Martial Arts and Fitness News Feed http://www.akban.org/ Latest news from the main page 1210907644 http://www.akban.org/ en Super suit does what? http://www.akban.org/index.php/article/363 Tue, 13 May 2008 18:31:06 +0300 www.akban.org http://www.akban.org/index.php/article/363
Sounds cool, but what does it really do? As you can see in the video below, it can allow an average human being to lift large weights with the help of assisting hydraulic arms. While connected to a massive hydraulic controller of course.

Even if you overcome the challenge of powering the suit, will this sort of device not be obsolete by the time it is practical, replaced by purely robotic vehicles? Surely in it's current state it isn't much use outside the lab, and lets not go into what it looks like.

As Calvin would have said:
Here's the video: link]]> Challenges of triathlon training http://www.akban.org/index.php/article/361 Sun, 11 May 2008 20:41:46 +0300 www.akban.org http://www.akban.org/index.php/article/361
Apart from the obvious level of physical ability required, most amateur athletes who compete in triathlon find that excelling equally in all three aspects of the race a difficult task.

"Anne Gordon, 51-year-old triathlete and a partner at Dubilier & Company, a private investment group, has never gotten a personal record in each leg of a triathlon on the same day. "I find it is possible to peak in two out of the three sports, but no matter how hard I try the third eludes me," she said."

link]]> The 19th century gym http://www.akban.org/index.php/article/360 Sat, 10 May 2008 15:40:33 +0300 www.akban.org http://www.akban.org/index.php/article/360 If you were wondering "what the hell is that thing?" you may be surprised to hear that it is in fact the forefather of today's gym. This is one of many bizarre contraptions made by the Swedish physician Gustav Zander.

Cabinet magazine report:

"His mechanical horse was an early version of the Stairmaster, a contraption for cardiovascular fitness designed to imitate a "natural" activity. His stomach-punching apparatus evokes contemporary "ab-crunching" machines."

Moony writes about it in the hebrew blog]]> CCTV in Britain failed to cut crime rates http://www.akban.org/index.php/article/358 Sat, 10 May 2008 09:38:12 +0300 www.akban.org http://www.akban.org/index.php/article/358 It now seems that the huge investment and the anti privacy losses were for naught - Less then 3% of street robberies in London were solved using CCTV images.

The issues involving the spread and use both of state sanctioned surveillance and video equipped private phones has the Akban thinktank pondering the implications of this visibility, both for martial arts experts and for inexperienced citizens alike.

"Massive investment in CCTV cameras to prevent crime in the UK has failed to have a significant impact, despite billions of pounds spent on the new technology"

From Guardian.co.uk ]]> New weapon: flickering light? http://www.akban.org/index.php/article/357 Fri, 9 May 2008 14:44:44 +0300 www.akban.org http://www.akban.org/index.php/article/357
"Wielded like a conventional gun, this weapon is designed to trigger "flicker illness" - a condition akin to severe motion sickness - which leaves the target dazed, nauseous or completely immobilised. Its developers suggest it could be just the thing for disabling armed criminals or dispersing a rioting mob. If all goes to plan, police and border guards could soon be using the weapon in earnest."

And here I was thinking of a future with sinister looking high-powered laser guns.

They should also play some 70's disco B-side music as an accompaniment, so as to further shock the target.

link]]> Chinese knife owners no longer anonymous http://www.akban.org/index.php/article/354 Wed, 7 May 2008 20:49:13 +0300 www.akban.org http://www.akban.org/index.php/article/354
"The targeted daggers include those with blood grooves, lock-knives, and knives with blades measuring over 22 centimeters, the ministry said in a circular posted on its website, www.mps.gov.cn."

Probably a good idea, a simple scuffle can quickly escalate into a very bloody affair with the help of a knife. Not that only "dangerous" knives can cause serious injuries.

Sadly, US citizens can only dream of this kind of law, as even firearms regulations in the states are lax.

link]]> Today, on the eve of Remembrance Day , times of the lessons change http://www.akban.org/index.php/article/353 Tue, 6 May 2008 08:57:27 +0300 www.akban.org http://www.akban.org/index.php/article/353
Training for the afternoon groups will end at 19:30, training session for the veteran martial arts practitioners will include only the 1st segment and will end with the entrance of the Remembrance day at 8 P.M.

]]> Exercise and mental health http://www.akban.org/index.php/article/351 Fri, 2 May 2008 18:08:55 +0300 www.akban.org http://www.akban.org/index.php/article/351
Associating sports and physical activity with well being is hardly a new way of thinking, but the effect on mental health has so far never been measured.

"For the new study, almost 20,000 men and women participating in the 1995, 1998 and 2003 Scottish Health Surveys answered questionnaires about physical activity and "psychological distress."

Daily physical activity of any kind -- including housework, gardening, walking, and sports -- was associated with a 41 percent lower risk of psychological distress. But sports reduced the risk of mood lows the most -- by 33 percent."

Twenty minutes a week translates into just under three minutes a day, a good starting point for a daily exercise routine.

link]]> Research shows an unsteady diet may reduce lifespan http://www.akban.org/index.php/article/349 Wed, 30 April 2008 21:42:42 +0300 www.akban.org http://www.akban.org/index.php/article/349
"observed that fish given a "binge then diet" food regime had a reduced lifespan of up to 25%."

This ties in with the simple rule that dieting alone cannot be a substitute for exercise. A weight loss regime that does not include exercise can force us into abnormal eating patterns, such as a "binge then diet" pattern, while not doing much to help us lose weight.

link]]> Building your own Iron Man suit http://www.akban.org/index.php/article/348 Tue, 29 April 2008 18:45:51 +0300 www.akban.org http://www.akban.org/index.php/article/348
At first this may seem like another botched garage DIY job, but as the guys at WIRED explain, creating your own full body armor isn't as complicated as it seems:

The Canadian's latest Trojan rig is comparatively portable, said to weigh just 40lb all-up. It is armoured with "high-impact plastic lined with ceramic bullet protection over ballistic foam", and supposedly has resisted elephant-gun fire in testing. This time Hurtubise wasn't inside, but he has said he's willing to conduct live-fire trials in person.

Akban's "Essential self-defense equipment" list also includes:
The Akban AHMD helmet
The Akban SUV

link to the article]]> Mind reading devices taking control of video games http://www.akban.org/index.php/article/347 Mon, 28 April 2008 15:34:53 +0300 www.akban.org http://www.akban.org/index.php/article/347 Emotive announced another device that's claiming to bridge the gap between thoughts and video game controllers.
The device reads EEG and transforms them into electrical signal to be used in a variety of systems.

This is not the first device that takes the gamer one step closer into the realm where virtual fighting can simulate reality. We reported on the Wii controller earlier this year.
I am not too happy about these tech development as I do not think anything can take the place of the Dojo. But I also know for sure - nothing will stop technology. Is this the beginning of the end for martial arts? We have already seen flight drones replacing real pilots. Are UFC fighters the obvious next step? ]]> Necessity of outside training in karate – Okinawa and Hawaii http://www.akban.org/index.php/article/345 Fri, 25 April 2008 08:55:30 +0300 www.akban.org http://www.akban.org/index.php/article/345 Karate as a necessary part of the student's regime.
The writer of the article, who practices old school Chibana Chosin Shorin Ryu and Ryukyu Kobudo, writes about old school karate groups that used to go out in Okinawa and practice in the dark of night.
I enjoyed reading about other martial arts and schools that like us, in Akban, use the benefits and the real advantage of training outside.

There is absolutely no substitute to outside training, a person who learned stepping only inside a dojo will be missing an important aspect of combat and will also have many other deficits that will inhibit his growth in martial arts. This is especially important in these modern times when everything that surrounds us is urban and man made.
link to the Karate article
]]> Server downtime of Akban.org martial arts website fixed http://www.akban.org/index.php/article/343 Thu, 24 April 2008 22:40:13 +0300 www.akban.org http://www.akban.org/index.php/article/343 UFC organization signs another major deal with advertisers http://www.akban.org/index.php/article/339 Wed, 16 April 2008 18:10:19 +0300 www.akban.org http://www.akban.org/index.php/article/339 signed another deal with Anheuser-Busch, the manufacturers of Bud Light, the world’s best-selling beer.
This adds to another major deal with Harley Davidson. Both of these deals show the huge support and mainstream acceptance of this rising form of spectator sport.
I think I can safely predict the future popularity of this gladiator sport form and it's heroes. ]]> Four Budo Ninjutsu students passed the 1st kyu tests http://www.akban.org/index.php/article/337 Tue, 15 April 2008 07:35:54 +0300 www.akban.org http://www.akban.org/index.php/article/337 These tests necessitate more then 6-7 years of dojo training and are a preliminary to the long time it takes (13 years)to collect enough experience for the 1st Dan (black belt) in dojos that graduated the Akban school.
Three veterans oversaw the tests that included all of the 1st kyu material in the test book.
Link to the Budo Ninjutsu grade requirements with videos of the techniques.
Not all schools need such a long time to prepare the students. We do and we still have mixed feelings about it. ]]> Traditional weapons portal and Katori sword techniques http://www.akban.org/index.php/article/334 Tue, 25 March 2008 15:38:20 +0200 www.akban.org http://www.akban.org/index.php/article/334 most of the weapon kata of Tenshin Shōden Katori Shintō-ryū.

A new Traditional weapons portal is already on the Akban-wiki and includes, Seitei gata, Katori and Budo Ninjutsu. We also started to document western sword techniques, in that same portal.

Have fun exploring our growing Martial arts database.
]]> Kaltura video and the Akban project http://www.akban.org/index.php/article/331 Wed, 12 March 2008 12:46:00 +0200 www.akban.org http://www.akban.org/index.php/article/331 We are really glad they picked our project - The Akban-wiki martial arts encyclopedia - as a featured costumer and partner.


Kaltura lets users edit video online from a variety of sources to create informative new videos from existing ones. This correlates perfectly with our community wiki because Kaltura allows wiki editing and history of user's edits.

We have been integrating and working out minor early bugs in the Kaltura application and we can present some modest results. ]]> Two veterans from Akban finished The ultra Marathon http://www.akban.org/index.php/article/330 Sun, 9 March 2008 22:15:08 +0200 www.akban.org http://www.akban.org/index.php/article/330 the Megido Ultra Marathon. Two Akban veterans finished, in less then 7 hours, the 60 Kilometers run.
Well Done. ]]> Six more Koto ryu katas added to the Akban-wiki http://www.akban.org/index.php/article/327 Thu, 28 February 2008 12:24:53 +0200 www.akban.org http://www.akban.org/index.php/article/327 Koto ryu.
This leaves only about 15 missing katas to finish the first stage of documenting this ancient martial school.
The Akban project aims to document and classify many martial arts in a free martial arts encyclopedia.
New Koto ryu kata in video:
1. Kakuhi no kata
2. Koto no kata, Okuden level
3. Kyogi no kata
4. Santo no kata
5. Shisen no kata
6. Suito no kata


Koto ryu article in the Akban-wiki. ]]> Breathing and health system added to the Akban-wiki http://www.akban.org/index.php/article/323 Sun, 10 February 2008 22:43:40 +0200 www.akban.org http://www.akban.org/index.php/article/323

We have just collected the basic movements of the first level in Niradin.

Like the techniques in the rest of our martial arts wiki, these techniques are free to use and share alike under the creative commons license.
link to Niradin first level techniques]]>