Grey Wolf Hybrid Martial Arts
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Grey Wolf Martial Arts
IL
ph: 708-263-8321
greywolf
About Us
TEACHERS
PRESIDENT/DIRECTOR/HEAD INSTRUCTOR/CO FOUNDER OF GREY WOLF MARTIAL ARTS 2ND DEGREE BLACKBELT SHIDOSHI TROY JONES
2nd Degree Black Belt Shidoshi Troy Jones has been training in martial arts for 15+ years . Shidoshi gained his black belt in 2006. He received instruction from Master Harry Vom Breck for about 3 years. He also found Grand Master Kang Rhee who is a 9th degree blackbelt in karate, kung-fu and ta kwon do which is whom he also received instruction from and became a certified instructor. Shidoshi was drawn to Master Kang Rhee's knowledge of the Martial Arts as well as his compassion for people and his involvement in annual charity event/fundraiser for St. Judes Hospital that he has been doing since 1970. Shidoshi looks to soon be involved in this same charity.
Shidoshi started his instruction in martial arts at the age of ten training in shotokan karate, where he earned a Brown Belt. His parents placed him in the martial arts to keep him off the streets and out of trouble. As a young adult he drifted away from his studies of martial arts. When he met his wife, he realized he needed to get his life back on track; part of this transition was getting back into his studies of martial arts. His search for instruction and mentoring led him to Master Harry Vom Breck. Through Master Harry he studied continuously every day. His studies incorporated the spiritual components of martial arts training, as well as the physical. The discipline he studied was Mixed Martial Arts that included; judo, kenpo karate, hapkido, jujitsu, ninjitsu boxing and kick boxing. He started teaching martial arts to his son Josh(pictured below) in hopes of preventing him from making the same mistakes he had made a as teen. Because he wanted to reach other children, he started teaching some of his sons friends and his nephews. By seeing the positive effects martial arts had on all these children, it encouraged him that teaching martial arts was something he wanted to do for the rest of his life. So he decided to create and open his own school to reach out and help as many people as he could. But it didn't stop there! PLEASE SEE MARTIAL ARTS COLLEGE PAGE NOW!!
In the past few years he has countinued studying in the styles that are a part of his original system. THESE STYLES INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING; HAPKIDO, SHOTOKAN KARATE, TANG SOO DO and NINJITSU AS WELL AS WEAPONS INCLUDING NUNCHUCKS, BO STAFF, HANBO, SAMURAI SWORD AND MANY MORE. HE ALSO TRAINED UNDER 5TH DEGREE BLACKBELT SHIDOSHI MIKE IN THE STYLE OF NINJITSU AND TAKING INSTRUCTION FROM GRAND MASTER SOKE HATSUMI AND SHIHAN RICHARD VAN DONK.
Shidoshi's curriculum includes various techniques taken from each of these styles.
He has also been training in the Gracie jujitsu system.
Shidoshi has created his Hybrid Martial Arts system by combining all of the techniques that he has learned throughout the years of his studies, which is what is taught at the Grey Wolf gym. He also teaches shotokan karate katas which helps develop a good foundation as well as fine motor skills.
Shidoshi helps out the parent of our students by teaching them how to respect themselves as well as others and how to be the best person they can be.
Shidoshi Jones and Teacher-5th Degree Blackbelt Shidoshi Mike
ABOUT VICE PRESIDENT/SENSEI 1ST DEGREE BLACKBELT JOSH TOOKER
SENSEI JOSH HELPED CO-FOUND GREY WOLF MARTIAL ARTS WITH SHIDOSHI JONES IN 2006. JOSH HAS BEEN AROUND MARTIAL ARTS HIS WHOLE LIFE BUT DIDNT BEGIN TO STUDY IT UNTIL 1999 AT THE AGE OF 10. HE RECEIVED HIS 1ST DEGREE BLACK BELT AND TEACHERS CERTIFICATE UNDER SHIDOSHI TROY JONES. IN 2009 JOSH COMPETED IN THE SOUTH SUBURBAN INVITATIONAL WHERE HE RECEIVED 1ST PLACE IN FORMS AND 2ND PLACE IN SPARRING. HE TEACHES MARTIAL ARTS AS HEAD INSTRUCTOR FOR THE CHILDRENS/ADULTS CLASS FOLLOWING INSTRUCTION FROM SHIDOSHI JONES.
ABOUT ASSISTANT INSTRUCTOR/HEAD OF SALES KARL FORTNER
KARL JOINED GREYWOLF MMA IN 2008 AND IS NOW BROWN BELT AND ASST. INSTRUCTOR UNDER SENSEI JOSH. WHEN KARL JOINED GREY WOLF HE HAD A LITTLE BIT OF KNOWLEDGE OF THE MARTIAL ARTS FROM WHAT HE LEARNED WHEN HE SERVED OUR COUNTRY AS A MARINE. THIS ALSO MADE IT VERY EASY TO TEACH HIM. KARL ALSO PLACED IN THE SOUTH SUBURBAN INVATIONAL WHERE HE RECIVED 1ST PLACE IN FORMS AND 2ND IN SPARRING.
ABOUT 5TH DEGREE BLACKBELT OF NINJUTSU SHIDOSHI MIKE JONES (PICTURED ABOVE WITH SHIDOSHI TROY)
Over 40 years martial art training and over 20 years training in the Bujinkan.
SHIDOSHI IS ALSO A 3RD DEGREE BLACKBELT IN TAE KWON DO AND HAS TRAINED MILITARTY PERSONNEL
STUDENT OF GRAND MASTER SOKE HATSUMI (HEAD INSTRUCTOR OF 9 RYU'S OF NINJUTSU)
SHIDOSHI JONES HAS TRAINED UNDER GRAND MASTER SOKE HATSUMI FOR 20+ YEARS.
DURING HIS TRAINING HE MASTERED SEVERAL TECHNIQUES INCLUDING
- SWORD
- SHIRKEN
- STICK
- STAFF
- COMBAT TACTICS
- AND MORE
SOME STYLES OF MARTIAL ARTS
PASARYU
PaSaRyu, meaning "Way of Honor", is an American style of martial arts with heavy influences and a blend of elements of Karate, Kung Fu, and Taekwondo. The style is more open and free than the traditional forms. It was developed by Master Kang Rhee.
Master Kang Rhee began training in Korea from 1953 through 1956 under Master Nam Sak Lee who established the Chang Moo Kwan Kong Soo Do Association in Seoul. While there, he learned the value of perfect and clear technique. Kang Rhee later went to train under Master Chul Hee Park who established the Kang Duk Won Moo Do Association in Seoul. From 1957 through 1964, Rhee defined and refined his technique for more grace and beauty.
After becoming the All-Korea Champion, Master Kang Rhee came to the United States in 1964. Combining the training he had received from both Masters, Master Rhee developed the PaSaRyu system and established the PaSaRyu Martial Artist Association in Memphis, Tennessee.
From there, Master Rhee has began teaching many students and the martial art of PaSaRyu. Over the years, he has had several famous students, most notably Bill “Superfoot” Wallce and Elvis Presley (who was referred to Rhee by Karate legend Ed Parker). Over his storied career, Kang Rhee has promoted over 950 black belts and has remained the Director of the World Black Belt Bureau.
Like many traditional martial arts systems, PaSaRyu additionally contains a unique personal philosophy that emphasizes self-improvement. PaSaRyu also teaches the philosophy of SUN, which are the positive principles that encourage individuals to acknoledge respect and appreciation. It teaches the importance of being a total and true martial artist.
Master Rhee was once labeled the "Disciple of Discipline" by Karate magazine. "If we are uncoordinated, with no confidence or discipline, then we are our own opponent."
The katas borrow from each of the styles as well that make up PaSaRyu. Unlike a majority of martial arts systems, the PaSaRyu sets of katas include difficult and combative two-man-sets, which further adds to sparring techniques.
Weapons typically taught at PaSaRyu schools include the bo staff, chucks, kama, cane, sai, and tonfa. Intricate self defense techniques, including defensive measures against weapons, are also taught.
PaSaRyu is a contemporary martial art style combining both traditional and modern applications thus making it beneficial and appropriate for all martial artists.
AIKIDO
Aikido,"the way of divine harmony", is a Japanese martial art. Aikido is often translated as "the Way of unifying (with) life energy" or as "the Way of harmonious spirit."
Founded in 1938 by Ueshiba Morihei, a martial artists who had studied daito-ryu aiki-ju-jitsu, developed Aikido as a synthesis of his martial studies, philosophy, and religious beliefs. He started teaching his new ‘way of divine harmony’ which was dubbed Aikido in order to promote a higher level of martial artist for 20th Century Japan. His goal was to create an art that practitioners could use to defend themselves while also protecting their attacker from injury.
Developed from the Zen philosophy in the belief that the center of mediation and the source of mental strength or power, ki, is centered in the body, about an inch above the navel, Aikido is essentially a noncombative martial arts. Instead it emphasizes throwing and joint techniques over striking and kicking techniques. Students are taught to react to an attack by throwing and subduing the aggressor and by applying pressure to joints or vital points causing pain and submission.
Requiring little physical energy, Aikido is performed by blending with the motion of the attacker and redirecting the force of the attack rather than opposing it head-on. The practitioner "leads" the attacker's momentum using entering and turning movements. The techniques are completed with various throws or joint locks.
The techniques Ueshiba created emphasized throwing and ensnaring by the use of circular movements. Evasion techniques are used to avoid conflict. Since Aikido is an entirely defensive art, practicing free form sparring is considered unacceptable and morally repugnant.
Various styles have since been developed including a style of sport Aikido combining special techniques that derive from judo. Another style developed includes combat-oriented techniques and closely resembles the classical sect of aiki-jujitsu, though it’s spiritual purpose is like Ueshiba’s Aikido. These styles as well as Ueshiba's original noncombative system have become popular and taught throughout the world.
Aikido can be categorized under the general umbrella of grappling arts.
BRAZILIAN JIU-JITSU (BJJ)
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) is a martial art and combat sport that focuses on grappling, especially ground fighting.
In the mid-1800's in Japan, there were a large number of styles of jiu-jitsu. Techniques varied between style, but generally included all manner of unarmed combat (strikes, throws, locks, chokes, wrestling, etc.) and occasionally some weapons training.
In 1914, a Japanese Judo and jiu-jitsu master named Mitsuo Maeda came to Brazil. In return for help from the Brazilian politician Gastao Gracie, Koma taught jiu-jitsu to Gastao's son Carlos. Carlos in turn taught his brothers, most notably Helio. The Gracies went on to further refine the art via constant no-rules competition, developing what is now commenly referred to as Gracie Jiu-Jitsu. When they opened their first jiu-jitsu academy in 1925, Gracie Jiu-Jitsu was born in Brazil.
At this point, the base of techniques in BJJ was similar to those in Judo academies in Japan. However, the Gracies were willing fight outside of weight categories, permitting a skilled small fighter to attempt to defeat a much larger opponent. They further began to concentrate more and more on submission ground fighting, especially utilizing the guard position.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is primarily a ground-fighting art. Most techniques involve both fighters on the mat. There is a heavy emphasis on positional strategy, which is about which fighter is on top, and where each person's legs are. Positions are stable situations, from which a large variety of techniques are available to both fighters.
The primary positions include the guard, side control, back mount. Specific techniques taught are designed either to improve one's position or for creating finishing submissions. Most submissions are either chokes or arm locks.
BJJ promotes the principle that a smaller, weaker person can successfully defend themselves against a bigger, stronger assailant using leverage and proper technique; most notably, by applying joint-locks and chokeholds to defeat them. BJJ can be trained for self defense, sport grappling tournaments (gi and no-gi) and mixed martial arts (MMA) competition. 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.
Royce Gracie, son of Helio Gracie, became a larger than life character and the growth of BJJ explode after winning the UFC's first mixed martial arts competition. After defeating several opponents of different styles, Gracie's style helped infuse BJJ as a key component of mixed martial arts worldwide. The success of fighters including Anderson Silva, BJ Penn, and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueria to name a few, have made BJJ a necessity in mixed martial arts training regimens.
Although Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is sometimes taught under slightly different names, in Brazil it is generally known simply as "jiu-jitsu". Members of the Gracie family often call it "Gracie Jiu-Jitsu".
HAPKIDO
Hapkido is a Korean martial art and form of self-defense that employs joint locks, techniques of other martial arts, as well as common unskilled means of attacks.
The birth of modern hapkido can be traced to the efforts of a group of Korean nationals in the post Japanese colonial period of Korea. Yong Sul Choi though is noted to have founded hapkido.
From 1919 to the beginning of World War II, Choi had studied Daito-ryu aiki-jujitsu in Japan. Around 1939, Choi combined his knowledge of aiki-jujitsu with the Korean styles of hwarangdo and taekyon. The art further evolved from Daitō-ryū Aiki-jūjutsu or a closely related jujutsu system taught by Choi, who had lived in Japan for 30 years, when he returned to Korea after WWII. This system was later combined with kicking and striking techniques of indigenous and contemporary arts such as taekkyeon and tang soo do.
Until the 1960’s hapkido was known by various names: yu kwon sool, yu-sool, ho shin sool, and bi sool. In the early 1960’s, the Korean Kido-Association was formed and formalized under the leadership of Choi.
Hapkido training takes place in a dojang and contains both long and close range fighting techniques which utilize dynamic kicking and percussive hand strikes at longer ranges and pressure point strikes, jointlocks, or throws at closer fighting distances. Like most martial arts, hapkido employs a great number of punches and hand strikes, as well as elbow strikes. Hapkido emphasizes circular motion, non-resisting movements, and control of the opponent. Practitioners seek to gain advantage through footwork and body positioning to employ leverage, avoiding the use of strength against strength.
Additionally, Hapkido utilizes traditional weapons including the short stick, cane, rope, nunchucku, sword, and staff which vary in emphasis depending on the particular tradition examined.
The motion picture “Billy Jack” rocketed the Korean art to popularity in America. The movie was choreographed by Bong Soo Han, one of Choi's primary students. The movie's fight scenes laid the foundation for almost every action film that followed.
The “Billy Jack kick,” (crescent kick) was called "the kick felt around the world" because of the effect it had on martial arts enrollments. Soon after the movie hit theaters, thousands of new students flocked to martial arts schools all over the country eager to learn the moves made popular by the film’s star Tom Laughlin.
JEET KUNE DO
Jeet Kune Do (JKD), meaning "the Way of the Intercepting Fist," is a martial art and life philosophy founded by Bruce Lee in 1967. Unlike more traditional martial arts, JKD is not fixed or patterned, and is a philosophy with guiding thoughts. When asked to describe his new way of fighting, Lee said, “To create a method of fighting is pretty much like putting a pound of water into wrapping paper and shaping it.”
Over the years, there has been much debate over whether JKD is a style or a philosophy. Lee himself was quoted as saying “it’s only a name.” Though, he had to have some way of referring to the techniques and strategies he was using.
“Jeet Kune Do is just a name, a boat to get one across the river,” Lee once remarked. “Once across it is to be discarded and not to be carried on one’s back.
Lee was teaching the traditional Chinese martial art of wing chun at his school in 1964 in Oakland, California. The area kung fu instructors, unhappy that he was teaching non-Chinese students, sent Wong J. Man from Hong Kong to Oakland with an ultimatum: close the school or throw down. The challenge was met right there and the two faced off. After an excruciating three minutes, Lee realized that even though he had successfully dispensed with the challenger, the traditional arts were not as effective as he wanted them to be in a real situation. He then began studying various fighting systems.
Contrary to common misconception, Bruce Lee did not merely take techniques from various arts and throw them together. He studied and tested very specific elements, and essentially, these were elements from only two arts—Western fencing and boxing. His concept was to create a system void of rules, he said of his system that it possesses everything but in itself is possessed by nothing.
Jeet Kune Do’s stance, footwork, and major strategic points come from fencing. For body mechanics and maximum generation of power, Lee turned to boxers Edwin Haislet, Jack Dempsey, and Jim Dricsoll. JKD’s vertical-fist jab, proper alignment, striking surface, hip rotation, and kinetic chain sequence all come from boxing.
At any given time his art can resemble Thai boxing, wing chung, wrestling, or karate. Kicks are delivered low, usually to the opponent’s shin or knee, because this is typically quicker than the high kicks used in many other martial arts. Its weaponry resembles Filipino escrima and kali, and, at long range, northern Chinese gung-fu or tae kwon do.
According to Lee, the efficiency of style depended upon circumstances and range. He also believed that a style should never be the last word in application of techniques. Different situations required different techniques. The ability to flow with the change of events was very important to Lee's fighting philosophy and he likely would have continued to improve on its arsenal by continuously modifying techniques.
In 2004, the Bruce Lee Foundation decided to use the name Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do to refer to the martial arts system that Lee founded. "Jun Fan" was Lee's Chinese given name, so the literal translation is "Jun Fan's Way of the Intercepting Fist."
JUDO
Judo, meaning "gentle way", is a modern Japanese martial art and combat sport, that originated in Japan in the late 19th century.
Judo's most prominent feature is its object 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 executing 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 and are not allowed in judo competition or free practice.
The central principle behind judo lies in using the opponent’s strength and momentum against him. After breaking the attacker’s balance, a variety of throws may be used to score on your opponent. However, before learning to throw, judo students must learn to fall without injuring themselves. Practitioners of judo, known as jūdōka, learn how to use their arms and legs as shock absorbers to absorb the shock of a fall. Ground techniques divided into holding techniques, strangling or choking techniques, and arm lock techniques are also used in judo.
By the mid 19th Century more than 700 different styles of ju-jutsu were being taught throughout Japan. Kano Jigori studied many of these systems of unarmed combat. He later formulated a plan for the founding of a reformed method to turn the deadly techniques of jujitsu into a sport that would help practitioners to develop a strong mind, body and spirit.
By 1882, Kano began teaching ju-do when he opened his first dojo, the Kodokan. The formulation of the Kodokan style was completed by 1887 when his new style was accepted by the Japanese Ministry of Education, which adopted judo as a sport within the school system.
Judo began to gain popularity in the western world by the early 1900’s and was included as a sport for the first time at the 1964 Olympic Games.
Ultimately, the philosophy and subsequent pedagogy developed for judo became the model for almost all modern Japanese martial arts that developed from "traditional" schools (koryū).
Today judo is one of the world’s most popular forms of martial arts. In addition, the worldwide spread of judo has led to the development of a number of other disciplines such as Sambo and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
JUJUTSU
Jujutsu, often spoken and referred to as jujitsu, is a collective name for Japanese martial art styles including unarmed and armed techniques.
Meaning the "art of softness" or "way of yielding," it is a fighting system employing techniques including strikes, kicks, throws, joint locks, and choking. In addition, jujutsu also teaches weapons techniques. Influences from jujutsu can be found in many of the martial arts. It is considered a soft art due to its concept of using balance, leverage, and momentum to overcome opponents.
Around 1600, the term "jujutsu" emerged yet Japanese old-style jujutsu dates back to the samurai of feudal Japan near 1300. It emerged as a method for defeating an armed and armored opponent without weapons. Due to the ineffectiveness of striking against an armored opponent, the most efficient methods for neutralizing an enemy took the form of pins, joint locks, and throws. These techniques were developed around the principle of using an attacker's energy against him, rather than directly opposing it.
Jujutsu developed in many independent schools in Japan over the centuries. As the art has evolved along with a large syllabus of techniques, individual schools today have begun teaching variations and/or a subset of the vast range of existing jujutsu techniques.
Various forms of sports jujutsu have evolved over the years including judo and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. The Olympic sport and martial art of judo was developed from several traditional styles of jujutsu. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu developed from earlier versions (pre-World War II) of Kodokan judo and Japanese jujutsu.
As jujutsu also provides many practical arm lock and submission techniques, its techniques have been popular with police forces all over the world.
Some examples of martial arts that have developed from or have been influenced by jujutsu include Aikido, Hapkido, Judo, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Sambo, and Kenpo to name a few. Also, some styles of Japanese Karate additionally utilize these techniques.
Jujutsu systems, especially in Japan, and variations of the art have seen a growth in interest due to its influence on mixed martial arts systems.
KENPO
Kenpō is the name of several martial arts but is widely recognized as a martial art with roots in Hawaii.
The word kenpō is a Japanese translation of the Chinese word "quánfǎ. This term is often informally transliterated as "kempo." As a result, the generic nature of the term combined with its widespread, cross-cultural adoption in the martial arts community has led to many divergent definitions.
In Japanese martial arts, kenpō is used to designate Chinese martial arts, much as the way kung fu is used in English-speaking countries.
Kenpō has also been appropriated as a modern term: a name for multiple martial arts that developed in Hawaii due to cross-cultural exchange between practitioners of Ryukyuan martial arts, Chinese martial arts, Japanese martial arts, and multiple additional influences.
Dr. James Mitose, a Japanese-American, was largely responsible for spreading Kenpo throughout the Hawaiian Islands. Born in Hawaii, he was sent to Japan where he learned at a very young age his ancestral art of self-defense called “kosho-ryu,” said to be based directly on Shao-lin kung-fu. Mitose returned to Hawaii in 1936 and five years later he organized the Official Self-Defense Club in Honolulu.
Mitose emphasized the attacking of vital areas by punching, striking, chopping, thrusting, and poking. Similar to Japanese styles that also utilized throws, locks, and takedowns, it differed technically and philosophically. Mitose' style employed linear and circular movements, using intermittent power.
In the United States, kenpo is often referred to as Kenpo Karate. The most widespread styles have their origin in the teachings of James Mitose and his student William Kwai Sun Chow. Chow later instructed Ed Parker who became a leader and was dubbed the “Father of Kenpo Karate” in America.
Their lineage also includes Kajukenbo, an art that does not use the kenpō name itself, but which possesses recognized offshoots that do. These arts have spread around the world through multiple lineages, not all of which agree on a common historical narrative. Notable systems such as Kajukenbo employed harder direct movements and Kenpo Karate (developed by Ed Parker), employ more of the Chinese circular movements with a signature "rapid fire" combination of blows to vital areas of the body.
KICKBOXING
Kickboxing refers to the sport of combining the grace and style of both boxing with kicking. Kickboxing is not inherently a martial art, although a great majority of kickboxers originate from a martial arts background. It is a standing sport and does not allow continuation of the fight once a combatant has reached the ground.
There are many arts labeled kickboxing including Japanese kickboxing, American kickboxing, Indian boxing, Burmese boxing, as well as French boxing. However, the term has become more commonly associated with the Japanese and American variants. Furthermore, unlike Muay Thai, also known as Thai Boxing, kickboxing does not allow kicks below the belt and also does not allow strikes with knees and elbows.
The term kickboxing was created by a Japanese boxing promoter who created a promotion for the sport as a variant of Muay Thai and Karate that he created in the 1950s. The term was later used by the American variant. When used by the practitioners of those two styles, it usually has referred to those styles specifically.
Kickboxing is often practiced for self-defense, physical fitness, and/or as a full-contact sport. In the full-contact sport the male boxers are bare-chested wearing boxing gloves, shorts, and protective gear. Female boxers typically wear a tank top and chest protection in addition to other protective gear.
Rules vary but generally points are scored by kicking certain parts of the body. A certain number of kicks must be thrown per round or the fighter will have points deducted.
Over the sporting years, many boxers have made the transition to kickboxing by training in the martial arts and learning how to kick.
The sport has grown with popular stars including Bill “Superfoot” Wallace, Chuck Norris, and Joe Lewis. It has also remained extremely popular and has grown extensively in Europe, especially in Holland.
MIXED MARTIAL ARTS (MMA)
Mixed martial arts (MMA) is a full contact combat sport that allows a wide variety of fighting techniques developed from various martial arts traditions and styles.
Modern MMA competition traced its roots from mixed style contests throughout Europe, Japan, and Brazil during the 20th century. However, MMA began its true explosion with international exposure and widespread publicity in 1993, with the formation of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Originally organized with the intention of finding the most effective martial arts for real unarmed combat situations, competitors were pitted against one another with minimal rules for safety. Fighters from various disciplines battled it out in the same ring to the delight of bloodthirsty crowds. Rorion Gracie organized the first fight and designed the trademark arena, the Octagon. Aside from three simple rules—no biting, eye-gouging, or fish-hooking—the UFC prided itself on no-holds-barred fighting, with little regulation.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu fighter Royce Gracie won the first UFC tournament, subduing three challengers in a total of just five minutes. A similar type of Vale Tudo event in Japan in 1985 with fighter Rickson Gracie winning the tournament helped continue interest in the sport resulting in the creation of the Pride Fighting Championships.
As the sport's popularity grew, politicians condemned it. John McCain called it “human cockfighting”. As a result, later promotions adopted many additional rules in order to promote the sport to more of a mainstream audience for acceptance. In November 2000, the UFC added weight classes and 28 more rules, outlawing head butts, hair pulling, and groin shots.
MMA combines techniques of various other fighting systems, most notably including boxing, jujitsu, wrestling, judo, karate, kickboxing, kung fu, and taekwondo. The rules allow the use of striking and grappling techniques, both while standing and on the ground. Competitions from different backgrounds are able to compete against one another. Prominent MMA contenders include wrestlers, boxers, and black belts in martial arts. Most train in various disciplines for greater success. Notable disciplines for training typically include wrestling and/or Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu for ground fighting and Muay Thai for striking.
Modern mixed martial arts fighters come from varied backgrounds including Brock Lesnar's amateur and pro wrestling background, Lyoto Machida's karate background, Anderson Silva's Muay Thai expertise, and BJ Penn's Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu training.
Driven by the phenomenal success of the Ultimate Fighting Championships (UFC) pay-per-view televised contests, MMA is now the fastest-growing sport in the United States. The sport reached a new peak of popularity in December 2006 when Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz broke pay-per-view records with their rematch at UFC 66. The event rivaled the pay-per-view sales of some of the biggest boxing events of all time. According to Sports Illustrated, the UFC scored pay-per-view revenues of $223 million in 2006, compared to $177 million for boxing, and $200 million for WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment).
In November 2005, the United States Army also began to sanction mixed martial arts with the first annual Army Combatives Championships held by the U.S. Army Combatives School.
MUAY THAI
Muay Thai is a form of martial arts practiced in large parts of the world, including Thailand and other Southeast Asian countries. The national sport of Thailand, the art of Muay Thai is similar to others in Southeast Asia such as: pradal serey in Cambodia, lethwei in Myanmar, tomoi in Malaysia and Lao boxing in Laos.
Known as "The Art of Eight Limbs", Muay Thai utilizes the hands, shins, elbows, and knees. A practitioner of Muay Thai thus has the ability to execute strikes using eight points of contact.
The art of Thai boxing is a self-defense technique that is as old as Thailand itself. Thai boxing is a branch of knowledge, whose existence dates far back Thai culture.
In 300 B.C., the Thai Mung were invaded and sent fleeing for their lives to the south of Thailand. The vanquished villagers developed a form of self-defense using their feet, knees elbows and fists as a way to defend themselves. This evolved into the art we now know as Muay Thai.
When Burma attempted to conquer Thailand, they were defeated when the Burmese army was driven back at the hands of Thai fighters using Thai boxing, spears, and elephants. For more than 2000 years Thai boxing has played a significant role in the survival of Thailand.
In former times, Thai boxers would bind their hands with hard and abrasive surfaces. The practice was eventually discontinued and then replaced with padded gloves. Kicking rubber plants for conditioning legs and shins has since been replaced by canvas bags but the training remains as rigorous now as it was centuries ago.
Traditional Muay Thai practiced today varies significantly from the ancient art muay boran and uses kicks and punches in a ring with gloves similar to those used in Western boxing.
A practitioner of Muay Thai who is not of Thai nationality or race, is known as a Falang Nak Muay (foreign boxer).
Muay Thai has seen a jump in popularity worldwide as it has been recognized as effective in mixed martial arts training and competition. Competitors including Anderson "The Spider" Silva, Mauricio "Shogun" Rua, and Gina Carano, Cris Cyborg are some of many fighters who claim Muay Thai as their main fighting style.
The recent films "Ong-Bak" and "The Protector" have demonstrated Muay Thai star Tony Jaa's incredible martial arts abilities.
TAE KWON DO
Tae Kwon Do, also commonly spelled taekwondo, is a Korean martial art and the national sport of South Korea. In Korean, tae means "to strike or break with foot"; kwon means "to strike or break with fist"; and do means "way," "method," or "art." Thus, "tae kwon do" may be loosely translated as "the way of the foot and fist" or "the way of kicking and punching." It incorporates the abrupt linear movements of karate and the flowing, circular patterns of kung fu with Korean kicking techniques.
Formally, there are two main styles of tae kwon do. One comes from the Kukkiwon, which is governed by the World Taekwondo Federation. The other comes from the International Taekwon-Do Federation (ITF). There is also a more recent form called Songham Taekwondo or the American Taekwondo Association (ATA) and other variations of it such as STF (Songham Taekwondo Federation) and WTTU (World Traditional Taekwondo Union).
Traditional tae kwon do typically refers to the martial art as it was established in the 1950s and 1960s by Gneral Choi Hong Hi. Considered the father of tae kwon do, Choi's traditional tae kwon do includes names and symbolism of the traditional patterns often referring to elements of Korean history. Sport tae kwon do has evolved in the decades since then and has a somewhat different focus, especially in terms of its emphasis on speed and competition, such as in Olympic sparring. Whereas traditional tae kwon do tends to emphasize power and self-defense. The two are not mutually exclusive, and the distinctions between them are often blurred.
Although there are technical differences between the two main styles and among the various organizations, tae kwon do generally emphasizes kicks thrown from a mobile stance, utilizing the leg's greater reach and power as compared to the arm. The greatest difference between various styles, is generally accepted to be the differing styles and rules of sport and competition. Tae kwon do training generally includes a system of blocks, kicks, punches, and open-handed strikes and may also include various take-downs or sweeps, throws, and joint locks. Some tae kwon do instructors also incorporate the use of pressure points as well as grabbing self-defense techniques borrowed from other martial arts, such as Hapkido and Judo.
Kicking is heavily stressed as one of the primary characteristics of tae kwon do. Tae kwon do kicking techniques are divided into direct and circular attacks. It is also famous for its devastating flying kicks. Most commonly, kicks are delivered from the back stance with the body’s weight distributed mostly on the back leg. Unlike Okinawan and Japanese karate systems, tae kwon do advocates a broader array of kicks, many of which are aimed at head level, considered relatively rare in other martial arts.
In 1955, General Choi submitted the name tae kwon do to a conference of chung do kwan masters to unite the fighting styles art under one name. The name was accepted and was officially recognized as the national martial art of Korea. He later moved to Montreal and emphasized tae kwon do for the self defense aspects.
However, another fraction of tae kwon do practitioners organized the World Taekwondo Federation in 1973 and focused on the sport aspect of the art.
Today, tae kwon do is the world's most popular martial art, in terms of the number of practitioners, an also an Olympic sport. It is also used by the South Korean military as part of its training.
TANG SOO DO
Tang Soo Do is a Korean martial art promoted by Hwang Kee that has roots in various styles of martial arts. However, the term Tang Soo Do has evolved in the western world to currently describe a form of Karate that is distinctly Korean, but is different than both Taekwondo and Soo Bahk Do.
"The way of the Chinese hand" is relatively modern and a composite style, being 60 percent Soo Bahk Do, 30 percent northern Chinese, and 10 percent southern Chinese. Tang Soo Do is both a hard and soft style, deriving its hardness in part from Soo Bahk and its soft flowing movements from the northern Chinese systems.
Prior to the unification of the initial schools (or kwans) of Tang Soo Do in Korea under the Korea Taekwondo Association, the arts were known as Tang Soo Do, Kong Soo Do, or Kwon Bup. Despite the effort, the kwans continued to teach their individual styles and stopped using the various names when they unified under the name Taekwondo (and temporarily Tae Soo Do).
The Moo Duk Kwan, being loyal to Kee, pulled out of the unification and remained independent, continuing to use the name 'Tang Soo Do'. Some Moo Duk Kwan members followed Hwang's senior student, Chong Soo Hong, to become members of a unified Taekwondo.
The late Hwang Kee officially changed the name of the art of the Moo Duk Kwan style to Soo Bahk Do as early as 1957, shortly after his discovery of Korea's indigenous open hand fighting style of Subak. This change was officially registered, and the Moo Duk Kwan refiled with the Korean Ministry of Education on June 30, 1960. The organization was officially reincorporated as the "Korean Soo Bahk Do Association, Moo Duk Kwan."
Tang Soo Do incorporates many fluid "soft" movements reminiscent of certain traditional Chinese martial arts and kicking techniques rooted in Korean taekkyeon. Other modern Tang Soo Do systems teach what is essentially Korean Karate in an early organized form. The World Tang Soo Do Association and the International Tang Soo Do federation, for instance, teach systems of Tang Soo Do that existed before the Taekwondo "merger" and before the development of modern Soo Bahk Do Moo Duk Kwan. These versions of Tang Soo Do are heavily influenced by Korean culture and also appear related to Okinawan Karate.
Tang Soo Do continues to expand and flourish under numerous federations and organizations. It can be argued that Tang Soo Do is one of the most widely practiced martial arts in the United States. Yet due to political in-fighting and splintering, Tang Soo Do is not as unified as Tae Kwon Do.
Tang Soo Do's most famous practitioner is Chuck Norris who preferred it during his fighting career. Norris helped to pioneer this art and in the process became one of the world's most famous martial artists.
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