This time I'm upping the ante and listing not just the best kick, but the best martial arts training montages of all time. That's no mean feat as there are some epic sequences to consider.

As I began my research this time around I decided to create a series of criteria upon which to grade each montage. This helped me in ranking them and deciding which ones would make the cut and which wouldn't. Here is a quick description of each criteria I used (this works on a 5 star system, * as the poorest grade and ***** as the best):

• Training Intensity: How hard is the trainee working? 1 star means things aren't too intense, 5 stars means I broke out in a sweat just watching.
• Campiness: Does the scene hit all the heartstrings that make montages a classic piece of cinema corniness? 1 star is not at all campy, 5 stars is deliciously so.
• Music Awesomeness: Part of a successful montage is epic music that makes you want to run out your door and do situps. 1 star is not too inspiring, 5 stars is chest poundingly awesome.
• Montage Purity: How closely does the scene follow montage format? A good montage will show many cutscenes of the protagonist first struggling, then growing, and finally demonstrating super skills. 1 star means it's a montage (but not that pure), 5 stars is perfect montage gold.

 Ready? Here we gooooo:

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11. Ninja Assassin - Raizo's Routine

• Training Intensity:      ***
• Campiness:                *
• Music Awesomeness:  ***
• Montage Purity:          **

This montage is decidly low on camp, and doesn't follow the strictest guidelines of montage purity. Nevertheless, the action is undeniably cool and has a unique style that makes it a pleasure to watch. Directly after the clip shown below, the movie takes us into Raizo's past and shows us more of his development. That is why this movie makes the montage list in place of others like The Matrix, which have singular training scenes.

Take-away exercise to try: inverted pushups on nails.

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10. Kill Bill 2 - The Cruel Tutelage of Pai Mei

• Training Intensity:      ***
• Campiness:                ***
• Music Awesomeness:  **
• Montage Purity:          ***

This scene features one of the best characters in all of martial arts cinema: Pai Mei. Pai Mei is a "white browed" taskmaster that has appeared in some classic kung fu cinema, and indeed this whole training sequence honors the campiness of those old movies. It also features the talent progression in our hero that explains her highly refined skillset.

Take-away exercise to try: One inch punch. Or the five point palm exploding heart technique.

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9. Mulan - Let's Hear it For the Ladies

• Training Intensity:      **
• Campiness:                **
• Music Awesomeness:  ****
• Montage Purity:          ****

You didn't think I was too tough and hardcore to ignore this montage did you? I don't remember many scenes out of Disney movies, but this one really sticks out. It hits all the great montage notes of a helpless hero, a band of doubters who are eventually won over, and a tough but honorable teacher. Throw into the mix a message about gender equality, and forget about it! It was a tough call between this and Kung Fu Panda, but the inspiring music put Mulan over the top.

 Take-away exercise to try: Breaking concrete with your face.

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8. Ninja: The Final Duel - Water Spider Madness

• Training Intensity:      ***
• Campiness:                *****
• Music Awesomeness:  **
• Montage Purity:          **

I almost wanted to break my own rating scale and put 6 stars for campiness here. The ninja techniques demonstrated are exactly the kind of weird nonsense that makes old kung fu movies so fantastic. Sure, it perpetuates some bad stereotypes...but...you know. It's fun. This clip would have ranked higher if it followed the montage format a bit more closely and had more mind blowing music.

 Take-away exercise to try: Water spider assault.

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 7. Batman Begins - The Will to Act

• Training Intensity:      ***
• Campiness:                *
• Music Awesomeness:  ***
• Montage Purity:          ***

Modern films don't feature montages quite as much as they used to, and when they do it is often for comedic effect. Batman Begins is a serious affair and displays a well polished training scene. In a lot of ways, this clip rates lower than some of the previous entries. However, when you take into account the quality of the film and acting I believe this is the appropriate place for it.

 Take-away exercise to try: Dealing with emotions and stuff.

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 6. Snake in the Eagle's Shadow - Jackie's Ring Work

• Training Intensity:      **
• Campiness:                *****
• Music Awesomeness:  **
• Montage Purity:          ****

This movie is one of the Grandaddies of Kung Fu Cinema, and the training sequences are just as influential. Movies like Kill Bill and The Matrix would not have been the same if it wasn't for efforts like Snake in the Eagle's Shadow. Maxed out on campiness, this montage deserves it's high placement.

  Take-away exercise to try: Egg based workouts.

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5. 36th Chamber of the Shaolin - We Get It, You Train A Lot

• Training Intensity:      ****
• Campiness:                *****
• Music Awesomeness:  **
• Montage Purity:          ****

You wanna talk about training? How about a movie that's filled with it. 36th Chamber revolves around the protagonist progressing through his Shaolin training. Every skill a monk needs is presented via a separate chamber. Has any premise been better setup for a progressive montage?

 Take-away exercise to try: Bo circling with pointy, injurious consequences.

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4. KickBoxer - A Tree's Worst Enemy

• Training Intensity:      ****
• Campiness:                ****
• Music Awesomeness:  ****
• Montage Purity:          *****

If you didn't know Jean-Claude was going to make this list then shame on you. JCVD has an almost supernatural talent for creating training montages, and Kickboxer is one of his finest masterpieces. Who knew coconuts and palm trees could be so nightmarish?

Kickboxer training (full video) by bRu7-eXeC

 Take-away exercise to try: Just don't kick trees.

 3. The Karate Kid - Daniel's Private Training

• Training Intensity:      ***
• Campiness:                ***
• Music Awesomeness:  *****
• Montage Purity:          *****

Here's the thing - this isn't even the best montage in this movie. That's how insane the original Karate Kid is. As we all know, the tournament sequence at the end of the movie is one of the best montages of all time. However, that's not really for training, and thus doesn't make the cut here. But that doesn't mean Daniel's private training isn't a fantastic moment. It gets such a ranking due to the scope and emotional charge of the movie. A real classic.

 Take-away exercise to try: I'd say the crane kick, but I'm not sure you can handle that yet.

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 2. Rocky IV - U.S.A., U.S.A., U.S.A.

• Training Intensity:      *****
• Campiness:                ***
• Music Awesomeness:  *****
• Montage Purity:          *****

Say the words "training montage", and "Rocky" will be the first word uttered in response. I probably could have picked any of the Rocky movies for this, but I feel like IV is the most monumental. You might argue that boxing isn't a pure martial art, and therefore Rocky should be disqualified from this list. That's a tricky call, and since it's so close (and Rocky is such a dominant montage force), I decided it was right to include it.

  Take-away exercise to try: Draaagooooooooooooooooooo.

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1. Bloodsport - To Keep an Open Miiiind

• Training Intensity:      ****
• Campiness:                ****
• Music Awesomeness:  *****
• Montage Purity:          *****

In the purest sense, Rocky is a better montage. But since we are listing the best martial arts montages, Bloodsport rules as King. This sequence is the perfect collection of campy 80s music, training development of the protagonist, hardships endured, winning respect from the hard nosed teacher, and techniques just real enough that we want to try them. Surely Bloodsport holds a special place in the montage hall of fame.

   Take-away exercise to try: Unnecessary splits. Blindfolded tea. Everything.

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That's it! I hope you enjoyed this journey. I won't keep you any longer because you probably want to go running through the woods, carrying giant rocks on your back while hitting yourself with sticks. I understand, I'm pumped up too.

Don't forget to add your two cents in the comment section below. Do you think there are any other movies that should have broken the top 11? Do you think some of these movies should be swapped around in rank? Let me know!

To peruse the full breakdown of how the tournament played out, check out the bracket here.

This result should not be particularly shocking to anyone as Enter the Dragon is one of the most famous martial arts movies of all time. Now some of you Indie crowd out there might have been hoping for a less high profile winner, but let's face it - Enter the Dragon deserves what it got.

It was good to see Seven Samurai making it as far as it did. That movie is by no means a quick, mile-a-minute watch, so I think it says a lot about the voter's commitment to quality.

Thanks to everyone who participated, and be sure to let me know if you enjoyed this whole tournament experience.

And now, taking it's victory lap, Enter the Dragon:

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I am inviting you to place your votes for the greatest martial arts movies of all time. This will not be a simple vote of one amongst many. No, instead it will be a four round event. The breakdown is as such:

Round 1: An Artist Faces Himself. Each superstar will be pitted against himself as you are made to choose the best movie from each actor's repertoire. Remember, only the winning movie gets to move forward.

Rounds 2&3: An Artist Faces His Enemy. In these rounds the artists will be pitted against one another from nearby divisions.

Round 4: An Artist Faces His Greatest Challenge. The two surviving artists will face off against each other for title of Greatest Movie.

Without further delay, let the voting begin and the decisions be made. Each round will only last 2-3 days, so check back frequently.

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View Round 2 Here

It was a difficult process as there are many great movies with sweet chin music, but the following stood out to me. Hang around until the end of the article and I'll give a few runners-up that didn't quite fit the bill.

Here we go...

7. Billy Jack - Face Whopin'

This iconic kick comes from the Movie "Billy Jack" and is delivered by Tom Laughlin. Laughlin plays an ex-green beret Hapkido do-gooder who runs afoul of the law. Find out what happens next when they back him into the proverbial corner:

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6. The Transporter - Bicycle Kicking

When you think of bicycle kicks, you probably envision a skilled soccer player making a diving hit over his own head. This is much different. In the following clip Jason Statham finds a way to put the boots to all of his oiled up opponents:

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5. Ong Bak - Knee of Doom

Have you ever heard of a knee technique referred to as a "knee kick"? I hope so, because I am using that as an excuse to include this hit from the movie Ong Bak. After a good minute or two of being taunted by his opponent, Tony Ja prepares something extra spicy once the round starts:

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4. Enter the Dragon - Ohara Gets His

Almost every scene in Enter the Dragon is ground breaking and awesome. But there is one kick that actually led to physical injury of the cast and crew. When Bruce Lee finally fights Ohara, he lines him up for an absolutely brutal sidekick. The actor Bob Wall was ok afterwards, but one of the extras in the background broke his hand during the fall. That's no joke:

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3. Karate Kid - The Crane Kick

While it may not be physically impressive, is there any kick more iconic? The crane kick is what every d-bag relies on when they try to mimic or make fun of martial artists. It also inspired a generation of future karateka (yours truly included). It's over Johhny yea, you did it!!!:

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2. Kickboxer - The 360 Split Spinning Hook Heel Foot Kick

Is it possible to build an entire career on one face slapping technique? Yes. JCVD did just that and kicked his way into our hearts. The thing that makes this kick so powerful is that no matter how many times you see it (and no matter how many movies he uses it in), it still rocks. For your pleasure, this montage:

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1. Enter the Dragon - Han's Skull Crusher

I've never actually felt the vibrations of a kick through my TV until I saw this armageddon-inducing swat from Bruce Lee. In the final epic fight against Han, Bruce puts the beat knuckle down until Han is in a dazed state. At that point Bruce lines him up and delivers a blow so powerful that my nose is starting to bleed just thinking about it. If you watch carefully it seems obvious that they use a Han-doll as a stunt double, and I don't blame them. In fact I hope there were no live crew members within a 20 foot radius. Enjoy the number 1 kick ever put on the silver screen:

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Runners Up

The martial arts universe is home to a lot of awesome kicks, and here are a few that I thought deserved mention as well. Check out the following links if you want more foot flying action:

Chuck Norris Roundhouse Kick - Certainly Chuck Norris's famous roundhouse kicking meets the pop culture criteria to be a winner. Yet, despite the fanfare and entertaining jokes, I just don't think there was enough here to trump the kicks on the list. I also discovered that Chuck Norris throws hook kicks far more often than roundhouse kicks, which made it difficult to find good footage of him from a movie (as opposed to Texas Ranger). I also had a tough time siphoning out all of the spoof and joke videos in order to try to find Chuck actually in action. You'll notice the video in the link is a spinning hook from Return of the Dragon. Best I could do.

Captain Kirk Dropkick - Seriously famous, but from a TV show so I couldn't include it.

Drunken Master Kick Fight - There is a fight of massive kicking in the Jackie Chan film "The Legend of Drunken Master". Unfortunately no one kick stood out so I ultimately decided against it.

Wayne's World II Flying Kick - The fight between Wayne and Cassandra's dad is awesome, and everytime I see the dad pull off the flying kick I laugh out loud.

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This one's wide open - any kicks that stand out in your memory?

My inspiration, oddly enough, came from a random viewing of Kill Bill Vol. II on TV. When I tuned in it was at the part where Beatrix Kiddo was getting dropped off to study with the notorious Pei Mei. For those who might not be familiar the movies, Pei Mei is one of Bill's primary martial arts instructors, and is renowned for being both cruel and unusual in his training methods. Despite the virtually guaranteed unpleasantness, Kiddo decides to train under him anyway in hopes of achieving some of the same skills Bill possesses.

I've always loved this part of the movie, and was inspired to do my best to dress up as Pei Mei this year!

Do I strike fear in your heart? Does your blood run cold at the thought of crossing me? There's no shame in it.

Also, yes - that IS the Five Point Palm Exploding Heart Technique I am about to perform. shortly after this photo was taken I laid waste to all in attendance.

Getting the wig and facial hair on was pretty annoying...but well worth it. This costume also gave me a great excuse to buy kung fu shoes; something I've always wanted to do but couldn't find a proper excuse. They are terribly comfortable!

For your continued amusement (and mine), here is a clip of the real Pei Mei being awesome:

Happy Halloween and feel free to include links to your costume in the comments below!

It's easy to forget what made Bruce Lee so dynamic and dominant. Check out a little bit of this video and you'll remember:

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For anyone who hasn't had the pleasure of seeing a Bruce Lee movie, I recommend them highly. Here is a helpful hand in locating them:

Enter the Dragon (The most famous film. A martial arts epic!)

Return of the Dragon (Actually filmed before Enter the Dragon but renamed in America to capitalize off the success of Enter. Still Awesome)

Chinese Connection (Some consider this movie to have the best plot and message)

Fists of Fury (Bruce Lee's breakout film)

Game of Death (This one is barely a movie, but still has good fight sequences)

Bruce Lee always preached fluidity and economy of motion. Certainly he didn't sweat the technique, which is one reason why he was so great!

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For those of you who have seen the movies, help the newbies with your recommendations in the comments below!

We may be seeing something similar with Robert Downey Jr's "Sherlock Holmes" (coming out this December).

Based off of the classic texts by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Robert Downey Jr (Sherlock Holmes), Jude Law (Watson), Rachel McAdams (Irene Adler), and director Guy Ritchie are attempting to put a new spin on the franchise. Although the old movies, comic books, etc have been well received, Downey thinks that they are a bit unfaithful to the original character concepts and believes that this latest rendition faithfully captures both the intellect and physicality of Sherlock Holmes.

Check out this interview where Downey (after putting on a little bit of the ham-attitude that he likes to do), talks about the tougher martial arts aspects of his character:

As someone who has never read the books, I was surprised and elated to learn that Holmes had a combative background. Curious as to what exactly he studied, I ventured into Wikipedia for the answer:

"In 'The Adventure of the Empty House', Holmes recounts to Watson how he used martial arts to overcome Professor Moriarty and fling his adversary to his death at the Reichenbach Falls. He states that 'I have some knowledge, however, of baritsu, or the Japanese system of wrestling, which has more than once been very useful to me.' The name 'baritsu' appears to be a reference to the real-life martial art of bartitsu." - wikipedia

Bartitsu is a historically established style created by Edward William Barton-Wright, who combined classic jujutsu, judo, savate, cane fighting, and western style boxing.

I wondered how this 'new approach now integrated with martial arts' might look, so I investigated a little further and found the official movie preview:

It comes quick, but you can definitely catch some hand-to-hand action and even a little Escrima stick fighting ala Rambo 3. Whether the Escrima has any textual precedence or not I don't know. I think it can be assumed that they took liberties and hyped up the action for cinematic purposes.

The style and presentation of the movie definitely sets the stage for a grittier, more "real-world" Holmes. If done right, Guy Ritchie has the opportunity to create a remarkable mix of action and intrigue.

Personally, I'm excited for the movie. If they can learn the lessons of "Batman Begins", use Downey's natural humor and talent, and tell a compelling story, I think they could kick off an extremely successful franchise.