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In the Ninja Warrior's Martial Art of Ninjutsu - Practice Makes Perfect

In the ninja's martial arts, just as with everything else in life, experience brings many benefits. The more a person does something, the greater the level of confidence, understanding, and proficiency they will have with that 'thing.' This is a truth but as with any medicine, is often hard to swallow.

If we are to become truly skilled at our martial art - able to use our skills in an actual confrontation should one ever arise - we must be able to do our techniques as easily as we tie our shoes or lift a fork to our mouths to eat. And, unfortunately, two classes a week will NOT bring about this mastery and skill.

True mastery comes from practice - the homework done when we're away from class to perfect our skill. Just as with any other schooling, homework is necessary to really get good at what it is that we're trying to learn. This is something we cannot get in the classroom where the learning takes place. Practice is the constant experience derived from having done the techniques repeatedly. It is the magnifying glass which spots the errors that must be fixed for the technique to work quickly, efficiently and correctly.

The basics - the bare essentials - that every technique or kata form is based on must be drilled over and over until we can do them without thinking. The basic skills - the Kamae, strikes, rolling and breakfalling skills, and the basic footwork patterns - must be practiced over and over and over and over and . . .

Remember that, your body tells on you. The instructors can see who practices at home and who does not. We can tell by the questions asked (or not asked) and by the corrections that have to be made.

We know, because we have been where our students are now. We have had...

The same time constraints

The same familial obligations

The same concerns with job, travel, and money

The same practice area limitations; and...

The same excuses...

.. given in the hopes that our teachers will somehow see our plight as more forgiving than others and 'lighten-up' on us so we won't have to work so hard.

Your teachers know that what they're giving you in class is only the tip of the iceberg. They know that you cannot possibly learn all there is to know in just a few short classes a week. They know how hard mastery is and, most important of all, they know what you will be up against if you should ever need your training to save yourself or someone you care about.

We do live in a relatively peaceful society, and chances are most of us will never need to use our skills in defense of ourselves or others. But, who knows if he or she will ever be the target of a brutal attacker? And, most importantly...

..who wants to have a black belt and not be able to survive if an attack does happen, and...

.."Tag - you're it!"

martial-arts-america Items For Viewing
The 36th Chamber of Shaolin

The 36th Chamber of Shaolin
(Action) A young man on a mission of vengeance trains at Shaolin Temple to become a kung fu master, evolving into the legendary monk San Te (Gordon Liu), who introduces Shaolin kung fu to oppressed Chinese.

T'ai Chi for Health: Yang Short Form 37 Form

T'ai Chi for Health: Yang Short Form 37 Form
T'ai chi, the classic Chinese exercise for health, self-defense, and spiritual growth, is "meditation in movement." It emphasizes relaxation, breath control, visual and mental concentration, and slow, balanced movement, explains the voiceover in T'ai Chi for Health: Yang Short Form during a 10-minute explication of the qualities, philosophy, and health benefits of t'ai chi. Meanwhile the instructor, Terence Dunn, practices on a rocky cliff overlooking the ocean. Dunn teaches 10 minutes of breathing and warm-up exercises. Next is a 30-minute introduction to the basic postures, then a full hour of step-by-step instruction and practice of the 37 postures of the Yang Short Form. The video ends with an eight-minute demonstration of the complete Yang Short Form, showing how the postures flow together. Altogether, you get two full hours in this unusually complete training video. The beginner gets all the instruction needed to start practicing, and ongoing students get an ideal setting for practice and improvement. --Joan Price

Shaolin: Temple of Zen

Shaolin: Temple of Zen
For the first time in history, the notoriously guarded warrior monks of the 1500-year-old Shaolin Temple--a Chinese Buddhist sect dedicated to preserving a form of kung fu known as the "vehicle of Zen"--have allowed their secretive society to be documented. With the blessing of the main abbot, Justin Guariglia earned the trust and full collaboration of the Shaolin monks to create an astonishing, empathic record of the Shaolin art forms and the individuals who consider themselves the keepers of these traditions. Over the past eight years, Guariglia has deftly captured the changing context of this ancient sect as it encounters the increasingly hyper-modern world of contemporary China. This amazing work provides viewers with a rare opportunity to examine the energy and spirit of the Shaolins' unique Zen practice, which has until now primarily been seen via pop-cultural interpretation in such films as Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. It features serial imagery of fighting poses; cinematic grid images and cool design.

Defensive Tactics: Modern Arrest & Control Techniques for Today's Police Warrior

Defensive Tactics: Modern Arrest & Control Techniques for Today's Police Warrior
Whether you re a law enforcement officer wanting to improve your edge or a martial artist wanting to expand your knowledge of street proven techniques, you will find Defensive Tactics: Modern Arrest and Control Techniques for Today's Police Warrior is filled with invaluable information including:

* Joint manipulation that works
* Leverage control vs. pain control
* Hitting with the hands, feet, forearms and elbows
* Safely and quickly crossing the gap
* Blocking an assailant's strikes
* Using vulnerable points to gain compliance
* Head disorientation
* Safe application of sleeper holds
* Controlling a suspect on the ground * Arresting big guys
* Fighting concepts to take on patrol
* Weapon retention in close quarters and on the ground

Written by a retired cop and high-ranking martial artist who survived all that the mean streets threw at him while working patrol, gang enforcement and dignitary protection, Defensive Tactics goes beyond what is taught in the academy, officer's in-service training, and what is allowed by the administration. BONUS: Includes a chapter on proven ways to control a suspect on the ground written by LAPD officer Mark Mireles, an MMA coach, police academy trainer, and wrestling champ.

The Fighter's Body: An Owner's Manual : Your Guide to Diet, Nutrition, Exercise and Excellence in the Martial Arts

The Fighter's Body: An Owner's Manual : Your Guide to Diet, Nutrition, Exercise and Excellence in the Martial Arts
You have an owner's manual for your car, your stereo and even your blender, so why not your body? The Fighter's Body is exactly that, an owner's manual for your body, the most complex piece of equipment you will ever own.

As a martial artist, you have special needs. Have you ever wondered how that latest fad diet might affect your performance on the mat? Ever wanted to take off a few extra pounds? How about putting on muscle without slowing down? Make weight for a tournament? Lose 5 pounds fast? Eat better? Change weight classes? Confused about supplements, vitamins and protein shakes? Can't make sense of the food pyramid? Don't know where to start?

Start here. Author Loren Christensen and personal trainer Wim Demeere combine their knowledge of martial arts, weight training, nutrition, diet and exercise to answer your questions and put you on the road to becoming the best martial arts athlete you can be.

This book will answer your questions about important topics including:

* Why some diets are harmful for martial artists
* How to calculate your protein needs for training
* When and how to use supplements
* How to eat at fast food places and not ruin your diet
* Why it's okay to splurge on "Dirt Day"
* How to safely make weight for a tournament
* Why HIIT training is essential to weight loss
* What to eat on competition days
* How to create a plan that works and stick to it

Professional Double Locking Leg Cuffs

Professional Double Locking Leg Cuffs
Stainless steel, hinged, double-lock leg cuffs. Keep your victim from running away!

Double Dragon Sword Stand

Double Dragon Sword Stand
Constructed from solid cold cast poly resin featuring 2 open mouthed dragons, intertwined at the base. Designed to hold any size sword in a horizontal position. 4" tall and 8 1/2" long

Century Wavemaster II Free Standing Aerobic Bag

Century Wavemaster II Free Standing Aerobic Bag
Offering the benefits of a light aerobic boxing bag but without the inconvenience of hanging said bag in your house or garage, this sturdy free-standing bag lets you concentrate on working out instead of worrying which ceiling beam might be strong enough to hold it. The base fills with sand or water and the bag weighs about 170 pounds. It bounces back quickly when socked and can be set to four different height adjustments depending on the height of the individual pugilist.

martial-arts-america in the news
Hispanic firms identify with clientele's culture - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (subscription)

Wed, 12 Mar 2008 04:23:00 GMT

Hispanic firms identify with clientele's culture Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (subscription), WI - Mar 11, 2008 Serrano, 45, owns and operates Martial Arts America Inc. in Greendale. He opened the five-employee school 25 years ago at the urging of Hispanic parents who ...