Michel Qissi.

Joe Rogan Photo by Fernando Escovar • Bill Wallace Photo Courtesy of Century • Ken Shamrock Photo by Ed Pollard

ON A MOVIE PIC WE POSTED

Chuck Norris and David Carradine Photo Courtesy of 1818 Productions • Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and The Karate Kid II Photos Courtesy of Columbia Pictures • Michel Qissi Photo by Cory Sorensen

C O M M U N I T Y

BLACK BELT: Bet you can’t name this fighter!

1WithTheFlow: @joerogan or his stunt double Roe Jogan. Todd Morgan: Joe I eat elk meat rogan ... awesome guy

ON A PHOTO FROM THE ARCHIVES Joe Rogan Photo by Fernando Escovar • Bill Wallace Photo Courtesy of Century • Ken Shamrock Photo by Ed Pollard

ON AN UNIDENTIFIED FIGHTER

BLACK BELT: Here’s a great photo

ON A CHALLENGE

from yesteryear! #Superfoot #BillWallace

BLACK BELT: We know you know this #martialarts icon! Carlos: He was a great inspiration for me when I started martial

Ken ;): Jigoro Kano sensei

arts. He was always in the combat Chris: Wonder if Kano would’ve agreed with the IJF’s

magazines I subscribed to every

restrictive rules. Alternative rules might be an answer,

month in the 80s. Front kick,

should it ever become more mainstream

roundhouse and hook kick ... Class!

ON A LEGEND

ON OUR HISTORY

BLACK BELT:

BLACK BELT: Do you rec-

Here’s an

ognize this East Coast

#MMA blast

#martialarts pioneer?

from the past! Joseph P. Rebelo II: Thomas M.

Aaron Banks: Goju-ryu

O’Brien: Ken

black belt, founder of the

Shamrock!

New York Karate Academy & creator of Oriental

Keitenrenbu:

World of Self Defense

Beastly!

event at Madison Square Garden! 1 1

W A Y

MARTIAL ARTS VS. FIGHTING ARTS

JUDO ISN’T REALLY GOOD FOR SELF-DEFENSE. TRADITIONAL KARATE COMPETITIONS THAT DON’T HAVE ANY CONTACT AREN’T VERY EXCITING. TAI CHI DOESN’T DO ANYTHING FOR AEROBIC FITNESS. TAEKWONDO IS JUST A SPORT. COMMENTS LIKE THESE ARE COMMON IN MARTIAL ARTS CIRCLES. OFTEN, THEY COME FROM THOSE WHO IMAGINE THEMSELVES MUCH MORE EXPERIENCED AND COMPETENT THAN PERHAPS THEY ARE. WHEN WE HEAR SUCH STATEMENTS, WE WOULD DO WELL TO CONSIDER WHAT IS REALLY BEING SAID. MORE IMPORTANT, WHEN EVALUATING ANY ASPECT OF A FIGHTING ART, WE NEED TO BE VERY CLEAR ABOUT UNDERSTANDING WHAT THAT ART IS FOR. BY DAVE LOWRY

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K A R A T E

ost serious practitioners under-

ness of the context in which Jigoro Kano

might be able to use a fish-filleting knife as an

stand the distinction between

created the art. He included numerous

emergency scalpel, but no one would argue

a martial art and a fighting art.

self-defense training methods within the

that because of his success, we can conclude

Martial arts are those disciplines that were

curriculum of judo, but his goal was not to

the main use of that knife is for surgery.

practiced by a warrior class or that have

create an art of self-defense. Rather, it was

Practitioners of an art often fall prey to a

evolved from those disciplines. Fighting arts

to generate and refine a physical, moral and

kind of narrowly focused thinking. They see

are those that were developed for reasons

social way of life centered around the prac-

in their arts so many layers, such complexity,

other than use on the battlefield: self-de-

tice of throwing and grappling techniques.

that they begin to understand that a study of

fense, sport and so on. So judo is a martial

What value may be taken from judo in combat

the art is a lifetime commitment. From their

art, descended from the grappling techniques

encounters in daily life is a good topic for

perspective, it seems like the art is limitless.

used by the samurai. Kung fu is a fighting

conversation, but don’t be confused — that

It begins to inform so many areas of their life

art, created for self-defense or for combat

isn’t judo’s primary purpose.

outside the dojo. These are revelations that signify some real growth and maturation

against bandits.

in an art. However, this also can result in an

Furthermore, it’s important to understand exactly what an art was designed for. No combat art, martial or otherwise, is without boundaries. All have more or less specific aims. Sometimes these might be multifaceted, yet inevitably they have limits. They must be judged by these aims and not by the wants or needs of those who might wish to pursue them. Classical Japanese martial arts — for example, bujutsu — do not have methods or strategies that directly deal with the threat posed by firearms. Guns, except those used in massed formations, played but a minor role during Japan’s feudal period. So it would be unrealistic to propose spending years in a dojo teaching 17th-century methods of fighting with a sword in order to learn how to defend oneself in an encounter with firearms. That’s an obvious example. Here’s another, less obvious yet frequently expressed: “Karate’s no good once you go to the ground or begin to grapple.” This may be true or partially true or true with some caveats. What is un-

It’s important to understand exactly what an art was designed for. No combat

that our art is simply all-encompassing, that it’s the answer no matter what the question. Tai chi has remarkable benefits. Among them is not aerobic fitness. It would be nearly impossible, no matter how one trains in tai chi, to raise the heart rate and keep it sufficiently high to affect one’s aerobic fitness levels. That is not the point or purpose of tai chi. Non-contact karate tournaments may

art, martial

not be all that exciting if you’re uninformed

or otherwise,

watch for, there’s plenty that is attractive

is without

about their intent — but if you know what to and compelling. Again, it’s important to understand that when we isolate the primary rationale for an

boundaries. All

art, when we describe its normal boundaries

have more or less

suggesting there are no alternative possibil-

specific aims.

tion to the need for young men, displaced and

deniably true is that karate evolved primarily

(which is to say its limitations), we are not ities for it. Taekwondo owes most of its creadiscouraged by war in 20 th-century Korea, to have an outlet for their energies. That’s not to say it has no other value.

as a percussive art. Some of its techniques Photo by Weblogiq/Shutterstock.com

attitude that leads us mistakenly to believe

Knowing what your art is for, why it was

may be employed to effect grappling methods.

Practitioners of these arts should under-

But the intent of karate is not about grappling

stand that these distinctions are not a crit-

is critical to understanding it and your

or wrestling. (It’s worthwhile to note that

icism. “You’re saying taekwondo isn’t useful

place in it. It is an essential part of one’s

Okinawa has its own indigenous grappling

on the street, huh? Well, I saw a taekwondo

martial education.

arts, ones with which most of the karateka

guy knock a robber out cold with a spinning

of Okinawa during the period when karate

back kick to the head!” I don’t doubt such sto-

Dave Lowry has written Karate Way since

developed would have been familiar.)

ries. The point isn’t that an art can’t be used

1986. For more information about his articles

for some other purpose than that for which

and books, visit blackbeltmag.com and type

it was designed. It can. A skilled surgeon

his name into the search box.

The charge that “judo is no good for self-defense” should be met with an aware-

created and the lines on which it developed

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LEON JAY IS OUT TO SPREAD SMALLCIRCLE JUJITSU AND SMALLCIRCLE JUDO FEW MARTIAL ARTISTS HAVE NOT HEARD OF WALLY JAY AND SMALL-CIRCLE JUJITSU. A MEMBER OF THE BLACK BELT HALL OF FAME, JAY WROTE MUCH ABOUT THE ART HE FOUNDED, AS HAVE NUMEROUS OTHERS. WHAT MANY PEOPLE AREN’T AWARE OF IS THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE SYSTEM THAT’S TAKING PLACE UNDER LEON JAY. BY JOHN MELLON

I first got to know Wally in the mid-1980s and Leon a few years later, and over the years, our conversations often centered on the futility of change for change’s sake. Each martial artist made it clear that developing technique is a process of evolution. If there’s no functional gain associated with an alteration, it doesn’t count as real development. The difficulty for many students in the 21st century involves reconciling the classical martial arts with the practicalities of modern life, including changes in lifestyle, urban population density, and differences in the types of weapons and attacks one might face. Few instructors are able to teach us to walk that tightrope between tradition and innovation. Leon Jay, however, is doing just that. Even better, he’s honest enough to acknowledge that he’s on a long learning curve. To assess his qualifications, you have to know his background. Leon was born in Alameda, California, in 1955. His father was Chinese-Hawaiian, as is his mother Bernice, who also has English ancestry. Despite his famous father, it was never a foregone conclusion that Leon would inherit small-circle jujitsu. The son had to earn his rank and his inheritance the hard way. In addition to his education in small-circle judo and jujitsu, which

s you may have guessed, Leon is Wally Jay’s son and suc-

started at age 2 courtesy of his father, Leon pursued other arts. He

cessor. He maintains the superior mechanics for which his

earned a first-degree black belt in Kodokan judo and taekwondo,

father was famed while continuing to refine the art in a way

as well as a third degree in kodenkan jujitsu, the system of Henry

his dad would have approved of.

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Okazaki, his father’s original sensei.

Photo by Cory Sorensen

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Leon was appointed headmaster of

Leon had already begun to investigate

every couple of days. In between, we talked

small-circle jujitsu a few years before his

Okinawan karate’s pressure-point fighting

endlessly of how to combine what we were

father passed away in 2011, with a mandate

and Filipino arnis through his exposure

learning about pressure points with the

to continue evolving the system. As a teacher,

to his father’s friends George Dillman and

already refined mechanics we had in small

he’s more explicit regarding the strategy and

Remy Presas, who as a group regularly

circle. Ed passed away, and I still feel his

tactics of the system and how they have con-

gave seminars as “The Big Three.” Presas

loss today. He was a great friend, an inspira-

tinued to develop.

was a particular favorite of Leon’s, and he

tion and a collaborator.”

“People make a lot of assumptions about

became a significant mentor to him. Wally

small-circle jujitsu — they think it’s all finger

already used a number of pressure points,

“Small circle has always been a small art

locking and palming and little else,” Leon

found by trial and error, to enhance the

in terms of number of practitioners, but

says. “The truth is that it’s a complete jujitsu

mechanics of the small-circle system, and

that’s because our technical standards are

system with all that entails, but like any other

Dillman was able to name and explain the

high, and we like to have a great deal of input

style, we have our own characteristic fight-

theory behind the refinements Wally had

to the development of a teacher,” Leon says.

ing style and approach to combat.

discovered. Presas loved to mix the small

“And that’s not going to change anytime soon.

“My dad would just pluck a punch or kick

circle into his superlative stick work, and

We’re about to relaunch small-circle con-

out of the air, but that was because he could,

he and Wally shared an obsession with the

cepts, which is a program to allow other styl-

and he could because he had trained in box-

flow of technique.

ists to acquire some of the core mechanics

ing and other arts prior to and alongside

and skills of the art without having to convert

his jujitsu and judo. The average person

to studying the whole system.

will struggle to do that without that same breadth of training, so we make sure that is present for the student. “If there is such a thing as a typical small-circle stylist, I would say we would

No matter how tight or how painful a locking technique is, the opponent

tiously in the U.S. We have some wonderful teachers associated with the system who are taking an active role in promoting small circle.” Leon says he’s also trying to return

prefer to operate as a counterfighter, allow-

will habituate to the

small-circle judo back to the prominence

ing our opponent to commit and then punish-

discomfort, and then the

it once had. “Personally, due to old injuries

ing them for it. We train for that by teaching the students a referencing system that gives

resistance is coming.

from an automobile accident, I can’t really perform the art to showcase it adequately, but two of the really great judoka my father

them multiple ways to punish and then cap-

trained, David Quinonez and Brad Burgo,

ture a limb. More importantly, it allows them As Leon traveled with his father on his

are still doing it and refining it continually.

seminar circuit, he befriended many other

They’ve started to teach at all our camps,

teachers associated with Wally’s partners.

which is wonderful because small-circle

not only being efficient in our mechanics but

When he wasn’t on the mat assisting his

jujitsu wouldn’t exist without small-circle

[also on] being able to adapt to resistance.

father, Leon would be behind the scenes

judo. It was my father’s proving ground for

No matter how tight or how painful a locking

experimenting with those martial artists.

the art; it’s where he developed and pres-

technique is, the opponent will habituate to

Many of them became future collaborators,

sure-tested many of his principles and his

the discomfort, and then the resistance is

and just like his dad, Leon is quick to give

technical developments.

coming. We circumvent this by maintaining

credit where it’s due.

to intelligently select the most likely technique to fit the situation. “Once we have contact, we concentrate on

each lock for only a few seconds before mov-

Photo by Cory Sorensen

“In the meantime, we are expanding cau-

“I take the same view as my father: I

“I don’t think we can go forward without bringing that part of the art back into its

ing to another, which is why transitional flow

wouldn’t be where I am now in my journey if

rightful place at the core of the system along-

was such an important concept to my father.

it hadn’t been for the quality of many of my

side finger locks and the like. It’s our roots,

Taking an opponent through several locks in

teachers, mentors, training partners and

and you should always appreciate where you

sequence — with no opportunities to escape

students,” Leon says.

come from.”

— is psychologically demoralizing.

“Back in 1990, Ed Lake, who I met on The Big Three seminar circuit, invited me to

John Mellon is the co-founder and joint head-

ground is another weapon, after all — then

teach seminars with him independently of

master of Small Circle Concepts. He also holds

we either walk away or pin. Throwing also

my dad,” he continues. “That was a turn-

teaching ranks in many martial arts and is

allows us to use the opponent as a weapon

ing point for me as a teacher. We spent a

the founder of the Munen Muso Ryu and Pindo-

when more than one attacker is involved.”

month touring the U.S. in Ed’s car, teaching

chin systems.

“We usually finish with a throw — the

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10 YEARS OF TRAVEL, PART 3

THIS IS THE CONCLUSION OF THE ESSAY A WANDERING WRITER NAMED ANTONIO GRACEFFO COMPOSED TO COMMEMORATE THE 10 TH ANNIVERSARY OF THIS COLUMN’S LAUNCH. IT PRESENTS HIS CONCLUSIONS REGARDING THE STATE OF THE WORLD’S MARTIAL ARTS.

FC commentator Joe Rogan has predicted that many traditional martial arts will eventually disappear as masters elect to teach only those techniques that work best in a fight. While this

may be a bit of an exaggeration, the trend around the world does seem to be toward students leaving the traditional arts and moving to MMA. A related trend involves more martial arts incorporating elements of MMA to make them more “realistic.” For example, numerous karate competitions in the countries I’ve visited now allow takedowns and submissions. However, most of these hybrid events have regulations to limit ground fighting, such as a 10-second ground rule to prevent matches from becoming MMA-like or just

BY ANTONIO GRACEFFO, PH.D. 2 2

another competition that’s dominated by “lay and pray” wrestlers.

Photos Courtesy of Antonio Graceffo

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D E S T I N A T I O N S

Brazilian jiu-jitsu likely will survive this

gone. Cardio muay Thai doesn’t do a lot of

only fighting, kata will go out the window,

transition — but without the gi. It’s possi-

muay Thai grappling, and most instructors

along with animal styles, weapons, demon-

ble that BJJ with a gi also will stay around

don’t organize matches. Interestingly, many

strations and so on. In many countries, this

because it’s favored by older students who

of the regular muay Thai gyms that organ-

leaves martial arts schools that teach only

want to remain in the martial arts for life, but

ize fights do so under some other rule set,

a mix of boxing, wrestling, muay Thai and

as time goes on, it will be harder to get young

which relegates the competition to just

no-gi jiu-jitsu.

people on board with uniforms.

another form of kickboxing.

by a kyokushin teacher in Kuala Lumpur,

Belts are one reason BJJ with a gi is surviving. Plenty of grappling competitors and

Tai chi will continue to exist around the

Malaysia. He said he couldn’t keep students

MMA fighters I’ve met abroad have excellent

world, mostly as a health-preservation art,

because his art is traditional, highly dis-

skills, but they don’t hold a belt because they

not unlike yoga. The philosophy and even the

ciplined, regimented and painful. He said

never trained in jiu-jitsu with a gi. If awarding

connection that tai chi had with combat could

students don’t like to wear a uniform and

no-gi belts ever becomes widespread, many

be lost, though.

practice techniques over and over. “The first

practitioners around the world will drop the gi completely.

The sad part about this shift, as well as the other ones, is that it means martial arts

time they visit a muay Thai gym, I lose them,” he said. “The muay Thai gyms play music. They are fun and social. There are girls

The same can’t be said for judo in foreign countries. The popularity of this art is

there. Everyone wears what they want. In

decreasing rapidly. Judo teachers complain

the dojo, everyone is wearing white. And if

that they have trouble keeping students. “No one wants to take a fall 300 times a night,” one lamented to me. In many countries, students who want to wear a gi and study a grappling art opt for BJJ. The evidence I’ve seen indicates that combatives and practical self-defense training are almost guaranteed to survive abroad. Likewise, taekwondo will continue to be

The evidence I’ve seen indicates

they decide to fight, there is a big audience and their friends come and cheer.”

that combatives

One can argue that both the fight sports and

and practical self-

the traditional martial arts teach discipline.

defense training are almost guaranteed to survive abroad.

Getting up every day, doing roadwork, engaging in strength training and hitting the pads are all part of that discipline. But the discipline of the traditional arts is unique because martial artists dedicate themselves to that

strong — because of children and its inclu-

life with no specific payoff. They just seek to

sion in the Olympics.

improve. Runners, swimmers, weightlifters, box-

Although the Olympics are the prime reason judo won’t fade away completely in any

are in danger of being judged based on their

ers and most other athletes are equally

country, the talent pool that many national

effectiveness in ring combat, not on their

disciplined and dedicated to hard training,

teams have to draw from is likely to continue

aesthetic qualities, the discipline they instill

but they have a plan to peak at a certain time

to shrink. This has led me to conclude that one

or any other benefits.

for a certain competition. The martial arts,

of two things will happen: Either judo teams

Photos Courtesy of Antonio Graceffo

This was evidenced by a comment made

It also means there will be fewer lifelong

however, have no peak. We merely hope to be

will be filled with wrestlers who have been

martial artists. Judging from trends I’ve

better next week than we were last week.

taught enough judo to compete — which is

seen, however, this likely would happen any-

And we hope to be better at age 60 than we

happening in much of Asia already — or BJJ

way because young people in many countries

were at age 20. And that creates a totally

practitioners will learn just enough judo to

are less interested in doing things and more

different mindset.

win on the ground. Either way, in many coun-

interested in playing games on their digital

tries, the essence of judo is in danger of being

devices. Furthermore, viewing a fight film

martial arts undergo any more of the

lost and the art permanently changed.

or watching an MMA match appeals to the

decline that can be seen in many nations

masses, while actually learning how to fight

around the world. It’s often said that the

will always appeal to a chosen few.

arts are an expression of human culture,

Around the world, muay Thai will survive.

and when we lose even one, we lose a bit of

However, it could be in the form of “cardio muay Thai,” which is popular in Asia. In a way, this is a bit of a blessing because

It truly will be distressing if traditional

Another unfortunate effect I’ve noticed is

who we are.

that as traditional styles diminish, students

it preserves the name of the style, but it’s

risk losing their connection to the Asian

Antonio Graceffo’s book Warrior Odyssey is

a curse because so much of the art will be

roots of their arts. If a new school teaches

available at shop.blackbeltmag.com. 2 2

F I T

T O

F I G H T

11 PATHS TO KIDNEY-PUNCHING PROWESS DISCLAIMER: IN THIS COLUMN, I PRESENT INFORMATION ABOUT THIS NOW-ILLEGAL FIGHTING TACTIC FOR A BIT OF HISTORICAL DELVING. FIRST THINGS FIRST, HOWEVER. NEVER USE A KIDNEY PUNCH IN AN ACTIVITY THATâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S CATEGORIZED AS SPORT OR TRAINING. THE RISK IS SIMPLY TOO GREAT. WHAT HAPPENS IN A SELF-DEFENSE SITUATION IS A HORSE OF A DIFFERENT COLOR.

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BY MARK HATMAKER

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iring shots to the kidneys likely has

must pinpoint the target area. Reach behind

cupping hand to deliver a percussive snap

been a feature of armed and unarmed

your torso with either hand and feel for the

to the target.

combat since human beings began

soft patch of skin beneath your ribs and

• Round 6: Lead Cupping Kidney Shot

walloping one another. Just when the term

above your hipbone. This tender spot on your

Surely you’ll be able to deduce this the me-

“kidney punch” became a thing is a bit unclear,

back about 3 inches away from your spine is

chanics of this variation.

but legend ballparks it on an early lightweight

the goal of the strike. One already can see that with the target

While the aforementioned methods could

being on the back, it was most likely off limits

rightly be called techniques, the following

in bouts that adhered to the rules of sports-

are more correctly thought of as strategies

New South Wales, Australia, in a town that

manship. But beyond accidental kidney punch-

for delivery, and for that reason they don’t

bore the colorful name Dark Corner. His par-

es and/or an opponent who “runs” (blatantly

warrant unique names.

ents had emigrated from England in pursuit

turns his back on his foe), there are a few

• Round 7

of the Australian Gold Rush.

sneaky ways to get this blow in.

While the preceding blows are a bit obvi-

champion of the bare-knuckle boxing era, a man named George Dawson. Dawson was born on October 7, 1867, in

• Round 1: Side Step and Dig With the

ous, the following will allow you to “hide”

early years beyond that he was encouraged

Rear Hand

your intent. As your opponent steps in

to try the sport after the death of his parents

Take a big outside step with your rear foot

with a long jab, hit in any of the manners

and he was rather active on the Australian

or, even better, make that side step 45 de-

described above. Timing the hit with your

scene during the 1880s and early ’90s. He

grees to the front. Throw a loose rear hook

opponent’s incoming movement gives the

boxed more than 292 rounds in his career,

toward the target. As your fist rounds the

appearance of an accidental blow that

and along the way, he picked up the light-

opponent’s torso, use your biceps to snap

overshot the “intended” legal target.

weight crown of Queensland in 1887 and held

the punch into the target. You will not have

• Round 8

the lightweight title of Australia from 1889

a clean shot at the kidney without this snap,

For this one, you hide the blow off a rear

to 1891.

so keep it intact.

straight thrown by your opponent. If he

• Round 2: Side Step and Dig With the

fires a lunging rear straight‚ sidestep 45

Lead Hand

degrees to the outside and forward as

Take that big sliding step forward and to

you dig in the punch using your opponent’s

the outside. Then snap that lead fist into

lunge as concealment.

being on the back,

the target.

• Round 9

• Round 3: Rear Thumb-Fist Kidney Punch

The kidney punch is easily fired from the

it was most likely

You can deliver this blow gloved or un-

clinch. Yes, it’s easily read, but on the

off limits in bouts

gloved. It is similar to Battling Nelson’s

street‚ that’s not an issue. In training, work

dig to the liver. Keep all your mechanics,

the heavy bag by effecting a clinch and then

including the step and snap, but this time,

snapping the punch into what would be an

make contact with the thumb side of your

attacker’s kidney area.

to the rules of

fist. The soft target area makes injuring

• Round 10

the hand unlikely, and the biceps snap

Follow the same clinching progression

sportsmanship.

feels a bit stronger with the hand in this

outlined for Round 9 but use a thumb fist to

position.

strike. This can be readily practiced using

• Round 4: Lead Thumb-Fist Kidney Punch

the same bag drill.

There’s not much known about Dawson’s

With the target

that adhered

This technique is similar to the “side step and

• Round 11

Dawson has been dubbed the “inventor” of

dig with the lead hand” except that it uses a

This move is a combination of the “cupping

the kidney punch, but this designation seems

thumb fist instead of a conventional fist.

kidney shot” mentioned above and the

to have come long after his career ended. An

• Round 5: Rear Cupping Kidney Shot

clinch. On the bag, you know what to do.

article from the mid-1930s titled “The Boxer

This sneaky little tool from the bare-knuckle

Once again, this version of the kidney shot

and Wrestler” declares Dawson the inventor.

era provides a surprising percussive wal-

— like the others — is illegal in competition

While it’s unlikely he invented it, indications

lop. Make a “cup” with your ungloved hand

but extremely effective when your life is on

are good that his reputation for using it was

as you would to bring water to your mouth

the line.

well-deserved.

from a mountain stream. Then use all the

Let’s have a look at a few applications of this mighty painful blow. First, however, we

mechanics described in “side step and

Mark Hatmaker’s website is

dig with the rear hand” as you allow your

extremeselfprotection.com. 2 2

C O M B A T I V E S

CRASH THE GAP, THEN STRIKE WITH FULL BODYWEIGHT!

I ALWAYS ADVISE COMBATIVES STUDENTS TO CONTINUOUSLY BUILD A GAP — A SPACE OR DISTANCE — BETWEEN THEMSELVES AND THEIR ATTACKER TO INCREASE THE POWER OF THEIR ELBOWS AND KNEES. HOW SHOULD YOU GO ABOUT DOING THIS? I’LL EXPLAIN.

2 2

Photo by Peter Lueders

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BY KELLY McCANN

aintain control of the other person

a head-on collision in which the aggregate

• More velocity. It’s essential to amplify the

and shove him away from you to

closing speed of both vehicles is much greater

speed that your body has when it crashes

build the gap. If you can’t push him

than in a crash with a stationary object.

into the attacker. It’s fearsome for an

away, push yourself away. Then violently jerk

You should strive to create head-on colli-

attacker to experience you literally explod-

him back into your strikes — in other words,

sions when you fight. You may be wondering,

ing off your back foot and into him. You don’t

“crash it.” If you can’t, yank yourself into him,

Yeah, but wouldn’t we both get hurt equally?

step into the attack; you detonate into it.

leading with a knee or elbow strike.

No. Because in this human example of a car

• Over longer distance. Build that gap like

crash, you’re colliding your knee or elbow

I said.

If you don’t create gaps, your strikes end up just pushing against your attacker rather

with your opponent’s unprotected face, ribs,

than impacting on him.

groin or thoracic cavity.

To better understand this concept, con-

strikes helps you establish control and dom-

sider a car crash. The worst type of crash is

inance over him by keeping him off-balance.

Continuously jerking an attacker into your

Here are some additional tips for executing full bodyweight strikes after you crash the gap: • Stay loose. Consciously avoid tightening up. Breathe. Be a little sloppy. Fighting is not like demonstrating a form for points.

Violence of action and putting your bodyweight behind each strike are critical to generating power.

When you stiffen up, your weapon speed is detrimentally affected and so is your reaction speed. Visualize your attack on the attacker; it helps lower your anxiety level. • Vault in the direction of your strike. Don’t step forward and pull your weight behind you. Instead, explode off your rear foot to propel yourself into the strike. Visualize attacking with your whole body. • Develop your footwork and timing. Ensure that your weight drops into your strike on impact, just as your lead foot lands. With

Don’t just jerk him around; that’ll deteriorate

some practice, this becomes second nature

into a struggle and it won’t hurt him. It’s what

and won’t require any thought.

you jerk him into that hurts.

• Load and unload violently. In addition

Photo by Peter Lueders

to making sure you move more mass at a Fighting is partly the application of

greater velocity over a longer distance,

physics. In the simplest terms, more mass

involve your hips and shoulders whenever

moving at a higher velocity over a longer

you strike. Maximize the transfer of kinetic

distance equals a greater impact. To take

energy into what you hit using rotational

advantage of this formula, you have to maxi-

torque. You generate torque by twisting and

mize each variable.

then untwisting your hips and shoulders.

• More mass. Always strike with your

• Visualize every strike as passing

whole body and not just with a limb. Explod-

through the attacker. No matter what

ing off your rear foot in the direction of

technique you throw, visualize it exiting out

your strike is called “vaulting,” and it’s far

the other side of your attacker like a bullet.

more powerful than standing in place and

If you don’t, you’ll unnecessarily limit the

hitting with only your arm. It doesn’t matter

depth of your strike, resulting in a surface

what impacts with your attacker — a knee,

impact rather than a penetrating blow.

elbow, fist or open hand — as long as it conforms to the principle of choosing the cor-

Kelly McCann’s book Combatives for Street

rect weapon. Violence of action and putting

Survival: Hard-Core Countermeasures for

your bodyweight behind each strike are

High-Risk Situations is available at

critical to generating power. In training, do

shop.blackbeltmag.com. For information about

it over and over until it becomes habit.

his online courses, visit madrills.com. 2 2

S C R E E N

S H O T S

BY DR. CRAIG D. REID

ccording to Chinese astrology, 2020 was the Year of the

scenes filled with pride-inducing symbolism. It was as compelling

Rat — which kind of explains the bad luck we all had! Turns

as it was moving.

out rats are not compatible with and can be countered by

mass-lynched Chinese in 1871 in Los Angeles — when killing a

of Fury in 1972, he gave legitimacy to kung fu cinema, as well as

Chinese national resulted in nothing more severe than a $12 fine.

a sense of identity to Asian-Americans and Chinese. Lee, while

When Warrior recreated this Chinatown, it had two tongs unite to

living and after passing, has done more to spread martial arts

defend their people against a rampaging mob made up of bashing

than anyone in history. In my book, that makes him the GOAT, the

and mashing “fighting Irish” workers who had been incited by white

greatest of all time, in the martial arts world, and via several

government officials.

projects inspired by him, he managed to counter the rat that was

In the Cinemax series, Andrew Koji, who plays Ah Sahm, ponders

2020. Specifically, he did this through Enter the Fat Dragon, Paper

that as human beings, we’re all looking for peace and happiness.

Tigers, Be Water and the work that will be covered here: the

Sadly, the closest the character gets to that is in Episode 5 in Sea-

poignant second season of Warrior.

son 1, when he samples a simple life and his heart longs to have a

Season 2 shocked the psyche of viewers with snippets of forgotten Chinese-American history that rival the internment of Japa-

2 2

One such scene is a re-enactment of when whites and Mexicans

goats. Consider: When Bruce Lee enchanted the world with Fist

family. In regard to the battles that erupt when that simple life ends, Koji

nese-Americans during World War II and the lynching of Blacks in

said, “He no longer fights for ego; he fights for a bigger cause. He

the deep South. Sobering scenes in the season’s final two episodes

finds peace in using his skills for the greater good and transitions

manifested into a longtime-coming climax that had powerful fight

from being a selfish fighter to being a selfless warrior.”

Photos Courtesy of Cinemax

BL ACKBELTMAG.COM

F E BRUA RY/M A RCH

2021

HOW BRUCE LEE CONQUERED THE RAT

New Approach

olent Shu — for supremacy. Although Wu em-

The difference in Warrior is the tongs are

In a 2005 interview with Bruce Lee’s sister

peror Sun Quan allied with the Shu against the

defending China from foreigners, which

Phoebe, she told me that when she and Bruce

Wei, the Wu and Wei had a secret pact.

means Sahm must duel with their lead war-

were kids in Hong Kong, because of World

Back to Warrior: Season 2 is set in San

rior Dylan Leary — which is a battle fans have

War II’s aftermath, they were not allowed to

Francisco in 1878. It chronicles the battle of

anticipated since 2019. After engaging in a

spend too much time outside. Yet when Bruce

the Hop Wei tong, Long Zii tong and Fung Hai

brutal street war against the neo-Manchus,

did venture out, he’d rent kung fu comic

tong for control of Chinatown. It develops

Sahm deploys his signature weapon, the

books about Shaolin heroes fighting the evil

nunchaku. I won’t tell you how it unfolds.

Manchus who had subdued China. She said

However, I will tell you that the day after is

her brother also loved drawing kung fu deity Guan Gong, who’s frequently depicted with a red face and his signature halberd-like weapon, the guan dao. Warrior, adapted from Lee’s 1968 treat-

When Bruce did venture out, he’d rent kung fu comic books about Shaolin heroes

ment titled Ah Sahm, may have been inspired

fighting the evil Manchus

by those comic books. Set in the American

who had subdued China.

West in 1870, it has Sahm starting as a

even more riveting — and perhaps reflective of Lee’s love of drawing Guan Gong with his guan dao. Amid escalation in the tong war, worsened by the Chinese Exclusion Act and ferocious racial tension, Season 2 also features a murder mystery, more fleshed-out characters, sword-slashing assassins, misguided policemen and unexpected relationships in which

hatchet man sent to California to unite the

good begets evil and bad turns good.

tongs so they can help the Chinese overthrow

All this translates to more combative

the Manchus. While appearing to abandon that

into a tale of brotherhood involving Sahm,

storyline for Season 2, Warrior has stumbled

newcomer Hong and “tongfather” Jun of the

storytelling designed to accentuate these

on an approach that quite simply is amazing.

somewhat less-heinous Hop Wei. Although

nuances. The fights are shot differently, using

the Long Zii tong, headed by Sahm’s sister

wider angles, longer takes, new weapons,

the Three Kingdoms is a tale of brotherhood

Mai Ling and seconded by Li Yong (Joe Taslim),

chaotic crowds and various combative arts,

that involves Guan Gong, Zhang Fei and the Shu

have an uneasy alliance with Hop Wei against

making the season even more memorable.

emperor Liu Bei. Set in the Three Kingdoms

Fung Hai’s ruthless leader Zing (Dustin

era (220-280), the novel chronicles the battle

Nguyen), the Long Zii and Fung Hai have a se-

Nellie Davenport. She’s based on a real-life

of those kingdoms — Wei, Wu and the benev-

cret pact.

Presbyterian missionary who was a cham-

There’s also a new character worth noting:

Photos Courtesy of Cinemax

First, a little relevant history: Romance of

2 2

S C R E E N

S H O T S “Bruce is an iconic legend to me, and to be part of a show from his vision is priceless,” he said. “I’m honored to be a part of Warrior. It’s important to me. I’m from South Indonesia, where spirits are a strong part of our culture. I fully believe Lee’s spirit and blessing was always there and he was proud of his daughter, cast and crew.” Born and raised in small-town England, Anglo-Japanese Koji was just 10 years old when he discovered Tekken and Jackie Chan movies. Being picked on and not fitting in with either ethnicity taught him about racism — but didn’t defeat him. “I wanted to take care of myself, so every weekend, I traveled two and a half hours to

F E BRUA RY/M A RCH

2021

Shaolin Temple UK and studied with a hardcore san da guy and later learned taekwondo.

pion for Chinese immigrants. The mission-

episode, my homage to Enter the Dragon,

ary’s name was Donaldina Cameron, aka

it was a no-brainer to get involved. About

the “Angry Angel of Chinatown.” Throughout

the spirit? Never thought about it, yet when

up, except cross-cultural references.

her life, she helped liberate more than

Shannon [Lee] came to the set, it was a

It was through the process of [making]

2,000 immigrant girls and women from

reminder. Martial arts is a huge part of my

Warrior and studying his philosophy that

indentured servitude and forced prosti-

life, an anchor as I’ve aged and a foundation

I learned how he impacted all of us. He

tution.

for me as a human being and filmmaker.”

stood for individuals to honestly express

“I didn’t know much about Bruce growing

Born in Indonesia, Taslim was fortunate

themselves in whatever one does, and I felt

Top Tong Fighters

to have a dad who made him watch Amer-

that spirit from Lee on set. It alleviated the

In Warrior, each tong has a supreme fighter

ican Shaolin a number of times and then

pressure of being his character.”

who possesses exceptional skills — they’re

enrolled him in taekwondo, wushu and

Sahm (Koji), Yong (Taslim) and Zing (Nguyen)

boxing classes. Later, Taslim discovered

Dr. Craig D. Reid’s book The Ultimate Guide to

— and all personify different styles of com-

that his calling was judo, and he went on

Martial Arts Movies of the 1970s: 500+ Films

bat and are shown using different camera

to become a star judoka in Indonesia from

Loaded With Action, Weapons and Warriors

choreography created by Brett Chan. How-

1997 to 2009.

is available at shop.blackbeltmag.com.

ever, the actors’ storied lives and martial arts capabilities also prepared them to tackle the emotional challenge of walking the hallowed ground of what Warrior repNguyen, who grew up in war-torn Vietnam, lists as his first kung fu film 1973’s Blood Brothers. Before relocating to America, he watched a Bruce Lee movie and has “been growing with him since.” “I got into taekwondo via high-school wrestling, and when I moved to LA to be a director, my goal was to learn jeet kune do from guru Danny Inosanto,” Nguyen said. “When offered to play Zing and direct an

3 3

Photos Courtesy of Cinemax

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resents to Bruce Lee’s family and fans.

T H E R E S T FA L L I N L I N E . see the full line of training bags at

Photos Courtesy of Cinemax

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Photos Courtesy of Netflix

Get Within Striking Distance of Ralph Macchio, William Zabka and Martin Kove!

Photos Courtesy of Netflix

by Noel Plaugher

he third season of the martial arts megahit Cobra Kai is

it’s guaranteed to garner a legion of viewers starving for martial

scheduled to debut in January 2021 just days after this

arts action.

issue of Black Belt goes on sale. If the past two seasons,

Anticipating the demands of die-hard fans of Cobra Kai and The

which are currently streaming on Netflix, are any indica-

Karate Kid, we’ve assembled this cover story featuring Ralph Mac-

tion, the new season once again will show no mercy to the

chio, William Zabka and, of course, Martin Kove. Find out from the

competition and crane-kick all challengers in the teeth. After all,

mouths of the stars themselves what has gone into the making of a

Cobra Kai was one of Netflix’s top series in 2020, which means

modern martial arts classic.

Black Belt: Cobra Kai features a lot of action. What role has age played in your training and action scenes? Ralph Macchio: Stretching, stretching, stretching … Advil, Advil, Advil. Black Belt: Season 3 will be released in January. Will you continue to portray Daniel as long as there’s an audience, or is there a finite number of seasons that you’ll do? Ralph Macchio: We all feel the same. As long as the show is resonating and [the] stories feel organic with character growth arcing, we will aim to keep it In Cobra Kai, Ralph Macchio plays an older and wiser Daniel LaRusso, a martial artist who frequently

going. We love making this show.

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F E BRUA RY/M A RCH

2021

imparts the wisdom of Mr. Miyagi — and who still uses his teacher’s unorthodox methods to convey life businesses, martial arts Black Belt: Outside of preparation for the Karate Kid movies and

schools were hit hard by COVID-19. Do you think Cobra Kai will

the Cobra Kai series, have you trained in the martial arts?

help get students back into the schools when it’s safe?

Ralph Macchio: I did take some jujitsu lessons when I was around

Ralph Macchio: I think there will be an uptick in interest to study

10 years old. However, my true intro to martial arts came when

martial arts once schools begin to open. I think the series will abso-

I started on the original film during preproduction in 1983. Since

lutely be a shot in the arm of that industry with such a high viewer-

then, I have often incorporated some elements of martial arts into

ship of all ages. The Karate Kid universe will continue to be relevant

my workouts.

and drive that up even higher.

Black Belt: Was there a specific training routine you adopted to prepare for the new season of Cobra Kai? Ralph Macchio: For Season 3, I dove a little deeper into preparation training and conditioning as I had more fight sequences than in the prior two seasons. Black Belt: Do you engage in any additional activities to supplement what you do for the show? Ralph Macchio: Absolutely. I have done a lot of stretching, cardio and light weight training for conditioning and maintenance.

3 3

Black Belt: Like other small

lessons and martial arts morals to the next generation.

Black Belt: Will there be as much martial arts action in Season 3 as

still choose Mr. Miyagi’s old-school karate?

we’ve come to expect from Cobra Kai?

Ralph Macchio: I have always loved the philosophy associated with the

Ralph Macchio: More.

goju-ryu style, so that is where my loyalties lie.

Black Belt: Daniel has become the patron saint of bullied kids

Black Belt: For you, what has been the hardest move to pull off — in

everywhere. Has that made you feel obligated to be a representa-

either the movies or the series?

tive for making positive choices and choosing martial arts to deal

Ralph Macchio: I had a fake outside-inside tornado kick that I worked

with such situations? Ralph Macchio: I have always embraced the responsibility of paying it forward and carrying out the “fighting always last answer to problem” Miyagi-ism. Finding balance is also an element I take to heart in my own life. The empowerment you gain from the physical discipline of martial arts is something I enjoy and think is beneficial, as well. Black Belt: Now that Brazilian jiu-jitsu and MMA are so prominent, do you think Daniel would have embraced those styles in real life? Or would he

The empowerment you gain from the physical discipline of martial arts is something I enjoy and think is beneficial, as well.”

hard on for a sequence in Season 3. Tough on the groin! Everything is harder in your 50s. Black Belt: What has been the most satisfying moment for you while making Cobra Kai? Ralph Macchio: Too many to choose. To name a few, reconnecting with William [Zabka] and Marty [Kove] and breathing more life into these legacy Karate Kid characters, the pride I have in our young next-generation cast and keeping Miyagi’s spirit alive through the show.

3 3

In the Karate Kid movies, William Zabka portrayed bad guy Johnny Lawrence. In Cobra Kai, he adds depth to the character, who’s struggling to adjust to the 21st century after decades of being the archetypal bully.

Black Belt: Do you still practice tang soo do?

Black Belt: Cobra Kai is martial arts oriented but also dramat-

William Zabka: After The Karate Kid, I continued to train in tang soo

ic and comedic. Will the upcoming season be similar to previ-

do for a number of years on and off. I’ve tested to my second green

ous seasons?

belt so far. It’s great to be back at it.

William Zabka: I can’t reveal much on that, but I can tell you that Season 3 will continue to be dramatic, funny, unpredictable and full

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F E BRUA RY/M A RCH

2021

Black Belt: I’ve read conflicting things about the styles of karate

3 3

of surprises. It’s my favorite season so far.

used on-screen for the Cobra Kai system and for Miyagi-do. Are they tang soo do and goju-ryu, respectively?

Black Belt: Regarding the choreography, now that you’ve played

William Zabka: I believe so, and on the show, we build on those

Johnny Lawrence for so long, do you ever add or take out things

styles [with] a variety of creative ideas and disciplines. Audiences

you think Johnny would or would not do in a specific situation?

are used to more flashy martial arts these days, so we have fun and

William Zabka: I give my notes, but for the most part, I trust

mix it up, but the roots remain the same.

the stunt coordinators with that. They know my strengths and weaknesses and have great insight to the character. My chore-

Black Belt: Do you keep in touch with Pat Johnson, the martial

ography is designed with all that in mind. At the end, it’s a collab-

artist who trained you for the Karate Kid films?

oration, but they always find a way to challenge me — which I’m

William Zabka: Not as often as I’d like to, but I know he’s there if I

always up for.

need him and vice versa. He’s like a father figure to me — I’ve learned so much from him. I saw him last at the Martial Arts SuperShow in

Black Belt: Even with the most carefully choreographed fight

Las Vegas in 2018 when Martin Kove and I presented the Lifetime

scenes, there are bound to be injuries and/or accidents. How

Achievement Award to master Fumio Demura.

has Cobra Kai compared with The Karate Kid in that regard? Any memorable moments or scars?

Black Belt: How do you stay in “Johnny Lawrence” shape?

William Zabka: When we were filming The Karate Kid, I accidentally

William Zabka: Diet, conditioning and weight training with my per-

clipped Ralph with a round kick to his jaw in the fence fight scene.

sonal trainer Chad Landers and karate training with stunt coordi-

That was the only incident between us. We joke about it today, but it

nators Hiro Koda and Janelle Kurfman. Simon Rhee and Phillip Rhee

was a scary moment at the time. On Cobra Kai during my fight with

also work me out and help me get me into “Johnny” shape.

Marty Kove in the dojo, I jammed my big toe hard into the side of his

foot, and it got dislocated. I hobbled to a bench, yanked it back into place

Black Belt: Cobra Kai features a number of women studying the mar-

and continued the scene.

tial arts, but Johnny had some choice words in Season 2 when Aisha joined his school. For example, one of his comments was, “Women

Black Belt: Johnny seems to be rethinking the “no mercy” philosophy.

have tiny hollow bones.” As he evolves, will there ever be a female

With Cobra Kai focusing so much on Johnny, do you want him to be-

sensei in the Cobra Kai dojo?

come a follower of Miyagi-do or perhaps find his own philosophical

William Zabka: That’s up to the writers, but I’d love to see that happen.

place in the middle? William Zabka: Johnny could definitely use some Miyagi-do philosophy

Black Belt: The series is bringing the Karate Kid universe to a new

in his life, perhaps combined with his hard fighting style. He clearly

generation of fans. Will you ever spin off characters for movies or

needs to find his balance, but I think he has a long road ahead to find it.

other shows? William Zabka: The Karate Kid universe has indeed expanded, and it’s

Black Belt: The crane kick forever will be associated with Daniel. Is

still growing. The themes are universal, and the characters have be-

there a signature move that’s linked with Johnny?

come ingrained in pop culture. So, yes, I believe there’s good potential

William Zabka: The closest move I can think of might be the spinning

for more stories to be told down the line.

crescent kick Johnny used on Daniel in the fence fight scene in The Karate Kid. I used it again in Season 2 [of Cobra Kai] during the bar fight

Black Belt: Has the filming and preparation for Cobra Kai been im-

scene with the original Cobras. Whatever it is, it’s definitely not leaning

pacted by COVID-19?

face-first into a crane kick!

William Zabka: So far, it hasn’t really, thankfully. Season 3 was shot and edited before all of this started. Moving forward, I’m not sure how it

Black Belt: If the only choices you had were Cobra Kai and Miyagi-do,

might affect us, but I’m confident we’ll find our way. The good news is

which school would you send your kids to?

we have Season 4 on deck, and I can’t wait to get started.

William Zabka: My kids would learn to fight so they don’t have to fight, which is more Miyagi-do. Of course, that virtue can be achieved with

Black Belt: Do you have story arcs for future seasons written al-

any style given the right teacher.

ready? Where can we expect the show to go in the future? William Zabka: That’s a question for our show creators Josh Heald, Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg. They have the story mapped out for a long run. As long as the fans are responding, we’ll all get to see what’s coming together.

Johnny could definitely use some Miyagi-do philosophy in his life, perhaps combined with his hard fighting style. He clearly needs to find his balance, but I think he has a long road ahead to find it.” 3 3

Martin Kove’s darkly charismatic John Kreese is a unique 2021

blend of palpable intensity and subtle menace. As Daniel’s nemesis, Kreese is the necessary counter that makes the

BL ACKBELTMAG.COM

F E BRUA RY/M A RCH

Cobra Kai universe turn. When Kove, as Kreese, materialized from the shadows at the end of Season 1, fans were more than eager to see what Season 2 would have in store for everyone’s favorite, albeit notorious, sensei.

The martial arts groundwork for Martin Kove’s portrayal of John

when they were winning. He was neutral when they were losing. He

Kreese was laid while he trained with Tak Kubota for a film based

didn’t like it, but he never changed.”

on the book Lion of Ireland. The movie ultimately was not made, but it introduced Kove to martial arts weapons. “I learned all about kendo

training throughout the 1980s. He studied Okinawa-te with Gordon

almost before I had the foundation of karate,” he said. Soon after-

Doversola for his role in 1987’s Steele Justice. Although he’s mostly

ward, he was cast in The Karate Kid.

known for the empty-hand cinematic style of Cobra Kai, Kove’s

Kove was directed toward his now iconic portrayal of Kreese by John Avildsen. “All that venom from the first one came about because John Avildsen would say, ‘I don’t want the Marty Kove charm. I want death. I want just dark.’ “When I look back at that movie … the character wasn’t even happy when his kids won! He was just neutral all the time. He was neutral

4 4

After the first and second Karate Kid films, Kove continued

training has focused on weapons. “There was more sword fighting in there than there was handto-hand karate,” he said about Steele Justice. Although he didn’t get to showcase his weapons skills as much, those are what he prefers. “I really enjoyed Okinawa-te because it introduced me to a lot of work with [the] wakizashi and katana,” he

Sensei Kreese sticks to what he knows. He doesn’t vacillate much. He doesn’t change much in his ways because, basically, he was a tournament fighter.” said. “I like swords — I mean, I really do. I really enjoy weaponry more

“Hiro would train us separately, as well, so he would adopt a lot of the

than open-hand fighting.”

style of Pat Johnson because he knew we’d be used to it and he also respected Pat,” Kove explained.

Cobra Kai features a lot of action, which requires the actors to prepare for rigorous fight scenes. While ramping up for that, Kove got help from martial arts legend, actor, stuntman and fight choreographer Simon Rhee. “We worked with him, prepping Seasons 2 and 3, and it was terrific,” Kove said. The prototype for training actors on Cobra Kai, of course, was created by Pat Johnson when the original Karate Kid was filming. “He trained all of us separately, so Ralph and [Pat Morita] trained separately, and

The martial arts world has undergone a major upheaval since 1984, when The Karate Kid debuted, mostly because of the rise of MMA. However, we shouldn’t look for Kreese to enter the cage any time soon. “Just remember that he’s a traditionalist,” Kove said. “Sensei Kreese sticks to what he knows. He doesn’t vacillate much. He doesn’t change much in his ways because, basically, he was a tournament fighter.” That formula — which revolves around keeping everything in the

Billy and the Cobra Kai trained separately, and I trained separately for

universe created by the classic Karate Kid films — seems to be working

the movie,” Kove said. “And then we’d all train together if we were in the

fine for the Cobra Kai team. That means fans can rest assured that

scene together.”

whether the beloved characters are competing at the All Valley Tour-

In addition to the physical, Kove acquired other attributes from the

nament, meditating in a backyard temple or training at a dojo in a Rese-

tutelage of Johnson, attributes that would prove useful when he was

da strip mall, Season 3 will deliver plenty of excitement. They also can

building the iconic Kreese. “Pat Johnson is such a legend,” Kove said. “I

rest assured that John Kreese will be in the middle of it.

mean, Pat ran with Chuck Norris in the ’60s and ’70s in the tournament scene. I took [Pat’s] kiai, and I took some of his mannerisms.” Cobra Kai borrows heavily from that original formula, but it also depends on the work of Emmy-winning stunt coordinator Hiro Koda.

Noel Plaugher has studied martial arts for 30 years. He writes fiction and nonfiction and has published short stories and books, as well as numerous articles on health and martial arts. 4 4

Wres t ling Wi t h t he Descendan ts of Genghis Khan Black Beltâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Asia Correspondent Travels to Mongolia to Grapple! by Antonio Graceffo, Ph.D.

Dream Come True

I’d wanted to visit Mongolia for some time, but each year, it had proved impossible to arrange. This year, I decided to just go. I had contacts, three former classmates from Shanghai University of Sport, but none was in Ulaanbaatar at that moment. That meant I had no one to help me track down traditional Mongolian wrestling, the reason I’d come. I was confident, however, that I’d find a way. Outside the airport, I was accosted by people offering to serve as my driver. I turned them down because they spoke no English and I didn’t know if I could trust them. Finally, I met one named Aenk Bat who knew a little English. He volunteered to be my driver for the week, but I told him he could take me to the hotel and nothing more. In a new country where you don’t know the language, it’s always a good idea to let a driver know that you have local friends and then tell your friends the name of the person and license-plate number of the vehicle. So I called a university friend from Inner Mongolia, which is part of China, and had him talk to Aenk in Mongolian. Then I got through to a former Mongolian classmate named Zolar, and he spoke with Aenk. Now I felt safer. I was surprised when Aenk asked, “You know

“T here’s a saying on t he s teppes: When a boy is born, he’s a wres t ler.”

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player on the national team. When my other classmate Beida called, Aenk was truly impressed. Apparently, Beida was even more famous than Zolar and was the current coach of the national team. As we drove, Aenk said he could arrange camel and horse rides, yurt stays, hiking and sightseeing. I said I wasn’t interested. “What is it that you want to do here?” Aenk asked. “I want to wrestle,” I said. “Which kind of wrestling? International, traditional, sambo, judo

— what?”

ongolia is a landlocked Asian nation that borders two gi-

“Everything!”

ants, Russia and China. With just 3 million people spread

“Let me make some calls.”

across a territory twice the size of Texas, Mongolia has a

population density of just two people per square kilometer. As soon as I arrived in Ulaanbaatar, the capital, I realized how everything, apart from the land, is small. Genghis Khan Airport

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It turned out that my classmate had been a famous badminton

Tradi t ional Roots

I stared out the window, thinking how compact Ulaanbaatar is.

receives only about five flights a day from a handful of countries.

Drive 10 or 20 minutes outside the city, and you see nothing but

There are just three immigration kiosks. Once I got past them, I

grasslands. The impressions you get from movies and television are

stood in line at the only money-exchange booth. I handed the woman

true: Practically everywhere in Mongolia with the exception of the

$400 and she gave me bricks of Mongolian currency, the tögrög,

capital, people live in yurts with assorted animals, including horses,

which at the time had an exchange rate of 2,600 to $1. Finally, I’d

sheep, camels and dogs. National Geographic reported that even

achieved my lifelong goal of becoming a millionaire.

inside Ulaanbaatar, 61 percent of people live in yurts.

A quick glance at the paper money revealed the image of Genghis

To me, the city looks a lot like Eastern Europe or Siberia with

Khan. I thought, You know a country is badass when they put Genghis

plenty of small, prefab houses and ugly Soviet-style buildings.

Khan on their currency. Because the people obviously idolize him,

But the city is also full of great coffee shops and restaurants that

I figured I shouldn’t make any jokes about the fact that John Wayne

specialize in Mongolian, Russian, American, Korean and Japanese

had played the Khan in The Conqueror, considered the worst exam-

cuisine. Even in an upscale restaurant, you can get a huge meal for

ple of whitewashing in history.

$8. In the local joints, you can eat for less than a dollar as long as

Photos by Robert W. Young

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— Asashoryu Akinori

Zolar?”

you don’t mind the atmosphere, which resembles that of an East German workers’ cafeteria. We stopped at a mall so I could buy a SIM card, and a thought crossed

After some thought, he elaborated: “I don’t think it’s better. In America, we do mostly conditioning and very little technique training.” For lunch, we were invited to a coach’s residence. Turned out he lived

my mind: I’ve been in Mongolia for more than two hours and haven’t

in a yurt where he was training 20 young wrestlers. When we arrived,

wrestled anyone yet! Maybe it’s not all it’s cracked up to be.

several of the boys were outside boiling half a lamb over an open fire.

That errant notion was soon gone. Before Aenk dropped me off at my hotel, he said he could arrange a whole week of training for me. If he did that, I said, I’d hire him for the week. Deal.

The coach said they typically consume a whole lamb every three days. The atmosphere reminded me of a summer camp back in the States. When the kids get out of school, they live at this camp and others like

The next morning, I received a call from the former general secre-

it. There, they practice wrestling, eat meat, drink milk and dream of

tary of the Mongolian Olympic Committee, a man named Oto. Aenk had

growing up and winning the Naadam festival. Naadam actually cele-

come through. Within an hour, we were in a car on our way to a national

brates three sports — archery, horseback riding and wrestling — but

wrestling competition.

wrestling is the highlight. The overall winner is set for life. In addition to prize money, last year’s winner received cash gifts from sponsors,

Modernizat ion

I learned that Soviet-style sports halls stood all over Mongolia. Citizens

along with hundreds of sheep and horses, several cars and tractors, and three apartments. Mongolian-wrestling competitions don’t have weight divisions.

can go there to train in all the Olympic sports, but their favorites are

They do have two age categories, with 18 serving as the dividing line.

the fight sports.

That means a 9-year-old might have to wrestle a 17-year-old and a

Every Mongolian who grows up on the steppes spends countless

140-pounder might have to take on a 220-pounder. Therefore, it’s in the

hours riding horses and wrestling. As martial artists know, the

best interest of grapplers to gain as much weight as possible. Champi-

horse stance is one of the first positions taught in the dojo. It develops

ons usually tip the scales at 260 to 280 pounds.

strength in the thighs, as well as balance. But here, the people are riding horses for real and doing it every day as they tend to their livestock. Consequently, the locals are lean and muscular with powerful legs and amazing balance. On top of that, they possess decent wrestling skills, and this is before they ever try out for a wrestling team!

Mongolian archery is one component of this warrior culture.

Still a developing country where the average income is only $400 a month, Mongolia has a citizenry that frequently looks to grappling — wrestling, sumo, judo and so on — as a way out. In 2008 Naidan Tuvshinbayar became the first Mongolian to win an Olympic gold medal, which happened to be in judo. In 2016 the Mongolian national judo team won 11 medals at the Asian Judo Championships. Now a national hero and wealthy by local standards, Naidan still competes in Mongolian wrestling. When people ask him why, he said it’s because wrestling is his culture. Evidently, grappling is in the blood of every Mongolian, including the women. Although they’re not allowed to participate in traditional wrestling, many women seek to win gold in judo. At the 2016 Olympics, Dorjsuren Sumiya took a silver, becoming the first Mongolian woman to win an Olympic medal. Women also are beginning to do well in Olympic wrestling. At the wrestling competition, a heavyweight named Odgerel Batkhishig came over and spoke in English. He said he attends Northwest Kansas Technical College, where he wrestles. Later, I did some rePhotos by Robert W. Young

search and found that it’s a growing trend in the States for universities to recruit Mongolian wrestlers. Odgerel said he’d come home that summer to train with the national team and compete in the championships. He said he’d grown up doing traditional wrestling. I asked him if he thought the training in America was better, and he got a funny look on his face: “It’s wrestling. It’s the same everywhere.” 4 4

Many throws are based on lifting an opponent and tossing him.

Training Time

Similar to Greco-Roman wrestling, Mongolian wrestling has tech-

After lunch at the camp, we got ready to wrestle. The 230-pound

niques that use a knee assist to lift that opponent. This was not so

champion helped me get into my traditional outfit. The boots were

much the case when I wrestled the 18-year-old, but I witnessed

lightweight, flexible and made of leather. Someone said they’re

it later when I took on the adult heavyweights. It felt not like I was

standard issue for men who ride the grasslands. The sizes are inex-

levitating but like I was being levitated.

act, so you need to wear cushioned liners. Rather than having heavy uppers like Western work boots, they support the ankles with ties wrapped around the outside. The wrestling trunks are made of a material similar to canvas. It’s

tling, you lose as soon as any body part other than your feet touches

later. The upper consists of a half shirt that leaves the chest open.

the ground. For me, this rule eliminated about 70 percent of the

They say the Mongolian outfit permits about 30 grips. That number

throws I wanted to use. No sacrifices, no lateral drops, no throws

comes from numerous gripping holes in the back of the shirt and on

that required me to go to the ground. I don’t know that it mattered,

the sleeves. A rope holds the shirt together in the front — it’s pulled

though. My 18-year-old adversary probably had more experience

so tight that it can interfere with breathing. Not surprisingly, it

than most adults in other countries. I saw that every time he threw

provides additional gripping points.

me down and I was forced to do the hatless eagle dance.

Next, I was introduced to my 18-year-old training partner. both wrestlers wearing a hat on their way into a bout and doing

Finally, I managed to prevail in one bout. However, I suspect that the coach told him to let the old man win one. When we finished, the kids revealed that they compete in jiu-jitsu,

a traditional dance. Then they remove their head covering for the

as well. That illustrated yet another difference between shuai chiao

bout. Afterward, the loser — in this case, me — unties his rope. The

wrestlers and these youths. The Mongolians are warriors. They

winner puts his hat back on and does the dance around his hapless

see themselves as fighters, and they compete in multiple forms of

and hatless opponent.

combat. Oto said that the 230-pound champ here is also an All-Asia

Mongolian wrestling is more dynamic than Chinese wrestling,

2021

As in several other forms of Asian wrestling, in Mongolian wres-

sturdy enough to support the weight of a man — which I found out

Another wrestler taught me about the eagle dance, which has

F E BRUA RY/M A RCH

Technique Limi tat ions

champion in Brazilian jiu-jitsu.

called shuai chiao. The Mongolians are trained in wrestling without

To pay back my classmates for helping me with my nascent Mon-

the uniform, as well, and can do all the single- and double-leg take-

golian wrestling, I taught them some moves I hoped would help their

downs, body locks, clinches and bear hugs a martial artist is used to

ground game. They included basic wrist control and transitioning

seeing. While Chinese wrestling is all about finesse and technique,

from referee position to a choke. What I noticed then mirrored

Mongolian wrestling is much more about power. Sure, technique is

what I’d observed in other countries: As good as traditional wres-

important, but the power has to be there.

tlers are, they often have no ground-fighting experience because it’s not part of their art. When we finished, they set up a camp shower for me, a water

The author (left) and a wrestler in front of a yurt.

bladder suspended from a tree branch. It actually felt good to rinse off with cold water in the blazing sun, but I couldn’t help but wonder how they bathe when it’s cold — which is probably nine months out of the year. Once I was ready to go, Oto, Aenk and I returned to watch the finale of the tournament. Odgerel, the wrestler who was studying in

Ci t y Li fe

In no time, we were stuck in traffic again. Mongolia may have a population of just 3 million, but they all seem to drive at the same time of the day. During my trip, the congestion, coupled with the desolation, occasionally dragged me down. At the hotel restaurant where I ate, they apparently changed the tablecloth only once a week. I always sat in the same seat, but on this night, it was too dirty for me to work on my computer. I guess I had only myself to blame.

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Photos Courtesy of Antonio Graceffo

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America, took a silver.

with wushu, but China doesn’t really equal wushu. Wushu is practiced by a very small percentage of the population. In Mongolia, however, the fight sports and traditional wrestling are everywhere. The largest festival in the country is a wrestling festival. In 2011, 6,002 wrestlers competed at the Mongolian National Wrestling Match, which was subsequently recognized as the largest such competition in the world.

Training Op

The next day, Oto said he wanted me to have a chance to train in sambo but all the sambo guys were away to prepare for Naadam. The same was true of the sumo wrestlers. Instead, he arranged for me to work out with the national judo team. In most of Asia, it’s hard for me to find The hotel had about 150 rooms, but there were never more than four or five guests in the restaurant. Again, I noted how small everything felt. Alone in the restaurant, I pondered this unusual country. “I have conquered for you a large empire, but my life is too short to

heavyweights to train with, but here, I was confronted by a coach who apologized because he had only 15 heavyweights available that day. At the judo training center, I met Dash Battulga, head coach of the nation’s judo team. He led me to a training hall where the Mongolians were

take the whole world. That I leave to you.” The last words of Genghis

working out with several groups from Central Asia. It was an amazing

Khan to his son Ogedei, who expanded the empire his father built, in-

sight — 50 to 100 judoka on the mats, all black belts, all experts at the

spired the son to rule more than 25 percent of the earth’s population.

international level. Dash asked a couple of the Mongolians to roll with

Genghis Khan means everything to these people. And why not? He led a relatively small nation to build one of the largest empires of all time. And now his blood literally runs through their veins. Scientists have

me. Afterward, he did the same. Considering his age and the fact that he no longer competes, he was quite good. The next morning, Oto and Aenk took me to a larger wrestling

determined that 8 percent of men in the region share the DNA of Geng-

camp for heavyweight adults and teens. There, we grappled on the

his Khan. They are warriors. They live that life.

grasslands.

Mongolians, however, seem to balance the past with the present,

The Naadam festival was approaching, which meant most of the

their nomadic roots with the modern world. Even in the yurt, I had

country’s best wrestlers recently had competed for positions in this

faster internet access than at my school in China. On the other hand,

camp. They would live here for a month, training full time to prepare

everyone here slept and ate in a single room, showered outside and

for the competition. It was an exclusive facility. More than 100 wres-

used an outhouse. Aenk said that although a lot of people live in the city

tlers had applied but only 50 were chosen. The provincial government

during the winter, they hate city life. As soon as the weather warms,

provided the camp with sponsorship, which in Mongolia is measured

they return to their yurts.

in animals: 40 sheep and three cows. By the end of the month, each wrestler will have consumed close to one whole sheep and 36 pounds

Longing for Tradi t ion

At Naadam, the stakes are high. Winning the overall competition

When I caught up with Zolar and Beida, my friends from Shanghai Uni-

just once can change the economic future of the wrestler and his

versity of Sport, I showed them photos of me wrestling and eating in

family — for generations. Most of the wrestlers with a shot at winning

the yurt. Zolar became nostalgic. “I haven’t done this in so long,” he said

are huge because of the absence of weight divisions. I was easily

with sadness.

the smallest adult there. As they explained the various grips used in

In the city, I got similar reactions from Mongolians who wore suits Photos Courtesy of Antonio Graceffo

of beef.

Mongolian wrestling, I lost bout after bout. While this happened, an-

and ties and worked in offices. They became emotional, even teary-eyed,

other difference between Chinese and Mongolian wrestling became

when I showed pictures of us wrestling on the steppes. It was a life they

apparent: In China, a competent wrestler with no knowledge of how

longed for. Several times, I noticed that Oto had begun his explanation of

to grip the shuai chiao jacket or belt can still win with body locks and

someone’s behavior with “You see, for us nomadic people. …” Biologists

takedowns. But in Mongolia, the grips on the clothing and belt are so

would probably tell us that a few thousand years is not enough time to

strong that there’s no way to overcome them without specific techni-

change human DNA.

cal training.

It’s curious that more martial artists with an adventurous bent

One of the least-pleasant experiences I had in Mongolia occurred

don’t come here to train. Mongolia is an undiscovered gem that every-

here when a wrestler picked me up by my trunks and spun me around

one kind of knows about but really doesn’t. People associate China

like a pinwheel. It was bloody awful, but it was an actual technique. It 4 4

reminded me of a cross between a pro-wrestling helicopter spin

and then drill them 100 times, but they all want to move on to the next

and an atomic wedgie. It did, however, make a great video.

technique or just spar. It’s an uphill battle, and it was here, as well.

After a lunch composed of more meat, we headed back to the city

In the middle of some drills, one student stood up and said he

so I could rest before going to an MMA gym. There, I met a Mongolian

wanted to wrestle me. I’d had a similar experience with a Mongo-

MMA coach in his late 50s. I was impressed with how fit he was and

lian student in Bali. It was like he had to struggle every minute to

how well he moved. We did three rounds on the pads, then he put me

stay focused and not just attack someone, but at some point, he’d

on the bag for a few more. When I finished, he asked what I wanted

crack and just start shouting, “Fight, fight, fight!” It’s the Khan’s

to do. Of course, I said, “Ground fighting.”

blood, I suppose.

He looked a little embarrassed and spoke at length to Oto, who

Now, when a Mongolian challenges you, you have to accept.

then translated: “The club has no ground-fighting instructor. The

Which is why I said OK. He proceeded to defeat me — and then I

coach would like to know if you would be willing to teach.”

continued teaching.

This wasn’t something I’d imagined I would be asked to do, but when they gave me a shirt that said “COACH,” I couldn’t resist.

The next morning, we visited the national museum, where I saw more displays pertaining to Genghis Khan. I was in the middle of a biography of this man, and I marveled again at how, through

T he Challenge

Every time I’d done Mongolian wrestling, I got trashed. After getting tossed and beaten so often, I started wondering whether I had

sheer perseverance and a willingness to kill everyone in his path, Genghis and later Ogedei and Kublai had built the largest land empire in history. His strength was in the heart of that MMA fighter who challenged

anything to offer as a fighter. Then this happened. As I began con-

me in the middle of class. It was in the hearts of those boys who

structing a lesson plan, it occurred to me that Mongolian wrestling

were spending their summer in a yurt preparing to compete in

depends on grabbing clothing, which you can’t do in MMA. Also, their

Naadam. It was in the Mongolian men and women who are now win-

wrestling has no striking or ground fighting.

ning gold in judo, beating the Japanese at their own game. The spirit

I figured that even Mongolians who’d trained in international

of the Khan lives on.

wrestling would be limited in their submissions. And the Greco guys wouldn’t know how to use their legs. I’d trained at a Mongolian jiu-jitsu class earlier in the week, and they also outclassed me, but MMA is different in that you start standing up. And

F E BRUA RY/M A RCH

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there’s striking. And you really don’t want to wind up on your back. That’s when it hit me. MMA wrestling is a fairly unique and specific skill set. I was pleased to have something to give back. The next morning, I ran everyone through a 30-minute yoga routine before commencing our MMA class. They were skeptical at first, but I started easy. Whenever I take fighters through this routine, I see their the strength exercises and they struggle or collapse, and this group was no different. Afterward, I showed them the wrestling rationale for some of the yoga exercises we’d just done. One thing I always find difficult is getting students to drill. In many MMA facilities, they practice each technique only four or five times and then move on to the next one. When I teach, I want my students to do only two or three techniques a night 4 4

The author goes airborne courtesy of a mongolian wrestler.

Photos Courtesy of Antonio Graceffo

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expression change to buy-in when we reach

Photos Courtesy of Antonio Graceffo

Toshiro Mifune in Samurai Rebellion, Courtesy of Mifune Productions Co. Ltd.

He was an innovator, a maverick.

are confronted with pages of obscure epigrams and enigmatic

The structured forms of the traditional martial arts bored him.

was a follower of Zen, which stresses intuition over reasoning and

Discarding their outmoded model, he became the creator of a new

holds that it is best to make instructions vague so that students will

style based not on established techniques but on the realities of

search deeply for their meaning.

became a legend before reaching middle age. The name of the martial artist I’m referring to, of course, is

is harder still to read of them with understanding in an era so far

Miyamoto Musashi, a samurai swordsman who lived during the

removed from ours and in a culture so totally different. But to dis-

violent reign of Japan’s Tokugawa shoguns, a man whose real-life

miss Go Rin No Sho because of archaic style is a loss, for its lessons

exploits make the celluloid antics of the greatest action stars pale

are as applicable now as they were when the roving swordsman

in comparison.

extraordinaire wrote them.

Early Days

dous drive for excellence. Almost his entire life was directed to a

The son of a minor samurai, Musashi devoted himself early on to the

sole purpose: being the best swordsman possible. To anyone with a

art of kenjutsu and was rarely seen in his village without a wooden

goal of similar profundity, he advised, “Make your body like a rock,

practice sword in hand. He killed his first opponent, a renowned

and 10,000 daggers cannot touch you.”

master, at age 13 and soon afterward abandoned his family to lead them to Japan’s finest kenjutsu practitioners.

out a sword, and he often slept outside in rain and snow to harden centrated practice. His stone-like stoicism may be impossible to emulate nowadays,

ly, his supremacy in the art was obvious, even to a perfectionist like

but students should approach their workouts with the same inten-

Musashi, and he retired to a mountain cave, living as a hermit the

sity as Musashi, regardless of the time given them. Such devotion,

final months before he died. There, he wrote his book of strategy,

however, must not prevent an individual from acquiring other

titled Go Rin No Sho.

abilities. Musashi had little respect for narrow-minded budoka who followed that restricted way, and he extended his own interests

man whose heyday was three centuries ago, but the passage of

to painting and poetry and made a profession occasionally of the

years has not changed everything. Today, we still see judoka and

engineering trade.

karateka who are not so different from Musashi, people who give no 2 02 1

himself. Most important, he dedicated long hours to incessant, con-

blade, as well, and founded the Nito Ryu, or two-sword school. Final-

Some readers will see little relevance in the history of a swords-

FEBR UAR Y/ M AR CH

Developing a mind and body so impervious to harm led Musashi to adopt bizarre habits. He rarely bathed so as not to be caught with-

When his progress with the single sword was complete and his

B L A C K B E L T M A G .C O M

The real secret of Musashi’s success, of course, was his tremen-

a life of constant wandering, accepting challenges from and issuing

prowess was evident, he began using the samurai’s shorter second

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Second, Musashi’s methods were intensely personal, gained from a lifetime of experience, and relating them often proves difficult. It

“You shouldn’t have a favorite weapon. Avoid copying the style of

thought to bodily comfort, who seemingly live for the next tourna-

others, but strive to handle all weapons equally well.” When Musashi

ment with their every spare moment spent in training.

wrote this, maybe he was remembering his only defeat. Although

The question then is really, How is it that Musashi is remembered

he was matchless with the sword, the age of the bushi (warrior)

as the most popular folk hero of his country while modern counter-

spawned an endless variety of weaponry, and Musashi could never

parts are quickly forgotten by fans after, and sometimes before,

be sure what his next enemy would wield.

they retire from competition?

Once, he was challenged by Muso Gonnosuke, a man he’d fought

Perhaps the answer may be found in Go Rin No Sho, the Book of Five

before, an expert with the jo, or short staff. Although Musashi had

Rings, a mysterious text of swordcraft that Musashi wrote to explain

won in their initial meeting, the second match was long and hard.

his philosophy of combat. In Japan, the book is as admired by busi-

When Gonnosuke finally trapped Musashi’s blade, he spared his life

nessmen as it is by budoka. Executives use its precepts in corporate

just as Musashi had allowed Gonnosuke to live earlier.

dealings and in making their companies more efficient, for Musashi tionship and what applied in single duels was equally true in encoun-

Modern Applications

ters with thousands. With English-language editions widely available,

the competitor who familiarizes himself with other styles still has

all Western martial artists would do well to study Go Rin No Sho.

an advantage over those who limit themselves. It is common at ka-

Main Influences

rate competitions, for instance, to see contestants grappling inef-

Miyamoto Musashi was a practical man, so it’s natural to expect his

to use judo’s sweeps, though, and if a karateka has studied them, he

words to be simple and easily grasped. Instead, modern readers

or she will very often best an opponent ignorant of the art.

believed that what worked for samurai in battle worked in any rela-

Variety is no longer a major factor in martial arts tournaments, but

fectively, too close to apply karate’s moves. This is a fine opportunity

Photo by WorldPhotosadanijs/Shutterstock.com

combat he knew so well. With it, he won more than 60 battles and

advice. The reason for this is twofold. Like most samurai, Musashi

What would Musashi have thought of the impressive kicks and strikes seen in modern competitions? “To deliberate over many ways

by breaking the oar’s shaft over Kojiro’s head. Isao Inokuma, a Japanese and world judo champion, was heard to say

of cutting down a man is an error. Killing is the same in the end, for

that for all his wins and sixth-dan rank, he knew only about 50 throws.

those proficient at it and those who are not. We can speak of a few dif-

As those who fought him will attest, however, he knew them very well

ferent ways to do it, but defeating an enemy is the way, and there is no

and was able to apply them at the right moment. Like Musashi, he be-

need for much refinement of it.”

came a winner by adhering to basics.

Hundreds of kenjutsu styles began in Musashi’s era, with countless bamboo stroke” and “pear splitter,” cuts intended to sever a thumb or

Take-away Lessons

to be used while lying down or in a darkened room. Musashi saw them

martial arts, where competence is displayed at every workout in front

all and rejected them.

of teachers and classmates. Some budoka rely on stylish uniforms

techniques. There were sword cuts with exotic names like “Chinese

For him, winning usually meant killing, and he couldn’t afford to try

Belief in oneself is demonstrated in diverse forms, especially in the

to bolster their self-assurance, while others retreat behind a veil of

a cut just because it looked good. His legendary fights were invariably

Asian mysticism to make themselves more imposing. Contemporaries

won by employing his art’s uncomplicated basics, and in his most fa-

of Musashi tried these ploys, too, but for a man like him, who risked far

mous one, against Sasaki Kojiro, he approached his challenger with an

more than a deflated ego in being beaten, they were insufficient.

oar in hand — and killed the best-known swordsman of the day simply

For Musashi, unexpected threats, the trauma of ceaseless social

Photo by WorldPhotosadanijs/Shutterstock.com

This statue depicts a duel between Miyamoto Musashi and Sasaki Kojiro, which took place in Yamaguchi, Japan.

5 5

he lived is cause for him to be pitied. Filthy, unloved and alone, he serves a poor model after which a martial arts student might fashion his own career. Yet Musashi’s technical expertise has probably Miyamoto Musashi statue in Kyoto, Japan.

never been equaled. Among swordsmanship exponents today, he is still referred to as a kensei, a saint of the blade. So even if your way is judo, karate, aikido or something else, you can look to Musashi’s words of counsel from the distant past as they’re preserved in the Book of Five Rings: “By training, you will be able to control your body and conquer others with it. After enough practice, you may defeat 10 men with your spirit alone. When you have reached this level, will it not mean that you are invincible?” To reach that point, Musashi urged, “Step by step, walk the thousand-mile road. Today is victory over the self of yesterday; tomorrow is victory over lesser men.”

jealous rivals were common. He was forced to meet overwhelming troubles with daily equanimity, cultivating a philosophy of life that he likened to crossing a river: B L A C K B E L T M A G .C O M

“This means setting sail even though your friends stay on shore, knowing your course and the condition of your craft. If you attain this spirit of striking out, it will apply to everyday activities. Always take your own path in crossing the river.” A self-portrait of Musashi hangs in a Japanese art museum. From it, plainly dressed, hair wild and unkempt, a fearsome warrior glares with bulging eyes, his two swords at the ready. Looking at his fierce bearing makes one wonder what sort of person he must have been. Judged by contemporary standards, Musashi was doubtless a cruel man, and by any standards, the way 5 5

— George W. Alexander, Ph.D.

Photo by Doug Churchill

turmoil that infected Japan and even sporadic murder attempts by

Born: 1584 Died: 1645 First teacher: His father Most important teacher: Himself, via life experience First duel: At age 13, he killed a samurai named Arima Kihei. Famous bokken duels: At age 21, he defeated Genzaemon Yoshioka, his younger brother Denshichiro Yoshioka and his son Matashichiro Yoshioka. Lionization: He was not regarded as a hero until the 1920s, when Yoshikawa Eiji began writing about him in a Japanese newspaper. Retirement: He resided in a cave in Kyushu, where he wrote Go Rin No Sho. Musashi on strategy: “When you cannot be deceived by men, you have realized the wisdom of strategy.” Musashi on knowledge: “It’s difficult to know yourself without knowing the way of others.” Musashi on enemies: “The way of battle is the same man to man or [with] 10,000 on each side.” Musashi on broken rhythm: “Start your attack by being slow, then suddenly attack strongly to surprise your opponent.” Musashi on nature: “The way of strategy is the way of nature. ... Strategy conforms to the natural order of things.” Musashi on disillusionment: “There is no warrior in the world today who really understands the way of strategy.” Musashi on acceptance: “The way of the warrior is the resolute acceptance of death.” Musashi on life: “The approach to combat and everyday life should be the same.”

Photo by beibaoke/Shutterstock.com

FEBR UAR Y/ M AR CH

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Miyamoto Musashi: Fast Facts

Photo by Doug Churchill

Photo by beibaoke/Shutterstock.com

â&#x20AC;&#x153;The approach to combat and everyday lif e should be the same.â&#x20AC;?

5 5

Jiu Jitsu New Sci-Fi Thriller From the Director of the Rebooted Kickboxer Movies Stars Nicolas Cage, Alain Moussi and Tony Jaa! by Dr. Craig D. Reid

When I first heard about Jiu Jitsu,

ments like a teacher preparing a student for a grand performance.

must battle a psychotic alien every six years with the planet’s

In this case, that performance is a fight against an alien called Brax,

future for the next six years hanging in the balance, I thought,

a duel to the death that will lead to either the continuation or the

Who better to write and direct this sci-fi atomic blast of martial

destruction of the world as we know it.

mayhem than Dimitri Logothetis, the man behind the reimagined

2021

Kickboxer movies?

F E BRUA RY/M A RCH

Cage reveals the movie’s plot as he breaks down Moussi’s move-

a fantastical martial arts actioner in which nine heroes of Earth

“I don’t like exposition, but it’s needed — especially when you’re starting a motion-picture storyline like this,” Logothetis said. “The

Then my mind moved to martial arts folklore. The Chinese have

best place to do it is within an action sequence. Nic passionately

the 10 Tigers of Shaolin, and the Japanese have the 47 Ronin. Now,

embraces the genre, and when an actor is as brilliant as he is, he

thanks to Logothetis’ brainchild, the whole planet has the Nine

sells the story. His desire to channel Hopper, a man who’s lost his

Knights of Earth. Specifically, they are nine human beings who hail

mind in the middle of nowhere, was brilliant.”

from a variety of countries and are skilled in a variety of combative

Logothetis offered more insights into the film’s fighters: “It was

arts. It’s a brilliant way to depict a world that must unite against

important to have flawed characters, including Jake (Moussi),

alien domination, a sci-fi concept popularized by H.G. Wells in his

who does something that’s not in step with us as martial artists.

timeless novel War of the Worlds.

When we get bullied — in a fight, by our superiors, on social media

Jiu Jitsu, of course, ups the ante by using martial arts instead of high-tech weaponry for its battles. That allows the film to present

— we feel like we can’t react, and we want to run. This is how the film starts.”

5 5

The Day the Earth Stood Still, along with a dose of mind-tripping a la

ETHOS

Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland.

Anchored by an extensive background that spans Japanese jujitsu, Brazilian jiu-jitsu and Thai kickboxing, Moussi is perfect for this

TALENT

role. His martial education started when his mother urged him to

One reason the film succeeds is Logothetis managed to pull a rabbit

learn jujitsu at age 7. Moussi found it uninteresting, so his mom took

out of a hat by bringing Nicolas Cage on board. Cage’s performance

over his membership.

evokes that of Dennis Hopper in Apocalypse Now with Cage creating

Although he recalls watching and enjoying The Karate Kid in

Mad Hatter moments that have the tone of a 1970s kung fu film. Dur-

1984, Moussi didn’t feel compelled to resume training until he saw

ing his long duel with Alain Moussi, star of those aforementioned

Bloodsport in 1988. That got him back in jujitsu. “My goal was to have

Kickboxer remakes, he engages in schizoid attacks — and manages

that physique and do those splits,” he recalled. “Dad introduced me

to deliver each martial move in a convincing manner.

to Bruce Lee, and I’d watch the Bruce Lee Box Set like mad. I also

Photos Courtesy of Dimitri Logothetis

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an intelligent blend of the frenzied insanity of Predator, Alien and

watched Wesley Snipes, Steven Seagal in his heyday and then Jackie Chan’s films.” That love affair with action cinema no doubt was part of the reason

storyline via a fight scene (Cage vs. Moussi), by devoting an unheard-of

Moussi embarked on a career in stunt work. From that base, he was

34 percent of the movie solely to martial arts action, and by setting a

able to level up to acting, including his starring roles in Kickboxer:

new oner standard by rotating two heroes (Jaa and Moussi) in and out

Vengeance (2016), Kickboxer: Retaliation (2018) and Kickboxer: Arma-

of the fight during the oner.

geddon (in production). And that made him a no-brainer for Jiu Jitsu. “Jake is a warrior and a coward,” Moussi said about his Jiu Jitsu

That gang of nine noble martial ministers that Moussi is part of in Jiu Jitsu is an eclectic coalition of both rising and established martial arts

character. “In regard to Brax, he has doubt, but it’s more about fear

stars, most of whom will use double weapons in their match against

of the fight’s outcome, and he doesn’t want to deal with it. Jake has to

Brax. They include Jaa, who is armed with tonfa; JuJu Chan, who car-

come to terms [with the fact] that he’s a coward and overcome his fear

ries a nunchaku; Frank Grillo, who wields knives; Marrese Crump, who

of this unwinnable battle and go all the way.

uses a pair of short spears; and the King Arthur-ish Moussi, who opts

“People can relate to that. I did when I trained so hard and when a kickboxing tournament was coming. I’d say, ‘I might embarrass myself. Maybe [I’ll] win, but I’m not expecting to.’ It can hinder your perfor-

for double swords. Each actor ably displays a skill set designed to fit his or her armament, and the choreography gives suitable credibility. “When you have a martial arts free-for-all, you have to come up with

mance — or you can use it to improve yourself. Acknowledging fear can

a story that stretches the boundary,” Logothetis said about the armed

enable you to be your best. [In the movie], Jake forgets who he is and

combat. “And when you add in science fiction, you really have to push

must rediscover who he was.”

the envelope even further.

Logothetis echoed that last sentiment: “With his cowardly act, he

Photos Courtesy of Dimitri Logothetis

He brought those directorial skills to Jiu Jitsu, further cementing his prominence in the genre in three ways: by revealing the film’s

“Some say Tony Jaa is like a video game; I say it’s supposed to look

must rise to the occasion and go back to his values, honor and code.

like that. The difference is my martial arts actors are authentic, real

This is the kind of morality I push forward. I love martial arts films

humans doing real things and not people drawn or manufactured on a

when lead characters are alone and decide to do the right thing, step

computer. When people digest that they’re all real humans, they get it.

up, be honorable and be willing to lay their life on the line.”

Furthermore, I’m able to give my martial arts actors the ability to do some of the wonderful things that they do on-screen.”

COMBAT Having earned a black belt in American kenpo and tang soo do, Logo-

ON ER

thetis is uniquely qualified to further elevate the stylized pugilism he

In moviemaking, you frequently encounter the word “oner” in reference

served up in the Kickboxer movies, which has led to him being dubbed a

to a long, unedited camera shot. Jiu Jitsu has a oner that runs almost

“martial artist’s martial arts film director.”

four minutes and features Jaa rescuing Moussi from a military en-

5 5

campment. Their escape scene is reminiscent of the oner used in

1978 Clint Eastwood flick. “I remember as a kid seeing Clint in Every

the 2017 Korean film The Villainess, which introduced pingpong-ball

Which Way But Loose,” he recalled. “It starred that monkey, punch-

camerawork. Logothetis, however, takes it to mind-boggling

ing into the camera and hitting this guy’s face. I liked the changing of

heights, yielding a visual masterpiece.

the POV of the fight and wanted to do something with it.”

To craft such scenes, he used a process that took full advantage of the talent of his team in Thailand, headed by stunt coordinator Supoj

POV camera is attached to his chest. In Jiu Jitsu, we see Jaa fighting

Khaowwong. Logothetis told them to pay no attention to what was

and assume it’s Moussi’s POV because he’s behind Jaa — then sud-

written in the script. Instead, he sent them fight clips from films

denly Moussi appears in frame and starts waging war. Jaa disap-

that depicted what he hoped to see in the oner. The team then shot

pears and then reappears. Moussi does the same. Then the two are

a previsualization, a moving storyboard, and Logothetis studied it

fighting together. Then apart. The viewer is left wondering, Wow!

before communicating any adjustments he wanted. By the time the

What the hell is going on?

crew showed up to rehearse for the shooting, Logothetis already had seen the sequences and finalized them. In Jiu Jitsu, much of that oner takes place on top of the walls that

and running away. You think, How did they have a cameraman leap, run and then fly behind Jaa and manage to capture all the fights and

an abandoned village in Cyprus with a broken wall and broken build-

stunts while carrying a 40-pound camera?

ings in between that was perfect for the village run. I told Supoj to

Just as Jackie Chan and John Woo view their action like a dance,

work the previs into the village set and rehearse for a week and a

what we see in Jiu Jitsu is choreography done as a dance with the

half. Elaborate support structures were built.”

camera moving through different POVs. It’s as if one dancer is being

platform high above the ground, the kind that high-rise window

2021

passed around to other dancers in a most peculiar way. It’s absorbingly cool and seamlessly pulled off. “It was challenging because stuntmen were falling off the plat-

washers use but without the handrails. Moussi bursts into frame

form that the camera had to follow and then snap back to other

from behind Jaa, and they start running along the platform. Large

fights,” Moussi said. “And then I’m jumping in and out of frame as the

plastic barrels block their way, and Jaa rolls over them as enemy

cameraman is also following the movements with a big rig on his

soldiers attack.

chest. Plus, on the day we shot it, we had to beat the sun. Tony and I

When I mentioned this sequence, Logothetis laughed and said this

F E BRUA RY/M A RCH

founded. The next thing you know, Jaa and Moussi are on the ground

raised and that challenged their balance,” Logothetis said. “I found

to another, like a parkour pro on speed. He lands on a narrow

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You keep looking for camera cuts, edit points or other forms of film trickery, yet there’s none. It’s one smooth take. You’re dumb-

surround the encampment. “I wanted to do something that was

The result: We see Jaa run and then leap from one rooftop

6 6

In that old clip, Eastwood’s fists come in and out of frame as if a

is where he was the one doing the channeling — an action clip from a

rehearsed it, then rehearsed with the stunt team and shot the oner in a matter of hours [in] four takes.”

BR A X

son. Wondering about the toll this must have taken on Moussi, I asked him

Key to the success of Jiu Jitsu is the villain, quasi-faceless, sometimes

if he sustained any injuries as his body absorbed the punishment.

invisible, frequently formless and always merciless. It seems that the

“For the final Brax fight, we did all the wire stunts in one day,” Moussi

less we know about the alien, the more we fear him. Brax is a predator

recalled. “I was still smiling at the end of the day, and I owe that to

looking to slaughter prey the old-fashioned way: through brutal mar-

my training. [While] doing jiu-jitsu, I did tons of throws and such. My

tial arts interactions. Many millennia ago, in an effort to ensure that

specialty is breakfalls, and over time, the body builds up. You develop

human beings were worthy as opponents, Brax’s race gave us jiu-jitsu.

a tolerance for high-impact throws. The muscles get stronger. That’s

That didn’t level the playing field; it merely made us harder to kill.

what my body has done and [why] I don’t get hurt.”

One reason for the inequity is Brax’s ability to shoot what appear to be laser shuriken from his body. He also can wield a sword that exudes

AT TITU DE

from his hand the way Wolverine’s claws do. Should a martial artist be

Whenever I write about a movie or TV show — which I’ve done for

on the verge of losing a death match with him, Brax will bow respect-

several decades now — I always make it a point to ask people the same

fully — and then ruthlessly eviscerate the hapless human.

question: “How have the martial arts influenced your growth as a per-

The actor inside the alien outfit is stuntman Ryan Tarran. According

son and as an actor?” I posed that very question to Alain Moussi.

to Logothetis, shooting must have been uncomfortable for Tarran, to

“You learn respect, how to be autonomous and how to take respon-

say the least. It was summer, he was wearing a full-body leather suit

sibility,” he said. “For me, martial arts help me maintain confidence and

and he reportedly shed 10 pounds of water a day. Yet Tarran was one

help me in my career as a business owner, stuntman and actor. As an

of the happiest guys on set. “He had a very positive attitude — he never

actor, it’s taught me how to set goals and how to break things down in

said no,” Logothetis recalled. “He knew he was a living pop culture that

order to achieve those goals, and that’s been the biggest win of all.

we were creating. We kept his face uncovered during the fights and used special effects to hide it.” Regarding the look of Brax, Logothetis noted his inspirations: “Alien is

“Many never talk about this, but you have to develop a thick skin, too. You never know who’s going to say or write something that you don’t like. Training keeps me positive and gives me a huge belief in what I’m

one of my favorite films. H.R. Giger designed the look of the alien. When

doing. I choose to ignore the negativity that makes no sense, and I have

he did Prometheus, I studied the spacesuits in both films, and that influ-

been able to sift through it [to find] the constructive criticism, then use

enced Brax’s costume. Tarran’s headgear is modeled after the alien’s

that to improve myself. Martial arts have given me this for sure.”

powerful robot in The Day the Earth Stood Still. I created a faceless alien, thinking the audience could insert their emotions into Brax.” Courtesy of Brax, Moussi gets tossed around like a rag doll, much like he did in Kickboxer: Retaliation while battling the giant Hafþór Júlíus Björns-

Dr. Craig D. Reid’s book The Ultimate Guide to Martial Arts Movies of the 1970s: 500+ Films Loaded With Action, Weapons and Warriors is available at shop.blackbeltmag.com.

6 6

What can be said about 2020 in retrospect that wasn’t lamented when the year was a work in progress? Likely not much. The one bright spot is that all the FUD — fear, uncertainty and doubt — didn’t stop martial artists from doing what they do best: representing the arts, serving as role models, helping those who are less fortunate, and meeting the needs of their students and followers despite lockdowns and social distancing. Since 1968, the magazine has paid tribute to these deserving martial artists through the Black Belt Hall of Fame, and this year is no different. Presented here are the facts and figures on the six men and women who from now on will be known as Black Belt Hall of Famers.

Man of the Year Base: Denver Joko Ninomiya Art: Enshin karate Before the UFC started, the Sabaki Challenge was regarded as the toughest competition in which a person could test his martial skill. Full contact, punches and kicks without pads, grabs and sweeps — all the techniques favored by martial artists and feared by their opponents. The event enjoyed this lofty status from the moment it was founded, and in the eyes of many, it still holds that position. The Sabaki Challenge is the brainchild of Joko Ninomiya. Born in Japan in 1954, he started his journey in judo. After earning his black belt, he switched to karate under Hideyuki Ashihara, who trained in kyokushin before creating his own system of ashihara. While rising through the ranks in ashihara, Ninomiya continued his judo Like most martial artists, Ninomiya respects the past, but he

considered the “Superbowl of the Martial Arts”: the All-Japan. Afterward,

doesn’t let it stand in the way of evolution. “During the pandemic,

kyokushin founder Mas Oyama paid him the ultimate compliment: “Joko

my father decided to incorporate newaza into the enshin curric-

Ninomiya is a real samurai.” Ninomiya then opted to leave behind the fame

ulum [and the Sabaki Challenge],” Mike Ninomiya said. “This serves

he would have enjoyed in Japan and settle in Denver, where he taught kara-

as a bridge to grappling for people who are used to striking and a

te in a local park until he could open his own dojo.

bridge to striking for grapplers who are used to the ground.”

Despite his deep roots in kyokushin and ashihara, Ninomiya never stopped

6 6

Thirty years ago, Joko Ninomiya told Black Belt that the Sabaki

analyzing his experiences in the dojo and at tournaments, and by 1988, he was

Challenge was “the premier test of a fighter’s skill and spirit.”

confident that he’d developed his own highly effective form of fighting. That

With the recent addition of ground techniques to the event and

marked the birth of enshin karate and, one year later, the Sabaki Challenge.

the art, his statement is more accurate than ever.

Photo by Ian Spanier

for the first World Open kyokushin tournament. In 1978 he won what many

Photo by Diana Ninomiya

and kyokushin training. In 1973 he was sent to New York in preparation

Woman of the Year Base: Huntington Beach, California Cris “Cyborg” Justino Arts: Brazilian jiu-jitsu, MMA In the October 2012 issue, the editors of Black Belt named the

they’re looking forward to resuming their training once the pandemic

toughest female martial artists ever to walk through the doors

has passed.

of BB HQ. The roster was augmented by a sidebar that named the

Pink Belt isn’t the only charity Justino donates time to. She also

toughest women who hadn’t yet come in. Cris “Cyborg” Justino was

works with Justin Wren, the Bellator heavyweight who founded an

at the top of that second list. “She’s definitely No. 1,” said Lito Angeles,

organization called Fight for the Forgotten to build wells in Africa so

author of Fight Night! The Thinking Fan’s Guide to Mixed Martial Arts.

locals have access to clean drinking water.

“Her skill set on the ground is reportedly excellent. She won the World Jiu-Jitsu Championship as a purple belt, and she won in Abu Dhabi.” Her skill set on the ground was excellent then, and it’s even better now. Justino has an MMA record of 23-2, with 18 of those wins by TKO. She’s been a featherweight champion in Strikeforce, Invicta, the UFC and Bellator. But being tough isn’t the reason Justino is Black Belt’s Woman of the Year. That honor grew out of her charity work. In 2015 she created a nonprofit called Pink Belt to fight for those who don’t have a voice of their own, she said. The organization supports women who are facing personal, domestic and health-oriented challenges and helps them overcome the associated adversity. Along the way, they get a taste of martial arts training, which, as we all know, can be life altering. who follow Justino’s lead Photo by Ian Spanier

Photo by Diana Ninomiya

In aggregate, the women are called the Pink Belt Army. Before COVID, they would attend training camps designed to cultivate confidence and self-sufficiency. No doubt 6 6

Instructor of the Year Base: New York, New York Gerry Chisolm Arts: judo, combatives, ninjutsu, Vee-Arnis-Jitsu Around the world, untold numbers of women have turned to

our replacements for the future. That’s what success looks like —

the martial arts after being threatened or victimized. That’s

when there’s another generation of girls and women to take our

the raison d΄ être for the arts, after all. A select few overcome such

place because when we lift up women, we’re invariably going to

situations and go on to teach others how to do so, and when they

lift the martial arts as a whole.”

speak to the downtrodden, their words carry much more weight than the words of men. One of them is Gerry Chisolm, aka “Lady Sensei.” Her path began when she found herself in an abusive relationship while living in North Carolina. She separated from the man, who promptly started stalking her. That continued for four years, eventually prompting Chisolm to relocate to New York. She immediately sought out self-defense instruction to complement the judo she’d learned as a child and wound up studying combatives with Ronald Duncan, an American martial arts pioneer who’s primarily known for ninjutsu. Noting that Chisolm was profi-

F E BRUA RY/M A RCH

2021

cient with knives, Duncan focused her training on the self-defense applications of the blade. Once she had mastered the curriculum — she’s a third degree — she began sharing with those in need. She works on a crisis-management team in a behavioral health facility, where she uses her skills to keep the peace when-

dan under Dan R. McEaddy, is the founding president of the Women’s Martial Arts Network. “We believe it’s just as important to celebrate that little girl who got her yellow belt as it is to celebrate the instructors,” she told Black Belt. “We’re actively trying to find

6 6

Photo Courtesy of Jack Felton

Chisolm, who also has a fifth dan in vee-arnis-jitsu and a sixth

Photo by Erskine Isaac @ iVisionPhoto.com

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ever possible.

Felton’s well-rounded skill set and extraordinarily high fight IQ make him a contender at any tournament he attends. “Jack is a sport-karate fighting legend who is revered for his knowledge of the game,” said Jackson Rudolph, Black Belt’s 2018 Competitor of the Year. “He has loyally represented Team All Stars for many years.” Prior to the pandemic, Felton was having a great 2020 season,

Photo Courtesy of Jack Felton

Photo by Erskine Isaac @ iVisionPhoto.com

Competitor of the Year Base: Tustin, California Jack Felton Art: American taekwondo Among those who follow the tournament circuit, the consensus is that

including winning the overall grand championship at the Compete

Jack “Iceman” Felton will go down in history as one of the greatest

Nationals and being the runner-up at the Irish Open. With COVID

point fighters ever. His martial arts career, which spans 26 years, already

having put a damper on martial arts competition, Felton, 34, has

includes world championships in the National Blackbelt League, the North

shifted gears from top-notch competitor to top-notch teacher.

American Sport Karate Association and World Association of Kickboxing

He now regularly shares his skills via virtual clinics, which he

Organizations, the leading entities in the competitive martial arts. He was

calls “Iceman Insight Training.” One can only wonder at the future

also a key member of the Los Angeles Stars in the World Combat League, the

sparring champions his outreach efforts are inspiring around

promotion started by Chuck Norris.

the world. 6 6

MMA Fighter of the Year Khabib Nurmagomedov Base: Makhachkala, Dagestan, Russia • Arts: MMA, wrestling, sambo, judo

The fact that Khabib Nurmagomedov is only 32 years old but already retired speaks volumes

about his MMA skill set. So does this: He was the longest-reigning lightweight champ the UFC ever had. And he was a two-time world champion in combat sambo, the version of the art that allows striking and grappling, as well as a European champion in pankration. All this has made him the most-followed Russian on Instagram, according to his website. Nurmagomedov began his martial education at the hands of his father, a combat-sambo coach. After that came wrestling — he evidenced his skills in a viral video that shows him as a child wrestling a bear cub. His interest in MMA, his website says, was kindled when he watched

a video of the fight sport. The rest is history. “Khabib Nurmagomedov is unequivocally in the top five poundfor-pound MMA fighters of all time — and arguably the greatest,” Lito Angeles told Black Belt. “He beat

F E BRUA RY/M A RCH

2021

everyone put in front of him and did so in dominating fashion. “He’s a true master of his craft as evidenced by the fact that even though all his opponents were very familiar with his ‘predictable’ fighting style. That style always revolved around blasting in power punches to take out his opponent while standing and/or use them as him down and then unleash a relentless ground-and-pound attack, yet no one came close to stopping him from executing it.” With a stellar record of 29-0, Nurmagomedov declared in October 2020 that he was retiring. It was right after winning his UFC bout — and not long before being selected as Black Belt’s MMA Fighter of the Year. 6 6

Photo by Mike Roach/Getty Images

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a segue to close the gap and take

LO O K S

L I K E

W E

O F

THE

A R E

B U B B L E G U M

ORIGINAL

B O D Y

O P P O N E N T

B A G

Photo by Mike Roach/Getty Images

CHALLENGE ACCEPTED

s e e t h e f u l l l i n e o f t ra i n i n g b a g s a t

C e n t u r y M a r t i a l A r t s .co m /co l l e c t i o n s /t ra i n i n g - b a g s

he was 9, and the youth was fortunate to have an instructor who encouraged him to get into teaching. Van Over earned his chops as a black belt and then an instructor before becoming a martial arts consultant. In 2004 he decided to strike out on his own and open a school called Premier Martial Arts. The knowledge he accumulated while working as a consultant enabled him to open additional locations in Knoxville. His next step was to follow the franchise model. “We learned very quickly that the success of Premier Martial Arts was replicable in new markets across the country,” Van Over writes on his website. “We had developed a business model that was different from anything in the martial arts segment. We standardized the curriculums for our customers, implemented best practices for hiring and retaining the best 2021

instructors, and created the branding and support infra-

F E BRUA RY/M A RCH

structure necessary to win new customers and find success over the long term.” PMA now boasts more than 90 locations across America. That extensive network is pos-

6 6

Business Leader of the Year Base: Knoxville, Tennessee Barry Van Over Arts: karate, krav maga, kickboxing, jiu-jitsu

follows a simple formula: Offer a quality product at a fair price and teach it in an environment that conveys to students all the ancillary benefits people expect from martial arts. On second thought, maybe that

As the founder and CEO of Premier Martial Arts, Barry Van

formula isn’t so simple. If it was, martial artists everywhere would

Over is one of the most successful — and influential — martial

be following in Van Over’s footsteps. But so far, none has been able

artists in America. His path to the top started when he fell under

to — which is why Barry Van Over is Black Belt’s Business Leader of

the spell of Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris. Lessons commenced when

the Year.

Photo Courtesy of Barry Van Over

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sible because the organization

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The Ongoing Search for the Origins of the Filipino Martial Arts by Mark Jacobs

lthough the Filipino martial arts rank among the

islands before the 20 th century. Numerous Spanish loan words have

world’s most popular fighting systems, their ori-

long been part of the native Filipino languages, and that could indi-

gins are murky, to say the least. Yes, a good deal of

cate a Spanish origin for some of the techniques seen in FMA. How-

material has been written on the topic, but most of

ever, it also could indicate only the general influence of the Spanish

what you read about the roots of kali, arnis, escri-

language on local Filipino dialects.

ma and so on is either conjecture passed off as fact or, in some cases, pure mythology. So rather than

Fencing

merely repeating myths, I will present what’s actu-

Both Spanish fencing and FMA use a sword-and-dagger combina-

ally known about the origins of FMA and offer a few new ideas about

tion, something that’s not common outside of classical European

how they might have developed.

fencing. Besides a handful of traditional Japanese kenjutsu styles

To begin, it should be noted that what we regard as FMA — those

are almost no other examples of combined sword-and-dagger

central islands of the Philippines — share many similarities. This

usage. This might point to some sort of Spanish influence on FMA, at

could point to a common influence, but it doesn’t necessarily mean

least as far as Filipino espada y daga training goes.

that they had a common origin. Such an influence could have come about in recent years after the arts had been established.

Spain

presented some convincing circumstantial evidence that Spanish swordsmanship was actually a foundation in the development of what became modern FMA. They argue this influence originated during the 17th and 18th centuries when the Spanish fought alongside residents

least as far back as the 16 th century, residents of what is now the

of the central Visayas Islands against raiders from the southern

Philippines possessed some form of combative ability. Case in point:

islands. But while there is evidence that Spanish priests of this era

The Filipinos mounted an armed resistance against early European

helped organize coastal defenses against the Moro pirates, there

explorers like Ferdinand Magellan (1480–1521).

doesn’t appear to be significant evidence that this defensive organi-

However, almost all societies back then possessed some level

2021

Researchers Ned Nepangue, M.D., and Celestino Macachor have

As for those origins, we do know from Spanish documents that at

of combative capability with weapons, which means this is not

F E BRUA RY/M A RCH

that make minor use of the long and short swords together, there

weapon-based arts that are found primarily in the northern and

zation took the form of training the locals in swordsmanship. One other interesting piece of circumstantial evidence that might

evidence of advanced martial arts skills, let alone anything that

point to a Spanish influence on FMA is the similarity between the

necessarily resembles modern FMA. The earliest Spanish accounts

stick-fighting styles seen in the former Spanish colony of Venezuela

actually describe the usage of arrows and spears — which are

and those found in the Philippines. Although this could be just a case of

not typically found in modern FMA — more than any other skill set.

similar weapons leading to similar usage, other systems making use

Beyond that, we know little of what pre-Hispanic fighting methods

of sticks — such as the African-influenced methods found in Trinidad

looked like in the Philippines.

— bear little similarity to FMA. But the Venezuelan styles do seem to

We do know that a good deal of Spanish terminology is used in modern FMA. Although this could indicate that Spanish colonizers directly influenced the Filipino martial arts, it’s unclear just how commonly Spanish was spoken by the majority of people on the

share a number of technical aspects with the Filipino systems, pointing toward a possible common origin coming from Spain. However, Ramon Martinez, a leading expert in classical Spanish fencing, says he sees no technical similarities between FMA or the Venezuelan stick-fighting systems on the one hand and classical Spanish fencing or most other historical European fencing on the other hand. While Martinez doesn’t completely on FMA, he says if such an influence existed, it probably came about more from Filipinos attempting to mimic European swordsmen rather than from direct instruction.

Throughout history, most societies developed some level of combative capability with weapons, but this is not evidence of advanced martial arts skills, the author says. 7 7

Photo by Rick Hustead

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discount the possibility of a Spanish influence

One researcher credits Dan Inosanto with having coined the term Filipino martial arts to refer to the fighting methods of the Philippines in a unified manner. So while the influence of classical European fencing on FMA is pos-

We also know that Lorenzo Saavedra, founder of the first club that’s

sible, it’s by no means certain. But would a Spanish influence on FMA

now claimed to have publicly taught FMA back in 1920, is alleged to have

necessarily have to come from fencing, or could there have been other

practiced with a French fencer while in prison. Interestingly, Saveedra’s

sources of inspiration?

Labangon club, and the Doce Pares club that later emerged from it, were originally referred to as fencing clubs. But current FMA practitioners

Theater

claim that use of the term “fencing” in the original titles of these organ-

Another possible source of Spanish influence is the performing arts —

izations was merely the result of following American conventions and

in particular, the Spanish moro y cristiano plays that sometimes depict

that the clubs taught native Filipino fighting arts, not Western fencing.

conflicts between Muslim and Christian warriors via stylized sword

Unfortunately, there doesn’t appear to be any evidence, photographic

fights. Local versions of these plays were performed in both the Phil-

or otherwise, of exactly what these early fencing clubs were practic-

ippines and Venezuela, so imitation or direct learning of the theatrical

ing, save that it involved the use of sticks. But whether they were using

fighting style could have influenced both forms of stick fighting. Sever-

sticks in the manner of modern FMA, using them in imitation of West-

al Filipino styles do, in fact, claim their arts were traditionally “hidden”

ern fencing or even using them for some form of stick dancing, a folk

in such shows (called moro-moro plays in the Philippines) and passed

art still practiced in parts of the Philippines, is unclear. In fact, there’s

down in this manner. But so far, there’s no direct evidence that Filipinos

no historical evidence for the practice of anything resembling modern

actually copied any fighting methods used in plays.

FMA in the early 20 th century.

In more recent times, though — starting in the late 19 century — we

Photo by Rick Hustead

do know that at least a few prominent mestizos (people of the upper

Arnis

classes who had Spanish and native Filipino ancestry), including Filipi-

Incredibly, there’s no direct evidence of anything like modern FMA that

no revolutionary figures Jose Rizal and Antonio Luna, trained in mod-

predates World War II. Even the little bit of documentary film footage that

ern forms of European fencing. While there are also claims that they

shows Filipino battalions going through bolo knife training with the U.S.

practiced native FMA methods, so far there is no historical evidence

Army during the war can’t be said to definitively depict modern FMA.

for this, and such claims may be the product of nationalistic mytholo-

In reality, the earliest indisputable evidence that shows what we now

gizing. It’s possible these men did learn some form of FMA, but the only

think of as Filipino martial arts doesn’t come until 1957 when Placido

available evidence — photos — shows them practicing Western fencing.

Yambao and Buenaventura Mirafuente came out with the first book on

At least one of these figures (Luna) was reported to have started a club

arnis. (A French documentary film circulating on YouTube, erroneously

to teach European fencing.

listed as showing arnis in the 1950s, is actually from 1962.) Although 7 7

the word “arnis” had been mentioned before this, notably in an early

the only significant group of martial arts still practiced anywhere

20 th-century Filipino poem, it’s not clear exactly what it was refer-

in the world that supposedly has roots dating back to at least the

ring to. According to FMA researcher and author Mark V. Wiley, the

early 20th century but for which there’s no solid evidence. Even in

term, originally arnis de mano, was used in the theater and not to

less-developed nations, where certain martial arts were generally

refer to a specific martial art.

practiced only by the lower classes in the early 20th century, there’s

This isn’t to say no evidence exists that indicates fighting arts were practiced in the Philippines during this era. There are photos

BL ACKBELTMAG.COM

F E BRUA RY/M A RCH

2021

and films of Moros, the Muslim residents of the southern Phil-

photos or noted these arts in newspaper articles or diary entries. For example, we have early 20 th-century evidence for martial

ippines, demonstrating local methods of weapons use, although

arts practice in then-obscure locales like Burma, Laos and Thailand.

this comes in the form of dance-like performances. Many of these

Yet no such documentation has been uncovered for the practice of

demonstrations focus on the use of the spear and shield, which are

something resembling modern FMA in the early 20 th century. This

not characteristic of modern FMA. And while renowned for their

leads us to at least consider the possibility that what we think of as

use of swords in combating American troops at the beginning of the

FMA simply didn’t exist before World War II. But if that’s the case,

20 th century, much of the Moros’ fighting seems to have been done

what did exist in the Philippines in this era?

with spears. In any case, since the southern Filipino martial arts are referred to as silat and typically believed to have come from

Roots

Indonesian silat styles, these performances can’t be said to truly

In his comprehensive and well-researched doctoral dissertation

represent modern FMA or even necessarily the source that modern

titled “Filipino Martial Arts and the Construction of Filipino National

FMA comes from.

Identity,” professor Rey Gonzales discusses how, in the early 20 th

Class

century, there were two schools of martial arts instruction in the Philippines. One is what he terms the “old school,” which used

How is it possible that what we think of as the traditional, native

weapons in a performance-based manner, either through tradi-

martial arts of the Philippines could have gone totally undocument-

tional dances, theatrical shows or solo demonstrations of martial

ed prior to recent years?

prowess. This method may have roots that reach back before the

Anthropologist/FMA historian Felipe Jocano Jr. believes it’s because before World War II, these arts were largely practiced by the

20 th century, although how far back is unknown. This is in contrast to what Gonzales has dubbed the “new school.”

lower classes, by people who typically were illiterate and had no

It began with the formation of commercial fencing clubs in the Cebu

access to photographic equipment. Therefore, they weren’t capable

area of the Philippines during the 1920s. But Gonzales, as well as

of documenting their martial arts practice. At the same time, Filipi-

Wiley, acknowledge that it’s uncertain exactly what was practiced

nos who were literate may not have considered the folk practices of

in these clubs. Although the descendants of the early organizations

the lower classes worthy of documentation. Thus, no record exists

say the clubs taught traditional FMA methods, which they claim to

of FMA being practiced back then, he says.

continue to practice to this day, as Gonzales documented in his dis-

While possible, this explanation is problematic in that it makes FMA 7 7

some documentary evidence, often from Western travelers who took

sertation, there’s a good deal of myth making and revisionist histo-

ry among modern FMA practitioners. So present-day accounts of what

another potential influence. Certainly the use of uniforms and ranking

FMA was like 100 years ago can’t necessarily be taken at face value.

systems in FMA stems from the Japanese martial ways. But organ-

While it’s possible that what was practiced in those early fencing

izational methods, ideals of warrior philosophy and some technical

clubs, in terms of technique, was akin to the old-school arts but taught

aspects of the Japanese arts may have significantly influenced FMA,

in a more modern manner, it’s also possible that it was to some degree

as well.

simply a bastardized form of Western fencing in which swords were replaced with sticks because of the lower cost and higher availability.

Conclusions

Then there’s the possibility that Western boxing, which was first intro-

A point that was mentioned earlier and must be addressed again is the

duced to the Philippines in the early 20 th century and became a popular

similarities among most present-day styles of FMA. About this subject,

sport there by the 1920s, could have influenced new-school ideas of

Gonzales asserts that it’s actually a relatively recent development

what a martial art should be and how people should train for it. Balin-

that’s manifested within the past 50 years, the result of attempts to

tawak arnis, a style that traces its roots back to the original Labangon

create a sense of Filipino nationalism among the diverse groups that

fencing club, does seem to incorporate a mix of boxing and stick-fight-

inhabit these islands.

ing techniques, but again it’s unclear just when such a boxing influence might have entered the system.

He also credits Filipino-American martial arts pioneer Dan Inosanto with having had a significant influence on this front because of his

Additionally, martial arts historian Joseph Svinth has speculated

cross-training with many instructors. Furthermore, Inosanto is be-

that other modern forms of entertainment, such as motion pictures,

lieved to have coined the term “Filipino martial arts” to refer to these

with their depictions of swashbuckling sword fights, could have had an

fighting methods in a unified manner.

influence on the new-school martial arts.

Finally, Gonzales also mentions that in his research, many of the

Although this new school seems to have been largely confined to a

modern FMA styles he’s examined in the northern and southern Philip-

small area of the central Philippines until World War II, according to

pines seem to trace their lineage back to the central islands. This could

Gonzales, the effects of the war in forming what we think of as modern

point to a strong overall influence coming from one localized region,

FMA may have been crucial. During this time, it’s possible that those

one that affected all modern FMA.

who practiced both the old- and the new-school methods could have

Of course, none of the theories presented here is definitive. They

come together in military units and exchanged ideas. The influence of

are merely possible explanations to help us better understand what

U.S. Army training also should not be underestimated. Wiley believes

remains the most mysterious origin story of any group of popular

it’s possible that the drills now commonly used in FMA may have their

martial arts.

roots in military training from this era. The Japanese occupation of the Philippines and the continued postwar interest in Japanese martial arts there can be considered yet

Mark Jacobs’ most recent book is The Principles of Unarmed Combat. His website is writingfighting.wordpress.com.

Of course, none of the theories presented here is definitive. They are merely possible explanations to help us better understand what remains the most mysterious origin story of any group of popular martial arts. 7 7

B E T T E R

B U S I N E S S

YOU’VE MASTERED ZOOM CLASSES — ARE YOU READY TO HOST A ZOOM WORKSHOP? THE WORLD CONSTANTLY CHANGES, SOMETIMES SMOOTHLY AND SOMETIMES IN SPURTS. LIKEWISE, THE ROLE THAT TECHNOLOGY PLAYS IN THE MARTIAL ARTS WORLD CONSTANTLY CHANGES. OFTEN IT’S GRADUAL, BUT OCCASIONALLY IT’S ABRUPT — LIKE WHEN A PANDEMIC STRIKES.

7 7

Photo by Cory Sorensen

BL ACKBELTMAG.COM

F E BRUA RY/M A RCH

2021

BY GEORGE KIRBY

’m fairly familiar with technology — I’ve

problems and answer their questions, they’ll

the option to cover the material you didn’t get

used it since the late 1980s to enhance and

be able to do a better job teaching their stu-

to in your next workshop. The key is to meet

expand my instructional programs — and

dents, and that benefits the entire martial

the needs of the participants, not necessarily

arts community.

to stick to the preplanned schedule. (Try not

it’s served me well. However, like most other martial artists, I’ve been challenged by COVID-

One of the best ways to encourage work-

19. And like most other instructors, I’ve found

shop participants to seek help solving their

myself wondering, What do I do now? How do I

problems is to ask them to suggest topics they

keep my students? Can technology help?

reflection on you. It’s not.)

wish to discuss before the session begins.

The final factor to consider is who will be

The most popular answer to that ques-

Then you can address those points and pro-

allowed to participate. Do you want to limit

tion has been to use Zoom or a comparable

vide solutions to the whole group, under the

attendance to just members of your dojo or

video-conferencing platform to deliver

assumption that other attendees are likely to

its parent organization, or will you allow

instruction to students who either elect or

be wondering about the same things.

participants from any art or school? Do they

are required to stay at home. Because many

Most of the time, you, as the organizer, will

have to be paying members of your organization, or can people attend for free?

of you have been doing this for nearly a year,

be able to address each point that’s brought

I won’t delve into the subject. Instead, I’ll dis-

up. Occasionally, an attendee will have more

cuss a topic that’s closely related.

experience in a specific area, in which case

atmosphere you wish to foster. As I noted

that person should be deferred to. As I said,

earlier, I normally have six to 12 participants.

the atmosphere should be one of give and take.

About half of them come from different ryu

Senior sensei around the world devote sig-

It all comes down to what kind of workshop

nificant portions of their professional lives

or arts. A few are senior students of mine,

to teaching other sensei the finer points of

and a few are not even members of my

their arts. I count myself among them in that I regularly hold give-and-take workshops attended by instructors, some of whom teach my art and some of whom teach other styles. These workshops tend to have a different format than Zoom classes that are aimed at

With the potential for differences among attendees, you should remember that the strength of this kind of workshop hinges on respect.

organization. And that’s OK. Different martial arts backgrounds can spark discussions on different approaches and lead participants to find commonalities. That said, with the potential for differences among attendees, you should remember that

students. The goal in a workshop is certainly

the strength of this kind of workshop hinges

to communicate technical details, but it’s also

on respect. Sometimes participants can be

about providing guidance on how to teach

Assuming you’d like to start holding

very frank; that’s fine, but it needs to be done

those details, as well as about being inclusive

online workshops, you’ll need to determine

within a bubble of mutual respect and cour-

and encouraging while reducing the feelings

how often and for how long. Remember that

tesy. This is the key to maintaining a give-and-

of isolation we all seem to be suffering these

instructors lead busy lives. Few of us live in

take atmosphere.

days. After all, if instructors don’t feel good

the dojo 24/7. Your workshops will have to fit

about their profession, their students won’t

into their schedules.

Clearly, hosting a workshop requires plan-

That realization is why I typically schedule

ning, flexibility and the willingness to manage

just two workshops a month, usually on Sat-

people who occasionally need to be reminded

such workshops is six to 12. This number

urday mornings. Mine are about an hour in

to be polite. However, if your goal is to expand

allows participants to feel involved and to get

duration — although some have gone as long

understanding of your art and help instruc-

to know each other better while keeping the

as 95 minutes, usually when a topic reso-

tors resolve issues within this framework,

sessions informal and conducive to the open

nates with the participants.

it’s worth the investment of time and energy.

feel good about their lessons. I’ve found that the optimal group size for

expression of ideas. This last point is par-

Photo by Cory Sorensen

to interpret a change in direction as a poor

Speaking of topics, it’s not unusual for a pre-

The ride won’t always be smooth, but it will be

ticularly important when you’re dealing with

planned topic to segue into an unanticipated

memorable, and that’s what you want because

teachers of other arts who don’t have the

topic. As the person in charge, you’ll need to

positive memories of your workshop are what

same technical background you have.

decide either to allow this to happen, assuming

will draw people back to your next event.

there’s interest among the participants, or to In any workshop, it’s essential to meet the needs of the participants, most of whom will

steer the workshop back on track. As a side note, know that going with the

George Kirby, 10th degree, is a Black Belt Hall of Famer and the founder of Budoshin Jujitsu.

be instructors who wish to learn how to

flow can be an asset because it shows partic-

His most recent book is Jujitsu: Toward

teach your techniques the right way. I always

ipants that you’re flexible. If such a diversion

One Technique. For more information, visit

tell myself that if I can help them solve their

causes your allotted time to run out, you have

shopblackbeltmag.com. 7 7

S T R E E T

S P O T L I G H T

THAT WON’T WORK ON THE STREET! IT’S SAFE TO INFER THAT EVEN BACK IN THE DAYS OF THE GREAT ASIAN DYNASTIES, THERE WAS SOMEONE POINTING AT THE TEACHER OF A KINGDOM’S ARMY AND SAYING‚ “THAT WON’T WORK IN BATTLE.” MARTIAL ARTISTS ARE KNOWN FOR BEING CRITICAL OF TECHNIQUES THAT ARE NOT INTRODUCED BY THEIR INSTRUCTOR, THAT WERE NOT CREATED BY THEM PERSONALLY OR THAT COME FROM OUTSIDE THEIR SPECIFIC SYSTEM BY ISAAC COSTLEY

nd so the debate continues in regard to what will work. Many techniques are taught, and for each technique learned, you’re sure to find

practitioners, instructors, masters and grandmasbegs the question‚ What makes one technique more or less valid than another for street application? The answer can lead to endless debate, but instead of arguing,

Three areas should be added to this list to increase the likelihood

let’s talk about the things most martial artists will agree on.

of success on the street: eyesight, breathing and balance. In simple

• Simplicity. Can a given technique be learned easily? If it takes

terms, if a person cannot see or breathe, it’s difficult for him to fight

months or years for students to become proficient, is that technique

you. In addition, if he’s been stripped of his balance, it’s tough for him

street-applicable? What would students do if they were attacked

to continue to attack.

tonight? It’s been said that a technique that’s 20 steps long allows

Clearly, techniques that are simple and direct — and that adhere

for 19 mistakes and 19 opportunities for the opponent to counter.

to these three areas — will be more effective if you have to confront

• Effectiveness. People disagree about what makes a technique

a threat on the street. Nevertheless, the discussion of street-ap-

effective. We’ve all heard that a spinning kick cannot work on the

plicable techniques leads some martial artists back to a question

street, yet we can find video of someone being hit with a spinning

that’s been asked for centuries: Which martial art is best?

kick. And we can find video of someone delivering such a kick and having his leg caught before being slammed to the ground. So is

beat Mike Tyson? Could Conor McGregor beat Floyd Mayweather?

kicking ineffective for the street, or is the person delivering the

(Well, we know this answer.) You can change the names to what-

kick doing so ineffectively?

ever you’d like, but the question remains the same: Which martial

• Direct approach. This often can be combined with simplicity. The

art is best?

more direct the defensive or offensive technique used, the higher the probability of success. 7 7

Could a karate guy beat The Undertaker of the WWE? Could Jet Li

What does this question have to do with street applicability? In reality, maybe nothing. Over the years, we’ve become good at

Photo Courtesy of Isaac Costley

BL ACKBELTMAG.COM

F E BRUA RY/M A RCH

2021

ters who say‚ “That won’t work on the street.” This

forced many traditional martial arts “mas-

coming from a certain style. However, it’s

ters” to open their eyes, to admit that there’s

online, that show one person beating another

doubtful that after executing — or being the

more to the world than just their system.

person when, in the blink of an eye, one par-

recipient of — a well-timed punch, kick, throw

(By the way, I’m not against tradition. My

ticipant lands a lucky strike that changes the

or joint lock, anyone ever asked what system

tradition is that we don’t focus on tradition,

course of the fight. Situations such as that

the technique came from. All that matters is

traditionally speaking, which in itself is a

are an argument for being direct in the tech-

effectiveness.

tradition, I suppose.) Even in the UFC, some

nique you use. The longer the fight, the more

rules were implemented. On the street,

probable it is that something will go wrong

What makes a certain technique effective

however, there are no rules except the ones

and lead to disastrous results for the person

on the street? One could argue many points,

that people impose on themselves.

who was defending himself.

including speed and timing, strength, endur-

So when no rules apply, when your life

Furthermore, the longer the fight and

ance, knowledge and emotional control (with

depends on your knowledge‚ what will work

the more forceful the strikes you land, the

respect to fight or flight). We’ve all heard that

on the street?

greater the chance that the opinions of

strength doesn’t matter in the martial arts,

witnesses will change from you being the

but ask a person who’s confined to a wheel-

defender to you being the aggressor. This has

chair if it does. Or ask a person who depends on a cane. I don’t believe that strength is the enemy. Rather, the usage of strength without knowledge and skill can be detrimental to success. One factor/ingredient that can lead to probable success on the street does not replace another needed factor/ingredient. To bake a cake, all ingredients are needed; the omission of one leaves you with nothing more than a mess. The same can be said about the ingredients needed to survive a street confrontation.

I’m not against tradition. My tradition is that we don’t

led to people being charged with a felony — instead of a misdemeanor or no charge at all. As you can see, this column was never intended to tell you which style is best for

focus on tradition,

the street. That’s an argument that can never

traditionally speaking,

which style is better because it comes down

which in itself is a tradition, I suppose.

been won. It’s often said that it is not about to the person using the skills of that style. The real purpose of this essay is to help you identify the things that need to be addressed if a technique is to increase the likelihood of your survival. To that end, you probably will

Recently, I heard an interview with actor

agree that addressing eyesight, breathing

Michael Jai White. He was speaking about

Photo Courtesy of Isaac Costley

We’ve all seen videos, whether in person or

labeling a particular strike or technique as

sparring with MMA fighter Michael Bisp-

To find that answer, additional factors

and balance are necessary ingredients for

ing and how he ran out of gas in the first

must be considered. One that cannot be

increasing your odds of survival.

round. It’s not that White lacked the skill set

ignored is the environment — things such

required to be competitive; it was that he

as your surroundings, the weather and

profession is best, while a cardiothoracic

lacked a different ingredient: the conditioning

the surface you’re on. You may be the best

surgeon may argue that his profession is

required for that type of combat.

kicker in history, but kicking on ice probably

better. Both are essential when their par-

is not your best option. You may love fight-

ticular specialty is needed for your specific

What does determining which martial art

ing from your back, but on a hot summer

problem. Maybe in time, we as martial artists

is best have to do with techniques that are

day in Arizona, going to your back on hot

will grow up and cease to speak badly about

appropriate for the street? Nothing. Or

asphalt probably is not the best choice. As

other martial artists, systems and instruc-

maybe everything, depending on whom you

important as choosing the right technique is

tors and instead open our minds to the notion

speak with and how entrenched they are in

identifying the environmental factors that

that there are many different roads to Rome.

their belief that only their style is the best for

may help or hinder you in the performance

Just because you take a different pathway

every situation.

of that technique.

doesn’t mean that other pathways are wrong;

In my city, each martial arts school will

Another factor is the clothing you and your

A brain surgeon may proclaim that his

they’re just different. After all, it could be said

say it’s the best while discounting all the

attacker are wearing. Knowing how to use

the technique that works on the street is the

others simply because, well, because they

your clothes to assist in your offense and

one that brought you home safely.

say so. The UFC addressed this question by

defense can be crucial in determining the

bringing people of various styles together to

outcome of an encounter. Equally, knowing

A martial artist for 40 years, Isaac Costley

compete. The only real outcome to this form

how to use the clothes of the person assault-

teaches moo hap sool/hybrid hapkido in Colo-

of competition was the birth of MMA. This

ing you is important.

rado Springs, Colorado. 7 7

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0610

VOL. 18, NO. 10, $1.50

§ “If the assailant is an expert with a knife, chances are that he will take

Demura, always the consummate teacher. “That’s the way I want it.

a stance that will keep the knife hidden until the last second or until an

That’s the way I grew up. People say, ‘C’mon, Fumio, why don’t you take a

opening in your defense is spotted. [He] will stay low with his knees bent,”

vacation?’ I say, ‘I don’t need a vacation. To me, every day is a vacation. I’m

writes Frank Dux of Bloodsport fame. “The amateur will stand flatfooted

doing exactly what I want to do, and that’s teach.’”

with his weight high, expose the blade prematurely and focus his attention

§ Four years before the first Karate Kid movie would be released, a

high.”

2021

letter writer from Illinois mentions “Cobra kai shao lin boxing.” Long live

§ A California startup launches a line of clothing that bears the phrase

sensei Kreese!

“Martial artists do it for kicks.”

§ The renowned Byong Yu takes a turn at penning the Instructors’ Forum

§ “It seems as though everyone is trying to dissect and divide the fighting

column. “There are three main aspects of the mind that are necessary

arts into different segments,” Gian P. Gentile writes. “[For example],

to be developed if one is going to be successful in the martial arts,” he

karate as a sport, karate as an art, karate as a physical conditioner.” Wise

writes. “The first … is the power of concentration. The second … is desire.

words of warning.

The final [one] is … attitude.”

§ Hard work is the key to success in the martial arts, says Yung Ho Jun,

§ The Ohio State University basketball team starts a karate program

a regional chairman of the AAU Taekwondo Committee. “The trouble with

to enhance its players’ performance on the court. The martial artist in

most people today is that they don’t want to put out 100 percent. They

charge is Jay T. Will.

want to make it the easy way. Well, there are no shortcuts in life, and

§ The new “in” thing is the satin uniform. Bill Wallace is the poster boy for

martial arts is no exception.”

Century Martial Arts’ version.

§ In the editor’s reply to a reader’s question, it’s revealed that “Judo”

§ Ken Carter recounts what happened during his training trip to Korea: “I

Gene LeBell was the “first military man to actually win the AAU Nationals,

fought a Mr. Lee, and here he is, 5 feet 5 inches tall. I’m 6 feet 3 inches. He’s

which he did in 1954 and 1955, and again in 1965 — all three times as a

a seventh-degree black belt, but I have reach. He didn’t last three minutes

heavyweight when he actually weighed less than 170 pounds.” Impressive

with me. As a matter of fact, he quit.”

then and impressive now.

BL ACKBELTMAG.COM

§ “It doesn’t bother me to have seven, eight classes a day,” says Fumio

F E BRUA RY/M A RCH

The 202nd issue of Black Belt was dated October 1980. It was 76 pages long and featured Fumio Demura on the cover.

L R

(Note: Back issues are not for sale.)

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