Jumping Kick 101

Jumping front kicks are powerful martial arts kicks that look cool. The difference between a front kick and a jumping front kick, is that the jumping front kick will allow the martial artist to reach much higher with the same amount of force

Find an open space, about 3 square metres
Balance yourself with one foot about half a metre behind the other, the back foot facing the left or right, depending on what foot it is. This should create a "L" shape with both feet 

Bring your back foot up to about waist high, and in one movement spring up with your front foot, bringing your back foot forward, and then scissor it back, moving your front foot forward and snapping your leg out with your toes pulled back 
At the end of performing this kick, your back leg should touch the ground firstIt is very helpful to stretch before performing this kick, as you can pull a muscle very easily if you do not  
Once you have got the hang of this kick, try doing it faster until the kick is one fluid motion

To get your kick even higher, bring your back leg up higher before you jump. The higher your back leg is, the higher your kick will reach

Do not use this in any situation where your life is in danger.

Make sure your toes are pulled back, because if they are not, and you hit something solid, you will cause a lot of damage to your toes

Escape From Full Nelson

Self-Defense Weapons: A Comparative Look

Self-Defense Weapons:
A Comparative Look

By Meghan Gardner

Let's discuss weapons.

We all know the basic three: Pepper/Mace Spray, Stun Gun (Electric Shock) and Hand Gun.
Each of these is either banned, heavily restricted, or requires Firearm ID to legally carry in many states. Be sure that if you carry or own any weapon that it is legal in your state!
There are also "nuisance products" which either emit high, piercing sounds or, upon activation, dowse the potential victim with a foul smelling ointment (in an effort to make the victim less "appealing").
First I will reiterate that which cannot be overstated: Any Weapon You Wield, Carry, or Own Can Be Used Against You! Now an analysis of each weapon type.
SPRAYS:
Pepper Spray (Oleoresin of Capsicum) usually comes in strengths of 5-10%. May cause eye closure, skin irritation and shortness of breath for several minutes. Mace contains CN Tear Gas which may cause tearing and eye closure for several minutes. Either can contain such additives as dyes (visible or ultraviolet) for identification of attacker, and/or a foaming agent which causes the spray to expand rapidly upon impact into a sticky foam which may further inhibit the attacker's sight and/or breathing.
Advantages: Non-Lethal. Easily Concealed. Disabling attacker's eyes may prohibit pursuit. Dye may aid in attacker apprehension.
Disadvantages: Limited Range (generally 10-15 ft., depending on model). Limited Target (must hit attacker in face). Small percentage of population not affected by spray. Adrenaline or even sheer determination may postpone or inhibit affects of spray. DO NOT discharge into wind.
STUN GUNS:
Device delivers electric shock upon contact with skin. May cause confusion, weakness, disorientation, loss of balance and muscle control for several minutes. Some have a wrist strap that disarms unit if separated from strap. Requires batteries. Available in various voltage levels (normally 65,000 - 125,000).
Advantages: Non-Lethal. Effective anywhere on body.
Disadvantages: Range - must make physical contact with assailant.
HANDGUNS:
Various sizes/models (9mm, .38, .44, etc.). Each caliber differs in "stopping power", recoil, conceal ability (size/weight), number of rounds contained in single load/magazine. Requires permit in every state. Concealment or carrying while loaded illegal in some states.
Advantages: Intimidation Factor - sometimes just the sight of a gun is enough to halt an attack. Range (depending upon shooter's ability). May be more effective against multiple attackers.
Disadvantages: Constitutes Lethal Force. Requires regular training to become proficient in accuracy beyond 15 ft. Risk of accidental firing and/or innocent bystander getting shot. Takes time to draw, aim and fire. Requires regular maintenance. Expense. They may also be lethal if taken away and turned against you.
NUISANCE PRODUCTS:
Personal Alarms activate by switch or separation of strap and emit loud, high decibel (100 dB) sound. Stench Ointments are contained in a small breakable vial that when broken, dowse the wearer with powerful smelling chemical. Usually comes with neutralizing chemical.
Advantages: Non-Lethal. Purchase and use are not restricted in any states.
Disadvantages: Not physically damaging. Willful intentions on part of attacker can easily nullify effect.

There are also various forms of kubotons/keychains (small bars made of metal or plastic that are held in the fist). Be careful - any extruding parts could be classified as "Brass Knuckles" which are illegal in many states. As well, many airports will not allow you to carry these on the plane.
Makeshift weapons include: Hair Picks; Pencil/Pen; Keys; Hot Coffee/Tea; Hair spray; Steering Wheel Locks; Dirt; Rocks; Sticks; Loose Change; Pots & Pans; Bottles; Chair/Stool; Golf Club; Shovel; Hair Pin; Roll of Quarters; Hand Weights; Pool Cue; Camera; Rolled-Up Magazine; Eyeliner; Umbrella; Briefcase; Purse; Toothbrush...and I could go on ad nauseam....
If it is has a point - thrust it at them. If it is long - swing it at them. If it is flat - use it as a shield. For everything else - throw it at them. Even a teddy bear in the face gives you a moment of surprise.
But always remember - the most effective weapon of all is Your Brain! Utilize your environment.
And do not hesitate - take your advantage and either Run or Fight! With every ounce of strength you have. Use your fear and anger. We have all heard about the 90 lb. mom who lifted the overturned automobile to allow her child to crawl out to safety. It isn't a miracle - it's called adrenaline. It's the beast that resides within us all. But you first must unleash it.

Defeating The Headlock

From a neurological viewpoint you are attacking the hypoglossal nerve at approximately an inch forward from the angle of the jaw (before the jaw turns upward toward the ear). This is where the nerve connects to the back end of the tongue. The best way to activate this point is quickly to penetrate with the thumb tip upward toward the top of the skull. When done properly the technique can cause acute pain and momentarily stun the opponent.

 

 

Modern schools of the Kōga tradition

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• Koga Ryu Wada Ha; originally taught by Fujita Seiko, the 14th headmaster of Koka-ryu Wada-ha ninjutsu who was a martial artist instructor at the Nakano spy school during World War II.^[1]

• Kagetora Budo Kai; is a "Gendai Ninjutsu" school with lineage and some relationship to the "Way of theWind" of Ronald Duncan (Wada Ha) & the Banke Shinobiden of Jinchi Kawakami. This school specialised in tactics and weapons aplications of the historical Koga (Koka) ninjutsu 
• Banke Shinobinoden group; Jinichi Kawakami and his top student Yasushi Kiyomoto, who claim to be the last practitioners of Banda-Ha Koga Ryu Ninjutsu, teach Koka and Iga ninjutsu in Japan.

Arts of the Kōga

The Kōga ninja practiced similar arts as their Iga counterparts. The Kōga had separated the arts so they could practice solely on what was needed for certain situations. Instead of mixing all the teachings, separating them 

allowed them to focus, yet they used them together in a lethal combination.

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• Angou: Signaling
• Bajutsu: Horsemanship art
• Bōjutsu: Staff art
• Boryaku: Military strategy
• Chimon: Geography
• Choho: Espionage
• Gokui atemi sakkatsuho zukai: Secret killing strikes art
• Goton-no-jutsu: Five elements escape methods
• Kukushi bukijutsu: Hidden weapons art
• Hensōjutsu: Camouflage art
• Hichojutsu: Jumping art
• Hojōjutsu: Rope tying art
• Hojutsu: Gunpowder and fire art
• Kusarigamajutsu: Kusarigama art
• Kyushojutsu: Vital points art
• Iaijutsu: Sword drawing art
• Intonjutsu: Escaping and concealment art
• Jōjutsu: Short staff art
• Jouhou kaishuu: Information gathering
• Karumijutsu: Body lightening art
• Kenjutsu: Sword art
• Kyuba: Mounted archery
• Kyujutsu: Archery art
• Naginatajutsu: Naginata art
• Shinobi-irijutsu: Stealth and entering methods art
• Seishin teki kyoko: Spiritual refinement
• Shurikenjutsu: Throwing weapon art
• Sojutsu: Spear art
• Suijutsu: Swimming art
• Suirenjutsu: Water survival art
• Taihenjutsu: Body moving art
• Taijutsu: Body fighting art
• Tenmon: Meteorology
• Zanshin: Clear mental awareness

Modern history (1800 to present) of martial arts

The systems of Japanese martial arts that post-date the Meiji Restoration are known as gendai budō. The most well known of these arts includejudo, kendo, some schools of iaidō, and aikido. The Western interest in East Asian Martial arts dates back to the late 19th century, due to the increase in trade between America with China and Japan. European martial arts before that time was focussed on the duelling sword among the upper classes on one hand, and various styles of folk wrestling among the lower classes on the other.

Edward William Barton-Wright, a railway engineer who had studied Jujutsu while working in Japan between 1894–97, was the first man known to have taught Asian martial arts in Europe. He also founded an eclectic martial arts style named Bartitsu which combined jujutsu, judo, boxing, savate and stick fighting. Also during the late 19th century and early 20th century, catch wrestling contests became immensely popular in Europe.

The development of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu from the early 20th century is a good example of the worldwide cross-pollination and syncretism of martial arts traditions.

During pre-war and World War Two shows the practicality of martial arts in the modern world and were used by Japanese, US, Nepalese (Gurkha) commandos as well as Resistance groups, such as in the Philippines, (see Raid at Los Baños) but not so excessively or at all for common soldiers.

The later 1970s and 1980s witnessed an increased media interest in the martial arts, thanks in part to Asian and Hollywood martial arts movies and very popular television shows like "Kung Fu", "Martial Law" and "The Green Hornet" that incorporated martial arts moments or themes. Following Bruce Lee, both Jackie Chan and Jet Li are prominent movie figures who have been responsible for promoting Chinese martial arts in recent years.

European History of martial arts

Antiquity

European martial arts becomes tangible in Greek antiquity with Pankration and other martially oriented disciplines of the Ancient Olympics. Boxing became Olympic in Greece as early as 688 BCDetailed depictions of wrestling techniques are preserved in vase paintings of the Classical period. Homer's Iliad has a number of detailed descriptions of single combat with spear, sword and shield.

Gladiatorial combat appears to have Etruscan roots, and is documented in Rome from the 260s BC.

The papyrus fragment known as P.Oxy. III 466 (2nd century) is the earliest extant literary description of wrestling techniques.

Middle Ages

Pictorial sources of medieval combat include the Bayeux tapestry (11th century), the Morgan Bible (13th century). The Icelandic sagas contain many realistic descriptions of Viking Age combat.

The earliest extant dedicated martial arts manual is the MS I.33 (ca. 1300), detailing sword and buckler combat, compiled in a Franconianmonastery. The manuscript consist of 64 images with Latin commentary, interspersed with technical vocabulary in German. While there are earlier manuals of wrestling techniques, I.33 is the earliest known manual dedicated to teaching armed single combat.

Wrestling throughout the Middle Ages was practiced by all social strata. Jousting and the tournament were popular martial arts practiced by nobility throughout the High and Late Middle Ages.

The Late Middle Ages see the appearance of elaborate fencing systems, such as the German or Italian schools.

In the Late Middle Ages, fencing schools (Fechtschulen) for the new bourgeois class become popular, increasing the demand for professional instructors (fencing masters, Fechtmeister). The martial arts techniques taught in this period is preserved in a number of 15th centuryFechtbücher

Renaissance to Early Modern period

The late medieval German school survives into the German Renaissance, and there are a number of printed 16th century manuals (notably the one by Joachim Meyer, 1570). But by the 17th century, the German school declines in favour of the Italian Dardi school, reflecting the transition to rapier fencing in the upper classes. Wrestling comes to be seen as an ignoble pursuit proper for the lower classes and until its 19th century revival as a modern sport becomes restricted to folk wrestling.

In the Baroque period, fashion shifts from Italian to Spanish masters, and their elaborate systems of Destreza. In the mid 18th century, in keeping with he general Rococo fashion, French masters rise to international prominence, introducing the foil, and much of the terminology still current in modern sports fencing.

There are also a number of Early Modern fencing masters of note in England, such as George Silver and Joseph Swetnam.

Academic fencing takes its origin in the Middle Ages, and is subject to the changes of fencing fashion throughout the Early Modern period. It establishes itself as the separate style ofMensur fencing in the 18th

Asian History of martial arts

Further information: Asian martial arts (origins) and Modern history of East Asian martial arts

[edit]China

Main article: History of Chinese martial arts

[edit]Antiquity (Zhou to Jin)

A hand-to-hand combat theory, including the integration of notions of "hard" and "soft" techniques, is expounded in the story of the Maiden of Yue in the Spring and Autumn Annals of Wu and Yue (5th c. BC).^[1]

The Han History Bibliographies record that, by the Former Han (206 BCE – 8 CE), there was a distinction between no-holds-barred weaponless fighting, which it calls shǒubó (手搏), for which "how-to" manuals had already been written, and sportive wrestling, then known as juélì or jiǎolì(角力).

Wrestling is also documented in the Shǐ Jì, Records of the Grand Historian, written by Sima Qian (ca. 100 BC).^[2] Jiǎolì is also mentioned in the Classic of Rites (1st c. BC).^[3]

In 39-92 CE, "Six Chapters of Hand Fighting", were included in the Han Shu (history of the Former Han Dynasty) written by Pan Ku. Also, the noted physician, Hua Tuo, composed the "Five Animals Play" - tiger, deer, monkey, bear, and bird, around 220 BCE^[4]

[edit]Middle Ages (Tang to Ming)

In the Tang Dynasty, descriptions of sword dances were immortalized in poems by Li Bai and Du Fu. In the Song and Yuan dynasties, xiangpu (the earliest form of sumo) contests were sponsored by the imperial courts. The modern concepts of wushu were fully developed by the Ming and Qing dynasties.^[5]

With regards to the Shaolin style of martial arts, the oldest evidence of Shaolin participation in combat is a stele from 728 CE that attests to two occasions: a defense of the Shaolin Monastery from bandits around 610 CE, and their subsequent role in the defeat of Wang Shichong at the Battle of Hulao in 621 CE From the 8th to the 15th centuries, there are no extant documents that provide evidence of Shaolin participation in combat. However, between the 16th and 17th centuries there are at least forty extant sources which provided evidence that, not only did monks of Shaolin practice martial arts, but martial practice had become such an integral element of Shaolin monastic life that the monks felt the need to justify it by creating new Buddhist lore.^[6] References of martial arts practice in Shaolin appear in various literary genres of the late Ming: the epitaphs of Shaolin warrior monks, martial-arts manuals, military encyclopedias, historical writings, travelogues, fiction, and even poetry. However these sources do not point out to any specific style originated in Shaolin.^[7] These sources, in contrast to those from the Tang period, refer to Shaolin methods of armed combat. This include the forte of Shaolin monks and for which they had become famous — the staff (Gun); General Qi Jiquan included these techniques in his book, Treatise of Effective Discipline. Despite the fact that others criticized the techniques, Ming General Yu Dayou visited the Temple and was not impressed with what he saw, he recruited three monks who he would train for few years after which they returned to the temple to train his fellow monks.^[8].

The Chinese Ji Xiao Xin Shu dates to the 1560s.

[edit]India

Main article: Indian martial arts

Further information: Origins of Kalarippayattu and Dravidian martial arts

The classical Sanskrit epics contain accounts of combat, describing warriors such as Bhima. The Mahabharata describes a prolonged battle between Arjuna and Karna using bows, swords, trees and rocks, and fists.^[9] Another unarmed battle in the Mahabharata describes two fighters boxing with clenched fists and fighting with kicks, finger strikes, knee strikes andheadbutts.^[10] Other boxing fights are also described in Mahabharata and Ramayana.^[11]

The word "kalari" is mentioned in Sangam literature from the 2nd century BC. The Akananuru and Purananuru describe the martial arts of ancient Tamilakkam, including forms of one-to-one combat, and the use of spears, swords, shields, bows and silambam.^{[dubious – discuss][12]}

A martial art called Vajra Mushti is mentioned in Indian sources of the early centuries CE. Indian military accounts of the Gupta Empire (c. 240-480) identified over 130 different classes of weapons.^{[citation needed]} The Kama Sutra written by Vātsyāyana at the time suggested that women should regularly "practice with sword, single-stick, quarter-staff, and bow and arrow."

Around 630, King Narasimhavarman of the Pallava dynasty commissioned dozens of granite sculptures showing unarmed fighters disarming armed opponents. These may have shown an early form of Varma Adi, a martial art that allowed kick]ing, kneeing, elbowing, and punching to the head and chest, but prohibited blows below the waist.

Martial arts were not exclusive to the Kshatriya warrior caste, though they used the arts more extensively. The 8th century text Kuvalaymala by Udyotanasuri recorded martial arts being taught at salad and ghatika educational institutions, where Brahmin students from throughout the subcontinent (particularly from South India, Rajasthan and Bengal) "were learning and practicing archery, fighting with sword and shield, with daggers, sticks, lances, and with fists, and in duels (niuddham)."

The earliest extant manual of Indian marital arts is contained as chapters 248 to 251 in the Agni Purana (c. 8th-11th century), giving an account of dhanurveda in a total of 104shlokas.^[13][14][15] These verses describe how to improve a warrior's individual prowess and kill enemies using various different methods in warfare, whether a warrior went to war in chariots, elephants, horses, or on foot. Foot methods were subdivided into armed combat and unarmed combat.^[16] The former included the bow and arrow, the sword, spear, noose,armour, iron dart, club, battle axe, discus, and the trident. The latter included wrestling, knee strikes, and punching and kicking methods.

The earliest description of wrestling techniques in Sanskrit literature is found in the Malla Purana (13th century).

[edit]Japan

Main article: Koryū

Koryū (古流^?) is a Japanese word that is used in association with the ancient Japanese martial arts. This word literally translates as "old school" or "traditional school". Koryū is a general term for Japanese schools of martial arts that predate the Meiji Restoration (the period from 1866 to 1869 which sparked major socio-political changes and led to the modernization of Japan). While there is no "official" cutoff date, the dates most commonly used are either 1868, the first year of the Meiji period, or 1876, when the Haitōrei edict banning the wearing of swords was pronounced.^[17]

The Japanese Book of Five Rings dates to 1664.

[edit]Korea

• Subak

The Korean Muyejebo dates to 1598, the Muyedobotongji dates to 1790.

[edit]West and Central Asia

The traditional Persian style of grappling was known as Koshti, with the and physical exercise and schooled sport known as Varzesh-e Pahlavani. It was said^[18] to be traceable back toArsacid Parthian times (132 BCE - 226 CE), and is still widely practiced today in the region. Following the development of Sufi Islam in the 8th century CE, Varzesh-e Pahlavani absorbed philosophical and spiritual components from that religion. Other historical grappling styles from the region include Turkic forms such as Kurash, Köräş and Yağlı güreş.