Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is a system built around the concept that a smaller, weaker person can, with the aid of leverage, defend against attacks from larger, heavier, stronger opponents. The system is derived from Japanese Judo and focuses heavily on ground fighting. The aim of the game is to take your opponent to the ground … Read more
The Muhammad Ali Act: How Much do Professional Boxers Earn? The Muhammad Ali Act is a piece of legislature that provides boxers with protection against exploitation and match rigging amongst other things. Unlike many other sports, boxing isn’t unionized, so there’s no standard salary to speak of; the fighters have to look out for themselves. … Read more
Your first sparring session is always a bit nerve-wracking. You’re a low ranking color belt who’s only been training a couple of months and you’re surrounded by black belts of varying degrees who’ve been at it for years. How could you possibly survive a sparring session with them? This is something every newcomer to the … Read more
A commonly asked question is: “What’s the best style of martial arts?” However, this question is very open-ended and subjective. The answer depends on whether you are looking at martial for self-defense, sports, or both – you see the problem? It might help to consider, “Best for what?” So, what’s the best style to train … Read more
With the explosive popularity of the UFC and combat sports in general, it should come as no surprise that there are some top-notch athletes in this field. So, who are the best of the best, and what qualifies them to be labeled the ‘best in their sport? In the case of kickboxing, the number of … Read more
A belt system is a common way to assign rank in martial arts. Most, if not all, styles have a belt system starting with a white belt and ending with a black belt; however, not every style has a belt system. Kung fu is one such example as is not typically deemed a ‘style’ in … Read more
Martial arts are fascinating – the history, myths, and legends are alluring to both enthusiasts and the curious alike. Watching martial arts demos, we imagine how cool it would be if we could do some of those amazing flips, kicks, or throws. There are countless scenarios in movies and books wherein we imagine ourselves fighting … Read more
Getting paid to do sports is nothing new – it’s been happening for years now in soccer, rugby, and basketball. So, it’s no surprise that the world of combat sports joined the list of paid sports. As the popularity of the UFC and MMA has risen, so have salaries and money-making opportunities. Considering that these … Read more
There are many recurring questions that come up in the discussion of martial arts. The three most common are: What Martial Art Should I Learn First? What is the Deadliest Martial Art? What is the Best Martial art for Self-Defense? Answering the first one is straightforward: learn whichever style you want, and don’t let people … Read more
When you think of martial arts, what comes to mind? If I had to guess, I’d say: karate, taekwondo, kickboxing, boxing, the UFC, and maybe movies like The Karate Kid and Rocky. These are all great, but they’re also somewhat limited to sports and entertainment. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of martial arts disciplines … Read more