Martial Arts Explorer Questions and answers page

Have you ever wondered how to pronounce a word you have read and what it actually means?

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The answers to some of these questions are what a particular person believes. People have different views and philosophy and often different ideas on how to train, so you may find more than one answer to your question and may still wish not to fully go ahead with the answer. Any medical question should always be confirmed by the person in question's medical practitioner whatever medicine they themselves believe in.

As this page grows the questions and answers will be categories but for know they are just in a list.

Yes. I first saw a technique when I was serving in the army when the defender some how got the attacker in a wrist lock and placed his finger at the back of the trigger between the trigger guard so the trigger could not be pulled. What a load of nonsense. It may have looked impressive but very in practicable. I thought it would be impossible to counter against a loaded gun that was actually touching you for many years until I was show a real workable technique.
I have tried this with a cap gun ( call me a coward if you wish for not using the real thing) One particular technique I am thinking about we do at our school, Chen Tao Kung Fu, first with a knife touching your stomach or back as if you are being mugged. More advanced students who have mastered the mechanics of the technique then go on to guns. I will eventually get round to writing these techniques down in my Techniques page but for now will explain why it is possible.
If a person is holding a loaded weapon to your body and wants to kill you, you will have no chance and will die unless the weapon gets a blockage. If the person holds a weapon against your body and is ordering you to hand over your valuables then there is a chance they are not intending to shoot you, at least not quite yet. If you act by some sort of attack, the person with the gun must have time to react to your actions i.e. pulling the trigger. Your brain has already thought of what you are going to do, your body is on its way to doing it but the gunman as yet to get is brain to think what his body has to do, TO LATE. If you ask the attacker a question before you attack then their brain is preoccupied for a split second thinking of a answer allowing even more time for you to react.
In brief actions are quicker than reactions. As I have said earlier I have tried these moves in the most realistic but safe situation I could think off, and they do work most of the time but I still would not like to bet my life on it (unless the price is right) as the bang from the cap gun has sounded sometimes before I am out of the way. (web master)

I can only speak for what I know and teach. Quin - Na ( Chin Na ) the art of seizing and locking is very useful and does really work if applied correctly. I tend to weaken the person with a appropriate strike first, i.e., elbow to face as you twist round to grab a wrist in a close in situation or maybe a palm strike to the solar plexus, and even a blow to the elbow to name but a few. A strike will soften the person up and take a momentarily lapse of concentration from what you are trying to do to the person. I mainly see a lock as a way to control people into a certain situation so as to apply something else. If someone has the right mind and willpower and the know how, then there is a possibility they may escape.
The second you feel they are escaping you should either apply as much force to the lock as you can or flow into something else. Never fight to keep a lock if you have incorrectly applied it or the person is slipping out or the strongest person will win that may not be you.
That was a brief answer but to summarise what you asked, yes wrist and arm locks really do work if applied and used correctly.
A point to remember is to try to use your locks in a chain effect. If you apply a wrist lock, that can in turn lock your arm that bends you over and locks your shoulders, neck and back. So one simple lock can cause a chain effect and lock up your full body.(web master)

That depends on your meaning of 'practiced'. Ninjustu is an all encompassing term for nine different schools that are taught within this art. Ninpo ninjustu is practiced and taught legally in Japan as a martial art. It's origins are from the Samaurai arts in it's true combat form. There are actually two different schools, and some other perverted American versions. However, there is only one that is considered to be real as is proven by it's age and origin and that is the Bujinkan. The Bujinkan is headed by Soke Dr. Masaaki Hatsumi 34th grandmaster (Soke; term meaning founding Grandmaster) at the hombu in Japan, 636 Noda, Noda-shi, Chiba-ken, 278-8691. Bujinkan(ninpo ninjutsu) is also offered for training here in the United States. There is probably a Bujinkan Dojo near you and you don't even know it.
Here is a link if you wish to learn more. http://www.taijutsu.com/soke.htm I hope this has been informative to you AND the people that care for this website. (Ed Green)

I want to start practising breaking techniques, what is the best material to use? (P. Smith Leeds UK)

As a basic rule of thumb most martial artists use pine boards about 12inch wide and one inch thick. The lighter the board the easier it breaks and try to choose wood with no knots in. Wood, no matter what type can break unpredictably as no two boards will be identical so choose carefully, but today a much safer way is to buy rebreakable boards, which work out much cheaper than wood and is more environmentally friendly. These boards can be bought to withstand certain pressure from the equivalent of a 1 inch pine board to a 3 inch and once broken in half simply slide together for another good kicking. (Check out the shops page)
Once you are quite happy with your breaking technique, and you feel as though you want to progress onto more specialised breaking, which is not for everyone; you may want to try bricks, rocks, ice or even glass. A word of warning, use great caution when attempting any break especially with specialised breaking as razor sharp edges are created, this should only be done under proper supervision and extensive training. (web master)

Aerobic training means you must raise your heart beat into what is called the aerobic training band and keep it there for 15 -20 minutes. For a healthy adult this is 70-75% of the maximum heart rate which is between 120-140 beats per minute. (web master)

In many styles they end in "do" for example Taekwondo, Judo, Aikido to name but a few. What does do mean or is this just a coincident. (James USA)

The "do" in martial arts means "a way" for example a way of doing things. This could mean a way of doing things to develop or condition the body or even a way of doing things that will bring you benefit. (web master)

I have heard people talk about a weapon called the Yawara, what kind of weapon is this?

As far as I know the Yawara is a Karate weapon which is almost one of those forgotten things of the modern day. It is a piece of hard wood, usually white oak and is about six to eight inches long. The ends can be either sharp or blunt and is used to attack mainly nerve and pressure points and also areas such as the eyes, throat and other soft areas. Today most people will recognize the Yawara as the Kubotan (see weapons page) which is a modern day adaption designed as as key ring invented by Grand Master Takayuki Kubota. (web master)

The word martial arts means the arts of war, "Mars" is the god of war. Today maybe " a fighting discipline to promote combat proficiency" would be more suitable.

The word "ryu" often appears in the world of Karate, but what does it mean?(Mark Hill UK)

I have seen many different ways of people tying a kung fu sash, is there a correct way and which side should it hang down the body on? (Marcus Tyrone Scotland)

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