Chuck Norris demonstrates Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

In this video clip is shown the demonstration of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu techniques by the legendary martial artist and actor Chuck Norris with Carlos Machado. The demonstration was given in Germany Budo-Gala 1992.

I remember growing up watching Chuck Norris movies before I actually started training in TKD (Taekwondo), boxing and kickboxing.

Grtandmaster Javed Khan also gave us lessons of other martial arts along with these in pursuit of making an overall better fighter. The other being combat techniques of ground fighting and grappling borrowed from arts like Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Judo and wrestling. He use to tell us you have good striking techniques like punching and kicking, what if somebody gets hold of you or you go on the ground while fighting, you need better ground fighting skills then.

Chuck Norris movies were favorite with me and my cousin, those days cd and dvd were yet not in the market. We used to get the movies on video tapes from video tape library and would coax the owner to get more. The owner once gave me a tape of Muhammad Ali's greatest fights, which contained clips of actions from Muhammad Ali's fights. Watching that tape again and again brought about a great change in my fighting style. Mostly the gracious movements in the ring with relaxed body while fighting and speed. I remember in those days of watching this tape I read about selection of boxing competitors for state level boxing championships.

I with my friend rushed where the selection was to take place. I had training of Taekwondo then but none of Boxing. All the boxing knowledge I had was watching the tape of Muhammad Ali's greatest fights. My body had imbibed that so well. There my previous martial arts instructor was present as on of the trainers. He did not like me as I had switched over of Tae Kwon Do training With Master Javed Khan. He and other trainers tried everything to prevent me from getting selected. I was pitted virtually with each of their best boxers. Weight category had no meaning when it came for my sparring training. I used weight 62 kilograms and was pitted till 92 kgs weighting opponents all trained and with ring experience. Beat them all went to the state level and became the champion in my weight category, by KO in the first round victories in two bouts I was suppose to fight. Well for national Championships, the loser of the finals against me was sent. They know the reason why.

Some interesting and instructive comments for this video on youtube

* man of the millenium(Chuck Norris). nobody else with his status is such a good person. and helps so many other people.

* that standing over the head arm-bar was sweet.

I never knew he knew Jiu-jitsu, i thought he was just a kick boxer/tae kwon do guy.

* my understanding is that chuck is actually partially responsible for bjj(Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu) coming to the u.s. way back before anyone knew what bjj was he was buying schools for the machado brothers to teach here. that's what i've heard anyways.

* Why would he armbar someone when his roundhouse breaks every bone in their body?

* Chuck's movies may not've been the greatest, but I've always been impressed with his desire & willinness to learn more & train with the best in a wide variety of styles. His persistence in working out, period, is impressive when you compare him with someone like Steven Seagal; Chuck is, what, 15 or 20 years older than Seagal, but Seagal's in pathetic physical condition apparently because he lacks the self discipline to train hard. Yeah, Chuck's something of an inspiration

* lol helicopter armbar.

* You should read about Chuck Norris more, he does know BJJ and was a big promoter of it in the martial art magazines back when he was really famous, he studied BJJ religiously and includs it in his own system, Chuck KwanDO

* I wonder what would have happened if chuck fought royce at ufc 1

* Machado doesn't just give out black belts. Norris earned it.

* shortly after this video chuck norris demonstrated his roundhouse kicked and immediatley killed everyone within a 2 mile radius...

* The Machados appeared on an episode of Walker Texas Ranger.

Mixed Mixed Martial Arts or MMA - Human Weapon - History Channel

We have seen videos of two deadly martial arts Muay Thai the martial arts and sports of Thailand, and Eskrima Stick Fighting Philippines martial arts and sports. Both the posts with the video created for History Channel series called Human Weapon, took us to some best training schools and camps and the grandmasters of the respective arts.

Along with it there some video animated tutorials for some of very good and effective techniques and online lessons from the best grandmasters and instructors. This episode made for History channel will take us to the history of Mixed Martial Arts or MMA, where Jason Chambers a professional MMA fighter and Bill Duff a pro football players and a wrestler will be on a journey to explore the unique history of this hyper violent sport, along the way they will learn some time honored techniques and train with some of the legendary fighters of this ultimate fighting sport. Then the will enter the rings and take on two fighting machines in a full blown MMA bout.



First they travel to the sunny Los Angeles, the Mecca of Mixed Martial Arts or MMA. It's just over a decade this hybrid fighting form has evolved from underground blood sport into a world wide phenomena. This sports popularity increased so much that it rivaled boxing and professional wrestling in Pay Per View PPV television shows.

It surpasses the punishments of these two sports also in most cases. The MMA does not limits itself to one technique, the fighters are free to hurt their opponents in variety of ways and techniques borrowed from various martial arts and combat sports. The techniques used in MMA bouts are punches, kicks, Grapples, take downs, throws, knee strikes and submissions. The techniques borrowed from martial arts form and combat sports like boxing, Thailand's Muay Thai, Japenese Karate, Korean Taekwondo, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, wrestling and such. It does not matter where the techniques come from, if they are effective use them. Over the period of time the techniques that worked are used more where as the techniques that were not effective faded.

This also forced the fighters coming from particular styles of fighting to work and study other fighting styles. Fighters from striking form of martial arts like TaeKwondo TKD, Karate and kickboxing and Muay Thai had to study and train under the grappling, take down and submission based martial arts like Jiu-Jitsu, Judo and wrestling to avoid and defend other those techniques.

The journey of Jason and Bill starts with Big John McCarthy Ultimate Training Academy. There they witness a intense training match inside full size MMA octagon. Watching along with them was MMA legend Bas Rutten.

Bass is a black belt in both Karate and Judo, a brutal kick boxer and a brutal and savage wrestler. Sebastiaan "Bas" Rutten (born February 24, 1965), a Dutch mixed martial arts fighter. Bass was a three time King of Pancrase, former Ultimate Fighting Championship Heavyweight Champion, and is a certified MTBN Thai Boxing instructor, Pancrase instructor, and has a 5th Degree Black Belt in Kyokushin karate and a 2nd Degree Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do. He is also the founder of "The Bas Rutten System" and the author of various martial art books and videos. He holds notable wins over Frank Shamrock, Masakatsu Funaki, Kevin Randleman, Guy Mezger and Tsuyoshi Kohsaka. His trademark move was the kicks in the liver area, which he called 'Liver Shots' "Rutten Jump," which he performed in the ring every time he won a fight, resembling a jumping split.

Bass had a challenge for Jason and Bill, after the training bout he says, 'Now, are you ready for this, cause that's what you gone a do :-).' Bass explains them that they will be working with some professional fighters, some of the finest and they will help them in learning the techniques of punching, kicking and submission. Submission is the technique which has brought more victories to MMA fighters than any other techniques until now. At the end of the journey Jason and Bill would go head to head against two of the sports toughest fighters in the very octagon MMA ring they witnessed the intense training fight.

Bills opponent would be Ricco "Suave" Rodriguez, a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and winner of ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship. Bill says that considering that he has never entered the octagon ring he would be lucky to get out alive let alone victor. Jason is not going to get an easier opponent either.

They travel to the other side of La in the town of fullerton, at Erik Paulson's Combat Submission Wrestling center. Here they will train and learn with modern fighter Josh Barnett a professional MMA champion known for his slams, his ground fighting and attitude. Josh explains them that MMA evolved from many sources, he says,'you have Pancrase, yo have pro wrestling, you have shoot wrestling. Late in the 90's people began to ask the big question, 'Which Martial art and the martial artist is truly the best? Josh says people watch film and see different martial art styles and began to wonder if a fighter from one style competes with other say kung fu or Karate against boxing who would win? this reminds of a question mostly asked about the two legend Bruce Lee and Muhammad Ali, who would have won the fight? and the discussions still goes on with fans of each taking their hero's side.

Josh believed that the best way to win was to take the opponent down to the ground held him for a submission. To do that he teaches double leg take down. We get to learn an online lesson on this very effective MMA technique and also a video tutorial with animated computer graphics.

We move on to the second video clip below



Then they meet Forrest Griffin, and takes valuable lessons for the defense against the effective double leg take down, called sprawl. This is the technique used by some strike fighters who are very good at striking the opponents with powerful and fast punches and kicks, but find themselves in difficulties, when on the ground. The technique of sprawl is a very good anti technique against the take down techniques. They both get some lessons for the same as even we get online lessons for this anti take down technique. A good video tutorial follows for this technique called spraw which just does not allow your opponent to take you down but the opponent is left vulnerable for many number of attacks.

Then they head towards the Hollywood at wildcard boxing, training center for few legendary boxers. There they meet champion kickboxer from Tae Kwon Do background and a MMA fighter Cung Le. They take some training in combination of kicks (more on combination of kicks and punches) and then a lesson in back spinning kick, used to be my favorite but work a lot for getting this right. First thing I did and also teach for this technique was to whirl on toe of the foot, not trying to kick but spin on the toe. After one gets the balance and speed in spinning then gradually start kicking on lower levels, speed and balance is most important, as this qualities develop go higher and higher. I use to dedicate 8 hours training in a day for this single technique, on punching bag. Any way there is a video tutorial for the same and I seriously feel it's not enough for someone wanting to learn it really well.

Then they move to get some training in Jiu Jitsu. We get to see and listen to interesting history of Jiu-Jitsu

will be continued in the next post.

Eskrima Stick fighting - Philippines Martial Arts

This is yet another video series from the television show from History Channel where Jason Chambers a professional Martial Artist and Mixed Martial Arts MMA competitor and Bill Duff professional football player and wrestler travels to different countries where the deadliest of the Martial Arts are practiced. These two guys travels and visits some martial arts training schools and camps that has produced champions and also visits and trains in the jungle camps where these deadly arts are taught and practiced in a tougher manner and not for sports or demonstration purpose.

In this videos we will see Hosts Jason Chambers and Bill Duff travel to the island nation of the Philippines, to learn about the violent and even deadly form of Martial Arts known as Eskrima. Jason & Bill will travel from the ancient forts of Cebu City to the rice patties of the Manalanga Mountains and to a military base in the capital of the Philippines, Manila, in order to learn the stick and knife techniques that were used to kill famous Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan in 1521 and to destroy the terrorist organization Abu Sayef, also known as Al Qaeda, in the mid 1990's. At the end of their journey one of them will have to fight against a 5-time world Eskrima champion.

Eskrima is a one the most complex and dangerous martial arts of the world. In the Cebu city both the guys get to watch a demonstration of the stick fighting in the smelly crowded streets of the city. Two fighters with the stick in their hands, moving fast attacking and defending each others, looks more like a real fight than a demonstration as the people from the market place gathers around them to watch the fight. Even Jason Chambers a pro fighter asks a onlooker if it was real. The answerer however says, 'This can become real very quickly.' Indeed looking at the intensity and the speed of both the martial artist one can say he is not joking.

Jason says the streets and hot and smelly and the crowd wants blood and bruises from the fighters demonstrating the Eskrima stick fighting. They meet a guy called Gerald who happens to be the trainer of both these fighters. He stops the fighters as the intensity of the fighting increases and make sure that the fight does not get real. He has a challenge for the two hosts of television show. He says, 'If you guys train hard enough and you guys get good enough, I have a fighter for you to fight.' The fighter is Eskrima National champion, who would give them an ultimate test after they travel and train hard enough.

Eskrima is believed to have evolved in Philippines from Chinese Martial Arts and Malaysian martial arts form brought to them from the traveling traders. As local fighters fought and interacted with these other cultures, they corporate various fighting styles in their own fighting system. This is what Grandmaster Javed Khan has done in developing Khan Do Kwan, under whom I took many martial lessons.

Initially the art was practice among many groups, each group developing their own style of fighting. It was even used in the group or the gang fighting. It was until 1930s that a unified system was born, when twelve of most greatest master decided in the city of Cebu, to join their forces and formalize the style of Martial Arts. They called themselves Doce Pares, which means twelve heirs. They brought this martial art in sport and today as many as two thousand hundred Filipinos trains in this form of Martial arts. Sport Eskrima matches, where both the competitors are heavily padded with the safety equipments are held throughout the islands of Philippines.

Jason and Bill trains in one of the gym where the martial artist are training with sticks and daggers and knives. Jason says that fighting with the stick is like extension of the hand. Same principles and body movements apply the difference is that your hand gets and extension, and extension that has more lethal strike and which does not get hurt or feel the pain. The sticks are made of light fibrous wood. Here we get some video tutorial of Eskrima stick hitting and blocking, locking and trowing techniques. great ones. Also the locking and throwing technique called Labai is shown in a computer animated graphic tutorial. That is at the end of the video clip.

Some interesting comments on the first video from you tube below

* Please post the mma episode, i really hope to watch it! thanks!

* this show is aswome.:)

* anyone know of a site to learn this? There;s zero chance of someone in my town teaching this so if there's no self-teach-website I'll have to buy dvds

* but the thing is it is not promoted by the authority. like twentius said more people prefer judo, karate and other foreign martial arts. there are very few people who appreciate our very own martial arts.. :D

* don't know, I think it's pretty well appreciated. Most universties I know have a club/varsity for it and it was a pretty popular class in my university. I think it just doesn't SEEM as appreciated because while foreign martial arts classes for kids are offered pretty much everywhere, there aren't nearly as many classes in Arnis/Eskrima. But then I don't think you could/should let a 12 year old loose with a wooden stick anyway.

Still, I'd love it if it was recognized even more!

* I think foreigners are more motivated to learn our art than fellow Filipinos...
Instead of just learning karate, judo and taekwondo in university gyms, why don't we promote ours... :-)

* Thanks for uploading this episode. I will like to learn this art since I am Filipino.

We move on to next video clip below



Jason and Bill practice some stick movements. Practicing with the sticks looks a little more complex than bare hand practice of Martial Arts. While moving the stick the movement restriction of hand due to body joints is not there, the sticks has more freedom for varied moves. Then they get some lesson from the grandmaster teaching in that particular gym. He says don't dance when you hit, (Is Muhammad Ali, listening to this?). Well this is totally a different ball game than boxing. The master continues, 'don't dance, this is not dance studio, this is martial arts studio.' as Jason gives a smile to that statement. Than grandmaster Bonifacio gives very important lesson which not just applies to Escrima stickfighting but also to all the martial arts techniques, combat sports and even for other sports like baseball, tennis, cricket, golf etc. He says, 'When you are hitting, you have to follow through. Now when you hit and don't follow through then the strike is not as powerful as when yo follow through. Then he demonstrate two powerful and fast blows with the stick on the heap of tires, with a very good follow through.

The they head towards a temple associated with a great sage and a philosopher Lao Tzu. Here in the temple they take lesson from grandmaster Joe Borces. Joe Borces demonstrate a technique with grace and speed of a master. Very difficult to make out what he did until asked to slow in slow motion, which he does with explaining every move by breaking them in parts. The moves include defense and offensive moves. Once again we get a video tutorial of escrima with computer animated graphics of disarming the stick fighter before delivering the offensive blow. Great move and would require much practice drills so that it becomes a part of nervous memory system. After the training sessions, Jason leaves with the comment, 'One day we hope we would be half as good as you, thank you.' Both the guys bow to the master

They travel in a modified military jeep used for transportation, a weird vehicle according to Bill and Jason quite comfortable in the same. From port of Cebu they travel through waters to Negros Occidental, to take lessons in Martial Art called Kali. In rice paddies beneath the mountains they meet Leo Gaje, a worlds leading practitioner of Kali.

They are led to a paddy field, filled with water and mud, the environment where the ancient Kali was practiced. They are made to throw long bamboo sticks as spears are thrown run through the muddy waters get them and return only to throw them back and run after it again. The drill is demanding and exhausting as running fast through the muddy waters takes much effort. It's a wicked test of balance and endurance.

Next they are made to work on the upper body by striking hard on the water with the long bamboo sticks. Well the lower body and the aerobic endurance is not spared as they have to run through the same muddy waters while doing it. Pretty exhausting training method but building great endurance and stamina. Hit hard is the shout they hear all the time during this drill. Then with the short sticks slashing through the waters with the sticks.

After the Spain defeated them, they outlawed all Martial Arts. Forced to go underground local warriors incorporated the styles of local Martial Arts in variety of ritual dances. The Spanish were somehow convinced they were traditional ritual dances called Kali, in reality these dances were tightly choreographed sparing movements of Kali. When the Spanish got out the Kali Masters took the art out to towns and in the rice paddies. A deadly form of martial arts was born which relied on grappling and locking techniques like wrestling. Which could result in broken arms, legs and even necks.

Some interesting comments from yo tube for the second video before we more to the third one below.

* "This is not a dance studio!"
LOL... Jason got nailed...
I didn't know Phillipinos had such a high level of English! They needed translators in almost every other place they went in the far east...

* First! This was great! I do this type of training in JKD!



this video starts with something interesting an unexpected. They train like their ancestor did, using a 1600 pound buffalo as a sparring partner. a buffalo is brought in the rice field. Jason does not understand using a buffalo as a sparing partner and ask the reason for the same, somewhat concerned. The answer is more interesting :-), 'If you can take down a four feet guy you know I mean this two feet person is easy to take down.' A trained Kali fighter grabs the buffalo from his neck and tries to take him down on the floor, the buffalo resists with all it's strength and does not go down, it's body weight is too much to bring down by a small man. Bill looks happy to see this heavy buffalo won he says. Bill is heavy too the reason for his happiness.

Even if this techniques are not enough to bring down a buffalo they are more than enough to bring down a man. The we get to learn a technique called Baliog Pamali a very effective and powerful technique when you get to grab opponents hand. A great computer animated video tutorial for the same Kali technique, which can leave your opponent paralyzed or dead.

Next they travel to meet and train under grandmaster Nick Eliezar. He is one of the finest stick fighters in the country. He moves his body and stick with grace, speed and power. Again we get a chance for online lessons of Martial arts stick fighting. A video tutorial from grandmaster and also computer animated graphics for the Escrima stick fighting technique called Pangilog. A deadly lethal technique, requires many training drills i guess, to execute it with grace, speed and accuracy as all techniques need. The move includes grappling, locking and intense offense after the same.

They move to Manila, to the modern day warriors to learn some more Eskrima Stick Fighting techinques. They visit special group of military marine forces in the capital city of Manila which is fast growing. The general is asked the name of terrorist with whom these military guys are in encounter with and who were responsible for death of tourists and many Filipinos. The answer comes, 'Here in Philippines we call Abu Saiyyaf and others call it Al Qaeda. These fighters use double edged knifes instead of the sticks. Here we get a lesson to unarmed combat move very simple and very effective. The technique is called Palamut and we get to see a video tutorial for the same, with the online lesson of this martial art technique.

Some interesting comments from utube for this video clip before we move on to 4th one

* eskrima is cool

* seriouslty he'd be like "hmm group of farmers coming towards me..oh not again..."

* GM Eliezar is incredible. This was a higlight of this episode for me.



The general demonstrate few more moves on Bill. Like the we learned in the third video clip, his moves are short and effective.

Then they travel to Badian, in the jungle camp to train for few more Eskrima stick fighting techniques, under grandmaster Dionisio Canste. The moves of the master are graceful while he moves two swords in the air, standing on a bamboo bridge over a stream. He welcomes Jason and Bill to what he calls mountain quarters. The master shows them the beauty of the place, but warns them to be careful as they gonna be sweating it out. The grandmaster shows them a ritual sword dance. The master explains the whirling movements of swords in the ritual dance. He says you can get more opponents with the whirling movements rather just slashes with the sword or swords. 'Some people think it's for show, but it's not.' he says. The grandmaster has been practicing this art for 60 years.

Jason and Bill finds a nasty challenge when it was their turn of practicing the martial arts moves. They were made to stand on the bamboo floats to practice. Very difficult to balance while practicing or without it. They join few doing the same, whirling the sticks while on the bamboo float. Bill finds it really tough with flies everywhere. This grandmaster pits Jason and Bill against each other for the very first time. Jason has the edge as he has background in stick fighting, probably Jeet Kune Do. They go through some rigorous training drills. All the time the training drills look a lot of different than we see in the empty handed martial arts like Tae Kwon Do TKD, Karate or Kungfu. The blocks are taught too and in TKD or boxing or MMA training we are taught not to extend are arms much for block, as it opens up some area making it vulnerable for other attacks that could follow. In stick fighting there in not option but to reach for the block, if you don't want to move away.

The training continues as the grandmaster forced them to train in natural environment to condition their selves. Training drills in flowing water, beating the trees to work on the power of the blows. Bills says, 'I thought gym was tough, this was worse.' But they could feel their skills and endurance improving.

Some comments fro youtube from the 4th video clip

* im not one too use a weapon in a fight, but this looks about the best and most practical weapons fighting technique ive ever seen...

* it is considered one of (if not the best) fighting techniques on how to defend yourself with and from a knife.

* this is so much bettter than the discovery channel version fight quest...plus jason had eskrima background

* I wonder if the Ilocos or Pangasinan has their own style of stick fighting?



The fifth clip somehow refused to buffer on my laptop today after repeated trials. But it should be for their final fight with the champion and reading the comments it says Jason was chosen as with the Muay Thai, and he was good with the little training he had in Eskrima stick fight even tough he never looked close to winning.

Some comments from you tube from the last video

* i hate and love jason chambers simultaneously. hehe... he's too proud of himself. but it's still ok because he's a great martial artist (not to mention, the most handsome man i've ever seen.)

* I think it's better to learn how to fight with your body instead of using weapons, but anyway I like Kung Fu and all the weapons they got, here I don't find it that cool to use just a stick.

* That's a great episode there.

* this Is why tkd teches to keep the fist closed, or at least tight... less chance of a broken finger

* jason chambers is Jeet Kune do and MMA, he had a previous experience in stickfighting. Listen carefully. He was chosen to fight not Bill, because he has experience, that's it

* I think their conversations are too scripted. They obviously made that decsiion before they shot. its cool though. Jason chambers is a good martial artist

* a broken finger; lol, I don't belive; he wont to break the fight becouse he had enough :)

* That is what I call real courage...Jason is mentally very strong

* see when he gets disarmed the Filipino makes a little faint to his head, right after he gets the stick from the American. If it was a real fight he would have knocked his block off. Also after each tangle the American is backing up but the Filipino is always advancing. You couldn't say he held his own

* After minimal training, I think that Jason did very well. No, he did not even come close to winning. But he didn't quit and I think in the end he earned the respect of not only Perceval, but of the tuhons present at the match. Good job, Jason.

* after each episode I watch, I want to learn a different martial art. what torture! one life, sooo many styles...

* damn it look hella painful
couldnt even watch it

* Really awesome that the Philippines has their own martial art style. I appreciated for you to upload this episode.

Uncovering the secrets of Muay Thai

Above is the first part of the video series of Human Weapon aired on History Channel. In this videos s Jason Chambers a Mixed Martial Artist (MMA) and a professional Fighter, and Bill Duff a pro football player and a wrestler are a part on a mission, to explore the technique and history of different lethal Martial Arts. In these videos the mission is exploring the secrets of Lethal Martial Arts Muay Thai in Bangkok and Thailand. Apart from the what the city of Thailand is famous for the Buddhist Temples and the sex trades, the city has tens and thousands of fighters trained in the lethal art of Muay Thai, known as the science of eight limbs.


Muay Thai was practiced by the Thai soldiers against the traditional wars with Burmese. Thai soldiers had a upper hand in close combat without the weapons because of their training in this lethal martial arts training in Muay Thai. This martial arts also became the sport of the country and until 1930s the competitors fought with bare knuckle or with the hemp rope tied on their fist and hand, making the hand a lethal weapon. A martial art sport called Dembe in Nigeria still has the fighters with a hemp rope tied on one hand, dipped in sand. A post on this lethal sport called Dembe will be coming shortly with pictures on this blog.

It is not true that the Thai fighters dipped their hand wrapped in hemp rope in the glass powder, the video clip says. There are more than 65,000 fighters training in Muay Thai, under proper instructors and masters. This shows the amount of competition and the skills required by the fighters to reach the top.

After 1930s the government changed the rules to some extent and introduced the gloves and ring, as the ratio of serious injuries and the death were much higher. Even after the change in rules the sport remains a high risk sport and the injuries and death in the ring are still the part of the sport. Most of the fight ends in a knockout. Broken jaws and cracked ribs are common injuries in the ring. Punches, elbow strikes, knee strikes, pulling the opponents while striking, speed, accuracy are the trade marks of this sport.

Kyusityodtong a legendary master of Muay Thai and a owner of training camp is shown in the video. He has personally trained many fighters and champions. He invites Jason Chamber and Bill Duff to his training camp, and also ask them to survive one of his champions. Interesting to see this when these two guys are pitted against a human fighting machine, highly trained to bring the damage to their opponents.



this next video takes us to a gym in Bangkok which has produced about 30 champions. The low kick technique which is used as a powerful weapon against the opponents thighs is demonstrated and taught in this video. Also the defensive use of kick to push the opponent away or stop him from coming in is shown and taught. A sort of video tutorial for powerful and fast kiks of Muay Thai. While these guys are training for the low roundhouse kick, a very important tip is herd from the trainer, which even I repeat many a times while training the students in Taekwondo kicks, "when you are attacking, you don't forget your defense." Unlike the Karate, Taekwondo or other martial arts, Muay Thai fighters develop the shin bones and use them as striking weapon when striking with the low roundhouse kicks. The aim of the kick 'damage to the opponent.'

On their next stop they train with the Thai Soldiers, where a selected group of soldiers are taught an improvised version of Muay Thai, that focus one powerful accurate moves, accurate powerful moves that can take out opponent in a single deadly move. The master says, 'the point is three things 1. Fast 2. Powerful and 3. Accurate. He gives a demonstration from his soldiers to show it. The soldiers breaking heaps of bricks and concrete slabs with their bare hand strikes.

Then comes a tutorial on elbow strike in Muay Thai, you use that when the opponent is closer the trainer says. The elbow strike is demonstrated and taught using computer animation graphics and also on the punching bag and against a training partner.

Next they travel from modern capital Bangkok to ancient capital Ayutthaya by the river route. Here they meet a Muay Thai historian and a student, who takes them to a Buddhist temple, which is also served as training place for military personnels, prince and kings for hundreds of years.



The above clip starts with the mention that the Muay Thai was practiced in this Buddhist temple. That time it was not a sport but was a training center for the select warriors and the princes and kings. The training used to be with various weapons. Sometimes the weapons would drop while in fight, that time the warriors had to fight with bare hands. Training for this was called Muay Thai. Next is the demonstration and tutorial of Knee kick or knee attack in Muay Thai, with a training partner and also with animated computer graphics. Pull your opponent down as you drive up the knee, which increases a lot of power and damage to the attack.

Next they travel to Lop Buri, to learn the technique of unique punch. They visit a temple there where they find lots of monkeys. On asking about the monkeys present there they are encountered by a question, 'Do you know Hanuman?' by the local guide. Hanuman is the Hindu God, a greatest of warriors an possessing many powers. Lord Hanuman is better known for His devotion along with the warrior powers he had. On asking does the monkeys had some relevance with the fighters of Lop Buri? Yes comes the reply, he says, "It means, Lop Buri fighters can fight as fast as monkdeys, there movements are very dangerous the same as Hanuman.

Both them asks them if they can learn a technique as a fight with professional Thai Champion is coming up. They are shown the technique uf upper cut with both the fists that they called Hanman style. To execute this move the fighter moves inside or the opponent with both his fists placed under the opponent's chin and explode with the upper strike with both the fist under his opponents chin, a soft vulnerable area. Again a short video tutorial with animation is show for the double fist upper cut.

Next they travel to Sara Buri, famous for producing good Thai fighters. Where they are suppose to train under a repute and distinguished Muay Thai trainer. They are given a room to stay where they find that the sleeping bed was not a bed, but a mat, a part of training.



In the ring they demonstrate the Hanuman technique they learned from Lop Buri and asked the trainer if they could use that technique in the ring. "No", comes the answer, they are shown a counter move the flying knee, which looks more like a Hanuman Move than the double fist uppercuts they where shown. As Lord Hanuman had the power to fly and a flying knee attack would look more like a Hanuman move to someone like me who has studied much about Lord Hanuman. In fact the flying knee attack can be used as a follow up with a double elbow push, a very effective and devastating technique indeed. A video tutorial with computerized animation graphics is given again for the flying knee attack. Jason Chamber and Bill Duff exchange few sparring rounds with the fighters of the training camp.

Next Jason Chamber and Bill Duff travel to the dangerous jungles on the Burmese jungles. They fell like they are into a Ninja camp when they reach there. The master there Kru Preang is asked whether the Muay Thai techniques taught in the jungle military camps and the techniques which we see when two Muay Tahi fighters use in the rings. Kru Prang replies, "The Tahi boxing now a days that you see in the ring sport, they only took a little part of us. It's washed out to almost nothing, nowadays. Most of our technique, you know is used to harm a person, to take them down so fast. That's a battlefield fighting. The first thing they learned here was, 'A good defense makes a great offense.' The master further in the video after a demonstration of defense and offense states, 'In the ring sport, when the person punch and you try to move back, and you try to return a punch, it's to late." The master is obviously not with the Muhammad Ali movements, straight away get in, not to back off and hit. The Muay Thai fighters demonstrate few techniques and they look very fast in their techniques.

A small part of Thai history is narrated to them at the night camp fire.

I will tel you about small part of Thai History. Two Hundred or some more years ago. A farmer from Sing Buri gets captured by the Burmese. They took him to Burma and made a slave out of him. History say he perform ancient Thai Boxing and can knock off ten Burmese boxers in front of Burmese King. He used his Mae Mai Muay Thai to knock them off. And he can knock each Burmese boxer with a single strike. They called him Nai Khanom Tom, the Thai fighter. After winning his fights Nai Khanom was release by the Burmese king. He returned and spent his life teaching the art of Muay Thai. He became known as 'Father of Muay Thai' and really Muay Thai is the most famous sport of Thailand today.

Next day the master is seen Tai Chi style practice on the rock and Jason Chamber and Bill Duff joins him.



The fifth and the last part. Jason and Bill are taught the Thai Boxing in traditional methods. Kicking the banana trees trunk with the shin to toughen the shin. Hanging lemons to improve the accuracy. chop the waters in the river, and practice meditation to clear their minds.

Jason the MMA fighter relates his experience of the tour so far. He says that he feels like a piece of meat, getting beaten by everyone, getting use to the environment and the fighting techniques they use. Running uphill in the forests, he says training is not fun here. Both seems to get and learn a lot from this trip.

After the tough and productive training in the jungle, it's now time for one of these to put against the test and risk of fighting a real fight with a Muay Thai champion. They travel to Pattaya.

Jason is chosen to take on the challenge, far from home and fighting in a new environment and new fighting style make him a little nervous even though he has been part of professional fighting. An ambulance awaits if any of the fighter gets seriously injured.

Time for the real bout of Jason with the Muay Thai champ. The bout starts with traditional ritual. The movements represents the fighter honoring his camp of training. The fighters also bow to the four corners of the ring to honor the four noble truths of Buddha.

The fight starts and the strategy of Jason was to get closer to the fast opponent so that his fast kicks could be avoided and knee or elbow attacks could be delivered. Jason finds that getting closer to a fast fighter is easier said than done. His opponent was too fast, every time Jason tried to get close he was pushed away with a low push kick. The out last for three rounds, the Thai fighter did not meant business as it was not an official fight. The journey ends with much learning.

Speed and setup in Martia arts and Combat sport

The above video clip has a very good demonstration and tutorial of speed practice on punching bag. Training for any Martial arts form like Taekwondo, Karate, KungFu or combat sports like boxing, kick boxing, Muay Thai or MMA. The speed is a very important accept of training. Lot of beginners or even advanced trainees, strive too much for power in their punches and kicks or any other combat movement like grappling or take downs.

In the pursuit of power they forget or neglect the more important aspect the speed. In fact it is the speed that gives power or it is the speed that brings about more damage. I always give example of why a bullet shot from a gun brings more damage than a car moving at a speed of 10 kilometers per hour. It is the speed that brings damage . So speed is equal to power or greater the speed more the damage.

Yet the speed has to be executed with the proper technique that brings about the power. Punching or kicking just with the hand or leg, with speed does not serve the purpose. They have to be executed with proper techniques that bring about power, using the whole body behind the punch or kick. While punching it is not only the hands that punch, but the shoulders, the hips and the thighs that participates. While executing say the right punch, the body has to be divided in two parts left and the right. To bring the maximum power to the punch while punching with the right hand, the left shoulder and left hip has to be pushed back which gives much help to the right shoulder and hips that are push forward.

I always tell student that while punching not to think as the hands are punching but the shoulders and the hips are punching, the hands are the extension and the weapons used for punching. Same goes for the kicks.

There is also a another plus point for the speed. It is very difficult to judge the oncoming attacks for the opponent when the techniques are delivered with speed, apart from the damage they inflict on the opponent.

There is one more important aspect of speed the techniques when trained on punching bag, speed targets or in air has to be practiced with speed and multiple attacks also shown in the video. When techniques are practiced in that manner, they come out when in sparring or the bout. This helps to setup the opponent for a clean hit with a punch or a kick. Most of the time it is very difficult to get your opponent with a clean hit with a single technique. A combination of fast moving punches and kicks is needed for the same.

Few more tips i take care of while training or giving the lessons to the students on speed.

• Don't think that a punch or kick is over when it reaches the target. For example the left jab or a round house kick when executed in practice should not be considered over while practicing in air, bag or target pads. The punch or the technique should be considered complete, when the punch or kick reach it's target and come back. To elobrate more on this, suppose we are executing a left jab. The left jab should not be considered over as it reaches the target, but has to be snapped back from where it started, with the same speed. This brings us back into a attentive position and ready for another technique. Many students throw a kick consider it over when the kick reaches the target, the speed is given up and the leg drops. Huge mistake. The kick has to be snapped back, the heel comes near the thighs with the same speed, bringing us back in a much stable stance from where we can defend or attack. If it is not done while the leg is dropping, our body is in no way a stable or attentive position, leaving it an easy target for opponents attack, forget about the follow up attacks with another punch or a kick.

Some comments on you tube for this video

• Your videos are freaking awesome , I've been looking for instructionals like these forever, these have really helped me. And I've just ordered my new punching bag , so I've got alot of new things to practice on it!
• as usually this guy is really good thanks man u hv helped me tonnes of times and now and won many matches casue of u . I hope u could make anyother vid about how to increase speed in kicks that 1 i would really aprreatiate. bb ! thx
• Nice. Well-spoken and intelligent approach to helping people with the basic elements. Look forward to seeing more from you. Thanks.
• Absolutely. This video focused mainly on boxing. I might just have to do a TKD specific kicking drill video. Thanks for the suggestion.
• U want a good exemple of an illussion type fighter just watch any roy jones fight. He distracted his opponents and landed the KO punch right after. Some called him a show boater but thats just how he won fights
• Your right it does help. It doesnt make you grow anymore fast twitch muscle fibers, but it does make the technique easier to throw and it developes muscle memory, so it is easier for the muscle to make that motion.

Conditioning exercise drills for combat sports

Below is the video of conditioning drills by Carl Gotch. Few of the drills shown here are really effective for conditioning of the body and various weak joints of the body. worth watching and implicating for the Martial artists training for combat sports like boxing, kickboxing, muay Thai and MMA.



some interesting comments from you tube for the above video.

• 
  

all this exercises must make their torsos ridiculously built, no wonder they work so well for wresling

That's basic but pretty creative!

Gotch was born August 24, 1924. The product was produced in 2000, but the clip here is time-stamped April 1995, making him a still-respectable 70.

You were one of the few real deal in submission wrestling. Shooto fighters, Sakuraba, Ken and Frank Shamrock proved your submission techniques do work in outside of the pro-wrestling arena. I really miss you.

omg, those look beastly!

i am definitely doing these next time, with a friend! :D

Is the older guy Karl Gotch? Find it bit hard to believe

How is it hard to believe? He was born in 1925, making him 75 when this video apparently came out.

• 
  

Below is yet another good drill shown in the short video clip by an expert Martial Arts trainer



some interesting and also instructive comments from you tube for the above video clip

• Excellent drill. I have a variation on this that I have been doing for a few years now where you have a partner seated in front of you with focus gloves on. As you pop up off the floor from the push up you punch the focus glove, alternating punches on each push up. This builds very fast and explosive punches.
• that is hard my max was like 2! lol
• -bam-
• do regular pushups like 3 sets of 10 then slowly add 5 every week....ull be able to do these easy when u hit like 30 each set

below is the video showing another drill one arm push up, which apparently does not look like push up, it has a comment on you tube that practicing or training this exercise might hurt and weaken the wrists.



below is the video of a rope drill conditioning for combat sport shown by some cahmpions



if you liked what you saw in above video they have given the link http://www.combat-sports-conditioning.com/ for more on you tube.

some climbing exercise drills below from the same website



and lastly a medicine drill for this post, will be searching and putting more such drills on this blog, till than you can try and condition your body from these drills

Kalarippayattu - Kalari - Indian Martila Arts

Kalarippayattu is the ancient Indian art of war, revived and strong even to these days. The martial art is performed in Kalari and has the combat art of hand and feet, and with the weapons. Below are some videos from you tube.

In the modern Martial Arts this is the one which amazes me most and which has impressed me the most. More than the arts i have practiced and popular arts like Karate and commercialized combat styles like Muay thai, kick boxing, MMA, boxing. Simply because it demands more than just physical practice, requires perhaps the most dedication not just in the practice of techniques but also other aspects like massage with therapeutic oils, prayers, meditation and more.

Below posted by BalB , he says about the video : 7 minutes of some amazing Martial Arts by my friends in Kerala, South India. It's from a very, very rough video - remember those? filmed by one camera at a time, so picture quality is rough. But you should be able to geta feel for the martial art form itself.



For the video clip below mmanoba has lots to say : Kalari is a very tiny and surviving fragment of ancient Indian martial art called 'Varma Kalai'. Varma is the mother of all martial arts which spread across Asia through Hinduism and Buddhism.

Proof:
1) Similarities could be found in Chinese, Tibetan, Sri Lankan, etc. dance, music, martial arts with Indian arts. E.g. Therukootthu, Kathakali (flamboyant facial make-ups), Kerala Chenda drums, the rhythm all are adopted in China, Tibet, Japan and other south-eastern countries in the form of Lion, Dragon dances' flamboyant decorations, drums, rhythm, etc.
2) Similarities could be found between martial arts and Mudras (symbolic gestures) of yoga & Indian classical dances, and their movements. Probably dance, martial arts and yoga all might have evolved at the same time along with music, meditation, etc. They share the common property of being melodic.

There are several categories in Varma: NOkku (vision) Varmam, Thattu Varmam (deals with treatments and defense based on vital points), Chandra (moon) Varmam, Surya (sun) Varmam, usage of weapons on vital points, Varma treatments for animals, etc. In local tongue often Varma is called as "Marma", which may not be correct. The word "Varma" doesn't have a Sanskrit origin as in "Varn(m)a - color". Varumam in Tamil means vital points (there are other meanings too).

These techniques are extensively developed by Siddhas (well known for their Ayurvedic and alchemy works), who dwelt in mountains of South India, especially Tamil Nadu. Even today, there are legends around Courtralam, Suruli, Pazhani and Nilgiri hills, which speak about surviving Siddhas till date, who have eventually achieved longevity through their knowledge in Ayurveda, alchemy, meditation, etc.

Sadly, many of these techniques are lost due to the Guru's fear of misuse on co-species (as we humans are notorious for turning any scientific works, bar none, into weapons of destruction), and thus they refused to transfer the knowledge to others, including to their own descendants. This happened particularly, when Buddhism turned into political movement and the Buddhists started to learn these arts for their political gains.

However tiny fragments of Varma survived in the form of literature, mainly Tamil & Malayalam, and got the attention of Gurus in Kerala, a small state in south India, arround ~15-17th centuries, and became Kalarippayattu. This famous traditional training of Kalari of Kerala, is always done inside the Kalari (literally, threshing floor or battlefield), which is a specially constructed practice area. Payattu means 'exercise in arms or practice'.

A few centuries back in Kerala, quarrels between local kings were resolved by fixing an Ankam (war), a duel to the death, between two Ankachekavars (kalari fighters), each ruler being represented by one Ankachekavar. The ruler represented by the surviving Ankachekavar was considered the winner



Below : A documentary shot by the Discovery Channel in the 90s. It shows Guru Balachandran Nair's Kalari, his Kalaripayattu students, and his school in Trivandrum, Kerala.

Part 1



Part 2



below four video clips : Kalaripayattu - The Orient's treasure trove, a gift to the modern world and the mother of all martial arts. Legend traces the 3000-year-old art form to Sage Parasurama- the master of all martial art forms and credited to be the re-claimer of Kerala from the Arabian Sea. Kalaripayattu originated in ancient South India. Kung- fu, popularized by the monks of the Shoaling Temple traces its ancestry to Bodhi Dharma - an Indian Buddhist monk and Kalaripayattu master.

Crafted in ancient South India drawing inspiration from the raw power and sinuous strength of the majestic animal forms - Lion, Tiger, Elephant, Wild Boar, Snake, and Crocodile ........ Kalaripayattu laid down the combat code of the Cholas, the Cheras and the Pandyas. Shrouded in deep mystery and mists of secrecy Kalaripayattu was taught by the masters in total isolation, away from prying eyes.

Following the collapse of the princely states and the advent of free India - Kalaripayattu has lost its significance as a mortal combat code. In a Phoenix-like resurrection, Kalaripayattu is today emerging in a new avatar - an ancient art form - a source of inspiration for self-expression in dance forms - both traditional and contemporary, in theatre, in fitness and in movies too.

India Martial art - Kalaripayattu Part-01



India Martial art - Kalaripayattu Part-02



India Martial art - Kalaripayattu Part-03




India Martial art - Kalaripayattu Part-04 END

visit you tube : http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=GRTYgJ6I6zM&feature=user as Embedding disabled by request

Some comments form the you tube

* kalari. is freaking. amazing. live weapons?! that's alot of bravery and calmness of mind. amazing.

* Thanks 4 posting this one! Just Love Kalari..best martial art on Earth!We Hindus are blessed with great gurus who are able to pass this great artdown to us. Jai Hind! Jai Bhavani!

* on 3,20 min they said that this exercise is unique to kalary, nis not true, some kung fu like chin na exist a very similar exercise os kinf of push ups jumping

reply : It was an Indian Budhist monk "Bodhidharman" who took Kalari to China... he was the one who started the Shaolin temple ! Pls google- Shaolin Kungfu!

* UFC is by no means real, get a clue. Even with the best endurance in the world, any of those fights would end prematurely should dangerous strikes and holds be allowed again in there.

* in the video game Tekken 6 (comes out in 2007)

Zafina, a new female character from india, will fight using

Kalaripyattu

She frickin amazing

* If you check it out, Kerali focuses on extreme flexibility, strength, and speed. To be able to defend and go back on the offensive within a very short time span. Its pretty cool.

* I'm pretty sure that the bendy sword is rather unique to kalaripayattu. as for blocking, the only real way to do it is with a shield. If you use a weapon, it'll just wrap around it and strike you like that.

* I think European and the Middle East had a separate branch of fighting based from Egypt, Arabia, Persia, Greece, and Rome. Where as Bodhidharma from India went to the monks of China and taught them how to smoke ganja, meditate, and fight (kalaripatattu to kung fu).....because kung fu styles could be taught to the people which is a custom Indians passed to China who only trained the elites.

* Please help!
Where do yo have this video from? I own a book which i got years ago where exactly this interview with the indian master is featured. I would really like to know the name of the film or see more of it!

* This is one of the most primitive forms of self defence and attack known to mankind. Kalaripayattu masters know the weakest points on a human body and they realise that a quick dab on one of those points can either dibilitate the opponent or kill them. Itseems it takes under 20secs for a Kalaripayattu master to paralyse his opponent by tapping a specific point on the body and only he or someone who knows Kalri points well can release it!!! Isnt that amazing??

* Really good history of the Art.
The female fighter is very good.
The fight sequences are incredible

* i agree, the combatants are fighting and blocking at full speed without knowing where the next attack is coming from

amazing
i wanna learn

* Hindu pushups and Hindu squats. When i started wrestling in north america our coach said that too many people train like body builders and power lifters with the weights so mainly our coach thats all he wanted us to do with hindu pushups, hindu squats and bridging exercises. Even many russian wrestler abandone the weight rooms.

* Tamils were given Kalari by Parasuram. Then a Tamil gave it to the Chinese.

* No, there aren't. And there wont be. There's a few videos showing their training which, if you look closely , aren't preplanned. It just looks that way from the sheer speed of their reflexes.
But no, there is not and hopefully never will be a video of someone using Kalari against a true opponent.

* Bullshit, theyre the mother to no martial arts. I've studied Chinese, japanese, vietnamese, thai, malaysian, korean, plains, south american, hawaiian, german, french, greek, russian, british, angolan, nigerian martial arts theyre all different from eachother the only ones that could compare to indian martial arts are other miditian arts such as persian, egyptian, arabian, etc.

* Bodhidarma also introduced the healing art of Varma Cuttiram and herbal medicines from the Tamil country which evolved into Acupuncture, Tai Chi Chuan, Qi Gong, and Chinese medicine of today.

* plus, saying that Muay Thai works and TKD does not contradicts your other point where you said all martial arts are the same, they just have different names

* kalaripayattu is awesome.

*