The rising popularity of new martial arts forms in Southeast Asia is opening doors for Vietnamese hoping to break from familiar styles and switch to more combative sports, including mixed martial arts (MMA), kickboxing, wrestling, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ). Traditional disciplines in Vietnam, such as taekwondo, karate, judo, and vovinam, are often considered intimidating and formal. Special uniforms and ceremonies can sometimes push newcomers away from the sports. MMA, BJJ, and other more ‘informal’ styles are giving Vietnamese the option to try something new without making expensive commitments. No more uniform, no more ceremonial fighting. Just showing up and learning. Nguyen Van Nam, for example, sports sweat pants and a tee on his way to the gym, just like anyone else looking to pump some iron. The 22-year-old athlete, however, is in fact heading to an MMA workout. Nam trained in taekwondo for eight years before beginning MMA about a month ago. “There was something missing with taekwondo. I switched to MMA because I was told it was more interesting and required more skill,” Nam said. Trainer Vinod (L) instructs his student at an MMA center in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Tuoi Tre “I agree with that opinion,” He… Read full this story
- Travelers embrace adventure by taking an 18-day cruise for a tour of 8 Asian cities
- Kansas City museum preserves history of World War I
- National Museum Day 2018: Best Museums to Visit for Free in All 50 States
- Election Day 2018: Democrats need 23 seats to win control of House
- Portrait of the Artist, Ana Mendieta, Iowa City, 1973
- Read ‘Escape From New York,’ From Ellen Willis’s Award-Winning Anthology
- Ring of Honor star Sumie Sakai on the rise of women's wrestling
- Don't Be A Victim self-defense workshop for women and teenage girls returns: Strong Points
- A New Taste of Marrakesh
- The 60 Best Songs Ever Written About New York City
Sports New martial arts gain popularity in Vietnam Volunteers give flowers to strangers on Women’s Day in Ho Chi Minh City have 300 words, post on tuoitrenews.vn at December 28, 2017. This is cached page on Vietnam Art News. If you want remove this page, please contact us.