The Top 5 Holiday Gift Ideas from Black Belt Magazine
November 23 | 2020
If there's a martial artist in your life who's hard to shop for, look no further than this list of the best holiday gifts from the world's leading magazine of martial arts.
The holidays are right around the corner and there's no better time to shop for the ninjas in your family! Black Belt Magazine doesn't just provide the history and current events of the martial arts world, we can equip you with all the best products too. From beautiful belt displays, to stylish gloves, to collector's edition books, keep reading to check out this list of the top five gifts to kick under the tree this year.
5. Budo Wall Belt Display
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://blackbeltmag.com/media-library/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDc2NzkwOS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY2MDg4MzM5N30.5tb4CDOvVXsULQaSphSgXoCrO-tise0xyvPtNOAcPlo/image.jpg?width=1200&coordinates=0%2C75%2C0%2C75&height=1059" id="4388d" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="64f4d9ec9967d435cb2840571bf2392e" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="Martial Arts Belt Display" /> <p>Are you really a martial artist if you don't have a classic belt display like this? Every practitioner should be proud of their rank, and the best way to show it off is with this Budo Wall Belt Display. The number of spaces matches most belt systems, but additional ranks can be draped over the upper level if necessary. That arch on top is also great for hanging medals for Karate Kids that compete in tournaments and bring home a ton of hardware! This display holds more than awards and belts, it hangs on to memories that a martial artist can keep forever.</p>
$119.99
4. Black Belt Icon Tee
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://blackbeltmag.com/media-library/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDc2NzkxNy9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY2NTExNzc5MH0.PL0RG84XOtpRzOotCPrZPUUB8kW5Ym5kvPXeYUKi3Wg/image.jpg?width=2048&coordinates=0%2C70%2C0%2C70&height=1861" id="f4189" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="1fb16f8751c1ca158d0533ddbf78a9d8" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="Black Belt Shirt" /> <p>If you're looking for something a bit smaller than a belt display, you can't go wrong with a stylish t-shirt from Black Belt Magazine's new apparel line. This Icon Tee is 60% ring-spun cotton and 40% polyester for a soft feel that makes it perfect for training or just looking good. It's not everyday that you see a martial arts shirt that<em> looks </em>cool too, so you better scoop one of these up for the holidays before they're all gone!</p>
$24.99
3. Strive Washable Boxing Gloves
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://blackbeltmag.com/media-library/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDc2NzkzMS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYxOTg1NzM5N30.g0yu9qi1ePrYpNxqLkieXMD49RFORgqU8Lzw5fUNnvE/image.jpg?width=1024&coordinates=0%2C56%2C0%2C56&height=832" id="c1d66" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="01431818dcde4c2cc6c87ab56c371665" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="Washable Boxing Gloves" /> <p>Any martial artist would be lucky to get these Strive <strong>Washable</strong> Boxing Gloves from our friends at Century Martial Arts for the holidays. They come in multiple styles that would give any martial artist the sweetest fists in the dojo. Most importantly, no one should <strong>EVER</strong> have to deal with stinky gloves again! You can pop these in the washing machine and they'll come out looking and smelling brand new every time. The 10 oz. padding is wrapped in a sublimation print design that will never crack or fade, making it the perfect gift for anyone that loves beating up BOBs and Wavemasters!</p>
$49.99
2. Black Belt: First 100 Issues
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://blackbeltmag.com/media-library/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDc2Nzk0My9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0NjEwNzE4Nn0.SR3h_7-R0sfiWQf5W0Xo5FIYV_7cn1EIDXX0xfZ12ak/image.jpg?width=1200&coordinates=0%2C79%2C0%2C79&height=1041" id="a81ed" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="cb40bc6dc37fe59e602bf6c9bb09850b" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="Black Belt Book" /> <p>This gift is ideal for anyone who is a lifetime martial artist. The arts are rooted in a rich history that is respected across the globe, and much of that history is documented in the first 100 issues of Black Belt Magazine's legendary publication. This is a collector's item that documents over a decade of martial arts history with everything from the competitive achievements of Bill "Superfoot" Wallace to the iconic Hollywood performances of Chuck Norris and Bruce Lee. Regardless of which art they study, that special martial artist in your life will be honored to own this special edition book.</p>
$34.95
1. One-Year Black Belt Magazine Subscription
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://blackbeltmag.com/media-library/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDc2Nzk2MC9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY2NDk3MzI5Nn0.AlLv595tFBLfWxr4KXUk4kzcUFweYR3LEL4kfCp6iLA/image.png?width=567&coordinates=24%2C0%2C24%2C0&height=610" id="c7d08" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="00ab867e87229d5ae0e5fb1ac755c8fb" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="Black Belt Magazine" /><p>Coming in at number one on our countdown is the gift that keeps on giving, a <strong>ONE-YEAR</strong> subscription to Black Belt Magazine! This gift will keep your favorite martial artist up-to-date on all the important news in the community, as well as inspiring stories and historic accounts. The six bimonthly issues would normally cost nearly $50, but the subscription <strong>ON SALE NOW</strong> for just $34.99! The first issue will be delivered to your door in under two weeks and is a great stocking-stuffer to tell your martial artist that five more issues are on the way. 2021 is sure to be better if you have the best martial arts magazine in the world delivered to your door throughout the year!</p>
$34.99
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Brazil lead this weekend's Pan American Judo Championships in Guadalajara, Mexico capturing 14 medals including 4 golds. Canada also put up a strong showing with 4 gold medals while Panamanian women's lightweight Miryam Roper captured her nation's first Pan Am gold.
The tournament, originally scheduled for April in Canada but postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, saw far fewer competitors than in past years. The women's over 78kg class could only muster a field of four participants.
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A JKD Private Lesson With Tim Tackett
Tim Tackett used to be a schoolteacher, but he should have been a principal. Why? Because he knows all about principles — as in, the foundational principles of jeet kune do. You can sense that within minutes of starting an interview with him about Bruce Lee's martial art. You can even sense it when you initiate a discussion about such an interview.
"Lots of articles are based on things like the five kicks of taekwondo," he said while brainstorming. "JKD is different because it's more principle-based. The kicks we do are similar to kicks everybody else does. It's the principles that guide us in the study of Bruce's art. Let's do an interview about the principles."
<p>Your wish is my command, sir!</p>
<p><br/><strong>In Jeet Kune Do, What Is a Technique?</strong></p><p>Tim Tackett began training in the martial arts in 1962 when he was stationed in Taipei, Taiwan, while in the U.S. Air Force. When he returned to California several years later, he opened a kung fu school. After seeing Bruce Lee in 1967 at Ed Parker's Long Beach International Karate Championships, Tackett decided to take up jeet kune do. Unfortunately, he wasn't able to begin JKD training until after Lee's Chinatown school had closed. To fill the void, in 1971 he joined the class Dan Inosanto was running in his backyard. Tackett continued to refine his skills with first-generation JKD student Bob Bremer. He was named Black Belt's 2017 Instructor of the Year.<br/></p>
Principle No. 1:Know the Fighting Measure
<p>"The basic principle of jeet kune do is called the fighting measure. It's the distance between you and your opponent. Unless he has a projectile weapon, to touch you, he will need to take a step forward with his lead leg. That gives you time to react to his attack. All this, of course, makes the fighting measure very important.</p><p>"To maintain the fighting measure, you must have as much mobility as possible, both for the ring and the street. You can think of the fighting measure as the optimum distance for attack and defense because, if you know what you're doing, you can attack efficiently from there and you can defend effectively.</p><p>"Footwork gives you that ability. It can be a boring thing to practice, but it forms the foundation of every good fighter. It allows you not only to dodge and enter for the attack, but also to have the ability to time your counterattacks and place your weight perfectly for the most powerful and well-timed strikes.</p><p>"To do this, you have to practice a lot — until you can do it without thinking. You have to be able to measure that distance against any opponent, whether it's Kareem Abdul-Jabbar or Billy Barty. The fighting measure is different for each person, so you have to train to automatically recognize it. You must be able to see somebody and basically determine your safe distance.</p><p>"Sometimes you might want to have a little more safe distance. For example, you see some JKD people who stand [with] their front hand a little bit low. If you're going to do that, you need to be farther away so the person can't finger-slice you before you can move or block. For those who don't know, the finger slice is an open-hand technique that targets the eyes. When you do it and twist your rear foot, you gain the extra distance you need to make contact."</p>Principle No. 2:Use Economy of Motion
<p>"JKD always stresses economy of motion. Another way to think of this is being direct and using the fact that the shortest distance to the target is a straight line. As Bruce Lee used to tell Bob Bremer, one of my teachers, 'Always take your closest shot.' Wherever you are, the closest shot is the one that's most efficient.</p><p>"You can learn a bit about this principle by discussing the cleanest, shortest attacks possible in any given situation with your classmates and instructors, but the only real way to understand economy of motion is to spar. This is crucial for all martial artists, not just JKD people, because it can give you an advantage in any fight. The principles of jeet kune do are universal; Bruce just put them down in an organized way. Unfortunately, a lot of that has been lost because these days there's so much focus on technique."</p>FIGHTING MEASURE
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://blackbeltmag.com/media-library/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDQzNTAzNy9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyMTExODAzOH0.nESG7aUYL0HwnkvPz9wxPLHbM0gDbOTPMadzT2xQrNc/image.jpg?width=980" id="e3466" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="89258784c4baecb8820dac290da3ad6f" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />
<p>Tim Tackett (right) faces Jeremy Lynch at what he determines to be the safe distance.</p>
Principle No. 3:Train With Emotional Content
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://blackbeltmag.com/media-library/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDQzNTA0OS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYzMjIxNDAzMn0.ecYTiJ5GJ3NqxAZ-JAdzlHNxa_bjFqzqJF4gqqAbyU0/image.jpg?width=980" id="673f8" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="3f64374f5b1e473001cb15065a82cac8" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" /><p>"In training, many people get into the habit of just punching at focus pads and heavy bags. What they should be doing is putting emotional content into it so it develops the skills needed in a fight. To prevail, you've got to let the beast loose. You have to turn on that attitude."</p><p>Bruce used to say it was like a light switch. You turn it on and then turn it off — it goes off that fast. You have to practice this in a way that works for you. When I do it, I visualize something that really pisses me off — like Hitler's face on that focus glove.</p><p>"It helps to imagine there's an opponent in front of you. Attack the pads as if you're defending your loved ones against that opponent. To maximize your versatility, don't practice this way just against martial artists who use attacks from your own art. That happens way too often — it amounts to practicing against yourself. It's fine until you run into a grappler and all your stand-up isn't working. You try to throw a jab, and he goes under it and takes you down.</p><p>"These days, it's easier to find training partners who have skill in other arts. It was much worse back in the 1960s. I had students who would go to tournaments where it was all karate versus karate. That can be limiting for anyone interested in realism. It was Ed Parker who opened it up to all the arts. Of course, we didn't have much in the way of the grappling arts back then, but we do now. What the Gracies did was a good thing because it added a whole new element that we needed to know about."</p>Principle No. 4:Train Realistically
<p>"When I was studying to be a teacher in the 1960s, I had to go through a number of education courses. They never taught me anything useful — except for a lesson I learned from a man named Neil Postman. He said everyone needs to have a built-in BS detector. This applies as much to martial arts as it does to education.</p><p>"In JKD, we always went out of our way to find out if what we thought would work actually did work. If it didn't, why were we practicing it? You should do the same.</p><p>"I once gave a seminar in New York. I spent the first day teaching the progressive indirect attack and a bunch of other stuff. The students really got into it. I would throw a hand strike, and they would block it. Then I would throw another hand. If they moved, I would do a hook kick, and so on. They worked on it all and got good.</p><p>"Then, on the second day, I told them to do what they had learned. When they tried, I did a leg obstruction and blew the whole thing away. (laughs) I said, 'What you learned was good, but actually maybe it's not.' I was trying to teach them the concept that realistic training means being ready for anything."</p>ADAPTING TO GRAPPLING
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://blackbeltmag.com/media-library/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDQzNTA4NC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYzNDk2Njc4OX0.EatsiaQcxVDNW5t9_ZdqfSlm0Rv0HMhckIb0lRWcB8I/image.jpg?width=980" id="5af70" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="031d0abe81e06f2e7fb770ee288b6772" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />
<p>Tim Tackett (left) credits the Gracies with having brought attention to grappling, both its potential for offense and the need for defense against it.</p>
Principle No. 5:Follow a Realistic Training Progression
<p>"I think it was Chris Kent who came up with the triangle as a symbol for this principle. Basically, you start at the bottom of the triangle with stance and footwork. Then in the second phase, you learn tool development. Let's say it's the lead-hand punch. You practice the punch, doing it on a focus glove. You learn three things: attack, counterattack and defense. How do you attack with the punch? How do you defend against the punch? How do you counterattack with the punch? The third part is focusing on tactics and strategy: when to use it and how to use it while sparring.</p><p>"So with one technique — in this case, the lead-hand punch — it might take a year to get through the training. Then you move on to the backfist, combinations and so on. What you should be dealing with is principles and training methods. It's not techniques; any art can do techniques.</p><p>"The thing is, this requires patience. That's why there are so few people who can do JKD well. But once you get it, it becomes really easy. But to get it, it's really difficult. (laughs)"Once you learn all the tactics and strategy, you have to start throwing things away. Think of a daily decrease instead of a daily increase. Your goal is to have a few things you can do very well.</p><p>"I've got all of Bruce's notes from when I was part of the Bruce Lee Educational Foundation. When he would work out, it was 500 finger jabs, 500 hook kicks, 500 this and 500 that — not too many techniques, but he wanted to do those things well. That's how you develop yourself.</p><p>"On the subject of throwing things away, some people wonder if you can throw away too much. Of course. If you leave yourself with just the finger jab, for instance, it probably won't be enough for you to use in self-defense all the time. If you're Bruce, it might be, but who has that skill level?</p><p>"For most people, you have to cover your bases. Let's say I want to learn something. The first thing I do is try to learn it. Then I learn what I'm leaving open when I do it and how I can defend against it. Do I even have a defense against it? This is what it means to look at something in a realistic manner. "You want to look for openings and weaknesses. I used to train with a great grappler named Lloyd Kennedy. He would say, 'Look, I'm going to show you some things. If there's anything that you can find a counter to or a weakness in, please let me know because I'd rather learn it here than on the street.'</p><p>"A big part of following a realistic progression is learning to take what's offered. If your opponent is offering you something — and [no one] can attack [another person] without leaving an opening — you should take it. That's the whole key to intercepting. Know that the body is always going to be open when somebody attacks you. He can't extend a limb to touch you without leaving an opening. So you intercept it. That's the meaning of jeet kune do. </p>ECONOMY OF MOTION
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://blackbeltmag.com/media-library/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDQzNjM2NC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY2ODkzNjcyN30.TRo5PXLIqGIWBhcTuvyKosw8EI_HNGTur1KzZyFlSvg/image.jpg?width=980" id="f808c" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="dfc18f7a0bdee22c41b3a22da8a06597" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />
<p>This JKD teaching pertains to efficiency, directness and shortest distances. It also means assembling combinations that a here to the same guidelines.</p>
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Modifying Sport Grappling to Make it Street Effective
November 23 | 2020
By world-renowned martial artist and author Burton Richardson
I love jiu-jitsu. I also love functional, real world self-defense. Not the artistic kind where one guy holds his arm out while the other goes through his routine. I'm talking real self-defense practiced in a way that looks like MMA training or world-class sport jiu-jitsu preparation. But on the street, there are guns, knives, head butts, groin strikes, eye gouges, and biting. That's the environment that BJJ For The Street prepares you for.
<p>We all know that tournament jiu-jitsu training does not sufficiently prepare us for the environment of an MMA fight. There are many dangerous elements that must be addressed. But people often think that sport jiu-jitsu training does prepare us for the absolutely no rules environment of a violent street assault.</p><p> Extreme self defense has many more variables than a cage fight because there are no restrictions at all. I'm not talking about honor matches at the beach. I mean the vicious, no regard for human life attacks.</p><p>What's the most dangerous technique you must look for if you end up on the ground in the street? A triangle choke? Rear naked choke? A head butt? No. It's when the aggressor pulls a gun or knife. That is the most dangerous scenario, so we have to train to deal with weapons FIRST. Make sense?</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-proxy-image shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image image-crop-16x9">
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://blackbeltmag.com/media-library/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzU2OTQwNi9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYxNjMyODc2MX0.D8AGHvAMqje_PCJvzG1mT4G1YE11PMkYI4_0MULoDjs/image.jpg?width=1245&coordinates=0%2C39%2C0%2C39&height=700" id="1a292" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="903cc503be4892678f059ab9f8fcf75e" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="Jiu Jitsu" />
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</p><p>Here's the great news. If you already train in jiu-jitsu you have a huge head start. You will just need to understand how to modify your jiu-jitsu to account for weapons, eye attacks, groin grabs, and bites.<br/></p><p>If you've never trained jiu-jitsu, but have trained self-defense arts, you also have a big head start as dealing with the street scenarios are very familiar to you.</p><p><em>The BJJ For The Street book is a comprehensive approach to the real world dangers that exist on the street. I hope you never have to use these methods, but if you end up in an extreme situation, make sure you are trained For The Street!</em></p><p><em><a href="http://www.jkdunlimited.com/" target="_blank">www.jkdunlimited.com</a></em><br/></p>
<p><br/></p><p>Get a copy of the bock today!</p>
BJJ For the Streets
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://blackbeltmag.com/media-library/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzU2OTc1Mi9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyMjgwMzM0Mn0.Eo4-AZ4g1ZO1RYSaxpIPg-lTWH1fuUcfTT-i148f8V0/image.jpg?width=980" id="73eb0" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="8ac4da1b275008ecb9f62c14cbb92baa" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />From Your Site Articles
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Willie Johnson is a pioneer in the American martial arts.
Raised on the East Coast, he trained under Dennis Brown, Tayari Casel, Tony Lin and other Chinese martial arts authorities. Johnson then made a name for himself on the tournament circuit, taking top honors at the U.S. Open, WAKO World Championships, Battle of Atlanta, PKA National Karate Championships and other events. In 1985 he became the second American to be certified by the Beijing Physical Culture Institute. In 2000 he was Black Belt's Kung Fu Artist of the Year. Nowadays, Johnson spends most of his time making sure our industry tailors its offerings to the needs of the next generation. That was the topic of his recent conversation with Black Belt, which yielded the following comments.
Martial Arts Household
<p>"If you're in my house, you've got to practice martial arts. You don't have to become a champion or go into the movies, but you've got to go to a dojo and learn those core values that are missing in our society. Those values saved my life, and they are important for everyone to learn."I've got five kids, and four of them have earned their black belt. All of them have worked in my dojo. They have learned all the elements needed to be a complete martial artist, and that has made their lives better."</p>Risk of Injury
<p>"When it comes to having kids practice traditional martial arts or MMA, the teacher matters more than the system. If the teacher is not willing to adapt what they're teaching to the individual's level of comprehension and find a way to guide the individual and allow that young person to grow and mature in their understanding of the system, then I don't care what system it is. If a teacher can't relate and adapt, you could get hurt in tai chi.</p><p>"That said, I believe our duty is to bring about a change in the way martial arts are taught and the way curriculums are developed. A lot of selfish and egotistical things were going on in the martial arts when I was coming up, and they made me tread a path that I'm not going to say I regret but that could have been different. Knowing that kids are more intelligent today, I feel like it's my duty to make sure that they don't have to get beat up in class, that they don't have to go through that emotional beatdown that used to be considered normal. Instructors have a duty to tune the curriculum to a level that brings solutions to our youth."</p>Popularity of MMA
<p>"If you're in martial arts, you know that MMA is one of the most popular things out there. Kids think it's cool. They get a chance to see a lot of new things — fighters, arts and techniques. All the techniques they know from the traditional arts are being executed right there in front of them. It comes back full circle: Every art is effective if you have the right timing, the right speed and the right coordination to make it work under pressure. That's the enjoyment of watching MMA — for kids as well as adults.</p><p>"That's why I believe in using MMA to help kids. That's why my wife Kimberly, who used to be one of the top female competitors in the country, and I 'connected' point MMA. I don't like the term 'create' because I think we added structure to what was already out there so it became a curriculum.</p><p>"We have a point MMA curriculum that covers safe competition and takes students from white belt to black belt. We have proved that kids can do a form of MMA and not get injured. They have a good time, and they learn all the lessons of the traditional arts. That's one of the most important roles that teachers have: to make it clear that everyone holds on to the integrity of the martial arts."</p>Good and Bad Lifestyles
<p>"The lifestyles we see in MMA have good and bad sides. The bad side has been around for a long time. It was around when I was trying to get out of the inner city. It's about disrespecting women, drinking, cursing — all the things that go against the values of the traditional martial arts. That's why the most important thing in the education of kids is the teacher. That's what we have to promote.</p><p>"It's up to us to help kids grow. It's up to us to influence kids so that even if they go out and make a mistake, when they decide to turn their life around, they have a place to come. They have to know that when they're ready to change their life, they can do it. Give me the baddest kids on the planet, and I guarantee they will be OK after training for a while."</p>Propagating the Benefits
<p>"Martial arts training, whether traditional or mixed, is the best way to realistically get young people emotionally ready to take on life's obstacles. They learn how to think right, how to physically stay in shape, how to aspire to be something higher than their dad or their teacher, how to be a leader — all those things!</p><p>"I'm doing all this because I want to express my love for the martial arts and pass it along to the next generation. One of the problems is that we teach our art and don't remember the people who made it possible for us to be doing what we're doing — people like Joe Lewis, Chuck Norris, Bruce Lee and Mike Stone. I always make sure my students know about them. If I hadn't been able to stand on the shoulders of these giants, I wouldn't be here, and I wouldn't be able to help our kids enjoy all the benefits of training in the martial arts." </p><p>For more information about Willie Johnson, visit <a href="https://www.pointmma.com/" target="_blank">pointmma.com</a>.<br></p>From Your Site Articles
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