Herbs have been used all around the world in just about any ancient cultures as the main treatment methods and herbal treatments are still very much alive today.

Traditional Chinese medicinal herbs are used differently as the traditional western herbs. In China herbs are combined into strong formulas that are a lot more effective as single herbs which where mainly used in the West. Chinese herbal formulas generally contain five to fifteen herbs and they can easily have more added for additional treatment. Although there are patented formulas most formulas are created for the individual and also modified as healing progresses.

Traditional Chinese herbal formulas also differ from their western counterparts because they are used according to their energy properties rather than their chemical effects. Chinese herbology follows the traditional healing principles of treatments and herbologists monitor the patients energy flows instead of the chemical healing effects. The energy meridian (or channel) system is the same as of acupuncture and these are used for both diagnosis as well as for treatments. Herbs are not only used for healing but as for prevention of diseases. They are cooked in food as part of meals or also consumed in teas daily.

Herbs have no or very little side effects making them a favorite method as alternate to conventional drugs.

Moxibustion also originates from China and today also still commonly used even becoming more and more popular world wide. It is an effective natural treatment and also often used as an alternate method to acupuncture for those who are afraid of the traditional acupuncture needles.

Moxibustion very much used the same way as acupuncture but instead of using needles to stimulate acu-points on the body the practitioner uses a stick made out of herbs, very much resembling a large cigar and the slow burning of this herb stick is used to warm up points or areas on the body. The heat also opens up the pores on the body letting in the healing properties of the herbs from the moxa stick, further assisting with treatments.

Moxibustion is very effective for pain and aches, by warming these areas help blood and other body fluids to flow properly assisting the body in healing or slowing down chronic problems.

There are more variations of moxibustion such as combining it with acupuncture needles. In this case the practitioner inserts needles in the body and also applies moxibustion by the needles, increasing the effectiveness of healing and cutting down on healing time.

Moxibustion originates from North China where the weather is harsher and using heat for warming helped with healing even more. It is, however not restricted to colder areas, today it is widely used at any parts of the world and still a preferred method for many people for healing.

Cupping is part of the traditional Chinese healing methods and it is still widely used as a healing method. Many people also use it as an alternate way for acupuncture mostly due to fears of needles.

Cupping also has a long history and survived the times because it is a proven healing method.

How cupping works?
The most popular method is using glass cups where the practitioner quickly heats up the air inside of and quickly placing the cup on the treated area of the body. The warm air creates vacuum which helps increasing the flow of blood and energies at these areas, thus assisting in healing. Cupping is especially effective for pains and aches.

What is acupuncture, where does it come from and how does it work?

The ancient Chinese theory is that the body has its energies circulating in main channels much like blood does in blood vessels. These energy channels are called meridians and according to the traditional believes these are divided into 12 main channels. Most of them pertain to vital organs in the body such as the heart, the stomach, the liver ... etc. and these regulate different functions in the body. Briefly stated inserting the needle at various points on the body the relating channels energy is affected, regulating the flow to that specific organ thus regulating its function.

Although acupuncture has been used in Asia for thousands of years it is still very much alive and part of the main stream medical treatment. It is also becoming more and more popular in the Western countries and more of them require an actual degree for practitioners to legally treat patients. Acupuncture is natural with no or very little side effects, safe, cost effective and also proven to be effective for a number of illnesses.

Many people who have not much knowledge about acupuncture are afraid of needles mostly due to fear of pain, however acupuncture needles are very fine with thickness as human hair therefore creating no or barely any sensations. Acupuncture is also very effectively used on animals, some race horse owners do not let any other healers to their horses but an acupuncturist.

There are also alternate methods to needles such as laser acupuncture which is widely used for treating addictions such as smoking or drinking or moxibustion or cupping. Please read more about these on our forum.

Some important links:
The Japanese Society of Acupuncture
The National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (USA)
Australian Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine Association
European Traditional Chinese Medicine Association

It's a little known fact that in Japan Samurai were not only men but a number of female Samurai also existed. Below are some original pictures of actual women samurais from history. To be able to see pictures please sign up and login.

The founder of Judo is Jigoro Kano who created this style in 1882 as an effective development of the body and mind and also to preserve one's health, longevity and self-control.

Judo's characteristics are differ from many modern Japanese arts as kicks and punches are rarely if at all used and most of the techniques are geared towards to takedowns, throws, locking and submission techniques. The rare kicks and punches are also not allowed during competitions.

The development of Judo roots in the history of the founder who was on a quest to learn Jiu-Jitsu which by his times has started to die down due to Japan's modernization and the wider introduction of firearms which many felt made the hand to hand combats ineffective and old fashioned. With the decreasing popularity of the hand to hand combative arts Kano had hard time to find any instructor. Upon finding a school - which consisted five students at the time - Kano began studying and later became the most able to continue the teachings. Kano decided to yet further his learning and joined another school where he remained another year. In February 1882 he established his first school at a Buddhist temple.

Judo is characterized by three main group of techniques: throwing, grappling and striking. It is mainly characterized by the first two, throwing and grappling and striking is rarely used. Judo practitioners also practice forms - kata - which are almost two men forms, in other words practiced with a partner. A practitioner of Judo is called a 'Judoka'.

Some other variations of it also exists such as the Russian 'Sambo' which became popular in Russia and around the world and became almost a national sport in the founders' country.

Judo is considered as a modern martial arts and today it is also an important competitive sport at the Olympics.

Images below show early Judo training. Note some female practitioners.

Samurai 侍 were the military nobility and officer caste of medieval and early-modern Japan. In Japanese, they are usually referred to as bushi or buke. According to translator William Scott Wilson: "In Chinese, the character 侍 was originally a verb meaning "to wait upon" or "accompany persons" in the upper ranks of society, and this is also true of the original term in Japanese, saburau. In both countries the terms were nominalized to mean "those who serve in close attendance to the nobility", the pronunciation in Japanese changing to saburai.

By the end of the 12th century, samurai became almost entirely synonymous with bushi, and the word was closely associated with the middle and upper echelons of the warrior class. The samurai were usually associated with a clan and their lord, were trained as officers in military tactics and grand strategy. While the samurai numbered less than 10% of then Japan's population, their teachings can still be found today in both everyday life and in modern Japanese martial arts.

Brief history and development of Aikido

Morihei Uyeshiba was a short and skinny boy who often suffered from sickness due to his weak constitution. He especially liked his father who one day was attacked by political opponents that beat him severely causing injuries so severe that he nearly died. Uyeshiba decided that he will be a strong man, one who is capable of defending himself against multiple attackers.

At first he became the student of the famous Yagyu Shinkage ryu then continued his studies at several different Jiu-Jitsu schools, later also becoming more skilled in the use of traditional weapons, especially when being a student of the Honzain systems where he learned the spear. The most influential however was the Daito Aiki-Jutsu as he mainly used the techniques of this style in the style he founded later, the Aikido.

The Diato Aiki-Jutsu originated from the 9th century, developed from the Minamoto family by Shure Saburo Yoshimitsu. It was a secret art that was firts taught to the public by Sokaku Takeda in 1905. Uyeshiba became Takeda's student in 1911 and studied under him until 1916. Uyeshiba was very eager to learn and even paid extra to Takeda to teach him some fo the more advanced and secret techniques.

After Uyeshiba felt he learned everything he could from Takeda he left the school. Later he met a different kind of teacher, Daguchi, a monk from the Shinto religion. Uyeshiba was so impressed with his personality that he decided to join and follow Daguchi on his mission to Mongolia where they wanted to create a 'world peace'. The mission ended with sufferring, prison and nearly an execution.

Uyeshiba returned to Japan where he started to teach martial arts mainly to naval officers. During an argument with one a fight broke out between them using wooden swords. Uyeshiba efforlessly blocked and diverted all his opponents wild attacks and according to a biography this was the time he realized the true ways of martial arts. By now he was 41 years old.

Uyeshiba continued to teach and his name became more and more known and even the founder of Judo, Jigoro Kano visited him and found his new style and skills impressive. In the 1950s the Aikido also started to spread to the West and the first schools were open in Europe and in Hawaii. At first the traditional Japanese views, philosophy and Uyeshiba's explanations for these as well as the techniques seemed confusing for the westerners. Later attempts were to change and translate these for better understanding.

Uyeshiba was also against using Aikido as sport or competitions.

Herbs and teas have been used for century by traditional healers all around the world. Herbs are proven highly effective even today and also provide a safe and natural way of keeping a person healthy. Teas are also consumed world wide to help the body to function better.

Acupuncture, cupping and moxibustion are some of the ancient Chinese healing methods that stood the test of time and even today are very popular healing methods. Their treatments are effective and due to being natural, have no or very little side effects making them the preferred treatment method for many people for many illnesses. Another advantage of these healing methods are their low costs.

Chi Kung (also commonly spelled 'Qi Gong') is an ancient health preserving exercise developed in China. There are many different styles of Chi Kung practiced and today and it is also becoming increasing popular around the world, practiced by young and the elderly alike.

According to ancient Chinese theories the body's energies flow and circulate in channels much like blood does. The flow and free circulation can be blocked by different external or internal effects (such as cold or a bruise) and these weaken the functionality of a part of the body or an internal organ. There are main channels, these are called 'Meridians' where most of the energies flow and also there are various smaller channels such as collateral, connecting of linking channels p - the latter function more as assistant to the main channels. These channels are the exact same that are used in traditional Chinese medicine such as acupuncture or moxibustion. To help preventing the occurrence of diseases different Chi Kung - or energy regulation - techniques were developed. These exercises help ensuring the flee flow of 'Chi' or energy in the body, thus very effectively helping preserving one's health. 

Mixed martial arts (MMA) is a full-contact combat sport that allows both striking and grappling, both standing and on the ground, using techniques from other combat sports and martial arts. The first documented use of the term mixed martial arts was in a review of UFC 1 by television critic Howard Rosenberg in 1993. The term gained popularity when a website (called NewFullContact .com), then one of the largest websites covering the sport, hosted and republished the article. The question of who actually coined the term is subject to debate today.

During the early 20th century, various mixed-style contests took place throughout Japan and the Pacific Rim. In 1980 CV Productions, Inc., created the first regulated MMA league in the United States, named Tough Guy Contest, later renamed Battle of the Superfighters. The company sanctioned ten tournaments in Pennsylvania. However, in 1983 the Pennsylvania State Senate passed a bill prohibiting the sport.

In 1993, the Gracie family brought vale tudo, developed in Brazil from the 1920s, to the United States by founding the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) MMA promotion company.

Originally promoted as a competition to find the most effective martial arts for real unarmed combat, competitors from different fighting styles were pitted against one another in contests with relatively few rules. Later, individual fighters employed multiple martial arts into their style. MMA promoters were pressured to adopt additional rules to increase competitors' safety, to comply with sport regulations and to broaden mainstream acceptance of the sport. Following these changes, the sport has seen increased popularity with a pay-per-view business that rivals boxing and professional wrestling.

Karate is a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Kingdom. It developed from the indigenous Ryukyuan martial arts under the influence of Chinese martial arts, particularly Fujian White Crane. Karate is now predominantly a striking art using punching, kicking, knee strikes, elbow strikes and open-hand techniques such as knife-hands, spear-hands, and palm-heel strikes. Historically, and in some modern styles, grappling, throws, joint locks, restraints, and vital-point strikes are also taught. A karate practitioner is called a karateka (空手家).

The Ryukyu Kingdom was annexed by Japan in 1879. Karate was brought to Japan in the early 20th century during a time of migration as Ryukyuans, especially from Okinawa, looked for work in Japan. It was systematically taught in Japan after the Taishō era. In 1922 the Japanese Ministry of Education invited Gichin Funakoshi to Tokyo to give a karate demonstration. In 1924 Keio University established the first university karate club in mainland Japan and by 1932, major Japanese universities had karate clubs. In this era of escalating Japanese militarism, the name was changed from 唐手 ("Chinese hand" or "Tang hand") to 空手 ("empty hand") by Funakoshi â€" both of which are pronounced karate in Japanese â€" to indicate that the Japanese wished to develop the combat form in Japanese style. After World War II, Okinawa became an important United States military site and karate became popular among servicemen stationed there.

The martial arts movies of the 1960s and 1970s served to greatly increase the popularity of martial arts around the world, and in English the word karate began to be used in a generic way to refer to all striking-based Oriental martial arts. Karate schools began appearing across the world, catering to those with casual interest as well as those seeking a deeper study of the art.

Shigeru Egami, Chief Instructor of Shotokan Dojo, opined that "the majority of followers of karate in overseas countries pursue karate only for its fighting techniques ... Movies and television ... depict karate as a mysterious way of fighting capable of causing death or injury with a single blow ... the mass media present a pseudo art far from the real thing." Shōshin Nagamine said, "Karate may be considered as the conflict within oneself or as a life-long marathon which can be won only through self-discipline, hard training and one's own creative efforts."

On September 28, 2015, karate was featured on a shortlist along with baseball, softball, skateboarding, surfing, and sport climbing to be considered for inclusion in the 2020 Summer Olympics. On June 1, 2016, the International Olympic Committee's executive board announced they were supporting the inclusion of all five sports (counting baseball and softball as only one sport) for inclusion in the 2020 Games.

Web Japan (sponsored by the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs) claims there are 50 million karate practitioners worldwide, while the World Karate Federation claims there are 100 million practitioners around the world.

The history of Muay Thai can also be traced to the middle of the 16th century. During the battles between the Burmese of the Konbaung Dynasty and Siam, the famous fighter Nai Khanomtom was captured in the year 1767. The Burmese knew of his expertise in hand-to-hand combat and gave him an opportunity to fight for his freedom. Soon after winning the match, he was freed by his captors and allowed to return to Siam. He was acknowledged as a hero, and his fighting style became known as Siamese-Style boxing, later to be known as Muay Thai. This fighting style was soon to be recognized as a national sport.

Muay boran, and therefore Muay Thai, was originally called by more generic names such as Toi muay or simply muay. As well as being a practical fighting technique for use in actual warfare, muay became a sport in which the opponents fought in front of spectators who went to watch for entertainment. These muay contests gradually became an integral part of local festivals and celebrations, especially those held at temples. Eventually, the previously bare-fisted fighters started wearing lengths of hemp rope around their hands and forearms. This type of match was called muay khat chueak (มวยคาดเชือก). Kickboxing was also a component of military training and gained prominence during the reign of King Naresuan in 1560 CE.

Muay Thai is referred to as the "Art of Eight Limbs" or the "Science of Eight Limbs", because it makes use of punches, kicks, elbows and knee strikes, thus using eight "points of contact", as opposed to "two points" (fists) in boxing and "four points" (hands and feet) used in other more regulated combat sports, such as kickboxing and savate. A practitioner of muay Thai is known as a nak muay. Western practitioners are sometimes called Nak Muay Farang, meaning "foreign boxer."

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