Martial Arts Sanity

I remember the year Bruce Lee died. It was 1973, the year I began studying the martial arts, specifically Taekwondo. Yet, the vast implication of his untimely demise was wasted on a 17-year-old. I had no idea how large Lee’s legacy would become. Thirty-eight years later, ask anyone on the planet who Bruce Lee “is” and you will most likely get some version of this answer: The greatest martial artist who ever lived. But his contributions to the martial arts defy clear calculation; his gi

Interesting Art

Published on 2011-08-26 10:45:00

I must confess that I know little about Krav Maga, the martial art that originated in the 40s in Israel. Having observed several videos--by no means a fair sampling--I have come to the conclusion that I usually come to when evaluating "hybrid" arts, and, as anyone can clearly see, even in a short observation of a demo, Krav Mega borrows from all martial arts. I conclude that Krav Maga is no better or worse than any martial art in the arena of self-defense. It does however provide some new and i

Published on 2010-10-25 21:31:00

Where did the Samurai go?

Published on 2009-12-17 18:31:00

I watched The Last Samurai, starring Tom Cruise, recently. I was struck by the ferocity of these feudal warriors, the way in which they charged into the certainty of sudden death with all the abandon of children dashing for the surf. That same behavior carried into World War II, under the echoes of "Bonzai!" and on the wings of the suicide bombers, the kamikaze squadrons of the Japanese military, dive-bombing the American Naval fleet. In the movie, the last of the samurai class charges into a

Starting over

Published on 2009-12-09 22:33:00

I wonder how many martial artists, those who earn their black belt or those who don't, come back to the arts later in life. Why do they quit? Injuries, disinterest, age? Why do they come back? What challenges do they face? How do they overcome them? I am seeking comments and opinions from those of you who have experienced one or all of these and those who simply want to speak out. Thanks More from here later.

In Pursuit of Peace

Published on 2009-11-22 19:07:00

I often include as part of my signature a short comment about the process of finding peace, part of what most martial artists, whether they know it or not, pursue. I am interested in your comments on the following: To pursue peace is to ensure its delay.

Living down the mystique of black belt

Published on 2009-10-18 18:38:00

I called a dojo in Muncie, Ind., when I was 12 to see how much it would cost to become a black belt. In all fairness, I don't remember what the sensei told me. I seem to remember some chuckling and a gap before I got the answer: Lessons would cost me twenty a month I couldn't afford it, not on may salary of ... well ... of nothing per month, and my mother couldn't afford it. I dropped the idea until I encountered and enrolled in a "Korean Karate" course at a local community college. Cost was acc

Taking a stand for traditional Martial Arts

Published on 2009-10-15 01:54:00

Here it is folks. I know many of you have been thinking about it. Time to jump in and speak your mind. We must restore the tradition that make a martial art, well, an art, not just a brawl. We have to actively separate ourselves from the brawlers. We have to become the stewards of the New World Order in the Martial Arts. More from here later.

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