The Martial Arts are comprised of many styles and traditions from around the world. This page will provide you with a little background and a few Internet links to an incredibly wide variety of information about the Martial Arts.

I most recently studied Chun Kuk Do ("The Universal Way") at American Martial Arts Training, under Mr. Stephen Hammersley. The history of Chun Kuk Do begins with Soo Bahk Do which began in Korea during the Silla Dynasty (618-935) and which flourished during the Koryu Dynasty (935-1392).

As with all Martial Arts traditions, Soo Bahk Do was transformed through necessity and innovation into Tang Soo Do ("The Art of the Knife-hand" or "The Way of the Chinese Hand". Grandmaster Hwang Kee developed Tang Soo Do Moo Duk Kwan which is described as 60% Soo Bahk Do, 30% Northern Chinese, and 10% Southern Chinese.

Chuck Norris is duly credited with bringing Tang Soo Do to the United States from Korea. He developed Chun Kuk Do and founded the United Fighting Arts Federation (UFAF), his elite group of black belts. Chun Kuk Do incorporates the hard and soft styles inherent in Tang Soo Do Karate, Aikido, Judo, Ju-jutsu, and weapons, into an effective form of self-defense and discipline.

The "KIAI" or "KIHAP" is the sound that results from the explosive release of internal energy. The word comes from the Japanese "KI" (Chinese: "QI" or "CH'I"), which is the important Japanese philosophy of the vital energy that is life. The KIAI is the "cry that gives life".

The KIAI is an effective self-defense technique, comes from the expelling of air from the abdomen (not the throat), is good exercise for the internal organs, helps to coordinate the physical actions involved in the martial arts, and is a motivator for the Martial Arts practitioner.

My nickname in the newsgroups & IRC channels is Kiaiman. The Martial Arts are an important part of my life due in large part to my instructor at American Martial Arts Training, Mr. Stephen Hammersley.

There are hundreds of Martial Arts sites on the Internet. You will find links to them from the links here:

The Warrior Scholar The tradition is Soo Bahk Do, but this site offers great graphics, sounds, articles and 100's of links in all Martial Arts traditions.

The Martial Arts Network A growing group of Martial Artists from all different traditions offer a wide variety of services to the Martial Arts practitioner.

Century Martial Arts Supply Co. Check out all of the links at this commercial site. Chuck Norris, of course, is their spokesperson.

My Martial Arts Claim To Fame:
Being Choked Out By
Shihan Sensei Michael DePasquale, Jr.

Martial Arts World, available for those with access to America Online at KEYWORD: MAW, has been developed by Michael DePasquale, Jr., publisher & editor of Karate International, founder of the Federation of United Martial Artists (FUMA), master of Yoshitsune Ju-jutsu (founded by his father, Michael DePasquale, Sr.) and his own devastating Combat Ju-jitsu, and author of the Streetwise Safety instruction books. Visit his Martial Arts World Network Mall for books & videos. I am proud to call him a friend and a teacher.

Mr. Norris & Mr. Hammersley

American Martial Arts Training is the premier school in Volusia County, Florida, for the study of Chun Kuk Do. Mr. Stephen Hammersley, pictured above with his teacher - Chuck Norris, is a 4th degree black belt member of the United Fighting Arts Federation. Mr. Hammersley, was appointed by Mr. Norris as a 1993 National Training Director and a Region 7 Black Belt Board Member for six years. He has trained for over 20 years, taught for over 15 years and opened American Martial Arts Training in New Smyrna Beach in 1985. Mr. Hammersley also holds black belts in Kuk Ki Won Tae Kwon Do, Tang Soo Do and Champion Karate, as well as having studied extensively in akido and weapons. Mr. Hammersley was a member of the first American martial arts team to travel to the Soviet Union for a week of training and camaraderie with the Soviet athletes in March of 1989. If you live in Volusia County, it would be well-worth the trip to visit and even train with this member of the International Martial Arts Hall Of Fame.

American Martial Arts Training
http://americanmartialarts.com

The Martial Arts Forum is an excellent new resource for Martial Artists by Martial Artists of all disciplines. Check it out and join in the ongoing discussions of Martial Arts topics with no style-bashing!

news:rec.martial-arts is a newsgroup set aside for discussion of the martial arts. There is a wealth of general martial arts knowledge in the 3 FAQ's (Frequently Asked Questions) of this newsgroup. They are posted every two weeks in the newsgroup, but they are also available for download in a text format at: ftp://rtfm.mit.edu/pub/usenet/by/hierarchy/rec/martial-arts and at http://people.unt.edu/~macaw/m-a/r.m-a.FAQ_files/rmafaq1.html (don't forget, there are 3 FAQ's).