Cover Story Throwback: Jim Kelly
The May 1972 issue of Karate Illustrated showcased a legend on its cover: Jim Kelly facing off in a sparring match, giving a glimpse of...
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Black Belt Team
Nov 10
Cover Story Throwback: Keith Vitali
Southern pride Keith Vitali graced the May 1980 cover of Karate Illustrated , marking the start of the flashy 80s era. A former Karate...
Steve Jacques
Nov 5
Captain Kirk’s Karate: How William Shatner Embraced Martial Arts
This article was published in the April 1974 issue of Fighting Stars magazine, a sister publication of Black Belt. That means it appeared...
Black Belt Team
Oct 22
90 Day Black Belt "Challenge Accepted" with Michelle Khare
Black Belt Magazine publisher George Chung recently moderated the premiere screening of "90 Day Black Belt Challenge Accepted" on Monday
Jerry Beasley
Oct 10
Dollars in the Dojo: A Short History of Martial Arts as a Business
The practice of martial arts in the United States started small and was mostly limited to World War II veterans
Black Belt Team
Sep 13
Karate for Kids: The Ultimate Guide to Introducing Your Child to Shotokan Karate with a Perfect Blend of Fun and Discipline!
Karate is not just a martial art; it's a way of life that instills discipline, respect, and self-confidence in children..
Black Belt Team
Sep 12
Cover Story Throwback: Ernie Reyes Jr.
2024 Black Belt Hall of Fame Inductee Ernie Reyes Jr. is the featured throwback, having graced the cover of the May 1991 issue. At just...
Dave Lowry
Sep 11
Karate History: Naha-Te vs. Shuri-Te
Karate practitioners with any interest in the historical roots of their art will be familiar with the terms Naha-te and Shuri-te..
Emil Farkas
Sep 10
Combat Shotokan: Reviving Karate’s Self-Defense Roots in a Sport-Focused Era
Like most martial arts, karate originated as a system that was designed for hand-to-hand combat.
Ernest Cadorin
Sep 7
5 Ways to Make Your Students Better at Kata
A great kata performance must combine precision, flow, power and spirit, and good students spend considerable time and energy
Dave Lowry
Sep 4
Embracing Mistakes in Martial Arts: Lessons from Kappa, Kendo, and Aikido
Kappa are curious beasts of Japanese mythology. With the body of a human and the shell and beak of a turtle, they live..
Black Belt Team
Sep 1
Karate Illustrated Cover Story Throwback: Jerry Piddington
Jerry Piddington graced the 1974 issue of Karate Illustrated Magazine described in that article by his fellow karateka as "one crazy dude"
Black Belt Team
Sep 1
Unveiling the Mystique of Martial Arts: From Ancient Origins to Modern Influence
Martial arts have fascinated humanity for millennia, blending physical prowess with mental discipline in a way that transcends mere combat.
Black Belt Team
Aug 26
Karate vs. Kung Fu: The Ultimate Showdown of Martial Arts Mastery
Let's delve into the history, similarities, and differences between these two martial arts to determine which might suit you best...
Black Belt Team
Aug 22
Karate vs. Taekwondo: Discover the Differences Before You Choose
When it comes to martial arts, few disciplines are as widely recognized and practiced as Karate and Taekwondo.
Robert Young
Aug 7
Shotokan from the Source: Kyle Funakoshi Karate Master from Indisputable Lineage
If there’s such a thing as karate DNA, the Funakoshi family must have it in spades..
Black Belt Team
Aug 3
Event of the Week: The Internationals
The Long Beach International Karate Championships is an international karate and martial arts tournament first launched in Long Beach...
Black Belt Team
Jul 29
Shiro Saigo's Approach to Defeating Much Larger Opponents
SAIGO lived and thrived in the tumultuous era of Japan’s early modernization. Jigoro Kano’s Kodokan was emerging as an influential force...
Dave Lowry
Jul 25
Navigating the Maze That Is the Japanese Language
Those giant mazes, made of hedges or carved from cornfields and designed so that you have to wind your way through..
Black Belt Team
Jul 25
Black Belt Cover Story Throwback: Hidy Ochiai
The 1980 Black Belt Magazine cover featured world-renowned Master Hidy Ochiai who brought Wa-shin Ryu Karate-Do, from Japan to the US in...
Floyd Burk
Jul 24
Take Your Dojo to a Higher Rank in 3 Easy Steps!
I’ve run martial arts schools for many years. Like most school owners during the days before Google and Bing, I depended on listings in...
Black Belt Team
Jul 18
Black Belt Magazine Cover Story Throwback: Cobra Kai
Throwback cover from the February/March 2021 edition features the cast of Cobra Kai--Ralph Macchio, William Zabka, and Martin Kove!
James D. Brewer
Jul 18
Martial Arts Worldview: Training in Hapkido, Watching 'Billy Jack' and Becoming a Sheepdog
As a 23-year-old graduate student in Middle America in the early 1970s, I was hungry for whatever I could learn about the Asian martial arts
Black Belt Team
Jul 16
Do Karate Students Need to Know About the Japanese Sword?
In short, karate and swordsmanship are both fighting arts, but there’s little in the way of technical or strategic overlap..
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