We have a special second episode this week, as Gavin and I discuss a pivotal topic that often comes up in martial arts circles; “Fitness and martial arts training? Counterproductive? Or a necessity?” Listen in as we give our insight on our experiences with our physical fitness training as it has coincided with our personal martial arts journeys. We talk about everything ranging from: what we have done wrong in the past, the corrections we have made over time and what kind of physical fitness regimen might be right for YOU- that is of course depending on the reasons you choose to train (as well as what martial arts style you practice). Thanks for listening and remember to give us a like and follow us for more episodes!!!! #themartialartsmaniapodcast #martialarts #kungfu #muaythai #boxing #taichi #training #workout #fitness #functionaltraining #evolution #podcast #soundcloud #applepodcasts

Supplementing your Martial Arts Training with Extracurricular Fitness Training

New episode alert! This week Gavin and I have a fun new entry that is going to become a recurring theme on the show, “Kung Fu Comfort Films”! In this first episode, we are each going to give 5 of our favorite “comfort martial arts films”. What do we mean by  "comfort films”? These are movies that we come back to time and time again. Whether we are bored and need something to watch, are feeling slightly down and need a nostalgic pick-me-up, or are just in need of a good ol’ fashion Kung Fu fix! Listen in as we break down our immensely eclectic lists, share some fun memories and perhaps introduce you to some films you may have never seen before! We talk about some of the all time greats during this episode, including: Chuck Norris, Sonny Chiba, Jerry Trimble, Donnie Yen, Bolo Yeung, Jean-Claude Van Damme, our very own sensei Peter ‘Sugarfoot’ Cunningham and many more! Remember to download, like and subscribe to the podcast! Thanks for all of the support and we hope you enjoy!

Kung Fu Comfort Films Vol. 1

We’re back! Gavin and I have been busy as can be, so we went the easy route and did another edition of “Kung Fu Comfort Films”! Listen in as we each pick 5 or our favorite go-to movies that we can watch over and over again! We’ve got entries from some of the all time greats, including: Jackie Chan, Cynthia Rothrock, Jeff Wincott, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Bruce Li, Sammo Hung and many more! Listen in as we nerd-out per usual and share our insight on some of our favorite flicks. Remember to subscribe and share with your friends! Thanks again everyone!

Kung Fu Comfort Films: Volume 2

New episode alert! This week Gavin and I are back with a VERY special episode. This time around, we are talking about my favorite movie of all time… ENTER THE DRAGON! Listen in as we break down this Bruce Lee classic, why it is special to us, and more importantly, why it is so significant in the overall history and development of cinema. If you haven’t seen it before, do yourself and favor and go and buy the Criterion Collection Bruce Lee boxset, where you will be treated to this film and much, much more! Don’t forget to subscribe, download, like and share with your friends! Thanks again for the continued support!

Enter the Dragon

We’re back! This time around, we’ve got an AWESOME list for you… our Top 5 Cynthia Rothrock films! This was no easy task, as we set ourselves a lot of caveats as to which films could qualify for our picks! Listen in as we discuss the storied career of “the Lady Dragon” herself, a pioneer in the world of Kung Fu cinema and one of the greatest martial arts stars of all time! Which ones made our list? Which ones didn’t? Well, you’ll have to tune in to find out! Don’t forget to subscribe, download and share with your friends! Thanks for the continued support as always. We had a lot of fun recording this one, and we hope you enjoy!

Our Top 5 Cynthia Rothrock Films!

New episode alert! This time around, Gavin gives us a list of 5 of HIS favorite “Kung Fu Comfort Films”! Listen in as he breaks down why these entries are a few of his go to favorites when he wants some good ol’ Kung Fu escapism! You can listen to The Martial Arts Mania Podcast on Soundcloud, Spotify or Apple Podcasts! Don’t forget to subscribe, download and share with your friends! Thanks again for your continued support!

Kung Fu Comfort Films: Part 3!

New episode alert! This week, Gavin and I discuss one of the newest entries on the Hi-Yah! app, the Japanese Yakuza action picture ‘A Janitor’. Listen in as we discuss what we liked about the film, where it fell short and how it compares to the landscape of lower budget Japanese action picture from the past decade or so. We also discuss some exciting news about the podcast and our first live event we will be attending! Don’t forget to subscribe, download and share with your friends! Thanks again for your continued support!

Japanese Action Cinema: A Janitor

New episode alert! This time around, Gavin and I are discussing the bearded bad-ass himself, the Karate Cowboy, the Total Gym Titan, the man, the myth, the legend… MR. CHUCK NORRIS! Tune in as we deep dive into one of his early, underappreciated classics, ‘An Eye for an Eye’. A revenge thriller set in in the seedy world of drug dealing and corruption, with the beautiful San Francisco Bay as its backdrop, this picture delivers in all the ways you’d expect a Chuck Norris movie to. Lots of Karate based action? Check! Over the top bad guys and ominous henchman? Check! Roundhouse kicks galore? DOUBLE CHECK. With a stellar supporting cast featuring Christopher Lee, Mako and Richard “I’m only talking about Shaft!” Roundtree, this film goes above and beyond in delivering one heck of a good time. Listen in as we inadvertently go down multiple rabbit holes, talk about what we feel worked best in this movie, and why we appreciate Chuck Norris and his hard-hitting martial arts abilities so much. Don’t forget to subscribe, download and share with you friends! Thanks again for the continued support!

Chuck Norris Cinema: An Eye for an Eye

New episode alert! This week, Gavin and I are reviewing the brand-new action epic, John Wick: Chapter 4! It’s hard to put down in words just how extraordinary this film is, so I’m going to keep it brief. If non-stop martial arts melees, ballistic bullet ballets, and crazy colorful characters are your jam, then you are absolutely going to love this cinematic experience! With so many stars giving career defining performances, from the legendary Donnie Yen, to martial arts maestro Scott Adkins, Keanu Reeves has one of the greatest supporting casts in action cinema history backing him up. Throw in Marko Zaror and Hiroyuki Sanada on top of that, and you are in for one hell of a ride! Listen in as we breakdown everything from the absolutely brilliant fight scenes, the amazing cinematography, and hands down THE BEST NUNCHUKS SEQUENCE EVER CAPTURED ON FILM!  Don’t forget to subscribe, download, like, and share with your friends! If you haven’t already gone to see John Wick: 4 in theaters, do so immediately! You won’t regret it. Thanks again for the continued support and we hope you enjoy!

John Wick: Chapter 4

This week, Gavin and I are taking our first exploration into the world of Cambodian cinema, looking at the epic 2017 action thriller ‘Jailbreak’. Starring French martial artist/ stuntman Jean-Paul Ly as well as Dara Our and Tharoth Sam (experts in the ancient Cambodian martial art style of Bokator) this hard-hitting martial arts extravaganza can be looked at as Cambodia’s answer to ‘The Raid’. However, rather than simply produce a derivative copycat, director Jimmy Henderson and fight choreographer Ly offer us a truly captivating film with its own unique action style and technical slickness. Listen in as we breakdown everything from kinetic and visually captivating fight scenes, the star presence of lead Jean-Paul Ly, and why there needs to be more Bokator films! Don’t forget to subscribe, download, like, and share with your friends! Also, make sure and watch this film on Netflix before it leaves May 1st! Thanks again for the continued support and we hope you enjoy!

Cambodian Cinema: Jailbreak

One is an illegal immigrant on the run from a ruthless Hong Kong gangster. The other, a struggling student from Taiwan just trying to make his father proud. Their paths cross in the most unlikely of circumstances, but together they must survive the mean streets of…. CHINATOWN! That’s right, this week we are taking a look at the 1977 Shaw Brothers Kung Fu classic, ‘Chinatown Kid’. Directed by genre pioneer Chang Cheh, and starring one of the biggest superstars of the era, Alexander Fu Sheng, this gripping tale of struggle, brotherhood, and revenge, delivers plenty of hard-hitting action, as well as a surprising amount of social commentary as well. Today’s episode is extra long as we spend a good 30 minutes trying to dissect how many different versions/edits there are of this film, and how the plot completely changes depending on which version you watch! We also take a look at the amazing Kung Fu battles, the thematic elements which make it a surprising entry in the long list of Hong Kong migration films, as well the interesting and tragic career of Alexander Fu Sheng. Don’t forget to subscribe, download, like, and share with your friends! Thanks again for the continued support and we hope you enjoy!

Shaw Brothers Cinema: Chinatown Kid

Bruce Lee- the Dragon. Considered by many to be the greatest martial artist of all time… one of the most iconic individuals of the 20th century… one in a million, that could never be replicated… but that doesn’t mean people weren’t going to try! That’s right, this week we are reviewing the INCREDIBLE documentary ‘Enter the Clones of Bruce’, which explores the wonderfully weird, wacky and absolutely BONKERS world of Bruceploitation! Featuring Bruce LE, Bruce LI, DRAGON Lee, Bruce LEung, Bruce LO, and many more, this brilliant examination of one of the most unique and fascinating sub genres of cinema will leave you highly entertained, and eager for more! With stellar direction from David Gregory, as well as some solid production work from our friends Michael Worth and Frank Djeng, ‘Enter the Clones of Bruce’ is some of the most fun you’ll have this year at the movies! Listen in as we talk about the documentary, our love for Bruceploitation, and one of my quickest trips I’ve ever made to LA for this awesome screening courtesy of Beyondfest! If you prefer to see our lovely faces, the YouTube video for the episode will be out Friday! Don’t forget to subscribe, download, like, and share with your friends! Thanks again for the continued support and we hope you enjoy!

Enter the Clones of Bruce!

It’s that time of year again, and therefore we are proud to present our 2nd annual spooky Halloween themed martial arts cinema episode! This year, we are talking about the crème de la crème of horror infused martial arts cinema, and one of the greatest comic book movies to ever grace the silver screen… BLADE! Starring the one and only Wesley Snipes, and featuring the likes of Stephen Dorff, Kris Kristofferson and N’Bushe Wright, this tale of the half-human/half-vampire superhero is not only a slick as hell, highly kinetic, pulse-pounding action thrill ride, but also the catalyst for what would eventually become the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Chock-full of stellar martial arts sequences, vampire carnage, and enough frights to keep you on the edge of your seat for its entire 120 minute runtime, ‘Blade’ still stands out as one of the most entertaining and stylistic horror martial arts films of all time! If you prefer to see our lovely faces, the YouTube video for the episode will be out Friday! Don’t forget to subscribe, download, like, and share with your friends! Thanks again for the continued support and we hope you enjoy!

Blade- The Ultimate Martial Arts Horror Film!

It’s been a bit crazy for us here at the Martial Arts Mania Podcast, and we apologize about missing last week, but we’re back with another great episode! We are doing our 5th edition of our fan favorite “Kung Fu Comfort Films”! Listen in as we discuss some of our absolute favorite martial arts films that we go back to again and again, whether we want to sit down and enjoy a stellar film, or just have a bit of nostalgic escapism! We’ve got entries from Sammo Hung, Donnie Yen, Sonny Chiba, and many more! If you prefer to see our lovely faces, the YouTube video for the episode will be out Friday! Don’t forget to subscribe, download, like, and share with your friends! Thanks again for the continued support and we hope you enjoy!

Kung Fu Comfort Films Part 5

It’s been a long time in the making, but this week we finally drop our long awaited ‘Top 5 Martial Arts Movie Soundtracks’ episode!This was a fun, but EXTREMELY difficult episode for us as there are SO MANY great films that could have made this list. To narrow it down to 5 was no easy task, and not to brag, but I think we did a pretty darn good job! Listen in as we discuss our entries, why we thought these films were worthy, and why some others ALMOST made the lists, but just couldn’t quite make the cut! You can listen to The Martial Arts Mania Podcast on Soundcloud, Spotify, Apple Podcasts and iHeart Podcasts! Don’t forget to subscribe, download, like, and share with your friends! Thanks again for the continued support and we hope you enjoy!

Our Top 5 Martial Arts Movie Soundtracks!

Surprise episode drop! That’s right, we are a few days ahead of schedule, because we have a special Bruce Lee themed episode in honor of the Little Dragon’s birthday! This time around, we are examining his revenge driven Kung Fu masterpiece- ‘Fist of Fury’! His second feature film after his return to Hong Kong in the early 70’s, ‘Fist of Fury’ focuses on the fictional character of Chen Zhen, as he sets out to avenge the death of his master, the real life folk-hero Huo Yuanjia, in the international settlement of early 20th century Shanghai. Filled with ferocious Kung Fu battles, masterful melodrama, and stunning choreography, ‘Fist of Fury’ holds up as one of Bruce Lee’s most consistent pieces of work, which is often imitated, but never duplicated. Listen in as we discuss what makes this picture so special, why it stands out amongst Bruce Lee’s films, and why it is still one of the greatest martial arts pictures of all time!  Don’t forget to subscribe, download, like, and share with your friends! Thanks again for the continued support and we hope you enjoy!

Bruce Lee Cinema- Fist of Fury!

We’ve been absent extra long again, but we are back with a super fun episode where we review the over the top, zany, hard-hitting, Japanese action extravaganza- Bushido Man! Following wandering warrior Toramaru, a student of “the Cosmic Way”, on his journey to become the best fighter in Japan, this film is a showcase for some PHENOMENAL martial arts sequences, utilizing a multitude of different styles, weapons, as well as an eclectic cast of eccentric characters all too willing to throw down with our protagonist. Listen in as we break down the different fight scenes, why we enjoy this movie so much, and why you should give this one a go! Don’t forget to subscribe, download, like, and share with your friends! Thanks again for the continued support and we hope you enjoy!

Bushido Man!

We’re FINALLY back, and BADder than ever, with BAD CITY! Maybe our favorite martial arts film of 2023 (and definitely the most underrated), this tale of Yakuza vs cops has all the makings of an action classic. Gritty, grizzled detectives who punch and kick their way to justice? Check✅ Evil crime lords who savagely kill anyone in their way? Check✅ Bone crunching fight scenes including a 15+ minute martial arts finale!? DOUBLE CHECK!!!! ✅✅Listen in as we share why we enjoyed this movie so much, why the martial arts sequences are so good, and why star Hitoshi Ozawa needs to be in more movies!!! Don’t forget to subscribe, download, like, and share with your friends! You can currently view Bad City on Prime, Tubi and the Hi-yah app! Thanks again for the continued support and we hope you enjoy!

Japanese Action Cinema: Bad City

We’re back! This time around, we are breaking some of our own rules and discussing an 80’s classic that although is not a “martial arts film” has plenty of fight scenes in it, as well as a couple of martial arts sequences as well. In honor of the passing of the legendary Carl Weathers, we are discussing his epically fun starring vehicle from 1988, ‘Action Jackson’. The epitome of why 80’s cinema was such a good time, ‘Action Jackson’ is wall to wall filled with excitement; ranging from fist fights,  explosions, musical sequences, chase scenes, and so much more, you can’t help but have a good time when taking in this over the top action extravaganza. Listen in as we discuss why we love this movie so much, why Carl Weathers holds such a special place in both of our hearts, as well as BOTH of our experiences meeting the legend himself. Don’t forget to subscribe, download, like, and share with your friends! Thanks again for your continued support and we hope you enjoy!

Action Jackson!

This week we are back with everyone’s favorite Kung fu superstar, Jackie Chan, and one of his MANY Chinese New Year releases- City Hunter! An absolutely wacky, over the top, action extravaganza, filled wall-to-wall with Wong Jing’s trademark irreverent humor, this manga adaptation is one of the most unique entries in Jackie’s long and storied filmography. With a great supporting cast, including the always talented Gary Daniels and one of the best “gwei-lo” baddies of all time, Richard Norton, there is enough solid martial arts action mixed in with the slapstick scenarios to keep the hardcore fight fans engaged throughout it all! Listen in as we break down why we like this movie so much, how different it is from the rest of Jackie’s body of work, and why you should check it out asap! Also, just as a heads up, we recorded this about 2 weeks ago or so now as we decided to pivot and release an episode on Action Jackson instead last week in honor of Carl Weathers 🙏 Don’t forget to subscribe, download, like, and share with your friends! Thanks again for your continued support and we hope you enjoy!

Chinese New Year Cinema: City Hunter!

We are back with a VERY special episode for you guys. This week, we have the honor and privilege of interviewing the multi-talented Max Huang! Lifelong martial artist, musician, actor, stuntman, choreographer, director, and member of the Jackie Chan stunt team (just to name a few of his accomplishments) you probably remember him best from his FATALLY awesome, scene stealing role as Kung Lao in 2021’s Mortal Kombat! A true fan of the Kung fu movie genre, we had a blast talking anything and everything Kung fu movie related. Listen in as we discuss a whole series of topics, ranging from his time growing up in Germany, working on the Jackie Chan stunt team, his future hopes and desires for martial arts cinema, and even our time spent training at the Shanghai Sports University together! Max’s positive energy and optimistic output are absolutely contagious, and both Gavin and I were truly inspired and pumped up after this recording! You can listen to The Martial Arts Mania Podcast on Soundcloud, Spotify, Apple Podcasts and iHeart Podcasts! Don’t forget to subscribe, download, like, and share with your friends! Thanks again for your continued support and we hope you enjoy!

An Interview with Mortal Kombat's Max Huang!

We’ve been crunched for time and super busy with other projects recently, but we managed to squeeze in a recording yesterday, so here you go! Kung Fu Comfort Films vol. 6! Listen in as we discuss some of our favorite films we go back to again and again. Whether it’s for background noise, or a proper sit down viewing, these films entertain us no matter how many times we watch them and have a nostalgia factor level of 💯 Don’t forget to subscribe, download, like, and share with your friends! Thanks again for your continued support and we hope you enjoy!

Kung Fu Comfort Films Part 6

This week Gavin and I discuss our past epic weekend in which we went to the double Jackie Chan screening at the New Beverly Cinema! Featuring two of Jackie’s classic films, ‘Drunken Master II’ and 'Mr. Nice Guy', it was most definitely a screening to remember! Listen in as we discuss what we liked about the screenings (and surprisingly disliked), our time hanging out/training with our sensei Peter ‘Sugarfoot’ Cunningham, and all the delicious food we chowed down on! You can listen to The Martial Arts Mania Podcast on Soundcloud, Spotify, Apple Podcasts and iHeart Podcasts! Don’t forget to subscribe, download, like, and share with your friends! Thanks again for your continued support and we hope you enjoy!

Double Jackie Chan Action at the New Beverly Cinema!

This week, Gavin and I are tackling the very difficult task of reviewing the new action picture Road House (2024), the remake of the beloved 80’s fight-fest classic. Reviews have been mixed to say the least, with some people loving it, and others absolutely despising it. We try to give as fair of a review as possible, sharing what we loved about it (*hint hint* a certain unhinged and absolutely maniacal Irish henchman) and what we were EXTREMELY annoyed by (*hint hint* a WEAK script and even WEAKER CG). Listen in as we dissect what the film got right, what it got terribly wrong, and what we can hope for if they do any sort of follow up. Don’t forget to subscribe, download, like, and share with your friends! Thanks again for your continued support and we hope you enjoy!

Road House (2024)

New episode alert! This week we are tackling the brand new, pulse-pounding epic- Monkey Man! A cinematic experience like nothing you’ve ever seen, this non-stop thrill ride will keep your eyes glued to the screen from start to finish! Ultimately captivating from the beginning, but consciously aware of narrative structure, first time Director/ writer/star Dev Patel brilliantly creates a slow burning yet highly kinetic, viscerally mesmerizing, in your face revenge thriller! Deeply engrained in multiple cultures, genres, and cinematic modes- Patel proves himself as an all around powerhouse with one of the best directorial debuts in recent memory, and like the character he so passionately portrays, has been reborn as the ultimate leading man! Listen is as we break down the brilliance of this film, why we feel it is so good, and why you should immediately stop what you are doing and go see it in theaters!  Don’t forget to subscribe, download, like, and share with your friends! Thanks again for your continued support and we hope you enjoy!

Monkey Man

This week, we’re breaking away from the usual format of reviewing martial arts films and doing our very first Karate Combat recap/breakdown! Joining me for this inaugural episode is coach, trainer and multi-time kickboxing and MMA champion German ‘The Bat’ Baltazar! Listen in as we breakdown Karate Combat 45: Dubai- Karate vs. Muay Thai! This was an especially fun card with the contrast in styles, the special ruleset, and some of the VERY big names they had fighting on it. We give our honest critique of what we liked and didn’t like about the event, what appeals to us about Karate Combat, and what we think they still need to work on. You can listen to The Martial Arts Mania Podcast on Soundcloud, Spotify, Apple Podcasts and iHeart Podcasts! Don’t forget to subscribe, download, like, and share with your friends! Also, don’t forget to follow German’s AMAZING design company- the Union Designs!Thanks again for your continued support and we hope you enjoy!

Karate Combat 45 Recap!

This week, Gavin and I are breaking down our AMAZING Bruceploitation weekend in Los Angeles. It might have been our second time viewing the brilliant documentary ‘Enter the Clones of Bruce’, but it was our very FIRST time meeting the larger than life Kung Fu superstar, and one of the “Big Three” clones himself- Bruce Le! Listen in as we go over our action packed weekend, which included: workouts, Hong Kong themed escape rooms, beach trips, hanging with friends such as Michael Worth and Frank Djeng, and the MOST INCREDIBLE POPCORN WE’VE EVER HAD courtesy of the Alamo Drafthouse Theater!!! Don’t forget to subscribe, download, like, and share with your friends! Thanks again for your continued support and we hope you enjoy!

Bruceploitation Extravaganza Weekend!

This week, we are discussing one of the coolest, fun, over-the-top, genre melding action/adventure extravaganzas, ‘Big Trouble in Little China’! Not only that, we have a very special guest joining us in this deep dive of the John Carpenter classic, Randel Davis of the ‘Kung Fu Conversations’ podcast! Listen in as we nerd out about anything and everything martial arts, 80’s action, and Kung Fu movie related. Don’t forget to subscribe, download, like, and share with your friends! Thanks again for your continued support and we hope you enjoy!

Big Trouble in Little China

Episode one of the 'Martial Arts Mania Podcast' where we sit down with our sensei, coach and guru Peter 'Sugarfoot' Cunningham! He discusses his beginnings in the martial arts and his illustrious Kickboxing career and how he came to be a 7x World Champion. In this episode we solely discuss his career in the martial arts. In part two (coming soon) we will discuss his career in film and television. Apologies in advance for the somewhat low audio quality, this was a last second opportunity to record and we went with it! Enjoy! WARNING- Explicit language.

Episode 1: An interview with Peter 'Sugarfoot' Cunningham

In this episode we discuss the 1975, highly stylized (and highly fictionalized) biographical martial arts film, 'Shorinji Kempo' aka 'The Killing Machine!'- the story of Doshin So, the founder and creator of the Japanese hybrid martial arts system Shorinji Kempo. We go into a deep analysis of my own experiences training in the art, the history of the system with its roots in both jujitsu and Shaolin Kung Fu, as well as an examination of the technical aspects of the film. Enjoy!

Shorinji Kempo aka The Killing Machine!

This is a podcast devoted to anything and everything martial arts, but specifically Kung Fu movies and the American martial arts flicks we grew up watching and loving. Hosted by super fans A.J. Richardi and Gavin Kelley. Logo courtesy of The Union Designs.

The Martial Arts Mania Podcast

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