Tag: Boxing

Interview with Longtime Aikidoka Christopher Hein: Looking at Aikido From the Outside In, Part I

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After being told that people who train aikido could use their spiritual ability to stop people from hitting them with sticks, Christopher Hein was intrigued, but could not find a dojo until 1998. He threw himself into the training, becoming uchi deshi at Aikido of Fresno and a black belt. With a history of fighting, … Continue reading Interview with Longtime Aikidoka Christopher Hein: Looking at Aikido From the Outside In, Part I

Reflecting on Her Own Hero

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Rouse, Wendy. Her Own Hero: The Origins of the Women’s Self-Defense Movement. New York: New York University Press, 2017. With many female martial artists coming into the limelight, regardless of what art or circles one is a participant of, it may seem that such modern trend - something that is helped by the digital age … Continue reading Reflecting on Her Own Hero

Interview with Heartland HEMA Founder Mike Roth: HEMA, Tournaments, and Sportsification

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Mike Roth always enjoyed playing with swords, even as a child. He quickly joined a fencing class while in college and wanted more. Roth soon found Mark Wickersham at Five Rings Fencing in 2013 and has not stopped fencing single sword since then. About five years later, Roth established his Heartland HEMA and has placed … Continue reading Interview with Heartland HEMA Founder Mike Roth: HEMA, Tournaments, and Sportsification

Interview with Sanbukan Dojo: Mits Yamashita, In Memoriam

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Mits Yamashita was a powerful force for Yoshinkan Aikido in California. In this special interview, eleven of his black belts and senior students came together to issue a few words of remembrance and memorial for Yamashita. In it, they narrate important parts of their teacher’s life, how they began training under him, and what kind … Continue reading Interview with Sanbukan Dojo: Mits Yamashita, In Memoriam

Interview with Progressive Era Historian Wendy Rouse: The Beginnings of the Women’s Self-Defense and Empowerment Movements

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Dr. Wendy Rouse took her first step into the world of martial arts at the age of ten after watching The Karate Kid. She took to history when in college, focusing on the Progressive Era of the United States, eventually earning her doctorate. During her research for her dissertation, she found something that later inspired … Continue reading Interview with Progressive Era Historian Wendy Rouse: The Beginnings of the Women’s Self-Defense and Empowerment Movements

Interview with Martial Arts Historian Joseph Svinth: Martial History and EJMAS

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Joseph Svinth began studying African and Middle Eastern history. He joined the Electronic Journal of Martial Arts and Sciences (EJMAS) as a writer and editor. In 2003, he released Getting a Grip, focusing on judo in the Japanese American communities of the Pacific Northwest. Similarly, Svinth worked with Martial Arts Studies proponent Thomas A. Green … Continue reading Interview with Martial Arts Historian Joseph Svinth: Martial History and EJMAS