Blog Profiles: Martial Arts Blogs

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Having trained in martial arts for many years, this topic is particularly close to my heart.

Martial arts not only is an excellent workout, but oftentimes, it promotes a well-rounded lifestyle and holistic approach to mental and physical health.

No matter your level of training, I found these blogs to be helpful and encouraging tools for channeling your inner ninja.

1. Karate By Jesse

A self-professed “Karate Nerd,” Jesse Enkamp began his blog Karate by Jesse after graduating high school and moving to Okinawa, where he studied Japanese language and culture at Okinawa University.

Enkamp grew up in the martial arts world; he claims his early exposure granted him a well-rounded respect for all martial arts. He writes his blog with the mission to unite people in the world of Karate and “bridge the gap between the old and new” styles of the art.

The most practical and helpful video I found was How To Wash Your Karate Gi – in this video, Enkamp explains how to properly care for your uniform. His instructions can apply to judo and jiu jitsu gis as well.  As any practitioner knows, gis are finicky and tending to them can be a tricky balance. If the water is even a degree too warm, your uniform will shrink right up. Enkamp outlines six easy steps to avoid shrinkage and keep your uniform in tip-top shape.

Free Karate videos can be found on his YouTube page, where he explains what a “Karate Nerd” really is, what the best strength exercises for Karate are, and various other Karate fundamentals.

Follow @karatebyjesse on Twitter.

2. The Krav Maga Blog

Gershon Ben Keren runs a Krav Maga School in Boston, Massachusetts and earned his Black Belts and teaching certifications in Israel, Krav Maga’s country of origin.

This guy is the real deal – in 2010, he was inducted into the Museum of Israeli Martial Arts.  So, if you are going to learn Krav Maga from anyone, there is no one better suited for the job than Ben Keren.

The Krav Maga Blog is an impressive one, complete with videos and detailed descriptions of what you’re getting into when you start training this particular martial art.

As a practitioner of Kung Fu, Where Traditional Martial Arts Get It Right helped me to understand the practical application of my training, and how it can help me in a real world situation. Krav Maga is meant for the military and to be used in a combat situation, but this post explains how to adapt the art to a civilian setting.

Follow @GershonBenKeren on Twitter. 

Credit: Boston Krav Maga on Facebook.

3. The Jiu Jitsu Brotherhoood

Founded by Nic Gregoriades, The Jiu Jitsu Brotherhood is a versatile site with a plethora of jiu jitsu information, no matter your skill level. This blog offers podcasts, videos, checklists, and tips that cover everything from the basics of jiu jitsu to yoga for grapplers.

As an avid jiu-jitsuer myself, I am partial to the content of this blog, but I also appreciate the edict it proclaims: that jiu jitsu is not just a martial art, but it is a way of connecting people. The Jiu Jitsu Brotherhood was founded on the ideas of “community, self-reflexivity, and open-mindedness,” and to share tips and advice for how to get the most out of your training.

With sections on advanced and beginner’s tips, the philosophy and concepts behind the art, and videos to accompany many of the topics, there is something for everyone, no matter your skill level.

The instructional videos are excellent and very detailed – I found myself easily getting sucked into watching tutorial after tutorial.  Using the Kimura to Sweep, Control, and Submit left me ready to hit the mat and test out this new way of thinking about a classic submission.

As any jiu jitsu practitioner is familiar with, passing an opponent’s guard is one of the more difficult things in jiu jitsu.  In 6 Concepts for Effective Guard-Passing in Jiu Jitsu, Gregoriades breaks down this essential skill and gives different techniques based on various scenarios.

Follow @JJBrotherhood on Twitter.

4. The Martial Arts Woman

A motivational blog centered on the principles of balance and positivity that come with martial arts, The Martial Arts Woman is the platform where Andrea Harkins shares her wisdom gained from twenty years of teaching martial arts.

This blog is more focused on the martial arts lifestyle and how the principles can be integrated into everyday life, rather than the more instructional “this is how you throw a proper punch” blogs.

In 5 Ways to Rejuvenate Your Martial Art Practice, Harkins outlines how setting training goals and facing your fears will make 2017 a year of achievement in your martial arts training.

The qualities needed to be a diligent student of martial arts are traits that can also be applied to other scenarios in life, which is a topic that Harkins explores in the post What Does Success Mean to You?

Follow @aharkins1 on Twitter.  

Credit: @themartialartswoman on Instagram

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Megan Boley is a Customer Content Specialist at PR Newswire.  She is an avid reader and aspiring photographer.  Follow her on @PRNHispanic.