A History and Style Guide of Karate

The History of Karate
In early times, natives to the Ryukyu Islands developed a fighting system that was simply referred to as 'te'. The largest island in the Ryukyu chain is Okinawa Island, which is generally considered the birthplace of karate.
In 1372, trade relationships were established between the Ryukyu Islands and the Fujian Province of China, and this eventually spurred several Chinese families to move to Okinawa. These Chinese families began to share Chinese Kenpo with the native Okinawans they came in contact with, which was a blend of Chinese and Indian fighting styles. Through this, traditional Okinawan fighting techniques began to change, even if many families simply developed their own styles of martial arts in isolation. Still, there were three general styles that emerged and were named after the areas they developed-Shuri- te, Naha- te, and Tomari- te. The differences between the three styles were small and more about emphasis than anything else, as the cities of Shuri, Tomari, and Naha were all very close to one another.
The fact that weapons were banned in Okinawa in the 1400's by the invading Shimazu clan (Japanese clan) was a factor that spurred on the development of not only martial arts and karate in Okinawa, but also the use of inconspicuous farm tools as weapons.
As relations with China strengthened, the blend of the more traditional Okinawan fighting styles with those of Chinese Kenpo and the empty handed Chinese styles of Fujian White Crane, Five Ancestors, and Gangrou-quan, became more obvious. In addition, Southeast Asia influences were also brought into the fold, though perhaps to a lesser extent.
Sakukawa Kanga (1782-1838) was one of the first Okinawans to study in China. In 1806, he began teaching a martial art he called "Tudi Sakukawa," which translates to "Sakukawa of China Hand." One of Kanga's students, Matsumura Sokon (1809-1899), then taught a blend of te and Shaolin styles, which would later become known as Shorin-ryu. However, it is a student of Sokon's by the name of Itosu Anko (1831-1915) that is often called "the Grandfather of Karate." Itosu is known for creating simplified kata or forms for less advanced students and helped karate gain more mainstream acceptance. Along with this, he brought karate instruction to Okinawa's schools and the forms he developed are still used to a great extent today.
Characteristics of Karate
Karate is primarily a striking art that teaches practitioners to utilize punches, kicks, knees, elbows, and open hand strikes to disable opponents. Beyond this, karate teaches practitioners to block strikes and breath properly.
Most styles of karate also extend into throws and joint locks, with the extent of this dependent upon the style. Weapons are utilized in most styles as well. Interestingly, these weapons are often farm tools, as the use of them originated during a time when weapons were banned in Okinawa by invaders. By using farm tools, Okinawans did not bring attention to the fact that they were practicing to defend themselves.
Basic Goals of Karate
The basic goal of karate is self-defense. It teaches practitioners to block the strikes of opponents and then disable them quickly with pinpoint strikes. When takedowns are employed within the art, these tend to be used to set up finishing strikes.

A History and Style Guide of Kung Fu

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The Chinese term kung fu isn't just about martial arts history, as it describes any individual accomplishment or refined skill that is achieved after hard work. In that sense, the actual term kung fu can be used to describe any skill obtained in such a manner, not just those of the martial arts variety. Still, kung fu (also called gung fu) is widely used to describe a significant portion of the Chinese martial arts in the contemporary world. In this sense, the term is representative of highly varied martial systems that are somewhat difficult to trace. This is something that sets the Chinese arts apart from the majority of martial arts systems, where a clearer lineage is often known. The History of Kung Fu
The start of martial arts in China came about for the same reasons it did in every other culture: In order to aid in hunting endeavors and to protect against enemies. Along with this, evidence of martial techniques, including those tied to weapons and soliders go back thousands of years in the history of the area.
It appears that China's Yellow Emperor Huangdi, who took the throne in 2698 B.C., began to formalize the arts, however. In fact, he invented a form of wrestling taught to the troops that involved the use of horned helmets called Horn Butting or Jiao Di. Eventually, Jiao Di was improved upon to include joint locks, strikes, and blocks and even became a sport during the Qin Dynasty (approximately 221 B.C.).
It would also seem important to add that the Chinese martial arts have long held philosophical and spiritual significance within the culture. Along with this, the Chinese martial arts grew alongside the ideas of Confucianism and Taoism during the Zhou Dynasty (1045 B.C.- 256 B.C.) and beyond, not in isolation from them. For example, the Taoist concept of Ying and Yang, the universal opposites, ended up being tied in a large way to the hard and soft techniques that make up what is kung fu. The arts also became a part of the concepts of Confucianism, as they were tied to the ideal things people should practice.
Which is why it is very important to talk about Buddhism in terms of kung fu. Buddhism came to China from India as relations between the two areas grew during the years 58-76 A.D. In accordance with this, the concept of Buddhism grew more popular in China as monks were sent to and fro between the countries. An Indian monk by the name of Bodhidharma is particularly mentioned in the martial arts history books. Bodhidharma preached to the monks at the newly formed Shaolin Temple in China and appears to have changed not only their way of thinking by fostering concepts such as humility and restraint, but also may have actually taught the monks martial arts movements.
Though the latter is disputed, one thing appears clear. Once Bodhidharma arrived these monks became famous martial arts practitioners that worked extremely hard at their craft. At the same time, Taoist monasteries in the area also continued teaching different styles of kung fu.
Initially, kung fu was really only an elite art practiced by those with power. But due to occupations by the Japanese, French, and British, the Chinese began to encourage martial arts experts to open their doors and teach what they knew to the native masses in an effort to expel foreign invaders. Unfortunately, the people quickly found out that the martial arts could not repel the bullets of their adversaries.
Some time later, kung fu had a new opponent- Communism. When Mao Zedong eventually took hold of China he attempted to destroy almost everything that was traditional in order to grow his particular brand of Communism. Kung fu books and Chinese history, including much of the literature on the art at the Shaolin Temple, was put under attack and in many cases destroyed at this time. Along with this, several kung fu masters fled the country until the Chinese martial arts, as had always been the case, became a part of the culture once again some time later (in this case, communist culture).
Characteristics of Kung Fu
Kung fu is primarily a striking style of martial arts that utilizes kicks, blocks, and both open and closed hand strikes to defend against attackers. Depending on the style, kung fu practitioners may also possess knowledge of throws and joint locks. The art utilizes both hard (meeting force with force) and soft (using an aggressor's strength against them) techniques.
Kung fu is widely known for its beautiful and flowing forms.
Basic Goals of Kung Fu
The basic goals of kung fu are to protect against opponents and disable them quickly with strikes. There is also a very philosophical side to the art, as it is strongly tied, depending on the style, to the Buddhist and/ or Taoist principles that were brought up with it.
Kung Fu Substyles
Due to the rich and long history of Chinese martial arts, there are over 400 substyles of kung fu. The northern styles, such as Shaolin Kung Fu, tend to put a level of importance on kicks and wide stances. The southern styles are more about the utilization of the hands and narrower stances.

A History and Style Guide of Judo

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Judo is a popular martial arts style and Olympic sport with a rich, though relatively recent history. Breaking the term judo down, ju means “gentle” and do “means the way or path.” Thus, judo translates to "the gentle way." A judoka is someone who practices judo. Beyond being a popular martial art, judo is also a combat sport.
The History of Judo
The history of judo starts with Japanese jujutsu. Japanese jujutsu was practiced and continually improved upon by the Samurai. They utilized the throws and joint locks common within the art as a means to defend against attackers with armor and weapons. Jujutsu at one time was so popular in the area that it is believed during the 1800’s more than 700 different jujitsu styles or systems were being taught.
But in the 1850’s Commodore Perry led the west into Japan. The guns and different ideas these foreigners brought to the area changed Japan forever and led to the Meiji Restoration in the latter half of the 19th century, a time when the emperor challenged the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate and eventually overcame it. The result was the loss of the Samurai class and many traditional Japanese values. Further, capitalism and industrialization flourished, and guns were shown superior to swords in battle.
Since the state became all-important at this time, highly individualized activities like martial arts and jujutsu declined. In fact, during this time many jujutsu schools disappeared and some martial ideas and practices were lost.
Which led the world to judo.
Dr. Jigori Kano : The Inventor of Judo
Jigori Kano was born in the town of Mikage, Japan in 1860. As a child, Kano was small and often sickly, which led to his study of jujutsu at the Tenjin Shinyo ryu school under Fukuda Hachinosuke at the age of 18. Kano eventually transferred to the Kito ryu school in order to study under Tsunetoshi Iikubo.
While training, Kano, whom eventually earned the name Dr. Jigori Kano, started to formulate his own opinions regarding martial arts. This eventually led him to develop a martial arts style all his own. In principle, this style sought to utilize an opponent’s energy against them and eliminated some of the jujutsu techniques he deemed dangerous. By doing the latter, he hoped that the fighting style he was refining would eventually gain acceptance as a sport.
At the age of 22, Kano’s art came to be known as Kodokan Judo.
His ideas were perfect for the times he lived in. By changing martial arts in Japan so that they could be sports and teamwork friendly, society accepted judo.
Kano’s school, called the Kodokan, was established in the Eishoji Buddhist temple in Tokyo. In 1886, a contest was held in order to determine which was superior, jujutsu (the art Kano once studied) or judo (the art that he had in essence invented). Kano’s students of judo won this competition easily.
In 1910 judo became a recognized sport; in 1911 it was adopted as a part of Japan’s educational system; and in 1964 it became an Olympic sport, giving credence to Kano’s long ago dreams. Today, millions of people visit the historic Kodokan Dojo every year.
Characteristics of Judo
Judo is primarily a throwing style of martial arts. One of the main characteristics that sets it apart is the practice of using an adversary’s force against them. By definition, Kano’s art stresses defense.
Though strikes are sometimes a part of their forms, such maneuvers are not used in sport judo or randori (sparring). The standing phase when throws are employed is called tachi-waza. The ground phase of judo, where opponents are immobilized and the use of submission holds may be employed, is called ne-waza.
Basic Goals of Judo
The basic goal of a judoka is to take an opponent down by using their energy against them. From there, a judo practitioner will either gain a superior position on the ground or subdue an aggressor by employing a submission hold.
Judo Substyles
Like Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, judo doesn’t have as many substyles as karate or kung fu. Still, there are some splinter groups of judo like judo- do (Austria) and Kosen Judo (similar to Kodokan but more grappling techniques are utilized).
Three Famous Judo Fighters in MMA

• Pawel Nastula: This Polish fighter was the 1995 and 1997 Judo World Champion and also took home gold at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, Georgia. Though he maintains a losing MMA record, losses to Josh Barnett, Aleksander Emelianenko, and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira are nothing to be ashamed of.
• Karo Parisyan: This Armenian American is probably the most successful judo practitioner turned MMA fighter in the history of the sport. He’s mixed it up with a who’s who list of mixed martial artists, defeating Ryo Chonan, Matt Serra, Nick Diaz, and Shonie Carter along the way. Parisyan, unlike most other judo fighters, has been successful in employing judo throws without the use of the gi in MMA, which is illegal in UFC competition. Prior to becoming a star in MMA, Parisyan managed to achieve six Junior National belts in the sport.
• Hidehiko Yoshida: Yoshida won a gold medal in judo at the 1992 Olympics Games in Barcelona, Spain. Further, he is a very popular mixed martial arts fighter from Japan that was an MMA mainstay in the former PRIDE Fighting Championships. Yoshida was well-lauded for two close decision losses to former PRIDE Middleweight Champion Wanderlei Silva, and victories over Don Frye and Tank Abbott.

All About the Martial Arts Black Belt

What do you think of when you hear the words martial arts black belt? Some no doubt begin to imagine flying ninjas and Jackie Chan movies. Others may have a more realistic vision, usually one of martial arts superiority. But does attaining a black belt in fact signify a martial arts expert? What's more, do you know how the belt system came about? How about the names of some of the greatest black belts in history? The bottom line is that if you want to know these things and more about the black belt in martial arts, then you've come to the right place.

The History of the Black Belt:

If you've been around the martial arts for any length of time, you've probably heard about those ancient martial artists that once started training with a white belt only to see it change color over time, eventually turning black. Thus, came the idea of a black belt, right? Wrong. Rather, the system of using belt color to signify ability and rank was first used by Kano Jigoro, the founder of judo. The first black belts he awarded were in the 1880's before adopting a full belt system to signify ranking later. From there, many systems and styles assimilated this idea and structure into their training.

Does a Martial Arts Black Belt Signify a Martial Arts Expert?:

Yes and no. That depends on the system, as many have adopted belt grading in their own unique ways. For example, some styles award a black belt within three years, while others may require 10 years of training to achieve such status. Generally, a black belt is at least very proficient in a style's techniques. In many cases, true experts may have degrees attached to their black belts (2nd degree black belt, for example) or are actually called masters of their art.
The bottom line is that in almost all situations, a black belt is at least a very strong practitioner and possibly even an expert.

Some Black Belts to Know:

This is by no means an exhaustive list. However, here are some martial arts black belts that you should become acquainted with.

• Helio Gracie: Widely considered to be the inventor of modern day Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Gracie was a 10th degree master of his chosen art upon his death in January of 2009. Along the way, he made major improvements to the guard (fighting off of one's back) and his family played a large role in the advent of modern day MMA competition.
• Jigori Kano: Kano invented the martial arts style of judo, looking for an alternative to the more violent jujutsu of his era. His vision of seeing judo become a sport was eventually realized in 1910. Kano was also the inventor of the belt grading system. He died a 12th dan of his system.
• Chuck Norris: Norris, a famous martial arts actor, is a black belt in Tang Soo Do, a form of karate, and Tae Kwon Do (an 8th degree Black Belt Grand Master). Beyond that, Norris managed a 183-10-2 estimated overall karate tournament record during his competitive days.

The Deadliest Warriors in Martial Arts History

Spike TV's the Deadliest Warrior pits types of warriors against one another (ex. samurai vs. viking) and determines a winner based on several factors. Of course, this is hard to do because the group concept doesn't account for the individuals. That's why the forthcoming list is different; it's strictly about individuals and martial arts. How do you make the list? Well, be well-known, be capable of ending fights (win sport fights by stoppage, not decision), and be a proven commodity. And since this is martial arts, we're not necessarily talking about people that are deadly, just those that could be.
Here goes.

Fedor Emelianenko

When talk turns to modern day warriors, it usually ends up including combat athletes. Enter Fedor Emelianenko, a Russian MMA Heavyweight and World Combat Sambo Champion that is widely considered to be the greatest heavyweight fighter in MMA history. To date, he has only lost one bout (30-1 record) and has stopped, either via submission or knockout, more than two thirds of his opponents. His physical strength is legendary, as is his well-roundedness. In the end, don't let Emelianenko's calm demeanor fool you; he's scary lethal.

Helio Gracie

In 1914, Kodokan Judo master Mitsuyo Maeda taught Brazil’s Carlos Gracie the Japanese art of judo in appreciation of his father's help in business. Carlos in turn taught his brothers. Helio, the youngest and frailest of the family, was unable to make judo work for him due to strength disadvantages. Thus, he began to refine some of judo's teaching to utilize leverage more and strength less. The art he invented eventually became known as Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Later, Helio would defeat larger opponents in a precursor to modern day MMA by utilizing the submission holds that make BJJ what it is. Let's face it: if knowledge is power than that makes Helio Gracie as powerful and deadly as they come.

Rickson Gracie

Simply put, some espouse that Rickson Gracie (son of Helio) has never lost a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, MMA, or street fighting match. In fact, Rickson himself claims over 400 victories. Though this is disputed by some, what we do know is that even his brother Renzo has verbalized the belief that Rickson is the best fighter to come out of the first family of MMA and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. And when you're considered the best Gracie submission fighter ever, that may just make you the best BJJ fighter period. That's deadly.

Masahiko Kimura

By competing with bravery against Japanese Judoka Masahiko Kimura in defeat, Helio Gracie won a morale battle due to his size and the fact that he refused to tap. But when you consider the fact that Kimura actually won the fight with a submission move that would be eventually named after him (the Kimura), it's certainly hard to keep him off this list. At age 18, Kimura became the youngest godan ever (5th degree black belt) when he defeated eight straight opponents at the Kodokan, and it is believed that he only lost four judo matches during his career. He also trained in both Shotokan and Goju-ryu karate. Simply put, Kimura was one of the greatest judo fighters of all-time. He was as deadly as they come.

Saigo Takamori

Though many of the greatest of samurai (Japanese warrior class) remain nameless, the film The Last Samurai offered a glimpse into Saigo's last days. He built himself from a low ranking samurai official to a man whose opinion influenced the Japanese Imperial Court. He also led the imperial forces to victory in the Boshin War, eventually accepting the surrender of Edo Castle from Katsu Kaishu; thus, proving his mettle in battle. However, Saigo is best known for leading 40,000 samurai against 300,000 Imperial troops in an effort to preserve the samurai way. When he and his brethren fell at the Battle of Shiroyama, all samurai fell with him. Saigo makes the list as a noteworthy representative of a breed that fought with honor.

Nai Khanom Tom

In the 1760's, Ayutthaya (Thailand) fell to invading Burmese troops. During the siege, a group of Thai residents (including Thai boxers) were captured. At a festival in 1774, the Burmese king pitted one of these Thai boxers (Nai Khanom Tom) against a Muay Boran champion. Nai Khanom Tom destroyed his opponent quickly. The king then asked him to fight nine other Burmese champions in succession. Nai Khanom Tom agreed and defeated them all. Impressed, the king granted the Thai fighter freedom and wives. To this day, his victory is celebrated on March 17 as "Boxer's Day," and the victories continue to be a source of personal pride for the Thai people.

What Are Martial Arts?

The term martial arts refers to all of the various systems of training for combat that have been arranged or systematized. Generally, these different systems or styles are all designed for one purpose: physically defeating opponents and defending against threats. In fact, the word ‘martial’ derives from the name Mars, who was the Roman god of war. History of Martial Arts: Ancient peoples of all types engaged in fighting, war, and hunting. Thus, each and every civilization subscribed to a version of martial arts or combat all their own. Still, most people think of Asia when they hear the term martial arts. Along with this, around the year 600 BC trade between India and China flourished. It is believed that during this time information regarding the Indian martial arts was passed onto the Chinese and vica versa.
According to legend, an Indian monk named Bodhidharma facilitated the transmission of Chan (China) or Zen (Japan) to China when he moved to southern China. His teachings lent a lot to martial arts philosophies like humility and restraint that continue even today. In fact, some have credited Bodhidharma with the initiation of Shaolin martial arts, though this assertion has been discredited by many.
Types of Martial Arts: Generally, martial arts can be broken down into five distinct categories: Stand-up or striking styles, grappling styles, low impact styles, weapons based styles, and MMA (A Hybrid Sports Style). Along with this, the emergence of MMA has caused quite a bit of mixing of styles in recent years to the point that a lot of dojos don't look quite the same as they used to. Regardless, below are some of the more well-known styles.

BELLAGIO TO HOST K-1 2000 USA CHAMPIONSHIP

Las Vegas - The most exciting ring sport in the world will make its way to Las Vegas when Bellagio hosts the K-1 2000 USA Championship on Saturday, August 5 in the Grand Ballroom. In addition to the USA Championship, there will be six undercard bouts featuring five fighters from Las Vegas. The USA Championship event is a full contact, single elimination, martial arts style kickboxing tournament. It consists of seven, three-round bouts featuring eight North American champion kickboxers battling for one title and the honor of advancing to the K-1 World Championship later this year in Japan.
K-1, the most exciting martial arts fighting tournament in the world, consists of many forms of martial arts starting with the letter "K", such as Karate, Kung-fu, Kenpo, Kickboxing, taeKwondo. The competition, which determines who becomes the best (No. 1) full contact warrior, is therefore named "K-1"
Competitors in the K-1 2000 USA Championship include:
Andrei Dudko (25-3 23 KO's), 29 yrs., 6-foot-6, 225 lbs., from Minsk, Belarus (currently resides in Chicago).
Jean Claude Leuyer (37-7-2, 31 KO's), 29 yrs., 6-foot-3, 226 lbs., from San Jose, Calif., is the current ISKA Freestyle and Oriental Rules World Champion
Roman Roytberg (21-8, 10 KO's), 23 yrs., 6-feet, 216 lbs., from Seattle, Washington
Paul Lalonde (17-2, 10 KO's), 24 yrs., 6-foot-5, 230 lbs., from Surrey, B.C., Canada, is the current Canadian and Pacific Northwest Heavyweight Champion
George Randolph (18-2, 14 KO's), 22 yrs., 6-foot-7, 250 lbs., from Glenville, W.Va., is the ISJ San Shou World Champion and the ISKA North American Champion
Tomasz Kucharzewski (67-5, 35 KO's), 31 yrs., 6-feet, 225 lbs., from Toronto, Canada, is the Shidokan Champion
Glaube Feitosa (55-4, 52 KO's), 27 yrs., 6-foot-4, 226 lbs., from San Paulo, Brazil, is the World Kyoshinkai Champion
Jason Johnson (11-0, 7 KO's), 25 yrs., 6-feet, 215 lbs., from Milwaukee, Wisconsin
The rules of K-1 competition are designed to allow martial artists from all styles (even those without a "K" in them) to compete in a format that favors no particular martial arts' fighting style. The rules of K-1 competition are also specifically formulated to ensure fighter safety while providing K-1 spectators with the most exciting and action packed fights possible.
In tournaments, three three-minute rounds are used, and therefore, the fighters must each fight several times in a single event. Competition rules are based on hitting and kicking, but elbows, throws and submission techniques (choking and joint-locking) are not allowed.
The six undercard bouts will feature 12 fighters and the matchups are: Ben Garcia (18-4, 7 KO's) from Las Vegas vs. Alfonso Acarez (17-2-1, 13 KO's) from Las Vegas; Angela Rivera (7-2, 3 KO's) from Las Vegas vs. Linda Loyce (5-2) from San Francisco, California; Tommy Glanville (14-4, 11 KO's) from Las Vegas vs. Mark Miller (10-0, 2 KO's) from Pittsburgh, PA; Cung Le (36-2, 24 KO's) from San Jose, California vs. Mohammed Laminn Keita (18-5, 12 KO's) from Pittsburgh, PA; Dewey Cooper (18-3, 13 KO's) from Las Vegas vs. Giuseppe Denatale (10-5, 7 KO's) from Winnipeg, Canada; and Alex Gong (21-2, 13 KO's) from San Francisco, California vs. Melvin Murray (32-6, 10 KO's) from Surrey B.C., Canada.
The first undercard bout begins at 6:00 p.m. with the doors opening at 5:30 p.m. Tickets are priced at $30, $50, $100, $150, and $250 and may be purchased through Bellagio's box office by calling (702) 693-7722 or (888) 488-7111