Along with hurling rocks and stones, the stick is perhaps one of mankind’s earliest known weapons. During Japan’s feudal past, the use of this simple wooden weapon was refined and honed to a highly technical skill and developed into a number of Japanese martial arts. Two of these wooden weapons were the bo and jo …
Bo Staff vs Jo Staff [their surprising history!] Read More »
Slap boxing is a really good training technique for improving various elements of your fighting game: It will give you a feeling for range; improve your reaction speed and timing, and develop your footwork. It involves two fighters sparring against each other using open handed strikes instead of punching with clenched fists. Essentially it’s a …
Kung Fu is not the same as Karate. Karate actually developed from and was heavily influenced by Kung Fu. Whilst Karate remains very much a different martial art to kung fu, there are similarities which reveal its roots. Similarities Karate (Goju Ryu) Kung Fu Close Quarter Training Kakate Sticky Hands Use of Kata as a …
Karate meets all the various points detailed in the dictionary definition of a sport: it’s a “game, competition, or activity”; it involves “physical effort and skill”; it’s “played or done according to rules”, and it’s performed for “enjoyment”. In 2020, Karate made is debut in the Olympic games. I’ve practiced Karate for a number of …
Having spent years studying Shotokan Karate, I was surprised to discover that there is a Korean martial art that, in many ways, is nearly identical. This martial art is called Tang Soo Do. I was keen to compare Tang Soo Do vs Karate and to see what the similarities and differences were between these two …
Large wooden sticks are probably one of man’s earliest weapons and have been used for combat since the days of the caveman. It allows you to attack at range, deliver deadly blows as well as block incoming blows. In more modern times, fighting with wooden sticks has become more finessed. Methods of fashioning and shaping …
Aikido and Tai Chi are both considered soft martial arts in that strikes are met with a yielding defensive technique designed to absorb and redirect the energy of the attack. I’ve always been fascinated by both these traditional martial arts and I’ve looking into ‘Tai Chi vs Aikido: what are the key differences?’. Let’s start …
Hapkido and Aikido both originated from the same martial art – Daitō-ryū Aiki-jūjutsu. Despite sharing the same root fightling style they have evolved into radically different combat systems. Curious to know what these differences are, I took the time to study and research the topic to understand hapkido vs aikido: what are the key differences. …
If you’ve ever seen a Taekwondo (TKD) display then no doubt you too have been amazed at the athleticism involved as the athletes perform a dazzling array of spinning jumping kicks. Perhaps this is one of the reasons why its popularity has skyrocketed. However, perhaps, like me, you may be surprised to know that Taekwondo …
Height can significantly influence success in many sports. The obvious examples are horse racing, where it’s beneficial to be short and light, and basketball, where being taller is a significant advantage. In this article, we look at whether the same is true for combat sports: does height matter in a fight? Of course, there are …
