MMA Favorite

King Reigns Queen of the Martial Arts World

Las Vegas, NV (PRWEB) October 29, 2007

Lisa King takes the term well-rounded to a whole new level. In 2007, the Muay Thai fighter, mother of two and entrepreneur kicked off her year with a tough rematch that won her the MTIA Championship belt, went on to serve as a mentor to 10 aspiring female fighters in the Oxygen Channel’s newest reality show Fight Girls and established her own consulting firm, Translucent Marketing.

In recognition of these accomplishments, along with her commitment as an ambassador of the martial arts and her positive representation of women in general, Black Belt Magazine named King “Woman of the Year.” She was also inducted into the Black Belt Hall of Fame.

“I was blown away when I heard the news,” said King of her nomination. “Black Belt Magazine is an outstanding publication and does a spectacular job of promoting all martial arts. I’m truly honored for this recognition.”

In addition to training, fighting and consulting, King, who lives in Las Vegas, also serves as an instructor and executive protection agent with Progressive F.O.R.C.E concepts and hosts self-defense seminars for women and teens across the country.

“My philosophy in life is to embrace new challenges and to always put your best foot forward,” said King. “I’ve been blessed with so many opportunities and am grateful every day.”

King and the other award winners are featured in the December issue of Black Belt Magazine. Black Belt bas been around since 1961 and is the world’s leading self-defense magazine dedicated to both the classical and the modern martial arts.

Lisa King works as a marketing, public relations and communications consultant, full contact Muay Thai fighter and an instructor and executive protection agent with Progressive F.O.R.C.E Concepts. Through her extensive involvement in martial arts and Muay Thai kickboxing, she has been featured in ESPN’s I’d do Anything, the film Ring Girls, the Oxygen Network’s 2006 movie Fight Girls, and her four-volume Muay Thai Instructional DVD Series Vicious Vixens produced by Century Martial Arts. She can be seen most recently in Oxygen’s 8-week reality show Fight Girls as mentor and trainer to 10 aspiring female fighters. Visit her website at http://www.theblackwidow.us

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Get Your Dojo On; Why Karate Is King Once Again

Hollywood, CA (Vocus) June 24, 2010

As the new version of The Karate Kid starring Jackie Chan and Jaden Smith sweeps the world’s multiplexes, could a new wave of karate kids sweep into studios and rec centers? Lou Illar, screenwriter and associate producer of the classic 90’s martial arts movie Sidekicks, knows the answer.

“Karate is tailor-made for the movies. It’s exciting to watch, and involves personal and spiritual components that make great story-telling devices,” says Illar, who’s in pre-production for ‘Sidekicks II’ while witnessing firsthand the resurgence of martial arts from his Louisiana Dojo. “Plus, it doesn’t need to have winners and losers like Western sporting activities do; and the character building aspect for young people is key. At their heart, martial arts are about discipline and humility. The best part is that anyone can do it and excel. There’s a reason they’ve been around for centuries.”

In the past 20 years, martial arts classes and centers have sprouted up everywhere — rec centers, churches, the inner city and suburbs. The number of martial-arts students under 12 years old has grown 15 percent a year for the past five years, according to Illar, citing stats from the National Karate-do Federation. ”A big part of that is because of the success of movies like ‘The Karate Kid’ and ‘Sidekicks’,” says Illar. ”These movies play every day on television all over the world, and they both have a terrific message for young people. Karate is as ubiquitous on the extra-curricular landscape now as little league and piano lessons.”

“Karate gives a general sense of mission and personal control,” says Illar. It’s also proven to be especially helpful for kids with special needs, an avenue that was explored in the original ‘Sidekicks’. Illar, a two time inductee in Kung Fu Magazine’s Hall of Fame, works with special needs children frequently through his martial arts studio in Baton Rouge, LA.

The original ‘Sidekicks’ plot revolves around Barry, played by the late child star Jonathan Brandis, who suffers from severe asthma and is having trouble fitting in at school. His only source of enjoyment is fantasizing that he’s friends with Chuck Norris, the martial arts champion and movie star. Barry becomes tired of getting picked on by the bigger guys, and decides to learn karate in hopes of controlling his asthma. Little did Barry know that some day his journey would actually place him as Chuck Norris’s Sidekick.

During his current media tour, Lou Illar is discussing topics including:

The resurgence of the mainstream martial arts film
Why martial arts have become so popular with American families
How to pick the right martial arts school for your child, and what dangers to watch for
What the new ‘Sidekicks’ sequel will be about
“Whether it’s Bruce Lee, Chuck Norris, or Jackie Chan, karate movies, like the martial arts themselves, will never go away,” Illar says. “Movies definitively tell a story through movement and action. The first movies made were made by Chinese and featured women using martial arts. Obviously, there are many period pieces of Kung Fu Heroes but where is there a better backdrop for martial art movies, than the physical and emotional challenges of our times? No doubt the continual popularity of The Karate Kid reflects America’s never ending admiration and support for those who selflessly achieve a moral victory. This flick nixes the love some kids have for things and replaces it with the moral respect that Americans still want to find in one another. The Karate Kid has and always will reflect American grit and morality!”    

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, Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.

Karate Kid Collection [3 Discs]

This box set includes all three KARATE KID movies, directed by John G. Avildsen. THE KARATE KIDWhen New Jersey native Daniel (Ralph Macchio) encounters bullies at his new high school in Southern California, he is saved by Mr. Miyagi (Noriyuki “Pat” Morita), a handyman who turns out to be a karate expert. Daniel begs to learn this ancient martial art, and soon Miyagi begins the boy’s training, teaching Daniel that there is more to karate than fighting. Morita is a gem as the elderly father figure Miyagi, giving the character warmth, wisdom, and comic charm. 1984′s THE KARATE KID inspired an entire generation to run out and join the nearest karate school while chanting “wax on, wax off.”THE KARATE KID IIMiyagi and Daniel return to training after a triumphant victory. But when bad news brings Miyagi home to the island of Okinawa, both he and Daniel embark on a journey that will challenge them mentally and physically. The emotionally charged adventures of Daniel and Miyagi are set against the beauty and honor of old world Japan, instilling a rich sense of history into their mastery and understanding of the ancient art of karate. THE KARATE KID IIIIn the third installment, old villains return to get their revenge against Miyagi and Daniel. This rousing continuation of the adventures of Daniel and his teacher includes fast-paced karate sequences and an inspirational soundtrack, now synonymous with THE KARATE KID films. Copyright (C) Muze Inc. 2005. For personal use only. All rights reserved.
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