1st Asian Martial Arts Games - Kick Boxing 1st round KO

~武德为首, Martial Art Virtue comes first

Origins of Korean Martial Arts

From: Examiner

As with all of worlds history, there is always a story on how an origin of an artifact, theories of pre-historic fossils, or an unused building or castle, has a hidden past which there are few, some, or no records to re-tell the story of our human culture.

It’s some what the same when speaking of the origins of the Martial-Arts in most Asian cultures. When many think of Korean Martial-Arts, the first comes to mind is Tae Kwon Do, and it’s just an Olympic Art for sport and only demonstrations.

It could take a whole text book to get deep into the past of Korean Martial Arts. But I will make the best of trying to be brief and clear. If you love history, it can sound very exciting to hear how Korean Martial Arts has been formed, if you like to know the dates, places, and people who were involved for those reasons of combat and battle on warfare.

As with most world history, all forms of combat or martial arts, really basically comes from war and violence. People through out the centuries and decades have felt the need to feel secure and safe from danger. But to be clear from harm, it is really about being able to defend one-self, even if it means fighting to the death.

Korea, as with most countries, have had battles on all sides and conflicts of Religion, Communication, Culture, Language, and Economics, around its borders of Asia. That would include Mongolia, China, Japan, and at times with India. Korea has been influenced by all of its border brothers of Asia in many ways. So as with Korean Martial Arts, a lot of the styles have been influenced by Buddhist Shaloin Monks and Japanese Occupation during WWII, and having wars with the Monguls for past generations. Each confrontation brought ideas of self defense that would fit to their environment.

Kuk Sool Won Demonstrations

The Mongolians were usually bigger to which brought grappling styles being evolved such as Kuk Sool Won, Tan Soo Do, Hapkido, to which it’s a mixture of styles to grapple, rapid Chinese punches, sweep and throw, and become rapidly fast on their hands, and practice of sharp weapons. But with the influence of kicks in each style being the focus or power of the Martial-Arts un-armed combat.

Hwa Rang Do Demo Part 1

Conflicts with the Japanese during WWII, Tae Kwon Do was born, taking pieces from the Japanese Martial Arts from its open hand system, but evolving the kicks to be the main target of a weapon, but to have the hands as a last resort of self-defense when in close range combat.

Tae Kwon Do: K-Tigers Korean Demo Team

Korean National Demo Team

When in conflict or having difficult settling disputes with the Chinese, various form of martial arts evolved when having to defend one self from armed combat when using medal or wooden weapons, which would be called Hwa Ran Do, meaning "The way of the Flowering Manhood".

Hwa Rang Do Demo Part 2

As the centuries had past, Korean Martial Arts was born, but all due to having difficult Public Relations with their Asian Border Brothers, which they were surrounded without the need of an ID or pass port to show some form of an identification. Many other styles of Korean Martial-Arts has been created or designed to fit not only for the environment but also for different stages of a fight.

Tang Soo Do Demonstrations

But not only for the location or site the battle or war would be held, but also to involve young men to become warriors into army regimens, and to allow their women to learn self-defense skills while they were at their palaces performing duties in the kingdom when there is chance for war to arise.

Hapkido Sparring

Since the time of many conflicts in Korea with other national countries, many styles or systems of organizations of the Korean Martial Arts has been born to name only a few, WTF (World Tae Kwon Do Federation) ITF (International Tae Kwon Do Federation) ATA (American Tae Kwon Do Assocation), ICHF (International Combat Hapkido Federation), and many other Korean Martial Art Organizations that have created their system of Korean Martial Arts. But regardless of which martial art you could be of interest in, what really matters, what you may enjoy out of the training and what you are looking for, when wanting to better your life.

Hapkido Demonstrations in Korea

~武德为首, Martial Art Virtue comes first

1st Asian Martial Art Games - Muay Thai

Some video footage from the 1st Asian Martial Arts Games 2009 held in Thailand.
Red thailand, Blue Philipines 3 Aug 2009









~武德为首, Martial Art Virtue comes first

Thief thanks cops for rescuing him from victims

From: Nine MSN

An Italian thief has thanked police officers for arresting him and putting an end to a beating from Korean tourists whom he had robbed in Rome, police said.

"I must thank you, they were massacring me," the 48-year-old criminal told police after he was arrested near the Theatre of Marcellus, one of the monuments in Rome's historic centre.

The thief, from the northern region of Liguria, stole a handbag from a Korean family when they were not paying attention. He threatened the family with a knife when he was spotted and then tried to flee.

Two men from the family, in their twenties, chased him for several hundred metres before they got him down with taekwondo moves. They disarmed the thief and continued to beat him.

A patrolling police officer intervened, separated the three and arrested the thief immediately.

"Normally tourists will just call us and report the incidents," the officer said. "In this case, the two got really excited and could have seriously injured the thief."

The young Koreans left after they got the handbag back. The thief was transferred to a prison in Rome and will face robbery charges.

~武德为首, Martial Art Virtue comes first

Wing Chun Demostration

Wing Chun Demostration by Sifu Joel



Blind folded


~武德为首, Martial Art Virtue comes first

Pretty Pink Defense

From: Non Lethal Defense

It’s about time someone thought of women when creating their lines of self defense weapons. Now everybody is! Everyone from Mace and Pepper Shot to Taser International are making their pepper spray or stun guns and tasers with a model that comes in pink.

Mace offers a keychain pepper spray unit as well as their Mace pepper spray gun in pink. Taser International makes their C2 Taser in a metallic pink model after offering both that model and a lighter fashion pink model which is no longer available. The popular Pretender disguised cell phone stun gun now comes in pink as well.

For all the women out their that need to carry a personal self defense weapon, you can now rest assured knowing that you can do it in style! There is also a lipstick pepper spray available that is disguised as lipstick and comes in a variety of colors!

Interested in nonlethal self defense weapons that come in pink? Just click on the pictures of each item for a full price and product description!

~武德为首, Martial Art Virtue comes first

5 Core Ethics of Martial Arts

From: MMA Village

Many martial arts schools around the world promote a philosophy of self-improvement as well as an expected standard of technical skill. When you think about it, it is the philosophy rather than the technical skill that should influence every practitioner's daily life.

The martial arts philosophy, or at least the traditional karate philosophy, is called the Dojo-Kun. The Dojo-Kun is simply a five point ethical guide for training in the martial arts and for behavior in your everyday life and is sometimes called the "Student Creed" in English. The traditional karate ethics are often translated as:

· To strive for the perfection of character

· To follow the paths of truth

· To foster a spirit of effort

· To honor the principles of etiquette

· To guard against impetuous courage

In many traditional karate schools these precepts are chanted at the beginning and end of each lesson in Japanese, and in other schools in English. In some schools there is no chanting at all, just a posting of the principles on the dojo wall and other schools invent their own "Student Creed."

I'm not here to tell you which way is right or wrong, but what you should do when choosing a martial arts school is ask yourself whether the core values of that school resonate with your view of life and your moral ethics. After all you are exposing yourself and your family to a very emotive venture by beginning your karate journey. A conflict of moral values is likely to "Dim Mak" (deliver a Death Touch to) your involvement in the martial arts from the very beginning.

The Dojo-Kun's precepts can offer a very simple template for following a virtuous path and for reaching your potential in everything you do and for being a good citizen. It's up to you to decide how this philosophy fits in with your own ideals and ethics.

Most people find these five core ethics to be something that they can relate to on an intimate basis; some people don't place much value on the philosophy of the martial arts and are in your karate class alongside you for very different reasons such as self-defense or basic health and fitness.

The phrase "each unto his own" is definitely applicable here. As with so many things in life, we have to find our own way given our own set of criteria and backgrounds.

Essentially there are many other paths to self-realization and understanding of the greater world around you. The martial arts simply offer a valuable template for beginning to understand yourself and others through understanding movement, power, speed, timing, energy, tension, relaxation and harmony. It is a beginning in what can be a long and extremely rewarding journey.

~武德为首, Martial Art Virtue comes first