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Do you want to have incredibly powerful Karate kicks! A kick so freakin’ strong that you could kick a bully in the belly and make him dump his dinner? A kick so strong that a mule lifts his dress and runs away when he sees you coming?

Well, you can have one of those kicks! In fact, all of your kicks could be that strong! All you have to do is make one, little training aid.

Now, before I tell you how to make that training aid, I want to caution you. You have to make sure that all the segments of your kick are aligned. You have to make sure that the ankle isn’t crooked, the hips are turned the correct angle, and, most important, that you sink your weight so deep into the earth you could strike oil!

If the ankle is crooked you’re going to break your ankle when you execute your kicks. Trying punching with a crooked wrist, you’ll feel the pain, and this is what happens with the ankle if you don’t have it in the proper position. Walk on the edge of your foot, the ankle is bent, and it won’t be long until it starts yelling bloody murder for you to straighten up and fly right!

If the hip is not turned just the right angle, you won’t have any weight behind your kick. The hips are the cornerstone of the body, they have to be angled right, or the weight of them won’t go into the kick, and the whole body risks being out of order, out of sorts, and out of commission right in the middle of a mugging! You simply must have the hips committed to the attack, or your attack is going to be weak sister, and I know you know exactly what I mean!

Now, I’ve told you the importance of making sure your kick is done right, and it’s time to tell you how to make a train aid that will change your feet into rocket launchers! Get yourself a big wooden crate, the kind with thick boards, the kind that can take being dropped by a crane onto a pier and come out laughing. Now, double layer it, nail on some more boards so it is double thick, and can take double the whomping!

Put a car in the crate, or at least a motor or axle or something. Or fill that puppy with dirt, line it with plastic first, then pile in the dirt. Now you’ve got something that weighs more than one of those sissy bags…you’ve got something that weighs even more than one of those bullies you’re about to make a sissy crybaby out of, you’ve got yourself a real mofo, kicking bag.

Now, kick it in the center, and make it move, make it jump, make it dance like a little girl doing the hula. Kick that sucker until it slides across the ground faster than a drag racer getting the green light. Kick it until you’re legs are stronger than telephone poles, and that’s how you end up with powerful kicks that can knock a bully so far into next next week that he needs a calender to know what time it is.

Want to hand that bully a monster size bump on that bean he calls a brain? Head on over to Monster Martial Arts and study some real Martial Art. 1

There will be preferences if you want to learn Martial Art, but there are also a couple of things that are fairly obvious, and that we will be able to agree on. Interestingly, I came across this data many years ago, and have used it myself. It deals with analyzing the value of media in transmitting data. The worst method for absorption of data is the movies or TV. This is because the martial art techniques that you will see on the screen, whether it is the art of Bruce Lee, Jet Li, or whoever, has been altered for the camera. Yes, it may look good, but stuntmen and camera cuts are making it look good.
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Almost as bad as the screen, and it might even be considered a toss up with these two, is the web. While there can be pearls in that there computer stream, the dreck is overwhelming. Dial into the internet for the purpose of actually trying to learn something (as opposed to just surfing around for fun) and you engage a common brain that doesn’t know any better, pseudo experts, overwhelming amounts of information with no real instruction or even organization of data, what’s neat, advertising that hasn’t and can’t be tested for worth, and etcetera.

The third weakest way to educate oneself would be to try to learn from magazines. Now, this is not to be discounted, magazines do give you an overall viewpoint of what’s going on–and not just in the classical arts–and can give a good education as to what is out there. Good writing and the dedication of the magazine to find out what the reader is really interested in, and the tendency of the worthwhile ads to stick around, makes this a good source of finding out about different martial arts.

Fourth weakest would be to learn through martial arts videos. Now, I shouldn’t be saying say weakest, but third strongest, because one can focus on a specific art, explore that art in depth, and really get some great instruction. To be truthful, it’s a toss up between this and the next item, almost a tie, but I settled on the order you see because there are just so many terrible videos out there–it’s just too easy to string some fighting techniques together, slap a pseudo scientific label on it, and use internet marketing to blast it past common sense.

Second best and of extreme high value, when it comes to the learning procedure goes to martial arts books. With books you might not get the visual, but if you have any instruction in a training hall, books will work. Furthermore, you can get the most detail, in depth theory, the most fully thought out concepts in books–and if you can get a DVD to go along with it then you really have something.

The best method for learning the the combat discipline, hands down, is to take a martial arts class at a good training hall, one where they teach not just the blood and guts, but the heart and soul. You’ll find friendships that last, systems of combat that stuck around for thousands of years, and some pretty darned good times. Add to that that you can ask a question about anything you want at any time, and the worth of this method is undeniable.

People study according to their opportunity and means, thus, none of the things I have mentioned can be entirely discounted. And, the smart student will do a mix and match and educate himself so that he truly learns the most. In the end, every man is self made, learning Martial Arts is the best way to really make oneself.

Whether you want to study Karate, Kung Fu, Aikido,or some other art, Monster Martial Art has the best DVD/Books in the world. 1

Shotokan Karate is one of the four major karates styles in the world, so many systems are derived from this style, and thus are contaminated with some very incorrect concepts. Thus, whether you study Shito ryu, Isshin Ryu, Kyokushinkai, or any system that has the Heian forms as a base, you probably are making the errors I am listing in this article. It doesn’t mean your karate stance is bad, it just means if you make a couple of tweaks you can make it better.

A good karate stance should be a perfect blend between mobility and solidity. Mobiity is when one can launch their body quickly in one direction. Solidity is when one can grip the ground with their feet and become virtually immoveable.

In the Shotokan kokutsu dachi stance, however, the balance between mobile and solid has been compromised. If you study the legs you will see that they are angling in directions that are more than 90 degrees apart. This means the stance can’t decide whether it is supposed to be mobile or solid.

If the rear foot is facing away from the target the thrusting muscles are not pointing towards the target. The foot being incorrectly positioned means that there is not going to be enough traction when one pushes off. The leg being pointed in the wrong direction means that the major thrusting muscles of the leg aren’t in a position for maximum push.

in addition, the hips won’t be properly angled, and when one pushes with the leg there will be an ‘energy leak,’ in the structure. That is to say that the hips will not want to support the energy of the push. This can be severe enough to weaken the back, and even (in extreme cases) lead to damage to the lower spine.

To fix this the footwork all one needs to do is turn the rear foot to about 45 degrees or less towards the direction of the push. This will position the foot for proper traction, and set up the major muscles for the launch of the body. Of course, this is going to alter the essential nature of the stance.

Thus, when you turn the foot to the proper angle, you are going to have to figure out the better angle of the hips, and put the weight more on the rear leg. Doing this will prepare the body for maximum launch, but shotokan instructors will usually not like this alignment of the body for a simple reason: it lacks the sensation of shotokan power. But this merely proves that the system has been corrupted for sake and sensation of power, and not for the balance between gripping the ground and launching the body.

To deal with this, Shotokan masters have made the style specific to rely on overly aggressive front stances. What they have done is okay, but only in special situations, and the proof is in the fact that the back stance is more for holding the ground than for launching the body. Thus, there is a decision to be made, do what you are told in Shotokan Karate classes, or other classical martial arts styles, or estimate the validity of the physics I have presented here and change your stance to match these physics.

The difference between art and slop in shito ryu karate is in the physics. If you want to learn The Correct Physics of shito ryu karate drop by Monster Martial Arts. 0

You all know what a slasher in a knife fight is…he is that kind of sly thug who slashes the knife back and forth wildly. This motion is erratic and quick, and it makes it hard to get past the knife. Try a karate block and it’ll get you cut, he’s too fast for you to work jujitsu on, and like as not he is coming in on you fast!

The first thing that comes into mind is to wrap something around your forearm. This will protect the arm and give you at least some sort of a shield. The problem with this fighting strategy is that the time it takes to find something, or to remove your jacket and wrap it around your arm, is time in which you are going to get cut to pieces.

So wrapping something around your arm, while it has its place, isn’t really the most workable thing when if comes to knife self defenses. It is stop gap. You might still get cut, and it segments your self defense moves into predictable motion: the wrapped arm is going to be used for blocking, and probably only for blocking.

Interestingly, there is a fighting principles that does work for this type of combat scene, and it will help you figure out knife fighting techniques. It is easy to do this one without getting hurt if you use a training knife. You can also pick up a red magic marker and wear white tee shirts if you really want to go to town.

The concept is not to look at the knife, but to look at the shoulder of the arm holding the knife. This is hard to do, because the idea of taking your eyes off the weapon is difficult to do. There will also be people who hold that to take your eye off the weapon is the worst and stupidest thing a knife fighter can do.

The fact is, however, you are not fighting a knife, you are fighting a human being. The best place to focus the eyes would be the eyes, for as the saying goes, ‘The eyes are the windows to a man’s soul. Thus, to look at the eyes would enable the aware fighter to see the thought behind the action.

In the specific situation of a slasher, however, you should focus on the shoulder for a specific reason. As the hand moves, so does the shoulder move, and the shoulder is slower and bigger and easier to watch. Thus, by watching the shoulder you can actually predict the change of direction and motion of the slasher.

Now, the best strategy, to be sure,is to not get into a knife fight, or just bring a pistol. But, times being what they are, thugs being what they are, this strategy should help you live to fight another day. And that’s the trick you use to survive a slasher in a knife fight.

You can find the most comprehensive knife fighting DVDs on earth at Monster Martial Arts.

Does the universe work for you? Or do you just sort of bounce around and fall whim to the breaks of the universe? Interesting question, eh?

The universe, you should know, is like a big pool table, and most people just bounce around, bounce off the sides, bounce off other people, and, eventually just fall in that big hole off in the corner. This is what we call being a victim, as one never gets to have his say, never gets the good job, never becomes a star, and so on. The odd thing is that this type of lifestyle is amazingly easy to change…if one could only figure it out.

The first step in figuring it out is to go out and deal with life, to do something, and to make that something that you do related enough to life that it all makes sense. The best thing, in this first step, is the martial arts. The reason for this is that objects fly at you, and you have to deal with them, and isn’t that what life is about?

It’s the simple fact, the universe is nothing but a bunch of things flying around, and sometimes they hit you, and sometimes they miss you. So, when you do martial arts you are learning to handle the universe as it is. Unfortunately, there are problems contained within this method.

One problem is that people have messed up the martial arts so much they don’t always work as they are designed; they take years to learn, and the connection with life is somewhat odd. This is because martial artists have, for thousands of years, altered the martial arts to suit their intentions. They change them for god and country and winning a trophy and just to make a dollar or two…and for a zillion other reasons.

So, to make the martial arts really function, and by that I mean fast enough so that you can use them to manipulate life, you need to organize them, put order in them, figure them out as a logical science. So you matrix them, and they suddenly become easy to absorb, and they work ten times better, common sense kicks in, and, zingo bingo, you are the master of the universe.

Now, just reading these words, and knowing such a thing as Matrixing exists, makes things grinnable. People chortle, and they start cogitating about matrixing a martial art, but there is a problem with this. It’s like knowing that water exists instead of actually throwing your body in the ocean.

So, if you want to be a hard ball on the billiard table of life, bouncing around, victim to whatever happens to knock against you, never being in charge, then keep doing what you are doing. If you want to learn how to handle incoming objects as you wish, to manipulate the universe as you wish, then learn the martial arts. If you wish to own the pool table today, instead of purchasing it on the installment plan, with lots of hard knocks…you need to matrix martial arts, and then you can be the Master of the Universe today, and not by the end of your life!

Fin out about Matrixing at Monster Martial Arts. Pick up a free ebook while you’re at Monster Martial Arts. 2

Morihei Uyeshiba, O Sensei of Aikido fame, is the person who experienced enlightenment. It is he who organized and arranged his martial art, thus, the aikido Ueshiba created is the true Aikido. Well, sort of.

This question, what is the Real Aikido, is the question that confuses students of Japanese Aikido, budo aikido, and all the various offshoots. There are so many styles, you see, and they can’t all be the truth, right? And this question, of there being many styles, does itself question the validity of the Aikido of all styles, for if the founder was right, then how could there be interpretation?

The question, of course, is easily resolved if one considers the real truth of the universe. Morihei Uyeshiba, you see, experienced the truth of the universe from his sole viewpoint, and he did an amazing job of presenting that singular truth with his art. But if one considers the truth of the universe as a pure piece of information one can approach the art from a personal viewpoint of enlightenment, and not just from one man’s experience of enlightenment.

Just so you know, I mean no disrespect to the founder of Aikido, indeed, I have the highest respect, and I believe he would want me to question, to consider, and not just robot the techniques as the end all. He was not one to robot aikido, after all, he was an innovator and creator of genius magnitude. I think he would want his real students to emulate him on that level, as well as the level of endless and pure practice.

That all said, the truth of the universe, as represented by the yin yang symbol, and stated Neutronically, is: for something to be true the opposite must also be true. We can take this statement and dissect it endlessly in the philosophical context. The art being one of action, and action ultimately revealing the true truth, we must consider the truth of the universe as it applies to techniques, from the aikido basics up.

When an attacker attacks, the defender must perceive the attack. To perceive the attack not as just an incoming line, though that is necessary, but as a completed technique in his own mind. Thus, the defender must see the entire picture of the attack, must have the entire sequence of pictures in his mind.

Once the mental picture is complete, and at the same time as execution, the defender must mirror the move. Right to left or right to right, the mirror of action will fit the attack much the same as a tailored glove will fit a hand, and the defensive attack will envelope the actuality of the attack in the real universe. If this is accomplished, then you are practicing the Morihei Uyeshiba Aikido as he saw it in his moment of enlightenment.

There is perfection in this visualization and realization, you see. Perfection of action, and of mind, and of art. The good news is that this procure can be applied to the art of Saito Aikido, Aikido Aikikai, or any other interpretation of the founder’s vision in existence, the founder’s viewpoint was that close to perfection.

The best DVD for exploring the concept presented in this article is Matrix Aikido, which is available at Monster Martial Arts. 2

You can cure yourself of the sickness of insanity, and the whole world of being insane, if you can discover Real Karate. Now, we are not talking real karate videos on youtube or some other TV here, nor some other fantasy. We are talking about the type of martial arts studied over the ages that work on different levels for everybody.

There was a goju ryu karate club in my town when I grew up, but knowing about something didn’t save me from the chaos of school. I was treated to the teacher father figures, bullying classmates, and an education that didn’t relate to the world. So I needed Goju, or something like it, but didn’t know it.

As school progressed people began discovering drugs. Man, a good fighting discipline really would have worked to protect me from people going unconscious and crazy, which is what pills do to you. A good karate club would have enabled me to retain dignity and integrity at a time when I needed it the most.

Eventually, society turned to the Viet Nam War, and this war had to be the craziest thing in the world. The bumper sticker used to read, ‘Travel to strange, exotic lands, meet wonderful people, and kill them.’ Fortunately, at about that time I was rescued from this chaos…I happened across the Ed Parker Chinese American kenpo karate system.

I worked out ruthlessly, doing karate kumite and practicing my kenpo moves by the hour, but, eventually, I was to be disillusioned by the martial arts techniques I was learning. I was learning hundreds of fighting techniques and all the variations, but they didn’t have to much to do with the real world. Kenpo, though it was wonderful, was based on combat fantasy scenarios that didn’t always happen.

I went to the Kang Duk Won for my next step in evolution towards a rational world, and it was to prove a blessing. Here the discipline was rigorous and encompassing, and the energy we created was all consuming. I learned that all my sweat and bruises could be focused on one factor: the handling of the incoming fist.

One, single incoming missile, and I had to handle it, but that one incoming missile represented all the rage and anger and chaos of the world. Thus, in handling the fist, I was handling the rage and anger and chaos of a civilization that believed in war and drugs and lies. As I understood this I began to develop my own science, and my martial arts progress began to sky rocket.

Through this science of Matrixing I ordered all my martial arts techniques, put them in a logical arrangement so that they represented a whole science, and not an out of sequence something. The art became a science, and through the combative sciences I made my final break with the gods of insanity, So for me there were six degrees of insanity: school, drugs, war, kenpo, classical karate, and matrixing…and this is the path I chose, this is the path I discovered when I discovered Real Karate.

The path the author followed is well laid out at Monster Martial Arts. You can download a free ebook which explains his Matrixing theories. 5

Some people would have you believe otherwise, but it is quick and easy to learn good karate or kenpo, or whatever art you wish to learn, from Martial Arts DVDs. You can learn hard core self defense, fighting karate, classical gung fu combat techniques. You can learn virtually any art, there are judo dvds, taekwondo DVDs, you can even look into martial arts DVD rental!

Before you buy that Kung Fu training DVD, however, and start doing the Chuck Lidell all over the place, there are three things that you need to concern yourself with. It really is crucial, and how well you do will depend upon these three things. Indeed, without doing these three things you might just as well forget about your martial arts DVD training.

The first thing you need, and this is so simple that it is a no brainer, is you need a place. Even if you don’t have a personal Shotokan training hall, or a taekwondo dojang, or a Kung Fu kwoon, you must act as if you do. You have to select a spot in which to train and mock it up as a fighting dojo.

You need to clear out the clutter, not just shove it in the corners, because you are going to want to hang shiny kung fu weapons on the walls. You are going to have to check the rafters, because you are going to want to hang a kicking bag and not bring down the ceiling! You are going to want about 15 by 15 of good condition floor, because you want to be able to do Choy Lay Fut patterns or work on your shotokan karate kata DVD without running into anything or stepping on anything.

The second thing you will need to have is a good slice of time. I know this sounds silly, but industry survives, people learn things in school, everything on the planet runs by being in the right place at the correct time. So you are going to need to set aside a couple of hours on regular days, whenever you plan to train, and you are going to have to never miss an appointment!

Your wife wants you to take her shopping…no! The kids are going to have to keep busy by themselves. And turn that darn cellphone off!

Now, you have the time and the location, and one would assume you have the best martial arts video training tape you could get (my favorite is Matrix Karate…it was inexpensive, but the information on it was worth ten DVDs), and you must not forget…you need a partner! You need a person who is willing to enjoy the sweat and bruises, put in the effort, make the time slot, and wants to have a ball! In a way, your martial arts training partner is the most critical item of all, because without a fellow student to practice your kung fu techniques on it just won’t really work!

Now, you know the steps you have to take, and I want to say one thing: past the cost of cleaning your garage and a few Parker Kenpo videos, this is virtually free martial arts training. You go at your own pace, no one to push you past your comfortable learning speed, nobody to slow you down. And that’s my take on how to learn from Martial Arts DVDs.

The best martial arts video instruction in the world is available at Monster Martial Arts. Pick up a free ebook while you’re at Monster Martial Arts. 8

I know, kickboxing karate isn’t an art, but it is a translation. When you translate from karate to kickboxing, or from kickboxing to karate, you can win every single fight you are in by knowing the three things I am going to tell you here. We are dealing only with the hands, mind you, so you have to control your distance to make sure that you stay at punching distance True Mass.

If you are going to try to use this information with the feet we would have to set up an art called karate tae kwon do…grin. Or, if you were going to use it with fancy trapping manuevers we might call it shaolin kickboxing. Call it anything you want, the techniques will work, but you might have to make some changes.

Before we get into the techniques I should tell you how to set them up. You want to stand with the hands extended, elbows about 135 degrees, palms facing outward, so that the hands are in front of the shoulders. This, incidentally, is an ‘I don’t want to fight’ sign, which is a good thing because it is better to avoid a fight.

The basic principle here is that two objects can’t occupy the same place in space. Go on, shove one chair through another chair. You’ll just end up with kindling.

First Technique, he is going to have to go around your mitts, and you can execute a hard block and punch. This isn’t even a counter, this is done simultaneous with a slight body shift/sidestep movement. You will have taken the initiative and can follow up with an attack on the inside.

Second technique, he is going to try shifting to the front and jabbing, and you can just pass him and pound on his body. With these two techniques he is trying to go around you, and this will set him up by shutting his weapons down, or opening his targets up. A little practice and you will be able to tell which way he is going.

Third technique, and this is the one we want to really go for, is when he tries to go between your hands. He can be stopped easily, and, the potential for trapping him, simply by bringing your hands together, is large. You push his elbow and his wrist and develop an arm bar, and when he tries to back out, or otherwise escape, you elbow roll him, and you can work elbow spikes and secondary punches, all while keeping him trapped and unable to fight back.

This freestyle technique can further be enhanced by shifting the body or changing the distance between the hands, thus encouraging your attacker to do exactly what you want. In other words, you will make him totally predictable, and nobody is easier to beat than a fighter who is totally and utterly predictable. So, there you go, that is how you actually matrix the initial entry into a fight, and when you win that fight just tell everybody you were doing kickboxing karate…heh.

You can get more combat concepts that work, and find out about Matrix Martial Arts at Monster Martial Arts. Pick up a free ebook about Matrixing while you’re there. 2

Hiking and backcountry travel has increased in popularity over the past several years. All ages can easily participate and it is a great way to escape the challenges of city living. The exercise and fresh are added bonuses. And whether you are going out for one night or several, your enjoyment will be enhanced if your trip is organized and you are prepared for any challenge.

Well seasoned backcountry experts are aware of equipment requirements, but few consider self defense as a necessary component of personal preparedness. Yes, crimes are committed in the backcountry and even if cell phone service might be available, there is no rapid response to a 911 call. These threats require being prepared for unpleasant confrontation with people and animals – even in the wilderness.

Checking equipment lists should therefore include making sure that each camper or hiker has a self defense tool. These tools include self defense sprays, a stun gun or taser or other non-lethal form of self defense. Animal repellants are particularly required for backcountry activity in some areas.

Commonly known as “OC,” pepper sprays or self defense sprays are very effective. When applied, they irritate the eyes and impede the vision of the threatening individual. These are non-life-threatening when applied and can be easily carried with a belt carrier or in a pocket. Pepper sprays are usually made up of highly concentrated cayenne pepper compounds and – believe it or not – are essentially organic in nature.

Taser weapons can also be effective in fending off an intruder. New Taser C2 units are available for consumers and are the same as those used by law enforcement agencies. Tasers can be very effective for debilitating a threatening individual from up to 15 feet.

Safety should always be the primary consideration for backcountry travelers. There are many hazards to backpacking and hiking, so it is important not to overlook self defense needs – even in wilderness areas. The ability to remain calm under pressure is important. The availability of an effective self defense tool is essential if an unexpected threat develops.

In 1974, a mass grave was discovered in a Washington state forest. These were found to contain the remains of several missing women from Washington and neighboring states. The notorious Ted Bundy was later identified as the assailant. Bundy appeared harmless enough to his victims and none had effective means of defending themselves.

People backpack for different reasons. Some do it for the great exercise, some because of the adventure and love of nature. Others backpack as a way to learn and explore the outdoors. Whatever the reason, there are large and expanding numbers of backpackers. They explore and they love the wilderness, and have the common goal of a safe backpacking experience which can provide memories that last a lifetime.

Author Joe Davidson is a veteran police Author. He operates StunTech Products to provide citizens with the means and training to provide for their personal safety at home and on the job. Specializing in non-lethal self defense systems, StunTech brings peace of mind to home and workplace environments.