From Ring to Screen

Martial Arts movies are now more popular than ever. The American movie goer has been fortunate enough to grow past the days of only having a single Bruce Lee to emulate. Today we have more great martial arts action stars than we know what to do with. From Jackie Chan and his years of Hollywood success to Tony Jaa's recent explosion of films in the past few years, audiences are beginning to look deeper into the action on screen.

Bruce Lee behind the scenes

MMA and sport fighting on television has sparked curiosity in many about how much of Hollywood actually parallels real full contact fighting. As a martial arts instructor I can tell you, the answer to how much is simply, A LOT!
Everyone seems to know what a Mixed Martial Artist is now-a-days. A hard training athlete and practitioner who spend years of his life learning techniques, and spends hours upon hours every week to stay in peak condition. However many people do not know what a Movie Martial Artist is. Most martial artist working in film started as children in a dojo, competing at amateur tournaments, than over time worked their way into film.
     The bottom line is that a martial arts movie star is a martial artist first and an actor second. Doing your own stunts, practicing choreographed fights, all the while missing sleep due to a brutal shooting schedule comes with risk. If anything goes wrong you rely on your conditioning to protect you, just like an MMA fighter relys on his conditioning for protection in the ring.
     Along with the risk of mistakes, the chinese method of shooting for realism is to use real contact, which hightens the requirements placed on the actors. Take for example Chinese action star Donny Yen. In one of his recent films Flashpoint (2007). There are techniques and stunts in this film where there is just no avoiding a few bumps and bruises, but it is necessary to make real contact at times if you want it to look real on the screen.
     So wether we are talking about Mixed Martial Artists or Martial Arts Movie Stars, remember to look for the common denomenator here. They are both martial artists, and if you really want to know from an average persons perspective how alike the two are, go find a Tony Jaa or Donny Yen and ask to challenge them. I can assure you the only difference between having your your ass handed to you by a Donny Yen or Bruce Lee rather than a Urijah Faber or Mirko Crocop is how nice they will look before you hit the ground.

Entertainers or Athletes

     The UFC is becoming more and more popular with every televised match. People are tuning in for pay per views by the millions and many more jump on their favorite website to watch the same fights being web casted. An amazing accomplishment given the simplicity of sport fighting. Those who train a discipline of martial arts know why they watch, athletes and sports fans know why they watch it. But what draws in the average Joe? What is it about the UFC and its analogs that is getting them those great ratings... Where are the showmen?

    One Jason "Mayhem" Miller answered that call. While working his way through the Japanese circuit, he established himself with his entrances. A moment of pure spectacle, the showman presents himself. Now i know that cage fighting is very serious because quite frankly if you aren't focused... you are gonna pay for it. But i still appreciate seeing some character. "Mayhem" may not have had the most stellar record in cage fighting with no wins in the UFC, however he was fearless. An athlete and a showman. "Mayhem" recently was released from his contract over an unknown incident behind the scenes at a weigh in. But regardless, thanks for the show, and with all due respect, it was much more fun watching you bleed in the ring than it has been with anyone else.  So farewell "Mayhem", and don't piss anyone else off or else no one will get to see you fight anymore.

Jason "Mayhem" Miller is released from the UFC

I Can Relate

Any traditional instructor will tell his students that the belt has significance. It represents your time in the system and how much you have learned. However, to make sure students don't get a big head. Their instructor may remind you that beyond showing rank a belt is just there to keep your Gi closed.
    A title belt however is more like a trophy or an accolade. Something to display and be proud of. Recently one Vinny Magalhaes decided that his title belt was nothing he wanted to display and remember and put it on e-bay at a starting bid of 0.09 cents. BRILLIANT!
 The article states that he was having conflict of interests with the organization who awarded him the belt and found a very direct way to let them know he was cutting ties for good. I personally have destroyed a 1st prize trophy awarded to me. It was liberating. I felt the organization running the competition was barely organized and I hated the hierarchy there. I ended up having to fight only my own classmates for the trophy. So when we got home we took turns kicking and chopping this 4 foot trophy into bits. In any case I feel Vinny Magalhaes selling his belt was a right proper F.U. It was his belt and he can do what wants with it. But what do you think. read the article and weigh in with your thoughts in the comments.
Cage Fighter Sells Title belt on E-Bay

The Spirit

 Often times in society dealing with everyday stress, causes us to develop defense mechanisms. These mechanisms come in all forms and are necessary to make sure we don't lose composure and lash out a those around us. Which is one of the biggest responsibilities of a martial artist.

Keeping a work out routine and allowing yourself to clear your mind is a paramount skill to create. However even the strongest of us can create mechanisms that, although prevent us from opening the emotional flood gates on someone, can also be self destructive. Recently I have made the mistake of displacing my spiritual or emotional body from my physical body, which destroys your mental balance.

This can cause depression, detachment from others and make you more easily distracted. So in a martial sense, no matter what you have planned for the day and no matter what your stressors are, these two parts of yourself (emotional and physical) are meant to balance each other. To allow one or the other to wain will decrease your power and your ability to adapt to any new issues that might arise. Without control over your spiritual, or in a more terrestrial sense, your emotional body you are weak.

Remember that we all get upset and want to drag someone outside and thrash them every now and again. And this is natural, but to stifle your natural feelings completely only makes them stronger. Instead embrace your feelings, as long as you can maintain your composure and not act on these feelings you will be stronger for it. The peaks and valleys of emotion are an important part of life and without them life becomes robotic and dull.

This is Awesome

For any of you out there preparing for the return of the living dead, here is the product for you.  Zombie (just in case.. MAX) Available at Precision Arms in Escondido, CA.

Be a Bargain Shopper

If you have ever enrolled in a martial arts class than you know it is expensive. If you are considering signing up with a school, a quick word of advice, treat this expense a lot like your other purchases. Martial Arts gyms wether traditional or modern MMA range from $89 to $300 per month, so it is important to shop around. Use tools like Google Maps and other search engines to your advantage. Some schools use sites like Groupon and Living Social to give discounts for walk in classes or annual tuition fees. My method has always been to take advantage of free classes or free weeks that schools offer. It may be frowned upon by the schools but if they open the door for you, than you have no reason not to accept their offer.
    Make sure to try schools of different styles than what you have had your eye on, you are guaranteed to learn something new. Even if all you learn is that, this particular style is not for you. If you have your heart set on a specific school however, do not hesitate to ask them for introductory offers or specials. There are so many schools now-a-days that they are hungry for your business, and there for, almost always have an incentive to join. However remember that a legitimate knowledge of self defense is invaluable, so although we want to save money, Sifu or Sensei has to eat too. I was lucky enough to find an instructor who taught a much smaller group in public parks and out of his house which in turn kept the cost down for me. Never assume that the facility makes the teachers better. I trained for six years on grass, dirt and asphalt and came out stronger and more skillful for it. So with that advice Good Luck on your search and i hope you find what you are looking for.

A Great Tool

While thumbing through a gun supply magazine i came across a tool i hadn't thought much about at first glance.  The Stinger is a self defense tool marketed mainly to women and said to give you the punching power "of a martial arts master". The tool is basically a hard piece of plastic modeled after a punch knife and shaped to fit into your hand. It is considered a non lethal self defense tool, likened to pepper spray or a Kubaton. The stinger is a wonderful idea for anyone, because it can be taken anywhere, used by anyone with little or no training and they are 100% legal. Plus it has the advantage over a Kubaton because of its ergonomic design.
    I would highly recommend The Stinger, because of its intelligent design, 100% legality and ease of concealment. I give this product 4 out of 5 stars in my book. Check it out for yourself in the link above.