America’s Obsession with Martial Arts Titles
A few months ago, I attended a martial arts convention where there were large number of well-known practitioners of all styles, as well as...
Accountability in the Martial Arts
I submitted this article because there has been a disturbance in the force and I feel this is being caused by a lack of...
No Martial Arts Masters Here, Just Ordinary Men
A Buddhist friend showed me a video featuring some Tibetan yogis. These were people whom she greatly admired (some were her teachers). She saw...
Women in the Martial Arts
No matter what belt women have around their waist, or what title they hold, they will always be women.
This is a powerful statement that might...
Soke and Smokie
As with many, I have watched the proliferation of Smokies …. I mean Soke, and my thoughts drift back to my first encounter with...
Martial Arts Frauds Exposed
Fraudulent activity in the martial arts industry has previously been countered by unprofessional mud slinging and frustration from those trying to stop them. Unfortunately,...
Role Model In The Martial Arts
Pro basketball legend Charles Barkley once famously said he was "not a role model." Fact is, anyone in the public eye is a role...
What It Takes To Be A Martial Arts Master
When I was a 3rd degree black belt living in Korea as a member of the Korean Tigers Professional Demonstration Team, I asked what...
Master of the Universe: Ranks in Martial Arts
By Trevor Streets ~ It is an unfortunate aspect in the modern approach to martial systems that we seem to be obsessed with titles and...
Chinese Wushu Duanwei Grading System
Introduction to the Chinese Wushu Duanwei Grading System
The Chinese Wushu Duanwei System is a hierarchical system which the Chinese Wushu Association formulated to evaluate...
Dangers of Self Proclaimed Masters
Besides the potential harm expected from training with self proclaimed masters is that these individuals may be dangerous if their reality is challenged...
"Learn secret...
Earning A Black Belt
When earning a Black Belt is the ultimate goal, training often focuses solely on learning technique which can lead to a variety of unintended...
Weeding Out the Weeds: Fake Martial Artists
Oh really? One man’s weed is another man’s cuisine. Take the lowly dandelion. Weed? Flower? Pest or foodstuff? Dandelions are used for food in...
The Reality of Combat and the Martial Arts
Grandmaster Donald Miskel discusses the reality of combat in the martial arts and the ability to use what we learn in real situations.
I am...
How The Masters Obtained Their Ranks
Throughout the course of our karatedo training, we take for granted the grading system that awards our belt ranking and titles. Sometimes this system...
What Is Judo Rank in the Martial Arts?
Kano no doubt realized, when he popularized the kyu-dan rank system, that it is perfectly natural for humans to seek reward for their exertions....