As you might recall, I decided to work with a private company called Ooshirts for this giveaway. Ooshirts.com specializes in T-shirt printing, and here is the result from the ikigaiway project:

Since receiving the shirts, I have reached out to all three randomly selected winners of the contest. If you didn't hear from me, unfortunately it means you didn't have a lucky draw - but don't worry, there will be more giveaways in the future!

I'd like to take a moment and express my appreciation for the quality of easy process provided by Ooshirts. Their website is very intuitive, and made the design process a snap. I didn't have any issues with file type or size or formatting. Many of the hair pulling elements of working with online design were carefully avoided by Ooshirts.

The company also utilizes a friendly, hands-on customer service method. They provide free review of design by their internal graphic designers, who guide you and alert you to any complications that might arise BEFORE they go about printing.

Check em out, and thanks again to everyone involved.

When you reflect on the best sword fighting scenes in cinema history, you might cite some of the following movies:

• The Lord of the Rings Trilogy
• Mask of Zorro
• Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl
• The Princess Bride
• Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
• Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi
• The Three Musketeers
• Highlander

Imagine one man with the depth of knowledge and passion for excellence needed to bring combat to life on all of those movies. Bob Anderson was the man behind the swords.

Image Courtesy of ScienceFiction.com

Life and Times

"Born in Gosport, Hampshire, Anderson followed his father into the Royal Marines in his early 20s. In September 1942, he was one of the survivors when HMS Coventry was badly damaged in the eastern Mediterranean by German dive-bombers. After the second world war, Anderson, who had taken up fencing at a very young age, taught the sport as an instructor for the services. He won competitions with all four weapons – foil, sabre, épée and bayonet – and represented Britain at the Olympics in Helsinki in 1952. It was while waiting to compete there that he was asked to go to Pinewood Studios to work with Flynn on The Master of Ballantrae. " - The Guardian

Bob Anderson was a man who managed to turn his expertise into a fruitful career. After working with Errol Flynn, Anderson's star rose as he moved from movie to movie. He became known as a tough perfectionist working behind the scenes, but his effort repeatedly showed on film. Anderson even made appearances as he doubled for various actors.

Years of Olympic experience and stage presence made Anderson the elite sword coach in Hollywood all throughout his life.

 Here's more on Anderson as a coach and swordsman:

The Birth of the Lightsaber Duel

Although lightsabers played an important role in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, they truly came alive in the duels of the second two movies in the original trilogy. The lightsaber appeared to be a unique mixture of fencing sword crossed with medieval broadsword. The results were stunning and game changing.

The individual under the mask of Darth Vader, David Prowse, was allegedly not up to the task of bringing the duels to life. It was Anderson who stepped in, at the age of 60, and fought Mark Hamill on screen.

The portrayal of sword work in movies has never been the same.

A Lasting Career

Despite his advanced age, Anderson continued to be active on movie sets, demanding excellence from actors such as Viggo Mortensen of Lord of the Rings. In fact, he was working on the upcoming movie The Hobbit, which is set to be released toward the end of 2012.

Sadly, he won't be able to finish that particular project, but there is no doubt his mark will be left on the movie when it hits the silver screen.

The Lives of Many

The amount of lives Anderson has touched can hardly be overstated. The Princess Bride is my personal favorite movie. I recall growing up with it and every time I watched the sword duel between Wesley and Inigo I was stunned into silent study. The intrigue, banter, and athletics were perfectly executed. The moves were so fluid and astounding that I couldn't imagine two better swordsmen in the whole world.

It's satisfying to know that the man behind the choreography was indeed one of the best, and will always be remembered for his lasting efforts.

This is great - I didn't suspect it would grow so large and I'm very thankful it has.

In order to help get us over the hump, I want to do a giveaway. This giveaway is rather special because it is going to feature IkigaiWay T-Shirts. These are the first of their kind as IkigaiWay has never had any personal swag outside of stickers.

A custom printing company called OoShirts has been kind enough to offer three shirts for the giveaway. OoShirts is a private startup out of Berkeley California and I am happy to support them.

The Shirts

Here is a peek at the shirts you'll have a chance to win. I will gather the correct sizes after the winners have been declared and contacted.

The front of the shirt features the unique Ikigaiway tree with mitsu domoe. The site name is featured below the emblem. The back of the shirt displays kanji for the famous saying "Fall down seven, stand up eight". A quote that I feel truly embodies what the martial arts can provide in our lives.

How to Enter

Entering for this contest has two easy steps.

1. spread the word about Ikigaiway.com.

You can do this one of two ways. If you have a blog, you can make a mention of the site and link to it. The context of the mention is totally up to you.

The second is by utilizing the Facebook "share" button. Goto the Ikigaiway facebook page, and locate the share button as shown below:

(click the image to enlarge)

2. Tell me you did it.

Drop a quick comment on this blog post to let me know you shared. Be sure to include your email address when filling our your commenting name so I can reach back out to you.

That's it.

How will I know if you actually shared or not? Because you gave me your word that you did, and you are a martial artist. It's what we do and who we are. You're word is good enough for me.

End of Contest

The contest will end after we crest the 10,000 fan mark. At that time, all the participating names will be put into an electronic hat and three will be drawn randomly. Those winners will be contacted in order to get their proper size and shipping address.

Good luck, and thanks for all your support!

I'd like to extend my thanks to everyone who submitted an article. I will be making my selections over the weekend for which articles will appear. The goal will be to get a diverse selection of both experience level and topic.

See you monday!

There's no question that IkigaiWay wouldn't be where it is today without the thoughtful contributions of the community. We've all come together under the idea that it is possible to share and learn online while preserving the spirit of the martial way.

Now I'd like to open the floor and give some readers a platform to share their experiences and ideas. This will be a "Reader's Week" where every day I will feature a new and interesting article.

_

Who's Eligible to Submit an Article?

You are! As you know IkigaiWay is not style-specific, so you can bring whatever experience you have to the table. Whether you're a 30 year vet or a 2 year newbie, it doesn't matter. If you have something interesting to contribute, go for it. Since I'll be acting as your editor and assistant, you needn't be self conscious about matters such as spelling and grammar.

What Should I Write About?

The door is fairly wide open regarding your topic. However, I can give you some general guidelines that will improve your chances of getting selected:

Avoid:

• Attacks on any specific person or organization you happen to dislike
• Promotional bragging about your organization or school
• Raw training schedules about your workouts or routine
• Self aggrandizing biography

Consider:

• Weird or unique historical studies
• Important lessons learned throughout your training
• Memorable experiences with instructors
• Specific concept analysis
• Broad scope trends and goings-on in the martial arts world
• Whatever else you can dream up!

How Long Should the Submission Be?

My articles tend to vary wildly in length. However I would suggest not dipping below three paragraphs. If you start to wonder if your submission should be an ebook, you might have gone on too long.

How Do I Submit?

Submission is easy. First, create your article in a file that is friendly with Microsoft Word, Wordpad, or Notepad (if this is impossible for you, let me know. We can probably make arrangements via Google Docs). Include the text of the submission either in the body of the email you send or as a separate attachment.

Once your article is prepared, click here:

-

-

If the link above does not work, email submissions to ikigai108@gmail.com.

What Are the Benefits of Submitting?

If your submission is selected, you'll gain exposure on an internationally recognized martial arts platform. You can use that as a writing credit or resume builder.

Furthermore, I will feature a small bio snippet of you along with your article which can link back to any blog or school website you happen to be associated with.

You'll also receive an "IkigaiWay Guest Author" badge to place on your website (never before seen).

I will also send you ikigaiway stickers.

Can I Use An Old Blog Post or Previously Published Article?

Although I 'm not inflexibly opposed to older work, I prefer an original piece. In general, Google and other search engines don't care for duplicate content. DC tends to work against the reputation of both sites involved; not to mention that if IkigaiWay ranks higher than your original post, you'll lose traffic for that very same content!

That's no good, so an original article tends to best for both parties.

You retain legal rights to your article, but I ask that you do not republish the work in full anywhere on the web for a year after it appears on IkigaiWay.

What If I Have Questions?

If you have any questions about the process or the validity of your submission idea, just email me at ikigai108@gmail.com. I'll be happy to field any concerns you have.

What's the Deadline For Submission?

I'll be collecting submissions for the next two weeks. The earlier you submit, the better your chances.

Good luck, and I look forward to hearing from you!

Unlike his cousin Regular Santa, Martial Arts Santa isn't concerned about your religious denomination.  Instead he's been watching your sidekicks and checking his list to see when your last promotion was.

Now, during this most joyous of seasons, I ask MASanta to grant me some holiday wishes.

Wish #1: Make the New Karate Kid Disappear

I'm sure many of you are aware, but there is a new Karate Kid in the works. If MASanta has the ability to visit every house in the world in a single night, certainly he can make one upcoming movie disappear.

One of the goals of the holidays is to promote peace on Earth, right?  Well what better way than to avoid the rage and angst of martial artists all over the planet that grew up with the original Karate Kid series?  This one seems like a no brainer.

Wish #2: Bring Bruce Lee and Musashi Back to Life and Make Them Fight

Man, what an epic showdown that would be! They'd be kinda like zombies, so we could pit them against each other in a variety of ways.

First, I'd have them go at it open-hand. No tricks. No weapons.

Second, I'd let them pick a weapon of choice.  I imagine Bruce Lee would use the nunchaku while Musashi would use a katana.

Third, I would toss them both Lirpa and let things go down just like this:

Wish #3: Settle Once and For All Those Mandatory Martial Arts Questions

Every martial arts blog and forum seems to inevitably run into the same couple of questions.  Things like:

1.  What's the best style?

2. Does chi exist?

3. Do no-touch knockouts exist?

4. How many fights end on the ground?

5. Is MMA a real martial art?

6. etc. etc.

My request to MASanta would be to make a list and just answer these questions definitively.  If anybody questions him, MASanta would then have the authority to use his secret holiday-figurehead style to wipe out the offending parties.

I've never pondered what it would be like getting stabbed by a sharpened candy cane...and I don't think I want to find out any time soon.

Wish #4: Bring me an official Red Ryder carbine-action 200-shot range model air rifle (BB Gun)

with a compass in the stock, and this thing which tells time.

Wish #5: Grant Me Ten More Wishes

What? MASanta isn't a genie? FINE.  Then I guess i'll wish for a quick recovery for all of our martial arts brethren who are currently dealing with injury.  Also, continued success to all of my readers who have been generous enough to stop by from time to time!

So what's your wish? Get it into MASanta before it's too late!

Word got out that there is a new Karate Kid movie in the works.  This film is projected to be a continuation of the Karate Kid storyline that will "borrow elements" from the originals (as opposed to being a strict remake).  Slated for the lead role is Jaden Smith, 10 year old son of Will Smith.

Some other tidbits about the production-

"'The Karate Kid' will be produced by Jerry Weintraub (who launched the original franchise) and Overbrook Entertainment's James Lassiter, Will Smith and Ken Stovitz. It will be the second movie on which Will Smith and his 10-year-old son Jaden work together.

The shooting will start next year and the remake will be written by Chris Murphy. The movie will reportedly continue the plot of the 1984 hit and will go with the action in more exotic locations such as Beijing and other cities. China Film Group Corp. will co-produce in China.

Just like in any other karate movie, Jaden will play the role of a bullied kid who is eventually trained by a mentor in various and unexpected ways (remember the waxing method?) to finally beat the bullies." - EfluxMedia

Also -

"The part of Pat Morita's inimitable Mr. Miyagi has yet to be cast, but given Jaden's apparent inability to appear onscreen without pops by his side, don't be surprised when Big Willie's Dojo takes on Cobra Kai in this updated version." - Variety

I'm a fair guy, so let's start off with something I like about all this.  Will Smith is a pretty fantastic actor.  I've enjoyed Independence Day, the Omega Man remake (I Am Legend), and of course Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.

Now, this is a story all about how
My life got flipped-turned upside down...

Will Smith is great.  And honestly, there is nothing wrong with his son either.  He is a talented child actor.  The problem is in the principle.

The Karate Kid Movies (1 and 2 especially) were a rare occurrence.  They were films that brought together entertainment, culture, and martial arts in a way that had never been done before.  I can't think of any other movie that tries harder to express real martial spirit (not just ass kicking).

Furthermore, the original movies were steeped in Goju-Ryu, a legitimate karate style. The training done by Daniel (paint the fence, sand the floor) were all taken within the context of Goju-Ryu kata.  Amongst those kata, Tensho was utilized most predominantly. (Tensho shown below)

It's extremely rare for a movie writer who cares about moral message and historical relevance to get together with producers and film makers who care about the same thing.

That's why, when it happens, you appreciate it and leave it alone.

Or...if you're a Hollywood exec...you try to squeeze a couple more pennies out of it. like so:

The Next Karate Kid was a corny, canned remake of the original plotline, which was an especially bad idea because Karate Kid III was already a pretty corny, canned remake of the original plotline.  The additional problem with Next Karate Kid is that they threw out all of the things that made Karate Kid plausible.  Instead of focusing on Okinawa, now the focus was on mysterious Buddhist monasteries (real original) and proving that Hilary Swank, with a weeks worth of training, could beat up 6 or 7 dudes without breaking a sweat. Blech.

Unfortunately, it seems like Hollywood didn't learn from its failed resurrection attempts and will have another go at it.

Premature Predictions About The New Karate Kid:

Jaden will be 11-12 yrs old when the filming of this movie starts...what karate are we really going to see here?  When I teach kids, I focus on very simple self defense techniques like foot stomping, shin kicking, and calling for help.  What do you think Jaden is going to do? (Answer: spinning hook kicks while surrounded by 5 bullies).

Replacing thoughtful commentary between Daniel and Mr. Miyagi will be canned "lessons learned" moments.

Replacing a coming of age story will be super adventures to "exotic locations" and pouty "stop picking on me!" scenes.

Will Smith will be funny, entertaining, and maybe even a little moving...but it still won't excuse the fact that they chose to throw the original Karate Kid movies under the bus in order to get a little extra publicity and buzz.

***

Update - Jackie Chan slated to play Mr. Miyagi.  Read about it here.

Recently, creator Nathan Teodoro of TDA Training moved the forum to a new site, located here.  The new "COCA" utilizes ning, which is very functional, flexible, and easy to use.  Now COCA has the ability to add friends, create groups, chat, and a bunch of other cool social media stuff.

If you're a martial arts writer, it might be worth checking out. If you're a reader, you might want to stop on by and see if there are any discussions going on that interest you.