The Ultimate Fighting Championship

 

It’s no secret that martial arts has indeed come a long way over the years.  Many years ago, Bruce Lee helped the arts become even more famous, when he developed his style of Jeet Kune Do.  He participated in several movies, showing the world his speed and finesse.  Since then, movies have been a popular way to showcase martial arts skills.

Back in the early 1990s, something known as the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) came along to take things one step further.  Even though there have been other competitions similar to the UFC, none of them had the flair and the dedication as UFC did.  When it first began, the UFC paired different styles and different weight classes.

The result were exciting fights with varying results.  The first ever champion was a man from Brazil named Royce Gracie.  Gracie was the first to introduce Brazilian Jui-Jitsu in this way, opening up the eyes of everyone who witness him fight.  After the first UFC tournament, Brazilian Jui-Jitsu was instantly viewed as the best martial art. Royce weighed under 200 pounds, and he was completely dominating people nearly 3 times his size.

Gracie would go on to win UFC 2 and 4 as well.  He was the most dominating in the sport, and opened the eyes of everyone across the world.  In UFC 3, he didn’t lose, although he ran into a very tough fighter who nearly beat him.  Gracie came back in UFC 5 for a superfight match up with Ken Shamrock, which would go the distance and end in a draw.

Other fighters have done exceptionally well in the UFC, although none of them had the impact as Royce Gracie.  Fighters like Ken Shamrock, Dan Severn, Oleg Taktarov, Matt Hughes, and Matt Sylivia have also done very well.  Matt Hughes is also regarded as one of the best, as he fights in the Welterweight class and is considered pound for pound to be the best fighter in the world.

In the world of MMA (Mixed Martial Arts), the UFC has made a big impact.  In the beginning, there were no rules and no judges, just one on one fights until someone either tapped out, got knocked out, or the ref through in the towel.  Fighters also fought in a tournament style as well, which took 3 fights to win the championship.

Over the years, there were several changes.  The UFC would start with judges after a few years, along with eliminating the tournaments.  The fights would eventually go to one on one, which was great for the fans.  Although the fights didn’t have time limits in the beginning, they do now.  The non title fights are three 5 minute rounds, while the title fights are five 5 minute rounds.

If a fight goes to the judges, the judges decide the winner.  There are three judges, which normally change with each different UFC.  Judges are there do determine the winner if there is no knockout or submission, while the ref is there to protect the fighters.  The referee can stop a fight as well, if a fighter is unable to defend themselves.

With all the changes in the rules of the UFC, it’s only a matter of time before the UFC gains a lot more popularity.  It is more popular today than it ever has been, which tells you that martial arts have come a long way.  Martial arts is very popular these days, with competitions such as the UFC being one of the most popular sports in the world.

The art of Ninjutsu

The art of Ninjutsu is best associated with the ninja’s from ancient Japan.  The ninja’s are well known all around the world, for their stealth and very secreted life.  The ninja is known to have went through very tough and demanding training, which hardly anyone really knows about.  Those that were actual ninja’s are either dead, or not allowed to let anyone know their true identity.

During the 1980's, when the ninja trend really hit the United States, the instructors of Ninjutsu popped out all over the place, making black a very happening color.  Years later, the trend seemed to die out, and there aren’t that many people trying to learn the art.  

Over 70 different Ninjutsu Ryu have been identified and discovered over the years, however most of them have died out.  A majority of them were created around a set of specific techniques and skills, although when those skills of a specific Ryu were no longer needed or wanted, the Ryu seems to die out and fade away from existence.

What many people aren’t aware of, is the fact that Ninjutsu involves both unarmed and armed fighting skills, along with philosophy, strategy, and history. There are a few dojo’s that offer the art, many of them being quite comprehensive with the way they teach.

During combat, Ninjutsu focuses on distance, posture, and flow.  Stylists are taught to react to every movement, and respond in ways that will place them in the advantage position.  From being in a position of advantage, the stylist can effectively change the outcome of the encounter - quickly going from negative to positive.

The martial art known as Ninjutsu is very secret, with a very clouded history.  
The history isn’t documented all that well, as most of what is known about the martial art is that which has been passed down from generation to generation.  
There are a lot of historical records that state families from the Koga region as being the creators to this very secret style.

Those that practice the martial art of Ninjutsu are instructed and trained to use their entire body for everything they do, which provides the most leverage and power.  Ninjutsu is well known in Japan, and for good reason.  It is a very secretive martial art, yet very powerful.  The techniques can be used or self defense, along with stealth.  It can be a great martial art to learn - if you can find a dojo that teaches it.

A Close Look At Belts

With most types of martial arts, the color of the belt that you have will signify your rank within your style of martial arts.  The belts that are used with martial arts signify your rank within that style, although they have no universal means or ranking within the martial arts world.  More or less, they tell others how much you know about your specific martial art.

The use of belt colors in martial arts is an old practice, dating back hundreds of years.  Belts and their use in martial arts all started by a man known as Jigoro Kano, who created the style known as Kodokan Judo.  Kano started out by using only white and black belts to signify rank within his style of martial arts.  His reason for using belts, was to specify which students could compete in different activities.  For example, those with white belts couldn’t compete in the same activities as those with black belts.

Shortly after Kano introduced his idea of using belts, other belt colors were introduced to the world of martial arts.  Over the years, it became a great way of telling what experience a student had in his style - just by the look of his belt.  Other styles began to use this system as well over the years, including Karate, Taekwondo, and several others.

The only problem with using belts to signify ranking, is the fact that one school may have different requirements from another school.  Even though they both may teach the same style of martial arts, their ranking system and requirements to get a certain ranking may be totally different.  This can cause confusion in ranks, especially if a black belt from one school isn’t as versed in the style as a black belt from another school.  Even though most schools stick to the same criteria, there are schools that choose to incorporate their own unique style as well.

Although most martial arts styles use belts to signify rank, there are some martial arts out there such as Shootfighting that don’t use belts at all.  The styles that choose not to use belts don’t go by rankings either, as they are more or less for self defense purposes.  Pitfighting is another style that doesn’t use belts either.  These styles are great to learn for protecting yourself - although they differ from the traditional sense of martial arts.

All things aside, belts are an innovation to martial arts.  They give students something to aim for, and a reason to keep practicing.  Most students that study martial arts aim for getting the black belt, which is the most prestige belt in martial arts.  A black belt takes years of practice to obtain, as the student will move through many lower ranked belts before getting the opportunity to try and earn the black belt.

Chinese Martial Arts

Throughout the world, Chinese martial arts are well known and well respected.  China is a pioneer to martial arts, founding several excellent styles.  Although Kung Fu is the most well known Chinese martial art, there are others that are just as good.  Below, we will look at some of the other Chinese martial arts that aren’t as well known as Kung Fu.

HSING-I
This is actually one of the internal styles of Kung Fu, very closely in relation to Tai Chi.  It teaches students to subordinate their bodies, creating powerful movements with a very little expense of energy.  HSING-I isn’t well known about, although it is very powerful and well known throughout China.  The United States and other areas aren’t that familiar with it, with little to no schools or dojo’s out there that teach it.

Just like Tai Chi, HSING-I has deep roots in Chinese medicine and the Chinese perceptions of nature.  The blows that come from HSING-I come from the five elements of the Chinese - metal, fire, earth, water, and wood.  Similar to other forms that originate from Kung Fu, HSING-I offers complex, dance like movements that are adapted from the way animals react and move.  Due to the training being so demanding and rigorous, and the breathing exercises being so demanding, those who practice this martial art have astounding physical skills and amazing endurance.

Tai Chi
To those who live outside of China, Tai Chi resembles more of a dance.  The slow and calm movements it teaches are balanced and exact, performed while the stylist is in a deep state of relaxation.  While in this deep state of relaxation, the stylist will be fully aware of what he is doing and his movements, although he will appear to those around him to be asleep.

In reality, Tai Chi is an energy exercise that promotes strength, stamina, and flexibility.  By using the deep state of relaxation, Tai Chi enables stylists to benefit emotionally and spiritually as well.  Tai Chi also uses deep states of mediation as well, helping stylists to learn how to reach their high level of peace.


Chinese martial arts
Even though Kung Fu is the best martial art in China, there are many different forms and styles that originate from it.  There is the Shaolin style as well, which offers several different styles of Kung Fu as well, including the world famous “5 animals system”.  The five animals system is among the most popular in China and well known around the world for their devastating techniques and amazing power when used in combat.

Along with Kung Fu, both HSING-I and Tai Chi are great martial arts that help with endurance training and flexibility.  A lot of Kung Fu students in China choose to study one of these arts as well, as it helps to add to their physical and emotional power.  Students who study Tai Chi or HSING-I as well as Kung Fu, have a higher state of endurance and spirituality that simply cannot be matched.

All around the world, China is well known for martial arts.  China brought Kung Fu and Tai Chi to the world, which is something we are all thankful for.  Even though Japan offers their unique blend of martial arts, many consider China to be the founding father of martial arts.  The Chinese have been using martial arts for hundreds of years - providing just how dominant it can be as a means of self defense and a way to live your life in a peaceful manner.

The Facts About Mixed Martial Arts

Have you seen the Ultimate Fighting Championship? If you have, then you already know why this sport uses mixed martial arts. For those who have no idea, here are some facts you should know about.

Mixed martial arts made its introduction in early 1990’s. Its growth was very slow at first and it was always both brutal and violent. In the years that followed, rules were set up which helped gain its popularity among the audience which enabled television channels to broadcast it in the airwaves.

Despite the rules, matches between two fighters are still violent. Some leave the ring with a broken arm or leg while others have cuts or bruises. The only good news is that no one has died yet in the ring unlike boxing. Just to give you an idea, there are at least 11 boxers who die every year.

The reason why you call it mixed martial arts is because a fighter for instance in judo challenges another fighter in another martial art discipline. The key to winning depends on your technique and your conditioning.

Mixed martial arts are now more popular than boxing or wrestling. In one show, it made $30 million and the company owned by the Fertita brothers is now worth $700 million.

The athletes who also participate in these matches get paid very well. One example is Diego Sanchez who was given $7,000 for a fight. If he won the match, he gets an additional $7,000. You could earn more depending on your skill. Top rated fighters can get $200,000 or even more for just one fight.

If you saw the Contender which featured Sylvester Stallone, Sugar Ray Leonard and a few up and coming boxers, a mixed martial arts version came out soon after. Here, amateur fighters are trained by professionals and compete in elimination matches until the last two standing fight for the title of the Ultimate Fighter.

Mixed martial arts has spread throughout the globe. They are called by different names as well. In Japan, it is called PRIDE. The ring and the rules may be different but its essence remains the same.

What you see is what you get when two fighters enter the ring. This means there is no script and everything you see is real. If a fighter goes down, it is because one fighter was better skilled then than the other.

Mixed martial arts is growing despite the fact that it was once banned in television by Senator McCain. Experts believe that it will peak in the next 15 to 20 years and who knows; this sport may one day be part of the Olympics.

But despite what you see on television, mixed martial arts is a great form of exercise and it also teaches you about self defense. This is very useful regardless of your age or gender because criminals attack when they think you are vulnerable.

As a result, a lot of gyms offer classes to their members. Other benefits of learning mixed martial arts include building your self confidence and making you strong both mentally and physically. Children can also learn it so they can defend themselves if ever someone at school decides to pick on them which is something that no parent wants their child to experience.