For most mixed martial artists, it’s important to develop strong legs to not only keep you stable but to deliver some powerful strikes to either knock your opponent down or to straight up knock him out. The kick is one of the most important weapons in the ring. It is the extent of your reach from any one spot and depending on how strong your legs are, you may be able to break through your opponent’s defenses, or at least impair them.

“There are many leg muscles that aid in kicking. The exercises below should strengthen them significantly for your next tournament.”

First exercise is called leg circle and is used in Pilates to strengthen and stretch the muscles in the hips and thighs. Lie on your back and lift your leg up till it is perpendicular with your body. Keep your hands at your sides and anchor yourself to the floor. This should also work your deep abdominal muscles. Then circle the leg in the hip socket 6 to 8 times in each direction.

Second exercise is a standing one. This one will work many of your leg muscles as well as hip muscles. Slowly raise your outside leg at the side as high as possible, without bending it, and hold for a second. Then lower it down slowly. Repeat about 10 times and then switch legs. Make sure that your hip, knee, shoulder and foot stay in line.

Next you’ll repeat the exercise but add in a slow kick. You’ll lift up your leg the same way but this time bend your knee and bring your heel all the way to your butt. Then slowly extend your leg, maintaining your balance, into a round house kick as high as you can. If you can’t do it very high, don’t worry. Your legs will strengthen in time and it will be easier to control your kicks. Now do it forward instead of at the side.

For this one raise your knee as high as possible and hold it. Attempt to hold for 30 seconds. Then extend slowly for a front snap kick and bring back to knee position slowly and slowly place back on the ground.

The third exercise is lunges. Lunges are great for stretching leg muscles. Just take a step forward and kneel with the back leg, ball of the foot on the ground and maintaining a straight, rigid back. Good posture will help in keeping yourself balanced while doing lunges.
The fourth is an exercise called wall squats. With wall squats you can either use a wall or a stability ball against the wall. Slowly dip yourself down into a squat and hold for as long as you can (up to 60 seconds) and then rise back up.

Lastly, I recommend practicing every kick at full speed 50 times. That’s 25 times each leg. Not only is this a great cardio workout, but it will prepare your legs for any competition of endurance. Once you can do 50 easily, increase the amount. This will add to your endurance in the ring.

These exercises are all very good for creating knockout legs (Take that however you want).

Stephen Kamps is a martial artist who loves to learn online and is thinking about pursuing his online degree.

What the Colors of Belts Mean In Taekwondo?

White Martial Arts Belt

The white belt is representative of the birth. The martial arts students that are wearing the White Belt they are just starting out and beginning to study Taekwondo.

Yellow Martial Art Belt

The Yellow Belt represents the sun that is now hitting the student and bringing them into the light. Just like the morning sunrise the Yellow Belt is beginning their journey into the light of day in the art of Taekwondo.

Green Martial Art Belt

A green belt is the symbol of growth, or a seed as it sprouts from the ground and begins to grow into a plant. Students with green belts are continuing along the path of Taekwondo, learning to develop further and redefine every technique they have been taught.

Martial Arts Belt Display with Picture Frames

Blue Martial Arts Belt

The Blue Belt is representative of the clear blue sky. The plant is beginning to reach for the blue skies on it’s path to the sun.  The plant is starting to grow taller and the student is given the additional knowledge of Taekwondo so that they can continue to grow physically and mentally.

Red Martial Art Belts

Red Belts stands for the heat of the sun, with the continuation with the plant continuing it’s path to the sun.  Students in the Red Belts have a great deal of knowledge in the art of Taekwondo.  These Red belts also warn the students to be careful, as they have a great deal of knowledge and experience that can hurt others if they don’t practice restraint.

Black Martial Arts Belts

The Black Belt represents the best of the best.  It represents the darkness that is beyond the sun.  In most martial arts schools once a student reaches Black Belt they begin teaching other students as well along with learning the more advanced techniques.  However, each Black Belt understands that when they attain their Black Belt the training is just beginning, now they can begin their real martial arts training.  This is the place where it is good to get a martial arts belt display so that you can put all your hard work on the wall for everyone to see.

Buying your first Taekwondo uniform can be stressful and exciting at the same time. Here are 4 must’s when you go and start your shopping whether in a local martial arts store or online.

1, Check the Dojo Requirements
Always make sure you do this because you can have the coolest Taekwondo uniform in the world but if you aren’t allowed to use it in class it will have to stay in your closet.

2, Matching Your Size and Build
You can always use a handy dandy martial arts uniform calculator like they have over at The MMA Zone.

3, Fabric Makeup and Quality Matters
The more the cotton and the heavier the higher the price. So if you are getting a 12oz. 100% cotton taekwondo uniform it will cost more than a 6oz. 45% cotton/55%polyester fabric taekwondo uniform.

4, Drawstring or Elastic Waistband
This comes down to comfort. I personally like a drawstring but I know of many other students that prefer elastic.

The meaning, teachings, and whole point of martial arts is definitely not violence. The intent of martial arts is, and has always been, to train, educate, and improve the mental health and physical well-being of the participant. It has always held true that some have used the martial arts against people in violent acts, but this is clearly against the majority of their original intents.

Whilst there are many legends concerning the origin of the varying martial arts styles, it can be largely observed, even during recent history, that they are generally respected, and not usually feared in normal situations. This indicates that most martial arts-related violence has more to do with the circumstances under which the violent acts were committed than with the fact that martial arts techniques were used. Unlike guns, knives, and other lethal equipment, martial arts are not material tools to be utilized for violent purpose, but rather a structured method of bodily movement used as a vehicle both for self-defense and self-betterment. As such, all responsibility for negative or positive actions and outcomes and intent lies with you!

Even in televised MMA martial arts tournaments where contact is allowed and to the casual observer, the intent seems to be to bloody the opponent as much as possible until he or she submits, the fighting is not used to impart lethal or long-lasting damage. Although violent actions such as strikes, sudden movements, and blocks are all commonplace, violence as intent is not, so martial arts might not entirely fit the profile of a violence-oriented activity.

Martial arts like Taekwondo, Judo and Karate all have rich cultural backgrounds, steeped in the rich history of Zen Buddhism, Confucianism, and Shinto philosophical traditions. These largely forbade use of martial arts for negative intent, or unwarranted violence. The traditional fighting style of Taekwondo was designed to be a powerful form of self defense. It is the national sport of South Korea, and the name approximately translates to ‘the way of foot and fist’.  A great way to train is to engage in a friendly sparring and of course with the proper adidas sparring gear! Practice targets, pads and sparring blocks can help you train with live targets that don’t get hurt!

When martial arts are used for violence, they become nothing more than tools in the wrong hands. In the long run, the martial arts are only as violent as the martial artist, conversely, they may be used for peace and inner harmony.