Ever see the Bruce Lee movie "Enter The Dragon"?

One of the best scenes in the movie — one that speaks volumes on just how sophisticated a figher Bruce Lee was — is when Bruce’s character is on a boat with a bunch of other fighters as they travel to a fighting tournament on a nearby island.

One of the fighters — a real dork — approaches Bruce and picks a fight with him. Bruce recommends fighting on a nearby beach, and that they take a small row boat to it.

The other guy agrees and gets on the boat, with Bruce behind him. As soon as the guy gets on the boat, Bruce simply takes the ropes tying the boat to the main ship they are on and undoes it, letting the boat float out — essentially leaving the guy in the boat with no way to get back on the ship.

OK, so what?

Here’s what:

Bruce "won" the fight…by not fighting in the first place.

And you know what?

Bruce was very proud of that scene. He fully believed that was the best way to win a fight. To him — perhaps the greatest fighter of his time — "fighting" was actually a last resort. Because he knew what kind of power someone who really knows how to fight has, and respected it.

Think about it:

How many fights have you seen over really stupid situations, words or common misunderstandings?

Ask yourself:

Is one person calling another a name worth spending two nights in the hospital? Is it worth getting sued? Is it worth severely hurting someone, possibly even crippling them for life?

You know, you can learn a lot about street-fighting in various different books, DVD’s, seminars and articles like this.

But just as important as learning the tactics and skills is making sure you use them for the right reasons.

Sifu Matt Numrich is one of only a few people in the world with Full Certification in Bruce Lee’s Jeet Kune Do and the Filipino Martial Arts. He’s been published in Black Belt Magazine and his students include US Air Marshal instructors, the US Navy, and dozens of local, state, and federal law enforcement agents. For a free lesson on how to win brutal street-fights go to: http://jkdondvd.com

For students who attend our regular classes the information below will be nothing new. Many have heard me pontificate on these points at various times, however, I think it’s important to share this information with others to hopefully help them focus their training in order to improve upon the quality of their workouts especially when they train on their own. This piece doesn’t get into any specific training methods but merely highlights "philosophically" the importance of practicing the exercises on your own. For a more detailed reading please refer to our book Attack Proof.

Like many of our students I’ve studied many martial arts systems over the years and while I was able to develop a degree of skill, like others I often felt that while cool looking, many of the techniques would be useless in a real confrontation. This is because many of the skills taught in about 99% percent of the martial arts systems are based on a reality and a dynamic of fighting that does not exist in the real world.

As we all know by now real fights are not "duels" like in the dojo and the speed and ferocity of real attacks are lightning fast and drastically contrast with choreographed attacks, which often resemble the types of attacks that only happen in bad low-budget "B" movie. Usually, (like always) when a real attack goes down, the odds are in favor of the attacker(s), and not by accident. Criminals want to above all else, win, and are not bound to any rules or code of honor. I think everyone on this reading list will agree with that statement.

Respectful Disrespect

What is meant by "respectful disrespect" is that when you look at the movement of the masters within many systems and observe how they move, regardless of the system they all share a few things in common. The masters all seem to be better balanced, more supple and relaxed in their movements, their timing is always better and their coordination is generally far superior to that of their average students. Much of this as they will tell you is a byproduct of either practicing the forms over-and-over or from performing the striking drills until the point of physical exhaustion. However, if that were true then you should within reason see the same thing in the majority of their students but often just the opposite is true. In other words what they’re saying and what they’re actually doing are two different things.

This is not to say that they do not train their butts off, because they do. Even in sport fighting, in order to perform the moves, an incredible amount of hours are needed in order to master the techniques, so do not misunderstand what I am saying here. However, because real fighting is such a different dynamic all together, the skill needed to make such techniques work is at such a high level that very few people (including yours truly) could ever make them work when the spit hits the fan. To put it another way, there are many football players who have played the game but very, very few will ever play in the NFL. Which brings me to my next point…

There’s something to be Said for Talent

Let’s be honest: many martial arts masters, regardless of style, are very talented people both mentally and physically and would probably be good at almost anything they decided to put their minds to. They have therefore subconsciously developed these skills and I believe many are unaware that they are even doing it. So no matter what they say they are doing, their actual movements often reveal the truth as to what is really going on. And that is what you need to be aware of.

A Grand Master of Tae Kwon Do may be able to kick someone in the head in a real street fight but for the average practitioner that action is not going to happen. So while there are things that the master can do through physical ability and talent, the rest of us are going to have to figure out something else.

Their students try to mimic the master based on what they "outwardly" observe, never realizing that until they develop the internal skills as explained in Attack Proof and various books on the internal arts, their physically ability will only carry them but so far.

This is what separates sport fighting from real principles of self defense. Sport fighting, due to the rules, limits what one can do and as a result requires a higher degree of physical skill and talent in order the make the techniques work, whereas real self-defense techniques, because they rely on sound principles, are universally applicable regardless of body type, which is why we focus most of our effort on training in the PRINCIPLES rather than techniques that require great physical skill.

"The most well made tools are worthless in the hands of those who are unskilled in their use." –Alexander The Great

The quote given by Alexander The Great is just as true today as it was then and no tool, no matter how well made, is of any use unless you have some skill behind it. As I always say, owning a hammer doesn’t make you a carpenter. I want to turn out carpenters that can draw a tool from their bag of tricks and have the skill to use it. Since the fight is "what it is" you must be able to adapt as quickly as the fight can change. You must be able to deliver the chaos as well as control it. Understand that we are "Brand X" martial arts so we build the foundation rooted in principles of human physiology and physics, we then hard wire in the skills and then provide you with the tools so that any tool that you place in your hand can be instantly applied for whatever purpose at the time you need it.

I once asked Master Perkins (he hates it when I call him that) about how Master Carron became so good. The answer was simple, he practiced everyday in the exercises and skills, sometimes for hours at a time. By the same token I’m often asked by students, "How can I improve my skills?" My usual answer is, "Do you do the exercises?" I usually get either a "no," or that "deer in the headlights" stare, which reveals the sin of omission in their training.

I wish I could tell people something different but like anything in life whatever you put into something you generally reap what you have sown, and the ability to develop the attributes needed for real fighting or at least to deal with the kind of violence that visits people everyday on our streets is no different. While there’s no substitute for training with another person, I’ve personally found that solo practice is equally important and usually it is the missing piece of the puzzle in one’s training.

When you learn to punch and kick, what you are learning are not skills on how to fight but developing tools. However, how you use the tools are entirely up to you. The trick is how do you make the tools work when you need to make them work? Will you choose the right tool for the job? And, therein lies the rub…

Solo practice resolves this dilemma by allowing you to develop the foundational skills to improve and without it I’ve seen that students and even instructors tend to "plateau" in their ability. So while one can improve through two-on-two practice to a point, without developing the foundational skills of balance, looseness, sensitivity and body unity, no matter how physically gifted you are, you can only improve but so far.

* It is the balance drills that enable you to step to a new root point effortlessly at lightning speed and strike with maximum power.

* It is the looseness or pliability drills that not only allow you to avoid being penetrated as you move but give you the ability to yield, align your weapon with your body, cut off angles and strike with maximum power from virtually impossible looking positions.

* It is your sensitivity, both kinesthetic and spatial, that allows you to know where the other person(s) is in relation to your weapons allowing you to seemingly always know what they are going to do before they do it.

* It is the body unity drills that enable you to always have your body behind your strikes so that when you strike your are able to do so with power from any position.

* Finally, it is the proper mindset toward fighting (especially in your training) that enables you to strike from virtually any position within your sphere of influence.

My question, which only you can answer for yourself, is if you knew sometime today you were going to be in the fight of your life, how good would you want to be? That is the mentality that you need to train with, because in truth it very well could be today! I don’t think there are too many homicide victims out there who ever thought their time would be up the day they passed on.

Sowing the Good Harvest:

Although I hate to use sports analogies when it comes to real fighting I also understand that the mindset required for training is really no different. Imagine a sprinter or distance runner who never practices the foundational exercises on their own and just shows up to run only during the meets. Failure is inevitable. Imagine a power lifter who never practices his lifting technique? No matter how strong or naturally gifted he is, he will never achieve to a high level. The same is true for any sport. Imagine if in school you never did your homework, given the limited amount of time you have to absorb the information in class there is no way that one can develop even a modicum of proficiency. At best you’ll be no more knowledgeable than the last time you had class and the same is true for the martial arts.

Nothing, no sport, no course at school, no job, no success to a high level is achievable without working at it. Solo training is especially valuable in our art of Ki Chuan Do because it stresses adaptibility and spontaneity. The art looks different on different people and you must experiment on your own with what works best with your own unique physical attributes.

Also it is equally important to train properly and not just train for the sake of training. Once again, much heartache can be avoided if students would just follow the book and practice on their own. All of the exercises are clearly outlined in Attack Proof as John Perkins has developed them. As a corollary to this, while it is true that one can obtain some level of fighting skill through training in class alone, I have seen throughout the years that those who rapidly achieve a high degree of skill are also the same individuals who practice the exercises on their own. Coincidence? I think not!

Why Don’t People Train On Their Own?

When you look at the martial arts world and you look at the styles that appear to have the most popularity they all seem to have a few things in common. They’re either very cool looking, they promise "magic" or if they profess to be reality based they guarantee overnight results. They sell an illusion in the hopes that no one will pull back the curtain only to see that there is no all powerful wizard at all. It’s part of our culture and we can’t avoid it.

Look at your average infomercial: they promise "six pack abs in 30 days," or the old Charles Atlas comic strip ad "Muscles in Seven Days" and weight loss results in a time frame that most doctors would consider dangerous at best. None the less, these products sell in the millions of dollars and the only ones who usually achieve success are the snake oil salesmen who profit by peddling basic fitness tips as "revolutionary science" because they know that deep down the "get rich quick", "get in shape without exercising", "results overnight" mindset permeates our culture and our base nature.

"You Don’t Bend the Spoon, the Spoon Bends You." –The Matrix

The other reason people don’t train is just plain old stubbornness. When you look at the exercises in the book, no matter how logical we present the information, there are many people who still don’t believe that "it really is that simple" and until you change the way you think about training in the principles, those epiphanies that everyone looks for in their martial training will never happen. Cecil B. DeMile used to have a saying about The Ten Commandments,

"Those who throw themselves against The Law shall be broken by it."

Since the principles are rooted in real things such as the laws of physics and human physiology and not hocus-pocus fantasy fighting, by practicing to develop these attributes you can’t help but get better. These "principles" are non-negotiable and do not change, it is you and your mindset about training that must change. You can use the laws of physics to your advantage but you cannot change them. You must allow the spoon to bend you and not the other way around. If you continue to try to bend the spoon or throw yourself against the law as they do in many fighting systems, when your world collides with reality you’re going to meet with disastrous results.

The Rest Is All Mental

The last point I’m going to make on this is that by training in the principles to the "nth degree" eventually you begin to realize that because you don’t have to think about your balance or your body position, it leaves more time for your brain on a subconscious level to process what it picks up through your senses and allows it to respond with what we call "Response - Ability". This is the ability to be able to respond to stimuli based on what you actually feel as opposed to trying to guess what another person is going to do, something I never, ever try to do especially since I only get one chance to get it wrong. Because you feel their intention, therefore it becomes. After a while, even the slightest movement on their part triggers a chain of events, which allows you not just to match their movements but to get ahead of the game, just like a chess match. The only difference being, that instead of relying on a series of moves to make this happen, you are going for "check mate" right from the start in order to end the fight as quickly as possible.

You can "click" your glass slippers all you want but doing the exercises along with establishing the proper mindset are the real secret to attaining a high degree or martial prowess. By developing the base level attributes (balance, looseness, sensitivity and body unity) the tools of combat such as guns, knives, fist, feet etc… are but a mere extension of not only your body but your moral will. Anything in your hand can now become a weapon. Anything you touch with practice becomes an extension of your body. When you touch objects you begin to feel their dynamic and you are able to, within reason, manipulate whatever you come into contact with.

By training in the principles, even your sense of visual perception or spatial awareness changes. You begin to perceive the density of other objects (including people) even without physical contact through what is known as "sub-cortical vision."

Your body unity increases to a point where your hands and feet are never out of position because your body is properly alignedin relation to others. You are now not only able to control your balance but manipulate theirs by feeling their center in relation to yours.

Remember in a real fight there are no points for second place! Practice, Practice, Practice…

Al Ridenhour is a Lieutenent Colonel in the United States Marine Corps Reserves, and is a veteran of the Persian Gulf War-Operation Desert Storm, where he commanded an infantry unit and served as an instructor in unarmed combat for his Marine unit and for the battalion’s Scout Sniper platoon. He has been training in the martial arts since 1985 and is a sixth-degree black belt (Master) in Ki Chuan Do, the free-form internal art created by former forensic homicide investigator John Perkins. Ridenhour is also co-author of Attack Proof: The Ultimate Guide to Personal Protection. See http://attackproof.com/ More articles can be found at http://www.attackproof.com/FREE-self-defense-NEWSLETTER.html

Thomas Jefferson reportedly said “I am a farmer so my children and grandchildren can be philosophers.”

Of course, we know he may have been a great farmer, aided in no small measure by servants and slaves, but he was also a first rate political philosopher and not a bad President, either.

History remembers him fondly, even if he embroidered a little in his narrative.

Why do people study the martial arts? Ask them, and you’ll get a lot of answers, including self-defense, self confidence, fortitude, and self-discipline.

Few will fess up to the idea that they’re tired of feeling wimpy at work and when they go out on dates.

And nearly no one will say, outright, “I want to learn how to kill!” but statistically, there are at least a few weirdoes who would love to snuff someone. Hopefully, they’re screened out by dojo management before they learn any serious techniques.

So, what are the best motivations for studying the martial arts?

To me, it’s reminiscent of what Jefferson said.

If our heads are on straight, we learn these skills so we WON’T have to use them, so we’ll be better at avoiding trouble, especially by not having to prove ourselves in interpersonal combat.

(You do know that it is the insecure, the ones who doubt their strength, that feel they have to overreact to the slightest threat, real or imagined. People who KNOW their capabilities are almost always the most relaxed and non-threatening ones in the room!)

In a sense, we learn martial arts so we can be philosophers, musicians, good and gentle people and calm citizens that can go about their business feeling secure from attack.

No dojo hangs out a sign or advertises the slogan, “Learn NOT to fight!” or “Walk away from bullies—we’ll show you how!”

They’d get no students that way because people believe they already know how to run, how to flee, how to act like, what they consider to be, cowards.

They want to learn to stand their ground, attack back, and WIN!

Ironically, they have to study long and hard to get to a point where their motivations and understanding change, where they aim themselves at pursuing peace instead of preparing for war.

Some never reach this point, and that’s a pity.

They drop out of training after achieving a certain level of physical prowess, but this just makes them bigger targets and more likely to incite violence because they fed their egos, instead of enlarging their spirits.

Dr. Gary S. Goodman is the best-selling author of 12 books, over 600 articles, and the creator of numerous audio and video training programs, including "The Law of Large Numbers: How To Make Success Inevitable," published by Nightingale-Conant-a favorite among salespeople and entrepreneurs. For information about booking Gary to speak at your next sales, customer service or business meeting, conference or convention, please address your inquiry to: gary@customersatisfaction.com.

Since it was created in 1882 by Kano Jigoro of Japan, Judo has become one of the most popular martial arts in the world. It is quite a rigorous and physically demanding sport, appearing in several major international sports competitions. As a result, when partaking in judo training, it is important that a high quality judo uniform, or gi in Japanese, be worn to avoid tearing and damage.

Judo uniforms are generally constructed out of 100% cotton, bleached white. Cotton is the best choice for breathability. Care should be taken when laundering, as most judo uniforms are not pre-shrunken and will shrink up to a full size from excess heat. Therefore, washing in cool water and air drying is highly recommended to avoid shrinkage.

There are three pieces to the judo uniform: the jacket, the belt, and the pants. The jacket is quilted with a thick pliable collar and wide sleeves. Two short splits are on either side of the hip, which are reinforced with extra cloth. The jacket is secured with a belt, coloured according to level, wrapped tightly around the body and knotted. The pants feature an elasticized drawstring waist with wide legs to allow for movement. In areas where there may be a lot of friction or stress from pulling, reinforcement at the seams and additional padding is vital to prevent damage. These include the shoulders, collar, knees, and crotch of the pants.

The cloth for gi’s comes in a variety of weights and textures. For training purposes, judo uniforms are made out of single weave cloth. The appropriate weight for a Judoka (Judo practitioner) is measured in ounces or grams, and depends on their ability and age. Usually, beginners at a younger age opt for lighter weights while older advanced students and instructors choose heavier ones. Weights can vary from 7 ounces or 198.44 grams to 40.57 ounces or 1150 grams.

For competitions, double weave cloth is ideal for judo uniforms, making them thicker and heavier. Judo uniforms for competition use tend to be more durable, and as a result, much more expensive than single weave. While training judo uniforms come in white, competition level uniforms also come in blue.

Higher quality judo uniforms should not weigh down the practitioner and restrict their movement. They should fit loosely and comfortably on the body.

This article has been brought to you by Martial Arts Equipment Toronto

Did you know there is a way you (yes you) can beat even the savviest, quickest and toughest street fighters in the world…regardless of how much you know about fighting right now?

A way that works even if you’ve never taken one single self defense lesson and even if your attacker has ten plus years of hard fighting experience under his belt?

I know it sounds almost crazy, but it’s absolutely true.

And here’s why:

You can get an immediate advantage over any fighter, in any environment simply by learning the finer points of what is traditionally called " the fake."

In fact, the fake is an extremely potent combat “tactic” the savvier street-fighting teachers show their students almost as soon as they sign up for their classes.

Why makes this concept so important?

The answer is simple:

If you can master the art of faking people out in a fight — by faking a punch to the face…but then landing a kick to the knee cap instead, for example — you can beat anyone in a fight. I don’t care who they are or who you are. You can do it if you know what you’re doing.

Frankly, this was one of Bruce Lee’s most treasured fighting "secrets" and has been used by people for centuries to take out bigger, stronger and more skilled fighters.

This is also why the savviest fighters never underestimate any opponent — even if their look small, weak and inexperienced — and why you shouldn’t either.

Sifu Matt Numrich is one of only a few people in the world with Full Certification in Bruce Lee’s Jeet Kune Do and the Filipino Martial Arts. He’s been published in Black Belt Magazine and his students include US Air Marshal instructors, the US Navy, and dozens of local, state, and federal law enforcement agents. For a free lesson on how to win brutal street-fights go to: http://jkdondvd.com

The martial arts make up an exciting sport that is a great tool for self defense and discipline. Training involves intense mental concentration and physical stamina. The key of each technique is to sharpen you thinking to the point that you simply react. There are many different forms of martial arts that specialize in a wide range of self defense and offensive combat.

Aikido is a Japanese form of martial arts that is derived form Jujitsu. It is not an offensive type of fighting that involves punching and kicking. It focuses on using your opponents own moves against himself by focusing on the flow of energy. By manipulating the force someone uses towards you, they can be thrown aside or even flipped over backwards in the direction of their energy.

Karate is the original form of martial arts. It is translated to mean “empty hand”. This is because the fighting techniques do not include and weapons. Kicking and punching are the main form of defense and offense. The wide variety of moves makes Karate the most versatile and total body martial art of them all. It is the type of martial art that is used in many self defense classes. Recent scientific research has broken down the many complex moves into more effective combinations that are now taught today.

Kung Fu is a very popular martial art that is the basis for many theatrical stunts. It is based on many low stance blocking moves that are very powerful. Some blocks can be so powerful that they injure the opponent. Styles of Kung Fu include drunken boxing, serpent and crane. Many other animal styles exist and are passed down by families. Jackie Chan is a famous actor that has mastered over five major animal fighting styles of Kung Fu. Another actor, Jet Li is famous for using Wu Shu, which is a very fluid form of Kung Fu.

Learn all about martial arts at http://start-martialarts.info

Have you ever wondered what you’d do if you were surrounded by a pack of vicious gangbangers wanting to take your money, your property and even your dignity?

This is not a pleasant thought, I know. But I’m a realist.

And I know, from FBI statistics and other sources available to the general public, that this very thing happens every day of the week, all over the world — in big cities and small towns alike.

The good news is, there’s actually something you can do when faced with a mass attack. Even if you’re not much of a fighter or only weigh 95 lbs.

And that is to simply find something — anything, no matter how blunt, small or seemingly insignificant — you can use as a weapon.

Here’s why:

Finding a weapon can immediately "even the odds" in a fight and literally mean the difference between life and death for you. I don’t care how many people you’re attacked by or where your skill levels are at.

It is the one true "equalizer" that will make people more cautious (and less likely) to attack you.

Plus, You can use almost any object as a weapon.

Including your keys, belt, some scrap garbage, a rolled up magazine (the spine of the average magazine is usually hard enough to break bones), broken bottle or even an ordinary fountain pen.

The key is to know how to use objects as weapons, which is not complicated and can be learned within minutes.

Bottom line:

Having a weapon — no matter how small or unusual — dramatically increases your chances of surviving and walking away in one piece if your back is to the wall and there’s no way out.

Sifu Matt Numrich is one of only a few people in the world with Full Certification in Bruce Lee’s Jeet Kune Do and the Filipino Martial Arts. He’s been published in Black Belt Magazine and his students include US Air Marshal instructors, the US Navy, and dozens of local, state, and federal law enforcement agents. For a free lesson on how to win brutal street-fights go to: http://jkdondvd.com

If you are looking for a good sport and you are worried about stoppages in your workout due to hurricanes or extreme weather perhaps martial arts might be for you. With martial arts training you can do it even in the even in a hurricane and even if you decide not to evacuate and stay.

Unlike other types of workouts with martial arts training you can do the workouts and practice your reflexes even if you’re in your own home with the power out and the water turned off. Consider some major category hurricanes when the power is out for three to four weeks and the water is turned off. If you are smart to stock up your food supplies and the water supplies in advance, you may find yourself able to accelerate your martial arts training as there is nothing to do except the training itself.

Martial arts training is also a great way to relieve stress and when practiced with meditation can provide you with more insight in life, as well as develop your defensive skills from attack. Hurricanes can indeed provide a good amount of free time to practice your martial arts training. You will have no interruptions from the telephone, television or outside intrusion while you master your martial arts training. Please consider this in 2006.

"Lance Winslow" - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance in the Online Think Tank and solve the problems of the World; www.WorldThinkTank.net/

Here’s an interesting little fact that will probably surprise you:

One of the little-known "arts" Bruce Lee worked into his fighting system and trainings…that quickly blasted his coordination, balance and speed to "world class" levels…ironically had nothing to do with fighting, combat or violence.

In fact, there is no punching, eye gouging, biting, kicking, scratching or violence involved at all.

What was this "secret" skill Bruce learned and excelled at?

In a word: Dancing.

Don’t scoff. It’s absolutely true.

In fact, Bruce Lee not only learned how to dance (and box) to make himself a faster and more coordinated fighter and athlete, but he actually took it so seriously and trained at it so hard he became a dance champion.

And you want to know something?

It’s not all that surprising if you’ve watched any of the raw footage or movie reels of Bruce moving and fighting (he actually had to slow his moves down for the camera, according to some reports).

Having the kind of speed and balance learning to dance can give you will hand you an enormous edge in any fight, no matter how big, brutal or violent the other guy is.

Frankly, if you learn to dance — even if it’s just the bare basics of dancing — you’ll move faster, easier and with a lot more confidence and stamina than the average thug walking the streets.

Bruce knew this all to well…as have a lot of extremely tough street-fighters I’ve known over the years who learned to dance, too.

Sifu Matt Numrich is one of only a few people in the world with Full Certification in Bruce Lee’s Jeet Kune Do and the Filipino Martial Arts. He’s been published in Black Belt Magazine and his students include US Air Marshal instructors, the US Navy, and dozens of local, state, and federal law enforcement agents. For a free lesson on how to win brutal street-fights go to: http://jkdondvd.com

It is no secret that Asian martial arts are incredibly popular in the United States. Any given town may have two or three Korean Tae Kwon Do schools, a few Okinawan karate schools, a Chinese kung fu school or two, and a handful of Judo, Aikido, Jiu Jitsu, and other schools scattered about. The prospective martial arts student can pick and choose which style appeals to him or her most and is even free to combine elements from multiple styles. Such was not the case in the founding days of the martial arts, when arts were passed on from student to teacher in a direct lineage. It was not always easy to find a teacher, and the student had to spend a lifetime mastering the art. There was no "picking and choosing", no shopping for styles and masters. So how have the martial arts integrated into western consumer culture? Quite well, actually. The freedom to pick and choose has allowed the blending of styles that have been separated for centuries. In the end, we are seeing the emergence of a truly American class of fighting styles. This conglomeration of fighting arts is a melting pot, much as America itself is.

It should be pointed out early on that this article makes many sweeping generalizations that are not true of many particular martial arts schools and styles. Some schools proved to be adaptable to local influences almost immediately, while others have retained their traditional characteristics for decades. This article is not intended to say that one way is better than another. It is just an observation of how the martial arts scene, overall, in America is changing.

The first wave of the martial arts boom in the United States occurred in the years directly following World War II. American servicemen stationed in the east discovered the strange, effective fighting arts of Japan while based in the region as part of the post war occupational force. The primary martial art that was introduced at this time was Judo, which was popular in mainland Japan, along with some forms of empty hand martial arts from the island of Okinawa. These Okinawan arts are collectively known by their Japanese name–the words "kara" meaning "empty" and "te" meaning "hand" combine to form the now common word "karate" or "empty hand." The second wave was an interest in Chinese forms of martial arts (kung fu), largely popularized by the demonstrations and movie and TV roles of Bruce Lee in the nineteen-sixties. The martial arts enthusiasts of generation X can largely trace their martial arts influences to the Karate Kid movies.

Yet, through all of the decades of martial arts practice in America, martial arts remained firmly rooted in its oriental culture and tradition. Classes began with salutations in Japanese or Chinese, and the same languages were used to count out punches and kicks during drills. The more closely the American martial arts schools held to the traditions of their forbearers, the more the art was respected. Schools that integrated oriental martial arts with American boxing and wrestling were often viewed as having somehow "watered down" the traditional nature of their art.

Those views have been slowly changing over time, and mixed martial arts (MMA), which combines striking arts with wrestling and grappling arts, has become an accepted class of martial arts in its own right. This has been particularly highlighted by the success of the Ultimate Fighting circuit, which is as close to no holds barred fighting as you’ll find in modern sports. The early Ultimate Fighting Championships featured competitors who were essentially one dimensional. Someone might be a boxer, a grappler, a karate practitioner, or something else, but rarely did you see true mixed martial artists. However, the one dimensional fighters soon found themselves outmatched by the more versatile MMA competitors. This was most stunningly highlighted recently when Royce Gracie, Jiu Jitsu master and the winner of three of the first four Ultimate Fighting Championships, was defeated soundly in his return match by Matt Hughes, a modern MMA fighter.

Does this mean that traditional martial arts have been supplanted by the new breed of MMA styles? Absolutely not. Rather, it just goes to show that, even in the martial arts, there is not one size that fits all. Clearly, if you are fighting three five minute rounds in a chain link octagon, then MMA might be the way to go. However, who can say what would work best in a real world confrontation? Besides, as any true martial arts practitioner knows, the true value of studying the martial arts comes not in finding ways to beat your opponent–rather, the real challenge is to face down your own failings and become the best person you can be.

Gary Russell is a freelance writer, martial arts practitioner, and software engineer. He is the founder of TopSearch Consulting, a full service web content and keyword article provider.