History
Hélio Gracie: The Frail Brother Who Rebuilt Jiu-Jitsu
The life of Hélio Gracie (1913–2009): the sickly boy from Belém who reworked judo around leverage, fought Kimura and Santana, and lived to see UFC 1.
10 min read · 21 Sept 2026
Author
Carlo Santana
Editor, Beyond Dojo
Born in Mexico, Carlo grew up around boxing gyms before finding Muay Thai and Brazilian jiu-jitsu as an adult. He edits Beyond Dojo, writes the history and training articles, and tests every workout and recipe on the site himself before it is published.
Articles
92 articles
History
Muhammad Ali: The Life and Fights of the Greatest
From a stolen bicycle in Louisville to Rome, Liston, exile, Kinshasa and Manila: the documented life of Muhammad Ali, three-time heavyweight champion.
11 min read · 21 Sept 2026
History
Ip Man: The Foshan Policeman Who Taught Bruce Lee
The documented life of Ip Man (1893–1972): rich boy in Foshan, Nationalist policeman, refugee in Hong Kong, and the teacher who made Wing Chun public.
10 min read · 21 Sept 2026
History
The Shaolin Temple: The Real History Behind the Legend
Founded in 495 for an Indian monk, burned by a warlord in 1928, revived by a Jet Li film: the documented history of the Shaolin Temple, legends kept apart.
9 min read · 21 Sept 2026
History
Bruce Lee and Jeet Kune Do: The History of the Intercepting Fist
How Bruce Lee went from Ip Man’s Wing Chun classes in Hong Kong to naming Jeet Kune Do in 1967, and what became of his method after his death in 1973.
10 min read · 21 Sept 2026
History
Gladiators: The Real History of Rome’s Fighting Men
From three pairs at a funeral in 264 BC to the last bouts of the fifth century: who gladiators were, how fights worked and what modern combat sports kept.
11 min read · 21 Sept 2026
History
The Samurai and Their Martial Arts: From Bujutsu to Budō
How Japan’s warrior class rose with the bow, ruled with the sword, lost both to rifles and a law, and left behind judo, kendo and aikido.
10 min read · 21 Sept 2026
History
Jigorō Kanō: The Educator Who Invented Judo
The life of Jigorō Kanō (1860–1938): the bullied boy from Mikage who built the Kōdōkan, ran Japan’s teacher training and became Asia’s first IOC member.
10 min read · 21 Sept 2026
History
Mas Oyama: The Man Who Fought Bulls and Founded Kyokushin
The life of Mas Oyama (1923–1994): Korean-born, trained under Funakoshi, hardened on a mountain, famous for fighting bulls, founder of full-contact Kyokushin.
10 min read · 21 Sept 2026
History
Mike Tyson: The Rise, the Fall and the Long Second Act
From Brownsville and Cus D’Amato’s gym in Catskill to the youngest heavyweight title in history, Tokyo, Holyfield and a second act that outlasted the first.
11 min read · 21 Sept 2026
History
Khabib Nurmagomedov: The Eagle of Dagestan
The documented career of Khabib Nurmagomedov: Sildi, his father Abdulmanap, combat sambo titles, the UFC lightweight belt, McGregor, Gaethje and 29–0.
10 min read · 21 Sept 2026
History
Rickson Gracie: The Family's Best Fighter
The life of Rickson Gracie: Hélio's son, the vale tudo fights with Rei Zulu, the Japan tournaments and PRIDE, the 400–0 legend and the record behind it.
9 min read · 21 Sept 2026
Training
Taekwondo Scoring Explained: Points, PSS and Gam-jeom
How Olympic taekwondo is scored: one to five points per technique, the electronic hogu and socks, gam-jeom penalties, round formats and how ITF differs.
7 min read · 21 Sept 2026
Training
Boxing Weight Classes Explained (Pro, Amateur and Muay Thai)
All 17 pro divisions in lb and kg, the WBC's bridgerweight, why junior and super mean the same thing, the Olympic classes as of 2026, and how to pick yours.
9 min read · 21 Sept 2026
Training
How Long Does It Take to Get a Black Belt in BJJ?
Usually eight to twelve years. The IBJJF minimums per belt, the children's colours, what speeds the road up or slows it down, and why nobody good is counting.
7 min read · 21 Sept 2026
Training
How Long Does It Take to Get a Black Belt in Karate?
Typically three to five years to shodan. How kyu and dan grades work, why belt colours differ by style, what shodan really means, and the dan grades after.
7 min read · 21 Sept 2026
Training
MMA Rules Explained: What Is Legal, What Is Illegal, How Fights Are Judged
The Unified Rules of MMA in plain English: rounds, gloves, ways to win, the 10-point must system, every foul, and how ONE, PRIDE and amateur rules differ.
10 min read · 21 Sept 2026
Training
Karate Kumite Scoring Explained: WKF Points and Kyokushin Knockdown
How karate fights are scored: WKF yuko, waza-ari and ippon, senshu and the eight-point lead, penalties, Kyokushin knockdown rules and JKA ippon shobu.
8 min read · 21 Sept 2026
Training
How Boxing Is Scored: The 10-Point Must System Explained
Ten to the round's winner, nine or fewer to the loser. What judges weigh, knockdowns, deductions, split decisions and why controversial cards still happen.
8 min read · 21 Sept 2026
Training
The Best Martial Art for Self-Defence: An Honest Ranking
No single art wins a street fight. An honest ranking of ten martial arts for self-defence by what actually matters: pressure-testing, speed and range.
9 min read · 21 Sept 2026
Training
Judo Scoring Explained: Ippon, Waza-ari, Shido and Golden Score
How a judo match is won: ippon, waza-ari, the 20-second hold, three shido, golden score and the referee's signals, under IJF rules as of 2026.
8 min read · 21 Sept 2026
Training
MMA Weight Classes Explained: UFC, ONE and Amateur
All MMA weight classes in lb and kg: the Unified Rules list, what the UFC uses, ONE's no-weight-cut system, IMMAF amateur classes and how to pick yours.
9 min read · 21 Sept 2026
Training
Amateur vs Professional Boxing: What Actually Changes
Three rounds or twelve, headguards, glove sizes, what judges reward, how the referee steps in, how careers and purses work, and which a beginner should choose.
9 min read · 21 Sept 2026
Training
The Best Martial Arts for Kids, by Age and Temperament
Which martial art suits your child? A guide by age and temperament: judo, BJJ, karate, taekwondo, wrestling and boxing, plus how to judge a club.
8 min read · 21 Sept 2026
Training
How Long Does It Take to Get a Black Belt in Taekwondo?
Typically three to four years to first dan. Kukkiwon geup and dan, poom for under-15s, ITF differences, the waiting years between dan grades, and a belt table.
7 min read · 21 Sept 2026
Gear
The Best Boxing Hand Wraps (and the Quick Wraps Worth Buying)
Nine wraps ranked from 90,000 buyer reviews: the cloth wrap that survives the wash, the $9 one everybody owns, the only quick wrap that fits, and two to avoid.
10 min read · 21 Sept 2026
Comparison
BJJ vs Karate: Which Should You Train?
Rolling on the floor every night or lines, kata and point sparring? BJJ and karate compared on belts, kids, fitness, injuries, self-defence, cost and culture.
7 min read · 21 Sept 2026
Comparison
BJJ vs Muay Thai: Which Should You Train?
Eight limbs standing or a fight on the floor? BJJ and Muay Thai compared on training, fitness, injuries, self-defence, time to competence, cost and MMA.
8 min read · 21 Sept 2026
Comparison
Karate vs MMA: Which Should You Train?
Belts, kata and point fighting or full contact at every range? Karate and MMA compared on training, kids, fitness, injuries, cost and self-defence.
8 min read · 21 Sept 2026
Comparison
Muay Thai vs MMA: Which Should You Train?
Eight limbs at depth or every range at once? Muay Thai and MMA compared on training, the clinch, fitness, injuries, cost and self-defence, and which to start.
8 min read · 21 Sept 2026
History
The History of Hapkido: Korea's Art of Locks, Throws and Kicks
How Choi Yong-sool brought a Japanese joint-lock art to Daegu in 1946, how Ji Han-jae added Korean kicks and a name, and how hapkido spread worldwide.
6 min read · 20 Sept 2026
History
The History of Kali, Eskrima and Arnis: The Filipino Martial Arts
How the stick and blade arts of the Philippines survived Magellan, Spain and America, took three names, and became a national sport and a worldwide system.
6 min read · 20 Sept 2026
History
The History of Silat: The Fighting Arts of the Malay World
How the fighting arts of Sumatra, Java and the Malay Peninsula grew into pencak silat, a national art in four countries and a UNESCO heritage.
6 min read · 20 Sept 2026
History
The History of Sambo: The Soviet Union's Martial Art
How a Kōdōkan judoka, a Dynamo self-defence instructor and a Moscow systematiser built sambo for the Red Army and the police, and how it became a world sport.
7 min read · 20 Sept 2026
History
The History of Capoeira: From the Senzala to World Heritage
How enslaved Africans in Brazil created capoeira, how it survived a century of persecution, and how two masters in Salvador made it a UNESCO heritage.
8 min read · 20 Sept 2026
History
The History of Kalaripayattu: Kerala's Ancient Fighting Art
How the warrior training of medieval Kerala survived British suppression and was revived as the art the world calls the mother of martial arts.
6 min read · 20 Sept 2026
History
The History of Aikido: Ueshiba Morihei and the Art of Peace
How a farmer's son from Tanabe learned Daitō-ryū from Takeda Sōkaku, found religion with Ōmoto-kyō, and built aikido, the Japanese art that refuses to compete.
8 min read · 20 Sept 2026
History
The History of Kendo: The Way of the Sword After the Sword
How the samurai fencing schools invented armour and the bamboo sword, survived the end of their class, and became kendo, practised by millions.
7 min read · 20 Sept 2026
History
The History of Krav Maga: From the Streets of Bratislava to the IDF
How Imi Lichtenfeld turned street fighting against fascist gangs into the Israeli army’s combat system and the world’s best-known self-defence method.
7 min read · 20 Sept 2026
History
The History of Savate: French Boxing from the Streets of Paris to the World Games
How Paris street kicking and Marseille chausson were tamed by Casseux, mixed with English boxing by Lecour, codified by the Charlemonts and revived.
7 min read · 20 Sept 2026
History
The History of Wing Chun: From Foshan to Ip Man and Bruce Lee
How a compact southern Chinese style passed from the Red Boat opera troupes through Foshan to Ip Man’s Hong Kong school and Bruce Lee.
7 min read · 20 Sept 2026
History
The History of Karate: From Okinawan Te to the Olympic Games
How Okinawan te absorbed Chinese boxing, became karate-dō in Japan, split into styles, spread through the world and reached the Tokyo Olympics.
10 min read · 20 Sept 2026
History
The History of Kung Fu: Shaolin, Family Styles and Modern Wushu
How Chinese martial arts grew from army drill and Shaolin legend into hundreds of styles, survived rebellion and revolution, and became wushu and cinema.
10 min read · 20 Sept 2026
History
The History of MMA: From Pankration and Vale Tudo to the UFC
How mixed martial arts grew from ancient pankration and Brazilian vale tudo through Japanese shoot wrestling to the UFC, the Unified Rules and a global sport.
8 min read · 20 Sept 2026
History
The History of Taekwondo: From the Kwans to the Olympic Mat
How Korea built taekwondo after 1945 from karate, native traditions and national ambition, split it between two federations and made it Olympic in 2000.
7 min read · 20 Sept 2026
History
The History of Wrestling: The Oldest Sport on Earth
From Egyptian tomb paintings and the Greek Olympics to Greco-Roman, freestyle and catch: how the world’s oldest sport reached the modern mat.
8 min read · 20 Sept 2026
History
The History of Fencing: From the Duel to the Electric Piste
How the sword schools of Renaissance Italy and France turned the duel into a science, invented foil, mask and sabre, and became a founding Olympic sport.
7 min read · 20 Sept 2026
Training
Seven Common Boxing Mistakes Beginners Make – and How to Fix Each One
Dropped hands, crossed feet, held breath, loaded punches: the seven mistakes every coach sees in every beginner, why your body insists on them, and the fix.
9 min read · 20 Sept 2026
Training
Eight BJJ White Belt Mistakes That Slow Everyone Down
Strength over position, tapping late, collecting techniques, only rolling with weaker partners: eight habits that stretch the white belt year, and the fix.
8 min read · 20 Sept 2026
Training
Seven Common Muay Thai Beginner Mistakes – and How to Fix Them
A boxing stance in a kicking sport, no check, a lazy teep, hands down in the clinch: seven mistakes Thai trainers correct in every beginner, each with a drill.
8 min read · 20 Sept 2026
Training
Six Heavy Bag Mistakes That Waste Your Rounds
Pushing the bag, standing still, no defence, no breathing, rounds with no job: six heavy bag mistakes that turn training into noise, and the fix for each.
6 min read · 20 Sept 2026
Training
The Muay Thai Roundhouse Kick: Six Common Mistakes and How to Fix Them
Kicking with the foot, no pivot, no hip, a chambered knee, a dropped hand: six mistakes that turn the hardest strike in stand-up into a slap, and the fix.
8 min read · 20 Sept 2026
Training
Seven Sparring Mistakes Beginners Make – and How to Spar Well Instead
Going too hard, trying to win, holding your breath, closing your eyes, always retreating: seven sparring mistakes that stop beginners learning, and their fixes.
7 min read · 20 Sept 2026
Comparison
Kendo vs Fencing: Two Sword Arts Compared
The bamboo sword and the épée: weapons, targets, scoring, training culture, cost and purpose compared, and which sword sport to take up.
6 min read · 20 Sept 2026
Comparison
Aikido vs Judo: Which Japanese Art Should You Learn?
Two arts from the same jujutsu root, one with competition and one without: technique, training, effectiveness, injuries and purpose compared, which to choose.
5 min read · 20 Sept 2026
Comparison
Krav Maga vs MMA for Self-Defence: An Honest Comparison
Krav Maga trains for the street, MMA for the cage – which works when it matters? Sparring, weapons, fitness, cost and the honest verdict for self-defence.
7 min read · 20 Sept 2026
Comparison
Karate vs Taekwondo: Which Is Right for You (or Your Child)?
Hands and stances versus fast, high kicks: how karate and taekwondo differ in technique, rules, belts, cost and fitness, and which suits adults and children.
7 min read · 20 Sept 2026
Comparison
Muay Thai vs Kickboxing: What Is the Difference?
Elbows, knees and the clinch versus faster hands and feet: rules, style, fitness, injuries and cost compared, and which one to choose.
7 min read · 20 Sept 2026
Comparison
Kickboxing vs Boxing for Fitness and Fighting: Which Should You Pick?
Hands only or hands and feet? Fitness, weight loss, learning curve, injuries, cost, self-defence and competition compared, and which one suits your goals.
6 min read · 20 Sept 2026
Comparison
Sambo vs BJJ: What Is the Difference and Which Should You Train?
Soviet throws and leg locks versus Brazilian guard and chokes: rules, technique, culture, access and MMA transfer compared, and which one to train.
6 min read · 20 Sept 2026
Comparison
Kung Fu vs Karate: What Is the Difference and Which Should You Learn?
Hundreds of Chinese styles versus one codified Japanese art: origin, technique, sparring, belts and access compared, and which one to choose.
6 min read · 20 Sept 2026
Comparison
BJJ vs Judo: Which Should You Learn?
Judo throws, BJJ finishes on the ground. What each trains, how they differ in rules, cost, injuries and time to competence, and which to pick for your goals.
9 min read · 20 Sept 2026
Comparison
Judo vs Wrestling: Which Takedown Art Should You Learn?
Throws with a jacket versus takedowns without one: technique, rules, injuries, cost and transfer to MMA and BJJ compared, and which takedown art to choose.
7 min read · 20 Sept 2026
Comparison
Wing Chun vs Boxing: Does Wing Chun Work Against a Boxer?
Centreline theory and chain punches versus the jab and 150 years of ring testing: what each teaches, where the reputation gap comes from, and which to train.
6 min read · 20 Sept 2026
Comparison
Savate vs Muay Thai: French Boxing Against the Art of Eight Limbs
Shoes and precision versus shins and the clinch: weapons, technique, scoring, injuries, fitness and access compared, and which kicking art to train.
6 min read · 20 Sept 2026
Comparison
Boxing vs MMA: Which Should You Train?
One art mastered or four combined? How boxing and MMA differ in what they teach, training, fitness, injuries, cost and self-defence, and which to start with.
6 min read · 20 Sept 2026
Comparison
Boxing vs Muay Thai: Which Should You Train?
Two limbs mastered versus eight limbs used: technique, footwork, fitness, injuries, cost and self-defence compared, and which one fits your goals.
7 min read · 20 Sept 2026
Glossary
Ginga
Ginga, the base movement of capoeira: what it is, why capoeira never stands still and how it sets up attacks and escapes.
1 min read · 18 Sept 2026
Glossary
Ippon
Ippon explained: what scores the match-ending full point in judo, from throws to pins and submissions.
1 min read · 18 Sept 2026
Glossary
Kumi-kata
Kumi-kata explained: grip fighting in judo, the standard lapel-and-sleeve grip and why grips decide matches.
1 min read · 18 Sept 2026
Glossary
Mongkhon
The mongkhon explained: the Muay Thai headband worn during the pre-fight ritual, who owns it and when it comes off.
1 min read · 18 Sept 2026
Glossary
Ne-waza
Ne-waza: the ground-fighting part of judo, the three groups of techniques it covers and how it relates to BJJ.
1 min read · 18 Sept 2026
Glossary
Pra Jiad
Pra jiad: the Muay Thai armbands, their origin as good-luck charms and how they are worn today.
1 min read · 18 Sept 2026
Glossary
Sarama
Sarama, the music of Muay Thai: the instruments, when it is played and why the tempo rises during a fight.
1 min read · 18 Sept 2026
Glossary
Wai Khru Ram Muay
What the wai khru ram muay is, why Muay Thai fighters perform it before every fight, and what the movements mean.
1 min read · 18 Sept 2026
Glossary
Waza-ari
Waza-ari in judo: the half point, what earns it and how two of them end a match.
1 min read · 18 Sept 2026
History
Judo: Kanō Jigorō and the Gentle Way
How Kanō Jigorō turned samurai jujutsu into judo in 1882, why the Kōdōkan beat the old schools, and how the gentle way became an Olympic sport.
10 min read · 17 Sept 2026
History
Boxing: From Bare Knuckles to the Queensberry Rules
From Greek fist fighting and the bare-knuckle prize ring to gloves, timed rounds and the ten-count: why the 1867 Queensberry Rules still govern boxing.
10 min read · 17 Sept 2026
History
The History of Muay Thai
How Muay Thai grew from Siamese military training into a gloved ring sport with stadiums and Olympic recognition – with the legends kept apart from the record.
11 min read · 17 Sept 2026
History
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu: From Maeda to the Gracies
How Maeda Mitsuyo brought judo to Brazil, how the Gracies rebuilt it around leverage, and how UFC 1 in 1993 made it the grappling base of MMA.
9 min read · 17 Sept 2026
Training
The Last Week Before Competition: Preparing Body and Mind
Seven days out you gain no fitness but can lose a lot. A day-by-day plan for training, sleep, weight, routine and nerves, built on tapering research.
7 min read · 17 Sept 2026
Training
Shadow Boxing With Purpose: Five Rounds, Five Jobs
Most shadow boxing is a dance with nobody in it. Give each round one job – footwork, defence, combinations, a plan, pressure – and fifteen minutes becomes work.
6 min read · 17 Sept 2026
Training
The Jab: Five Most Common Mistakes – and How to Fix Them
The jab sets up everything else, and almost everyone throws it badly. Five mistakes, why each gets you hit, and one drill per mistake that fixes it in a week.
7 min read · 17 Sept 2026
Workout
Kettlebell Strength for Fighters: 30 Minutes, One Bell
Hips, back, grip and core with one kettlebell in thirty minutes: swings, squats, rows, presses, carries. Which bell to buy, how to lift, how to progress.
5 min read · 17 Sept 2026
Workout
Jump Rope Conditioning: 15 Minutes to Fighter Feet
A fifteen-minute rope session for calf endurance, rhythm and light feet: rope length, technique, six rounds, a six-week progression and healthy shins.
4 min read · 17 Sept 2026
Workout
Heavy Bag Intervals: 20 Minutes of Fight Conditioning
Five three-minute rounds on the heavy bag, each with one job, that reproduce a fight's load in twenty minutes. Structure, progression and common mistakes.
5 min read · 17 Sept 2026
Recipe
Chicken and Zucchini Stir-Fry with Rice
The cut staple: 40 g protein, 440 kcal and lots of vegetable volume per serving in one pan. Why it works in a deficit, training-day scaling, swaps, meal prep.
4 min read · 17 Sept 2026
Recipe
Overnight Oats “Bulk Bowl”
820 kcal and 50 g of protein for breakfast, five minutes the night before. Why it suits a bulk, how to time it around training, and how to scale it down.
3 min read · 17 Sept 2026
Guide
Hydration on Fight Day: Drinking, Refeed, Timing
From the weigh-in to the first bell: what to drink and eat, how much and when, so you step into the ring at full strength – with research-backed timings.
6 min read · 17 Sept 2026
Guide
Weight-Cut Basics: What Every Fighter Should Know
Lose fat or drop water? How much is realistic, when to start, what to eat in a deficit and where the line is. A sober, sourced guide without extreme protocols.
7 min read · 17 Sept 2026
Gear
The Best Boxing Gloves for Beginners (2026)
Eight gloves ranked from 80,000 buyer reviews: the one to buy once, the safest all-rounder, the best under $50 and the pairs the reviews warn you off.
12 min read · 17 Sept 2026
Gear
What Glove Size Do I Need? Ounces Explained
10, 12, 14 or 16 oz? What the ounce number means, which size suits bag, pads, sparring and competition, and how to check the real fit with wraps on.
4 min read · 17 Sept 2026
Other authors: Beyond Dojo Editorial Team