Below is a 3 part video looking at alignments of the bones in the forearm, wrist and knuckles that are seldom (if ever) explained in martial arts. Occasionally some techniques do not use the best alignments simply due to style dogma . . . . . . . “we do it this way in our style” . . . . . without critically thinking it through. Yet big differences in the effectiveness of your punches and strikes can be made with very small adjustments. If we take the attitude that we are a martial artist first, and whatever style(s) we practice second; then we can keep an open mind to learn from anybody and everybody. When we identify ourselves by style first and foremost we risk shutting ourselves of from learning better ways. Continue reading “3 Forearm, Wrist & Knuckle Alignments To Improve Punches & Strikes” »
Month: August 2020
Bruce Lee - Martial Arts Genius; But Were All His Ideas New?
Bruce Lee was an exceptionally accomplished and talented martial artist. He was also very influential in popularising martial arts in the West, as well as making people already training in martial arts question what they were doing. I have a huge respect for Bruce, but in all honesty, I can’t go along with the almost God like reverence that some people hold him in. He is often quoted in a way that suggests his word should be the final word on all things martial arts. But there are many very senior and knowledgeable masters out there who know just as much, yet have a different approach. There is always more than one route. Also, many of the things that Bruce Lee taught was common philosophy in the East, but he was just the first Asian master to open up that philosophy to the West (or at least, the first who had a media following to reach the wider public). Continue reading “Bruce Lee - Martial Arts Genius; But Were All His Ideas New?” »
5 Reasons Why There Is NO “Best Martial Art”
So often you see articles along the lines of “the 5 most effective/best ever martial arts”! Of course you can read a dozen such articles and they’ll all disagree over which martial art they think it is best and their reason’s why. It all comes down to individual prejudice and matter of opinion. I’ve seen some say styles like Krav Maga are best as they are reality based whilst many of the others do sport; whilst other deride Krav Maga as they don’t do sparring and pressure test that way. I’ve seen MMA criticise traditional martial arts as they don’t tend to do too well in cage fights; whilst traditional martial artists argue that cage fighting is a sport with lots of rules, which is obviously not how it happens in the street. And so the opinions (rather than facts) carry on and on! I will admit, I sometimes read them for amusement but the reality is, there is no such thing as one overall best martial art. There is only, what’s the best martial art for a given individual. Continue reading “5 Reasons Why There Is NO “Best Martial Art”” »