Now when I was growing up (in the dark ages as my kids would say) our family did not have a color TV, microwave, VCR, DVD, cable TV service or computers! Eventually all of those things came but not when I was little.

I remember my brother and I being so happy one Christmas when there was a Rockem Sockem Robots game under the tree! Back in the dark ages when one wanted to play a game – they did not merely turn on the computer or the game system but rather pulled the game out of the box!

In this post I will  tell you about how these games evolved (as I saw it) and hot the modern versions of these video games can contribute to one’s overall martial arts fitness level! Here is an old TV commercial for Rockem Sockem Robots.

That brings back some memories but the thing I did not like about the game is you could move the ring around to try to mess up your opponent! Why sometimes my brother and I would end up in a fight over the Rockem Sockem Robots game!

I had one of the first stable computers, in IBM 286 that had 1mb of memory as well as a 16mb hard drive. I was lucky to have a hard drive as most people had computers with dual 5″ floppy drives (one to boot off of and one for your data). Anyway before Windows came out I found this one game from a BBS (bulletin board service – before the Internet you used to call servers with a telephone directly for data) – Doom. While you can box if you run out of ammo – it is more of a bang bang – shootem up game.

Before computers games were really popular there were various Mortal Kombat games. I should say that there were game systems when I was in my 20′s call Atari. The games I remember was tank and pong.This was a fun game but it did not really catch on with kids as I had bought them their Nintendo and Nintendo 64 games. One of the fighting games they bought was Mortal Kombat! Here is a clip of Mortal Kombat on one of the many game platforms for your perusal.

I really likes to watch my kids play this game but I was not too good with the controllers. I still had the idea that computers would eventually be the way kids played video games so I bought a few games for later PC’s.

I remember one cool concept where my sons would play star wars online against other players around the world! I found a fighting game with the same concept.

You are probably wondering when I am going to tie this into karate or general martial arts fitness? I will not insult your intelligence by mentioning the ancillary benefits of thumb coordination! But I will draw your attention to one of the latest fitness rages – The Nintendo Wii!

Have  you noticed that from plastic toy robots, these fighting games have evolved to interactive fitness training? Not only does the women in this video stay in shape but arguably she might be more comfortable throwing a punch (or at least covering up).

Always on the cutting edge of technology, Apple has turned the mobile music industry on its ears with it iPod offering and unless you have been living under a rock for the last couple of years – the iPhone now has capabilities far greater than my old computers! Video games on the iPhone are now available from the App store.

Apple announced that the new iPhone  is coming soon, the iPhone 3G S, that should push these games to new highs! Here is a video of an App for boxing/MMA on your iPhone.

I am impressed with how much technology has changed since I was a kid. I think that devices like Wii and iPhone can help you with your fitness goals directly or indirectly. There are GPS trackers, Niki interfaces to log distance, fitness and such for your workouts as welll as virtual workouts. Pretty much anything one can imagine now can happen if there is enough interest.

I hope you have enjoyed this brief look at boxing video games and possible tie-ins to self defense and martial arts fitness!

 Subscribe in a reader

Would you like a picture (Gravatar linked to your email address) next to your comment, that can link back to your website? If so goto (http://en.gravatar.com/) to create an account and upload a picture.

Carano vs. Cyborg is one of the fights I am waiting to see but for now I found a video game with Gina as Natasha. The game is called Command and Conquer: Red Alert 3 and has a web page here. According to Wikipeda’s page here, the game is set in an alternate universe where Albert Einstein has been removed (so no nukes).

Carano seems to be good for the part as she was already bigger than life as Crush in the American Gladiator TV series. This is a short post about Gina Carano’s recent history and role in this video game. I found this video promotion for the game.

One thing I like about Gina Carano is she comes off as aloof. I’ve noticed that she almost seems shy but when she gets into the ring, she does not care what the other fighter might have said in the pre-fight interviews. As I mentioned she was Crush in the TV show American Gladiators. I found a clip of her taking a grandma to the cleaners.

I’ll have to give it to granny for trying her hand with Crush! She was head over heels for Gina. Carano was doing the MMA fights and the gladiator for a while but now seems focused on her MMA career. Here is a video of her (Gina Carano) fight with Tonya Evinger. Notice how Gina tries to do whatever it takes to win the bout.

Gina got the choke in before the first round ended. Apparently her Muay Thai record is 12-1-1 and her MMA record is 7-0 here. Well if you are so inclined to play the Command and Conquer: Red Alert 3 game, Natasha should be a good addition as a sniper/commando.

I am looking forward to her upcoming MMA fights on Showtime, hopefully fighting Cyborg. I hope you have enjoyed this brief look at the multi-talented Gina Carano!

 Subscribe in a reader

I was first a fighter and then a geek growing up and I started playing video games with Nintendo Tank and Pong. I thought these video games were really advanced back then but in the early 90′s I downloaded DOOM and was amazed! This DOS personal computing game was great. I enjoyed shooting the monsters and figuring out how to survive as long as I could. Now that I have ‘grown up’ I do not play video games anymore but still see how a person could find this very enjoyable. I heard a statistic recently that over 25% of adults play video games.

I was introduced to the concept of women fighting in video games when my boys bought Mortal Kombat. It was a fast moving game and each character seem to have a special way of killing their opponent. Well fast forward to today and I have discovered a video game that has apparently spawned from Bikini Karate Babes, called Warriors of Elysia or Bikini Karate Babes 2 that has a new twist. Watch this interview and then we will explore how this video game is different and some merits of this new genre of video games.

Did you catch the difference? Real people in a virtual reality environment! I have been waiting to do that for years ever since I watch episodes of Earth 2 on television. I think that someday people will be able to travel virtually on vacations just like Arnold the governator did in the Total Recall movie. Already there are computer programs that can simulate visual, auditory, smell, touch and taste to some degree! I think someday people will be able to plug into their computer and jump into steroid version of net meeting and look and feel like they are able to really meet in the virtual reality setting of their choice!

Getting back to this game – I would love to look at a copy when it comes out (maybe it already has as I’m not really in the video game loop) and see if it compares to the Mortal Kombat type of video game. I think it is a novel idea having bikini clad women fight because as Mira Popova (Aphrodite) mentions, women are not looked as being fighters. The fact that the women happen to be clad only in bikinis can only increase the likelihood teen-aged boys might like this game.

I found this clip last year of Bikini Karate Babes 2 (Warriors of Elysia) when I did not really understand what they were trying to do. You can see some fight sequences and many of these women appear to really know martial arts.

This video reminded me of the Amazon Women tales throughout history. Apparently there really were fierce woman fighters in and around Greece. I’m not much of a historian but there is no reason to believe that women could not learn to fight and become a top notch fighting force as in Ancient Greek times. My only comment would be to hope men and women could get along! I would not relish the role of a male Black Widow spider!

Now for the obvious critique, many women today do not like being objectified by men, meaning just because a woman has a nice physique – she does not want to be thought of only for her beauty! I think that is a reasonable argument and one each parent should make with their daughters. As far as I saw from these two clips – this video game does not seem to go overboard and really does focus with their storyline. The fact that there is fighting in this game is definitely a plus!

I hope you enjoy this video game and if you are so gaming inclined and let me know what you think of the game!

If you have enjoyed this post, please consider subscribing to my RSS Feed.