Not a Kung-Fu Kick

No kung-fu kick, karate kick or taekwondo kick either

I don't know about you and your view on this but personally I'm getting pretty sick and tired of reading about how kicks from karate, taekwondo, kung-fu and other martial arts are said to be in wide spread use.

It somehow seems every Tom, Dick and Harry knows how to execute martial arts style kicks in various sport events as well as in street type brawls.

A couple of recent cases: First you have the highly publicized NFL situation where a Pittsburg Steelers' wide receiver allegedly "kung fu kicked"a punter in the face on a kick return. You can bet your last dollar that terms such as karate kick have been used about the incident too...

Then there's a recent news brief from the UK, where a man has been convicted of murder after he was found guilty of "karate kicking" a homeless man to death back in 2013.

What intrigues me the most is how these halfwit sensational-seeking reporters and media outlets seems to be such experts in martial arts that they can distinguish a karate kick from a kung-fu kick or a taekwondo style kick - or even a Muay Thai kick - outside of training or strict competition. I dare say these folks have to be good! One kick and they can immediately say "Yes folks, this is a karate kick for sure!"

Kung Fu style kick - Image from Flickr.com

Sure there are instances where you can be pretty certain about the origin. When Swedish soccer striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic does one of his many acrobatic kicks and moves on the field, you can safely add taekwondo to that - after all he has a background from that martial art.

As for the vast majority of the rest... forget about it! It's just low level journalism and easy-to-spot attempts to generate clicks through attention-grabbing headlines when a kicking situation is tied to the martial arts.

Please stick to the facts. When someone haven't trained a a particular art for a lengthy period of time - it is just a kick and it has nothing to do with any particular martial art. Rant over...

Eric Cantona's so-called Kung-Fu kick

As we all can see, this infamous situation from 1995 in the UK is definitely a kung fu kick... he is flying isn't he?

Concussion in Martial Arts

The dangers of concussion in martial arts

The recent death - viewed as a probable suicide - by former wrestler and mixed martial arts fighter Sean O'Haire might definitely be a stark reminder of the potential dangers involved in contact sports where head injuries may be prevalent on a more regular basis.

Here's from sports.yahoo.com:

This issue first came to light in the aftermath of the infamous scandal of Chris Benoit's horrific double murder-suicide. At the request of Christopher Nowinski, Mike Benoit allowed an autopsy to be conducted on his son's brain by the Sports Legacy Institute. The results were shocking. They found that his brain displayed large amounts of abnormal Tau proteins and concluded that he had been suffering from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative disease that can lead to symptoms also found in dementia, like memory loss, aggression, confusion and depression.  

Only a problem in pro wrestling?

It is possible to dismiss this as saying it was primarily wrestling that caused the majority of brain trauma, None the less, we need to be extremely aware of all forms of concussion and brain trauma in all contact sport, all the more so where children are involved.

Here is a video showing the impact effect on the brain from punches and kicks used in martial arts:

Taekwondo, Foot Fencing

The art of taekwondo is apparently seen as Foot Fencing by some... So, when ever you're feeling ready and "feet for fight", why not jump into some toekwando action?

And as always, you're welcome to visit the Martial Arts Humor page on Facebook for more left-field views on the fighting arts :-)

Karate Piñata

It's quite apparent that I was caught unaware of the fact that there was this thing called Karate Piñata - my bad!
If you're ready to get more kicks into your Mexican flavored festivities, here goes:

The Taekwondo Face-Block

Here's a video of the (oddly enough) ever-so-popular taekwondo face-block.

No one quite uses the head and face to block an attack like these guys... Great kicking though, I'll definitely give him that much.

Cage Fight and Children?

Dailymail.co.uk and other ill informed British newspapers have been all over a "shocking" revelation of children doing "cage fighting" recently.

All though there are some things that were not good decisions about the two young lads fighting, one really has to wonder if the sensation seeking press has totally lost their collective marble...

Yes, the fight was held inside a one of the cages used for cage fighting, and yes it was during an MMA event. But had the half-wits of the press done any basic research they would have discovered that A. this was not an MMA fight, and B. not a "cage fight".

In fact it was nothing worse than a regular wrestling, grappling, judo or BJJ (Brazilian jiu-jitsu) match - something children all over the world are doing with great success day in and day out.

Yes, the setting and arrangement around this "cage match" should definitely not been handled the way it turned out. But one should also hope that the nitwit press representatives and the sensation seekers (some of which probably want children to wear a helmet indoors to avoid being hurt - poor things...) could refrain from talking about things of which they have absolutely no frigging clue what so ever.

Am I a great fan of young children fighting? Nope. How about MMA? I do find some parts of that questionable as well. Still I do find passages like the ones below (from said newspaper) very offensive and totally laughable really:

"The spectacle of grown men punching the life out of each other in public was stomach-churning enough. But the behaviour of the crowd as two young schoolboys were led into the cage set up in the centre of the dingy room, was sickening to the extreme."

"As the boys began to pummel each other into submission, the baying chants of the 450 adults could be heard in the streets beyond."

For your information - this was a grappling match - no punches or kicks to be seen anywhere...

"Footage of that awful fight, which had all the aggressive hallmarks of a backstreet brawl, provoked a wave of outrage this week when it surfaced on the internet."

"(...)But the British Medical Association (BMA), the NSPCC and the charity Safechild have all reacted with fury, branding the spectacle 'disturbing and sick'. They are calling for a police and social services investigation. Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt has also condemned the 'sport' as 'barbaric'."

Let's hear it - what's your take on these ill-informed representatives and sensation seekers of the press? Are there any hopes of educating reporters about what martial arts is about, and finally - what's your take on MMA fights and children fighting in particular?

Feel free to comment below.

Forms on the Platform?

I suppose that letting some aggression out on the platform can be a good idea after all - in any case I am quite certain it is far better to do it there - on something solid - than on people inside a crowded subway carriage.

Perhaps that was the idea behind a well known sports brand being given the go ahead to install padded punching bags at the Xujiahui subway station in Shanghai?

The idea behind it is allegedly to allow stressed out commuters punch and kick the bags to let off some steam.

And who knows, perhaps you could even do your next workout while waiting for your train to arrive? Just don't start doing form though ... that would look totally uncool :-)

Confuse-Us Speaks #24

OK ninjabbers ... time for an other complete martial arts comment fail, something master Confuse-Us would be proud of; nay, scrap that, he would probably be sobbing silently.

Today's entry: "The judo kick"... Yes, you got that right. We all know about the famous (and totally lethal) judo chop. But a judo kick? I guess that's more like "toetally" lethal?

Anyhow, apparently gullible reporters from gacksports.com talks about the first time ever judo kick. Allegedly delivered during a soccer match in Brazil. Sure, we know that the sport of soccer is a full contact blood sport and all that, but a judo kick...? Quadruple wow!

In all fairness, the fantasy land reporters states: "It's not often that you see someone judo-kick someone in the back of the head". Spot on guys, spot on. Could it be because judo don't involve kicking? Just saying...

Taekwondon't

Update, August 27:
The 16-year-old boy from Florida has been sentenced and ordered to serve up to eight months at a youth correctional institution following the assault at a local martial arts competition.

Update, July 7:
It was originally thought the fight broke out prior to a match. However, it has emerged that there was no "fight", but an outright assault - and that it happened after a bout.

The attacker, who just prior to the incident had lost his match, went over to the winner and delivered a vicious kick to the head of the totally unprepared victim.

A witness said that neither the assailant, nor his father, seemed to have any remorse (why am I not surprised...)

Read more mercurynews.com - a nasty story for sure!

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California -- In San Jose, two juvenile competitors - aged 15 and 16 - got into a brawl prior to their scheduled match at the USA Taekwondo Junior Olympics, according to examiner.com.

As a result of the violent fight, one of the boys were arrested and the other was taken to a medical center, a police spokesman said.

Shameful and stupid behavior if you ask me.

Kick-Boxer Paralyzed Victim

UK -- On June 23 2010, a 21-year-old amateur kick-boxer lashed out at a man who reportedly brushed past him in a Kidlington pub.

The kick-boxer, who allegedly was "showing off" some kicks moments before the assault, has now been sentenced to jail.

His 31-year-old victim has to breathe through a ventilator and is being fed through a tube, according to thisisnottingham.co.uk.

Seniors Kicking Out

Here's a nice and inspirational article about 68-year-old Jimi Hadley from Oklahoma City who is in full swing doing taekwondo and kumdo (Korean kendo).

Apart from the utter rubbish of someone being graded second dan black belt (and apparently soon testing for third) after just four years or so of training, this is a good read. It shows that you do not necessarily need to start thinking about the couch even though you're considered a senior citizen.

This is one active and inspiring woman for sure!

More Kung Futball

Technique (kick): 10 out of 10
Hitting ball (focus and precision): 10 out of 10
Speed and direction: 10 out of 10
Positioning (ability to thing strategically): 0 out of 10
...unless a total kung-futball face-plant is your idea of success, progress and bliss :-)

Child School Judo Deaths

Japan -- A professor at Aichi University of Education, Ryo Uchida, has conducted research, showing that at least 110 children has been killed while practicing judo since 1983. Between 2009 and 2010, some 13 children have died, according to speroforum.com.

"Judo is an inspiring sport and very educative to one's mind," the professor said. "But schools must have a safety guideline."

Since Japan is scheduled to make the sport compulsory in schools as of 2012, it is reported that a number of parents are worried over these statistics.

One parent, Mr. Murakawa, who's 12-year-old son died following a judo class, said he had nothing against the martial art in itself, but a "military culture" imposed by some judo instructors, allowing punches and kicks as a way of teaching a rigid discipline to students. "The children - he said - for fear of being beaten must respect their coach, and never ask to rest".

Ippon?

Perfect mawashi geri yodan (high roundhouse kick) - sorry it was the referee that was in the way. Total face block. Not much sympathy from the other students though...

A Martial Arts Maniac

UK -- A 20-year-old man, tagged a "martial arts maniac" (and for obvious reasons it seems) has been sentenced to seven and half years in jail for two sickening attacks.

The full-blown idiot left a party-goer with serious brain injuries when he delivered a kick to the head which prosecutors proclaimed "Jean Claude Van Damme would have been proud of."

While on bail for this attack, the sneering moron then stabbed a man twice after being kicked out of a martial arts competition.

While the judge at the Newcastle Crown Court trial outlined the injuries he inflicted, the young low-life was reportedly laughing and and smiling.

It is indeed reports like this from chroniclelive.co.uk which at times makes me deeply ashamed to belong to the martial arts fraternity.

Karate Instructor Attacked Woman

Olahoma -- A high ranked karate instructor has been arrested by Tulsa police and charged with rape by instrumentation, according to newson6.com.

Police said the man attacked a woman as she left a West Tulsa bar and attempted to rape her. The intended victim was reportedly able to kick him and get away.

Fighting Disability With Taekwondo

Here's an inspirational story from etruth.com about dedication and overcoming obstacles - in effect what martial arts is all about.

I sure need these kind of reminders when I might be tempted to feel sorry for myself or come up with excuses. What about you?

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Indiana -- 53-year-old Linda Koeppel might not move as quickly or kick as high as others in her taekwondo class. However, the Elkhart woman is using her slower speed to move past a disability that limits her ability to move her legs.

Koeppel battles a condition which causes loss of muscle tone and unpredictable burning, stabbing or dull pain in most of her right leg and some of her left. The condition, called 'reflex symptomatic dystrophy' does that she experiences pain in each step, and some days she doesn't make it out of the house.

She has to sit down and stop exercising every 10 to 15 minutes. "As you can see, my training takes longer than someone who can just come in here and train hard," she said.

Just getting to the gym can be a struggle. She wants other people fighting disabilities to know she feels their pain -- literally -- but that they can still enjoy exercise. "If it takes 20 minutes to put one sock on, that's OK," she said.

Training has helped her ward off the depression that set in shortly after she couldn't move around and drive normally.

Monkey See, Monkey Do

China -- A 42-year-old animal trainer -- who had taught three monkeys some basic martial arts moves to entertain crowds at shopping centers -- was reportedly floored when his apprentice monkeys went ape and turned on him in a vicious revenge attack.

When the man tumbled and fell one of his "monkey-do" practitioners turned and decked him with a kung-fu kick to the head.

The three angry animals then swarmed all over the man — with of them even grabbing his stick and cracking him over the head with it.

Cop Fu?

I suppose this is a political statement as "good" (or bad) as any :-)

Cage Fighter Jailed

UK -- A 6'4", 27-year-old amateur MMA fighter assaulted another man in Burnley, at around 4 a.m. on July 26 after a row over a girl.

The 27-year-old victim was knocked unconscious with one punch. The cage fighter then launched a relentless attack of punches and kicks on the victims's lifeless body.

A Burnley Court heard that the victim was left permanently disabled after having every bone in his face broken. He has brain damage, suffered a fractured skull and lost all of his teeth.