Indonesian martial arts incorporate a variety of fighting styles from traditional to hybrid. It's common to see pencak silat as an umbrella term, but many expand well beyond that. Types of Indonesian Fighting Systems Indonesian martial arts are composed of more than a few combative styles designed for self-defense or general combat. Below are some well-known systems. Pencak … Read More
The Latest
Voices of Nusantara: Madurese Martial Arts with Mas Mochamad Amien
In my continuing quest for advice on how to become a better pencak silat instructor, I asked my mentor and friend Mas Mochamad Amien of Chakra V Silat Combat System for some advice. I also inquired … More
Movies, Martial Arts and the Wild Beast Within
One evening, I hit the sack with my laptop. I played Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales and glued myself to the screen. Captain Jack Sparrow, brilliantly portrayed by Johnny … More
ONE Championship Signs Cosmo Alexandre, Steve McKinnon, Ognjen Topic
The largest global sports media property in Asian history, ONE Championship™ (ONE), has just announced additional signings to ONE Super Series, which aims to provide the world's best martial … More
Fun Things to Do While Visiting Japan
A lot of people want to visit Japan. It’s known as a country that’s established a nice balance between cultural identity and forward-looking modernism. It has beautiful country areas, huge cities, and … More
A Tale of Two Koreas – A North Korean Kid in a South Korean Gym
Summer is in full force when I step into the gym sometime in mid-June. Scanning the perspiring faces around me as I get ready for the evening’s training session, my eyes stop on a new kid. Unlike the others, who are dressed comfortably in sleeveless cotton tops and Muay Thai trunks, the new boy is clad in a long-sleeved sweater and too-thick pants. “That’s Han*,” Okbae whispers, coming up … More
From Domestic Violence Survivor to Muay Thai Fighter: The Story of Casey Lynn
It’s become a regular occurrence for Casey Lynn to have to argue with the doorman at the fights. No one believes she’s a fighter. A fighter’s girlfriend maybe, but an actual fighter? Never. It usually … More
Voices of the Archipelago: Kang Rafijen of Maenpo Peupeuhan Adung Rais
On my trip to Indonesia in 2014, I had the pleasure of sojourning in the city of Bandung located in western Java. Bandung is one of Indonesia’s largest cities with over 8 million inhabitants … More
Win an International Educational Scholarship From Lion Dance Singapore
Lion Dance Singapore is currently offering a one time scholarship award of up to $4,000 SGD for students attending or planning to attend an accredited college or graduate school in the near … More
A New Manila
Manila, the capital of the Philippines, is one of the birthplaces of Filipino martial arts (FMA). Previous inhabitants of the city — along with the island of Cebu — played a pivotal role … More
Switching It Up
Should fighters keep switching stances and keep going back and forth between orthodox and southpaw? History tells us no. The best fighters in the world, no matter the discipline, have stuck to one primary stance. Just look at Mayweather, Buakaw, Yodsanklai, Ali, and even George St. Pierre. However, this does not mean that a new generation has to follow suit. There is no rule book that … More
The Martial Life
Mongkol (Mongkon) and Prajioud (Prajeet) Set Handmade by Thepnimit Sitmonchai
Sitmonchai fighter Thepnimit is now offering beautifully handcrafted mongkols (Muay Thai headpieces) and prajiouds (armbands) made of traditional Thai textiles. The cloth is … More
Spare the Rod and Spoil the Child – Discipline in a Korean Muay Thai Gym
For the third night in a row, Seok Han’s mother comes to our gym in tears. She is helpless and frustrated. Outside, the desolate darkness of the winter night seems to echo her … More
The Nomadic Life
Vegan? Vegetarian? Here’s How to Do It in Thailand
Although not easy, particularly when one ventures out of cities heavily trafficked by Foreigners, eating both vegan and vegetarian are possible in Thailand. The following … More
Racism in Thailand: The Lasting Effects After Exiting the Land of Smiles
The following was inspired by a recent comment by Alan Reid on Racism in Thailand: A Day in the Life of a White Woman in Buriram. Alan describes instances of discrimination he has … More