Pretty Tough | Girls Kick Butt! » Martial Arts

Making a case for 2016 Olympics

jane — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 21:53:28 +0000

November 13, 2008 - How does one sport or event get voted into the Olympics while another doesn’t?

BMX made it’s debut in Beijing and the International Cycling Federation wants to include a freestyle event for the London games.

But last year, attempts to introduce skateboarding to the London Olympics failed.

The sports for London 2012 have already been decided but there are currently seven sports short-listed for consideration 2016 Summer Games. Only two will be added.

Leaders of baseball and softball, along with five other sports seeking inclusion in the Olympics, will present their cases to the International Olympic Committee in Geneva this week.

Golf, karate, roller sports, rugby and squash officials will also meet the 16-member commission, which will deliver a report to the IOC before the members vote in October.

Baseball and softball were dropped after the Beijing Games because they didn’t receive enough votes in 2005 to remain on the 2012 program.

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Gina Carano’s fight future in limbo

jane — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 22:30:07 +0000

October 21, 2008 - The fighting future of top MMA draw Gina Carano is in limbo as word emerged today that the mixed-martial-arts organization Elite XC will file bankruptcy and cease future operations, according to parent company, Pro Elite Inc.

Elite XC, which produced seven of the 10 most-watched MMA matches in U.S. history on two CBS specials in recent months, will be closing its doors at the end of the week. This leaves a roster of fighters, including Carano, looking for work.

Will Carano move to the sport’s highest-profile group the UFC? According to Yahoo Sports,

UFC president Dana White has said he’s not interested in promoting women’s fighting, although Carano’s success as a draw may cause him to reconsider. Her match with Kelly Kobold two weeks ago ended up adding more new viewers than any MMA match on television in the U.S.

Stay tuned.

Martial artist Courtney Leal - a Pretty Tough profile

admin — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 01:42:05 +0000

She’s the current Pac Rim World Champion in the 17 and under division and she’s swept almost every tournament she entered in 2007 including open kata, traditional kata, weapons and sparring. What’s even cooler is the six foot trophy and the two annual passes to Disneyland she won. She’s Courtney Leal, a thirteen year from the OC who’s been practicing martial arts since she was six years old.

Some call it a sport — others, an art. But it is more than that. It’s a way of life, a way of being — a way of existing. And it turns out, it’s a great activity for girls. Since martial arts emphasize technique over power, the playing field is more level when compared to other sports.

A Pretty Tough Team member, Courtney trains six days a week with three different instructors and she partipated in 43 tournaments last year. She started at martial art international sensei Rick Manos in Anaheim, when she was about 11 she added training at pearl of wisdom kenpo karate with professor Willy Aguilar in Cypress and for her weapons training she is with sensei Richard Rabago.

What’s she up to right now? Just looking forward to a little break before defending her world title….She’s tough. She’s pretty tough. She really is.

400-Year Old Brazilian Art Form Makes Its Mark on Hollywood

jane — Sun, 02 Dec 2007 04:59:34 +0000

If you have been to the movies lately you may have seen a graceful and unusual fighting style called Capoeira. Dustin Hoffman practiced it in Meet the Fockers, Halle Barry trounced her victims with it in Catwoman and Vincent Cassel used it to dodge moving laser beams in Ocean’s Twelve. (more…)

Hannah Akbik - Martial Arts

admin — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 07:51:23 +0000

Sport: Martial Arts
Home: Wisconsin
Birthdate: 1/30/1993
Fave Athlete: Jackie Chan
Fave Band/Singer: Disturbed
Fave Workout Music: Techno & Rock
Fave Food: Buffalo Wings
Fave Movies: Pirates of the Caribbean
Fave College Team: Badgers
Fave Pro Team: Packers
Other Interests: Gymnastics, Dance, Girl Scouts
Fave Quote: “Do to others as you want them to do to you”
Superstition: January 30th is the unluckiest day of the year
Pet Peeve: People who crack their knuckles
Started Competing: Age 4
Competitive Achievements:1st Place @ U.S. Open World Championships for Martial Arts in Extreme Forms
Competitive Goal: Grand Champion at the U.S. Open World Martial Arts Championships

Courtney Leal - Martial Arts

jane — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 01:50:26 +0000

Sport: Karate
Home: California
Birthday: 06/24/1994
Getting Started: I’ve been training and competing since I was six years old.
Interests & Hobbies: Hanging with friends
Competitive Highlights:
Ranked #1 in 2007 Pac Rim Championships
2006 Pac Rim Three-Time Sparring Champion
NASKA World Championships, 3rd Place in Weapons, Kata & Sparring
Goals: Become a World Champion and open my own dojo.

Choosing a Martial Arts School

jane — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 05:04:08 +0000

One of the most frequent questions young women ask is “How do I pick a good martial arts school? This is an important decision, and the time you spend doing your research will pay off in the end.The first step in picking a style and school is to ask yourself a series of questions about what you want from your training experience: (more…)