Archive for July, 2008

Every parents worst nightmare happened to me a couple of months back – My oldest son called me to tell me my youngest son had just been mugged! He did not have many details other than my son was walking for exercise (as he often does) and these three guys jumped him! I was also told he was bruised but ok.

Let me tell you I had so many emotions running through my head but I was also trying to use my experience to tell my oldest son that the police should handle the matter. I felt like hunting for some street toughs but that could rapidly digress into something I would end up regretting. I’m happy to say I opted for finding some more information. More on my son’s situation in a minute but while searching robbery youtube videos, I found this of some courageous beauty school women that took matters into their own hands to deal some hurt to a robber.

 
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A Well now I have just been reviewing mixed martial arts and happened to find this video of a rising MMA star, “Killer Willard,” the Boxing Kangaroo teaching his trainers the fine points of Outback Kangaroo kicks and punches. The funny thing about this to me (other than a giant rat-like boxer) was the kangaroo was actually pretty good. I had to try and work this video in somewhere and it seemed to fit nicely with MMA

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I watched the International Fight League (IFL) on TV last night and was entertained by the heavyweight match featuring Roy Nelson vs. Brad Imes. I did not know either fighter but heard that Imes used to play football and was in the WEC and UFC. I was expecting the chubby (ok - fat) Roy "Big Country" Nelson, 6' 1", to be dodging punches from the 6' 7" Imes. Take a gander at this fight - I think you will enjoy this.

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Are you a woman that has noticed how much stronger men are than you? Do you have the mind set that anything a man can do, I (the woman) can do better! Well then, I commend your spirit! The first part of part of doing is believing… let me say that again… The first part of doing IS BELIEVING!!!

I am not one of those men that believe I can take any woman in a fight. Huh… many of my male friends are thinking??? Yes… I think women are quite capable of defending their honor if ever put to the test but a woman has to believe she is capable of such a thing. This post will focus on helping woman believe they are powerful in self-defense situations. I will talk about fighting muscle with one’s wit and not fighting the man’s fight. I’ll have each woman reading this post echoing that old Helen Reddy song, “… I Am Woman, Hear Me Roar…”!!! I will also show some common eye, ear, throat, nose and chin strikes. Here is a quick video of one type of eye strike that would devastate a man in an altercation.

 
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I grew up during the Captain America matinees and was amazed to see how each week – Captain America would save the world for freedom! I liked comic books and wondered how some people got lucky with super-powers. I watched Under Dog, Super Man, Batman and occasionally saw Bat Girl and Cat Woman. So I was exposed to some strong woman super-heroes and villains but Wonder Woman for me demonstrated that a woman super-hero did not have to ride the capes of her male counter-parts! Yes when Wonder Woman first aired, I saw women in an entirely new light!

I wondered if women could really win in a fight against a man. It was kind of interesting, back in the day, seeing Wonder Woman fighting men and still keeping a beautiful figure! Society was a male dominated at the time and they (men in general) did not want to see muscle women (my guess – too threatening). I figured that a super-hero-woman could take a guy but in real life – guys were stronger and better fighters (this is before I was enlightened with karate). Lynda Carter played Wonder Woman fantastically! She was a tall woman that made it believable (from my young mind influenced by Batman and Robin fights) that a woman could beat a man! Well now I would like to explore how far women have come in this endeavor to (at least in self-defense) even up the battle of the sexes and tell some true life stories of a couple of truly courageous woman fighters I have known.

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[Forward: My good friend, David Hays is contributing this article. David is a 4th degree Kenpo black belt from Dick Willett. Dave has been a fierce tournament competitor, studio owner and now he mentors the upcoming generations of karate students. The photo credits go to Barbara Steinberg. Welcome David! John W. Zimmer]

On June 14th, 2008 Dick Willett’s senior Black Belts hosted a seminar in San Diego Ca. with the legendary Joe Lewis and world champion grappler Dean Lister.

Joe Lewis was the best of the best in the golden age of Sport Karate.  During the early years of martial arts in America, he stood out as the best in the sport. There was no one more feared and/or respected than the legendary Joe Lewis.

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