Martial arts were another popular topic last year here at Breaking Muscle. We featured some great articles and exclusive interviews with martial artists from a variety of backgrounds, including our ... Continue Reading
Sally’s 8 Week BJJ Tournament Training Program
I am a blue belt under Renzo Gracie black belt Kevin Taylor at Titans MMA in Halifax, Nova Scotia and in February 2013, I’ll be competing in my first IBJJF tournament. At 110lbs and competing in a weight ... Continue Reading
Game Plans: When to Hold ‘Em, When to Walk Away
"Everyone has a plan until they get hit.” - Joe Louis Joe Louis was a brilliant heavyweight in a time that was certainly a difficult one for African American men. Joe Louis was a quiet champion and ... Continue Reading
Choke: A Movie, a Verb, a Way of Life
In an ongoing effort to educate myself about the roots of the martial art I love, I recently watched the 1999 documentary Choke. In academese, you could say that Choke is a historical document, a primary ... Continue Reading
Revisiting Bruce Lee and Enter the Dragon
Star Wars came out when I was seven, but I didn’t see it until I was 25. Any member of my generation who learns this about me goes into an existential tailspin. The fact that I failed to see Star Wars, ... Continue Reading
Bartitsu: The Steampunk Mixed Martial Art
What do Sherlock Holmes, Steampunk, martial arts, and physical culture have in common? That would be Bartitsu, the eclectic system of martial arts and self-defense originally developed and practiced in ... Continue Reading
Featured Coach: John Hackleman, Part 2 – Lifelong Student
Last week, in part one of our feature interview with John Hackleman, he told us about the evolution of The Pit, from garage gym to mega-gym. This week we get more into the details of what it means to be a ... Continue Reading
Featured Coach: John Hackleman, Part 1 – Origins of The Pit
When you meet John Hackleman, founder of The Pit and CrossPit, he seems like a guy who would train fighters - big, bald, covered in tattoos, and full of prison jokes. He has trained some of the world’s ... Continue Reading
Science Looks At Head and Neck Injury Risk in MMA and Boxing
Concussions. Cervical spine injuries. Head trauma. These are serious issues in contact and combative sports today. If you don’t think so, take a look at the concern in the NFL. Athletes today are faster ... Continue Reading
What Successful Athletes (and People) Know: Don’t Get Too Comfortable
In jiu jitsu, people frequently ask each other things like, “Are you a top player or do you prefer the bottom game?” These questions reflect the fact different grapplers prefer different positions and ... Continue Reading
10 Articles to Read if You Call Yourself a Martial Artist
My first real introduction to the world of fitness and athletics was through martial arts. I started in stick-fighting and Wushu, and eventually wound up in muay Thai and Brazilian jiu-jitsu. I was and ... Continue Reading
Jiu-Jitsu? I Do!
Sometimes it’s hard for grapplers to explain their relationships with Brazilian jiu-jitsu to people who don’t train. All the “civilians” see is their friend or loved one disappearing for hours at a time ... Continue Reading
In Defense of Self: The Real Mental Value of Self-Defense Training
Before I found Brazilian jiu-jitsu I was never a joiner of fitness classes, preferring the freedom to do my own thing, run in my own direction. My Brazilian jiu-jitsu journey started with a once a week, ... Continue Reading
Love on the Mat: The Story of Lisa, Greg, and BJJ
Many people start training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) and find a lifestyle. Fifty/50 BJJ students Lisa Ivy and Greg Anderson started training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and found each other. Currently in the midst ... Continue Reading
Celebrities: They Grapple Just Like Us!
The gossip magazine Us Weekly has a feature titled “Stars: They’re Just Like Us,” which shows candid photos of celebrities engaging in day-to-day activities like grocery shopping or drinking coffee. (I ... Continue Reading
Tips for Choosing a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Academy
With the increase in popularity of Brazilian Jiu-Jtsu (BJJ), more and more people are trying it for the first time. Choosing a grappling academy is no small feat. For those of us who become addicted and ... Continue Reading
Applying the Belt System to Life & Success – Are You A White or Black Belt?
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu has a built-in milestone system: the belt levels. Over the course of many years, practitioners progress from white through blue, purple, brown and black belts, and a very select few are ... Continue Reading
The Dog Brothers’ Summer Gathering of the Pack
On September 18, 2011, the Dog Brothers held their Summer Gathering of the Pack at Gokor Chivichyan’s Hayastan Mixed Martial Arts Academy in North Hollywood, CA. Describing themselves on their website, ... Continue Reading
