New Shotokan DVDs Coming Soon

We are in the final stages of editing two new Shotokan Karate DVDs taught by Steve Flores: Weapon Kata DVD featuring forms for the tonfa, bo, kama and sword (iaido) and Shotokan Karate Kumite DVD, sparring techniques for point karate sparring. Check out the videos below for a sneak preview:

Weapon Kata DVD Preview




Shotokan Karate Kumite (Sparring) DVD Preview

Sang H. Kim Interview on Martial Arts Flexibility

In this interview clip from 1993, Sang H. Kim talks about flexibility for martial artists, especially those over 30.

Squats and Deadlifts for Martial Arts Speed and Power

Regarding high reps vs low reps: As I have written in all of my Turtle Press books, I recommend heavy weights and low reps. The neat thing about going heavy is that it stimulates your fast-twitch muscle fibers. So you get strong and your physical speed improves. What's heavy? As I discuss in Solo Training DVD, "heavy" is a poundage that makes you grimace, strain and barely complete the eighth rep.

High reps and light weights stimulate your slow-twitch muscles fibers. Not good unless you want to be slow. Now, it's okay to go light and do high reps once every couple of weeks or so to give your muscles a rest and to surprise them, but mostly go heavy. Get strong, get fast.

Regarding deadlifts: Personally, meaning that this is just my opinion, I think deadlifts are extremely dangerous. One little error, one little distraction, and you might be doomed to a lifetime of back pain and debilitation. Ask anyone with a bad back what that feels like.

I think your lower back gets plenty of work with all the martial arts that you do. Couple that with core work, as I show in Solo Training 2, and you will develop a powerful midsection: front, back and sides. All top trainers emphasize the core these days.

Regarding squats: Done incorrectly, weight squats are dangerous for everyone. Done correctly, they can be dangerous if you have a preexisting condition, such as a bad lower back, bad knees, ankles, and so on. The problem is that sometimes you don’t know you have a preexisting problem until you load a barbell and squat down. That twang you just heard from somewhere in your body is not a good thing.

In Solo Training DVD and Solo Training 2, I show how to do squats with dumbbells. These are safer and you work your grip and forearm muscles at the same time. Wrap a towel around the handles to really work your grip muscles.

Lots of fighters do free-hand squats, such as Hindus (Solo Training 2). They are done fast and explosively. Many instructors recommend working up to one set of 500. Since they aren't done slowly but hard and fast, there might not be the concern over the high rep slow-twitch muscle stimulation. Since I don't know for sure, I just do 100 and hold on to a couple of dumbbells. That’s 100 in one big fast set. You walk funny for a while after, but I've put on some muscle and have definitely seen a power improvement in my kicks.


Loren Christensen
www.lwcbooks.com

New Kung Fu DVDs at TurtlePress.com

6 new Shaolin Kung Fu DVD titles from TurtlePress.com:

Shaolin Kung Fu Chang Quan Form DVD

Shaolin Cannon Boxing Form DVD

Shaolin Kung Fu Tiger Style Form DVD

Shaolin Kung Fu Fanzi Quan Form DVD

Shaolin Kung Fu Seven Star Fist Form DVD

Shaolin Chin Na DVD

All of these Shaolin DVDs are imported directly from China and taught by top Chinese masters.

Save on Ultimate Flexibility Book and DVD set

Save when you buy the Ultimate Flexibility Book and Ultimate Flexibility DVD together. Sang H. Kim's Ultimate Flexibility book has been consistently called the best book on stretching and flexibility for martial artists. And now, thanks to many many requests, he's created a follow-along stretching DVD with 3 workouts using dozens of the exercises found in the Ultimate Flexibility book. This set is an excellent addition to any martial artist's training library.

Interview with Sang H. Kim on Taekwondo

In this 1993 interview, Sang H. Kim talks about his experience in taekwondo and his views on sport taekwondo vs. traditional taekwondo.



Interview footage courtesy of www.turtlepress.com

Sparring Video Lesson: Back Kick Counterattack

In this free sparring lesson, Sang H. Kim demonstrates a basic counterattack to a spinning back kick in taekwondo sparring




More taekwondo sparring instructional videos

SPARRING VIDEO LESSON: TURN KICK COUNTERATTACK

In this free sparring lesson, Sang H. Kim demonstrates an intermediate level counterattack to a turning roundhouse kick in taekwondo sparring



Here is a second counterattacking option if you miss the opportunity for the roundhouse kick taught in the first video:




More taekwondo sparring instructional videos

Boxing: Advanced Tactics & Strategies released

R. Michael Onello's new book, Boxing: Advanced Tactics & Strategies, has been released and is ready for immediate shipping. Boxing: Advanced Tactics & Strategies is a concise collection of drills, tips, exercises and strategies designed to take the novice boxer to the next level. Building on his popular first book, Boxing: A 12 Week Course, R. Michael Onello explains advanced ring tactics including hitting with movement, blocks, slips, feints, draws, and advanced punch variations.

Taekwondo Sparring: Jumping Back Kick

In this seminar out take, Sang H. Kim demonstrates how to use a jumping back kick to counter a roundhouse kick.




Check out more sparring instructional videos at TurtlePress.com

Sparring Lesson: Axe Kick Counterattack

Sang H. Kim teaches a simple counter to a back leg axe kick in this free video clip:





Check out more sparring instructional videos at TurtlePress.com

Kuk Hyun Chung's Future Champions Video Set on DVD

Turtle Press is please to announce the release of Kuk Hyun Chung's classic Future Champions video set on DVD. The newly edited DVD is titled Taekwondo Training in Korea. 1988 Olympic Gold Medalist and 5 time World Taekwondo Champion Kuk Hyun Chung takes you inside his dojang for an exclusive look at the drills and methods he uses to train Korean taekwondo champions. Save $5.00 off the regular retail price when you order before the official release date of May 25th.

Taekwondo Sparring: Roundhouse Kick Counters

Here are two more basic roundhouse kick counters from Sang H. Kim's 1994 UK seminar archive video. Check out more sparring instruction at www.turtlepress.com.

Sparring Lesson: Front Leg or Rear Leg?

Sang H. Kim teaches a beginning level sparring lesson on choosing the right leg - front or rear - to kick.




More taekwondo sparring instructional videos

Sparring Video Lesson: Roundhouse Counterattacks

In this free 1 minute sparring lesson, Sang H. Kim teaches several effective counterattacks against the roundhouse kick.




More taekwondo sparring instructional videos

Tae Kwon Do Sparring Lesson: Feint to Score

In this free one minute video lesson, Sang H. Kim teaches a simple feinting technique along with several variations that can be used to score in tae kwon do sparring.

Check out more taekwondo sparring videos and DVDs

Sang H. Kim Seminar Video Downloads

Sang H. Kim retired from giving Seminars several years ago, but we have an archive filled with hundreds of hours of seminar footage. So if you never had the chance to attend on of Master Kim's popular seminars, here's your chance to see what you missed. The first of his seminar highlight videos is now available for download - a sparring seminar filmed in 1993 in Hartford CT. Look for more seminar videos on a variety of topics coming soon.

Taekwondo Demo Video

We've opened our video archives and are in the process of reviewing hundreds of hours of seminar, demonstration and competition video. Below -- just a little sampling of what we've found -- are highlights from taekwondo self-defense and breaking demonstrations given by Master Sang H. Kim in 1994. The footage was filmed in Glasgow Scotland and Bristol England during a series of seminars that Master Kim gave there.

Grappling: Defending Against Chokes

While we all may like to think that we’re the ones putting our opponents in bad situations and not having to be defensive very much, the fact remains that being skillful at defending yourself against strangles and chokes is an important aspect of any form of grappling. If you want to be a complete grappler, you need a good defense. Being able to stay in the fight and being well versed in keeping your opponent from tapping you out means that you are competitive and doing what is necessary to try to turn the tables on your opponent. Just like John Saylor said; “Staying out of trouble keeps you in the fight.” As long as you’re in the fight, there’s the possibility that you will win.

read the rest of this article excerpted from Grappler's Guide to Strangles & Chokes by Steve Scott

Preorder & Save: Grappler's Guide to Strangles & Chokes

In The Grappler’s Book of Strangles and Chokes, Steve Scott makes it easy to learn the most effective and popular chokes and strangles of modern grappling. This book is a comprehensive, in-depth look at chokes and strangles that really work in gi and no-gi combat sports, allowing you to use them in a wide variety of situations, including self-defense and street applications. Every set up, application, variation and defense has been used successfully in all levels of competitive judo, submission grappling, sport jujitsu and mixed martial arts.

Preorder now and save $5.00 off the regular price of $18.95.