February 6, 2020
When coming up against a fighter who likes to press forward with sharp strikes or kicks in sparring, there is something thing you can do to help turn the tide in your favour.
'Faking' or feinting is a skill which allows you to draw your opponent off balance, break their timing, and generally put them off their attack.
In these circumstances, it sometimes feels impossible to get your opponent to move back. You can use faking skil...
January 23, 2020
Parents, coaches and sport club volunteers are being supported to spot and guard against child sexual exploitation through a low cost course created by national child safeguarding charity NWG Network and funded by Sport England.
The 30-minute course is designed to provide an introduction to safeguarding issues for all those involved in sports at a local level and will be available for just £5. The course available here https://...
January 2, 2020
The ability to throw effective punches is up there with the most important aspects of combat martial arts and sports.
A common mistake when sparring / fighting is the failure to keep your feet directly under your punches. Overreaching puts you off balance and isn't conducive to delivering quality high impact strikes.
Having good balance increases your punching power, allows for better counters, and gives your greater defensive a...
October 16, 2019
Leading the attack or counter fighting is a question most martial artists will have asked themselves many times during their training.
There are seemingly obvious arguments to each method.
Counter-attacking is a more defensive style of fighting, so you'd imagine the risks of being hit would be lower. It also requires waiting for your opponent to make the first move, therefore you could judge the situation whilst deciding what ac...
August 21, 2019
Jacob Edwards-Bytom, director at one of the UK's leading martial arts equipment suppliers, Made4Fighters, provides his comprehensive guide to elbow protection for the modern martial artist.
Protection, Injury Prevention, and Rehabilitation:
Experience a lot of falls to the mat? Play an elbow intense sport like Muay Thai? You need to make sure you protect your elbows, regardless of age. If you’re a long time practitioner of Mar...
July 12, 2019
Sparring is an important aspect of training in nearly every martial art. It's one of the most enjoyable yet challenging experiences for any martial artist, irrespective of grade or ability.
There are no 'secrets to success' when it comes to sparring or competing. Everybody is different and so learns and improves differently, at varying degrees of speed.
Most martial arts require sparring for the more senior grades (belts/sashes)...
June 21, 2019
A common question and sometimes point of contention with sparring equipment is whether a headguard is a help or a hindrance.
The main purpose of a headguard is of course safety. However, it's widely regarded that they are more effective in preventing superficial face injuries such as cuts, rather than brain trauma.
It has been argued that head guards do not make the wearer any less liable to concussion or prevent any serious tra...
May 3, 2019
If you're looking to keep fit or diversify your self defence training, but don't fancy more sprinting on the spot in a sweaty sports hall, outdoor martial arts could be for you.
There's no space restrictions, there's fresh air, and if you don't mind training alone, there's no cost!
We've put together a very basic outline for your very own 'outdoor martial arts' training session.
EQUIPMENT NEEDED - Baggy clothes suitable for train...
April 12, 2019
Even before Mike Tyson stepped into the ring to achieve the 50th win of his career against Clifford Etienne, he was nervous. He kept his eyes on his opponent from the moment he entered the ring, but up until that point he had been nervous.
When a young white belt wakes up on the day of his first competitive martial arts tournament, he feels more anxiety than ever. Fear of the impending pressure, the crowd that will watch him a...
March 27, 2019
Training and competing in martial arts is like any other sport in that it can result in a wide range of injuries. Different types of martial arts may be more likely to result in certain injuries, however there are things you can do to give yourself the best chance of staying injury free.
Martial arts training should take place in a fun and safe environment, although there is a chance any of the following could be suffered -
Skin...