NY Times: America’s Latest Martial Arts Craze
In the 1970s, Bruce Lee, left, inspired many Americans to enroll in traditional martial arts such as karate and kung…
In the 1970s, Bruce Lee, left, inspired many Americans to enroll in traditional martial arts such as karate and kung fu. Yet nearly a decade prior, Mr. Lee had abandoned his traditional kung fu training and embraced an amalgam of fighting styles, taking whatever he found useful.
Americans seem to be catching up. Mixed martial arts, a sport that combines techniques from a host of fighting styles — from Brazilian jiu-jitsu to Thai kickboxing — has become the latest martial arts craze in the United States. At left, students training at Camp Undefeated, a mixed martial arts training center in Manhattan.
The definition of mixed martial arts varies. Experts say a legitimate school should teach several basic skills: how to strike, how to wrestle and how to fight on the ground.