In retrospect, all martial arts are mixed, but MMA has taken on a mystique of its own in the newest wave of combative experimentation. This book presents an encompassing perspective of this phenomenon in eight chapters written by experts in the field. In their individual chapters they provide analyses of the techniques utilized during many of the leading competitive events, mainly the Ultimate Fighting Championships (UFC), and give practical “how to” instruction. This book pulls together some of the best writings published in the Journal of Asian Martial Arts regarding modern mixed martial arts. Daniele Bolelli uses a scholarly approach to produce two excellent chapters, as does Rhadi Ferguson with his two chapters. Bolelli provides a superb overview by analyzing 176 matches that took place between 1993 and 1999 under the UFC umbrella. He also highlights the different ways in which grappling techniques are currently used in mixed martial arts competition. While utilizing a comprehensive approach, Dr. Ferguson zeros in on armbar and chokehold submissions to conclude just how often these were utilized in 1,263 UFC bouts. His works here can assist mixed martial arts professionals with analytical information to help them in training practices and winning strategies. What do the analyses show? Well, one thing is that all the techniques used are found in many old martial traditions. Some techniques are extremely old. Certainly cavemen used chokes. Many are from the previous millennium, as hinted by the numerous Japanese terms used since the samurai sipped sake. Fundamental techniques are discussed by Andew Zerling and Steve Scott. Four other chapters provide insightful text and the photographic detail to present the theory and practice of the major techniques utilized by mixed martial artists: chokes, armlocks, and leg locks. Zerling offers three chapters with the precious help of his teacher, Renzo Gracie. Scott’s chapter is a highly detailed piece on the cross-body armlock, giving four primary applications all will appreciate as vital to MMA practice. The eight chapters are filled with analytical text helpful for the pursuit of combat expertise. There is enough here to find of great value. But there is more. In the chapters you’ll also find perspective and insight that illuminate what is occurring in the evolution of MMA competition. Read closely and you’ll see that—beneath the hype—changing competitive rules and dollar amounts play a role in the outcome of championship belts and competitive crowns. We need to factor these aspects into our quest to understand the rich variety of martial traditions.

The "Analyze Your Fighting Method," presented in this book shows martial artists how to use videotaped competition fights or sparring to truly understand their present skill and what it takes to become not just a great fighter, but a superior fighter! The Analyze Your Fighting Method includes five levels of evaluation, which are used to breakdown and study videotaped sparring and/or competition matches from every technique that was thrown to how mental attitude affected performance. Then, this book explains how to set fighting goals and plan workouts to achieve those goals. It also teaches martial artists how to use tactics to create winning strategies. To help in the creation of strategies, this book includes a one of kind "Tactics Catalog." This catalog lists over 100 tactics that fighters can incorporate into their strategies. This book is applicable to any type of martial arts system or competition including mixed martial arts.

This book provides both an overview of, and an insight into, the rapidly expanding field of creative research methods. The contributors, from four continents, range from doctoral students through to independent and practice-based researchers to senior professors, providing a clear view of the applicability of creative research methods in all types of research work. Chapters offer examples of creative research methods in practice, and advice on how to transfer or adapt those methods for different disciplines and settings. Research ethics and research quality are considered throughout. This is a timely handbook which provides information for novice researchers and inspiration for experienced researchers, and is essential reading for anyone interested in creative research methods.

Mixed martial arts (MMA)—unarmed fighting games permitting techniques derived from a variety of martial arts and combat sports— has exploded from the fringes of sport into a worldwide phenomenon, a sport as controversial as it is compelling. This is the first book to pay MMA the serious philosophical attention it deserves. With contributions from leading international scholars of the philosophy of sport and martial arts, the book explores topics such as whether MMA qualifies as a martial art, the differences between MMA and the traditional martial arts, the aesthetic dimensions of MMA, the limits of consent and choice in MMA and whether MMA can promote moral virtues. It also explores cutting-edge practical and ethical topics, including the role of gender in MMA, and the question of whether trans athletes should be allowed to compete in the women’s divisions. The contributors to this anthology take down, ground and pound, and submit many essential questions about this fascinating recent development in the culture of sport and spectacle. This is important reading for anybody with an interest in combat sports, martial arts, or the philosophy, sociology, culture or history of sport.

The Complete Martial Arts Training Manual is a complete guide for anyone who has an interest in the martial arts. Having a broad knowledge of the various techniques of the martial arts gives a martial artist an expanded ability to counteract a variety of attacks and overwhelm an opponent's defenses. Author Ashley Martin shares with the reader his years of experience as a practitioner and teacher. He provides a catalog of the various martial arts being taught worldwide and their strengths and weaknesses. He then covers the basics of hand-to-hand techniques within each of those disciplines, from strikes to ground fighting. Finally, he offers information on the overall health and well being of the martial artist, including important nutritional information and stretching techniques. The Complete Martial Arts Training Manual is a solid foundation of martial arts for beginners and a key supplement for the veteran martial artist.

A needle may draw a thread through printed pages to bind a book. In this little memoir, I feel like a needle that drew a common thread though a segment of martial art history. This book details three interrelated activities: (1) martial art studies, (2) involvement as founder of Via Media Publishing, producing a quarterly journal and books, and (3) teaching martial arts. Publishers, writers, researchers and serious martial art practitioners will benefit with the detailed overview of Via Media and its publications. Via Media produced the Journal of Asian Martial Arts, known for its high academic and aesthetic standards. Its contents reflect the history of two decades and provides rich information for practitioners and scholars, making The Best Fighta valuable reference work. In addition to reading, the primary way to learn a martial art is through instruction. In reading about my studies and teaching experience, readers can relate to their own involvement in martial arts. What is important here is the portrayal of my instructors, their teaching methods, and reasons for being involved in martial arts. Their accounts should offer insights and inspiration for others who study and practice any martial art.

These proceedings represent the work of presenters at the 3rd European Conference on Intellectual Capital (ECIC 2011). The Conference is hosted this year by the University of Nicosia in Cyprus. The Conference Chair is Geoff Turner from the University of Nicosia and the Programme Chair is Clemente Minonne from the School of Management and Law, Zurich University of Applied Sciences, Winterthur, Switzerland. The opening keynote address is given by John Girard from Minot State University in the USA. John will address the question Social Knowledge: Are we ready for the future? The second day of the conference will be opened by Ludo Pyis from AREOPA in Belgium who will consider Intellectual Capital Accounting: how to measure the unmeasurable. We also look forward to a Knowledge Cafe on the topic of What intellectual capital ideas and developments do you expect to live and see? facilitated by Helen Paige from The Paige Group, South Australia.

Is it really true that martial arts, in spite of their popularity in this day and age of ours, have, at their deepest level, the promised land of “self-knowledge,” “the expression of beauty,” or something highly spiritual to be pursued for the human soul? Or, to put it in a different way, what exactly makes martial arts so amazing that, somehow, they will eventually lead the practitioners to the spiritual realm of self-cultivation in its highest depth? Contrary to the conventional wisdom about martial arts as held by many over the ages, this popular view about martial arts has become so legendary that their dark sides have yet to be systematically explored and that the lofty aims of martial arts are neither possible nor desirable to the extent that their proponents would like us to believe. Of course, this is not to say that the very tradition of martial arts is absolutely useless, or that the literature on martial arts hitherto existing in history is spiritually unworthy to be appreciated. Instead, this book constructively offers an alternative (better) way to understand the nature of martial arts, in special relation to the body and spirit of warriors—while learning from different views in the literature, without favoring any one of them (nor integrating them, as they are not necessarily compatible with each other), and, in the end, transcending them towards a new horizon not conceived before. This seminal view, if proven valid, will fundamentally change the legendary way that people have thought about martial arts—from the combined perspectives of the mind, nature, society, and culture, with enormous implications for the human future and what I originally called its “post-human” fate. _____________________

Research Methods in Applied Behavior Analysis, third edition, is a practical and accessible text that provides the beginning researcher with a clear description of how behavior analysts conduct applied research and submit it for publication. In a sequence of ten logical steps, this text covers the elements of single-case research design and the practices involved in organizing, implementing, and evaluating research studies. This revision covers important new topics for consideration when designing a study, including ecological validity, procedural fidelity, and the consecutive controlled case series design, which includes replications of single-cases and the statistical analysis of accumulated studies. Also included are chapter summaries, specific tips for master’s and doctoral researchers, and recommended procedures for BCBA consultants. Rich with details from the authors’ vast experience and numerous examples from published research, this text is an indispensable resource for students of applied behavior analysis and for practicing behavior analysts.