[Formerly U.K.G.A. Fort Smith]

Martial arts offers an incredible variety of benefits for adults such as building self-esteem, confidence, physical health, longevity,...

As a young martial artist, I spent years searching for the "magic bullet" that would give me the edge in any confrontation.

The Problem with Using Violence to Stop Bullying Let's face it, being bullied can cause very similar traumatic stress responses to being...

Did You Forget Your Superhero Suit? I will never forget the first martial arts tournament I attended where I was able to wear a black...

The attributes a martial artist needs to be their best are very broad. It is quite unique when compared to other types of athletic...

Rank testing is an extremely important part of the martial arts experience. Unfortunately rank testing can be a major pain point for many...

Using Softness to Overcome Adversity - A Life Lesson Learned from Gung-Fu Training in martial arts teaches us many paradoxical lessons...

A warrior's mission is to seek out discomfort! "Do not seek out comfort but rather seek out discomfort" is a samurai philosophy worth...

The Chinese martial arts practice of chi sao or "sticky hands" is often misunderstood by onlookers who are not well versed in what is...

In the last few decades, the coveted black belt has become a revered title and rank among martial artists and non-martial artists alike....

A black belt is not like most people. Someone that becomes a black belt has a responsibility to inspire others with their actions and...

Using Martial Arts to Win the Battle Within In martial arts every challenge you face whether it is a live flesh and blood opponent or...

(Pictured above: Shihan Smith presenting a member of U.K.G.A. Kids their white belt!) Everything is Earned! An essential life lesson that...

What Does it Mean to Be a Champion? Being a champion isn't just for when you are winning. Being a champion is a full time job. You could...

What does being a black belt even mean? Having a black belt is not the same as being a black belt. It takes years of facing your own...

Develop Your Instincts to Improve Your Sparring! We all want to improve our sparring, or more directly, improve our ability to apply the...

Never Make it Easy for Your Child to Quit! One of the biggest reasons why you should never make it easy for your child to quit is the...

Self-Control: The Path to True Strength The way to become truly strong lies in self-control. Most of us are much stronger than we know....

Learning the unspoken soft skills of dealing with a bully will benefit your child for the rest of their lives. Let's face it, having to...

There is a lot of value for any martial artist to learn about the characteristics and weaknesses of other martial arts styles other than...