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Within Black Belt Woman, articles are organized in the table of contents under a section they fit into. A single article is picked from each section to discuss the best example of the themes within Black Belt Woman. In this section themes such as feminist awareness, love and understanding of the body, and empowerment are present in Black Belt Woman. While self defense is important, Black Belt Woman also believes that women should have a space within martial arts, that they have the right to organize and compete.
Martial Arts Philosophy
Martial Arts Philosophy
“Martial Arts Meditation Workshop” by Emily E. Culpepper is a strong example of understanding of the body and feminist awareness. Culpepper discusses a mediation workshop and how it went. She explains how martial arts (in specific Ja Shin Do) help create oneness within the body, mind, and soul. Culpepper believes that you can create a stronger new self through hard, dedicated work in the martial arts. She also discusses how martial arts helps women be aware of the patriarchy and physically defy it. Emily E. Culpepper’s workshop is such a good practice for the idea of “feminist awareness,” the idea that women can exist in confidence (Nower).*
See Works Cited*
“I am experiencing one way of new being”
“I am experiencing one way of new being”
"The Trainer" - Notes on Injuries, First Aid, Physiology
"The Trainer" - Notes on Injuries, First Aid, Physiology
“Training and Pregnancy” by Mary Delaney is a unique article within Black Belt Woman. She discusses the effects martial arts is having on her while pregnant. Delaney states that she was recommended by a doctor to continue doing all the physical activity she was doing before she got pregnant. Her perspective on training as a pregnant woman is incredibly feminist because she is bringing awareness to an issue that happens to many women, but is not discussed very often. She exemplifies the empowerment that Black Belt Woman fights for. She also seeks for other women’s experiences, which is the whole idea of Black Belt Woman, talking about being women in the martial arts.
“Everyone’s first reaction was ‘What did your doctor say?’ Well, I don't endow my doctor with any power to know if and what I can do”
“Everyone’s first reaction was ‘What did your doctor say?’ Well, I don't endow my doctor with any power to know if and what I can do”
Training Aids for Students
Training Aids for Students
“Making Your Own Kicking and Striking Target from a Telephone Book” by Dana Densmore is an article that exemplifies how Black Belt Woman is building a space for competitive martial artists that are women. With a trick on how to make a telephone book into a target for practice, Densmore demonstrates how women continue to work hard even out of the studio. She is encouraging resourcefulness and empowerment to train and make martial arts a way of life. A prevalent idea within Black Belt Woman, martial arts is a way of life.
“Now you’re ready to batter the surrogate assailant to your heart’s content.”
“Now you’re ready to batter the surrogate assailant to your heart’s content.”
Tournaments
Tournaments
“Why Should Women’s Karate Organize as a Sport?” by Amateur Athletic Union Women’s Karate Committee is an article that reflects Black Belt Woman’s desire to organize and compete. The Amateur Athletic Union is an internationally recognized union of amateur athletes. Not only is the AAU an active space, but Black Belt Woman is doing its part by spreading the word of its existence. Groups like the AAU give women a chance at competing and being recognized as athletes.
“At the annual convention of the Amateur Athletic Union in 1974, karate became a recognized A.A.U. sport. Men and women established their own separate sport committees. In its first year of existence the Women’s Committee has experienced both the excitement of a newly developing structure and the frustration of limited representation and participation.”
“At the annual convention of the Amateur Athletic Union in 1974, karate became a recognized A.A.U. sport. Men and women established their own separate sport committees. In its first year of existence the Women’s Committee has experienced both the excitement of a newly developing structure and the frustration of limited representation and participation.”
Special Articles
Special Articles
“Benefits of Martial Arts Training for Women” by Nancy Haldeman is the first article published within Black Belt Woman. This article was a fantastic first choice for the first article within Black Belt Woman because it set the ideas and precedent of Black Belt Woman. Haldeman discusses how training helps women mentally while making them physically stronger. She explains how women grow strong in mind and body. She explains that martial arts help raise a woman’s awareness and understanding of the world around her. She believes in the empowerment of women through training.
“As soon as you involve yourself in the process. . . you get a sense of the limits of what you can do.”
What martial arts did the Black Belt Women do?
What martial arts did the Black Belt Women do?
Graph description: X axis is the issue, y axis is the number of contributors that were part of that martial art.
An interesting choice the editors of Black Belt Woman made was to say what martial art and belt the contributors were. There are interesting trends that can be seen within what martial arts are represented within Black Belt Woman. Ja Shin Do is one of the top represented martial arts and this is due to Dana Densmore, the main editor and publisher, as well as her having close friends at Ja Shin Do Academy in Washington, D.C. Shotokan is another top represented martial art due to Nancy Lehmann being close friends with Dana Densmore and being part of Meechee Dojo in Minnesota. Goju and Wen-Do are two unique martial art styles on the rise. Karate is a martial art that looks like it is losing popularity/representation, but in actuality the art is splitting into specific and unique karate types. The women start to be more specific about what their art is.
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