Black Belt is closing its 2012 lineup with a hard-hitting issue featuring martial arts legends, martial arts movies, martial arts techniques and martial arts history! In this exclusive sneak preview of the December 2012 issue — in subscribers' hands October 16 and hitting newsstands October 23 — we'll give you a look at what's coming and how our article selections fit into the martial arts scene at large. Learn how to download digital issues of Black Belt! Our cover story for the December 2012 issue of Black Belt is an exclusive interview with none other than sanda champ and 2007 Black Belt Hall of Fame Kung Fu Artist of the Year Cung Le. Cung Le's budding movie career finds him appearing in the upcoming Quentin Tarantino film The Man With the Iron Fists — an homage to the classic martial arts movies of the famed Hong Kong-based Shaw Brothers Studios. Cung Le's exclusive Q&A cover story — "Life Begins at 40: Fighting and Filming With the Chinese Martial Arts Legend Cung Le" — delves into topics such as the following:

• turning 40 in what's typically considered a young person's sport
• how age can be an advantage over younger opponents
• Cung Le's traditional martial arts history
• how traditional martial arts can benefit athletes in other sports — including MMA
• Cung Le's future goals in the UFC
• how Cung Le got the role in Quentin Tarantino's upcoming The Man With the Iron Fists

MARTIAL ARTS MOVIE TRAILER Quentin Tarantino Homage to Classic Martial Arts Movies, The Man With the Iron Fists

Download your FREE guide to Bruce Lee's martial arts movies!
Our Bruce Lee Movies List: Little-Known Trivia From Bruce Lee’s Pictures

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FEATURE STORIES

KNOCKOUT PUNCH Bouncer/boxer/kenpo black-belt James Bennett addresses the facts and fallacies that surround the act of putting fist to face. (Too bad moviemakers won’t be paying attention.) WING CHUN AND JEET KUNE DO Word to the wise: Don’t neglect the Chinese street-fighting style of wing chun kung fu in your study of Bruce Lee’s self-defense art.

Download your FREE report on wing chun essentials:
10 Wing Chun Kung Fu Training Principles Any Martial Artist Can Use!

MARTIAL ARTS CRUSHES Remember all those warrior women you watched as a kid? You’ll love this update from Dr. Craid D. Reid — author of The Ultimate Guide to Martial Arts Movies of the 1970s: 500+ Films Loaded With Action, Weapons and Warriors — which checks in on Diana Rigg, Graciela Casillas, Cynthia Rothrock, Karen Sheperd and Cheryl Wheeler. MEET JON FOO Dr. Craig Reid profiles Jon Foo, the star of Bangkok Revenge, who began his martial arts training in London before moving to Hong Kong to work with the Jackie Chan stunt team and Yuen Woo-ping.

JON FOO MARTIAL ARTS MOVIE TRAILER
Jon Foo Stars in New Martial Arts Movie, Bangkok Revenge

LINES OF ATTACKKapap instructor Avi Nardia — co-author of the martial arts multimedia book/DVD collection Kapap Combat Concepts: Martial Arts of the Israeli Special Forces — elaborates on linear attacks, circular attacks and triangle attacks, explaining the role they play in sparring and self-defense.

DEPARTMENTS

VERSUS Ever drive into a busy intersection and find yourself turning down your car stereo? Mark Hatmaker tells you why that happens and how it affects your martial arts training. FIGHTBOOK The current UFC heavyweight champion is Junior dos Santos. Michael J. Plott gives you the story behind the Brazilian fighting phenom and why he’s one to watch. MIL-SPEC Forget punching, kicking and grappling! Kelly McCann explains why positioning just might be the most important part of fighting. DESTINATIONS In this ongoing account of his efforts to learn MMA in Asia, a burned-out Antonio Graceffo — author of Warrior Odyssey: The Travels of a Martial Artist Through Asia — begins to get his groove back at the K-1 Fight Factory in Cambodia. FUEL Should you approach eating the same way you approach your self-defense training? Black Belt Hall of Fame member, self-defense instructor and holistic nutrition coach Meredith Gold (and author of our recent Free Guide Self-Defense Moves for Women: How to Fight Someone Bigger Than You By Exploiting Vital Targets) thinks so! KARATE WAY Dave Lowry — author of Bokken: Art of the Japanese Sword — outlines a simple method for using a shinai and a tennis ball to test your ability to block punches. Warning: You may be surprised at how you perform. FAR EAST The martial arts world lost a legendary fighter on August 31, 2012, when full-contact pioneer and instructor extraordinaire Joe Lewis passed away. WAY OF THE WARRIOR The question has been asked ever since the arts made their way to America: Should you learn the language when studying an Asian martial art? Keith Vargo responds. FIT TO FIGHT The great Steve “Nasty” Anderson talks about his double hip replacement and how it changed the way he teaches and trains. COMPANY SPOTLIGHT Evaluating accomplishments, issuing rank, certifying instructors, consulting with businesses — the World Martial Arts College is a comprehensive support center. And you thought we forgot Bas Rutten, didn't you? On Page 16, you'll find an exclusive interview with the MMA legend where he talks about his new movie with Kevin James, Here Comes the Boom.

MMA MOVIE TRAILER Bas Rutten Stars in New MMA-Inspired Comedy Here Comes the Boom