# favorite martial arts magazines



## ppko (Aug 30, 2007)

Ok just wanting to know what you favorite martial arts magazines are might, see some I dont know of and may enjoy reading them.  I like Budo International, sometimes blackbelt isnt bad


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## Blindside (Aug 30, 2007)

Journal of Asian Martial Arts is head and shoulders above every other publication I've read.

A sample of articles:
http://www.goviamedia.com/store.php?crn=209&PHPSESSID=1a318160ebff484838dae3513bb6df62


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## Mr. E (Aug 30, 2007)

JAMA used to be better than it is now IMO. The guys that used to publish a lot have stepped aside for a new crowd.

Aikido Journal was good, but you can't find it in bookstores anymore.

Furyu is the same. But you can find both if you look on the internet and get back issues.

Martialtalk has its own on-line magazine. Do on- line magazines count?


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## JBrainard (Aug 30, 2007)

"Filipino Martial Arts Digest" is the only publication on the subject worth reading (the fact that it's free is pretty cool as well).

http://www.fmadigest.com/


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## ArmorOfGod (Aug 30, 2007)

The only one I enjoy is Taekwondo Times Magazine.
The articles aren't great, but it is enjoyable mag to read.  One thing I love is the fact that the articles are written by lots of different people and not the same people every month (as in Black Belt mag).  Another great thing is it's full of public announcements and short event listings.

AoG


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## RyuKyuBushi (Aug 31, 2007)

Withouy a doubt "Classical Fighting Arts " is the best out right now.


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## TimoS (Sep 4, 2007)

RyuKyuBushi said:


> Withouy a doubt "Classical Fighting Arts " is the best out right now.



My thoughts exactly. JAMA might be interesting to read too, but others like Black Belt, I haven't read in years anymore.


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## Brian Jones (Sep 7, 2007)

I still like BlackBelt. The only two problems I have with it is that often articles are tied into someone's new dvd series.  In other words they will feature soem martial artist, and then low and behold that person has a full page ad somewhere in the magazine about their "new Series".  
  And they are a little too heavy on the MMA.  But that's also what people are clamoring for. 

Brian Jones


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## brianlkennedy (Sep 8, 2007)

It is good to hear good things about Classical Fighting Arts magazine. My wife and I often write for them and since we live in Taiwan it is hard to get a feeling for how well the magazine goes over.

One of the folks mentioned the issue of article being connected to something (DVD or book or training seminar) for sale in the magazine. The reality of the martial arts magazine biz is, and it took me about five years of writing for them to figure this out, they all are basically  catalogs with some articles, not magazines with some ads. Which is fine, that is just the way it has to be. You will notice too that they all are tied to some related business and the related business supports the magazine. 

Well, in any event glad people enjoy CFA.

take care,
Brian


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## Drac (Sep 8, 2007)

BlackBelt..


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## xeenx77 (Sep 14, 2007)

I like Taekwondo Times Magazine


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## Drac (Sep 14, 2007)

Use to love *Inside Kung-Fu* until they featured that punk *Taboo *from the *Blackeyes Peas* on the cover and made him a feature story...


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## Brian R. VanCise (Sep 14, 2007)

I used to read almost all of them but unfortunately they all became more interested in selling products over producing good articles.

JAMA is still okay and once in a blue moon I pick up one.

Other than that I pick up Blackbelt, Inside Kung Fu, Tae Kwon Do times once a year at the most to see what is going on. (surprisingly that is *more than enough*, way more than enough)

FMAdigest online magazine is good and I read that as well.  As is Bujin-Kan an online magazine devoted to Massaki Hatsumi's Budo Taijutsu.


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## FieldDiscipline (Sep 15, 2007)

COMBAT and Martial Arts Illustrated.


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## stone_dragone (Oct 3, 2007)

Another vote for Blackbelt here, too


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## exile (Oct 3, 2007)

FieldDiscipline said:


> COMBAT and Martial Arts Illustrated.



You UK chaps have it lucky when it comes to MA magazines, I thinkthe overall quality of your periodicals seems a good deal better than those over here, which, as Brian says, have increasingly come to be little more than product catalogues with articles that in many cases are direct `tie-ins' to the advertising. _Taekwondo Times_ is particularly offensive in this respect.


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## takadadojokeith (Oct 3, 2007)

BlackBelt, of course.


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## Albertus (Mar 8, 2008)

I prefer Ninja magazines but there aren't so many left anymore. I think the only one available today is *Shinobi no Mono Magazine*.  Not a bad choice but not a super magazine either. 
Maybe the best one ever was Sanmyaku (out of print) and the early Ninja Magazine (out of print also).

If anybody knows of a present day title, please let me know through this forum, thanks.


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## David Weatherly (Dec 19, 2008)

Journal of Asian Martial Arts is still pretty decent, best one out IMO although it was better in the past.
Inside Kung Fu is terrible now, half the size and all about selling product.

If you have any interest in Western Martial Arts check out WMA:

http://www.wmaillustrated.com/

David


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## fyn5000 (Dec 20, 2008)

I like Journal of Asian Martial Arts, Classical Fighting Arts, T'ai Chi, and Western Martial Arts Illustrated.  Don't like much about Inside Kung Fu.

Years ago I used to pick up a magazine called Kick Illustrated, back in the mid 1980's I believe.  Seemed like a good mag. Don't remember when it folded.

fyn


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## David Weatherly (Dec 20, 2008)

There were lots of good mags around back in the 70s and 80s.  I still have tons of them from that period.  The writing and information were far better for the most part.

David


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