judo history makes a fascinating study and can provide valuable insight into judo techniques. Soon after the end of the Tokugawa period in Japan, the Restoration period was in progress, and the old forms of hand-to-hand combat were replaced by weapons of steel.

The masters of the jujitsu art were dismissed from service to their feudal lords, and many turned to public showmanship as a means of making a living. The natural result was a degradation of the art.

About this time, an eighteen-year-old student, soon to become famous among Japanese educators, began his practice of jujitsu under the instruction of Professor Hachinosuke Fukuda, the eminent master of the Tenj in Shinyo-ryu school. The student, who was to become the founder of judo, was Jigoro Kano. After the death of Professor Fukuda, Dr. Kano trained under the new master of that school, Professor Masatomo Iso. Death soon took Professor Iso, however, and Dr. Kano transferred to the Kito-ryu school to study under Professor Tsunetoshi Iikubo.

Dr. Kano began to study jujitsu because of his respect for the prowess of his masters, but he soon began to thirst for a mental knowledge that was lacking in their teachings. This mastery of mental culture could thus produce a pattern of subconscious behavior that would be useful in achieving "mutual welfare and benefit." He wanted a system that would be rational and logical and would develop the potential of the student's real personality. The ‘do’ of the word judo symbolizes this philosophy.

In 1882 Dr. Kano formed his system and called it "judo," the word which has now superseded the term "jujitsu." The final step in the history of judo came when he founded the Kodo-kan in Tokyo, the institution that was to become the mecca of judo. Dr. Kano explained the new art of judo by pointing out that "gentleness means giving way until the right moment arrives"; that is, not to oppose the brute force of your opponent and thus to be defeated, but to utilize this force to your own advantage.

Suppose that your opponent has a total force of ten units, while yours is equal to three. If he pushes toward you with a force of seven units and your force equals only three, it is futile for you to try to oppose his force, for it will overcome you. But if you give way and harmonize your force of three units with his attacking force of seven, you automatically acquire a force of ten units.

It can thus be appreciated from j that judo history is a highly valuable science as well as an art, and this can be applied to judo technique.

Your hand cannot reach it Nor your mind exceed it.

Zen proverb

As most people know, most types of Martial Arts use belts and sashes to distinguish the different levels of skills and training of the students. But where did this ranking system come from? Before reading any further, you should realize that this system is in use for only 120 years, that not every martial art uses the same ranking system and that even the local martial art school can have a different system.

The most common and most accepted story of the origin of the belt ranking system is the story of Dr Jigoro Kano. He was the founder of the modern judo, as we know and practice today. Dr Kano was a teacher and a sports enthusiast and decided to let his dan students (the ones with the highest ranks) wear a black belt, so they could be easily recognized as Dan. Later on he realized that his kyu students (lower ranks) needed something to target their efforts. This became the system with the different colors to easily identify the progress that his students made over time.

When the Okinawan karate master Gichin Funakoshi, who is considered to be the "Father of Modern Karate", gave a demonstration of his martial art style, Shotokan, at the Kodokan, he was impressed by the belt ranking system and decided to implement the system for his own students. Soon this was followed by the other Japanese martial arts as Aikido, Karate, Kendo etc.

When new students start their martial arts training, they are likely to be given a white belt. During the training tehy will progress through the different colors and earn the black belt. Although most people think that this is the highest rank one can achieve with martial arts, the black belt is actually the beginning of the real training. The black belt means that someone is no longer a Kyu but a Dan.

Dan have their own ranking system known as degrees. You are a first degree black belt when you first attain it, over time you can test for your 2nd degree black belt (or 2nd dan) and so on. Most martial arts consider a 10th degree black belt to be the highest level of mastery.

More information about various martial arts can be found on www.martialartinfo.net

What's your style? Are you a kung fu fanatic or a karateka? There are so many martial arts gracing the globe these days. Have you found the one that truly suits your body and physical attributes? This can be a challenge, no doubt. The good news is the information you can acquire from the privacy of your own home. There is a plethora of it out there to say the least. Find out anything you like about any style you prefer. Purchase all the personal martial art equipment you need to practice at home. In this day and age you can totally have your cake and eat it to. Are you ready to get the scoop self-defense?

What martial art equipment sits in your workout room or garage? Have you attained all the necessities for a good workout? This is imperative in my book. Everyone should have a decent heavy bag, a jump rope, weight set, speed bag, and floor mat. These are the bare essentials regardless of style. Speaking of style, this will certainly have an impact on the martial art equipment you desire. I like to practice Wing Chun, therefore I need my Mook Yan Jong. What is this you may ask? It's just a fancy name for the wooden dummy. You've probably seen one of these in a kung fu movie of some sort at one point or another. It's a great training aid for building close combat skills. A few other defense arts make use of this martial art equipment as well. As far as a heavy bag goes, I feel that this is the quintessential of fighting and self-defense arts. It's imperative to practice hitting something that's solid. Air doesn't cut it. You need to feel the impact on your limbs. This is what great martial art equipment is for. Furthermore, if you really want to get good at what you do, then you must test it out in full-on sparring against resisting opponents. This is the only way to know if it measures up. You may find that it's not what you hoped it would be, and decide to choose a different style.

Are you in the market for quality martial art equipment? Hey, the absolute best place to browse is the Internet. I don't care what you're looking for you will find it on the World-Wide-Web. After all, isn't that what we have computers for? Hop online today and sort through all the useful martial art equipment.

More Martial Arts Techniques articles

Today martial arts is very popular especially with the rise of MMA, but what many people do not realize is that as an art form, martial arts has been around for many centuries. Originally these art forms were systems created by tradition to be used for training, combat and self defense.

There are various different forms that can be practiced, including combat skills, fitness, self-defense, sport, self-cultivation, meditation, mental discipline, character development and many more.

There is a great diversity that is present within martial arts, however even though there are numerous different styles and formats that are used, broadly speaking they do all share the same goal, which is to learn how to defeat a person physically or defend oneself or another from threat or danger.

Styles

It is very important to be aware of the different martial arts styles that are out there, because each is different and unique in its own way. There are literally hundreds of different styles,

including: American, Brazilian, Filipino, Greek, Indian, Indonesian, Israeli, Korean, Japanese, Russian, Thai, Vietnamese, and Chinese.

learning The Arts

Should you find the need or should you be interested in learning martial arts for self defense purposes, then you need to make yourself aware that the options in this regard are not limited at all. With so many different classes and courses readily available for you to take, it should be no problem for you to find a martial arts school in or around your area with slots open since this kind of activity has reached a high level of global participation.

Before you do go out to the nearest martial arts school, there is of course that task of deciding which form of martial arts you will be interested to follow. To do this, you will first want to ensure that you are in ideal physical shape by assessing the condition you are in physically. Any physical limitations that you have may impact the choice of martial arts form you choose due to the types of exercise you may need to perform for a certain style, and thus must take this consideration before choosing.

As well you will want to gain more knowledge and educate yourself a lot more on the various martial art styles so that you can learn more about them more ideal for you and your self defense requirements and also the one that you think you will find more enjoyable. Once you have done this, you can summarize all of the information that you have just learned and use this to match your preferences to the right martial art style that will support both your physical state and long-term interest for your self defense.

In the End

Regardless of which particular style you decide to practice for self defense, the most important thing is that you are taking the time and putting in the effort to get active and train yourself in a holistic and spiritual form of exercise.

Like all martial arts or sports for that matter, Aikido has their own set of uniforms. The aikidogi or the uniform used in aikido is similar to the keikogi used in most martial arts. Keikogi is a term used to refer to uniform for training.

This is a general term used to refer to uniforms of donned for traditional martial arts class. For Aikido its the aikidogi, for Judo its judogi, for Jiujitsu its the jujutsugi, karategi for Karate, kendogi for kendo and the shinobi-iri and shinobi shozoku for Ninjutsu arts. The training uniforms used in martial arts are often times referred to as mere gi or dogi.

Dressing Up to Train
The aikid?gi consists of simple trousers and a white jacket or uwagi or upper garment. For aikidogi, wraparound jackets used in judo and karate are acceptable. Judo jackets are thicker and are built for durability since in judo the jacket receives considerable stress from the techniques like seizing and throwing.

For aikidokas, judo jackets might be advisable since some Aikido techniques also involve some keikogi grabbing which could tear the cloth during practice. Sometimes, aikido uniforms are customized to handle precisely the stress in some techniques. Although, personalized or specialized aikodogis are uncommon. If you do find keikogi specially made for Aikido training, you’ll notice that the gi has reinforced kneepatches.

The jacket is also a little longer around the waist which allows the aikidoka to easily tuck them to their hakama. The Aikdo jacket might also have shorter sleeves since basic techniques of Aikido focuses on wrist grabs and twists. The uwagi might be made from heavyweight tightly woven terrycloth which is similar to uwagi of Judo or from heavy canvas similar to karategi. Regardless, both are strong enough to withstand the regular grappling and throwing found in Aikido training.

Martial Arts
Aside from the trousers and wraparound jackets, Aikido schools also add hakama, which looks like a dress or skirt, to the uniform. The concept behind wearing a hakama is to be able to hide the movements of the feet. The hakama is commonly black or indigo in color and are usually reserved for aikidokas that have received the dan rank.

In Aikido, most of the styles or schools use the ky?/dan ranking system which is the norm in the martial arts world. However, each style has different qualifications for meeting each rank and each style might use colored belts for ky? levels while others do not. In some schools the hakama is worn by all students regardless of rank. While in other styles, only female aikidokas are required to wear them.

When buying for first aikidogi it is important to make sure that the size and fit is right. Uniforms that are too small will constrict your movements while too big a size will get in the way of executing techniques. As mentioned before, in Aikido you’ll get considerable pulling, stretching, sliding, jumping and throwing thus the need for a set of uniform that will not easily tear from the regular training routine. Double stitched uniforms are usually stronger and will handle the stress.

Aikido is one of the oldest and most widely-used martial arts forms in the world. It is being taught for centuries as a form of self-defense and protection. It is also a way for people to learn centeredness and balance in their lives.

Aikido is a martial arts form that requires constant practice and dedicated study for it does not only teach you self-defense, it also teaches you discipline. A good aikido training school is needed to achieve this. This is the reason why it is important for you to find a school that will not only teach you the basics but will also nurture your budding talent.

Here are some tips in choosing a good aikido school.

Go for the recommended ones

Although all aikido training schools will be teaching the same set of tricks and techniques, there are schools that will give you better training. One way to look for good aikido schools is to ask around your neighborhood or among your friends and acquaintances. They are great sources because not only will they be able to provide you with names that are located in a place convenient to you, they will also be able to give you first hand information on the teaching method of the school.

In fact, they can even give you tips and advice on aikido training. Another way is to ask martial arts teachers. Even if they are not teaching aikido, they will know people who teach aikido and will be able to recommend good ones. There are also forums over the internet where you can post your questions. Members of the site or those that frequently read the forums will surely answer. Chances are they will know a good aikido school that is near your house. Forums like these are very effective because members are mostly aikido or martial arts buffs who know the business and will surely know what they are talking about.

Look for one that is near

In addition to the training, you will also need to find a school that is near your house or your place of work. Location is important in giving you the drive. Places that are far from your place will only result in frequent absenteeism, which is not good for your training. Another advantage that near locations provide is the fact that it gives you the chance to urge friends or family members to come with you and also be interested in the martial art form.

Teacher and mentor

Before enrolling in a program, make sure that you got to meet and talk to the teacher. Although it may seem unimportant, it is vital to also be attuned and in harmony with the teacher of aikido as he or she will not only be teaching you aikido basics but also your mentor in your life.

Scheduling

Getting a good schedule is another crucial point in getting a good aikido training. Look for schools that offer the schedule that you want. Remember that the time that you will be training is also important because it will determine your readiness for the lesson. If your schedule is not the right fit, you will only feel tired and uninspired during the training, something which is not good when learning aikido as it asks for your total commitment and passion to the task.

From Basic To Advanced, Taekwondo Is All About The Kicks

Taekwondo is famous for its kicks. Unlike other martial arts that center their moves more on hand movements, Taekwondo puts more emphasis on the feet and legs. Taekwondo kicks range from the basic front kick to the more elaborate and difficult spinning axe kick.

When learning the different Taekwondo kicks, you will spend time learning them in both Poomse and Sparring. Poomse is where you practice your moves in a pattern almost like a choreographed dance. It is very structured and must be done with precise accuracy. When performing your kicks in Poomse, you must maintain balance, use proper form, exercise control and deliver power. All these aspects must me taken into consideration when performing the kicks. This takes many hours of practice to achieve the best result. When performing your kicks while sparring, you will still be expected to execute with precision and accuracy but they tend to be more exciting and fun to watch.

Some of the basic kicks you will learn in Taekwondo are the front kick, back kick and side kick. These are pretty self explanatory in that you do basically what the name implies.

Some more advanced kicks found in Taekwondo are:

Axe Kick
In this kick the person raises their knee, extends their leg and then pulls down with their heel pointed down.

Hook Kick
Here you raise your knee as you would in a side kick, then extend your foot in an arc with your heel striking the victim.

Roundhouse Kick
For this kick you would start by raising your knee then turning while pulling your toes back and then extending the kick horizontally across the target at about a forty five degree angle.

Crescent Kick
This Kick can be performed as either an outer or inner crescent. To do the outer, you raise your leg as high as you can, keeping it across your body a bit, you then sweep to the side in a circular movement.

There are also some more advanced spinning and jumping kicks that can be learned as you move forward in your training. These include the flying side kick, the spinning hook kick, the jump roundhouse and more. While these are more difficult to master, they are also very impressive to watch!

Improve Strength, Fitness and Agility With Taekwondo Training

Taekwondo training is a great way to get in shape and stay in shape. If you are looking for a fun way to shed a few pounds or perhaps you are tired of the same old routine, Taekwondo may be something to look into. It can be more fun than some of the other martial arts out there like Karate or Aikido as it centers more around stylish and fast spinning and jumping kicks.

Finding a place to train is as simple as pulling out the yellow pages or surfing the net. Just about every major city will have at least one Taekwondo training center. When looking for a training center, make sure to call and get prices from a few different places. It might also be a good idea to visit the center during classes to see how the training sessions look. You can get a real sense of whether the instructor is someone you would work well with if you see them in action first.

If you are thinking about Taekwondo training for your child, it is a good idea to make sure that the center offers classes specifically designed for children. Signing your child up for any martial arts is a great way to boost their confidence and teach them self discipline.

Another benefit children may receive from Taekwondo or any martial arts training is the ability to resolve conflict without resorting to violence. Many times the added confidence of knowing they can defend themselves in a fight enables children to find a non-violent solution to a conflict at school.

Martial arts training is more than just the physical part. Many people falsely attribute fighting and violence to martial arts like Taekwondo. This is not helped by all the movies we've seen that glorifies the actual ability to fight well. Real martial arts training teaches you just as much mental techniques along with the physical. Most are geared at avoiding physical confrontation at all costs.

The best result of learning to defend yourself is to never actually have to use what you have learned!