Stav Martial Arts

Posted in Sites, Sports on Mar 2nd, 2008 | Comments Off

Stav is a martial art and philosophical system which uses runes and Norse Mythology in its teaching.

Stav was brought to the public by Ivar Hafskjold, who claims it is based on oral tradition preserved in his family for 44 generations, originating in circa 500 CE, though he has presented little evidence to back up this assertion. 

The name “Stav” / “Stáv” can be considered as a pun or play-on-words, meaning both ’stave’ e.g. as in a ‘rune-stave’, a runic character or rune, and also ’staff’ e.g. as a physical weapon employed in the martial art.

According to Ivar Hafskjold, the term “Stav” was his family’s informal name for their martial and runic practices, and comes from the expression sette stav (to set staves), which was how the training was described when he grew up. In the 1990s, Ivar Hafskjold took on four personal apprentice students; Shaun Brassfield-Thorpe, Kolbjorn Martens, David Watkinson and Graham Butcher.

All contemporary Stav teachers and instructors belong to a teaching lineage directly from either Ivar Hafskjold and/or one of his four personal students, each of whom are recognised by the Stav International organisation as “Stav Masters”.

Stáv is a Nordic style of martial arts based upon runic postures, using the 16 runes of the Younger Futhark Each of the runes can be found within the Stáv symbol above.

FE , UR , THOR , AS , REI , KREFT , HAGL , NOD , IS , AR , SOL , TYR , BJORK , MANN , LAUG , YR

Stáv (pronounced st-arv) is a traditional European system which is designed to improve the mind body and spirit. It has been maintained and developed for over 44 generations by the Norwegian Hafskjold family.

“Although based on an ancient philosophy, Stáv is a dynamic and evolving system that can be adapted to meet the requirements of the individual in today’s world. The principles have now been made available to a wider audience in order to preserve and enhance the system for future generations“.

Stav on some level resembles a Nordic form of Tai Chi, with the student beginning with ritualized stances resembling the sixteen runes of the Younger Futhark.

Once mastery of the rune stances has been achieved, the student progresses to staff exercises. Stav is intended to be a flexible set of principles instead of techniques, focusing on finding the lines of attack and defense in any combat situation and exploiting them to the student’s benefit. Stav practitioners begin by using staffs or cudgels but may in time progress to use battle-axes, swords, wands or even to the bare-handed stage.

Stáv is a Mind, Body Spirit system, comparable to Tai Chi and Yoga, but originating through the traditions and mythology of Northern Europe, rather than the Orient. It developed through the Norwegian family, Hafskjold, and is often referred to as Hafskjold Stáv.

The system helps people improve and develop themselves by dealing with them holistically. That is Stáv works on the whole person: their physical body, their mind (both logical and intuitive) and their spirituality. Only by working with all three can people develop into complete, fully rounded individuals. 

Stáv is a 1500 year old (living) runic tradition that has been preserved in Norway by the Hafskjold family. Stáv contains many aspects, including healings arts. Stáv Healing contains the use of postures, breath techniques, herbalism, joint manipulation, massage, counseling (via the runes) and many other aspects.

The stances have many benefits, many of which are only revealed once the stances have been performed regularly over a period of time. Two direct and almost immediate benefits can be obtained from the stances.

• The first is that they exercise the body gently and without pressure. They are very low impact exercises which can be performed no matter what your age or ability. The stances can be modified to compensate for injury and disability in order to gain the maximum benefit from them.
• The second is that they promote complete breathing using the whole of the lungs. This has shown to be beneficial to asthma and other respiratory ailment sufferers.

Regular practice of the stances brings other benefits including improved body posture, firmer stomach muscles and increased flexibility. Indeed those suffering from injury, stiffness in the joints and other restrictions to their movement can gain increased mobility and suppleness from performing the stances on a regular basis. The stances can also be a form of moving meditation which is useful for relaxation and in relieving stress and tension.

Links:

• The Stav Portal at the Martial Arts Database: http://www.mardb.com/stav/

Jeet Kune Do secrets and methods

Posted in Sports on Jan 18th, 2008 | Comments Off

Jeet Kune Do (Chinese: 截拳道 Cantonese: Jitkyùndou Pinyin: Jiéquándào, lit. “Way of the Intercepting Fist”), also Jeet Kun Do or JKD, is a martial arts system developed by martial artist and actor Bruce Lee. In 2004, the Bruce Lee Foundation decided to use the name Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do to refer to the martial arts system that Lee founded. “Jun Fan” was Lee’s Chinese given name, so the literal translation is “Bruce Lee’s Way of the Intercepting Fist.”

Bruce Lee said:

“I have not invented a “new style,” composite, modified or otherwise that is set within distinct form as apart from “this” method or “that” method. On the contrary, I hope to free my followers from clinging to styles, patterns, or molds. Remember that Jeet Kune Do is merely a name used, a mirror in which to see “ourselves”. . . Jeet Kune Do is not an organized institution that one can be a member of. Either you understand or you don’t, and that is that. There is no mystery about my style.

My movements are simple, direct and non-classical. The extraordinary part of it lies in its simplicity. Every movement in Jeet Kune-Do is being so of itself. There is nothing artificial about it. I always believe that the easy way is the right way. Jeet Kune-Do is simply the direct expression of one’s feelings with the minimum of movements and energy. The closer to the true way of Kung Fu, the less wastage of expression there is. Finally, a Jeet Kune Do man who says Jeet Kune Do is exclusively Jeet Kune Do is simply not with it.

He is still hung up on his self-closing resistance, in this case anchored down to reactionary pattern, and naturally is still bound by another modified pattern and can move within its limits. He has not digested the simple fact that truth exists outside all molds; pattern and awareness is never exclusive. Again let me remind you Jeet Kune Do is just a name used, a boat to get one across, and once across it is to be discarded and not to be carried on one’s back.”

System: Jeet Kune Do (JKD) is the name Bruce Lee gave to his combat philosophy in 1967. Originally, when Lee first began researching various fighting styles, he gave his martial art his own name of Jun Fan Gung Fu. However not wanting to create another style that would share the limitations that all styles have, he instead gave us the process that created it. JKD as it survives today – if one wants to view it “refined” as a product, not a process – is what was left at the time of Bruce Lee’s death.

It is the result of the life-long martial arts development process Lee went through. Bruce Lee stated that his concept is not an “adding to” of more and more things on top of each other to form a system, but rather, a winnowing out.

The metaphor Lee borrowed from Chan Buddhism was of constantly filling a cup with water, and then emptying it, used for describing Lee’s philosophy of “casting off what is useless”. He also used the sculptor’s mentality of beginning with a lump of clay and hacking away at the “unessentials”; the end result was what he considered to be the bare combat essentials, or JKD.

Bruce Lee, and thus JKD was heavily influenced by European boxing and fencing. Although the backbone concepts (such as centerline, vertical punching, and forward pressure) come from Wing Chun, Lee stopped using the Wing Chun stances in favor of what he considered to be more fluid/flexible fencing and boxing stances. Lee stated that they allowed him to “flow” rather than being stuck in stances.

For instance, instead of using footwork to position the body for maximum fighting position vis-a-vis the opponent, JKD uses flowing “entries” that do not require “bridges” from Wing Chun. Bruce Lee wanted to create a martial art that was unbounded and free. Later during the development of Jeet Kune Do, he would expand that notion and include the art for personal development, not just to become a better fighter.

To illustrate Lee’s views, in a 1971 Black Belt Magazine article, Lee said “Let it be understood once and for all that I have NOT invented a new style, composite or modification. I have in no way set Jeet Kune Do within a distinct form governed by laws that distinguish it from ‘this’ style or ‘that’ method. On the contrary, I hope to free my comrades from bondage to styles, patterns and doctrines.”

While practicing European wrestling, Lee was once pinned by an opponent, who asked what Lee would do if he found himself in the situation in a real fight. Lee replied, “Well, I’d bite you, of course”. One of the theories of JKD is that a fighter should do whatever is necessary to defend himself, regardless of where the techniques used come from. Lee’s goal in Jeet Kune Do was to break down what he claimed were limiting factors in the training of the traditional styles, and seek a fighting thesis which he believed could only be found within the event of a fight. Jeet Kune Do is currently seen as the genesis of the modern state of hybrid martial arts.

Jeet Kune Do not only advocates the combination of aspects of different styles, it also can change many of those aspects that it adopts to suit the abilities of the practitioner. Additionally, JKD advocates that any practitioner be allowed to interpret techniques for themselves, and change them for their own purposes. For example, Lee almost always chose to put his power hand in the “lead,” with his weaker hand back, within this stance he used elements of Boxing, Fencing and Wing Chun. Just like fencing, he labeled this position the “On Guard” position. Lee incorporated this position into his JKD as he felt it provided the best overall mobility.

Lee felt that the dominant or strongest hand should be in the lead because it would perform a greater percentage of the work. Lee minimized the use of other stances except when circumstances warranted such actions. Although the On-Guard position is a good overall stance, it is by no means the only one. Lee acknowledged that there were times when other positions should be utilized.

Lee felt the dynamic property of JKD was what enabled its practitioners to adapt to the constant changes and fluctuations of live combat. Lee believed that these decisions should be done within the context of “real combat” and/or “all out sparring”. He believed that it was only in this environment that a person could actually deem a technique worthy of adoption.

Bruce Lee did not stress the memorization of solo training forms or “Kata”, as most traditional styles do in their beginning-level training. Lee often compared doing forms without an opponent to attempting to learn to swim on dry land. Lee believed that real combat was alive and dynamic. Circumstances in a fight change from millisecond to millisecond, and thus pre-arranged patterns and techniques are not adequate in dealing with such a changing situation. As an anecdote to this thinking, Lee once wrote an epitaph which read: ‘In memory of a once fluid man, crammed and distorted by the classical mess.’ The “classical mess” in this instance was what Lee thought of classical martial arts.

Bruce Lee’s comments and methods were seen as controversial by many in his time, and still are today. Many teachers from traditional schools disagreed with his opinions on these issues.

The notion of cross-training in Jeet Kune Do is similar to the practice of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) in modern times — Bruce Lee has been considered by UFC president Dana White as the “father of mixed martial arts”. Many consider Jeet Kune Do to be the precursor of MMA because of its synteric nature. This is particularly the case with respect to the JKD “Combat Ranges”. A JKD student is expected to learn various combat systems within each combat range, and thus to be effective in all of them, just as in MMA.

Principles: The following are principles that Lee incorporated into Jeet Kune Do. He felt these were universal combat truths that were self evident and would lead to combat success if followed. The “4 Combat Ranges” in particular are what he felt were instrumental in becoming a “total” martial artist. This is also the principle most related to mixed martial arts.

JKD practitioners also subscribe to the notion that the best defense is a strong offense, hence the principle of “Intercepting”. Lee believed that in order for an opponent to attack someone they had to move towards them.

This provided an opportunity to “intercept” that attack or movement. The principle of interception covers more than just intercepting physical attacks. Lee believed that many non-verbals and telegraphs (subtle movements that an opponent is unaware of) could be perceived or “intercepted” and thus be used to one’s advantage.

The “5 Ways of Attack” are attacking categories that help Jeet Kune Do practitioners organize their fighting repertoire and comprise the offensive portion of JKD. The concepts of Stop hits & stop kicks and simultaneous parrying & punching were borrowed from European Fencing and comprise the defensive portion of JKD. These concepts were modified for unarmed combat and implemented into the JKD framework by Lee. These concepts also complement the other principle of interception.

• Be like water:Lee believed that martial systems should be as flexible as possible. He often used water as an analogy for describing why flexibility is a desired trait in martial arts. Water is infinitely flexible. It can be seen through, and yet at other times it can obscure things from sight. It can split and go around things, rejoining on the other side, or it can crash through things. It can erode the hardest rocks by gently lapping away at them or it can flow past the tiniest pebble. Lee believed that a martial system should have these attributes. JKD students reject traditional systems of training, fighting styles and the Confucian pedagogy used in traditional kung fu schools because of this lack of flexibility. JKD is claimed to be a dynamic concept that is forever changing, thus being extremely flexible. “Absorb what is useful; Disregard that which is useless” is an often quoted Bruce Lee maxim. JKD students are encouraged to study every form of combat possible. This is believed to expand one’s knowledge of other fighting systems; to both add to one’s arsenal as well as to know how to defend against such tactics.
• Economy of motion: JKD students are told to waste no time or movement. When it comes to combat JKD practitioners believe the simplest things work best.
• Stop hits & stop kicks: This means intercepting an opponent’s attack with an attack of your own instead of a simple block. JKD practitioners believe that this is the most difficult defensive skill to develop. This strategy can be a feature of some traditional Chinese martial arts.
• Simultaneous parrying & punching: When confronting an incoming attack, the attack is parried or deflected and a counter attack is delivered at the same time. Not as advanced as a stop hit but more effective than blocking and counter attacking in sequence. This is also practiced by some Chinese martial arts.
• No high kicks: JKD practitioners believe they should target their kicks to their opponent’s shins, knees, thighs, and mid section. These targets are the closest to the foot, provide more stability and are more difficult to defend against. However, as with all other JKD principles nothing is “written in stone”. If a target of opportunity presents itself, even a target above the waist, one could take advantage of the situation without feeling hampered by this principle.
• Learn the 4 ranges of combat: Kicking, Punching, Trapping, Grappling.
  Jeet Kune Do students train in each of these ranges equally. According to Lee, this range of training serves to differentiate JKD from other martial arts. Lee stated that most but not all traditional martial systems specialize in training at one or two ranges. Bruce Lee’s theories have been especially influential and substantiated in the field of Mixed Martial Arts, as the MMA Phases of Combat are essentially the same concept as the JKD combat ranges. As a historical note, the ranges in JKD have evolved over time. Initially the ranges were categorized as short or close, medium, and long range. These terms proved ambiguous and eventually evolved into their more descriptive forms although there may still be others who prefer the three categories.

Five Ways Of Attack:

• Single Angular Attack (SAA) and its converse Single Direct Attack (SDA).
• Hand Immobilization Attack (HIA) and its counterpart Foot Immobilization attack, which make use of trapping to limit the opponent’s function with that appendage.
• Progressive Indirect Attack (PIA). Attacking one part of the opponent’s body followed by attacking another part as a means of creating an opening.
• Attack By Combinations (ABC). This is using multiple rapid attacks, with volume of attack as a means of overcoming the opponent.
• Attack By Drawing (ABD). This is creating an opening with positioning as a means of counter attacking.

Three Parts of JKD: JKD practitioners believe that techniques should contain the following properties:

• Efficiency – An attack that reaches its mark
• Directness – Doing what comes naturally in a learned way.
• Simplicity – Thinking in an uncomplicated manner; without ornamentation.

Centerline: The centerline refers to an imaginary line running down the center of one’s body. The theory is to exploit, control and dominate your opponent’s centerline. All attacks, defenses and footwork are designed to preserve your own centerline and open your opponent’s. Lee incorporated this theory into JKD from Wing Chun. This notion is closely related to maintaining control of the center squares in the strategic game chess.

The three guidelines for centerline are:

• The one who controls the centerline will control the fight.
• Protect and maintain your own centerline while you control and exploit your opponent’s.
• Control the centerline by occupying it.

Branches: Although Bruce Lee officially closed his martial arts schools two years before his death, he allowed his curriculum to be taught privately. Since his death, Jeet Kune Do is argued to have split into different groups. Allegedly they are:

• The Original (or Jun Fan) JKD branch, whose proponents include Taky Kimura, James Lee, Jerry Poteet, and Ted Wong; these groups claim to teach what was believed to be only what was taught by Bruce Lee, and encourage the student to further develop his or her abilities through those teachings. The inherent training princicples of this branch are shaped by the static concept of what was “originally taught”, just as the training systems of “traditional” martial arts have been taught for centuries and become recognizable as “styles”, except it is referred to as a philosophy of “style without style”.
• The JKD Concepts branch, whose proponents include Dan Inosanto, and Larry Hartsell; these groups strive to continue the philosophy of individual self-expression through re-interpretation of combat systems through the lens of Jeet Kune Do, under the concept that it was never meant to be a static art but rather an ongoing evolution, and have incorporated elements from many other martial arts into the main fold of its teachings (most notably, grappling and Kali / Escrima material) based on the individual’s personal preferences and physical attributes. The entire JKD “system” can be described through a simple diagram, and the concepts can then be applied to a variety of contexts in a “universal” way.

To understand the branches of JKD it is important to understand the difference between the two “types” or viewpoints of Jeet Kune Do:

• A. JKD framework This type of JKD provides the guiding principles. Bruce Lee experimented with many styles and techniques to reach these conclusions. To Lee these principles were truisms. The JKD framework is not bound or confined by any styles or systems. This type of JKD is a process.
• B. JKD Personal Systems This type of JKD utilizes the JKD framework along with any techniques from any other style or system to construct a “personal system”. This approach utilizes a “building blocks” manner in which to construct a personalized system that is especially tailored to an individual. Lee believed that only an individual could determine for themselves what the usefulness of any technique should be. This type of JKD is thus a product.

Lee believed that this freedom of adoption was a distinguishing property from traditional martial arts. There are many who confuse the JKD Framework with a JKD Personal System (IE. Bruce Lee’s personal JKD) thinking them to be one and the same. The system that Bruce Lee personally expressed was his own personal JKD; tailored for himself. Before he could do this, however, he needed to first develop the “JKD Framework” process. Many of the systems that Bruce Lee studied were not to develop his “Personal JKD” but rather was used to gather the “principles” for incorporation in the JKD Framework approach. The uniqueness of JKD to Lee is that it was a “process” not a “product” and thus not a “style” but a system, concept, or approach. Traditional martial arts styles are essentially a product that is given to a student with little provision for change. These traditional styles are usually fixed and not tailored for individuals. Bruce Lee claimed there were inherent problems with this approach and established a “Process” based system rather than a fixed style which a student could then utilize to make a “tailored” or “Personal” product of their own.

The two branches of JKD differ in what should be incorporated or offered within the “JKD Framework”. The Original (or Jun Fan) JKD branch believes that the original principles before Bruce Lee died are all that is needed for the construction of personalized systems. The JKD Concepts branch believe that there are further principles that can be added to construct personalized systems. The value of each Branch can be determined by individual practitioners based on whatever merits they deem important.

Bruce Lee: Bruce Lee studied the martial arts style of Wing Chun and was a student of Yip Man in Hong Kong. Later, he learned other arts as well as the sports of western boxing and European fencing. The term Jeet Kune Do occurred in 1968 while Dan Inosanto and Bruce Lee were driving around in his car.

The conversation involved European fencing and Lee commented that; “the most efficient means of countering in fencing was the stop-hit…When the opponent attacks, you intercept his move with a thrust or hit of your own..” Lee then said “We should call our method the ’stop-hitting fist style;, or the ‘intercepting fist style”. Dan Inosanto then said; “What would that be in Chinese?” in which Lee replied “That would be Jeet Kune Do”.

A relevant video source of Bruce Lee discussing his Jeet Kune Do actually appeared in the first episode of the television series Longstreet. The first episode was aptly titled “The Way of the Intercepting Fist”. The episode was written specifically for Lee by his friend and long time supporter Stirling Silliphant.

Bruce Lee Quotes:

• “ The usefulness of a cup is its emptiness. – Be prepared to accept new knowledge and not be hindered or biased by old knowledge. This quote originates from the Tao Te Ching, by Lao Tzu, the founder of Taoism.”
• “ Using no way as way. – Don’t have preconceived notions about anything. This statement is embedded in the Jeet Kune Do logo. It was also used by Bruce Lee often to describe JKD. ”
• “ Having no limitation as limitation. – Don’t be confined by anything, achieve true freedom. This statement is embedded in the Jeet Kune Do logo. ”
• “ From form to formless and from finite to infinite. – Don’t be confined by limitations and forms. By not having specific form all forms can be included. ”
• “ The consciousness of “self” is the greatest hindrance to the proper execution of all physical action. – This is actually a Zen or Chán maxim which means to “be in the moment” and not be distracted by your own thought process. The Zen quote is: “If you seek it, you will not find it”. The “Western” counterpart to this is the term “Being in the Zone”. ”
• “ If people say Jeet Kune Do is different from “this” or from “that,” then let the name of Jeet Kune Do be wiped out, for that is what it is, just a name. Please don’t fuss over it. – Don’t get hung up on labels and parameters. JKD is alive and therefore always changing; don’t try to box it in. ”
• “ To reach me, you must move to me. Your attack offers me an opportunity to intercept you. – Lee explaining the principle of interception to Duke Paige from the television show Longstreet.”
• “ Empty your mind. Be formless shapeless like water. Now you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. You put water into a bottle, it becomes the bottle. You put it into a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Now, water can either flow, or it can crash! Be like water, my friend. – Lee explaining the principle of being like water in a Hong Kong television interview.

Links:

• The Art of Jeet Kune Do: http://www.westlord.com/jeetkunedo/
• Bruce Lee Website: http://www.westlord.com/brucelee/
• Bruce Lee Quotes: http://www.westlord.com/brucelee/eng-quote.html
• Bruce Lee Photos and Pictures: http://www.westlord.com/brucelee/eng-photo.html
• Bruce Lee Books: http://www.westlord.com/brucelee/eng-books.html
• The Jeet Kune Do Portal: http://www.mardb.com/jeet-kune-do/

This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors, This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.

Hulk Hogan the American Gladiators

Posted in Actors, Sports on Jan 16th, 2008 | Comments Off

The legendary wrestler is back on the small screen with NBC’s “American Gladiators.” Thanks to excitement over the smackdown series — and interest in his recently announced divorce proceedings — the mustachioed muscle man tops the list of most-searched on celebs in winter’s TV shows. He can thank a fan base that’s looking primarily middle-aged: Searchers between the ages of 30 and 44 have bulked up.

Undoubtedly the most recognized personality to emerge from World Wrestling Entertainment (formerly known as the World Wrestling Federation), Hulk Hogan maintained enormous popularity as a professional wrestler throughout a long career that saw its share of dizzying highs and humiliating lows. Though wrestling had always been defined by absolutes — the morality tale of good versus evil – the story behind the scenes was far more complex, as personal tragedies entangled in an intricate web of a billion-dollar business.

For Hogan, however, brushes with scandal did little to unhinge a successful career that saw his face on lunch pails, bed sheets and movie posters the world over. With his induction into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005, he cemented his place in wrestling’s elite and the cultural pantheon.

Born Terry Bollea in Tampa, FL, to a construction worker dad and homemaker mom, Hogan was always athletic, wrestling and playing Little League in his youth. His fast-growing frame required more food than normal – a typical breakfast consisted of 10 eggs, 12-ounces of hamburger and a quart of orange juice. By the time he graduated Robinson High School, Hogan was 6’7” and weighed over 300 pounds. While in high school, he began playing bass in local bands, earning $300-400 per week at clubs and parties.

He later attended Hillsborough Community College, then the University of South Florida, where he studied music and finance. But Hogan wanted to play music rather than study, so he quit college to focus on his band. Music, however, soon gave way to the humdrum life of bank telling, where Hogan routinely witnessed bruised and burly men with few teeth cashing rather large checks. When he later discovered they were wrestlers, Hogan contacted a local promoter, who challenged the upstart to an audition. Though he broke his ankle, he returned three months later, humbled and ready to learn. He even began working out to trim his bulky frame to a lean 220.

Hogan began his career under the persona Terry Boulder and earned $125 a week while sleeping in his car. He moved around – Minnesota, Florida, Tennessee and Georgia – wrestling under different guises, like the masked Super Destroyer or Sterling Gordon, before eventually settling on Hulk Hogan. Meanwhile, wrestling impresario Vince McMahon saw him on television and invited Hogan to wrestle at Madison Square Garden.

After 18 months with the growing WWF, he was given a note backstage from Sylvester Stallone asking him to appear in “Rocky III” (1982). Thinking it a hoax, Hogan ignored the request and went to wrestle in Japan for eight weeks. Upon his return, however, he received another message from Stallone: Come to LA, now. Despite warnings from McMahon, who had Hogan booked for a match in North Carolina, the young wrestler left for the West Coast.

After appearing in “Rocky III” as Thunderlips, a pro wrestler who challenges the boxing champ in a free-for-all match, Hogan became an overnight celebrity and helped the regional WWF become a national phenomenon. Hogan’s intense following was dubbed “Hulkamania,” with his red and yellow bandanas, handlebar mustache and 24-inch pythons soon becoming widely recognized trademarks – even outside the wrestling world. To add to the brouhaha, on Jan. 24, 1984, Hogan defeated his arch nemesis, the Iron Sheik, at the Garden, earning Hogan his first world title. The following year saw the birth of the yearly Pay-Per-View event, “Wrestlemania,” in which Hogan joined “Rocky III” co-star Mr. T in a tag-team bout against “Rowdy” Roddy Piper and “Mr. Wonderful” Paul Orndorff. But it was in “Wrestlemania III” (1987) that Hogan cemented his fame when he paired off against Andre the Giant, lifting the 500-pound wrestler for a winning body slam – perhaps the most talked about match in “Wrestlemania” history.

Throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, Hogan won and lost heavyweight championships, and was on the card for nine consecutive Wrestlemanias. Meanwhile, he ventured into acting with “No Holds Barred” (1989), playing an up-and-coming wrestling star forced into a match after his brother is injured by his nemesis. Not much of a stretch for the novice actor. Predictably, the movie bombed at the box office. After a cameo in “Gremlins 2: The New Batch” (1990), Hogan starred as an intergalactic hero stranded on Earth in the sci-fi comedy, “Suburban Commando” (1991). He then tried his hand at domestic comedy with “Mr. Nanny” (1993), playing a down-and-out wrestler who becomes a family’s bodyguard for extra cash. Though he did all he could for laughs – even donning a pink tutu and singing “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” – the movie bombed.

In the early 1990s, Hogan became entangled in a drug scandal that rocked professional wrestling to its core. He was first accused by former wrestlers – including “Superstar” Billy Graham – of abusing steroids throughout the 1970s and 80s, while Barry Orton claimed that Hogan did cocaine. To mitigate the damage, Hogan went on “The Arsenio Hall Show” (Syndicated, 1989-1994) and explained away the accusations, claiming that he was prescribed steroids to treat an injury and had used them only a few times.

But in 1994, he proffered testimony to the contrary after being granted immunity in Vince McMahon’s trial for illegally providing steroids to his wrestlers. Hogan admitted what others had previously claimed; that he had used the illegal substance for almost two decades. Meanwhile, he left the WWF for Ted Turner’s World Championship Wrestling, where he adopted the bad-guy persona, Hollywood Hogan.

Hogan stayed with the WCW for the next 10 years while he continued acting, albeit in much lower-profile features. Most titles – “Thunder in Paradise” (1993), “The Secret Agent Club” (1996), “Santa with Muscles” (1996) and “McCinsey’s Island” (1997), all riffs on his tough guy image – went straight to video. He then joined former “Rocky III” costar Carl Weathers for “Assault on Devil’s Island” (TNT, 1997), playing a retired Navy Seal who leads a special commando team to rescue a gymnastics team kidnapped by a South American drug cartel. He returned for the sequel, “Shadow Warriors 2” (TNT, 1999), in which his character, Mike McBride, is injected with a deadly serum by Middle Eastern terrorists. Meanwhile, Hogan dipped his toe into episodic television, appearing on “Suddenly Susan” (NBC, 1996-2000) and “Walker, Texas Ranger” (CBS, 1993-2001).

In 2002, Hogan made a triumphant return to the WWE when he faced another wrestling star-turned-actor, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, in a special Pay-Per-View event. But despite his return – along with many other former favorites of the WWE – wrestling was rapidly losing television viewers and live audiences due to accusations of fakery, over-saturation and weak storylines.

Hogan left wrestling in 2003 – supposedly for good – before he was inducted in the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005. But an impassioned chant from fans during the ceremony at the Universal Amphitheater for “one more match” induced Hogan to return once again.

In the Pay-Per-View show, “Backlash,” he participated in a tag team match with Shawn Michaels and notched another win on his belt. Meanwhile, Hogan joined the reality show craze, allowing cameras to intrude upon him and his family for “Hogan Knows Best” (2005- ), VH-1’s answer to “The Osbournes” (MTV, 2002-2005). Viewers found the famous wrestler’s overprotective ways with his beautiful daughter Brooke Hogan particularly, amusing – especially when male beaus came calling.

Raye Hollitt Photos and Biography

Posted in Celebrities, Sports on Jan 8th, 2008 | Comments Off

Raye Hollitt (born April 17, 1964) is an American actress and female bodybuilder, also known by her stage name Zap, one of the original cast members of American Gladiators. She was born in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.

Raye Hollitt appeared in Season 1 of American Gladiators in 1989, taking off the second season (1990-91) for maternity leave, before returning for Season 3 and continuing on the show through 1995. She reappeared for an alumni show in the final season (1995-96). Hollitt married Ted Prior in 1990 and has one child. She is currently married to photographer George Kontaxis.

Raye Hollitt, best known for her role as “Zap” on the hit, syndicated television show The American Gladiators, was a formidable presence for 6 seasons Growing up in Harvey’s Lake, Pennsylvania, where she lived until the age of 18, Raye developed her competitive spirit by participating in such sports as softball, basketball, field hockey, track and field and volleyball. 

It was in 1982 that she knew where her life was leading. After moving to the mecca of bodybuilding in Venice, California, she began to pursue a bodybuilding career.  After winning the 1988 Ms. Los Angeles Bodybuilding Championships, Raye landed her first major role in the Blake Edwards hit film titled “Skin Deep” starring John Ritter.

In addition to her popularity as an American Gladiator, Raye has appeared on several television shows, namely, Blossom and Baywatch, as well as several top-name talk shows including: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,  MTV with Pauly Shore, Good Morning America,  Beach House w/Jenny McCarthy, the Muppet’s Tonight Show, Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous, The Joan Rivers Show, Montel Williams,  and the Jenny Jones Show.

1995 was a busy year for Raye, as she shot a 6-page celebrity pictorial for Playboy’s February 1996 issue.  Also that year, Raye was cast as Lt. Cassie Puller for the pilot of NBC’s “JAG” (Judge Advocate General) directed by Don Bellisario.  Her last film Brand X, where Raye plays a futuristic superhero was  released on video in  2001.  Raye was also cast as a regular on UPN/Paramount’s Manhunt as Rayne, a Survivor-like, reality-based television show.  The past two and a half years has kept Raye busy with the production of her own project, the Sagas of Reya, a series about the voyages of a female Viking warrior and her entourage.

The discipline of being a competitive bodybuilder has helped Raye to obtain and succeed at many of her goals that she set for herself.  Her motto is: ‘Believe and Achieve’.  Her personal data reads of a true athlete, standing  5 feet 7 inches tall and a toned body of 135 pounds.

She is a former paralegal. She posed for Playboy in February 1996. She appeared for many years in local television commercials for “Ye Olde Clock and Gift Shop” in Dallas, a small town just outside her hometown of Wilkes-Barre.

S.C.A.R.S. Martial Arts

Posted in Sports on Jan 5th, 2008 | Comments Off

S.C.A.R.S.

Special Combat Aggressive Reactionary Systems

http://www.mardb.com/scars/

Special Combat Aggressive Reactionary Systems or S.C.A.R.S. is a martial arts fighting system/combative created by Jerry L. Peterson, based in part on his background in San Soo kung fu and from his personal experiences in the Vietnam War.

Currently marketed through private seminars and videotape. Initial presentation of SCARS to the Department of the Navy in 1988 led to its adoption into military use. From 1989-94 Peterson personally headed up the development and training of the SCARS programs as part of a BUD/S (Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL) candidate course and produced SCARS qualified SEAL instructors. While the SCARS Institute of Combat Sciences claims to have instructed the branches of the Army, Airforce as well as foreign governments and various law enforcement agencies, to what extent is unknown at this time.

According to official Naval Special Warfare documents obtained through the FOIA, stated on 03/03/98 that the Advanced NSW Combat Fighting Course (CFC) was recommended for cancellation due to the fact, “…that the 30-day. Advanced Combat Fighting Course was no longer utilized by the components; it has been 2-years since the course has been run. Generally, the components can’t lose someone for the 30-days that the course runs.”

Cancellation of the SCARS course was approved on April 17, 1998 by the Naval Special Warfare Commander, G.M. Moy, Assistant Chief of Staff for Operations. (FOIA document 1500 Ser N32/0293 17 Apr 98).  Criticisms: Within the martial arts community, Peterson and SCARS have been subject to no small amount controversy, having been variously accused of being unreliable, unrealistic, a hodgepodge, or simply a stripped-down version of San Soo.

The conception of SCARS began in real combat 1968-69 Vietnam Jerry L. Peterson, then a soldier in the elite Army Reaction Force of the 173rd Airborne Charlie Company, found that the close combat training he had received was nearly useless against the grim realities of 20th century warfare. He and the soldiers in his unit were forced to learn close combat by trial and error, in a place where error meant death. He was convinced there had to be a better way to train for, and successfully execute, close combat.

The psychological development of the fearless mind-set process. Jerry formulated concepts and theories that applied to human movement and psychological survival under do-or-die conditions. His early analytical and physical techniques worked, giving him the tools to survive numerous combat engagements. But Jerry wanted more, he wanted to know why the human species would be fearless one day and then frozen in fear another causing him or her to die? Mr. Peterson would discover and verify after 20 years of personal research that he had created a process to eliminate fear. This meant the total destruction of fear in the human brain. Not controlling fear with over training or conquering fear with shear willpower, he simply removed it from the psyche of the human brain, accomplishing the first goal of human control, a fearless mind set. He knew that the mind controlled all body processes that would inevitably lead to life or death in a high-risk action.

Five questions that needed to be answered: The first side of the coin had been cast, which is a simple direct process that creates the most feared concept in any conflict, a human without fear, yet having compassion and understanding of his environment, the ultimate man. However that is only one side of the coin, what about the sciences of human movement? This area would prove no less daunting, but it had to be asked and then resolved:

1) Why is one man’s fighting art form better than the other?
2) Why does a professional fighter lose to someone with no trained skills?
3) Why did the United States military not have a standard for controlling human violence in close combat?
4) Why does every law enforcement agency have a different defensive tactic course?
5) Why is there no science to human movement for a violent action?
6) Why indeed- as we start the 21st century no one has a defined the scientific path to this much-needed science of human control. In this day and age law enforcement agencies still struggle to find a well-defined set of principles for human control in a violent action. Principles that will reduce liability decrease injury to the subject and increase safety for the officer.

1988: Jerry Peterson’s SCARS tested By United States Navy Special Warfare Command (SEALS). SCARS officially approved and implemented as the standard for close combat by U.S. Special Operational Forces: To date, Jerry Peterson is the only individual ever to have established a proven set of principles based in modern sciences. His credibility received the attention of the United States Navy Special Warfare Command at Coronado, Calif. (US Navy SEAL headquarters). The Special Warfare Department of the Navy begin contracting Mr. Peterson and his corporation (SCARS Institute Of Combat Sciences) in 1988 to develop a program that would universally apply both physiological and physical fields of CQB (Close Quarters Battle).

Between November 1988 and February 1989 Mr. Peterson and the US NAVY began testing the SCARS project with combat veterans within the SEAL ranks. The Navy was restricted to combat Veterans that had either real world hand to hand combat and/or advanced training in any form of fighting art [martial arts]. After three months of physical testing the Navy agreed that SCARS had proven beyond a shadow of a doubt not to stem from a style of (Martial Arts). SCARS is 100% effective in all CQB actions. This system could possibly be the standard for hand-to-weapons combat for the US Navy Special Warfare Command Department (SEALS).

In March 1989 the Navy and Mr. Peterson agreed that further development and testing was warranted. The Navy agreed not to divulge any information on the SCARS project to the public. Mr. Peterson also agreed not to release any mission specific information about the training & SCARS. Should SCARS be given official sanction and approval by CNET, (Command for Navy Educational Training) limited statements could then be released. Doing this allowed Mr. Peterson’s SCAR-system to be tested in every condition of combat and/or police action that may arise in the world for which the military may be used.

Around April 1989 the Department of the Navy officially contracted Mr. Peterson and his corporation to began further development of the SCARS program.

The SCARS project was tasked with four main objectives:

• Develop and implement a basic hand-to-weapons program for the Basic Underwater Demolition School (BUDS).
• Develop and implement a platoon combat course for qualifying platoon deployment.
• Develop and implement a combat ready course for Special Boat Units.
• Develop and implement a Force Multiplier program to certify U.S. Navy SEALS as subject matter experts in the field of hand-to-weapon combat, both in non-lethal and lethal use of force.

From 1989-94 Mr. Peterson personally headed up the development and training of the SCARS programs. After 5-1/2 years of development and testing of SCARS by the Special Warfare Command the US NAVY SEALS received official approval from the Navy Department of Education CNET. This was the first time in history of the US Navy that a hand to weapons system had officially been approved as a standard of combat. After official approval of all of the SCARS programs Mr. Peterson licensed the Navy to conduct the SCARS Force Multiplier Train the Trainer Program. (To this date Mr. Peterson has restricted all licenses to certify subject matter experts in the SCARS system of sciences solely to the US Special Operation Community. There are only two places to receive this official information. One is in the US Special Operation Community. The other is at the SCARS Institute Of Combat Sciences in Phoenix AZ.)

Shortly after the SCARS/CFC (Special Combat Aggressive Reactionary Systems Combat Fighting Course) was officially implemented. The US Navy West-coast command requested a SCARS military demonstration.

The SCARS program was presented to The United States Secretary Of State, the Commanding Four Star General of the US Army, the Secretary of the Navy and other political personnel, all gave their overwhelming approval of the program.

From 1993-to present this program has produced over 300 SCARS subject matter experts in the field of non-lethal and lethal hand-to-weapons action. (No military SCARS instructor can teach the SCARS program outside of the military.)

S.C.A.R.S. (military) at the Martial Arts Database: http://www.mardb.com/scars/