Showing category "Photography" (Show all posts)

Tyson, Ali & Jackson

Posted by on Saturday, February 17, 2024, In : Photography

Michael Jackson with Mike Tyson (top) and Muhammad Ali (bottom).

Via Film Scenes
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Richard Bong

Posted by on Saturday, February 10, 2024, In : Photography

Richard "Dick" Ira Bong (1920 – 1945) was a United States Army Air Forces major who won the Medal of Honour for his aviation exploits in World War Two. He was America’s top fighter pilot during the war, with forty confirmed Japanese aircraft down by his Lockheed P-38 Lightning fighter.

Bong considered himself to be a poor shot so to compensate, he would get very close to his target, sometimes even flying through the debris of exploding planes. His exploits include:

He was once caught alone ...

Indian Suffragettes

Posted by on Monday, December 18, 2023, In : Photography

Top - Lolita Roy who worked tirelessly to help education Indian women and to gain them the vote in India.

Middle - Princess Sophia Duleep Singh who used her privileged position to help the suffrage cause.

Bottom - Both women pictured together (centre of the picture).

bristol.ac.uk

Corinthian Helmet

Posted by on Wednesday, June 28, 2023, In : Photography

A Corinthian helmet that was found in Greece in 1834 still containing the scull of its wearer. It's believed to date from the Battle of Marathon which was fought between Greek and Persian forces in 490 BCE. This battle gave rise to the legend of Pheidippides, the Athenian messenger who ran throughout Greece to warn of the impending battle, a feat that the modern marathon is based on.

Ranker

Fist of Fury

Posted by on Saturday, June 24, 2023, In : Photography

Bruce Lee in Fist of Fury.
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Muhammad Ali & Zbigniew Pietrzykowski

Posted by on Tuesday, June 20, 2023, In : Photography

Top: Muhammad Ali & Zbigniew Pietrzykowski of Poland after Ali won their bout in the 1960 Olympic finals in Rome in the light heavyweight division.

Bottom: The two are collecting their medals along with Giulio Saraudi (Italy) and Anthony Madigan (Australia) who both came joint third.

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Floyd Mayweather Jr Vs Manny Pacquiao

Posted by on Tuesday, June 13, 2023, In : Photography

Floyd Mayweather Jr (left) Vs Manny Pacquiao in their 2015 welterweight bout which Mayweather won in a unanimous decision.

Serbian Soldier

Posted by on Monday, June 5, 2023, In : Photography

A heavily-armed Serbian soldier from WWII

Via Pinterest
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Native American Archer

Posted by on Monday, June 5, 2023, In : Photography

A Native American archer, probably from the 1880s. His bow appears to be a self-bow, i.e., made from one piece of wood
and his 1883 US Army shirt and woven canvas cartridge suggest he may have been a scout.

Source: truewestmagazine.com

Tatsuya Naka

Posted by on Saturday, June 3, 2023, In : Photography

Tatsuya Naka – 7th Dan in Shotokan karate

Via travel67.com
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Judo Pics

Posted by on Saturday, June 3, 2023, In : Photography

Images from: kreedon.com
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Gigo Funakoshi

Posted by on Sunday, January 31, 2021, In : Photography

Yoshitaka “Gigo” Funakoshi, who helped with the development of Shotokan karate along side his father, Gichin Funakoshi.

Image Source: the-dojo.org

Edward Aston

Posted by on Saturday, January 9, 2021, In : Photography

Edward Aston, who won the title of Britain’s Strongest Man in 1911 and held it for over twenty years until he retired undefeated.

Source: breakingmuscle.com
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George S Patton

Posted by on Saturday, January 9, 2021, In : Photography

George S. Patton, pictured as a Lieut. Col. in 1918 with a French Renault tank (top), and as a Lt. Gen. in 1943 alongside Lt. Col. Lyle Bernard (bottom).

Source: wikipedia.org

Louis Vs. Schmeling

Posted by on Tuesday, January 5, 2021, In : Photography

Joe Louis pictured just before his fight with Max Schmeling in 1938 (top) and squaring up to his German foe in preparation for their bout (bottom). It took Louis a little over two minutes to win the match which many see as the first time white America rooted for a black person over a white one. This was due to tensions between the United States and the German Nazi Party and years later, Louis would state:

“White Americans, even while some of them were lynching black people in the South, were...

Korean Archer Representing a Silla Hwarang

Posted by on Saturday, July 18, 2020, In : Photography

A photograph of a Korean archer representing a Silla Hwarang, taken in 2006. The Hwarang (Flower Knights) were highly trained group of elite warriors who fought for the Silla kingdom during the unification of the three kingdoms of Korea in the seventh century and lasted up until around the tenth century as a fighting unit.

Source: wikipedia.org
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Minoru Mochizuki

Posted by on Thursday, June 25, 2020, In : Photography

Minoru Mochizuki, who in 1931 established Yoseikan Aikido which incorporates techniques from karate, judo and aikido.

Dr AnnMaria De Mars

Posted by on Thursday, April 2, 2020, In : Photography

Ronda Rousey's mother Dr AnnMaria De Mars, who in 1984 became the first American to win to win a gold medal at the World Judo Championships.

Jackie Chan - Supercop

Posted by on Thursday, April 2, 2020, In : Photography

Jackie Chan in a scene from Supercop.

Via nytimes.com
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Koichi Tohei

Posted by on Wednesday, April 1, 2020, In : Photography

Koichi Tohei, who in 1974 established the Shinshin Toitsu style of aikido which has an emphasis on the use of internal energy, so much so that it is often referred to as the Ki Society.
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Rosie the Riveter

Posted by on Tuesday, March 31, 2020, In : Photography

The famous poster “Rosie the Riveter,” created by J. Howard Miller in 1943 and used to recruit women into the factories to help the war effort and beneath it a photo of wartime worker Naomi Parker that is widely believed to have inspired the “Rosie the Riveter” poster.

allthatsinteresting.com

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Mabuni Kenwa Kata Application

Posted by on Thursday, March 26, 2020, In : Photography

An image from Mabuni Kenwa's book; Karate Do Nyumon, (1938) showing Taira Shinken and Mabuni Kenwa demonstrating kata applications.

Source: ryukyu-bugei.com

Nagoya Castle

Posted by on Friday, August 30, 2019, In : Photography

Nagoya Castle, home and possibly the birth place of Oda Nobunaga which was later restored by Tokugawa Ieyasu.

Source: wikipedia.org

Trench Raiding Club

Posted by on Tuesday, November 27, 2018, In : Photography

Wire cutters (left) and maces (right). These home made maces, known as Trench Raiding Clubs, were used by both sides during World War One to finish off wounded enemy soldiers. These examples are housed at the Tre Sassi museum at Passo di Valparola (Belluno).

Souce: wikipedia.org
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Joe Frazier Vs. Muhammad Ali

Posted by on Thursday, November 1, 2018, In : Photography

Joe Frazier knocking down Muhammad Ali in the 15th round of their 1971 encounter at Madison Square Gardens. Frazier went on to win the fight on a points decision becoming the first man to defeat Ali in the ring.

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Recruiting Sergeants at Westminster

Posted by on Tuesday, September 11, 2018, In : Photography

This picture, entitled "Recruiting Sergeants at Westminster", was taken by John Thomson and published in an 1877 book called 'Street Life in London'.

Source: Museum of London

Bronze Age Swords from Scotland

Posted by on Tuesday, September 11, 2018, In : Photography

Bronze Age swords found in Scotland and housed in the Museum of Scotland.

Source: wikipedia.org

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Scalped Hunter

Posted by on Saturday, July 28, 2018, In : Photography

The scalped corpse of a buffalo hunter found after an encounter with warriors of the Cheyennes Tribe near Fort Dodge, Kansas - 1868.

Source: en.wikipedia.org

Gustav and Frantisek Fristensky

Posted by on Friday, July 27, 2018, In : Photography

Gustav Fristensky, one of the best wrestlers of all time, practising with his brother Frantisek in 1913.

Image Source: gustavfristensky.com

Keinosuke Enoeda - Unsu

Posted by on Friday, July 27, 2018, In : Photography

Keinosuke Enoeda, former Chief Instructor of the Karate Union of Great Britain, performing the kata unsu.

Image Source: kenseis-shogyu.blogspot.com

Plate Armour of a Roman Soldier

Posted by on Sunday, July 22, 2018, In : Photography

Recreation of the plate armour (lorica segmentata) as worn by a soldier from the Roman Empire. On display at the National Military Museum, Romania.

Source: wikipedia.org

Jigoro Kano with a Policeman

Posted by on Sunday, July 22, 2018, In : Photography

Jigoro Kano demonstrating Judo with a policeman in Berlin

Source: judoinfo.com

Mitsuyo Maeda

Posted by on Friday, July 20, 2018, In : Photography

Mitsuyo Maeda was one of the finest judoka that ever lived and helped spread the art outside of Japan. Known as Conde Koma (Count Combat), he is said to have fought in two thousand no-holds-barred fights and was so successful, many see him as the ‘toughest man who ever lived’. When he emigrated to Brazil, he taught his art to Carlos Gracie who along with his brother Helio, would go on to develop Brazilian jiu-jitsu by adapting what they had been taught by Maeda, who is also often referred...

Carlos and Helio Gracie

Posted by on Friday, July 20, 2018, In : Photography

Carlos Gracie (left) and Helio Gracie (right) photographed in 1951.

Sources:

Top: fabiocampana.com.

Bottom: fightland.vice.com

Muhammad Ali vs Rocky Marciano

Posted by on Wednesday, May 23, 2018, In : Photography

Rocky Marciano fights Muhammad Ali in their so-called super fight, a mock bout in the late 1960s. The result of this and other fights like it were decided by a second-generation NCR 315 computer, packed with 5k of handmade core memory and were designed to find out who was the best heavyweight of all time.

Hienori Otsuka

Posted by on Tuesday, April 24, 2018, In : Photography

Hienori Otsuka - Founder of Wado-Ryu Karate

Source: fpbujutsu.weebly.com
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Hirokazu Kanazawa

Posted by on Friday, March 9, 2018, In : Photography

Hirokazu Kanazawa

Source: chilternkarate.co.uk
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Dalton Gang Death Photo

Posted by on Monday, March 5, 2018, In : Photography

The Dalton Gang death photo, taken in 1892.

Source: ranker.com
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Ba-Gwa Double Palm Change

Posted by on Wednesday, February 21, 2018, In : Photography

Sun Lu-tang, founder of Sun tai-chi, demonstrating the Ba-gwa double palm change.

Source: kungfuwan.com

Morihei Ueshiba

Posted by on Friday, February 16, 2018, In : Photography

Morihei Ueshiba vai theaikidowarrior.com

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Sam Langford vs. Joe Jeanette

Posted by on Tuesday, February 13, 2018, In : Photography

Sam Langford vs. Joe Jeanette at Luna Park, Paris, France, in 1913. Langford and Jeanette fought each other a total of fourteen times with Langford winning eight of their contests, Jeanette winning two and the pair drawing four times.

Source: wikipedia.org

Krav Maga Paratroopers

Posted by on Wednesday, February 7, 2018, In : Photography

Israeli paratroopers practicing krav maga (1955).

Source: wikipedia.org
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Kenwa Mabuni

Posted by on Tuesday, February 6, 2018, In : Photography

Kenwa Mabuni founder of Shito-Ryu karate, photographed in 1938.

Source: wikipedia.org
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The Kenjyutsu Machi Dojo

Posted by on Tuesday, February 6, 2018, In : Photography

Photo taken at the Kenjyutsu Machi dojo in Japan at the beginning of Meiji period (1870-1900).

Source: kendo-fik.org
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Jigoro Kano & Kyuzo Mifune

Posted by on Friday, February 2, 2018, In : Photography

The founder of judo Jigoro Kano (right) training with Kyuzo Mifune, who is widely considered to be one of the best technical judoka to have ever participated in the sport.

Source: wikipedia.org
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Edith Garrud

Posted by on Monday, January 22, 2018, In : Photography

Edith Garrud, who taught jujitsu to the suffragettes in the early twentieth century, demonstrating some moves on a police officer.

Source: bartitsu.org

Sam Langford vs. Bill Lang

Posted by on Monday, January 22, 2018, In : Photography

In 1911 in London, Sam Langford, weighing in at 165 lbs beat the much heavier Bill Lang, who weighed in at 196 lbs. The fight was a total mismatch from the start with the lighter and shorter Langford dominating before winning the fight in the sixth round after his opponent was disqualified for a foul blow.

Source: boxrec.com

Jumping Spinning Back Kick - Unsu

Posted by on Wednesday, January 17, 2018, In : Photography

Mikazuki geri (crescent kick) flowing into sempu geri (jumping whirlwind kick) and ending with fuse no shisei (going to ground position) from the kata Unsu.

Source: nantanreikan.ca

Gichin Funakoshi - Gankaku

Posted by on Monday, January 15, 2018, In : Photography

Sensei Gichin Funakoshi performing the characteristic crane-like technique from the kata Gankaku.

Source: helldragon.eu
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Muhammad Ali Talking a Vet out of Suicide

Posted by on Friday, January 12, 2018, In : Photography

This photograph taken in 1981 shows the dramatic moment Muhammad Ali saved a suicidal Veteran of the Vietnam war. The former Heavyweight Champion shouted to the man; “I’m your brother, I want to help you” after which the man allowed Ali to approach and eventually came off the ledge.

Source: dailymail.co.uk
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Shaolin Temple Building

Posted by on Saturday, January 23, 2016, In : Photography

A small structure with historically important inscribed stones photographed on the grounds of the Shaolin Temple prior to the 1928 fire which caused major damage to the complex.

Source: chinesemartialstudies.com
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Kings of the Ring

Posted by on Wednesday, January 20, 2016, In : Photography

Don King posing with two of the best fighters he ever worked with, former heavyweight champions Mike Tyson and Muhammad Ali. The picture was taken in Las Vegas before a WBA-WBC lightweight championship fight on October 29, 1988.

Source: beatsboxingmayhem.com
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Capoareira Mestres Pastinha and Jorge Amado

Posted by on Monday, January 18, 2016, In : Photography

Capoareira Mestres Pastinha and Jorge Amado, 1961.

Source: grupocalunga.blogspot.co.uk
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Karate Kick

Posted by on Sunday, January 17, 2016, In : Photography

A karateka breaking bricks with a front kick.

See more at Tumblr.com
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Ronda Rousey

Posted by on Saturday, January 16, 2016, In : Photography

Ronda Rousey

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Cassius Clay Vs. Tony Madigan

Posted by on Friday, January 15, 2016, In : Photography

Cassius Clay aged 18 fighting Tony Madigan of Australia during the light heavyweight boxing semifinals at the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome.

Source: telegraph.co.uk
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Nagasaki Magistrate

Posted by on Friday, January 15, 2016, In : Photography

Samurai magistrate from Nagasaki (c.1863).

Source: ameblo.jp
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Angampora Grip & Lock Technique

Posted by on Wednesday, January 13, 2016, In : Photography

Grip and lock technique being demonstrated by exponents of the Sri Lankan martial art, angampora.

Source: wikipedia.org
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World War One Cavalry Horse

Posted by on Wednesday, January 13, 2016, In : Photography

A horse of allied cavalry troops being lowered down in a sling onto the quayside in Greece, 1915.

Source: bbc.co.uk
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Edward Aston - Britain's Strongest Man

Posted by on Tuesday, January 12, 2016, In : Photography

Edward Aston won the title of Britain's Strongest Man in 1911 beating out the famed Thomas Inch. Aston held onto that title for over twenty years until retiring undefeated.

Source: breakingmuscle.com

George S. Patton Fencing

Posted by on Wednesday, January 6, 2016, In : Photography

George S. Patton (right) and Jean de Mas Latrie competing in the fencing event of the Modern Pentathlon at the 1912 Summer Olympics.

Source: wikipedia.org
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Boxing Boys

Posted by on Saturday, December 26, 2015, In : Photography

A couple of young boys practising boxing.

Source: Tumblr
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Gret Scott - Samurai Judoka

Posted by on Saturday, December 26, 2015, In : Photography

Photo taken by Rosemary Matthews in 1958 of Gret Scott, a 24 year old Judo instructor at the Penge Academy of Judo and at the time, Britain's only female exponent of Kendo. In this picture, Scott is seen cleaning her 300 year old samurai sword.

Source: gettyimages.co.uk

Muay Thai vs. Kickboxing

Posted by on Sunday, December 6, 2015, In : Photography

American kickboxer Rick Roufus vs. Muay Thai fighter Changpuek Kietsongrit in a non-title fight in Las Vegas in the late 1970s. Prior to this fight, muay thai was relatively unknown outside of Thailand, but when Changpuek beat the American, he put the sport on the international map.

Source: muaythaipros.com
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Kung Fu Training

Posted by on Sunday, December 6, 2015, In : Photography

Chinese students training at a commercial kung fu school near Shaolin (1988).

Source: blackbeltmag.com

Samurai in Armour

Posted by on Thursday, November 19, 2015, In : Photography

Samurai warriors (1870) wearing kusari katabira (chain armour jackets), kusari zunin (chain armour hoods) and hachi gane (forehead protectors) while holding naginata (pole weapon with blade attached).

Source: wikipedia.org
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The Realities of War

Posted by on Friday, November 6, 2015, In : Photography

These pictures were taken during Operation Desert Storm in the early 1990s by Kenneth Jarecke in a bid to show the American general public the realities of war. In the top picture, Iraqi prisoners of war were photographed after being captured by the U.S. military on their way to Baghdad. The middle picture shows a burned-out Iraqi truck surrounded by corpses on the “Highway of Death.” When asked why he needs to take photographs of scenes like this by a military public relations officer, J...
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Female Samurai

Posted by on Saturday, October 17, 2015, In : Photography

An example of a female warrior of the samurai class (onna-bugeisha).

Source: pinterest.com
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The Armenian Genocide

Posted by on Wednesday, October 14, 2015, In : Photography

Turkish official teasing starving Armenian children with bread (1915)

The Armenian Genocide, also known as the Armenian Holocaust or the Great Crime among Armenians, was the systematic murder of the minority Armenian population by the Ottoman government in Turkey. The crisis started on April 24, 1915 when authorities arrested around 250 Armenian intellectuals and community leaders in Constantinople. After this, able bodied men were either outright murdered or died during forced labour and wome...
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Carmen Basilio on the Speed Bag

Posted by on Sunday, October 11, 2015, In : Photography

Carmine Basilio (1927 – 2012) better known as Carmen Basilio, seen here working on the speed bag. Basilio was an Italian-American pro boxer who held the world title in both the Welterweight and Middleweight divisions, famously beating the great Sugar Ray Robinson to win the latter.

Source: punchingbagreviews.com

Effigy of the Black Prince

Posted by on Monday, September 21, 2015, In : Photography

Edward, Prince of Wales (1330-1376), commonly known as The Black Prince and son of King Edward III, was the embodiment of the perfect medieval English knight. His effigy at Canterbury Cathedral is a powerful 14th century sculpture showing him with his armour reproduced to perfection and his hands clasped in prayer, making him appear equally ready for heaven or the battlefield.

Source: theguardian.com

Winter Training with Mas Oyama

Posted by on Saturday, September 12, 2015, In : Photography

Mas Oyama, founder of Kyokushin karate, leading his students in some winter training.

Source: saikyokarate.com
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Don King's Mugshot

Posted by on Sunday, September 6, 2015, In : Photography

Mugshot of boxing’s most notorious promoter Don King after he killed a man who owed him money (1954).

Source: boxinginsider.com
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Raging Bull

Posted by on Sunday, September 6, 2015, In : Photography

Robert De Niro in Raging Bull (1980)

Source: aostolazafilmhistory
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Taekwondo Kids

Posted by on Sunday, August 30, 2015, In : Photography

Taekwondo Kids

Via Pinterest
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A Woman Hitting a Neo-Nazi with Her Handbag

Posted by on Wednesday, August 26, 2015, In : Photography

This iconic photograph shows Danuta Danielsson, a concentration camp survive, stepping out of a crowd in the Swedish city of Växjö in 1985 and hitting a Neo-Nazi with her handbag.

Source: the-history-of-fighting.tumblr.com
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Benny 'the Ghetto Wizard' Leonard

Posted by on Friday, August 21, 2015, In : Photography

Benny the Ghetto Wizard Leonard, widely considered one of the best lightweights of all time, was champion from 1917 to 1925 defending his title seven times. His record stands at;

Total fights 219
Wins 183
Wins by KO 70
Losses 24
Draws 8
No contests 4

Source: wikipedia.org
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Valdemar Santana

Posted by on Thursday, August 6, 2015, In : Photography

Valdemar Santana holding Regional Capoeira Mestre Arthur Emidlo above his head with one hand in the early 1960s.

Santana was a champion in Gracie Jujitsu and Capoeira, studying with Helio Gracie in the former and Mestre Bimba in the later. Santana is famous for being one of the few men to defeat his former coach Helio Gracie who he beat twice in Vale Tudo (no holds barred) matches, both of which lasted more than three hours.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Image Source: ejmas.com
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Tekki Shodan - Gichin Funakoshi

Posted by on Tuesday, August 4, 2015, In : Photography

Still photos of Gichin Funakoshi taken while performing Tekki Shodan.

More photos of Sensei Funakoshi performing Tekki Shodan
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Muhammad Ali - Conscientious Objector

Posted by on Thursday, July 30, 2015, In : Photography

Muhammad Ali, who was famously banned from boxing for being a conscientious objector to the Vietnam War, points to a newspaper reporting in 1966 on a 30,000 strong protest march that had recently taken place against the conflict.

Source: dailymail.co.uk
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Adolf Hitler Breaking Ground

Posted by on Wednesday, July 29, 2015, In : Photography

Adolf Hitler breaking ground in September 1933 denoting the start construction of the Frankfurt-am-Maine - Darmstadt/Mannheim highway as part of his plan to link all of the major cities in Germany with highways.

Source: slightlywarped.com
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Russian Special Forces Training

Posted by on Monday, July 27, 2015, In : Photography

A member of the Russian Special Forces (Spetsnaz) doing a training drill that consists of back
flipping over a barbed wire fence while throwing a hatchet at a target.

Via Tumblr

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ANZAC Soldiers

Posted by on Thursday, June 11, 2015, In : Photography

Two members of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) capture a Turkish
sniper camouflaged to look like a tree in Gallipoli (1915).

slightlywarped.com
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Ajantha Mahantharachchi

Posted by on Tuesday, May 5, 2015, In : Photography

An Ajantha Mahantharachchi expert at a sword demonstration in 2012.

Source: wikimedia.org
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Rubin 'Hurricane' Carter

Posted by on Sunday, May 3, 2015, In : Photography

A 1964 photo of middleweight challenger Rubin Carter.

Rubin 'Hurricane' Carter, who died in April 2015 aged 76 could, according to some commentators, have become the World Champion and was one of the best middleweights of his day. However on June 17th, 1966 Carter was out on the town with a friend, John Artis and their lives would change forever when they found themselves getting arrested for the murder of a bartender and two customers of the Lafayette Bar and Grill.

Rubin Carter knocking Flore...
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Heian Sandan - Gichin Funakoshi

Posted by on Friday, May 1, 2015, In : Photography

Still photos of Gichin Funakoshi taken while performing Heian Sandan.

More kata photos
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The Skull Tower

Posted by on Sunday, April 26, 2015, In : Photography

A section of the Skull Tower

The Skull Tower (Ćele Kula), in Niš, Serbia was built in 1809 by Turkish general Hurshi Pasha during the First Serbian Uprising against the Ottoman Empire (1804-1813). The rebels were defeated but rather than run away or give themselves up, their commander Stevan Sinđelić fired a shot into a gunpowder keg in a fully stocked gun powder room, which not only finished the rebels off but also took a number of Turkish soldiers out as well.

A section of the Skull Towe...
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German Jujitsu c.1931

Posted by on Monday, April 6, 2015, In : Photography

This 1931 jujitsu demonstration in Germany aimed to show how a well-trained unarmed woman could defend herself against a would-be attacker. In this scenario, a rope tied across the road has caused her to stop her car and she is set upon by a man with a knife. She controls the knife hand and engages the assailant by grabbing his throat before taking him to the floor with a throw.

Sources:
Pinterest, M artialarts.unltd
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Unidentified German Girls Boxing

Posted by on Sunday, March 8, 2015, In : Photography

A photograph of unidentified German girls boxing in shallow waters, taken by Bernard Kobel in the 1950s.

Source: etsy.com
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Child Soldiers of the Great War - Germany

Posted by on Sunday, March 1, 2015, In : Photography

Top – Two young German boys play at being soldiers c.1914
Bottom – Three new recruits for the German War Machine c.1917

Source: greatwar.nl
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Muhammad Ali - Final Fight

Posted by on Sunday, March 1, 2015, In : Photography

Muhammad Ali looking dejected after losing his final fight to Trevor Berbick in 1981.

Source: dailymail.co.uk
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Ronda Rousey

Posted by on Thursday, January 29, 2015, In : Photography

MMA superstar Ronda Rousey

theilium.com
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Operation Crossroads - The Bombing of Bikini

Posted by on Sunday, January 25, 2015, In : Photography

These nuclear bomb detonations, (known as the Able and Baker Tests respectively), took place in July 1946 as part of Operation Crossroads on the island of Bikini Atoll in the Pacific. A fleet of decommissioned US and seized Japanese vessels were deployed in the area with the intention of simulating and documenting the effects of nuclear weapons in naval warfare. They were the precursors to a series of large thermonuclear tests that over the next decade or so would render Bikini unfit for huma...
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Shaolin Monks by Isabel Muñoz

Posted by on Saturday, December 27, 2014, In : Photography

Photographs of monks from the Shaolin Temple of Songshan, taken by Isabel Munoz in 1998 – 1999.

Two-handed sword
Headstand
The Frog Jump
Flying over the Roof
High Kick

Source: sayshanti.wordpress.com
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Nelson Mandela on Boxing

Posted by on Monday, September 15, 2014, In : Photography

A young Nelson Mandela doing some boxing training. He wrote in his autobiography Long Walk to Freedom;

"I did not enjoy the violence of boxing so much as the science of it. I was intrigued by how one moved one's body to protect oneself, how one used a strategy both to attack and retreat, how one paced oneself over a match.....Boxing is egalitarian. In the ring, rank, age, colour and wealth are irrelevant.....I never did any real fighting after I entered politics. My main interest was in train...

Anette Busch - Female Sumo Wrestler

Posted by on Monday, September 15, 2014, In : Photography

Anette Busch (1882 – 1969) was an Estonian strong woman and wrestler who fled to Japan to escape the Russian Revolution in 1917. While there, she became the first female sumo wrestler from outside of Japan and saw huge success beating all opponents who stood before her, most of which were men.

fscclub.com
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The Fudo Masamune

Posted by on Monday, September 15, 2014, In : Photography

Goro Nyudo Masamune (c.1264–1343 AD) is widely regarded as the finest sword smith that Japan has ever seen. His samurai swords and daggers (tachi and tanto) were made in the Soshu tradition and he is believed to have worked in Sagami Province during the last part of the Kamakura Period (1288–1328).

The Fudo Masamune is one of the few surviving blades that is known for sure to have been made and signed by the legendary sword smith and from the early 1600s, it was in the possession of the Ow...
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Nurses of World War One

Posted by on Thursday, August 28, 2014, In : Photography

Senior nurses demonstrating how to care for wounded soldiers, taken some time during World War One.

histomil.com
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Joe Rivers & Louise Adler

Posted by on Wednesday, August 27, 2014, In : Photography

American boxer Joe Rivers sparring with the women's lightweight
world champion, Louise Adler in 1926 while helping her train for an
upcoming title defence.

fscclub.com
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Sosai Masutatsu 'Mas' Oyama

Posted by on Wednesday, August 27, 2014, In : Photography

The legendary Sosai Masutatsu 'Mas' Oyama, founder of kyokushin karate.

Images via masutatsuoyama.com
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Bruce Lee and Lee Hoi-Chuen

Posted by on Sunday, August 17, 2014, In : Photography

An 18 year old Bruce Lee practicing Tai Chi with his father Lee Hoi-Chuen in 1958.

wikimedia.org
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Chinese Militia - 1906 - 1912

Posted by on Monday, July 21, 2014, In : Photography

Manchu Nobleman with Bow

Militia from the Shaanxi Province

Militia from Shandong Province

Images taken by the French missionary Michel de Maynard in Northern China between 1906 and 1912.

Source: chinesemartialstudies.com
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Joyeuse

Posted by on Monday, July 21, 2014, In : Photography

This sword is believed by some to be built from the original sword used by the late eighth/early ninth century king of the Francs, Charlemagne. Known as Joyeuse (meaning joyful), it was used in the Coronation processionals for French kings from 1270 (Philip III) - 1824 (Charles X).

Joyeuse was housed in the Saint Denis Basilica since at least 1505, before being moved to its current home, the Louvre in 1793. While it is generally agreed that the blade is medieval, its actual date is debated b...
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Muhammad Ali Meeting Saddam Hussein

Posted by on Thursday, July 3, 2014, In : Photography

Muhammad Ali meeting Saddam Hussein in 1990 when the former heavyweight champion was enlisted to help negotiate the release of 15 American hostages. The ‘guests’ were held in Iraq following Saddam's invasion of Kuwait with the threat that they would be used as human shields should US forces attack strategically areas in the country. After tense negotiations, all 15 men were released without being harmed but when praised for his actions, Ali insisted all credit be given to Allah.

sportsgrid...
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The Battle of the Little Bighorn

Posted by on Wednesday, June 25, 2014, In : Photography

Sitting Bull (1885)

Alleged photo of Crazy Horse (c.1877)

Chief Gall (1881)

The Battle of the Little Bighorn, otherwise known as Custer's Last Stand or Lakota Victory Day took place on the 25 – 26 of June, 1876 near the Little Bighorn River in eastern Montana Territory. The conflict was fought between the combined forces of the Lakota, Northern Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes against the 7th Cavalry Regiment of the United States Army.

The Native American forces achieved an overwhelming victory tha...
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Kun Gek Do Side Kick

Posted by on Monday, June 9, 2014, In : Photography

A practitioner of Kun Gek Do, (a form of Korean kickboxing) demonstrating a high side kick.

wikimedia.org

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The Lochnagar Crater

Posted by on Thursday, June 5, 2014, In : Photography

1920s postcard of the Lochnagar Crater.

The Lochnagar Crater is 90 feet deep and 300 feet across and was caused by a charge of 60,000 lbs (26.8 tons) of Ammonal explosives that was set off on the German front lines on the Somme on 1st July 1916. Cecil Lewis, an officer in the Royal Flying Corps who saw the mine explode from his aircraft stated;

“The whole earth heaved and flared, a tremendous and magnificent column rose up into the sky.
There was an ear-splitting roar, drowning all the guns, ...

California Sharpshooter Lillian Smith

Posted by on Tuesday, June 3, 2014, In : Photography

This portrait of California sharpshooter Lillian Smith armed with a Stevens Tip-Up rifle was taken sometime between 1875 and 1885. Smith appeared in 'Buffalo Bill' Cody’s Wild West troop in 1886 and was seen as a direct rival to another female sharp shooter involved with the troop, Annie Oakley. In 1889, Smith left the show after the intense rivalry with Oakley became public, after which, she faded into obscurity.

cowansauctions.com

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Muhammad Ali - The Original MMA Fighter?

Posted by on Wednesday, May 21, 2014, In : Photography

On June 26, 1976, Muhammad Ali engaged in a battle with Japanese professional wrestler Antonio Inoki in a fight that was billed as being a competition to find the toughest man on the planet. It is unclear whether or not the result was fixed beforehand, though both camps maintain that the fight was real.

Some sources say that Ali’s camp were expecting an exhibition match, but when they found out Inoki would be going at Ali to win, they demanded several rule changes. These included Ali being ...

Josephine Baker at the March on Washington

Posted by on Wednesday, May 21, 2014, In : Photography

Josephine Baker during the March on Washington.

Josephine Baker was an American cabaret performer who achieved a huge amount of success in Europe from the 1920s. During World War Two, she acted as a spy for the French Resistance and would later go on to become an influential activist during the civil rights movement in America in the 1960s. She was the only female speaker during the March on Washington in 1963, where she told the crowd;

“I have walked into the palaces of kings and queens and ...

Hazel Ying Lee

Posted by on Friday, May 16, 2014, In : Photography

Hazel Ying Lee, the first Chinese American woman to fly for the United States military, became a licensed pilot in 1932. She flew fighter aircraft to their destinations as they poured out of American factories for the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP). After 12 years of service, Lee was tragically killed at the age of 32 when she was involved in a mid-air collision while piloting a P-63 Fighter.

nwhm.org

Samurai at the Sphinx

Posted by on Thursday, May 15, 2014, In : Photography

In 1864, a group of samurai diplomats travelled to France in order to negotiate for the renewed isolation of Japan, a mission that was destined to fail. En route, they visited Egypt and posed for a photographer to produce this unique picture of a group of samurai warriors in full gear, standing in front of the Giza Sphinx.

Via Tumblr
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Morihei Ueshiba

Posted by on Friday, April 4, 2014, In : Photography

Morihei Ueshiba, founder of aikido.

Source
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The Blumenkrieg

Posted by on Wednesday, March 12, 2014, In : Photography

On March 12, 1938 the 8th Army of the German Wehrmacht crossed into Austria. Many welcomed the coming of the Nazis as liberators and the troops were greeted by cheering German-Austrians citizens with Nazi salutes, flags and flowers. As a result, the Nazi annexing of Austria is sometimes called the Blumenkrieg (war of flowers), though the official name was Unternehmen Otto. For the Germans, it was seen as the first big test of their war machine although as it turned out, no actual fighting t...
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Tura Satana in Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!

Posted by on Sunday, March 9, 2014, In : Photography

Tura Satana showing off her aikido skills in the 1965 cult movie Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!

Source
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New Picture of Billy the Kid Discovered

Posted by on Sunday, March 2, 2014, In : Photography

According to historian Frank Parrish, this photo that recently came to light is only the second one in existence of the notorious outlaw Billy the Kid (Right). The man on the left, according to Parrish, is Dan Dedrick a close friend of the gunslinger and the picture is believed to have been taken in 1879 when Kid was 20 years old, two years before he died.

Source: dailymail.co.uk
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Thomas "Tad" Lincoln

Posted by on Saturday, March 1, 2014, In : Photography

Abraham Lincoln's son Thomas "Tad" Lincoln is shown here dressed in a uniform patterned after his
hero, Elmer Ellsworth, the first Union casualty of the American Civil War.

Source
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Shaolin Monks

Posted by on Thursday, February 27, 2014, In : Photography

Shaolin monks (Via Tumblr)

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Muhammad Ali and James Earl Jones

Posted by on Wednesday, February 19, 2014, In : Photography

Muhammad Ali and actor James Earl Jones, who at the time was starring in the Broadway production of the Great White Hope. The play told the life story of boxing legend Jack Johnson and after watching it, Ali told Jones that if you replace the problems caused by Johnson's love for white women with Ali's religious preferences, the two great boxers had virtually the same life story.

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Jack Johnson vs. James J. Jeffries

Posted by on Tuesday, February 11, 2014, In : Photography

Jack Johnson (right) knocking out James J. Jeffries in their 1910 title fight. Jeffries was the first of the so called Great White Hopes backed to take the title from Johnson, who had become the first black heavyweight champion two years earlier. After the fight, there were race riots across America which lead to 25 deaths and several lynching attempts.
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Muhammad Ali (1966)

Posted by on Thursday, January 23, 2014, In : Photography

Muhammad Ali (1966) training in former World Bantamweight champion Jimmy Coulon's
gym in Chicago. Photographed by Thomas Hoepker
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The Flight of Arrows

Posted by on Thursday, January 16, 2014, In : Photography

This picture, called The Flight of Arrows, was taken around 1908 by by Edward S. Curtis and
depicts Native American warriors firing arrows into the air while performing the Atsina Crazy Dance.
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Heinkel He 111 Bombers

Posted by on Wednesday, December 18, 2013, In : Photography

A formation of low-flying German Heinkel He 111 bombers flies over the waves of the English Channel in 1940.

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Joe Louis vs. Rocky Marciano

Posted by on Tuesday, November 5, 2013, In : Photography

Picture taken on October 26, 1951, of the fight between the aging former champ, Joe Louis and a much younger up-and-coming fighter, Rocky Marciano. Louis had returned to the ring after retiring to clear his considerable debt to the IRS so when offered $300,000 to fight one of the hardest hitters around, it was too good to refuse.

Marciano, who grew up idolising Louis, demolished the former champion, knocking him to the floor in the eighth round before hitting him clean out of the ring, causin...
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Sergeant William Knapp

Posted by on Friday, November 1, 2013, In : Photography

Sergeant William Knapp of the 1st.Battalion, Coldstream Guards. The picture was taken by Robert Howlett
and Joseph Cundall in Aldershot, Hampshire in July 1856. Knapp is wearing the Crimea Medal with four bars
for Alma, Balaklava, Inkermann and Sebastopol.
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Chief Looking Glass

Posted by on Friday, November 1, 2013, In : Photography

Photograph of Chief Looking Glass, leader of the Nez Perce tribe, taken in 1877.
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Mitsuyo Maeda c.1910

Posted by on Monday, October 28, 2013, In : Photography

This picture of Mitsuyo Maeda (1878 – 1941) was taken around 1910. Maeda was a Japanese judoka who is reported to have won around 2000 no holds barred fights and along with Antônio Soishiro Satake, he pioneered judo in Brazil, the United Kingdom, and other countries. So important was he to the development of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, he is often referred to as the Father of Brazilian Jiu-jitsu.
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Mestre Bimba & President Getulio Dorneles Vargas

Posted by on Thursday, October 24, 2013, In : Photography

Mestre Bimba meeting the then president of Brazil, Getulio Dorneles Vargas, who is reported to have said to him;
“Capoeira is the only sport which is truly Brazilian”.

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Bruce Lee in the Big Boss

Posted by on Monday, October 21, 2013, In : Photography

Bruce Lee - The Big Boss
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Decapitation During the Nanking Massacre

Posted by on Thursday, October 17, 2013, In : Photography

A Japanese headsman tells his Chinese prisoner the best way to hold his head
for a smooth decapitation. The picture was taken in 1938 during the Nanking massacre.
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Shaolin Warrior Monks in the 1920s

Posted by on Thursday, October 17, 2013, In : Photography

This picture of warrior monks from the Shaolin Temple in the Henan Province was taken some time in the 1920s. It clearly demonstrates that they had become modernized in their fighting methods, learning from the mistakes of an earlier generation of monks who believed they could use traditional forms of fighting against soldiers with guns. They used talisman and spells to protect them from bullets during the Boxer Rebellion of 1901, a mistake that led to the uprising being easily quashed and on...
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Samurai of the Edo Period

Posted by on Friday, September 20, 2013, In : Photography

A group of samurai warriors dressed in traditional costume photographed towards the end of the Edo Period in the 19th century.
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Edith Garrud's Jujitsu

Posted by on Friday, September 20, 2013, In : Photography

Edith Margaret Garrud was an early 20th century female jujitsu expert who used her considerable skill to train a group known simply as the Bodyguard. They were tasked with giving protection to Emmeline Pankhurst and other suffragettes, who were regularly manhandled and harassed by police.

In 1913, Garrud made a short film (from which the pictures above are taken) to demonstrate her jujitsu and show than even in the male dominated world of the early twentieth century, a well-trained woman coul...
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Female Archers at the 1908 London Olympics

Posted by on Monday, September 2, 2013, In : Photography

Archery first appeared in the modern Olympics in 1900 and then again in 1904, 1908 and 1920,
after which it disappeared from the games until 1972.

These female archers are competing in the National Round Archery event of the 1908 London
Olympics, just eight years after women were first permitted to enter the games at all.

The event was won by Sybil (Queenie) Newall of Great Britain.
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Cheung Lai Chuen

Posted by on Wednesday, August 21, 2013, In : Photography

Cheung Lai Chuen, (born around 1880) was a kung fu legend who mastered Lei Ga (Lee Style), Lung Ying (Southern Dragon Style), Lau Man Gaau (Vagabond or Wanderer's Style) and Pak Mei (White Eyebrow Style), which he adapted and took out of secrecy, popularizing the art in Hong Kong around the turn of the 20th century.

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Mas Oyama Makiwara Training

Posted by on Monday, August 19, 2013, In : Photography

A young Masutatsu “Mas” Oyama training on a makiwara board c.1954.
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Morihei Ueshiba

Posted by on Friday, August 9, 2013, In : Photography

O-Sensei Morihei Ueshiba (1883-1969) who founded Aikido in the early nineteen hundreds.
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Mestre Bimba in the News

Posted by on Saturday, July 20, 2013, In : Photography

This clipping from a Brazilian newspaper (c.1930) pictures Mestre Bimba, inventor of the Regional style of capoeira.
It states; “It is not easy to fight a capoeira player….he uses kicks and head-butts against an aggressor”.
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Mas Oyama - Fighting a Bull

Posted by on Thursday, July 18, 2013, In : Photography

Sensei Mas Oyama, who had 52 fights with bulls, killing 3 outright and cutting off the horns of the rest with his knife hand strike.
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Eisuke Akamine and Taira Shinken

Posted by on Sunday, July 14, 2013, In : Photography

Master Eisuke Akamine (left) and Master Taira Shinken training with traditional Okinawan
karate weapons, the bo staff and the tonfa respectively.

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Jack Johnson vs. Tommy Burns

Posted by on Sunday, July 14, 2013, In : Photography

Photograph of Jack Johnson vs. Tommy Burns taken on December 26 1908 in Sydney, Australia. Johnson won the fight in the 14th round and became the first African American to be the World Heavyweight Champion, sparking the original hunt for the so called ‘Great White Hope’.
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Mestre Pastinha and his Students

Posted by on Saturday, June 29, 2013, In : Photography

Mestre Pastinha (left) with some of his students playing capoeira near the Pelourinho in 1963. This historical neighbourhood in Salvador, Bahia, was named after the whipping post (Pelourinho means Pillory) situated in its central plaza, which was where African slaves once received punishment for infringements that would have included getting caught practicing fighting techniques.
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Chojun Miyagi & Juhatsu Kyoda

Posted by on Sunday, June 9, 2013, In : Photography

A young Chojun Miyagi and Juhatsu Kyoda practising what appears to be an
application of the Okinawan kata Saifa.

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Legends of T'ai Chi Ch'uan - Sun Lu-t'ang

Posted by on Monday, June 3, 2013, In : Photography

Sun Lu-t'ang (or Sun Lutang) was a master of the internal arts and was instrumental in the invention of the syncretic art of Sun-style t'ai chi ch'uan. Born in 1860, he was also an expert in Neo-Confucian and Taoist scholarly pursuits and was a master at two other internal martial arts; xingyiquan (hsing-i ch'uan) and baguazhang (pa-kua chang). He came to t’ai chi relatively late in life but mastered it very quickly and spent much of his later career teaching t’ai chi to members of the pu...
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Mestre Bimba Teaching the Ginga

Posted by on Monday, June 3, 2013, In : Photography

Mestre Bimba teaching a student how to do the most basic movement of capoeira, known as the ginga.
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Sensei Chojun Miyagi Teaching Goju Ryu Students

Posted by on Thursday, May 30, 2013, In : Photography

Sensei Chojun Miyagi (far right) teaching his students Goju Ryu karate c.1929 in Okinawa.
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Mestre Jose Antonio do Nascimento

Posted by on Friday, May 10, 2013, In : Photography

A rare photograph of legendary capoeira fighter Mestre Jose Antonio do Nascimento
(1842 - 1936), commonly known as Nascimento Grande (Great Birth).
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The Shaolin Temple Before 1928

Posted by on Wednesday, May 1, 2013, In : Photography

A photograph of the front gates of the Shaolin Temple, taken before the 1928 destruction
of the legendary Buddhist place of worship and home of Kung Fu.
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Legends of T'ai Chi Ch'uan - Yang Lu-ch'an

Posted by on Wednesday, May 1, 2013, In : Photography

Yang Lu-ch'an also known as Yang Fu-k'ui or Yang Fukui (1799-1872), was an influential master of t'ai chi ch'uan during the 19th century who founded the Yang-style. After a modest upbringing, Yang was hired by the Imperial family in 1850 to teach them and several of their élite Manchu Imperial Guards Brigade units martial arts.

At this time, he taught the Taijiquan style and is credited with spreading it throughout China, being named by four of the five Taijiquan families as having transmitt...
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The Thrilla in Manila

Posted by on Monday, April 8, 2013, In : Photography

Muhammad Ali avoids a punch from long-time adversary Joe Frazier in their third and final fight. Known as ‘The Thrilla in Manila’, the Heavyweight Title fight was fought on October 1st and is seen by many as one of the best boxing matches of all time.

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Master Pastinha Demonstrating Capoeira c.1963

Posted by on Thursday, March 21, 2013, In : Photography

Here, the great master is preparing to throw his opponent using body leverage.

Pastinha aims a kick at his opponent (he was around 74 years old when these pictures were taken).

This move is a counter attack from a defensive position
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Traditional Fighting in Africa – Nuba Fighting

Posted by on Thursday, March 21, 2013, In : Photography

Nuba fighting is a form of African combat mainly practiced in central Sudan. It is a mixture of stick fighting and wrestling and began, according to local tradition, hundreds of years ago with the moves being developed through the imitation of monkeys and local insects. It serves as a passage of rites for young men and has religious & cultural significance, mainly taking place at special tournaments and events.

In-Kungfu.com
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Jigoro Kano & Yoshiaki Yamashita

Posted by on Saturday, February 16, 2013, In : Photography

Jigoro Kano (the founder of Judo) on the left and Yoshiaki Yamashita
(the first to achieve a 10th degree red belt) performing Koshiki-no-kata
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Private Joe Louis Says...

Posted by on Monday, February 4, 2013, In : Photography

This poster depicts Heavy Weight boxer Joe Louis and was aimed at getting new recruits to join the American army during World War Two. It was produced around 1942 during the ‘Brown Bomber’s' reign, which stretched from 1937 – 1949.
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Legends of T'ai Chi Ch'uan – Chen Fake

Posted by on Monday, February 4, 2013, In : Photography

Chen Fake practicing Xin Jai

Chen Fake (1887–1957) was a master of t’ai chi ch’uan who was instrumental in the spread of his style, Chen-style taijiquan, when he took it from his home in the Henan Province in 1928 and started teaching it in Beijing. As the style is largely based on internal energies, Chen Fake feared its subtle properties may be lost to future generations so he created an external form known as Xin Jia (New Frame) to add a visual framework to the internal movements.
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Gichin Funakoshi - Shuto Uke

Posted by on Wednesday, January 30, 2013, In : Photography

Gichin Funakoshi executing a shuto uke (knife hand block)

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Takasugi Shinsaku

Posted by on Monday, January 21, 2013, In : Photography

Takasugi Shinsaku, a Kendo practitioner from 19th Century Japan

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Adolph Wolgast Vs.Tommy Murphy

Posted by on Monday, January 21, 2013, In : Photography

Adolph Wolgast fighting Tommy Murphy in February 1913

More vintage boxing pictures
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Sensei Gichin Funakoshi Demonstrating Basics

Posted by on Thursday, December 6, 2012, In : Photography

Sensei Gichin Funakoshi demonstrating some basic karate moves.

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Taekwondo History Legends – Nam Tae Hi

Posted by on Thursday, December 6, 2012, In : Photography

Major Nam Tae Hi with some of his students from the Vietnamese Army in the early 1960's

Nam Tae Hi is a modern day Taekwondo Legend who was instrumental in the formation of the art in its current form. Born in Seoul, Korea in 1929 he began his martial arts training as a school boy. After demonstrating the art to the President of South Korea (Syngman Rhee) in 1954, it was introduced to the military and five years later, Nam and a team took Taekwondo oversees for the first time when they demonst...
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Arthur Bento dos Santos & Manduca da Praia

Posted by on Friday, November 30, 2012, In : Photography

Arthur Bento dos Santos & Manduca da Praia, taken in the 1940s (?)

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Taekwondo History Legends – Song Duk Ki

Posted by on Thursday, November 1, 2012, In : Photography

Song Duk Ki demonstrating his art in Seoul in 1964

Song Duk Ki was a master of taek kyon, (a precursor of taekwondo), who was instrumental in preserving Korean martial arts in the first half of the 20th century. Taek kyon and soo bak were the main forms of art being practice at the time and they would later go on to be blended together along with moves from karate and kung fu, to help create modern taekwondo.

However this would have been impossible without a group of masters, led by Song Duk K...
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Yip Man & Bruce Lee Practicing Chi Sao

Posted by on Friday, October 26, 2012, In : Photography

Yip Man and his most famous student Bruce Lee, practicing Chi Sao or Sticky Hands (c.1955). Chi Sao is an exercise that is designed to improve the reflexes of the martial artist and is a favourite technique amongst Wing Chun practitioners of all levels.
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Muay Thai Boxing Legends - Prince Narusuan

Posted by on Sunday, October 21, 2012, In : Photography

Prince Narusuan was a key figure in the development of the martial arts in Thailand (formerly Siam). In c. 1585, Narusuan succeeded in reorganizing a defeated Thai army. He made sure his men all learned martial arts leading to successful campaigns against the Burmese soldiers who had occupied the country since 1568.

Then, in a dramatic final showdown, he faced the leader of the Burmese army in open battle, both on the backs of war elephants. After a violent fight, Narusuan’s martial arts sk...
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Anko Itosu - 1908

Posted by on Sunday, September 9, 2012, In : Photography

Anko Itosu (just left of centre sporting a big white moustache), at a martial arts exhibition in 1908.

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Muay Thai Boxing Legends - Nai Khanom Tom

Posted by on Saturday, September 1, 2012, In : Photography

Nai Khanom Tom is a Muay Thai boxing legend of the highest calibre. Known as the ‘Father of Muay Thai’, Nai Khanom Tom was taken prisoner along with thousands of his countrymen when the capital Ayutthaya fell in 1767 to the Burmese. In 1774, a great festival was held by the King of Burma and as part of the celebrations, Nai Khanom Tom, still a prisoner of war, was to fight ten of the king’s men in a row.

After dispatching each of them, the Thai boxer became a legend and was rewarded wi...
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Sensei Anko Itosu with Kenwa Mabuni & Gichin Funakoshi

Posted by on Saturday, August 25, 2012, In : Photography

Sensei Anko Itosu (with the glasses), pictured with some of his students including
Kenwa Mabuni (standing) & Gichin Funakoshi (to Itosu's left).

Date: c.1880.

Update - Having recently read an article on dandjurdjevic.blogspot.com it has come to my attention that Kenwa Mabuni can not be in this picture as he was not born until 1889, 21 years after Gichin Funakoshi. It seems likely that the boy seated is in fact Funakoshi though there is some doubt as to weather or not it is Anko Itosu sat be...
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Capoeira Angola

Posted by on Tuesday, July 31, 2012, In : Photography

Capoeira Angola being performed in 1930s Brazil

The Roots of Capoeira
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Mestre Joao Grande vs.Mestre Joao Pequeno

Posted by on Tuesday, July 31, 2012, In : Photography

Reknowned Mestre Joao Grande and Mestre Joao Pequeno playing capoeira on a dock.

The Roots of Capoeira
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Training at Shuri Castle

Posted by on Tuesday, July 31, 2012, In : Photography

Training at Shuri Castle c.1938. Photographed by Nakasone Genwa

The History of Okinawan Karate
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Early Karate Training in Japan

Posted by on Tuesday, July 31, 2012, In : Photography

Students of karate training on a roof top in Japan c.1934

The History of Okinawan Karate
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Mestre Bimba Performing the Ginga

Posted by on Monday, July 30, 2012, In : Photography

Mestre Bimba performing the ginga in the early 1930s
(His opponent is Asclépios Ferrer)

Capoeira Articles
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Chojun Miyagi Training (1929)

Posted by on Monday, July 30, 2012, In : Photography

Chojun Miyagi (1888-1953), Founder of Goju-ryu teaching in Okinawa
Picture taken in 1929

Karate Home

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Kanga Tode Sakugawa

Posted by on Monday, July 30, 2012, In : Photography

Photograph of Okinawan karate master Kanga 'Tode' Sakugawa (1733 - 1815).

(Update, although several sources around the web clam this to be a photograph of the great master, as he died in 1815 and photography had not been invented yet, this is not possible).

Karate History Articles

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