New Technology Destroys Kung Fu!
[I:http://www.aikido-judo-karate.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/AlCase9.jpg]I saw the beginning of this over forty years ago while studying Kenpo Karate/Kung Fu, and it is still going on. In fact, it is worse than ever, and corrupts the majority of arts to a great degree. I will give you a couple of examples, and hopefully you can see to repairing the martial art that you study.
I was studying Ed Parker Kenpo Karate, and we began using pads. At first, the pads were only used to help fellows with knee problems, or that sort of thing, but the assortment of pads quickly grew. Soon pads were used on the shins for bruises, on the feet, on the shins, on the elbows and wrists, and so on.
Suddenly, people figured out that there was money in this padding thing. School owners realized that selling pads upped the revenue, and began pushing them to every student for every class. The selling of protective devices became a million dollar business that infected every school.
Now, you might be wondering why this is so bad. We’re just protecting little Johnny, right? But this is part of the school owner propaganda, and part of the selling gimmick.
When you wear pads you think your punches aren’t going to cause enough damage, and so you begin punching harder. Thus, the protective gear actually encourages less control and more violence. When you think about it, if you have to be aware and responsible so that you don’t get hurt, you start to control yourself and learn the true art.
The true martial art has to do with learning how to control yourself, you see. If you learn how to control your actions, then you start learning about yourself, and this makes you a better individual, on and off the matt. If you think you have to punch somebody harder and harder to make it work, then the people you fight are going to be more in danger.
Now, I saw this type of thought process infect the martial arts world back in the sixties. I also saw the introduction of fake weapons, so that people wouldn’t hurt themselves, which also decreases the need for learning control, and for the true appreciation of one’s own art. And, now people must wear mouthpieces, chest protectors, cups, and whatever else they can be scared or forced into buying.
The people who invented the martial arts, who passed them down through the generations, did not use such things, and I suspect they would have laughed at them. Bear in mind that I am not asking people to put themselves at risk, I am asking that people practice martial arts with no accoutrements, so that they can take responsibility for what they do, and not be cushioned against learning about themselves. Whether you study Tae Kwon Do, Kung Fu, traditional Karate, or whatever, you should follow Ed Parker’s advice…’I come to you with empty hands.
You can find out about all sorts of things that corrupt the martial arts, you can even learn how to fix your own art at Monster Martial Arts. Pick up a free ebook about matrixing while you’re there. 7
Should You Use A Speed Bag For Mixed Martial Arts?
Using speed bags in MMA is controversial. There are some that say they have no use in traditional boxing and certainly not in MMA. Still others say they are quite useful.
The reason the speed bag gets a bad rap is because those opposed feel that the actual motions of the bag do not capture the actual punching motions that are used in MMA.
This conclusion is reached because the modern versions of the speed bag are a lot different than the ones in the early 20th century were. The older ones had platforms that were much larger and had longer chains to hold it on with. The modern day chains are about 3″ but the older ones were 18″ or more.
The purpose of training with the speed bag changed when the bag itself changed. The classic model was used more for integrating slips into training while the modern speed bag has two different training devices, the modern bag made from 1950 on and the double end bag.
Today’s bag still has a lot of value as it helps in training is several important aspects in MMA.
One thing the speed bag has to give in boxing, kickboxing and in the MMA gym as well is that it is very effective in developing hand-eye coordination. You have to be able to hit the bag right when it comes into range, immediately when you see it coming. If you are too early or too late, you totally throw off the rhythm of the bag.
When the hand-eye skills have been mastered, you can develop more skills with the help of the bag such as timing. Timing is of great importance when it comes to striking. The repetition of hitting the bag helps teach proper timing which will help your performance in the ring.
One of the things that training with the speed bag does that is not common knowledge is that is strengthens your ability to keep your hands up. Keeping your hands up can prevent your nose from being broken so it is of utmost importance.
Because the bag comes at you so fast, you have to move fast as well. If your hands are too low, you simply wont hit the bag effectively. If you are not in proper position, you cannot work the speed bag so in learning to use the bag, you will subsequently learn to keep your hands up.
Even with the attributes mentioned, there is still criticism that the bag does not literally translate to sparring. But why then do most top professional boxers use them in their workouts?
Another controversial piece of workout equipment is the double end bag, a close cousin to the speed bag. Although it functions much like the speed bag, the double end bag “returns to sender” in such a way that it simulates a counter punch. When it “returns”, one must either move out of the way or counter punch.
Another thing the double end bag will do is circle in a 360 degree fashion which offers much to a workout. If you remotely serious about developing punching power, the double end bag is a must. Once you have learned the solid skills of the double end bag, you can move on to train elbows and other tools as well.
If you are going to purchase one or both of these bags, you will want to do so from a well known, established manufacturer. That wont be difficult though because there are many to choose from that have been around for decades.
For bags, Everlast is probably the most popular, mostly because it is the one most seen in retail stores. It is a good buy and not very expensive either.
UFC is an excellent brand that is solid and well made. It is a popular choice for good reasons.
Revgear has both the speed bag and double end bag. The products are well made and the company prides itself on being high quality.
TigerClaw is a company that is well known in some circles, but not so much in MMA. They have quality products and insist on changing to meet the demands of the times.
KWON is another good company to consider. They have bags available that are made with imitation rubber and come with a bungee.
If the company you are purchasing from is a well known name in boxing and the martial arts, the bag should be fine.
If you have decided to train on the speed bag or even the double end bag, you have made a wise choice. Your workouts will build your strength and you will learn to be quick which are vital to a great training session as well as important attributes in the ring.
Finding out which equipment is good for MMA can be tough. There is so much out there. At http://www.ultimate-mma-equipment.com CJ shows you how to find the best MMA Equipment.
