2024-04-01 13:19
In my last post I discussed martial-art ads from the 1960s that were featured in comic books. Most of these "styles" could be best described as, well, comical. But it has recently come to my… Read More
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Martial Views Blog
martialviews.blogspot.com
Essays on the philosophy, psychology, history, and transformitive powers of the martial arts.
2023-12-19 00:30
A while back I penned a post about martial-art ads that appeared in the back of comic books, a popular grift that took place during the 1960s and 70s. This is an update sourced from the orig… Read More
2023-10-01 05:03
Here's a fine demonstration of Seisan, the first kata taught in Isshinryu karate. Seisan is not unique to Isshinryu, but is an ancient form found in many systems of karate. Kata is typicall… Read More
2023-08-26 21:11
I have a confession to make. I've been out of work for seven months (courtesy of some health issues I've previously discussed, but I go back at the end of September), and I'm not happy with… Read More
2023-07-29 21:54
A student once asked me if it was possible to learn karate without learning the pre-arranged forms (kata). Of course it's possible. But this notion of "knowing karate" without kata is taken… Read More
2023-06-03 19:30
Father Time has once again taken its toll on my body. I'm annoyed, to put it mildly, that a lifetime of clean living, diet, and fitness has resulted in a now-beaten up body. Over the past th… Read More
2022-12-31 00:11
There was a movie a few years back called The Art of Self Defense. Despite the unassuming title, the film explores the pitfalls of encountering the wrong dojo to train at. The lead character… Read More
2021-12-26 04:54
Here's a nice story for this time of the year. Meet Jeffrey Wall, a 16-year-old black belt practitioner in the art of tang soo do who teaches senior citizens in his spare time. I saw this fe… Read More
2021-11-23 20:59
Yesterday at Mar-a-Lago, the former US president Donald Trump received an honorary 9th degree black belt in the Korean martial art of tae kwon do. It should be noted that Trump is not the on… Read More
2021-10-30 21:29
Recently an attorney admonished a high profile political figure for not having the "courage and spine" to commit to what could be construed as a treasonous act. This is relevant, as being up… Read More
2021-10-08 05:50
Lately, on martial arts threads I see online, it seems that traditional martial arts (TMA) have fallen out of favor. Apparently if you're not training for life-and-death or the Octagon, you'… Read More
2020-06-08 03:46
Karate and other martial arts often have little street value. Want to really defend yourself? Get a gun and learn how to shoot.Running away from a fight isn't always cowardly. Sometimes it's… Read More
2020-04-05 04:56
Due to a current, highly credible health threat, a societal stay-at-home order has been issued on a near global scale. Not interacting with others is the new paradigm, at least for now. Mart… Read More
2019-12-26 18:31
Just came across a fine work by the renown karate historian and philosopher Patrick McCarthy, Legend of the Fist. With help from his wife Yuriko, McCarthy Sensei has painstakingly translated… Read More
2019-11-14 02:01
Here's a project that should see the light of day: A full-length feature film exposing fraudulent "martial artists" that con those easily deceived. We're told that some of the frauds themsel… Read More
2019-10-13 04:31
Karate Obsession has a well-written post on what defines traditional karate. Among other things the article discusses the history of karate's ranking system, views on cross training, and mod… Read More
2019-07-26 15:29
When you look out of your eyes at nature happening out there, you're looking at you. That's the real you. — Alan WattsIn a recently published research paper titled Sense of Cohe… Read More
2019-07-06 04:49
Eric Shahan, a martial arts practitioner who specializes in translating classic Japanese texts into English has translated a treatise on acquiring supernatural powers in a new book, Twelve R… Read More
2019-04-01 05:04
I like a good laugh just like the next person, and for the last few years I've been running a gag blog post every April Fools' Day. In a weird twist of fate (and a bit to my chagrin) a few o… Read More
2019-04-01 04:02
Whenever you see a worn and frayed black belt on a martial artist, you're looking at the symbol of maturity and experience. Well, what if your a newbie black belt holder, but you just want t… Read More
2019-02-13 05:34
When I was a kid, the term martial arts meant fighting forms meant for self-defense that had distinct Far Eastern roots. We all came to know that judo, karate and kung fu were martial arts… Read More
2018-12-24 03:37
Jiu-jitsu competitors have found a new way to get smashed on the mat — a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu tournament where getting high on pot is a requirement. With recreational marijuana sweepi… Read More
2018-12-23 06:06
Nunchucks are back!Well, they never really went anywhere. But if you happen to live in New York, you are now legally cleared to carry them. New Yorkers are no longer prohibited from possessi… Read More
2018-09-24 02:57
Do nothing which is of no use. — Miyamoto MusashiCapoeira guy acts like a clown and, well, doesn't give a very good account of himself. His mestre (master) will not be happy. At any ra… Read More
2018-06-10 15:43
Anthony Bourdain, a celebrity chef and martial artist, has left this realm by his own hand. His death hits me hard, I suppose, because he was from my generation. But also the senselessness o… Read More
2018-05-27 00:05
Human Violence By Category is a website that covers every imaginable scenario dealing with physical aggression and assault. The subtext "Violence categorised by type, technique, tactic, weap… Read More
2018-05-20 01:35
The title of this post comes from part of the motto of the Cobra Kai school from The Karate Kid movie. Cobra Kai is now a series on YouTube.* Yes, after 34 years, Daniel-san and bad guy John… Read More
2018-05-07 04:28
One day many years ago my sensei was giving a lesson when he got an emergency call to leave. Being the senior at the time, he asked me to finish leading the class, and off he went. I winged… Read More
2018-04-22 05:36
A sanctioned and regulated bare-knuckle boxing event will take place June 2nd in Cheyenne, Wyoming, USA. The last time a championship boxing match sans gloves took place is when John L. Sull… Read More
2018-04-22 04:07
If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If… Read More
2018-04-01 23:44
I'm not a big believer in warm-up routines in the dojo. On the street, you won't have time to stretch or do jumping jacks when some thug is trying to boost your wallet. Performing basics are… Read More
2018-01-08 05:22
Traditional karate bouts are scored with points. After a strike such as a punch or kick is scored, a point is awarded, whereupon the fighting is stopped by the referee. The combatants return… Read More
2017-12-26 23:18
The seminal work, Bushido: The Soul of Japan, first published in 1900 in English, introduced Americans to the history and culture of the samurai and paved the way for similar works on feuda… Read More
2017-12-22 17:31
Earlier this year, a multi-purpose training hall and exhibition center — The Okinawan Karate Kaikan — opened in Tomigusuku City, Okinawa. A multi-purpose venue, it's a training f… Read More
2017-10-15 05:04
A friend of a friend (both guys are longtime Isshinryu karate practitioners) is a part-owner of a successful Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) school in the Hamptons of Long Island, NY. I went to hi… Read More
2017-09-09 16:08
Here's a visually dazzling site that includes a catalog of some Japanese budo (martial ways), ceremonies, calligraphy and stage performance arts. While the computer graphics and 3D rendering… Read More
2017-05-21 05:19
There was a famous bodybuilder from the 40s (I believe it was John Grimek) who as a teenager decided to enter a swim meet to be held at an Olympic style pool in a nearby town. He didn't have… Read More
2017-04-02 00:27
In a stunning decision that comes from seemingly nowhere, President Trump has announced, via executive order, the creation of a Ministry of Martial Arts that will take its rightful place in… Read More
2017-03-26 23:59
Now available online is a book penned by karate master Gichin Funakoshi, Rentan goshin toudi jutsu (Toudi arts: Polish your courage for self defense). Toudi, or to-te was the term originally… Read More
2017-01-01 18:08
Striking is back in style:The UFC bantamweight title match pitting champion Amanda Nunes against former champ Ronda Rousey Friday night (Dec. 30, 2016) looked more like a boxing event than a… Read More
2016-12-31 21:23
Striking is back in style:The UFC bantamweight title match pitting champion Amanda Nunes against former champ Ronda Rousey last night (Dec. 20, 2016) looked more like a boxing event than any… Read More
2016-12-30 01:15
Recently I received a copy of Shadow Strategies of an American Ninja Master by Glenn Morris (1996). Morris wrote a trilogy of these ninja books and I've previously reviewed one of them. (Thi… Read More
2016-08-14 17:46
The following is a story taken from a news report dated 8/12/16:Israeli judoka Or Sasson defeated Egyptian rival Islam El Shahaby in the first round of the men’s over-100kg competition… Read More
2016-05-16 05:17
Somebody was caught about a week ago (5/7) trying to get through security at LaGuardia Airport in New York with a cache of martial arts weapons that he must have been saving for the coming c… Read More
2016-04-07 11:34
Yesterday I received an email from someone who follows my blog. In it, he asks a question that has been posed to me in various guises through the years. Here's part of it, followed by my rep… Read More
2016-03-19 18:53
I have decided to embark on a new path. It is with a heavy heart that I will no longer be associated in any way with Isshinryu karate. You read that right. This is no joke, I assure you. In… Read More
2016-03-19 18:53
A typical karate class commences with jumbi undo (warm up exercises) to prevent injuries sustained during heavy sparring, drills or other complex movements. Still, being able to crank out a… Read More
2016-03-19 18:53
When 16-year-old Roman Rodriguez walked out of his father's Kenpo karate school in Holyoke, MA little did he realize that his training mettle would be sorely tested. Thereupon he witnessed a… Read More
2016-03-19 18:53
At the Khlong Phai prison, Thai prisoners vie for an early release for successful participation in sanctioned Muay Thai kickboxing matches against foreign combatants. This practice for an in… Read More
2016-03-13 23:36
There is something to be learned from a rainstorm. When meeting with a sudden shower, you try not to get wet and run quickly along the road. But doing such things as passing under the eaves… Read More
2016-03-06 01:54
I'm not a big fan of gun disarm techniques for obvious reasons. A while back I posted about a murder trial that involved Chuck Norris testifying for the defense, demonstrating how to disrupt… Read More
2015-10-10 18:57
While I was researching for a possible post on legalizing MMA in my home state of New York, I stumbled upon an old story (news to me!) about the grappling great Gene LeBell. Apparently, yest… Read More
2015-10-07 03:10
This month the film Suffragette will be released that depicts the struggle for women's right to vote in the UK which officially began in 1903. As the movement for voting equality picked up s… Read More
2015-09-27 02:59
There was once a powerful samurai warrior in Japan, he was a leader of men and very faithful to his country. He would think nothing of giving his own life if it meant helping his emperor or… Read More
2015-09-21 17:49
Here's a clip of Joe Rogan talking with biologist Rupert Sheldrake about threat awareness in the martial arts. Rogan lamented the ineffectiveness of certain "self-defense martial arts", quot… Read More
2015-09-14 05:04
I finally got around to reading Tales from the Western Generation: Untold Stories and Firsthand History from Karate's Golden Age written by the author of the blog Ikigai Way, Matthew Apsokar… Read More
2015-07-30 20:49
I received an email yesterday that's a doozy. Here's part of it:My school's the f*&%ing sh!+. We don't play tag like a bunch of (expletive) when we fight. We're (popular style) and every… Read More
2015-07-28 02:31
Years ago we had a young man train at our school who had lost his arm in a terrible accident when he was a child. We modified the forms and syllabus to accommodate his disability. Sometimes… Read More
2015-07-01 14:50
When it comes to my martial arts reading material I like books. And blogs, of course. Magazines never really appealed to me, but I did find a collection of memorable magazine covers that I t… Read More
2015-06-29 03:15
This is a flyer from the first professional kickboxing card held in the US. I first chanced upon this image from the book Al Weiss' the Official History of Karate in America. The organizer f… Read More
2015-06-24 06:25
In those days, when Japanese stylists threw a kick they never faked or feinted — the kick went straight to the target. They were not accustomed to someone faking a kick to one area and… Read More
2015-04-20 04:13
In 1917 Gichin Funakoshi, an elementary school teacher and Okinawan-te master, traveled to mainland Japan in a preliminary effort to introduce his fighting art to government officials and me… Read More
2015-04-19 18:58
Devin Fernandez, right, demonstrates self-defense with a student.A martial arts program has been established on Long Island geared specifically for the blind. In 1987 Devin Fernandez was inj… Read More
2015-04-01 05:08
I've been asked a number of times, "Is it possible to learn martial arts from a book?" Many scoff at such an idea, and until recently so did I. Then I chanced upon a literary treasure trove… Read More
2015-03-29 02:13
How you train is how it happens. That's an old martial arts maxim. You want to train as realistically as possible. But this is fraught with problems. Your dojo is not a back alley and uke (y… Read More
2015-02-19 05:10
"Mike" is a green belt with about two years of training. He'll be graduating from law school soon; smart kid. He has good questions, always, among them this time-honored one:"Is it possible… Read More
2015-01-20 04:57
The attitude of destroying the enemy with one cut is based on the attitude of "going in" to the attack. If not, your spirit is lacking and your resolve is less than complete. You must always… Read More
2015-01-05 04:57
Look at this poster. The guy on the left is depicted as a musclebound thug covered in tattoos with cauliflower ears engaging in a blood sport. Maybe we should be grateful there is such a th… Read More
2006-06-07 11:16
Into a soul absolutely freeFrom thoughts and emotion,Even the tiger finds no roomTo insert its fierce claws— A Taoist Priest, from the opening pages of Tao of Jeet Kune Do, by Bruce Le… Read More
2006-06-07 11:16
This post begins with an admission: I am, at best, a casual fan of mixed martial arts. By now, any real MMA fan has heard that Ronda Rousey, the UFC Women's Bantamweight Champion, was defeat… Read More
2006-06-07 11:16
Normally I would tag a post like this one under "humor" or roll it out on 4/1. But this isn't April Fool's Day and this is not funny. There's an app almost ready to be launched for street fi… Read More
2006-06-07 11:16
The police department in Anderson, California has decided to include nunchaku into its arsenal of weaponry. Sgt. Casey Day has recently been certified to use nunchaku for dealing with lawbre… Read More
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