Come here to get your kicks....

Blackbelt magazine is a martial arts magazine that comes out once a month. It costs about 4.50 after tax per magazine, however if you get a subscription it is only 2 dollars an issue.

This magazine has articles that covers a broad spectrum of martial arts (ie. Kung Fu, Karate, Tae Kwon Do etc..). This make the magazine fit for any martial artist unlike other magazines that are very much geared towards one style.

Each month the magazine features a specific style of martial arts for their cover page. They will dedicate the cover picture to that art as well as about four different articles that relate somewhat to the style they are discussing in the particular issue.

Aside from the four major articles they have several columns in every issue. A few of the columns are "State of Taekwondo" which is interesting for those who take Tae Kwon Do and it isn't so overwhelming for those who do not take the style at the same time it is interesting. Another article is "Sports Nutrition" which is very interesting by telling "practical, everyday tips on nutrition..."

I study RyuKyu Kempo Karate which is why the column "Karateway" is the most interesting to me. In the Sept. 2000 issue the Karateway discusses the question: "Does Kata Practice Prepare You for Combat?" The article is about one page long, which makes it difficult to really get into the topic in any type of depth. The author of the article discusses how people, many times, do not see the hidden moves and meanings in Katas. However that statement alone is enough to write a book on and the author doesn't even scratch the surface.

The only major downfall for this magazine is there is nothing specifically geared towards women. The exercise and nutrition tips are very much geared towards men. It can be easily adapted to women, but it would be nice to have an article geared toward women.