Digital Warrior Martial Arts

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Learn MMA Techniques
2008-05-06 18:12:00
Check out these new lenses on Squidoo for both free resources (videos, links etc.) and products for helping you to learn mixed martial arts techiniques:http://www.squidoo.com/punchi nghttp://www.squidoo.com/throwsandtakedow nshttp://www.squidoo.com./submissionholds http://www.squidoo.com/kicking 
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Kung Fu Stance Exercise
2008-05-02 15:37:00
One of the unique characteristics of kung fu is it's emphasis on the importance of stance training. Generally this consists of holding a static stance for a certain period of time, and this is done not only to thoroughly familiarize a student with the stances, but also to increase leg strength and, to improve stability, to train balance (particularly in stances where all the weight is on one leg), and to increase flexibility (particularly for low stances).Placing such an emphasis on stance training is staying true to a very traditional method of training, but in focusing on static stances many schools of modern kung fu or wushu neglect another aspect of stance training which is equally as important - stance changing exerises.One of the reason there are so many stances in oriental martial arts like kung, often including some that look very impractical for real fighting, is that these stances are the building blocks from which the whole method of fighting is ma...
More About: Exercise , Kung Fu , Kung

Do High Kicks Work?
2008-04-28 12:09:00
I once trained with an instructor whose favourite saying was "A kick above the waist is a waste". I have since met several other instructors and advanced students who have a similar attitude, and recently I have come to realize that this issue is a major point of disagreement between different styles and schools of martial arts. If you study Taekwondo, for example, you will learn a large number of high kicks, including flying kicks, jumping spinning kicks, and all the rest.So I thought it would be useful to spend a bit of time thinking this through and trying to work out whether, and in what circumstances, high kicks actually work. Here are my thoughts:The argument against: If you kick above the waist from a standing position you are reducing your range - the higher you kick the closer you have to be. High kicks reduce your stability and leave you open to a takedown. Jumping kicks take longer to perform than any other kind of technique, and they are often easy to read and ...
More About: Work , Kicks

Update
2008-04-22 18:27:00
 Some great new content has just gone live on the Esoteric Martial Arts main page:Secret Drunken Kung Fu Technique - video lesson showing a hidden application from drunken kung fuNeck Strength Exercises - A vital part in any martial artists conditioning program, especially if you want to make sure you don't get knocked out when you are hit.+ Flapping Qi Gong Shaolin hard qi gong and The Gate of the Shoulders which combine to give a very effective method for more powerful punching.
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30% Discount
2008-04-17 15:14:00
Get 30% off all Shaolin Online Library ebooks until 20 April 2008. Just enter the coupon code 12345 at the checkout!
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Kung Fu on Squidoo
2008-04-15 17:09:00
Check out this Kung Fu group at squidoo: http://www.squidoo.com/groups/kungfuThere 's loads of stuff from different members, including San Shou, Eagle Claw and Iron Shirt Qi Gong amongst other things.
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Parkour Training: Precisions
2008-04-08 19:32:00
It's been a little while now since I added an entry for my parkour for martial arts topic, probably because its been freezing cold and raining all the time in Birmingham, so I have not really felt like doing outdoors training so the parkour has slipped off my radar a little; but now the spring is finally starting to kick in and I am eager to get back to it. So, anyway, the point is here is another parkour training video that you may like:
More About: Training , Parkour

Quality Over Quantity
2008-04-02 11:40:00
I have recently made a discovery that should be welcome news to anyone with an interest in meditation, and as an added bonus the same principle can be applied to martial arts training. My discovery has been this: less really is more, and I have found a way to significantly improve my meditation practice by spending less time on it.Let's face it, meditation can be really difficult, and sometimes it is even more difficult than others. Anyone who has ever tried to meditate on a regular basis will know that some days quietening the mind can just seem like an impossible task. Sometimes you have something on your mind that you just can't let go of, other times you might be in an emotionally charged state (either positive or negative) which disturbs the mind, or it may just be that some days you just can't stop your mind from wanderring; diet lack of sleep, or recent intake of alcohol (say, the night before) are all common factors that can affect the concentration.In the p...
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Hayes vs Walker MMA Fight
2008-03-26 16:28:00
I've already in previous posts how  love to see different styles coming up against each other to see how it plays out. This MMA fight is a classic example of a grappler coming up against a striker. The video quality isn't perfect, but it's definitely good enough to enjoy the action....
More About: Fight , Walker

How to Perform a Vulcan Nerve Pinch
2008-03-19 17:42:00
Anyone who has ever seen Star Trek should be familiar with the famous Vulcan nerve pinch, which mr Spock and his Vulcan compatriots use to render their enemies instantly unconscious simply by squeezing the nerves in the correct place. I have always loved Star Trek and as a child the Vulcan nerver pinch was always one of those things that I really wished that I could do.Of course the actual nerve pinch, as it is shown in Star Trek, is a piece of fiction. But yet it is also true that the idea for it was not simply plucked out of nowhere, but was based on something real. It's pretty safe to assume that the idea for the Vulcan nerver pinch was based on the Chinese art of manipulating pressure points. The same principles that are used for healing in accupuncture and accupressure massage are also used in oriental martial arts for fighting and self-defense. The system which teaches martial arts students to do this is called 'Dim Mak', and is sometimes known in the west as the a...
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Kung Fu Hand Forms
2008-03-14 16:59:00
One of the things which really differentiates kung fu from other martial arts is the large number of hand forms which are used in addition to the ordinary fist. This varied and innovative use of the hand can dramaticaly increase your options, as well as making certain techniques more effective. Here are 5 of the main kung fu handforms with a brief description of the way that they are used:The Phoenix-eye fist - This is like an ordinary fist but with the forefinger held out slightly from the others. The thumb should be pressed against the nail of the forefinger with the middle knuckle immediately behind the top knuckle of the forefinger to hold it in place. You strike with the middle knuckle of the forefinger. This hand form is famously used to strike to the eyes, but it can also bve used to strike to the temple for avery effective knock out punch.Leopard fist - To get the Leopard fist simply form an ordinary fist and then straighten the bottom knuck at the base of the fingers s...
More About: Hand , Forms , Kung Fu , Kung

Update
2008-03-09 13:01:00
New on the EMA main site:50 new Ninjutsu technique videos - short videos demonstating a single technique each, all viewable on one playerThe newly independent MMA section has a huge amount of new content from Basic MMA - A Beginners Guide to Escapes and Counters
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Parkour for Martial Artists: Wall Running
2008-03-04 15:22:00
This new addition to the parkour for martial arts series looks specifically at techniques for 'wall running', with several demonstrations as well as good commentary and explanation. I particularly like this because it is exactly the kind of thing that you often see being used by guys like Jackie Chan in Kung Fu films, and so really highlights how parkour can come together with martial arts and be really useful. 
More About: Running , Artists , Wall , Parkour , Martial

Sparring Exercises
2008-02-29 16:22:00
I am a big believer in the importance of sparring. Even if you study a traditional martial art and have no intention of fighting in competitions it's the only way you can get any sense of what its like to use the techniques your learning in a real situation.And I'm also a great believer in being creative with your training sessions and adding in plenty of variety. Its all too easy to think of sparring as just being a single exercise, done the same way each time, in which two people square off against each other and have a semi-contact fight according to the rules of their particuar school. But there is much more that you can do than this, both to make it more interesting and to gain real added benefits.One common exercise in MMA classes is to have one person who is not allowed to strike, but just has to try to take his opponent down to the ground, whilst the other fighter is only supposed to strike and to try to stay on their feet, without trying for any takedowns ...
More About: Exercises , Sparring

Taekwondo VS Kickboxing
2008-02-27 15:55:00
I love watching two different martial arts styles going up against each other. It used to be the best thing about watching mixed martial art fights in the early days, comparing styles and how they fared against each other. These days most fighters in these competitions train in specifically mixed martial arts gyms, and its not really a mixed martial arts fight at all because 'mma' has sort of become a martial art in itself. That's why I always like to keep an eye out for videos like this where fighters from two distinct martial arts go up against each other. There' s some pretty good action in these fights too.... and...
More About: Taekwondo , Kickboxing

Ninja Babes From Space
2008-02-25 16:17:00
Sexy ladies in revealing leather costumes kick ass in this martial arts action. Watch the first 5 episodes of this internet only video series - I promise you'll love it!
More About: Space , Babes , Ninja

Update
2008-02-23 15:07:00
New on EMA:Iron Arm Qi Gong - Combining isometric tension exercise with the Wu Hao breathing technique this qi gong is used both as a part of iron shirt training and as a strength training exercise for the shoulders and arms. Video demonstration and written instructions are both included.The Basic Qi Gong Exercises section now has video demonstrations added. 
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Kung Fu Finding
2008-02-20 12:37:00
We've now added video to the directory at Kung Fu Search alongside the links for styles ranging from Shaolin to Xing Yi Quan and the custom google search.Also if you like this blog please click the button below to vote for us on the Top Blog List. Thank you!

MMA Fight Video: Huge KO
2008-02-17 18:29:00
I'm always looking for good quality mma video thats been put online, and I really like this one. It quite short but its all action with no boring bits and a huge ko at the end.
More About: Video , Fight , Huge

Advanced Leapfrog Techniques
2008-02-14 12:47:00
I was looking for more good parkour videos when I found this one called 'advanced leapforg techniques' which I really liked, on videojug again. Its kind of half tongue in cheek comedy video, but it still shows the huge number of different things you can do in the same place off of the same things. It also shows how much fun parkour can be, which to me is the whole point - getting good training while having fun at the same time. Advanced Leapfrog Techniques

Parkour Dash Vault
2008-02-10 14:26:00
Parkour, or Free Running, is a great addition to put into a martial arts training programme. First off its a nice way to get some good aerobic exercise thats also fun - fitness is a very important factor in most fights, and particularly so in competition fights which generally go on for much longer than street fights, but personally I always found in the past that just going jogging, or using an exercise bike or rowing machine in the gym, can be pretty boring. Parkour is great fun and a great way to improve your fitness. But more than this parkour is also one of the best ways to work on your balance, coordination, spatial awareness, and reactions, all of which are vitally important to any martial artist.Thats why I have decided to add this parkour topic. I'm not an expert on parkour myself by any means, but what I can do is search around for the best videos available and post them here. I will be looking for both instructional and inspirational...
More About: Vault , Parkour , Dash

Happy Chinese New Year
2008-02-06 12:18:00
Hello and happy Chinese New Year to you for Thursday 7 February. To celebrate this occassion we can offer you any ebook from the Shaolin Online Library collection with a 30% discount! This offer lasts up until 15 February, to follow the traditional week long celebration.The year beginning on the 7th is the year of the Earth Rat in Chinese astrology. To find out more about the significance of this year take a look at this article
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Martial Arts Hypnosis
2008-02-03 13:43:00
To be truly great at anything takes more than just physical skill and conditioning, it also requires the right mental conditioning. Sports psychology is a big thing these days, and is used by all top athletes. Its quite unusual though to come across anything specifically geared towards martial arts practitioners, so I was quite pleased to find two hypnosis recordings available for download:Martial Arts : Gain heigtened awareness and get the edgePefect Timing: improve your sparring and full contact fighting skills 
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Meditation Training: Training the Concentration
2008-01-29 11:32:00
By Dean Walsh Many people who become interested in meditation find it very difficult to attain any significant level of practical success. It is easy to say that you have to clear your mind and empty it of all thoughts, but it is much, much harder to actually do it. But what many people do not realize is that you can train to improve your ability to meditate just like you can train for anything else. Essentially the ability to meditate well depends upon the strength of your ability to concentrate, so training the concentration can help you to improve the quality of your meditation. recently I found a nice simple exercise that you can use to train your concentration, but befire I describe it it is worth looking at some generalities.Firstly it is worth noting that a number of clinical trials have shown that Omega 3 oils can help to improve the concentration. So eating plenty of oily fish or taking a supplement could help. On the other side of the same coin very sugary food and fo...
More About: Meditation , Training , Concentration

How to Win a Fight When Outnumbered
2008-01-25 12:59:00
By Dean WalshStreet fights can be many things, but fair is not one of them. Quite often the kind of people that go around starting fights and causing trouble do so in groups, all egging each other on  and abandoning personal responsibility to collective behaviour. It is also that those old saying aboput the school bully being a coward hold true when those bullies grow up and become violent criminals and thugs, so they always prefer an easy target and to have the back up of their firends.All of this means that if you do get into a street fight there is a good chance that it won't be an even one on one, so every martial artist should be prepared to fight wyhen outnumbered. The first thing that you must recognise about fighting when outnumbered may sound a bit obvious, but it is essential to remember - it is very hard to win a fight when you areoutnumbered. Even if you are a very skilled and experienced martial artist your chances of getting an outright victory are pretty...
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Free Martial Arts Ezines
2008-01-23 13:50:00
I found a nice website the other day that I thought you migt be interested in, where you can get some good free martial arts ezines including: Martial Arts Mastery with martial arts tips and techniques, and Still Absorbing which carries articles related to either Jeet Kune Do Kung Fu or the man Bruce Lee himself. If your interested you can visit Martial Arts Ezines .com
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Video Demonstrations: Power Punch Qi Gong
2008-01-20 19:14:00
I've finally got around to buying a digital camcorder so that I can record videos for EsotericMartialArts.com as well as using the cream of the crop from youtube. I've started off with one of my favourite excersises for both cultivating chi, strengthening the body, and increasing the power of your punches. You can find the video, with written info and instructions at: Power Punch Qi Gong
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How to Take a Hit with a Baseball Bat
2008-01-17 13:31:00
By Dean WalshIf you want to be confident of your ability to defend yourself against any street attack then you will need to know how to defend yourself against all kinds of weapons attacks, including improvised weapons such as a baseball bat.In this article I will describe how to take a hit from a baseball bat or other similar blunt weapon, as well as how to throw your attacker to the floor in a counter technique.The physics of how to take a hit with a baseball bat without getting hurt is very simple: The end of the bat moves much quicker than the bit by the handle, and so does much more damage.This means that whilst knowing techniques can obviously be helpful, it is more important that you have courage. If you try to back away from or dodge the swing of a baseball bat this can be very dangerous, becuase you can end up being hit by th very end of the bat and getting seriously hurt.As soon as you see someone beginning to, or even preparing to take a swing at you with a baseball bart ...
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