As Martial Artists, we at Prokarateshop sometimes discuss fighting techniques in a vacuum. We review what to do in a Self-Defense situation. We discuss the emotional aspects of a confrontation. Conversely, I don’t think we take the time to look at the true statistics.

Please take a look at this infographic, understand it, and use it to combat Crime in America. Also ask yourself, “What do we know about it?” And “How can you better defend yourself.”

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At Prokarateshop.com, 45% of our products are purchased for children. As much as we have worked with kids, we have noticed a growing trend. Children are becoming less active, it’s this lack of activity and bad eating habits that have made a childhood obesity a growing problem to. The below infographic shows the trend internationally and how it impacts us.

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As Martial Arts competitors, we have all been placed in a situation where you have either had to cut 20 pounds for a fight or trained someone who did. I have seen it many times. A guy puts on his suit then  runs 10 miles then straps on his Sparring Gloves and fights. In all honesty, I have always thought the practice was crazy. Conversely, I could not argue with the results. I read an interesting article about cutting weight and I thought I would share it with everyone. It brought up a number of good points. I think the biggest point was that you did not need to starve your body of fluids and nutrients in order to drop weight.

The human body is a very complicated machine. Who would think that you could increase the number of meals you eat in a day, and increase your metabolism. Mike Dolce, a nutritionist that helps fighters cut weight, had a very interesting process. He would tweak the fighter’s diet by increasing the meals and nutrients. Then the night before the fight, he would have a fighter sit in the hot tub for at least 30 minutes. Who’d think that a hot tub would work? But then again, we have all used sauna. Once you think it about, it makes perfect sense. The tub is a lot less brutal, and in theory you can actually have fun.

Personally, I hope this process takes roots, and guys stop dehydrating themselves and otherwise damaging the body they will need the next night.

What do you guys think?

I think this a perfect example of why Sparring Gear is so important. “I was dealing with a really good boxer and he caught me with a left hook that rocked me a little bit,”. This was a quote from Welterweight Brian Foster. I have to say, as a Martial Artist and a giant fan of M.M.A., I got chills when I saw this headline. We tend to take for granted that as participants in contact sports, there will actually be CONTACT. I could not help but think about the times an opponent was dazed, or when I was on the receiving end. Though the U.F.C. will never allow head protection, I think all fighters should wear some during sparring sessions. Heck, there is no point in taking punishment when you are only trying to prepare. Apparently, Brian was injured while sparring, that makes me wonder about all the injuries that fighters have received that they either fought through or we just never heard about it. We really have to do better to protect our guys, sometimes we have to protect them from themselves. The inner-warrior in us always makes us jump back us and keep swinging. I think this unfortunate incident should serve as a warning to all us. We have to protect our bodies. I think as Martial Artist, we only have to look at the issues in the NFL to serve a reminder of the affects of concussions.

I am thankful Brian will recover, and I wish him and his family the best. I do hope there is some good to come out of this.

Studies have shown that 1 out every 4 women will be sexually assaulted in her lifetime. For this reason, increasing personal well-being has to start and end with awareness. Awareness of the realities of life, awareness of your surroundings, awareness of the tools you have available to protect yourself.

I have put together a list of 10 things a woman can do to protect her and decrease the odds of being attacked.

1)  Be aware of your surroundings, always focus and understand where you are. When walking to your car in a parking lot, observe the cars and people around you.

2)  Trust your Instincts!! If “something” gives you a bad feeling, take heed to it. It’s better to be safe than to be sorry. That voice in your head was put there for a reason

3)  Understand the self-defense tools you have readily available. For example, your keys are a perfect gouging weapon. Do you have mace in your purse?

4)  Take a self-defense class. Even if it’s a one-day tutorial, if you remember one thing that saves your life, it was worth it.

5)  Be careful of your where you leave your drink, there are an ever increasing amount of Sexual assaults that occur as a result of the victim being drugged in bars. Never lose sight of your beverage.

6)  NEVER, EVER park in a badly lit area. Even if you have to walk an additional block, it’s just not worth taking the chance.

7)  Never walk in dark, desolate areas. Though we all love a great hike, it’s not something we should do alone. There are too many unknowns. Take a friend.

8)  Monitor your mail and how it is addressed. Criminals have become more savvy when comes to surveillance. Shred anything that you are throwing away.

9)  Do not leave doors unlocked or alarm deactivated when home. An unlocked door is a major point of entry for many home invasions. Take the extra second to lock the door. Also, use the “at home” setting on your alarm.

10) Plan for the worse, what would you do if someone grabbed you from behind? What would you do if someone accosted you in a parking lot? In this case, failing to prepare is preparing to fail. Think about these scenarios and what you would do…

The most important thing to keep in mind is to be aware of your surroundings. We live in a tough world and there are people who wish you harm. I hope this post spurs some thought on the topic of self. I hope that you never have to use anything I recommend!!

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Created by Kano Jigoro of Japan in 1882, Judo is one of the most popular Martial Arts in the World today.  Known for its very physically demanding and rigorous aspects, Judo is the featured technique in several International competitions.  It is these facts that make owning a quality Judo uniform extremely important.

Constructed out of 100% cotton, Judo Uniforms are bleached white and generally not pre-shrunken. It is their cotton construction that allows for great breathability and user comfort. It is recommended that you wash your Judo Uniform in cold water and air-dry in order to maintain those qualities.

There are generally three pieces to a Judo Uniform.  Quilted with a very thick collar and wide sleeves, the jacket, has two short splits on either side and is reinforced with extra cloth. Judo Pants have an elasticized drawstring waistband, are wide legged to allow for ease of movement. Finally, the belt which is colored according to the user level is wrapped around the body and knotted in the front.

The cloth for Judo Uniforms is made in a number of textures and weights. For training reasons, Judo Uniforms are made of single weave cotton. In areas where there is above-average stress, Judo Uniforms are reinforced at the seams and include additional material are the collar, knees, and seat of the pants. Measured in ounces, Judo Uniforms are made from 7 ounces up to 40. Heavier uniforms are usually preferred by experienced Judoka for it supreme abnormality and toughness.

The size and the style of Judo Uniforms are heavily regulated during completion. Due to the grappling nature of Judo, Uniforms must be long enough to cover a Judoka’s thighs. A Judo Uniform should also reach the Judoka’s fists. The regulations are maintained in order to prevent a Judoka from having a competitive advantage.

Throughout its long and storied history, Judo and Judo Gis have been revered and still maintain the traditional tenets of creator.

There are a number of “safe zones” that are protected by sparring gear. It is these protected zones that also count as a point when struck by an opponent.

A Korean Martial Art, National Sport, Loved by many? In case you didn’t figure it out, I am talking about Tae Kwon Do.  As a sport, Tae Kwon Do competitors must wear Tae Kwon Do gear, as well as abide by a set of rules created by one the governing organizations.  There are generally three rounds in a match, these rounds will last for up to 3 minutes. If a competitor loses an eight-count, that round is lost. Tae Kwon Do matches use a point system that counts strikes against an opponent to the head or body. These strikes are reguired to have enough force to show a referee that it was intention and impactful.

Tae Kwon Do is not only used in competition but also a great technique for self defense.  Tae Kwon Do encompasses multiple facets of the Martial Arts experience. Practitioners will combind physical stamina with mental cognitive thinking to bring together a combat sport that is loved by many. Years ago, Tae Kwon Do was named, “the world’s most popular Martial Arts”. It is still very popular in the United States, and considered the National sport of Korea.

Translated into “the Art of the foot and Fist”. Tae Kwon do emphasizes kicks thrown while out-maneuvering an opponent.  As of recently, many instructors have incorporated strikes, throws, and leg sweeps to build out the traditional aspects of “TKd”, as it called at times. A number of instructors have also started adding Joint Locks into their fighting system. These evolutionary changes serve to shed light on the flexibility and adaptability of Tae Kwon Do.

Created during the Japanese occupation of Korea, Tae Kwon Do was banned by the Japanese. Some say, it is during this period that “Japanese techniques” started to be incorporate into Tae Kwon Do. It was’nt until the occupation ended that Traditional Korean schools began to appear and teach Traditional Methods.

Control and power are extremely important to Tae Kwon Do sparring, as well as to any other Martial Arts Sparring. Due to the amount of force required to strike an opponent, and the specific areas allowed for striking, Control and Power must be exerted. A sparring partner must be able to deliver his strike or kick with as much power and accuracy as possible. Due to the inherent Benefits and principals of Tae Kwon Do, We at Prokarateshop.com are giant fans. We have seen the benefits and believe in the principals.

As parents, we do everything within our power to keep them safe. It’s our sole goal to make sure they grow to be productive, healthy members of our society. There are times that we are not with our kids; it is during these periods that we hope that all the training and lessons we have given is put to practice. We ask ourselves questions, are they respectful to their teachers? Are they working hard, Are they bullying or being bullied by other children. There is something we can do to keep them on the right path. you can your child some Martial Arts Pants and  enroll them in Martial arts Class.

Martial Arts can help both children that are being bullied and the bullies themselves. In speaking with Parents, I have found that there is a misconception that by enrolling your child in a Martial Arts class you are promoting violent behavior. The reality is that you are actually doing the complete opposite. A child that is a bully often lacks impulse control, they often feel need to dominate other children because of the feeling of insecurity and lack of control. More often than not and bully does not know how to manage their emotions and anger so they take out on other children. They have been bulled by someone else, so intern they lash out. Enrolling a child in a Martial Arts class generally increases they confidence level, helps them concentrate on their school work, and helps with focus, and stress management. They are all symptoms that exist in both the Bully and the child that is being bullied.

There are multiple benefits of Martial Arts classes, Lets explore some of them:

Awareness and Concentration: It takes a lot of thought and brain power to train in Martial Arts. A student has to focus on the task at hand.  This focus then transcends into other facets of the students life. Your child will bring home better grades; they work harder and definitely behave better. You will notice this.

Self-Assurance and Control: Martial Arts help your child understand themselves better, you will notice that they will become in tuned with the mind and they body. They will understand life better; they will be able to better control and react to stressful situations. This arises due to a number of reasons. Your child will know how to defend themselves from harm. They will understand how to react to a dangerous situation. These things when combine tend to increase a child’s self esteem and confidence. They will carry themselves differently. This appearance tends to reduce the chances of a bully attacking them.

Stress Management: Working out is a great reliever of stress. This is true in both Children and Adults. Any type of exercise releases tension and helps the body. If a child is doing any type of exercise, they will release any pent up stress, this is also true for Martial Arts. While training in a Martial Arts class, a child has the opportunity to step away from the everyday problems.

Respect of Others: one the biggest and most important aspects of Martial Arts is RESPECT. Martial Arts teaches a child to respect their peers as well as adults. With this respect also comes an understanding that not only is respect given but also demanded

I would have to categorize this one as a misuse of your kung fu supplies. Apparently, a guy on a flight from France decided to “Karate Chop” a Air Marshal after fondling the women sitting in front of him.

A few things struck me about this story. First, the great description of technique used. The writer must be a fan. “bladed, karate-style thrust strike”, that is classic. I can’t help but try to visualized exactly what technique this was. Every option makes me look just as foolish as this guy had to look. I cant help but ask though, how was he able to land the strike. The Air Marshal had to be shocked by the fact that a perv who was fondling a woman, threw such a strike.

The other thing that struck as WEIRD is the fact that writer was able to describe so many of the strikes and kicks. I cant help but think that he was narrating a MMA fight. I expect Joe Rogan to jump into the octogon with a microphone and say, “lets look at a replay!”.

sometimes, I cant believe the weirdos that are out there in this world.

In all seriousness, I do hope the Air Marshal and especially the woman the case are ok.

What do you guys think?