Still up and kicking

At 75 years old, Lou Davis is still up and kicking. Literally.

The tae kwon do black belt revamped his youth group during the past year to raise money for diabetes research.

"Diabetes is not only affecting the elderly now, it's hitting the kids because they are not active enough," he said.

Davis' group, Martial Artists Against Drugs, encourages kids to be involved in sports to keep them away from drugs and violence. He began using the organization to put together fund-raisers for cancer and now diabetes.

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Quite remarkable

When the young patients of the Children's Hospital of Orange County in Orange, California, enroll in occupational therapist Wayne Centra's karate class, something quite remarkable occurs.

Whether they're feeble from months of suffering, overweight and lethargic from chemotherapy or simply lacking the confidence to reenter life outside the ward, Wayne revives his kids' fighting spirit:

"I see these kids come into the hospital fearful of any interaction,” says Wayne, “then they take these classes, the change is amazing. They become empowered and realize they deserve to be treated like everyone else."

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Drunken kung-fu

How embarrassing...

Story:
Hong Kong -- An apparently intoxicated Jackie Chan disrupted a concert by Taiwanese singer-songwriter Jonathan Lee in Hong Kong and exchanged insults with the audience, a news report said Tuesday.

Ming Pao Daily News said Chan suddenly jumped on stage at the concert Monday night and demanded a duet with Lee. He then tried to conduct the band but stopped and restarted the music several times, Ming Pao said.

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64 years young

I thought for a moment it read "The American Association of Retarded People" :-) Guess I need to get my eyes fixed.

Story:
The American Association of Retired People proclaimed in an article that 60 had become the new 30. In other words, the same generation that looked at 30 as old looks at 60 as young.

"If people start thinking about being old, then they are old," said Sally Burke, a martial arts instructor.

Burke, who turns 65 in December, was raising "two little kids back in Pennsylvania" when the Beatles song ('When I'm Sixty-Four') came out.

"I never dreamed my life would take this direction," she said. As her children grew older, and her marriage broke apart, Burke looked for fulfillment through tae kwon do.

Now, she is a third-degree black belt with dreams of reaching the ultimate rank of master one day. She teaches at Space Coast Martial Arts in Cocoa Beach and Merritt Island.

"It may take until I'm 75 or older, but I'll become a master," vowed Burke, who has overcome a spinal condition to perfect her martial-arts skills.

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Tigers look East

As long as they don't get in touch with their inner yogurt, I guess it's all swell?

Story:
The Missouri Tigers are getting in touch with their inner yogi.

Hoping to spice up the off-season routine of running and lifting weights, Missouri strength and conditioning coach Pat Ivey added yoga to the Tigers’ voluntary summer regimen.

Yoga is not all Missouri has added to the summer schedule. This week, Missouri’s offensive and defensive linemen begin martial arts classes taught by Ivey’s newest staff member, Sean Edinger, a former member of the U.S. national karate team.

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Facing charges

A 34-year-old Georgia chiropractor and martial arts instructor who is facing child pornography charges in his home state has been arrested by Suffield police on charges that include enticing a minor via the computer, authorities said.

The Marietta man was arraigned in Enfield Superior Court on Thursday after turning himself in at the Suffield Police Department, where he was wanted on a warrant.

Police said the charges came about after the man contacted a 15-year-old Suffield boy over the Internet. Suffield police began investigating the case on May 31.

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Shootfighting?

Wow, this is an interesting new take on karate!
It seems that doing karate also makes you able and willing to fight back with a firearm. Oh dear, I guess I've been watching the wrong form of karate all this time.

Story:
Philippines -- Since his arrest in May 2004 for illegal possession of firearms, Ananias “Naning” Dy reportedly did not bring firearms outside his house.

His son Gonzaga added that his father was trained in karate and that he would not have hesitated to fight back had he been armed.

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Good for business

I can easily attest to the positive effect described here - that of being more secure with public speaking.

Story:
Seth Solomon said Tae Kwon Do has helped him become a better businessman.

Solomon, a full-time account executive for CDS Office Products in Thousand Palms - and a second-degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do - said he's become more secure with public speaking, for one thing. This skill, in turn, has led to more exposure and more business for his company.

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Separating facts and myths

This should be really, really interesting (did I mention really interesting?)!

Story:
It strikes four times faster than a snake. It kicks with more than 1,000 pounds of force. And it can rival the impact of a 35 mph car crash. It′s the most complex weapon ever designed - the human body.

Now, the National Geographic Channel brings together a dream team of scientists, motion-capture specialists and CGI animators, along with a cross-section of champion martial arts masters, to analyze the world's greatest fight techniques.

The tests are designed to separate fighting fact from martial arts myth and provide unprecedented insight into their astounding strengths and capabilities. The results will be presented in the two-hour world premiere special Fight Science, Sunday, August 20, at 9 p.m. ET/PT.

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Supernanny wanted

Are you a female martial artist and looking for a job? Maybe this would be of interest.
And if you do get the post, could you pleas ask these people why celebrities have to give all sorts of weird names for their kids? Suri... why not Surreal?

Story:
Tom Cruise wants a nanny who's packing more than Pampers in her diaper bag — and can kick bad-guy butt, says an insider. "Tom is very security-conscious, and he'd like to hire a woman who could protect little Suri — not just change her, feed her and sing 'Itsy-Bitsy Spider,'" said the source.

Tom wants a Charlie's Angel-type who has martial arts skills and shooting expertise — but Mama Katie thinks hiring a Super-Nanny would be way over the top, since they already have top-notch security guards.

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Here's an addict

We talked about being a martial arts addict, and here's an example.
I'm not quite sure what this Freddy Mercury clone is addicted to though... (I do however know a couple of guys on amphetamine who can pose like this).
Piece of advice: If you want to make a complete fool of yourself - here's how it's done. There's no way this can be improved!
What can I say - I'm impressed :-)

And you can watch the clip here (5.18MB, mpg)

You can watch more funny martial arts clips here

Almost an addiction

True, it can be almost like an addiction - a positive one I might add!
As soon as you get past the initial phase and you start to get the hang of it, martial arts can be a life-long passion really.

Story:
When Charles Merhib was 39, he saw a demonstration of karate and asked, "Where do you go for this?"

The Wellesley resident was referred to Walter Mattson, an instructor who had a karate school in Natick. Merhib got a free lesson, liked it, joined a class, and 40 years later is still training once a week with Mattson.

Now holding the rank of seventh-degree black belt in Okinawan Uechi-style karate, Merhib said that "it's hard to put down - it's an addiction almost. You do the exercise and you feel good."

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A family affair

More and more time-crunched Americans are combining exercise with family time as a way to have fun together while everyone shapes up.

Disturbing reports of rising obesity among children and adults, combined with cutbacks in physical education programs in schools have prompted a boom in family-oriented fitness programs geared to getting children, teens and adults moving.

"Kids' programs, martial arts and nutrition counseling are our three hottest growth areas," says Cathy McNeil, spokeswoman for the International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association.

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Saving former fireman

Thomas Terbay stashes his walker along the wall of the mirror-lined studio and shuffles to the center of the room. He raises his arms, moving silently through a series of tai chi positions like a martial arts movie in slow motion.

Sweat beads on his forehead, and every few minutes, he pauses to catch his breath. He apologizes, because for the past two months leg pain has kept him from his usual routine of classes at the Tai Chi & Kung Fu academy.

But Terbay, a former firefighter who credits the mental and physical benefits of tai chi with helping him turn his life around, says he'll be back to his regular schedule in a few weeks. And considering the odds he overcame in getting this far, it's not hard to believe him.

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Presidential karate

It seems the President of Uganda is training karate. Good for him! Someone should tell him it's a judo chop though (über deadly :-)

Story:
Uganda -- Wearing black socks, black sandals and a blue-grey suit, President Museveni said he sprained his foot, the reason for his new footwear statement.

"I have some sprain in the joint, which I keep straining because I cannot keep away from my bad habits of karate. In case you need some karate chop, I can give you one. But there is no problem on that score," said the President, who was in an expansive mood.

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More Bruce Lee

Here's yet another clip with the legendary Bruce Lee.
It's a collection of small clips showing him in training, doing exhibitions and interviews.
It is easy to see why he is held in such a high esteem even today.
Very cool!
You can download the clip here (6.74MB wmv)

Banati

India -- It is an act that might scare the best acrobats, but swinging heavy iron extensions tied to a jute rope is a passion that is keenly pursued by the few remaining performers of "Banati", a martial art form of Orissa.

Banati is an age-old art, in which a person spins balls set on fire and tied to the ends of a rope.

There are three forms of Banati - Gola Banati, Churi Banati and Fire Banati - named after the different patterns formed by whirling the rope in the air. The participants have to be very careful while performing the art, as even a bit of negligence can cause them massive damage.

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New and improved

Nothing unusual about this martial arts training, except that Mr. Ritonia is paralyzed on his left side and working out of a wheelchair.

It is hard to reconcile the man in the wheelchair with the person he used to be: sheltered, shy and afraid to venture outdoors for fear of running into a bully.

That was the old Alonzo. Meet the new and improved Alonzo, dressed in the traditional do bok and training in the Monongahela martial arts studio. He was "reborn" when his aunt suggested martial arts lessons.

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Making karate history

Wise choice, I'd say!

Story:
When the insurance money ran out for Brandon Earnshaw's autistic therapy, a therapist recommended he take up karate.

And now at the age of eleven, the Chattanooga native is about to make karate history.
According to his instructor, Earnshaw will soon become the first autistic person to compete in the karate nationals.

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Three fans, three thugs

UK -- Three kick boxing fans are being hunted by police investigating the £100,000 kidnap of a Blackburn man.

A 31-year-old man was taken from his home in Blackburn and taken to Liverpool, where police said he was held hostage for three days and threatened.

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