Taekwondo Black Belt Grading: The Different Elements Involved

September 4, 2011 By

When you start learning the Korean self-defence martial art of Taekwondo, it can be hard to see yourself attaining that desired black belt. It just seems so far away as you struggle to grasp the basic concepts of the techniques that you need to know and learn. In fact there is so much to take in, that it is hard to see yourself reaching your first grading let alone your black belt grading.

Just because there is a lot for a Tae Kwon Do student to learn, it does not mean that the goal of becoming a black belt in Taekwondo is unattainable. A committed and dedicated student can progress through the colour belt grades to reach their black belt grading. It will take a lot of training, hard work, dedication, sheer grit and passion. With the combination of these different factors it is entirely possible for every white belt student to develop and become a black belt in Taekwondo.

There is almost an unwritten rule in Taekwondo that students who have already taken part in a black belt grading do not share the knowledge of what happens with those who are yet to participate in one. Part of taking this grading is to make sure you are prepared for every eventuality – and to be honest, previous students had no clue about what would happen, so why should they pass on any tips for the grading? As such until a Taekwondo student has taken their first black belt grading examination (whether they manage to pass or not) they do not have any idea what to expect when they enter that grading dojang (grading hall).

When you enter the grading dojang for the first time as a black tag student you will be full of anticipation and most likely also wracked with nerves. You will not know exactly what you will face and what you will need to do to successfully to pass your grading until the grading examiner tells you what to do. I have no intention of giving away anything here, but I will provide you with a few pointers about the different elements which will be involved in a Taekwondo black belt grading.

No black belt grading is the same as the next one. There are always differences. Generally though, there are certain areas that will always be tested. Each student will need to perform patterns from a variety of grades – including those designated for a black belt grading. Both free sparring and set sparring (a set sequence of attack and defence movements between two Taekwondo students) will be undertaken. The student’s ability to break wood, using both hand and foot techniques, is considered. Finally their knowledge of Korean terminology will be tested.

No student knows which patterns, sparring, breaking or terminology they will be tested on. The only sure-fire way to pass your Taekwondo black belt grading is to ensure you are both physically and mentally prepared. If you are not you will not pass.

Nicola’s website, Taekwondo Kicks, provides a comprehensive guide to all things Taekwondo. Nikki has developed the website based on her own personal experiences from studying and practising Taekwondo and wanted to share her knowledge with the world.

With information on a variety of different areas including patterns, terminology, stances and the history of Taekwondo, why not visit Taekwondo Kicks to see how it can help you and your knowledge of Taekwondo.

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You Can Use Basic Taekwondo Techniques For Self Defense

September 4, 2011 By

You can learn a few of the basic taekwondo techniques for defending yourself. This martial art self defense principle called hosinul uses punches, kicks and pressure point knowledge to teach you elf defense. The moves are designed to stop and cause injury to an assailant so you can away if being attacked.

All of the martial arts teach self defense as a basic principle. With taekwondo techniques you are taught to protect yourself from attacks that come from every angle, and armed attackers. With so many people looking for a reason to get fights caught on tape, knowing these techniques can keep you safe from these predators.

Taekwondo techniques include the use of pressure points. You will learn to apply pressure to certain area of the body that is extremely sensitive to pain or a reflex action. When these area are kicked or punched they could stop or severely injure attacker.

A few of the pressure points used in taekwondo techniques are the ears, eyes and nose. You will learn that it does not take very much pressure to stop someone when you need to. You will be taught to remember that your attacker does not care about your safety or your life, and you may need to do whatever it takes to get away safely.

The throat is one pressure point that you should never forget, you will learn this with taekwondo techniques. This pressure point is located at the base of the throat close to the chest, it is the hollow area and it is very sensitive. One punch or enough pressure to this area and your attacker will not be able to breathe, if the hit is hard enough you could rupture their trachea, in either case, they will go down and you can get away.

To be aware of your surrounding is the best self defense. I found out the hard way that you should never park next to a van, or if you return to your car and a van is next to you, get in on the passenger side of the car. I was coming out of a store and I had a lot of bags with me, I was starting to load the car when I turned back to the cart someone from the van grabbed me.

I was lucky that I knew of the basic taekwondo techniques. As soon as I was grabbed I punched the guy right in the hollow area of the throat. They quickly went down and as they did, I used my knee to hit them again. I got in my car as fast as I could and found security. Only knowing those few taekwondo techniques saved my life and they will save yours too if you ever need them.

Fred Noriender discusses self defence at his website, FightsCaughtonTape.us. Learn more about where to buy pepper spray [http://FightsCaughtOnTape.us/tasers-for-sale] and backyard fights [http://FightsCaughtOnTape.us/real-street-fights].

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Teaching Taekwondo

September 4, 2011 By

When I first began training in Taekwondo I could not really imagine reaching a level where I would be trusted to teach others the different elements of this Korean martial art. But I soon learnt that anyone who does Tae Kwon Do can teach anyone else something about it. If they are a lower grade then you, then you can teach them even more.

As you progress through the grades and reach black belt status it is not unusual for the class instructor to give his or her black belt students more responsibility in regards to looking after the rest of the class and the colour grades. This is when you can really test a student’s ability with his or her martial art skills. If you want to teach and demonstrate to other students you must know and be able to perform the technique yourself. This is why many of the best students of Taekwondo are also those who teach it to other people. Teaching takes you to a new level.

I never dreamt of teaching other people Tae Kwon Do, but I did enjoy my martial art, so when I was asked by my instructor to teach others at my club I thought I would give it a go. And to my surprise I really did enjoy the responsibility of teaching Taekwondo to other students who were as eager and enjoyed it as much as I did.

I took my responsibility seriously. I prepared the night before my sessions and knew exactly what I would be teaching my group of students. One of my favourite parts was teaching the group patterns and to have them ask questions as they tried to understand the different elements and how it all came together.

I found teaching Taekwondo so much more fulfilling then I had expected. But despite this I decided that I would not be opening up my own club, which surprised some people. I enjoyed teaching and passing on my knowledge. However, opening up your own club comes with a lot of extra responsibility. There is much to do behind the scenes. I am sure that I would have learnt how to do the administration side. The main issue for me though was the time involved. To run a club you need to commit to attend and teach at all the weekly sessions. Due to the nature of my job I could not guarantee that I would be available for these. So instead I thrived at being an assistant instructor, aiding and giving back to the Taekwondo students this way.

Nicola’s website, Taekwondo Kicks, provides a comprehensive guide to all things Taekwondo. Nikki has developed the website based on her own personal experiences from studying and practising Taekwondo and wanted to share her knowledge with the world.

With information on a variety of different areas including patterns, terminology, stances and the history of Taekwondo, why not visit Taekwondo Kicks to see how it can help you and your knowledge of Taekwondo.

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Mixed Martial Arts Home Training

September 4, 2011 By

Want to be the best? Then train like the best. As mixed martial arts becomes more and more popular, many of us are choosing to do some of our training from home. To become a good mixed martial artist you will need proper training and teaching from a qualified instructor. However, doing extra training away from lessons can greatly improve your skills, fitness and stamina. If you can only attend a few classes a week, your classes are quite expensive or you have to travel far to get there then home training could be the ideal way for you to make steady improvement. All you will need is some space (a garage, spare room, cellar) and you can start your training. Gradually throughout your training you can buy MMA equipment to help you train. Some mixed martial arts equipment can be expensive but it will greatly improve your wide range of martial arts skills if used correctly.

The best place to start would be to buy a set of MMA mats. This will allow you to practice your takedowns as well as your ground game. Judo mats or athletics mats can also be used in some cases. You can also use your MMA mats for basic training such as push ups, sit ups and other body weight training techniques. A good punch bag or muay thai bag would be very useful for training your stand up game. A pair of MMA gloves or boxing gloves will be needed and hand wraps are recommended. After this, punch mitts, kick pads and shin guards would also be very useful. If you have a partner to spar with then headgear and a mouth guard are essential. As part of your training accessories such as skipping ropes, medicine balls and a set of dumbbells would be great to help keep your training varied.

A grappling dummy or a grappling bag is great if there will be times when you will be training alone. The more MMA equipment you have the better as this means you will be able to vary your workouts and work on a wider skill set. However, remember that you can start training now with the basic MMA equipment such as a punch bag, MMA gloves and some MMA mats. In order to improve at a steady speed and really excel in your training it is best if you train five or six times a week. This should include at least one MMA lesson from a professional instructor. An ideal week may include two MMA classes and three home training sessions. To gain the best results you will have to vary your workouts and try to involve stretching, cardio training and technical mixed martial arts training.

Andy
MMA enthusiast
HTTP://FIGHTGEAR.CREATIVESOLUTIONSTORE.COM

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Mixed Martial Arts: An Introduction

September 4, 2011 By

Martial Arts Techniques and Training Plans for MMA

There is a lot to learn when it comes to martial arts. Because there are many techniques it is impossible to learn all of them. It is best to specialise in areas such as cage fighting or wrestling.

One of the most popular reason people learn about this topic is self defense. You can learn karate or hand to hand combat. Various techniques are useful for various purpose and they are not universal. Some styles can be used when on the ground but may not be useful for disarming a person that has a weapon.

The hand to hand combat is used specifically to protect yourself. It has easy moves that are easy to learn but incorporates the most effective and tough techniques. Some of the techniques are used in various types of martial arts like mui thai and thai kick boxing as well as cage fighting.

Gravity can be used to your benefit by learning how to get someone down onto the ground to protect your well being. The most important technique is the claw and it is popular for women who wish to defend themselves from an attacker. Push on the chin of the attacker and shove his or her head back. Put as much force into it as possible. This will stop the criminal in his or her tracks.

Mixed Martial Arts Training

This a type of plan that incorporates various areas of fitness and training for strength conditioning. It includes factors such as your diet, physical power level, strength and endurance. Various techniques from different martial arts are put together into one.

Whether you are an athlete or not, you must always have a healthy diet that includes protein and carbohydrates in order to eliminate unnecessary fats but in moderation. Fruits and vegetables have important nutrients the body needs.

Because the moves take place very fast you must have power to perform the kicks or to perform any other moves in the sport. Fast body movements are important to moderate your weight balance. Using your muscles to the fullest extent when required is also a major factor.

Endurance is important to withstand the force of the opponent you are up against. You must have strength to withstand the kicks and other techniques used on your body by the other party. If you are not strong, you have no chance of winning.

For a wealth of information on all martial arts see: http://www.pathwaytofitness.com/ For specific information on muay thai see: http://www.pathwaytofitness.com/muay-thai/

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MMA Training – Which Fighting Arts Are Most Effective?

September 4, 2011 By

The sport of Mixed Martial Arts (also known as MMA) is experiencing explosive growth around the globe. Live fights can be viewed on pay-per-view, cable, and even on network television.

A lot has changed since the first MMA event held in the USA back in November of 1993. The original event, the Ultimate Fighting Championships (later known as UFC 1) was originally promoted as a contest to determine which martial art was most effective.

The 8 man tournament featured representatives from different fighting styles including Kickboxing, Karate, Sumo, Shootfighting, Boxing, Savate, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, & Wrestling. There was no weight limit and very few rules.

The winner of the tournament was a small man named Royce Gracie. He fought with a unique ground-fighting style that emphasized submissions through chokes and joint locks that few outside of Brazil had seen. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) experienced a surge in popularity as Americans who traditionally trained in martial arts focused on stand-up striking techniques quickly realized that they need to learn ground-fighting techniques in order to stay relevant with the rapidly evolving martial arts scene.

Modern MMA fights rarely pit one style against another. Although fighters may be stronger in one fighting style, all serious competitors cross train in the 3 main aspects of MMA:

Striking - Over the years many martial arts have faded away from MMA competition while others have strengthened. Notably karate, kung fu, and taekwando all have proven to be ineffective in the cage against other striking styles. American boxing, kickboxing, and especially Muay Thai with its emphasis on elbows, kicks, and knees have proven to be the most effective striking art in MMA.

Wrestling - The ability to take an opponent down to the mat, and the ability to defend against takedowns is crucial in MMA. Fighters with a dominant wrestling background often take their opponents down and punish them with strikes while keeping them from getting back up. This style is known as Ground ‘N Pound.

Submissions - The early success of BJJ in MMA was in large part due to the fact that most of the opponents had zero submission defense knowledge. Now strikers & wrestlers all train basic submission defense to keep themselves from getting choked or arm-barred.

While many traditional martial arts have been demonstrated to not be effective in cage fights, there are a few exceptions. Former Light Heavyweight UFC Champion, Lyoto Machida, baffles opponents with his unorthodox stance heavily influenced by karate. However his striking style is not pure karate, and incorporates some range, footwork, and striking theory from boxing.

The best fighters in the world are well-rounded in all 3 aspects of MMA. BJ Penn, the top Lightweight MMA fighter in the world is known for his advanced submission skills, but also has incredible takedown defense, an amazing jab and some of the best boxing in the UFC. Former Light Heavyweight Champion and Hall of Famer, Chuck Lidell, was know for his amazing knockout power. Although primarily known as a striker, his extensive wrestling background helped earn him his reputation as a takedown defense expert. Even the best wrestlers in UFC had a very difficult time taking him down and keeping him down.

Any athlete interested in Mixed Martial Arts training or competition should make sure their MMA gym offers instruction on all three of the styles mentioned above.

Sterling Okura is an avid MMA fan and has over 7 years of MMA training including Combat Submission Wrestling, Muay Thai, Boxing, & Walt Bayless Jiu-Jitsu.

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Learn MMA Online – Mixed Martial Arts Tips For A Beginner

September 4, 2011 By

Are you looking for beginner mixed martial arts tips? If you want to perfect your martial arts skills at home then the internet is a great way to touch up your skills. There are a wealth of resources available that will teach you the techniques of MMA from the very start.

Why Was Mixed Martial Arts Formed?

Though MMA has been around for many centuries, the sport as we know it today was formed in the early 90′s with the creation of the Ultimate Fighting Championships (AKA the UFC.) The main idea behind the sport was to find out what the most effective martial art was in a general fighting situation. The early competitions saw martial arts as diverse as; Sumo Wrestling, Taekwon-do, Savate and Ninjutsu. In recent years the disciplines have been narrowed down to Brazilian Jiu-jitsu, Muay Thai and Kickboxing. Other popular styles include Karate and Judo. These disciplines are currently the most common forms of martial art in MMA.

Mixed Martial Arts Tips

MMA is one of the most physically demanding sports around. It requires the practitioner to have all round body strength, speed, flexibility and a strategic mind. Mixed martial arts training is known for being very difficult. If you are a beginner then I would recommend that you spend some time improving your conditioning levels and trying to build up a strong core. This is probably one of the most important fitness aspects of the sport.

One Month Workout Routine:

This workout routine should be completed 3 days per week for the first 2 weeks. And then 4 days per week for the second two weeks. It is designed to increase your overall fitness, shed body fat and increase core strength.

1. 10 minute run. Sprint for 30 seconds then break for 30 seconds for the full duration.

2. Skip for 6 minutes. Move from low intensity to high intensity every minute.

3. Perform 1 minute of air squats, 1 minute of burpees and 1 minute of situps at high intensity.

4. 3 sets of press ups. All sets must be completed to failure.

5. 10 minutes of shadow boxing. It doesn’t matter if you don’t have very good form at this stage as the idea is to keep your heart rate up and for your body to get used to some of the fundamental MMA movements.

6. 10 minutes of stretching. Hold each stretch for at least 30 seconds. Focus at least 3 minutes of this to stretching your abductors.

This workout routine only takes around 45 minutes to complete. It is a great way to begin training as it only uses your body weight so you won’t need to go out and buy weights or kettlebells. If you struggle with this routine then there is nothing wrong with lowering the time frames, as long as you are working hard, breaking a sweat and feeling fatigued by the end.

Where Can I Learn MMA Online?

There are a lot of different places to learn MMA online. I would recommend that you use a program that is either designed or endorsed by professional martial artists. There is a program online called Damage Control. This MMA system has been designed by professional fighters, and is currently being used by a number of different UFC competitors.

Looking for good quality mixed martial arts tips? Visit: Learn MMA Online

Learning mixed martial arts online can be very effective. Damage Control is a professional training guide used by a number of world class MMA fighters.

Want to learn MMA online and get professional training advice? Visit: Martial Arts Tips

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