Month: January 2018

Rules of Kempo Karate & Martial Arts

Here are some principles that can get you some better leverage out of any art, not just Kempo Karate.

Establish Your Base

Any combative artist needs to be rooted on the ground. Its only from the rooting into the ground that your blocks, strikes and kicks will have any real power to them. It might help to think of pushing a car or sawing wood to get what I mean. If your not planted correctly you will have no effect.

Distance

This the distance your attacking limb moves before impact. This will very with each individual. Bruce Lee for example generated some pretty impressive power from his now famous 1-inch-punch. You can have the most powerful punch or kick in the world, BUT if you deliver it too close OR too far away it will have little effect. Bag work helps master this.

Your Block should be a Cocked Position

This is about making better economy of motion. The block you use should be the cocked position, or prelude to the strike. You should also have enough Distance to generate the power you need as well. An inward block followed by a back fist or cross chop is an example of this.

Martial arts is a sport that requires your combat skills in order to engage in it. It originated from Japan as a form of attack or self defense.

Most people consider martial arts a dangerous sport to engage in simply because it involves fighting. However, there is more to learning martial arts than just learning how to throw punches and kicks.

Here are some of the other benefits of learning martial arts:

1) Discipline

The instructor – referred to as the Sensei in martial arts – drills into his student the need to be disciplined. Instructors especially insist that having the martial arts knowledge is not a certificate for you to walk around picking fights.
It should not be used to show off. In case of a conflict, you should devise a way that resolves the conflict without much need for a fight.

2) Sport

Other than competition, sports generally bring people together. It is also an avenue through which champions are born, friendships made and networks created. A person participating in it would achieve all those if he/she wanted to.

3) Exercise

One can hardly learn all the techniques there are to be learned without burning calories in the process! A person gets to enjoy benefits like; losing weight; improved cardiovascular system; improved mood; faster reflexes and increased muscle tone among other benefits.

4) Development

Some kids who are shy, quiet and reserved become transformed to confident in class, outgoing, social and independent after going through the martial arts process. This is because they are gradually motivated to achieve their goals.
It is said that even children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) can develop self-control and achieve an improved level of concentration.

5) School Projects

One can choose to carry out a school project about martial arts. A person who knows the ins and outs of the topic, would easily cover the topic from any angle. Better still, it would be easy to have interviews since the people involved are known to that person.

6) Creativity

If you happen to double up as both a martial arts expert and a creative person, then that is a perfect genesis of great entertainment. Whatever your creative drug is, just look for a way in which you can incorporate martial arts in it.
Say for example, a writer can write a novel or short stories and/or a script based on fictional (or real) characters, or a sketch artist can come up with a great comic. Also, one can come up with an idea for a music video.

A photographer can also use his/her magic to come up with creative concepts for his/her photography. The list is not limited to these examples since there is no limit to creativity.

There are probably many more reasons why people can get involved in martial arts other than self defense. However, I hope those listed above are reasons good enough to encourage you register for that class.

Do not be afraid to let your child get involved too. He/she will probably learn more than just how to fight.