Martial Arts

Martial Arts can be defined as systems or specific practices developed for the art of hand to hand combat. Martial arts vary widely, and may focus on a specific area or combination of areas, but they can be broadly grouped as consisting of predominantly strikes, grappling, and weapons training.

Mixed Martial Arts or MMA

Modern mixed martial arts tournaments became a huge hit in 1993 with the Ultimate Fighting Championship. This concept of this contest was to bring all styles of martial arts together for the first time truly in history in order to face off in competition in a no rules, no time limit, no holds barred fighting event in a octagon shaped cage in an attempt to determine which system would be more effective in a real, unregulated combat situation.

The history of the modern MMA event can be traced to the Gracie family's vale tudo martial arts tournaments in Brazil starting in the 1920s. The fighting concept of combining various combat disciplines gained popularity in the late 1960s and early 1970s with the emergence of Bruce Lee and his theories of mixing various martial art styles. The sport gained international exposure and widespread publicity in the United States in 1993, when Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu fighter Royce Gracie dominated the Ultimate Fighting Championship, sparking a revolution in the martial arts we see today. Gracie Jiu Jitsu proved to be the dominant martial art against all styles throughout the world and today is the one must know fighting style system in the world especially when a fight hits the ground. The other martial art that has proven to be dominant in real world unregulated combat situations, is the stand up striking art of Muay Thai Kick Boxing, which is the dominant mixed martial art style of choice when a fighter is standing to strike.

Jiu Jitsu

Gracie Jiu Jitsu (GJJ) or Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) is a martial art and combat sport that focuses on grappling and especially ground fighting with the goal of gaining a dominant position and using joint-locks and chokeholds to force an opponent to submit. The art was based on early 20th century Kodokan Judo,[1][2] which was itself then a recently-developed system (founded in 1882), based on multiple schools (or Ryu) of Japanese Jujutsu.? It promotes the principle that a smaller, weaker person, using leverage and proper technique, can successfully defend themselves against a bigger, stronger assailant. BJJ can be trained for self defense, sport grappling tournaments (gi and no-gi) and mixed martial arts (MMA) competition.[3] Sparring (commonly referred to as 'rolling') and live drilling play a major role in training, and a premium is placed on performance, especially in competition.

In 1921, Gastao Gracie and his family moved to Rio de Janeiro. Carlos, then 17 years old, passed Maeda's teachings on to his brothers Osvaldo, Gastao and Jorge. Helio was too young and sick at that time to learn the art, and due to medical imposition was prohibited to take part in the training sessions. Despite that, Helio learned jiu-jitsu by watching his brothers. He eventually overcame his health problems and is now considered by many as the founder of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu emphasizes ground fighting techniques and submission holds involving joint-locks and chokeholds also found in numerous other arts with or without ground fighting emphasis. The premise is that most of the advantage of a larger, stronger opponent comes from superior reach and more powerful strikes, both of which are somewhat negated when grappling on the ground.

BJJ permits a wide variety of techniques to take the fight to the ground after taking a grip. Once the opponent is on the ground, a number of maneuvers (and counter-maneuvers) are available to manipulate the opponent into a suitable position for the application of a submission technique. Achieving a dominant position on the ground is one of the hallmarks of the BJJ style, and includes effective use of the guard position to defend oneself from bottom, and passing the guard to dominate from top position with side control, mount, and back mount positions. This system of maneuvering and manipulation can be likened to a form of kinetic chess when utilized by two experienced practitioners. A submission hold is the equivalent of checkmate.

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu came to international prominence in the martial arts community in the 1990s, when Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu expert Royce Gracie won the first, second and fourth Ultimate Fighting Championships, which at the time were single elimination martial arts tournaments.[3] Royce fought against often much-larger opponents who were practicing other styles, including boxing, shoot-fighting, karate, judo, tae kwon do and wrestling. It has since become a staple art for many MMA fighters and is largely credited for bringing wide-spread attention to the importance of ground fighting. Sport BJJ tournaments continue to grow in popularity worldwide and have given rise to no-gi submission grappling tournaments, such as the ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship. We here at Virtual Martial Arts Academy hold firm that Gracie Jiu Jitsu is the one "MUST KNOW" martial arts system in the world for REAL world street survival. It is THE Martial Art of Martial Arts.

Wrestling

Wrestling is the act of physical engagement between two unarmed persons, in which each wrestler strives to get an advantage over or control of their opponent. Physical techniques which embody the style of wrestling are clinching, holding, locking, and leverage. Avoiding techniques likely to lead to serious injury, wrestling has aspects of ritual fighting, but its basic principles are closely related to those of military hand-to-hand combat or self-defence systems. Many styles of wrestling are known all over the world and have long histories, and sport wrestling (particularly amateur wrestling) has been an Olympic sport for over 100 years. Wrestling has gained respect among martial arts practitioners, especially with the advent of mixed martial arts competition.[23] Early competitions (e.g. UFC 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 12, considering only the first twelve UFC) saw wrestlers defeat stylists from more traditional, striking (and grappling)- oriented styles such as karate, BJJ and kickboxing. Randy Couture (UFC heavyweight champion) and Dan Henderson (current PRIDE champion in the 183 division and formerly 205 pound division champion) both competed extensively in collegiate and Greco-Roman wrestling before beginning their careers in mixed martial arts.

Boxing

Boxing is a combat sport in which two participants of similar weight fight each other with their fists. Boxing today is conducted in a regulated way, typically in a series of one to three-minute intervals called rounds. Victory is achieved if the opponent is knocked down and unable to get up before the referee counts to ten (a Knockout, or KO), if the opponent is deemed too injured to continue, or if the opponent is knocked down three times in one round (a Technical Knockout, or TKO). If there is no stoppage of the fight before an agreed number of rounds, a winner is determined either by the referee's decision or by judges' scorecards. Boxing is one if not the most well known and popular fighting styles in the modern world.? Boxing gloves are typically used during this hand to hand combat fighting style.

Karate

Karate is still to this day arguably the most popular martial arts system in the united states. Karate was made very popular in the United States due greatly in part to the very successful movie series "The Karate Kid" which was released in the 1980's. The martial arts of Karate? originated from the Ryukyu Islands of Japan. Karate training is commonly divided into kihon (basics or fundamentals), kata (forms), and kumite (sparring). Karate also trains in weapons (kobudo).

Taekwondo

Taekwondo is a Korean martial art and also combat sport which has now held the prestige status of being an Olympic sport since the year 2000. Although there are great doctrinal and technical differences among taekwondo organizations, the art in general emphasizes kicks thrown from a mobile stance, using the leg's greater reach and power to disable the opponent from a distance. Taekwondo is famed for its use of kicking techniques,especially which distinguishes it from martial arts such as karate or southern styles of kung fu. The rationale is that the leg is the longest and strongest weapon a martial artist has, and kicks thus have the greatest potential to execute powerful strikes without successful retaliation.

Taekwondo as a sport and exercise is popular with people of both sexes and of many ages. Physically, taekwondo develops strength, speed, balance, flexibility, and stamina.

Judo

Judo, meaning "gentle way", is a modern Japanese martial art (gendai budo) and combat sport, that originated in Japan in the late nineteenth century. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an opponent to submit by joint locking the elbow or by applying a choke. Strikes and thrusts (by hands and feet) - as well as weapons defenses - are a part of judo, but only in pre-arranged forms (kata) and are not allowed in judo competition or free practice (randori).

Ultimately, the philosophy and subsequent pedagogy developed for judo became the model for almost all modern Japanese martial arts that developed from "traditional" schools (koryu).

Kung Fu

kung fu. According to the legend of Chan (Zen) Buddhist monk Bodhidharma, kung fu also has its origin in India. The Indian monk named Bodhidharma Sardili (also known as Da Mo in Chinese) traveled from India to China around 500 CE. It is said that he visited Shaolin monks in the Henan Province. While there, Bodhidharma awed the resident Chinese monks with his mastery of meditation. The secret was physical discipline which Bodhidharma saw lacking in the monks. He trained them in exercises designed to strengthen the body and thus their endurance. According to legend, Bodhidharma had attained such a level of control that he was able to bore a hole through a wall simply by staring at it for a number of years in meditation. These series of exercises the monks used evolved into kung fu. This is why Bodhidharma is credited with spreading Chan (Zen) Buddhism to China and for forming the modern kung fu.

The term kung fu was not popular until the 20th century, thus the word would be seldom found in any ancient texts. The term was first known to have been reported by a Westerner, French Jesuit missionary Jean Joseph Marie Amiot, in the 18th century and was known little in the mainstream English language until approximately the late 1960s, when it became popular because of the Hong Kong films, especially those by Bruce Lee, and later Kung Fu - the television series. Before that it was referred to primarily as "Chinese boxing". Kung Fu, as it is written here, refers to the general term of Chinese martial arts. Shaolin Kung Fu refers to the style that was developed in the Shaolin temples.

Muay Thai literally Thai Boxing and also known as The Art of the Eight Limbs, is the Thai name for a form of hard martial art practiced in several Southeast Asian countries including Thailand. It is known as Pradal Serey in Cambodia, Tomoi in Malaysia, Muay Lao in Laos and as a similar style called Lethwei in Burma. The different styles of kickboxing in Southeast Asia are analogous to the different types of Kung Fu in China or Silat in the Malay peninsula. The Thai military uses a modified form of Muay Thai called Lerdrit.[1]

Muay Thai has a long history in Thailand and is the country's national sport. Traditional Muay Thai practiced today varies slightly from the ancient art Muay Boran and uses kicks and punches in a ring with gloves similar to those used in Western boxing. Muay Thai is referred to as "The Science of Eight Limbs", as the hands, shins, elbows, and knees are all used extensively in this art. A master practitioner of Muay Thai thus has the ability to execute strikes using eight "points of contact," as opposed to "two points" (fists) in Western boxing and "four points" (fists, feet) used in the primarily sport-oriented forms of martial arts.? Starting in the 1990s, Muay Thai has enjoyed a boost in popularity worldwide as it has been very effective in mixed martial arts fights, such as those held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and PRIDE Fighting Championships. Mixed martial artists such as Marco Ruas (of Ruas Vale Tudo), Mauricio "Shogun" Rua, Wanderlei Silva, and UFC champions Anderson Silva, George St. Pierre, Randy Couture, Chuck Liddel, BJ Penn plus many more have combined many striking elements of Muay Thai with grappling, submission, and choking elements from Judo, Wrestling, or Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu into a hybrid synthesis that has been highly effective in defeating practitioners of "pure" martial arts such as tae kwon do or kung fu, at least in sports-centered real world one on one combat.

Filipino Kali

Kali Sikaran has its roots in the martial arts of The Philippines and the South East Asian countries. Kali Sikaran is a member and one of the principle styles of the IKAEF, the international Kali Arnis and Eskrima Federation. Kali Sikaran has members, clubs and organizations in over 20 countries.? The training concepts of Kali Sikaran are unique to the system. They are based on Panantukan (Filipino Boxing), Sikaran (Filipino Kickboxing), Stick fighting, Daga (Knife Fighting Training), Kadena De Mano (Close Quarters Range) and Dumog (Grappling). In Kali Sikaran these concepts are woven together into a complete and very effective fighting system. Any improvement in one aspect of the system will accelerate change and immediately enhance another. In a combination of empty hand training and weapons training, the practitioner will develop speed, coordination, stamina, strength and reflexes that support self-defense and fighting skills. The Kali Sikaran practitioner is trained to be able to adapt to any given situation.