Greenside

Greenside from Zero Trooper on Vimeo.

Check out this short film I filmed in Chicago a few years ago... lots of cool action!

Living within a crumbling city rife with disease are Jackson and Acacia. Every day poses a struggle as Jackson attempts to prevent Acacia from succumbing to an illness. Unfortunately, the only cure lies deep within Greenside, a heavily fortified biodome guarded by the Zero Troopers, where the city's privileged and powerful live a safe and comfortable life...

Movie Review: "Chocolate"

No, not the foreign movie with Johnny Depp. This one comes from the director of the awesome "Ong-Bak" movies starring Tony Jaa. I checked this movie out last week on my XboxLive Netflix instant stream. The movie had a unique plot (girl with autism fights to save her sick mother), AWESOME fight scenes, and it was funny too!

I don't know who the girl is, but she did an amazing job acting and especially with all the action sequences. She fights better than most guys in action movies, you have to watch it to believe it!

I give "Chocolate" 8 ninja stars out of 10

Movie Review: "Street Fighter:Legend of Chun-Li"

I like dumb movies. Happy Gilmore, Billy Madison, Tommy Boy, Wayne's World, and Napoleon Dynamite are all movies that should have won Best Picture at the Oscar's in my opinion. Throw in martial arts action and "Street Fighter:Legend of Chun-Li" should have been my all-time favorite movie.

I had heard and read reviews calling this movie a piece of crap and I refused to believe them until I saw it firsthand. I can now wholeheartedly agree with everyone else. It's like the producers knew this movie was gonna suck and didn't care. You know when you watch a movie and there are sometimes little mistakes like there is a cup on the table in one shot and in the next it magically disappears? This whole movie is like that. It's like they did this stuff on purpose. There's a scene where Chun-Li (Kristen Kreuk of Smallville fame) is playing a piano concert and it was obviously a greenscreen shot. The audience looked worse than some of the old generation crowd's in Madden Football. They didn't even move!

The entire movie seemed like it was a voiceover of Chun Li's voice. I think they may have tried to do that to cover up all the holes in the writers' plot and also to have less acting by the actors. There was this really awkwardly placed scene in the movie where Chun Li has a lesbionic moment with one of the bad girls in the movie in a dance club. Chun Li seduced this girl on the dance floor with some gyrating moves and lured her into the bathroom where she proceeded to kick the crap out of her. It was really strange, and usually that sort of thing would be one of the positives of a movie! Also, Chun Li's mom looked younger than her when she was on her deathbed! Also, the young versions of Chun Li in the flashback scenes went from full Asian, to kind of Asian, back to full Asian, then to half Asian. I can't even remember all the horrible things that made it into this movie! Not to mention Chris Klein's acting performance. I don't even remember his character's name. He was like a character from a bad 80's cop movie... but worse. The martial arts scenes were okay, nothing special though.

Simply put, this movie was more fragmented and poorly put together than this movie review I just spat out of my gullet. Wow.

Street Fighter : Legend of Chun-Li gets 2 ninja stars out of 10.

I really need to review a good movie next time....

It's not WHAT you do, it's how you DO it

In life, this phrase holds true as it does in martial arts. Who cares if you can do a triple twisting quadruple flipping dolphin spin kick??? I can make a side kick look better   ;P

Martial Arts Supply Workers = Comic Book Guy from the Simpsons?

Today I went into the local martial arts supply shop and bought a pair of escrima sticks. Can't wait to start choreographing a giant fight where everyone fights with sticks.

Anyways, this supply shop (i will leave them anonymous for their own protection) seems to be like any other martial arts supply shop I've ever been to. Now, I 've only really been to like 5 in my life including in Minnesota but bear with me. Blah blah blah I am going to cut straight to the point. ALL EMPLOYEES / OWNERS ARE OUT OF SHAPE AND DO NOT PRACTICE MARTIAL ARTS!!!! Okay, that's a bit of a generalization but that has been my experience.

I was talking to the lady about stuff and I asked: "Where do you train?" She replied with something like this: "Well, I don't train but we've all dabbled here and there in the martial arts..."

That translates into.... "I never really took classes but I've always been fascinated with ninja stars, nunchucks, and Chuck Norris."

Being an expert in martial arts is not a prerequisite in owning or working in a martial arts shop but it is helpful. Hmmmm, maybe I will get a job at a knitting factory.

Dragonball Evolution Review

So ummm I just watched "Dragonball: Evolution" Starring Justin Chatwin, Chow Yun Fat, Jamie Chung, and Emmy Rossum.

I have never been into the anime that the movie was based on, I

just wanted to watch it because it seemed to have at least some cool action scenes in it. I was wrong, and I wasted a few hours of my life watching this. It's not the worst movie I've ever seen, but it wasn't good... at all.

The movie is another prime example of a big problem in Hollywood. Studio execs must not trust that an Asian actor can carry a movie. So what do they do? They hire a Caucasian actor to portray a character that is clearly Asian:

This happens way too much. They should have hired that Mike Moh guy. haha.

Anyways, you can watch this movie if you're totally bored or if you've got something to distract you while you watch it.

Daily Dojo gives "Dragonball:Evolution" 3 ninja stars out of 10

Honorary Ninja

This is moments before Brett Favre chopped Aaron Rodgers in the neck.

Brett Favre deserves to be an honorary Ninja for his dismantling of the Packers yesterday. There is nothing honorable about stabbing a former team in the back, but it's the Packers!!! So.. I am rewarding him with the honorable title of Football Ninja.

Best Martial Arts Video Games

I am a video game geek. I am also a ninja. Hence, I happen to love it when video games involve martial arts. All 'action' games involve some sorts of martial arts moves, but for this list I will only refer to games with a martial arts theme. Some of these games were a big reason why I started martial arts, some of these games inspired me to learn new moves, and some of the moves in these games that once seemed impossible to me, are now moves in my ninja arsenal. Okay, on to the games in chronological order:

"Kung Fu" for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) AKA "old school N

intendo"

This game was the first game I fell in love with. This classic side-scrolling beat-em

-up game has it all. Kicks, chops, and AWESOME kung-fu sound effects. The evil villain Mr. X has captured your girlfriend and you must fight off a bunch of dudes that attack you with... hugs. I never even beat this game but as a kid I had a ton of fun playing the first two l

evels then dying everytime I got to the guy that throws knives. Who throws knives, Honestly!?

"Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2: The Arcade Game" for the NES

The turtles were my number one reason why I started taekwondo. This game was one of the reasons why I loved the turtles. This game is awesome. You can choose to be any of the turtles, and better yet it gave you the chance to take down the evil Shredder. Not only that, but April O'Neill is in the game. Hot.

"Ninja Gaiden" series for NES and later Xbox 360 and PS3

This series revolves around Ryu Hayabusa, the ultimate ninja. This guy flips, slashes, kicks, kills, and takes names. All without being seen or heard. Originally on the NES, this game had awesome cut-scenes, a cool upgrade system, and was insanely difficult. Needless to say I never beat this game either. In 2004 they rebooted the series on the 360 and made it a full 3-d action game. AWESOME.

"Killer Instinct" for the Super Nintendo and Nintendo 64

This was my favorite fighting game. It was one of the first game that used "3d" graphics in a 2-d fighting game. I still quote the game frequently when I yell out : "C-c-c-c-combo!!!!" as I pummel multiple foes with my ninja moves.

The "Street Fighter" series for all consoles

Chun-Li was one of my early childhood crushes. Basically all of the characters

are awesome and the special moves in the game have been pioneered what we now call "Xtreme Martial Arts." I had always wanted to do Guile's flash kick, and now that I can it's not as cool as I thought it would be but oh well it's still pretty cool. Oh yeah, and this game series inspired two horrendous Hollywood movies. Awesome.

The "Mortal Kombat" series for all consoles

"FINISH HIM!" Enough said.

The "Tekken" series for Playstations 1, 2, and 3

This is my favorite fighting series. One of the first games to make the move into the 3-D, Tekken is a deep fighting game that is fun and easy to pick up and play. I will forever hate Eddy Gordo for all of his cheap (but cool) Capoeira moves, but my favorite fighting character out of all games is Hwaorang when I believe he was introduced in Tekken 3 for the PS2. He was the first full-on Korean Taekwondo fighter in a fighting game and boy could he kick his face off! I mimicked my sparring style so closely to his that I would frequently lose matches because I would try to do some ridiculous "Hwaorang"-like move. It was worth it though.

Well there you have it. There are many other great games like Soul Caliber, and Virtua Fighter, but I simply didn't play those games much. If you're a martial artist and like games, try these games out!

Martial Arts Expertise does NOT transfer to All Sports....

My younger brothers in law are really into skateboarding. So much that they had a mini half-pipe built in their yard. They make going up and down that thing look so dang easy so one night I said: "pshhhh, that looks easy I can do it".

Lo and behold, here's the result(sorry for dark video):

Here's what it did to my back:

Needless to say it hurt a little, but that didn't stop me from accomplishing my goal of "Dropping in" as the skaters would say.

"VICTORY!"

Dancing with Martial Arts Stars??

For all fans of the martial arts: you now have a legitimate reason to tune into ABC’s “Dancing With the Stars” without feeling ashamed. Why, you ask? Two of America’s very own martial arts stars are contestants! Chuck Liddell of UFC fame, and Mark Dacascos, who is currently best known for his role as the “Head Master” on Iron Chef, have already performed their first dance and thankfully have survived the first week of elimination.

I think it’s great that Chuck and Mark are doing the show. I know that there are many people that think it was a bad idea (especially for Chuck) because of the possible embarrassment and threat to their machismo, but I think it takes a lot of guts to go out on national TV and dance around in tight outfits.

Many UFC fans believe that Chuck Liddell has already fought his last fight in the octagon, and if that is true I believe that he has made the right decision. In his last few fights it seemed as if he has lost his intimidation factor and edge. He will go down as one of the legends of mixed martial arts, but his time is done and I am happy to see that he has found a new gig so quickly!

Chuck’s first dance on the show was the foxtrot. I am no dance expert but he looked a little uncomfortable out there. In all fairness, he did much better than most were expecting but he was pretty stiff and I actually thought his footwork would be better. On the bright side, I’m sure he will learn quickly and he has a shot at doing well because is truly a likable guy and has a huge fan base in the martial arts world. He just has to hope that all the tough martial arts guys across America will call in and vote for him!

I had the pleasure of working with Mark Dacascos and he is the true definition of a martial artist. Humble, gracious, and a hard worker. Not only that, but the guy can still move like he’s twenty years old. In my opinion, he is one of the most underappreciated martial arts action stars of American cinema. Some of his notable movies on his extensive resume are: “Brotherhood of the Wolf” and one of my favorites growing up “Only the Strong.” It’s a shame that the vast majority of America has no idea that this guy is an action star. Most will see him as “that guy from Iron Chef.”

Mark’s debut dance was one of the most memorable as he did the cha-cha to the song: “Everybody was Kung-Fu Fighting.” He successfully integrated some great martial arts moves in with his dance without overdoing it. In addition to that, the guy can really dance too! If anyone has ever seen his movie “Drive”, this came as no surprise to you as he had a full song and dance towards the end of that film. Unfortunately, no matter how well he dances Mark has an uphill climb at winning the competition only because he is not as famous as some of the others. Hopefully America will get to know him and vote for him!

Regardless of what the purists may say about martial artists dancing around like “sissies”, I’ll bet that when the show is over Chuck and Mark will look back at the experience and say that it was just as hard (if not harder) than their work as martial artists. Kudos to them for stepping outside of their comfort level and giving more exposure to the martial arts world.

How Old is Too Old to Fight?

With the recent news of NFL great Herschel Walker making the jump to mixed martial arts (MMA), I got to thinking... How old is too old to fight? First off, let me say that I applaud Herschel Walker for doing what he wants to do. Walker is 47 years old and has been a long-time student of the martial arts and even holds a 5th degree in Taekwondo.

It seems as if Walker's motives are not financially related, and it does not seem to be a publicity stunt either. He just wants to experience another chapter in his life outside of football. Who knows, maybe Brett Favre will someday find something to do other than football (Yeah, right!!!) Other professional athletes that have turned to MMA **Cough** Jose Canseco **Cough** have resorted to fighting simply to earn a paycheck or to get some publicity and in most cases they ended up embarrassing themselves. I truly hope Walker does well or at least does not get embarrassed. The guy may be almost half a century old, but look at Randy Couture. The guy is 46 and is in the best shape of his life. Not only that, but has been UFC champion defeating men half his age on a regular basis.

Herschel Walker has been a star at the highest level of football, was an olympian as a bobsledder, and is now embarking on a MMA career. The guy is a renaissance man, and is super cool just for the fact that he is the closest thing we've had to recreating the movie "Cool Runnings." Almost all of the press I am reading is suggesting that Herschel is too old, out of his league, and will only succeed in making a fool of himself. I think it's a shame that these journalists are hating on Herschel for following through with something he is passionate about. We should all be so lucky to be disciplined and talented enough to be able to pursue a career in MMA.

What if he fails miserably? A fifth degree black belt in Taekwondo is great, but that training alone will not be nearly enough to keep you standing in the caged ring. I am a fourth degree black belt in taekwondo myself, and I know I have no business getting into MMA. One punch to the grill and I would probably die on the spot. That's why Herschel is undergoing a 12 week intensive training camp with some of the best in the biz. He has been training in MMA for a long time, and this training camp is sure to help, but we can't be sure of what is to come until his first fight is in the books. If he's pit against true MMA fighters, I predict his MMA career won't last long. If that's the case, I still think Walker is a winner for trying. Isn't that what martial arts is all about? It's about testing your own limits, pushing yourself to become stronger both physically and mentally. In the honor of the martial arts spirit, let's all root for Herschel!

How to Choose a Martial Arts School

When I was 12 years old I decided I wanted to be the next big action star in the footsteps of Jackie Chan. As it turns out, being Asian would not be enough to fulfill that goal. I needed to learn how to kick some butt. After much persuasion, my Mom enrolled me at the martial arts school that we always walked by when we went to the grocery store. Thankfully, it was a great school with quality instructors. Over two decades later I have become a champion, an instructor, and I am still passionate about the martial arts.

Not everyone is so lucky when choosing a martial arts school. Throughout the years I have heard many horror stories of people that have lost their interest of the martial arts thanks to a lousy teacher or school. What a shame. When taught properly, martial arts will change your life for the better. When taught poorly, martial arts will lead to an embarrassing/frightening memory, an injury, or worse. My Mom chose my martial arts school based on convenience and location. For most Mom’s, convenience is the number one factor in determining a martial arts school for their child. I often wonder: “What if my Mom chose the Karate school down the road?” Who knows who I’d be, what I’d be doing, and what I would have accomplished? I’m just glad things worked out the way they did.

Today is a much different time than it was twenty years ago when Momma Moh brought me to my first Taekwondo class. With all of the online resource we have today, narrowing down a list of possible martial arts schools for yourself or for your children is pretty easy to do. Let me take you through a few of the steps you should take before you choose your training grounds.

It’s All About Style

There are many different styles of martial arts. Some are similar, some are not. Determining why you want to learn (or want your child to learn) is crucial to choosing a style that will fit your wants and needs. Today, Taekwondo is the most popular for families and kids thanks to its sheer number of schools, heavy emphasis on kicks, and ease of basic techniques. For adults, Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) is growing in popularity due to the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). However, this is not to say that these styles are the best for everyone. I suggest you do your own research as to what is available in your area and what each style has to offer. Otherwise, this article will never end!

Try a Class!

Most schools have a special introductory special where you can try a class for free or try a few weeks or a month at a low-price. Take advantage of this! The best way to find out if a school is right for you, is to experience it first hand.

Things to Look For:

- A school that is accredited by a governing body as many martial arts schools are unregulated. For Taekwondo schools, the big ones are (ATA, ITF, WTF)

- Instructors that are courteous, professional, and have proper experience. All of these things can be found out by watching or taking a class from them. The hard-nosed tough guy instructor is now a thing of the past. There are many instructors currently teaching that have no business teaching others. They should have an instructor certification or some kind of credential. Also, just because they’re a “Champion” doesn’t make them a good instructor. Also, there are many great instructors that aren’t great practicioners.

- A clean school with appropriate flooring. If the place smells, get out of there. Hygiene is very important as there are hundreds of kids and adults using the same facility as you are every day. Also, most full-time martial arts schools have foam or rubber mats nowadays.

- Are their black belts any good? If not, their instructors most likely are not very good. Now that doesn’t mean every black belt has to be amazing, but a black belt has technically “mastered” at least basic technique.

- Hidden fees. Lots of schools hit you up with these. Ask outright: “What are the additional costs involved?” Also, be wary of signing long-term contracts with a lot of money up-front unless you’ve been taking class for a while.

Hopefully these things help you in choosing a martial arts school. If it helps, I started with the American Taekwondo Association (www.ataonline) and am still a proud and loyal member. But like any other organization, there are some schools that are better than others and I recommend that you follow all the afforementioned guidelines before committing. My number one piece of advice remains: take a class! Do your initial research and then let your gut feeling decide whether or not this is a place you could potentially earn the rank of the highly esteemed: Black Belt.

Ninja Movie Review: "Ninja Cheerleaders"

The only reason why I saw this movie is because I was bored and it was listed in the free movies section of my OnDemand. Oh, and the fact that it's called :"NINJA CHEERLEADERS!" How could this be bad!??

This is only a partial review as I only got through about 20 minutes of the film. I want those 20 minutes back. Horrible fight scenes, horrible plot, and horrible acting. George Takei plays a ninja master/pimp. Seriously. It was weird.

Who knows, maybe the movie got good after I turned it off. More than likely, it got worse. Don't waste your time with this one.

It gets 1 ninja star out of 10.

Ninja Warior Vid

Here's a quick video that a buddy of mine made:

American Ninja Warrior

G4TV has this show called "Ninja Warrior". Some of you may have heard of this show. It's based on Japan's uber-popular gameshow that is similar to what "Wipeout" is except it's actually geared towards real atheletes. Well, this past weekend G4 had an open try-out for "American Ninja Warrior" for a chance to be one of 10 Americans to fly to japan to compete on Ninja Warrior.

A few of my friends had been training for this event and I did not plan on trying out until the last second. To make a long story short, I got to run the course!!

It was... AWESOME!!! The course was comprised of:

1. The 5 angled steps over water

2. Rope Swing to platform

3. Cylinder Run

4. Mini-tramp to Spider Wall

5. Pipe Slider

6. Warped Wall

About 85% of all the contestents fell into the water on the rope swing. My goal was to make it past the rope swing. I BARELY made it! haha. The cylinder run was easy and so was the spider wall. My lack of training for the Pipe Slider (you hang onto a pipe and have to use your arms to slide the pipe down 3 drops) was what led to my demise. I was so close to taking on the warped wall! Next time Ninja Warrior comes around I will have worked on my grip strength so I can ring the bell at the top of the wall!

I enjoyed the experience and am glad I had the opportunity to run the course! There were a bunch of people that showed up at 5am and didn't get a chance!

UFC Aftermath

Wow. So uh... I was way off on my predictions. 1 out of 5 ain't too bad is it?? yeah it is..

Anyways, it was a great show and the Couture vs. Nogeuira fight was spectacular.

UFC 102 Predictions

Hey y'all. UFC 102 is 2nite!

Here are my quick thoughts and predictions:

Chris Leben vs. Jake Rosholt

Winner: Leben. He's certifiably insane. This is like Leben's 100000000'th chance to take his game to the next level. He's gotta capitialize at least once, right!?? Plus, he's insane/crazy/loco. He will win by either knockout or by biting Rosholt's head off.

Brandon Vera vs. Krzysztof Soszynski

Winner: Vera... Only because I didn't wanna have to try to spell the other guy's name out again.

Nate "The Great" Marquart vs. Demian Maia

Winner: Maia by submission. Marquart is big and ripped but I think Maia will beat him with a rear naked choke or because Marquart will be dq'd for roiding out in the cage.

Keith Jardine vs. Thiago Silva

Winner: Jardine. He looks like a cross between santa and satan. He's always underestimated because he moves like a 94 year old with severe arthritis. I haven't been wowed by Silve the times I've seen him. Jardine by boot to the head.

Randy "The Natural" Couture vs. Antonio "Minotauro" Nogueira

Battle of the grizzled vets.

Winner: Couture by decision. Have you seen Couture's ears??? Any guy with cauliflour ears like that has GOT to be tough.

Matt vs. Mike... the rematch!

Brandon Soohoo (the little general from "Tropic Thunder" and Young Snake Eyes in "GI Joe") interviews Matt Mullins and Mike Moh. Random martial arts ninjary ensues...

World Premiere: "Dojo Drama"

So this is what happens when I am tired of playing the "bad guy". I write a story that makes me the "hero" :)

I posted this in it's early stages a while back but now it's polished and ready for the big time. This is a little project I put together with some friends for fun and your enjoyment!!

Check it out:

Coming soon....

Hey DojoDweebs!!

Sorry for the infrequent posts as of late... been pretty busy but I have some great news. This week Dailydojo.com will be premiering TWO, count them, TWO new Vids. The Final Cut of "Dojo Drama" and an interview I did with Matt Mullins, one of the leads on "Kamen Rider"! Be on the lookout! To whet your appetite, check out the fight scene that aired a few weeks ago.... Matt may have gotten the better of me that time, but this is FAR from over!!

"Buttons".

This short film will appeal to people that like kung-fu and dislike cats.

Enjoy :)

Buttons from Andy Schlachtenhaufen on Vimeo.

Directed by the uber-talented Andy Schlachtenhaufen

Tomorrow, on "Kamen Rider Dragon Knight"

Time for my shameless plug of the week:

I'm really proud of this episode!! Check it out tomorrow on the CW @ 11am!!!

Xtreme Cheerleading???

So I got a call for a commercial today. They want me to be a male cheerleader. Okay, can't be that hard right!?? (Looks up "male cheerleader" on youtube, finds a bunch of joke videos of guys acting like stereotypical male cheerleaders) Then, I came across these:

This next video has some Sport Karate guys that have transferred their tricking skills to Cheer:

This ain't no joke! Better start practicing!

Karate Kids Say the Darndest Things

Actual things said to me:

Mr. Moh- What's wrong??

Karate Kid- I got kicked in the private parts.

"WHOA MOM!!!... It's one of them Chinese people!!" - this was said to me when I was guest-teaching a class in Mora, MN. Population=8.

There are so many more that escape me...

UFC 101 Commentary

BJ PENN vs. KENNY FLORIAN

This was a great fight. I like both of these fighters but I was rooting for BJ Penn. KenFlo seems like a down-to-earth, hard-working guy and would have made a fine champion as well. Fight was pretty ho-hum until then end when BJ schooled Kenny on the ground and strangled him like a boa constrictor.

ANDERSON SILVA vs. FORREST GRIFFIN

Forrest is one of my favorite fighters.... errrr... WAS one of my favorite fighters. I was rooting for Forrest but had a feeling Silva would edge him. I WAS DEAD WRONG. Silva didn't "edge" Griffin. Silva made Griffin look like he was a white belt in Rex Kwon Do. This fight was not even close. It was like watching a lion play with its prey.

Here's where Forrest lost me as a fan: Losing is acceptable. Running away like a little girl after getting knocked out cold with a dinky little off-balance jab is not. I thought Forrest was a good sport... I was wrong again. He and his team ran directly into the lockerroom as soon as he got up. No handshake, no wave to fans, nothing. He should have gotten up, shook Silva's hand, and told Joe Rogan this: "Joe, Silva kicked my ass tonight. Plain and simple. I trained hard but this guy got the best of me tonight he deserves to be champion. It's time for me to get back into the gym and re-focus myself for my next fight." THEN HE SHOULD HAVE RAN INTO THE LOCKER ROOM.

1st EVER DailyDojo Taekwon-Dog Championships

Cheech Moh- 6 year old Bald Chihuahua

Vs.

Malibu “Mali” Moh- 7 month old girl puppy that acts like a cat

As you just witnessed, Cheech started as the aggressor and had Mali on her hind paws for the entire first half. After half-time Malibu Moh stunned Cheech with an amazing evasive maneuver (Butterly Twist, or in her case Dog Twist). After that, Cheech tried the same move and ended up embarrassing himself while attempting the same move. Cheech cowered back to his Mom and Mali was declared the champion.

"Shaolin Soccer"

If you are a fan of martial arts flix, you need to see "Shaolin Soccer" starring Stephen Chow. I'm not gonna ruin it by explaining it to you but it is a very fun movie. In fact, if I were to star in a movie I would want it to be like this movie... I now have a much heightened admiration for Stephen Chow.

Failed G.I. Joe Audition for Snake Eyes

In honor of the upcoming release of the new GI JOE movie, I have decided to post a video of my friend's failed audition tape for the role of Snake Eyes. The role ended up going to veteran action actor Ray Park. I still think they should have picked my buddy Mehdi....

Underappreciated/Underrated Kick Flicks: "Drive"

Everyone and their mom has seen Rush Hour. It's the film that shot Jackie Chan into American superstardom. I am a fan of the film, especially because I was a kid just beginning martial arts at the time of it's release. It's got this super-original idea.... 2 ethnic buddy cops that talk fast and get into lots of trouble. One is a martial arts master and the other has the fighting skills equavalent to an otter.

Wait a second... I just recently saw a similar movie, but the movie I saw was made a year before Rush Hour *gasp*. This movie is called "Drive" and it is in my opinion one of the most underappreciated martial arts flicks out there. Heck, I didn't even know about it until I had the pleasure of working with the director of it, Steve Wang, on Kamen Rider Dragon Knight. The writer of Drive, Scott Phillips, also happens to be one of the writers of Kamen Rider. The star of the film is Marc Dacascos, one of the most underrated action stars in martial arts cinema (and a super nice guy)... and.. wait for it... an upcoming star of... you guessed it... Kamen Rider Dragon Knight. Excuse me while I pick up all the names I dropped on the floor.

This movie is awesome. Great action, really funny, and even has Brittany Murphy in it. I wonder if the producers of Rush Hour saw this movie.... Coincidence? I think not.

Rent it on Netflix, or even better: Buy it! http://www.amazon.com/Drive-Mark-Dacascos/dp/B0000ZG040

Worst Martial Arts Fight Scenes of all Time...

William Shatner Vs. Alien Thing

Star Trek

So I'm sure most of you have already seen this, but this one is SO bad...that's it's actually entertaining so watch it again! The Shat-man must have done some serious martial arts training to prepare for this lightning fast choreography. Could that lizard move ANY slower? And really, I've had 3 year old students of mine do better round kicks than Shatner's. Did a boulder really just bounce off the alien?? I can't believe this aired on TV, even if it was the 19th century...

Memorable Fight Scenes of Martial Arts Cinema #1

Bruce Lee vs. Kareem Abdul Jabbar (of NBA fame)

in "Game of Death"

This following fight scene is definitely "memorable". I wouldn't describe it as amazing because watching Kareem Abdul Jabbar move is kind of like watching a bunch of popsicle sticks doing their best impression of a transformer (what!?? i dunno..).

Anyways, I can't come down too hard on Kareem because he actually moves very well for a guy that's like 10 feet tall. His kicks and punches need a lot of work but hey, no one's got perfect technique (except Chuck Norris of course....). Besides, he's one of the all time NBA greats, and he was Bruce Lee's buddy so we'll give the benefit of the doubt.

This fight scene reminds me of every single sparring match I've ever had in my life. Smaller asian guy versus non asian guy twice my size. But just like Bruce, I'd end up the victor..... well at least 12% of the time.

Try turning off the sound and creating your own voice dub of this fight.... here's how mine would go...

Bruce: Whoa! You're big... and you're in my attic!!

Kareem: Yup. And you're wearing my yellow pajamas.

Bruce: So!? They fit me better anyways. I've come to sit in that chair behind you.

Kareem: Oh yeah? Well I'm sitting in it now.

Bruce: WAAAYAAAAA!!!! (kicked in chest) Ouch.

Okay that's enough of that. Just watch the fight!

Dojo Haiku

"tranquil under siege

the ninja knows no limits...

drinks lots of boba."

Wow guys, sorry for the lack of frequent postings.... Lot's of irons in the fire so to speak. Reminds me of this famous John Lennon quote:

"Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans."

But I got some cool things in the works, and one of them is a little video project I'm shooting tomorrow... hopefully will be up soon!

Gratitude

Gratitude~ The state of being thankful.

I have found recently that when you are in a state of gratitude, everyone around you is more receptive to you. When you're not, they're not. I know everyone goes through tough times, but focusing on the things you are grateful for instead of focusing on what is wrong will be what eventually helps you get back on track.

Let me give you an example:

-NinjaNeal just got dumped by NinjaNina.

He could be focusing on how he will be all alone.

Instead, NinjaNeal is grateful he has more throwing stars for himself.

With those words of wisdom, DOJO-OUT! Be thankful!!

Kamen Rider Dragon Knight - "First Look" Fall Clip

Hey Dojo Dwellers!

This aired on the CW this morning. It's a sneak preview of new episodes of "Kamen Rider Dragon Knight" that will be airing in the fall! The show is full of wall-to-wall martial arts action. It's aimed towards kids but we're all kids at heart, aren't we!??

For more info, check out these links. You can even view all the episodes online @ http://www.4kidstv.com/kamen-rider-dragon-knight

www.kamenridertv.com

Deadliest Celebrity #2 - AFTERMATH

The FCC has instructed that I keep all details of this match confidential. Bruno won the match by submission.

Deadliest Celebrity #2

Bruno vs. Borat

Not even gonna set this one up... goin straight to the tale of the tape:

Bruno:

Style: Grappling....

Power: 2

Speed: 7

Offense: 4

Defense: 3

Stamina: 9

Intelligence: 7

Special Move: Rear-naked Choke

Borat

Style: Kazaksha-Kures (Kazakh Martial Art similar to Judo)

Power: 3

Speed: 6

Offense: 3

Defense:5

Stamina: 6

Intelligence: 5

Special Move: Open-hand slap

This one's gonna be interesting.... Comment on who you think has the edge and tune in for the results

Warrior X-Fit

Are you guys looking for a no-frills, comprehensive workout program that you can do at your convenience, at your own home, and best of all- for free!??

Check out www.warriorxfit.com

This is a program developed by Master Clark of the American Taekwondo Association (ATA). Check it out. Now I've tried out a bunch of the exercises but I had never done the full workout. Yesterday morning, I did my first workout and it kicked my ass. Didn't think it would be that hard, but it was and I am feeling the effects of it a day later. Add a few pull-ups in with the Iron Gym, and I have myself an awesome workout.

My goal is to make it to orange belt by next Friday. Only 9 more "wins" to go!

Rant on Brock Lesnar

So last night I saw UFC 100. Everytime I see George St. Pierre fight I am amazed at how hard he works and how good he is. Kudos to him. He pulled his groin in the 3rd of 5 rounds and still won easily. That was the highlight of the night. The lowlight? Brock Lesnar.

I am a proud graduate of the University of MN. Brock Lesnar and I share the same alma mater. This guy trains out of MN, was in the Minnesota Vikings training camp at one point, and is a golden gopher to top it off. I used to be excited about the prospects of this guy... until he showed his true colors. He is a disrespectful (very large)piece of junk. Although the UFC is seen by some as a brutal and "real" version of pro wrestling, Brock should have left that persona behind when he stopped working for Vince McMahon and the 'WWE'. This is Mixed "MARTIAL ARTS". This is STILL martial arts for crying out loud. What is the one thing that most martial arts have in common??? RESPECT. Don't flick the crowd off, don't insult your opponent, and don't showboat like an idiot.

Okay I am stopping myself, no more ranting. Someone needs to knock this fool out. GSP... if only you were much bigger and much stronger!! I guess it has finally come to a head. I am taking this opportunity to announce my entrance into the UFC as a heavyweight: Mike "the Chop Stick" Moh. Lesnar has no chance!

Is this for real!??? QiGong Master!

Watch this video. If you're in a hurry, skip to about 2 minutes in....

Ummm... crazy, huh?? Do you believe it!??

New TMNT Movie open audition!

Martial Arts Experts – Open Casting Call Auditions – Martial Artist Wanted for New Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Motion Picture
Date:	July 18, 2009
Starts:	10:00 am
Ends:	1:00 pm
Location:	Hollywood & Highland - 6801 Hollywood Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 90028
Description:	The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, in association with Mirage Studios, 4Kids Entertainment and TMNT Productions will host an open casting call for martial arts experts to audition for the upcoming Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie, hitting theatres in 2011. We will select the best from the auditions to be a part of the stealth TMNT nemesis, the Foot Clan. The casting call is part of the 25th Anniversary Shell-ebration of the “Heroes on a Half Shell” in 2009, and a great way to bring together all schools of martial arts to become part of the new generation of TMNT. We’re reaching out to ask for your participation in spreading the word to your associates, friends and family within the martial arts community. Details of the event are below, and final rules/regulations will be posted shortly. When: Saturday, July 18, 2009 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Where: Hollywood & Highland 6801 Hollywood Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 90028 *At Grand Staircase Who: Judges to include actor and martial arts expert Ernie Reyes, Jr., Jason Morgan from the American Taekwondo Association, and 2011 TMNT movie producers Scott Mednick and Galen Walker. Audition: 30-Second Martial Arts Demo (Single Person Only) No metal, sharp or bladed weapons of any kind allowed Photo and updated resume with contact information Fourteen years or older (under 18 must have adult permission for audition)

http://www.tmnt25.com/road_trip/schedule/50.html

Mini Sampler

Here's a mini-sampler I put together for my website. I gotta make a new one this is pretty old footage!

Daily Dojo Deal Find

Check this out. Buy it! $19.99 for all 3 movies! I already have it, but I don't think for as good a price as this. I don't really count the 3rd one as awesome, but just think of it as a bonus. awesomeness.

http://www.amazon.com/Karate-Kid-Collection-Four-Film/dp/B0006OBPTA

Follow-through

In any martial art, follow-through is important. When punching, for example, you don't want to punch or kick to the target, but rather through the target... 6-8 inches to be exact.

In any aspect of life, following through is important. When going grocery shopping, for example, you don't want to load up your cart and then skip the line and walk out the door (unless you're a ninja, or have no moral compass).

Think of all those crazy ideas you have in your head. God knows I have too many... If you just took the time and effort to follow through on just ONE of those, imagine how it could make your life even just a little better. So go ahead.... follow-through!

Dojo Haiku

~Way of the ninja

Go undetected through space

Roundhouse in yo' face~

Think about this one. Let it simmer in your soul...

Exclusive Sneak Preview: Dojo Drama

So one day I decided I wanted to make a short tribute film to the 80's styled Martial Arts flicks. So I wrote a little screenplay in less than an hour and then called some friends up and we made this in 5 hours flat.

It's not yet finished as the sounds still needs work and we are still waiting on the background music track. Lots of work yet to be done! Check it out:

Dojo Wisdom

Once upon a time I was teaching a class at Excel Martial Arts in Minnesota and I noticed something on the ground. Looked like a small little rolled up piece of clay. So I picked it up and rolled it in my fingers as I inspected it. Turns out it wasn't clay... ewwww

Dojo Challenge: Push-ups

So the Dojo Challenge is back again. In our last challenge, the winner was Jay "King of Fighters" G. Even though he was the only one that shared his results with me, he managed an impressive score of Jean Claude Van-Damme on the Horse Stance Challenge. He wins this awesome mention and some electronic props. Nice work buddy.

This time, the challenge is an oldie but a goodie: PUSH UPS. There is no time limit. However, you must maintain proper form and once you break form or rest you are DONE. Ladies are allowed to do modified push-ups (AKA Girl Push ups- I don't like to call it that because truthfully i've seen many girls do push-ups better than a lot of guys- my wife being one of them) Below is a video of me showing what is acceptable and what is not acceptable:

WHITE BELT :0-5 reps. If your arms were food, they'd be linguine
YELLOW BELT:6-10 reps. If your arms were an animal, they'd be a ferrett
GREEN BELT: 11-20 reps. Ok.
BLUE BELT: 21-30 reps. Alright.
BROWN BELT: 21-40 reps. Muscle Milk.
RED BELT: 41-50 reps. HGH?
BLACK BELT: 51-60 reps. You must work out.
JEAN CLAUDE VAN DAMME BELT: 60-75 reps. Muscles from Brussels
CHUCK NORRIS BELT: 76+ reps: Do you know karate? Cuz your body is Kickin'!

Dojo Film Review: 'Ip Man'

Finally got around to seeing this film directed by Wilson Yip. In 'Ip Man', Donnie Yen pays a fantastic tribute to the man that has to this point been best known as Bruce Lee's Master. If you are even remotely interested in Martial Arts, this is a must watch. It also further proves that Donnie Yen kicks some serious ass. This film gives viewers a look inside Ip Man's legacy that ultimately changed to face of the martial arts world.

This film is a bit on the long side, but it has fantastic acting, great cinematography, and amazing fight sequences. I give this film 9 ninja stars out of 10.

Green Tea

Whenever I can, I try to start my day with GreenTea. It is a superfood that is from Asia and it is probably the reason why Asians are so good at martial arts :) Seriously..

Now that the secret is out, us Asians have one less advantage over the rest of the world, but I like sharing so I don't mind.

Here's why it's super (in super technical lingo):

* It's naturally green

*It's been proven to fight cancer

* Proven to manage weight

* Reduce heart disease

* Super Antioxidant

* WAY BETTER THAN DRINKING COFFEE

You can practically buy it anywhere now so you have no excuse. Drink the stuff. Live longer, and become better at life.

Attacked by Ninjas!!!... of the green variety.

I was attacked. By Ninjas. Green Ninjas. Teenagers. Turtles. Best acting ever!!!

Dojo Challenge

Here's a challenge for you. I dare you to do this in a public place. You WILL get a strange look or three, or a hearty laugh out of someone. You will also get a great workout and strengthen your body!

One of the most basic stances in Martial Arts is the Horse Stance (AKA Middle Stance). You stand double shoulder width with your toes facing forward and your knees bent over your toes. Keep bending your knees until you can no longer see your toes while keeping your back straight. Here is a picture from Jackie Chan's "Drunken Master" -- Great flick by the way.

Back to the challenge:

How long can you hold this stance?... PROPERLY! This means without straightening your knees, slouching, or falling on your bum.

WHITE BELT ------------ 10 seconds. Put down twinkie.
YELLOW BELT------ 20 seconds. Okay, for this I can't tease you.
GREEN BELT------------- 30 seconds. Not too shabby!
BLUE BELT---------------40 seconds. Feel the burn!
BROWN BELT------------50 seconds. I'm Impressed.
RED BELT--------------- 60 seconds. You've done this before...
BLACK BELT----------- 90 seconds. High five.
JEAN CLAUDE VAN DAMME BELT-120 seconds. Muscles from Brussels
CHUCK NORRIS BELT- 3+ Minutes. Do you know karate? Cuz your body is Kickin'!

Keep in mind these milestones are for NON-Martial artists... So if you are really a black belt... these milestones should be doubled!!!

How'd you do?