Not just guys

Seems like it's not only a problem with male teachers...

Story:
A lesbian karate coach abused a teenage girl after telling her: 'Sex is like Nokia - connecting people.'

The 37-year-old mother-of-three, bombarded the 15-year-old with texts and e-mails and assaulted her after she ran away from home.

The girl's mother started to worry when Strike, who is separated from her husband, brought her daughter home hours after her karate lessons had finished.

Source

33 years (quite) old

"Quite old" a 33? Sheez! People are starting in martial arts well into their 60s and 70s.

Story:
Lucio Alejo Jr. is an electrical engineer and hands-on businessman who owns Alecto General Technology Corporation,

Like other typical CEOs, Alejo loves playing golf whenever he feels like going to the greens with his regular golfing buddies.

Alejo’s first love, however, remains Aikido, the Japanese martial art popularized by Hollywood actor and seventh dan black belt Aikido practitioner Steven Seagal when he came out with his movie debut in 1988.

Now the holder of a fifth dan black belt, Alejo started learning Aikido in April 1983, and immediately got hooked on the martial art.

Alejo was actually a late convert to the martial art. He was already 33—quite old to get into the more aggressive martial arts like Karate, Taekwondo and even Judo. Thanks to his workouts, however, his body was able to take all the rolling and falling, required skills for the safe practice of Aikido.

Source

A 'Brasillyan'?

Seems this guy has lost more than a couple of matches...

Story:
A 43-year-old Brazilian jiu-jitsu fighter who allegedly tried to open the emergency door on a cross-country flight may undergo a mental health evaluation after making incoherent statements Thursday during a court appearance.

The man spoke erratically in Portuguese during a brief hearing Thursday in Loudoun County General District Court. An interpreter was only able to convey some of de Oliveira's comments, which included multiple references to ransom and money.

Authorities said de Oliveira competes in jiu-jitsu competitions, and one of the passengers on the flight said de Oliveira was wearing jiu-jitsu patches and military-style clothing aboard the flight.

Source

Karate spirit

You must really have a heart of stone if a story like this can't move you.

Story:
Fear and doubt never had a chance. Not from the minute Sam Flores laid eyes on 8-year-old Cole Massie wrapping both arms around a handrail at the Glendale YMCA and inching his way up the last 16 steps to make it to his karate class on time.

Those steps were supposed to be Flores' way out of this dilemma - the fear and doubt he was feeling.

The fifth-degree black belt sensei - a master karate teacher - feared no man. But he had come to fear this little boy with cerebral palsy who wanted so badly to learn karate.

For hours, Cole would sit in his wheelchair in his room watching pirate movies on TV and practicing karate moves to help the good guys win, says his mother, Michelle Massie.

For his 9th birthday, he wanted only one thing, he told her. Real karate lessons.

Source

Murder scheme

Canada -- Ronda Black made an attempt to kill her husband Keith, but she told a Supreme Court judge Friday she couldn’t go through with the plan to poison his mashed potatoes.

Ronda said she had been told by family friend Howard Steadman that Keith had contracted someone to murder her, but she decided to do him in first.

On Friday, she testified to the near-bankrupt financial situation the couple faced due to declining enrolment in his taekwondo school and the free-fall deterioration of their marriage.

She said Keith was having an affair, possibly taking drugs, was emotionally abusive toward her and exhibited strange behaviour. That included shaving his pubic area and sitting on the floor in tears as he talked to himself.

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Maroteux

Roland Maroteux is something a mythical figure within European budo.
Skilled in aikido, Hakko ryu jujutsu and aikijutsu, he has trained many years in Japan unders various masters.

It seems his primary art these days is Takeda aikijutsu, of which he is an official 6. dan, shihan.

In this clip he shows various techniques from the style. As you can see it is the major inspiration for aikido, although much more combat (battle) orientated.

You can view/download the clip here (flv file, 13.59 MB)

Get the player here if you need it (small file, fast and easy install).

Multiple charges

A veteran Toronto firefighter faces multiple charges after police descended on an east Toronto home yesterday with a search warrant.

Police say a man was involved in the "active distribution and possession of child pornography." They identified a suspect in June during a Toronto police probe into online child porn, whom they say was involved in the distribution of child porn since January.

The 45-year-old acting captain at a downtown fire hall with 19 years experience, and a martial arts enthusiast, has been charged with two counts of possession of child pornography, making available child pornography and accessing child pornography.

Source

The "Bikini killer"

French national Charles Sobhraj, dubbed the "Bikini Killer" over a string of grisly deaths in the 1970s, has said he is confident Nepal's highest court will overturn his life sentence.

"Many of the judges and police officers know this is a false case," Sobhraj told AFP Tuesday in the prison visiting room before guards cut short the interview.

Sobhraj has been linked to a series of murders of young female backpackers in the 1970s and was arrested at a casino in Nepal in 2003. He was found guilty of killing US citizen Connie Joe Brozich on the outskirts of Kathmandu in 1975.

The 2004 conviction for Brozich's death rested largely on evidence that Sobhraj and his lawyers claim was fabricated.

Looking well-muscled and younger than his 63 years, the martial arts and self-taught legal expert Sobhraj believed recent political changes in Nepal could work in his favour.

Source

A 'peas-keeper'

Jaime "Taboo" Gomez has a metaphor to explain why Black Eyed Peas is a different kind of hip-hop hybrid.

"If hip-hop was a movie, people come in expecting 'The Terminator' and 'Wild Wild West,' " says Gomez. "But Black Eyed Peas is 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.'

We're not about explosions, hardcore, shock value, thugs shooting people on the block, or pimpin' bitches. That's what the hip-hop stereotype is. We're crazy martial arts. We're still tough, but we won't shoot you down, we'll kick you down."

When he was 12, Gomez came into contact with the skill that would help pay the bills later in life. "A friend's father asked me to learn Jeet Kune Do," recalls Gomez. "But he told me, 'I don't want you to fight, I want you to incorporate it into your dancing."'

He did, and since joining forces with will.i.am and apl.de.ap in the mid-1990s, Jeet Kune Do has figured prominently in Gomez's BEP work.

Source

Savate

Here you have another old and interesting clip of a "high kicking lady."

From what I can see it shows Savate ("French boxing"), and it is from the 1930's.

It also shows a little of what I believe is called "Parisian Stand-up grappling" (Lutte Parisienne)

The written comments are great :-)

You can watch this really cool clip here (2.43 MB, wmv format).

You'll find lots of other interesting clips at your-martial-arts-resources.com

Rock'n chi?

Hey, why not? I guess the Grumpy One needs to slow down doing his "Walk on the wild side".

Story:
Lou Reed is writing and recording music for martial arts -- a soundtrack, if you will, for Chen-style tai chi, of which he is a loyal practitioner. Typically this music is of Chinese origin, but Reed's goal is to change things in that world as he did in the rock 'n' roll realm four decades ago.

"I'm making it under my name -- it's energy music," said Reed. "I was trying to make music that would give the energy of rock, but you would be able to put it into a martial arts (setting). I just wanted to do it. We're always doing it to this Chinese music, and I thought it would be great to do this."

Rock 'n' roll tai chi? How far he's come since "Sister Ray," "Heroin," "Venus in Furs," "The Black Angel's Death Song" and lyrics such as, "It's hard being a man/Living in a garbage pail."

Source

No match

What do you mean - the police didn't back down despite of a guy apparently knows "krotty"! I'll bet you he even was an expert...

Source:
An 18-year-old Corning man who decided to take on Corning police officers Friday night found out he was no match for them, despite assuming a karate stance.

The young man ended up in the Tehama County Jail on booking charges of challenging to fight, battery on a peace officer and of resisting arrest by use of force or fear.

Police responded shortly before 8 p.m. after receiving a report of a fight involving several individuals. The police report said the officers arriving contacted Wilson as he was walking away and attempted to talk to him about the incident.

Source

Caught them easily

Four robbers met their match in a teacher of martial arts and his young student this weekend.

The crooks, in their 20s, robbed a woman of her handbag on a riverside street in Chengdu of Sichuan Province and ran away.

Hearing the woman cry for help, the teacher and his 13-year-old student rushed at the robbers, caught them easily using their kung fu, and handed them over to police.

Source

Touching...

The owner of a Newport News martial arts studio was arrested Tuesday on charges of making sexual advances toward a teenage employee.

The 58-year-old man teaches karate. He is charged with attempted sexual battery.

A 15-year-old girl told her mother that Hooper tried to kiss her while she was working Friday, and that she pushed him away. The mother called police.

Source

Flight attendan(t)

Here are the words of Sandy Berry, an American Airlines flight attendant : After Sept. 9, 2001 I was supposed to go to Paris the following Friday. I did not go. The company did not make you go.

I finally went back 10 days later. But I was scared. Flying home from my Chicago base, a Middle Eastern-looking guy sat beside me. I felt bad for how everyone stared at him, but I was twitchy, too. When he turned off my reading light, I raised my pen like a knife and said, "That's my light! Leave it alone!" That's when I realized I had to do something.

Suddenly we flight attendants were the last line of defense, because that cockpit is never opening again. But we didn't get extra training, not even plastic handcuffs and tape, until later.

So in January 2002 I called a martial arts school in Moon. My fellow flight attendant and friend Dot Sawyer and I took a self-defense class, then started taking tang soo do. We loved it.

By that April, I'd learned enough that I could go back to work. I had some control again. It was gnarly, but I have stuck with martial arts, and after four years, this July, I received my first-degree black belt. Me, who only thought of belts as fashionable. Now there's no doubt in my mind that I can defend myself and take someone down.

Source

More 'sue-do'

The case of a 56-year-old martial arts instructor convicted of sexually assaulting one of his students now has legal implications for both the town and its school district.

Both have received notices of intent to sue on behalf of the victim of the man, who taught at both the community center and at Newmarket Junior/Senior High School before he was charged last year with felonious sexual assault and child pornography involving a then-14-year-old girl.

The crimes for which he's already been sentenced occurred in the course of about a year, according to court documents, beginning in May 2004, about two weeks after the victim confided in him about some family issues. It continued until May 26, 2005, a day before the victim's mother discovered sexually explicit text messages from the man on her daughter's cell phone and notified police.

Source

Even more experts

Two years to become "experts in martial arts" (and a host of other equally deadly things as well). Sure... Why not? Not!

Story:
China -- Ten months after its establishment, Beijing's riot police squad, known as the Special Police Force (SPF), has become China's strongest and best-equipped police unit, according to a senior minister.

The unit's 970 members have been selected from different departments under the city's public security bureau, such as the patrol brigade, and criminal investigation and security check departments.

They will undergo at least two years of intensive training and become experts in martial arts, counter-terrorism, riot control and hostage rescue.

Source

Electronic scoring system

Seoul, Korea -- The World Taekwondo Federation (WTF) said Monday that it will introduce the electronic scoring system as early as May 2007 during the 18th World Taekwondo Championships in Beijing.

"The introduction of electronic gear is expected to greatly enhance the image of taekwondo and the WTF, as it can reduce the likelihood of controversial judging decisions," said WTF President Choue Chung-won at a news release here.

"The use of electronic gear can make judging at taekwondo competitions more objective and transparent," Choue said, describing the move as "a milestone in the history of taekwondo."

Source

The world's youngest

Is this where we all should do our ceremonial "wow!"? Mark my word, this quest to have "The World's Youngest Black Belt" (the "Wow, look ma, I'm a deadly black belt!" syndrome) is gonna end with a Diaper-Dan™.

"He can't walk, he can't talk, but he's one deadly black belt toddler!"

Why not hand out black belts to pregnant women, to make their new-born an "Instant Black-Belt Member™?

Or better yet, why not just hand it out to everyone, so that parents planning to have a kid in a few years time can say that "we definitely have a black belt brewing here!" Not born yet - can't get any younger than that?

Now, excuse me while I go and call in sick...

Story:
Seven-year-old Tanner Gallego of Layton, Utah, is accustomed to smashing boards and making rubble of bricks to amaze his friends and family. But simply crushing raw building materials is not enough to become black belt in karate.

Recently, the 80-pound schoolboy completed a gruelling seven-hour examination to become the youngest black belt in the world.

Source

A little kip up

Melvin Fowler is lying flat on his back when suddenly he swings his legs up, vaults himself straight into the air without using his hands and lands in a standing position.

It's an acrobatic move that is common in martial arts, break-dancing and gymnastics.

It's uncommon for offensive linemen.

"It's a little kip up," Fowler said. "It's a martial arts thing. Back in the day when I was younger, I did jujitsu. I finished when I was a freshman in college, and I did karate when I was little. You bend your legs and you spring up."

Easier said than done when you're 296 pounds, like Fowler. The move is an example of the athleticism the Bills were seeking when they signed Fowler to a free-agent contract in March and made him their new starter in the middle of their offensive line.

Source

Air jiu-jiitsu "champ"

A man wearing military fatigues and throwing punches into the air tried to open the exit door of a jet during a United Airlines flight on Tuesday night, airline officials and passengers said.

The passenger became unruly about 3 1/2 hours into the flight from Los Angeles and was subdued by other passengers and federal air marshals, a United spokeswoman said.

A man who was on the flight, told The Associated Press in a telephone interview that he helped subdue the unruly passenger. The man wore patches on his fatigues with special forces and jujitsu champion logos, Wolfenberger said.

The man had been acting strangely for about 20 minutes before the incident, then sat up, wrapped belts around his hands and threw punches into the air.

Source

He sees with sounds

14-year-old Ben Underwood from Sacramento, California is a freshman like all the rest — well not exactly like all the rest. In his first week at school, a lot of people at the school haven't guessed that Ben has a secret.

You probably couldn't figure it out watching him in combat at karate class … or hitting his mark in a pillow fight … or zipping down the street on his roller blades. But in class, you'll notice that Ben takes his notes in Braille. He says he lost his sight two weeks before his third birthday.

Ben had cancer in both eyes. But he discovered a way to beat his blindness. When he was about 6, he started "clicking," and quickly realized that the sound he made with his tongue bounced off things around him, giving him an idea what was there.

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Flashback

Florida -- The search for 2-year-old Trenton Duckett is like a nightmarish flashback for Lake County residents. On Thanksgiving weekend 1998, Richard Adams of Clermont reported his 6-year-old daughter, Kayla McKean, missing. She had gone out to play, he said, and never came back.

Hundreds of volunteers scoured the south Lake County community, and tips poured in from across the country.

He indicated he would be willing to take a lie detector test, but balked. Finally, four days later, the self-described karate expert confessed to beating her to death and burying her in a shallow grave in the forest near Alexander Springs.

Her big offense? Soiling her underwear.

Source

McJudo anyone?

Ehhh? Sure, having a job and staying active is important to us all, regardless of age. Still, I would argue that it's the judo (or any purposeful exercise) that "is just the tonic to help pensioners keep feeling young" - not the burger flipping.

Story:
A 65-year-old McDonald's worker has been chosen to front a new anti-ageism advertising campaign aimed at recruiting senior citizens.

Judo coach Fred Turner is the new face of the fast food giant.

With Mr Turner's face as apparent proof, the company is now claiming that the fast pace of a job flipping burgers is just the tonic to help pensioners keep feeling young.

Source

'Eurekarate'

I'm sure this is a book well worth reading, and it sure is nice that people find their own way through the martial arts. But to claim that "it has become known as a self defense art, he says the origins of martial arts are in meditation," is just as wild as to claim that the arts are only about fighting.

Maybe the word "martial" should ring a bell here professor? These are ancient warrior arts. Today we use them for fighting, spiritual content, tradition, philosophy, self-defense, work-out, fun, films, games and much more.

Why wearing these blinders, saying "Eureka - I've found the only true path, and you folks are all so wrong!"

Story:
Some people can't imagine life without martial arts, just as some people can't imagine not having a cup of coffee in the morning.

Either can find wisdom in Joseph Cardillo's "Bow to Life, 365 Secrets from the Martial Arts for Daily Life." He's a black belt martial arts expert and creative writing professor at Hudson Valley Community College, near Albany.

He says martial arts is intended to be a lifestyle, rather than just a workout.

Cardillo's interest in martial arts grew from his studies of philosophy and theology at Sienna College, in Loudonville. He'd taken some Chinese kickboxing classes as a teenager interested in self defense, but not until college did he explore and appreciate martial arts philosophy.

Though it has become known as a self defense art, he says the origins of martial arts are in meditation.

Source

Closely kept secrets

In what seems more like a movie script, than a real life story, Hong Kong movie star Jackie Chan has revealed some closely kept secrets about his parents and his past life experiences.

The martial-arts star had always thought that he didn’t have any siblings, until one day when his father told him that he has two sisters and two brothers.

He revealed that his parents were very poor and both had lost their spouses during a war before they met each other. They fell in love with each other when his mother, who was an opium supplier was caught by his father who was a customs police officer. At the time of the incident his mother had two daughters and his father had two sons.

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Passive karate

Police say teens attacked a man in Gorgas park in Roxborough, while a another teen videotaped the attack.

23-year-old Sean Swanwick described the attack he suffered Wednesday at the hands of several teenagers saying, "They'd jump back forward begin punching me in the head. I'd curl back up, they'd say go for the wallet. I'd uncurl".

Most of the blows landed on the back of his head. Swanwick says he endured bullying when in high school.

But during this minute long ordeal, the black belt in Karate says he never fought back, choosing a passive protective stance instead.

Source

"Mixed Music Arts"

Couldn't have said it better myself. You would be amazed by the numbers of musicians, painters, dancers, writers etc. who's into martial arts.

Story:
The connection between performing music and training in boxing and martial arts may not seem obvious. But for those who do both, the disciplines are closer than most spectators would imagine.

“I studied music for many years, but coming here has taught me a lot,” musician Dan Hare said, standing in the South Surrey training facilities of the White Rock Boxing Club and The Dragon’s Den Martial Arts.

“There are lots of parallels between this kind of training and being on stage. You have to have the energy, you have to know how to pace yourself – and remember to breathe. I look at myself as an athlete when I’m on stage.”

Source

Party crasher

Champion of what - stupidity?

Story:
Colorado -- An uninvited Eagle party crasher ripped off his shirt, bragged about being a kickboxing champion and destroyed a neighbor’s patio furniture, according to an Eagle County Sheriff’s report.

The melee began when the man showed up at an Eagle party on August 5 with his buddy and drank some booze, and then argued with some of the other partygoers, the report said.

He argued with two women, shoved one of them and took a swing at another male, the report said.

Source

More bad seeds

Pennsylvania -- A 47-year-old man will face up to a maximum of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for his role in allowing three children under 18 to have oral and anal intercourse with each other for the purpose of producing visual depictions of such conduct between June 2000 and April 2003.

The man is a former federal prison guard and a martial arts expert who was operating a bar in Washingtonville at the time of his arrest.

Source

Friendly sport

No, no, no! It is not called a 'karate chop', it is a 'judo chop' - how hard can it be? Any kick aimed at a person however, is a 'karate kick' - even during a football match.

You may also be forgiven calling it 'krotty' rather than 'karate', if you live in the US :-)

The Frenchman Eric Cantona displayed a 'kung-fu' kick in his days with Manchester United, but that was an air-born attack... If not, then it's: 'karate (or krotty) kick'.

Story:
UK -- A 36-year-old footballer who "karate chopped" a 39-year-old opponent across the face during a "friendly" five-a-side football match on February 1, 2005, snapping his jaw in two places, has been hit with a hefty fine.

The accused changed his plea to admit the horrific attack only minutes before being due to go to trial in front of a jury at Airdrie Sheriff Court.

The court heard that the 36-year-old had been the victim of a mis-timed tackle by opponent, and lashed out in retaliation.

Source

Kung Fu-lish

Nebraska -- 37-year-old Cecil Henry Floyd attempted to rob a filling station.

The attendant advised Floyd that he knew kung fu, did a kung fu scream, and jumped into a kung fu stance.

Floyd shot the attendant three times in the head, killing him. Floyd had other murder/robbery charges pending in other states.

Sort of sword

A younger man wielding what appeared to be a sword drew the attention of a Tehama County sheriff's deputy Sunday afternoon.

Stopped by the deputy near the Travelodge Motel, the man did have a sword, but it was made of wood.

He said he uses it to practice his martial arts.The deputy said the man "was advised to get a case for it."

Source

Wrong victim

Germany -- Three teenage thugs ended up in hospital after trying to steal a junior kick-boxing and karate champ's mobile phone.

The trio, all aged 17, cornered Pauli Borchardt, also 17, as he made his way home from a friend's house in Hamburg, Germany.

After refusing to hand over his mobile phone, which he was using at the time to call his brother, the trio tried to take it by force.

But the amateur kick-boxing and karate champ floored all three of them before making it to his home on the same street.

Source

Those ninja...

A 49-year-old Greek bank robber armed with ninja throwing stars finally ran out of moves on Tuesday when police arrested him after an Athens bank robbery.

The man had held up 11 small suburban bank branches making away with 50,000 euros ($63,590) in recent months, threatening to throw his razor-sharp, palm-size stars -- made famous by the Japanese ninja warriors -- at cashiers, police said.

His luck ran out when undercover policemen at the last bank he robbed followed him home and arrested him with his loot, his throwing stars, a fake gun and a list of other bank branches.

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Expert advice

This guy, Jim Bisenius - a national (US) expert on bully prevention, has a lot of great practical advice about the topic, and the article here is a good read. But he is clearly not too knowledgeable about martial arts as a whole.

Yes, some arts will take time to present the kind of things he sees as effective means. Other arts will, however introduce these methods from day one: blocking, deflecting, evading, sidestepping, moving, dodging, freeing, locking etc.

And to all "experts" out there: Get more than surface information before you present something as a fact, please!

Story:
When bullying turns physical many parents waste time and money by placing their children in martial arts classes.

"It will be two years before they learn anything useful," Bisenius said. "Just have the instructor teach five favorite blocking techniques to repel a bully's attack."

Bullies, he said, will likely avoid the child who successfully demonstrates they are adept at blocking a blow for fear that they'll look foolish.

Source

Bullied no more

Ever since he started school, Mark Hunt pretty much knew what he could expect each day. There was the routine of class work, lunch and recess. But Mark, now an eighth-grader, knew most days also would include something much more sinister: relentless bullying at the hands of his classmates.

To help him learn how to defend himself, his parents enrolled him in group tae kwon do classes in Weston. Mark immediately took to the program's discipline and camaraderie.

While the initial goal was to teach him how to hit back, Mark and his family soon discovered that martial arts training espouses the opposite approach.

''Tae kwon do taught me not to act on my first impulse, which is to fight back, but instead to think things through and do what's right,'' he said.

Last year, after seven years of hard work, Mark was awarded the coveted black belt, the 10th-highest level of skill.

His new self-confidence and refusal to react to confrontations wore his tormentors down. Finally, he could enjoy going to school.

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A life saver

Like I always tend to point out: Martial arts is about so much more than kicking and punching!

Story:
Peter Townsend, 14, was cycling home when he saw Mick Lawson, 47, lying on the ground with life-threatening injuries after being attacked.

He went to the rescue and put his first aid skills to use by tilting Mr Lawson's head back and putting him in the recovery position.

Peter, of Ossett, near Wakefield, said: "I saw blood coming from his face and from one of his ears so, after checking him over, I tilted his head back so he could breathe and put him into the recovery position."

Paramedics later said Peter's actions saved Mr Lawson's life. He picked up his first aid knowledge while on a course organised through a karate club which he attends each week.

Source

5,000 attacks

Over 5,000 NHS staff in Northern Ireland have been attacked while working, it has today been revealed.

The British Medical Association (BMA) has said that it is to survey doctors as part of a new strategy to ensure that those who terrorise staff will be dealt with accordingly.

BMA chiefs have insisted that a zero tolerance attitude was required after some doctors were left too traumatised to work.

The threat has become so great that at the Ulster Hospital, on the outskirts of east Belfast, that staff are being trained in martial arts, to enable them to protect themselves from violent patients.

Source

Religion?

It's great that this woman has found her art in kick-boxing. But where did she get this idea that the other arts would have "interfered with her Christian beliefs"?

Sure, there may be one or two with some sort of Eastern religious side or "flavor". But in majority, regular martial arts is no more religious than golf, football or ...kickboxing.

Is it the bowing part that so many people take as a religious symbol? If so, then our handshake would be classified as one as well! Jeez...

Story:
She had a "haywire" reputation when she was young, Pipe says.

Pipe started kickboxing because her dad practised martial arts and she'd always wanted to be part of it.

Also kickboxing was the only martial art without a religious component and she didn't want to be involved in a sport that interfered with her Christian beliefs.

Source

She was upset...

I would argue that you have to be slightly more than "upset" to shoot and kill someone. At least over here it is not considered an accepted part of an argument or quarrel to pull a gun on someone.

Story:
Alabama -- A 39-year-old Decatur woman has pleaded guilty to the murder of a 50-year-old karate instructor. Her trial was to begin when she entered a plea bargain with the district attorney's office.

Police found the man dead in his karate studio, September 2003. According to reports, a former student discovered him dead.

Authorities said the was upset over a disagreement with the victim at the time of the murder. Her son was one of the man's students when the killing occurred.

Source

Football-kido

In football's war of the trenches, New Paltz lineman Danny Le is prepared in the way of peace.

Le has been studying the Japanese martial art of aikido for the past five months. Self-defensive in nature, aikido teaches a person to use an opponent's body against them, directing an attacker's movement aside using circular sweeping moves.

There is a spiritual aspect to aikido that Le appreciates.

"You have to empty the mind,'' Le said. "They say be like water because it's shapeless, it's formless and it can adapt to anything. You have to empty your mind so when something comes you adapt to it. You don't focus on one thing because if you do, you will get hit. Just go past it and attack and learn.''

Football is the same way, and Le said his aikido training — which he does three times a week in Kingston — can come in handy.

"Aikido is more about learning to move an opponent,'' Le said. "A football player comes with all his energy and I will take it and move it to one side.''

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Everyone's a suspect

An alcohol-fueled bash celebrating boxer Jeff "Hell Raza" Fraza's appearance on the reality show "The Contender" erupted in violence early yesterday morning, leaving a former Olympic hopeful hospitalized in critical condition.

The police report lists Fraza and another Haverhill man as suspects in the stabbings of Michael Tang, 27, a former national tae kwon do champion, and his brother David Tang, 22. Police Detective Sgt. John Arahovites said last night "everyone is a suspect" until the investigation is complete.

Fraza, 28, of Haverhill denies any involvement in the stabbings that happened at a downtown bar.

Source

What a mess

I guess I can shout all I want, but the madness continues. OK, so a 9-year-old gets a black belt - big deal. Good for her, by all means.

But could you please (pleeeeease!), stop calling a person at black belt level en expert? This is where the training starts. You have learned to use the basic tools - now go on and practise until it becomes an art! And then - maybe - you will be an expert...

Story:
UK -- It is best not to mess with this nine-year-old as she is the youngest black belt at a Taekwondo club.

Sarah Salmon, who trains at Twin Dragons in Gravesend, earned her first Dan grading in Southampton to join her sister Gemma and father Frank as martial arts experts.

Source

Like the Dr. says!

Can't be said much clearer than this, now can it?

Story:
Riyadh -- Saudi Women have been flocking to a newly established Martial Arts center in the Saudi capital.

Dr. Sara, a Saudi doctor who recently took up Karate at the center, said, “In our society, girls are usually shy and introverted. However, they should be fit and healthy and be confident. Women shouldn’t necessarily learn Karate, but as long as there are no medical restrictions, I think this martial art is most suitable for women.”

Dr Sara adds, “I’m definitely much healthier than before and I have benefited a lot from my Philippine coach. I feel now that I am more fit physically, I am more at peace and I have more confidence. I have gained these traits through the sport and they are important for me as I am a doctor and my occupation requires physical effort.” She wished that she had learnt the sport from a young age. “I have no ambition to reach the Black Belt level, but I would like to reach a reasonable stage of fitness and confidence.”

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Rap-kido?

Well, I guess it was only a matter of time before one of these individuals had to "prove" their macho image by talking about Ultimate Fighting.

After all, they are so tough that they probably fear looking at their own reflection in the mirror. I don't see them actually fight though; you see, you have to take off your bling-bling in the ring thing...

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Ice-T has always been one tough S.O.B. No disrespect to his mother, but I heard Ice-T is considering a career change.

The rapper is a longtime martial arts enthusiast and is looking to get into Ultimate Fighting. Ice, who is well into his 40’s, reportedly said that his specialty would be submissions moves like Suge Knight.

Anyway, I also heard that Ice is willing to use Nelly has his sparring partner, if Nelly is down.

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Butterfly knife

Knife a dangerous weapon? Oh yes, in some respects much more so than a gun...

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Scotland -- A man who stabbed his father to death walked free after a jury held it was a tragic accident.

The High Court in Glasgow heard when 58-year-old Hugh Owens insisted on going out carrying a martial arts butterfly knife, his 36-year-old son tried to take the knife but the dad fell to the living room floor, with five stab wounds in his chest.

Owens faced a charge alleging that in his flat in Maryhill last October, he murdered his father. He said the stabbing was a tragic accident.

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Double celebration

Great to see someone who hasn't fallen for the (largely) American novelty of handling out black belts. Keep up the good work ladies, and congratulations to you both!

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UK -- A mother and daughter team enjoyed a double celebration after gaining their black belts in karate within minutes of each other.

Elizabeth Davies, a karate instructor and her 13-year-old daughter, Lauren, have been studying the martial art together for the past five years.

Lauren was diagnosed with bronchiectasis just a year ago, a condition similar to cystic fibrosis which affects her lungs.

Despite knowing she will be on medication for the rest of her life, Lauren has continued her training, which helps alleviate the symptoms.

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Anyone "better"?

I seriously suggest someone starts doing reality checks on these TKD "black belts". I'm saying nothing bad about the art here, though - just bashing this "Wow... look, I got a black belt, I guess I must be real good!" stupidity.

Teenagers getting to that level after only 1-2 years of training? Please, someone tell me I'm dreaming, or that these folks are making it all up!

Why don't they just hand the belts out at the door, and then send them home?

Leave the arts up to people who are actually interested in spending time (and time is not equal to weeks...) to learn it properly, and please stop writing about kids who are SO proud because their parents can afford to buy them a black belt at an academy.

Folks, I've got news for you: Just go online and purchase the darned belt and diploma for next to nothing. It will save you a lot of money, and make the rest of us that are actually interested in martial arts studies to feel less ashamed.

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The youngster happens to be a good golfer too. She recently won the Illinois Junior Golf Association Girls 14-16 title and is one of the top golfers in the state.

Another thing that separates her from her sisters is that Meg is a black belt in tae kwon do and was promoted to black belt in 1 1/2 years (AARG!).

"I am really proud of myself to get it that quick," Meg said. "Other people it takes years and I enjoyed doing it and you did get to make new friends as well as travel."

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Leisure-Lee

Chinese officials have confirmed plans to create a theme park inspired by martial arts legend Bruce Lee. However, the actor's only surviving child, Shannon Lee, who controls her father's legacy, is threatening to halt the plans.

She vows to visit the proposed site "to find out what else they are dreaming up over there". The $18 million park will also feature gardens and remote-controlled mannequin robots operated from within a giant statue of the actor.

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Street attack

Self-defense? Of course ...

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UK -- A MA fighter - who has 80 previous convictions, including offences of violence, theft and one of drugs - was jailed for 12 months for a Hartlepool street attack that left a man with a dislocated shoulder.

The man injured his victim so badly that he needed two operations in which doctors fitted a screw to the bone, the Crown Court heard.

The attack took place on October 29 last year, when the victim was walking home from a night out with his partner and another couple.

The 27-year-old fighter approached asking the victim "if he wanted some". His shouting and abuse soon turned to violence and he lunged for the man and knocked him to the floor and punched him so many times that he lost consciousness.

In a police interview, the man claimed he was acting in self-defense but also added that "he was trained in martial arts and was trained to knock people unconscious."

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Big drum-drum

Sure, Taiko is cool (taiko actual means big drum, or big fat drum, so the often used term taiko drum is - shall we say - a little strange), and it's sometimes being used today as an element along with martial arts.

In feudal (like in "many moons ago") Japan, taiko were often used to motivate troops, to help set a marching pace, and to call out orders or announcements. The drummer was responsible for setting the marching pace on approaching or entering a battle.

But to present a sentence like this: "They practise their unique style of martial arts drumming from dawn until dusk," is eh.. *slightly* over the top.

Taiko is NOT martial arts, it's a traditional Japanese musical art form, some times used alongside martial arts. Taiko, which has a history of about 2,000 years, refers to the art of drumming and the drums.

Apart from the warrior aspect, traditional Japanese music often developed as a part of drama, such as Noh, Kabuki and Bunraku.

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They live in a tight-knit community in the mountainside of Kyushu, Japan. The 16 members of Drum-Tao practise their unique style of martial arts drumming from dawn until dusk.

And, no, they don't get complaints from the neighbours.

Their 10-hour day training involves a lot of mental and physical discipline.

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A rotten apple

Just to be on the safe side here - being accused of a crime is not the same as being guilty.

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A Kissimmee karate instructor who attempted to break a world record for slicing apples in midair with his sword was booked on Friday and faces child-sex charges.

The 36-year-old man, who runs a karate academy, was arrested about 5:30 p.m. at his dojo after the parents of a teenage girl told investigators she had sexual encounters with the man this summer, a county sheriff's spokeswoman said.

The encounters allegedly took place at the academy.

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Muathai?

Not sure if the Thai are too thrilled about a 'y' left out - it is correctly named Muay Thai after all.

Kind of strange that you'll have a kickboxing association and karate-do federation in Uganda, but will not open up for "Muathai".

It is claimed that the newly formed Uganda Muathai (sic) Boxing Council is "similar with the already functional martial art bodies".

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't that the whole point? I was led to believe that all sports federations and associations were kind of working along the same lines - promoting their given sport, setting standards, arranging championships, enforcing politics and regulations, following national and international guidelines, working towards media, educating officials and coaches and so forth.

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Uganda -- National Council of Sports (NCS) is reluctant to grant Uganda Muathai Boxing Council recognition fearing duplication since two martial art sports governing bodies already exist in the country.

NCS general secretary, Jasper Aligawesa, said that the newly formed federation was similar with the already functional martial art bodies Uganda (UKBA) and Uganda Karate-do Federation.

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