It shouldn’t come as a surprise that the art whose name means “contact combat” in Hebrew is consistently ranked as one of the best for self-defense. The Israeli art has practitioners around the world. Even if you’ve never trained in krav directly, if you’ve attended a self-defense class, chances are what you learned borrowed from krav fundamentals.

Have you ever considered participating in martial arts for fitness benefits? Unfortunately, most people haven’t because they wrongly believe that martial arts are only useful for combat and self-defense. It is undeniable that those are valuable tools. Everyone wants to be able to protect themselves or their loved ones in a time of need. However, when people unfamiliar with the arts focus on the fighting, they fail to recognize the attributes that make martial arts great for improving overall physical fitness.

We all have at least one role model martial artist that we’d love to get to train with. For some, this dream training is strictly hypothetical (sorry, Bruce Lee fans), but other people get the chance to train with their icons at seminars, tournaments, or events like the Martial Arts SuperShow.

Recently, I got the chance to train with someone I greatly admire: Mike Seeklander.

As a skinny 14-year-old haole (non-native Hawaiian) kid with long blonde hair, I definitely didn’t look like the typical aspiring boxer from Honolulu, Hawaii. But there I was, being driven to my first (dubiously sanctioned) boxing match.

Are you a fan of kali? This Filipino martial art has gained popularity across the world. It’s one of the best weapon-oriented arts to learn, whether you want to know how to use them effectively in combat or defend against them.

You might be skilled at the martial art itself, but how does your brain do when it comes to training? Here’s a five-question kali quiz to sharpen your mental edge.

Boxing and kickboxing workouts are #1 on Pete McCall’s “8 Fitness Trends for 2018” list, shared recently by ACE. Ample evidence supports McCall’s prediction, and explains why the trend will continue for a long time. Boxing and kickboxing workouts provide inherent benefits that fulfill deeper human needs, which other forms of exercise simply do not. The resurgence of demand for these classes is sweeping into 2018, driven by a rising wave of factors, and doesn’t show signs of slowing.

Prepare to Defend Yourself

Hopefully you will never have to use force against another human in self-defense. However, there is a chance that someday you’ll find yourself in a situation where you have to protect yourself or those you love. If that day ever comes, be prepared. You want to maximize your chances of getting out of that situation safely.

When it comes down to either you or them getting hurt, make sure it’s them. Here are some of the best basic self-defense moves.

Palm Strike to the Nose

According to urban legend, a palm strike to the nose can be lethal. While you shouldn’t expect such a dramatic result in the real world, this technique can certainly be effective against even the toughest assailant.

Palm strikes are used in a wide array of martial arts disciplines, and with good reason. The soft tissue of the palm makes an excellent striking surface. It’s capable of delivering a high-impact attack with little risk of injuring yourself.

Self-Defense Basics

It is an unfortunate truth that many people, regardless of age, gender, race, size or appearance, will one day need to protect themselves from attack. In those instances, there is no substitute for defensive training or the study of a martial art. Trained or not, everyone should know the first basic tenet of self-defense: the best way to keep yourself safe in a fight is to avoid getting into one in the first place.

Below are tips on how to avoid an altercation before it becomes dangerous. With a cool head, alertness, and a willingness to walk away, you can typically prevail in many situations.

Since Century introduced the original BOB® Body Opponent Bag back in in 1998, and, later, the BOB XL®, we’ve gotten several requests for a BOB® with arms.  We decided to test out the old saying “the customer is always right” and gave our Research and Development team the task of creating a product that would give BOB® arms. They came up with this jacket, which fits on all BOB® and BOB LX® training dummies.

So, besides giving your BOB® a hip new look, what benefits does the Jacket provide?

There are many martial art styles available for students to study, each with their own specific strong points. They all promote good heath, confidence, discipline, respect and self-defense. Beginning students start by learning basic techniques and forms. Through the guidance of an experienced instructor they learn to refine their techniques, develop muscle memory, gain confidence and improve their overall skills. Here, we will take a look at five essential strikes every martial artist should continually be perfecting.