Dr. Tae Yun Kim on Different Martial Arts

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Dr. Tae Yun Kim has been studying the martial art of Tae Kwon Do since she was seven years old. She was lucky enough to have a Buddhist monk recognize her potential and interest in the sport. In Dr. Tae Yun Kim’s native South Korea, girls and women were not allowed to train in the martial arts because of their gender. Dr. Tae Yun Kim succeeded in Tae Kwon Do by becoming the first woman to earn the title of Grand Master.

Dr. Tae Yun Kim says there are many different forms of martial arts. Most originate in the continent of Asia. Each form of martial arts is different and offers a different outcome.

Tae Kwon Do is Korean. This form of martial art is a type of karate. Tae Kwon Do is the most popular martial art in the United States. It is great for self-defense and as a fitness workout. Tae Kwon Do involves cardiovascular exercises such as kicking and punching.

Dr. Tae Yun Kim says karate is another popular form of martial art. Karate originated in Japan. It has quick and sharp movements. Bruce Lee is considered to be the master of this martial art.

Kung Fu is a Chinese form of martial art. Kung Fu is more precise than karate. Students studying kung fu will enjoy the fluid movements. These movements make it easier on the body’s joints.

Jujitsu hails from Japan. This martial art teaches students how to use an opponent’s strength against them. It is a great martial art to learn self-defense.

The Japanese also created the martial art of Judo. Judo teaches students to learn how to use balance and power against a partner. It is a competitive sport. Dr. Tae Yun Kim says not all martial arts are competitive sports. There are some designed to improve flexibility, which are much gentler to the body.

Aikido is a Japanese martial art focusing on movements like jujitsu, but without competition. Aikido is one of the gentle forms of martial arts. It is a great tool to teach discipline.

Dr. Tae Yun Kim says if you are looking for a martial art that will give you flexibility, look into the Chinese Tai Chi. Tai Chi focuses on balance and stretching. Tai Chi is known to improve your flexibility and your concentration skills.

Dr. Tae Yun Kim says studying martial arts has many advantages. You will learn self-defense, self-respect, and tools that will sharpen the body, mind, and spirit.

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Mixed Martial Arts – The World’s Fastest-growing Sport

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How soon things change. It seems like yesterday we were talking about how fast the fan base for Nascar was growing. Some people even foolishly talked about it possible taking over the NFL in popularity someday. Nascar’s growth and fan base has since taken a hit, most likely due to the recent economy problems over the last couple of years. That said, Mixed Martial Arts, MMA is the new reigning “worlds fastest growing sport” as we enter 2010, and looks to be for the foreseeable future.

Don’t get me wrong, the NFL is still the 800 pound gorilla when it comes to total fan base and world popularity, but MMA has shown substantial growth over the last decade, and even faster over the last 5 years. No growth like this ever lasts forever, but it’s hard to say how long it could last for MMA, given the momentum the sport has, and more specifically, the UFC or Ultimate Fighting Championship.

The UFC is currently MMA’s biggest promotion, and therefore has the world’s best stable of fighter’s. The UFC has also become the new darling of Las Vegas much to the chagrin of the powers that be in the boxing world. But instead of being bitter, the sport of boxing needs to take a look at why that is. For one, you can’t get any big fights for free anymore when it comes to boxing. The UFC on the other hand, air’s free broadcast’s labled “UFC Fight Night” on Spike ever couple of months at least, and usually more than that. And these are normally big main events that the hardcore fans want to see, not fighters that nobody knows.

And more recent, news of StrikeForce’s signing of the worlds best fighter Fedor Emelianenko shook the MMA world, and now Fedor will hope to become a household name by way of free network broadcasting of the sport’s most popular fighter in a contract with CBS.

The key to enjoying the excitement of the sport though, is to understand all the different aspects of the sport, and to recognize the transitions that you see throughout a typical fight. The least understood of these being the “ground game”. To the casual observer, this might seem boring compared to striking (the term used in MMA referring to the stand up phase of a fight). And sometimes it is with average talent. But when you have two world class grappler’s going at it, its the most exciting part of a fight in my opinion.

What a new fan should watch for on the ground is the use of “the guard”, and the escape from this position for the other fighter, also known as “passing the guard.” The guard position consists of the fighter on bottom to control his/her opponent by wrapping his/her legs around the waist of the fighter on top while controlling the head, keeping him/her off balance, making it easier to sweep or submit the other. Normally the fighter on top or “in the guard” will try to get his/her legs around the leg’s of the opponent, or to “ground and pound” the other fighter with strikes from the top position. There are usually no submissions from inside the guard.

It’s impossible to cover all the nuances of the sport in this article, but once the more common ideas of the grappling part of MMA is understood by new and non fans, the more enjoyment will come out of watching great fights and understanding how technical these fighters are, not to mention the level of conditioning that it takes to compete in this sport. Most think it rivals that of their counterparts in the NFL, or any other sport for that matter. So the next time you are around a new fan, take a minute to explain the fastest growing sport in the world. See you at the fights!

The Top 3 Martial Arts Movies Of 2010 & Their Power On The Martial Arts Community

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Martial arts films have become a fairly popular theme recently. You might have noticed that there are already many martial art movies that have been created and released during 2010. A great way to share your love of martial arts films with others is to take some time to discuss the top 3 martial arts movies of 2010 and their impact on the martial arts community.

Ninja Assassin has been one of the main films that everyone has been interested in. The plot is based in Berlin and focuses on an orphan who lives with a clan of ninjas. The orphan experiences violent and rough training throughout his life so that he can become a ninja and assassin, though this is different from who he actually wants to be. In reflection of this, after all of the cruelty he experiences and the amount of freedom that he is denied, he betrays the clan one night and focuses on becoming independent.

After he has betrayed the clan, the group of ninjas begin to search for him in order to avenge his betrayal. In the process of avoiding them, he meets a government agent who is also interested in the case and they eventually become friends while working together. The film showcases many martial arts scenes that are very memorable, which is likely why it has become so popular.

Another popular film is known as Ninja. This film begins with some good historically based scenes about ninjas throughout the ages. Here, you are allowed to see some beautiful examples of martial arts. However, the storyline then progresses very quickly to situation where the main character and the villain of the film fight each other because they like the same girl. There is then a storyline about ninja heirlooms and a plot unfolds in the process. While this film is good for some martial arts scenes, it is possibly more bloody than it needs to be.

There is also a film that has not yet been released, which is already very popular. This film is the remake of The Karate Kid. Generally, it would seem that the reason this is so popular without a release even happening yet is because people want to know if this movie will be as impressive as the original. If you haven’t seen the original yet, then it is recommended you should see it first and then see the remake. This way, you can judge for yourself which film was better and which had better martial arts scenes.

However, the original film itself was a great example of martial arts. Additionally, it was safe for younger individuals to watch. This allowed for many younger people to become curious about martial arts and want to learn more about it. If the remake is any reflection of this, then there will again be younger generations that are curious about the practice and want to know more.

Most of these films were released in the earlier part of 2010. Because of the amount of films that have already been released, it isn’t unusual to wonder how many more films will approach as the year continues. More positively, the martial arts community can use this to interact with as many interested individuals as possible. But likewise, the films would be better if there was less of a focus on ninjas and pointless gore.

These are aspects you might want to consider and mention during your discussion of the top 3 martial arts films of 2010. There are still many films that need to be released in the period of a year and it’s undoubted that there will be more films to discuss. But in the meantime, you can use some of the above films as examples and conversation starters.

Rules Of Shaolin Kempo Karate & Martial Arts Part 1

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Rules of Kempo Karate & Martial Arts

Here are some principles that can get you some better leverage out of any art, not just Kempo Karate.

Establish Your Base

Any combative artist needs to be rooted on the ground. Its only from the rooting into the ground that your blocks, strikes and kicks will have any real power to them. It might help to think of pushing a car or sawing wood to get what I mean. If your not planted correctly you will have no effect.

Distance

This the distance your attacking limb moves before impact. This will very with each individual. Bruce Lee for example generated some pretty impressive power from his now famous 1-inch-punch. You can have the most powerful punch or kick in the world, BUT if you deliver it too close OR too far away it will have little effect. Bag work helps master this.

Your Block should be a Cocked Position

This is about making better economy of motion. The block you use should be the cocked position, or prelude to the strike. You should also have enough Distance to generate the power you need as well. An inward block followed by a back fist or cross chop is an example of this.

Learn to Creatively Express Yourself in the Smoky Mountains Arts & Crafts Scene

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By Bennie McCann

There are those who fervently believe the road to happiness is paved with shiny new cell phones, Sony PlayStations and high-definition plasma TVs. The citizens of Gatlinburg, Tennessee have yet to receive this memo.

In a town where old-fashioned letter writing, chatting with ones neighbors and taking long, meditative walks are the order of the day, Gatlinburg offers another rarity to a materialistic nation. Here you’ll find a community of do-it-yourself arts and crafts artisans. In Gatlinburg, the locals will happily tell you that DIY stands for Dream It Yourself.

These dreams occur among an eight-mile stretch of road within Gatlinburg known endearingly as the Great Smoky Mountains Arts & Crafts Community. It is the largest group of independent artisans in North America. Established in 1937, its here that arts and crafts enthusiasts, advocates and aficionados get to experience, first-hand, the hands-on approach to cultivating fine art. Forget about DirecTV, wireless Internet and downloading MP3s. The eclectic members of this vibrant community have a passion for whittling, painting, sewing, weaving, carving and just about every other form of crafting.

In an area heavily prided for its gorgeous natural landscapes, Gatlinburg takes equal pride in producing antiquities with ease. Whether its candles, baskets, brooms, quilts, pottery, jewelry, dolls, ceramics stained glass, fine photography or silversmiths, the Great Smoky Mountains Arts & Crafts Community is a massive one-stop shop. If you love exploring, discovering and buying you can do so at will without a pesky commission-driven sales clerk watching your every move. Virtually year round, the Community holds informal workshops for children and adults of all ages. The only requirement: a zestful curiosity and interest for creative expression.

After you have visited a wide range of enchanting shops its time for food, drink and relaxation. All can be had within the vast, quaint confines of the Great Smoky Mountains Arts & Crafts Community. A delightful multitude of restaurants, cafes, tearooms, candy shops and soda fountains are within reach of the surrounding businesses.

For those requiring a more academic approach to fine art creation, youre cordially invited to attend The Arrowmont School of Arts & Crafts. Arrowmont, a visual arts education center for adults and children, is the Oxford University for aspiring artisans. In addition to weekend seminars, Arrowmont offers one- and two-week workshops for beginners and advanced craftsmen (and women), along with weekly classes for local residents.

You receive a first-class fine/visual art education, on Arrowmonts pristine and historic 14-acre campus. Workshop and class topics are as varied as a vegetable garden in the English countryside. Subjects include ceramics, fiber, metals, jewelry, painting, drawing, photography, warm glass, woodworking, books/paper and mixed media. Workshops are open to those 18 years and older, with class sizes no larger than 12 students. Arrowmonts attraction lies in its old school adage: creativity and hard work are never mutually exclusive.

An equally prestigious feature in Arrowmonts pedigreed portfolio is its esteemed Artist in Residence program. Along with offering 160 rotating workshop artists and instructors of national and international acclaim, the 11 month residency affords visiting artisans a monthly salary shared housing with private bedrooms and meals, a private studio and, at terms end, the opportunity to showcase their work in Arrowmonts acclaimed Artist Outfitters Store.

Visit Gatlinburg now and you’ll find that, when it comes to arts and crafts, ingenuity is both a state of mind and a state of play.