Awareness In Everyday Life, Could Save Your Life

 WARNING!!: The video above is shocking and shows graphic violence against a woman. 


 I recently stumbled upon the video above that shows a young 16 year old girl being viciously assaulted by a 34 year old man. The attack was completely unprovoked, random, and happened in day light hours. This sort of thing is simple chilling to watch. Note how the attacker doesn't rob the victim, doesn't get into a verbal altercation with them, and seemingly attacks the girl with no motive at all. It seems as if the attack was done just for the thrill. Scary to say the least.

 What could have been done to help prevent this sort of attack, what could have been done to defend against this sort of attack? The truth is, it's very hard to actually prevent or defend against this sort of random, sneak assault. However, it's not impossible.

 If anything I think this video just goes to show how important it is to be very aware of your surroundings. One of the biggest steps you can take towards protecting yourself from a violent situation is simply being aware of people, sounds, cars, strange behaviour, and other factors around you when you're out in public. This means also being aware that anyone around you , at any time, without reason could be capable of committing an act of violence against you or the ones you love. Quite simply you shouldn't trust the people around you to be peaceful or reasonable like you. You need to avoid walking and texting or listening to music with head phones. These things drown out your environment and make you less aware of what's happening around you.

 Traveling alone in unfamiliar territory or walking/jogging in areas that are not well lit are also bad ideas, so avoid short cuts and stay where people can see you. Don't be afraid or feel silly avoiding people that set off your gut feeling that something is not right. If you're sitting near them on the bus get up and move, if you're walking on the same side of the street as them, cross the street or go into a public place like a store and wait until they move along or call yourself a cab.

 I myself try to keep an eye on everyone around me, I try to make sure I have an exit plan when I enter a building, vehicle or room. I always listen for footsteps around me, the speed there happening at and if there is a change of pace. I watch the people behind me in the reflections of windows to see if there is any strange behaviour. I also usually do a check of my surroundings every couple of seconds to see if there is any change or anything strange that seems out of place or raises suspicion.

 I know this sounds a little paranoid, maybe even a little crazy, but it has saved my life before and I would rather sound crazy than be face down on the concrete or dead.

 My thoughts and well wishes go out to this girl in the video above. I hope that her attacker receives the punishment he deserves, and I hope that she makes a full recovery. I just hope that this video helps open peoples eyes to the importance of awareness as a self defence tool and just how important it can be in saving your life.


- Tim

Fight Scene Friday: Cima, Dragon Kid & Ricochet VS PAC, Susumu, & BxB Hulk

 Here's an excellent match from the promotion Dragon Gate. I love Japanese wrestling and this is why. Any questions? Didn't think so! Enjoy!

- Tim

Fight Scene Friday: Batman vs Captain America

 I actually stumbled upon this video by accident one day and boy was I glad I did! Not only does it feature one of my favourite super hero's ever (Batman) taking on the leader of The Avengers (Captain America), but it's also loaded with excellent martial arts and super hero gadgets! Best of all, you get to choose the ending and pick who you want to win. Obviously I went with Batman the first time, and then went back to see how Captain America wins. Enjoy!

- Tim

Fight Scene Friday: Low Ki vs Kota Ibushi

 I know it's not a movie fight scene, but pro wrestling is awesome when it's done well. These guys are part fighter, part gymnast, part stunt man, and part actor. Japanese professional wrestling (for the most part) is usually pretty quality, full of high impact techniques, build ups in the match, and hard strikes. In this match indie legend and excellent worker Low Ki takes on Japanese super star Kota Ibushi in one bad ass match. These guys tell an excellent story, throw out some raw athletic techniques, and aren't afraid to hit each other hard. Don't believe me? Just check out the double stomp to the face that happens 20mins into the video! Watch and enjoy!

-Tim

Fight Scene Friday: Undisputed 3 Russia Vs Brazil

 Undisputed 3 is loaded with exciting fight scenes with spectacular choreography, and this fight is a prime example! It's Scott Adkins taking on Lateef Crowder, and the blend between Scotts trick kicking Tae Kwon Do style and Lateef's Capoeira make up a heck of a scene! Also, I really enjoy the use of take downs and submissions in this fight, it shows much like the final fight in "Flash Point" that an MMA style can be done in an aesthetically pleasing way. Enjoy!

- Tim

Martial Arts FAQ (Hilarious!)

 Any martial artist can tell you, they get asked a lot of questions all the time about their training, their abilities, and if they can do what people see in the movies all the time. Well this video helps clear up some of the most commonly asked questions and misconceptions about training in any martial art, and it does it in hilarious fashion! Enjoy!

- Tim

Home Made Qigong Energy Brush!

 Self massage is an important aspect of any physical training program regardless of being a martial artist or not. There are numerous products on the market that can be used for self massage such as foam rollers, lacrosse balls, and various rolling devices specifically designed to help your muscles recover faster from intense physical training. However, there is a tool that peaked my interest because it's aim was to not only help you recover faster from hard training, but also to help improve the flow of "chi" through out your body. This tool is the bamboo energy brush, and it's been around for centuries.

 The energy brush can be found under other names such as the samurai brush, or massage brush. It consists of around 108 thin bamboo rods and is said to help improve your blood flow as well as energy and chi flow through out your body by massaging and striking acupuncture points. The energy brush can be used after joint mobility training, Qigong, or after a hard physically demanding workout.

 The largest modern proponent of energy brush usage is Shifu Yan Lei, if you haven't seen this guy on YouTube than just know that he's pretty bad ass! The man is a 34th generation fighting shaolin monk who trains regularly in Sanda and iron jacket techniques. He also swears by the energy brush as a means of recovery, improved heath, and energy flow. However, he does sell these energy brushes from his website. So naturally I'm a little skeptical about the claims he makes when he is selling the product for a profit. I figured I would have to test it myself to see if Shifu Yan Lei was selling this brush because it works well or if it was just a gimmick!

 I headed to Shifu's website and looked up the brush, and it costs a pretty penny for something so simple ... around 38 British Pounds!This means around $60 Canadian! Well I'm not so curious that I wanted to spend $60 plus shipping on something I was unsure about and looks like I could make myself. So I did just that and decided to make my own energy brush!

All I needed was an old bamboo roll down blind that I had kicking around, a pair of scissors, and a measuring tape!

I carefully pulled out 54 bamboo rods. Each rod was rather long so I cut them in half, then measured them and trimmed them to around 22 inches each. Once they were all cut and trimmed I bunched them together and, levelled them out on the counter, and trimmed any bits from the tips of the bamboo that looked too long or pointy. After that I was left with 108 perfectly trimmed 22 inch bamboo rods to form my energy brush! 

Next up it was time to try out the brush. So over the next week after every single workout and every single morning, I used the energy brush exactly how Shifu Yan Lei demonstrates in the YouTube video I've attached below. I bunched all the rods together and held them at the base, which kept them from falling apart. I guess you could also tape them together as a handle if you like. 

 I found that after each use your skin tingles slightly, this is most likely due to the the bamboo striking your bare skin. I doubt it's anything mystical! What I was surprised about however was that after using the brush I did feel a little more relaxed, loose, and tension from hard workouts seemed to ease. Recovery from each workout feels a little better than usual, especially immediately after a hard workout. Could this be because I'm focusing on a task and regulating my breathing, maybe. Could the brush have something to do with it, also, maybe!

 All in all, I like the brush and I think that Shifu Yan Lei is honest in his attempt to spread it for it's benifits! I did find that it helps slightly with recovery and mental alertness, but there is not real way to tell if it's just a placebo effect or if the brush actually has a real effect on recovery and energy flow. All I know is that whatever it is, I like it and feel that it adds something different to my recovery routine and it didn't cost me anything. Would I spend $60+ on one, heck no! Why would you when you can make your own for $12 or under! 

 So if you're like me and want your own energy brush, or just want to give it a whirl, than grab a cheap bamboo blind and make your own. Let me know how it goes! Oh and Shifu Yan Lei's video instructional is below! Enjoy! 

                               

- Tim

Fight Scene Friday (Late!) : The Guyver Dark Hero Final Fight

 The Guyver was a very popular ultra violent Japanese anime that was eventually turned into 2 live action films. I saw both while I was very young and loved the heck out of them, despite neither of them being very well written or acted. Still, they were fun and the special effects, make up, and costumes were beyond excellent! The fight scenes in the first movie were not all that great, especially for a character that had an abundance of martial arts skill when his Guyver armor was activated. Well, that all changed in the second installment of the series as you can clearly tell from the final fight scene! We have monsters, bio boosted alien armor, good vs evil, blades and blood, and bad ass martial arts Hong Kong style action! Enoy!!!

- Tim

The Jab For Self Defence

  The first punch you learn in any form of boxing or stand up combat sports, the jab is a quick and sometimes underestimated weapon. For the most part, the jab is thought of as a "feeler" punch used mainly to judge your distance and break your opponents rhythm in order to set up a secondary attack. The jab is also handy for keeping your opponent at bay when they attempt to press forward and lay down a barrage of strikes. The main critique of the jab is that it's not considered to be a strike that causes a great amount of damage and it's rarely the fight ending punch. There are examples of the jab being used to create a tremendous amount of damage, keep the opponent at a distance, and allow the fighter to reset and continue to implement their game plan through out the fight. One of the best  examples of this would be Georges St. Pierre vs Josh Koscheck 2, it was a five round fight that St. Pierre dominated completely through the use of the jab and footwork. There are also examples of the jab actually being the fight ending punch when set up correctly, such as Anderson Silva knocking out Forrest Griffin with a jab catching Forrest while he rushing in with an attack.  However, these examples have been implemented by the worlds best full contact fighters, in an arena that is governed by rules, rounds, and time limits. The outside world is a little different, and in a life or death self defence situation you might not have time to through multiple jabs or take your time at all.

 What the jab lacks in power it makes up for in speed, and luckily we make this strike more damaging and suited for a self defence situation? Due to the jab being so simple to learn, easy to execute, and (with a little practice) very accurate it's the perfect weapon for a self defence situation if one small alteration is used, opening the fingers and turning the jab into a finger jab. A simple finger jab to the eyes is an incredibly quick and effective technique for turning the tide of any fight and protecting yourself against anyone, including larger and stronger opponents. For obvious reasons, the finger jab to the eyes is banned in combat sports, it can cause long lasting or permanent damage to the eyes or even blind the opponent. However, there are times when a fighter gets poked in the eyes, and intentional or not, it causes them to reel back and completely breaks their rhythm and concentration. If a simple technique works that well on the strongest, highly trained, professional fighters, than it will work in real life. It's hard to fight when you can't see! 

                                  

         (Check out 6:26 into the clip and see how Anthony Johnson reacts to the eye poke!)

 The finger jab can be thrown from a non-threatening position, and with the fingers splayed it's rather easy for them to reach the attackers eyes requiring some degree of aim but nothing too extreme, and the use of the fingers also increase your reach. Try to keep the fingers out yet slightly relaxed, this will help avoid any injury to your fingers when attempting to strike. Try training the finger jab the same way you would the jab, on mitts, the heavy bag, shadow boxing, or on moving hanging targets. Try jabbing and moving, doubling up your jab,  or following up with secondary attacks. You could also try jabbing while moving backwards, leaping forwards, from very close range or from further out. Remember to train so that you're just lightly touching the mitts and bag so you can avoid injuring your fingers. These finger jabs can be thrown out in the form of a "tiger claw" hitting the attacker with your palm and then following up with a clawing motion as your pulling back, this causes an initial hit and follows up with an eye gouge on the recoil. It's important to train both styles and become comfortable with each. Toy around with them and get a feel for both. It will take time to learn the right ranges, and how to get comfortable throwing the finger jab keeping a "soft pressure" through the fingers. The finger jab is also meant to be followed up with secondary attacks so after you have become comfortable with the finger jab itself it's important to drill follow up combinations. The goal is to become so comfortable with the technique and a follow up combinations that it is simply second nature.  

- Tim

Fight Scene Friday: Jet Li vs Jackie Chan Forbidden Kingdom

 It's "Fight Scene Friday" again! And today we've got an excellent scene from the movie "Forbidden Kingdom" where Jackie Chan takes on Jet Li. This scene is a clash between two Kung Fu cinema legends and it shows! A little Drunken Fist and Tiger Claw by Mr. Chan , and Jet Li busts out some impressive Mantis style. Enjoy!

- Tim

Shaolin Chin Na

 Having a back ground in Judo and Japanese Jiu Jitsu, I've always enjoyed joint manipulation techniques, submissions, and techniques designed to control your opponent. There are so many techniques and different ways to locks up a joint by applying a tremendous amount of pressure with little effort, and for the most part these techniques are simple to learn. Due to this, they are an excellent tool and addition to anyones self defence arsenal, regardless of strength or size. Techniques of this nature are found in many different arts, from many different countries, and tend to be similar. So even if your back ground is in Japanese arts, Korean arts, Chinese arts, or whatever else, you should be able to understand joint locking techniques from any art one you have a base in locks and submissions.

 Today I'm posting an interesting video detailing over 30 "Chin Na" locks and controlling techniques from Shaolin Kung Fu. Check it out and enjoy!

- Tim

Fight Scene Friday: Neo Vs Smith #1

 It's Friday and every Friday I'll be posting a fight scene that I enjoy. Today's scene is from "The Matrix", it's the first time that Neo and Smith fight one on one. Enjoy!

Testing Your Techniques Is Key!

  Something that I am absolutely obsessed with when it comes to martial arts is application of techniques. I'm talking about application of actual techniques in sparring sessions with people of varied heights, weights, skill sets etc. I honestly feel that some people place too much emphasis on the theory of how a technique "should" play out if applied in a self defence or combat situation and never actually testing the technique. I also feel that some people place too much faith in these applications even though they have not been tested in a sparring situation or proven effective in combat sports etc.

 Too many people are taught techniques that work well and run smoothly in a partner drill, with a fully co-operating classmate or friend, yet fail to implement any of the those techniques under pressure. It seems so simple to have a partner slowly step in and throw a punch that you know is coming and defend it by side stepping, throwing three strikes, and sweeping them. It's another thing completely when that person is not standing there with their arm out while you throw your strikes, but trying to take your head off with follow up blows. I can think of countless videos online where practitioners of a certain form of martial art are fighting in a tournament and are unable to apply anything that remotely resembles techniques that they have learnt in their classes. Most of them break down into a stiff, sloppy, and a rather timid form of "kick boxing" or they end up getting into a "wrestling" match that reminds me of children fighting in the school yard. It's not enough to believe your technique is effective, it's not enough to be told the technique is effective, you must test it and find out if it is effective for you.

 I'm of the firm belief that if you have been taught a certain technique, or believe that one may hold some value , that it is important to test that technique through sparring with many people. Trying different ways of setting up that technique, baiting the opponent into the technique, making it faster or more efficient, and seeing if it's right for you as an individual. I also feel that it's important to discard the technique if you personally find it ineffective for you on an individual level.

 Myself, even when I'm taking classes in any martial art, or doing research on a specific art, I want to know about it's approach to combat and the applications of it's techniques. Every single martial art, regardless of how it's practiced now, was made for one thing and one thing only ... combat. I want to know the stances, foot work, punches, kicks, throws, and locks that are unique to that art and I want to see the applications. Then after I have gained some proficiency with each technique, I want to test them in live sparring to see if they are something I can efficiently integrate into my skill set. I need to know, first hand, if they work well for me and if they are something that I feel I can use effectively. I want to find what makes that art unique, and I want to find out what aspects of its approach and techniques work well for me as an individual.

 Any technique can work given the right situation, circumstances, opponent, and skill set. Practice every technique on pads, bags, with a co-operative partner, in front of the mirror etc. That's how we learn a skill at first and it's an important part of learning martial arts. However, once you have learnt that skill, it's time for the real work ... it's time to test that technique out during live sparring. You'll never know if your technique is truly effective if you fail to test it under pressure.

- Tim

10 Of My Favourite Fight Scenes!

 For my first official post I thought I would kick things off with a bit of a bang! Here are 10 of my favourite fight scenes from a variety of martial arts films. This is in no way at all a complete list of my favourite scenes, just a small sample of the ones I can think of at the moment. And they're in no particular order at all. ENJOY!

10. The roof top fight in Jackie Chan's "Who Am I?": What's there not to love about this fight. One guy is a master with his hands (very Long Fist or Choy Lay Fut in style) the other a bad ass with his feet. Jackie does what he does best, uses everything around him and every thing he's got to fight them to the finish. Impressive, fast, and fun choreography and one hell of a fight scene ensues.

9. The burning temple Capoeira fight in Tony Ja's "The Protector":  It's Muay Thai vs Capoeira in a burning temple and on a floor flooded by the sprinkler system. This movie was stacked with great fight scene's , this one stands out due to it being beautiful violence. The combination of Ja's hard hitting style and Lateef Crowders smooth Capoeira mixed in with the fire and water makes this almost a ballet of death! The original plan was to have Lateef and Ja meet again for a final fight in the movie, but Lateef injured himself during this fight scene and was unable to continue. Sad ... oh what could have been!

8. Ip Man takes on 10 Black Belts in Donnie Yen's "Ip Man": First off, if you have not seen this movie (Ip Man), than you need to go out right now and buy it before you hate yourself for waiting so long! It's easily one of the best martial arts movies of all time based loosely (very) on the life of Bruce Lee's original Wing Chun teacher Ip Man. In this scene the Japanese have invaded China and have done some "not so nice" things to Ip's friends and country men. I don't want to spoil the story line for you, but he's not happy with the Japanese, and he then proceeds to smash 10 of their Karate black belts. Enjoy!

7. Chen Zen vs His Girl Friends Father in Jet Li's "Fist Of Legend": When I was growing up this remake of the famous Bruce Lee film "Fist Of Fury" starring Jet Li was one of my all time favourite martial arts films. The movie is loaded with excellent fight scenes from start to finish and this just happens to be my favourite one in the whole film. We get a neat Kung Fu vs Karate battle and then see Jet Li doing his best Bruce Lee Jeet Kune Do style impression. 

                                     

6. The final fight between between Donnie Yen and Collin Chou in Donnie Yen's "Flash Point":  A cool and stylish action movie about Hong Kong cops, drug lords, and under cover police work, Flash Point is decked out with bad ass fights! Donnie Yen is huge fan of MMA and trains regularly in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Muay Thai.  He also happens to be a master of traditional chinese martial arts such as Wu Shu and Tai Chi. In this final fight scene between him and Collin Chou, they perfectly blend a street fight full of MMA techniques and flair of Chinese martial arts. It's a brutal fight scene and

                                      

5. The machete hallway fight in "The Raid Redemption": This, hands down, one of the best martial arts and action films I have ever seen in my life. The Raid Redemption has a great story line, it's shot very well, and the fight scenes are off the charts. It's actually hard to choose a favourite scene. Heck, I would post the whole movie if I could, that's how much I love it! This fight scene is brutal, very gritty, and so much fun to watch. Mark my words, The Raid Redemption will do for Silat, what Ong Bak. 

                                     

4. The hallway fight in Choi Min-sik's "Old Boy":  While technically "Old Boy" is a thriller and not an action movie, this fight scene between the main character (Choi Min-sik, an excellent actor) is one of my favourite fight scenes ever. The scene is shot as if you can see through the wall into this narrow hallway and all goes down without any cut aways. Also, it's not often you see a pissed off guy hell bent on revenge take on 30+ people in a tight hallway with nothing but a hammer, his fists, and his massive balls! 

  

                                    

3. The staircase scene in Tony Ja's "The Protector":  This is truly a ground breaking kind of fight scene. The whole staircase scene was done in one shot using a steady cam and took multiple tries before they got it right. I can only imagine how exhausting this must have been for Tony Ja, the poor camera man, and the stunt men (especially the ones who get thrown over the railings!). The result of their hard work, is one of the most interesting, hard hitting, fight scenes ever filmed.

2. The Final Fight Scene in Bruce Lee's "Fist Of Fury":  This was the first Bruce Lee film I ever saw and it's one of his best! The whole ending fight and battle with the Japanese school is outstanding. We see some of Bruce at his best destroying everything in his way, and fun fact the stunt man who fly's through the wall is a young Jackie Chan! 

                                     

1. Bruce Lee vs Chuck Norris in "Return Of The Dragon": This is probably my favourite Bruce Lee fight scene ever ... period. A young Chuck Norris takes on Bruce Lee in a smart and classic fight scene, and while the Boogie Man may check under his bed for Chuck Norris every night ... Bruce Lee still kicks his ass. 

                                     

About

Hey Everyone!

 My name is Tim, I'm a life long martial artist and martial arts enthusiast! A little back ground on me, I have been studying martial arts since the age of 10 and I hold a 1st degree black belt in Genbukan Karate Do. I also have a back ground training in Muay Thai, Kendo, Judo, Jiu Jitsu, Capoeira, Boxing, and Xing Yi Quan.

 I'm also a fitness expert, fitness author, and personal trainer. You can check out my Fitness Blog "Jungle Fit - How Fitness Was Meant To Be!" by clicking that link.

 On this blog you will find posts about everything or anything martial arts related that I feel the need to share to express. I hope you all enjoy each post, please feel free to leave comments. Try to keep them polite and spam free! Also if you enjoy the blog , please feel free to donate  a small amount to say thanks, help keep the blog going, or to just show some support!

 Enjoy the blog and have a great day!

- Tim