52 blocks

As beautiful and sleek as it is deadly, 52 Blocks merits special conservation efforts as the United States’ only existing native martial culture, as it is indeed, the jazz of the martial arts world. Across the African diaspora, there are manifestations of African-derived warrior-dances, capoeira in brazil, mani in Cuba, ladja in Martinique, pinge in Haiti- yet the US offshoot has remained esoteric, because it was suppressed throughout slavery, Reconstruction and Jim Crow and then obscured in the criminal justice system.

The Bartendaz.

The Bartendaz are New York's fastest growing fitness organization by promoting a new concept of fitness centered around the pull up bar and the 52 Blocks Martial Art.

Photograph sources for senegalese wrestling.

Here are the links, and flicker accounts of the amazing photographers who's work I used for the series on Laamb or Senegalese wrestling. (sorry meant to do this a while back.) : )

lillion
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lilion/sets/72157614846704104/
( T2T, ceremonial, t2t, R2R)

Michal Novotny.
http://www.michalnovotny.com/SENEGAM8.HTM
(MichalNovolty.com, Laamb, Preparation)

robinpresta
http://www.flickr.com/photos/robinpresta/
(Ceremonial, "-" tues sept 15th, Locked, Spectators)

kovarikovaj
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jarmila/
(Preparation)


hippolyte
http://www.hippolyteartwork.com/photography/
( "-" mon, sept 7th)

bartvanpoll
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bartvanpoll/sets/72157604168368365/
( "-" tues sept 15th)

bluedvls11
http://www.flickr.com/photos/22779222@N00/sets/72157612362414761/
(Conclusion, Ceremonial, Spectators, "-" fri sept 18th)

Pool Time.

Conclusion.

Beach Showdown.

-

The Hype Team.

Each of the big name fighters have a large entourage who acts as a moral support and a hype team before the match. They do a little half choreographed, half off the top ritual dance to get the crowd hyped up and to basically show-off.

This one is pretty funny as they have a little kid leading the whole dance crew.

U2U.

Locked.

u2u

God Bodies

-

T2T.

MichalNovotny.com

MichalNovotny.com---->

t2t.

Ceremonial.

In Action.

As you can see, the event seems to be about 60% ceremony, 30% magic, and 10% actual fighting.

This one match last a pathetic 8 seconds, but it still aint bad watching them strut around. Lac de Guers (the tall cocky one with the bad haircut) is kind of cute, and Zoss(the shorter guy) has a ridiculous body.

The matches are finished once one man falls on his back or his knees, or is KO'd by a hit to the face. So, they fill the parts in between matches with a bunch of hype and hoopla. The time can be crucial to the wrestlers though, as some can make past $120,000 usd a fight, and they only have one chance not to trip up.

Spectators.

Laamb events are known to draw up to 60,000 spectators for the largest shows.

Click 2 make big.

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Coastlines.

S2S.

Beach Training.

The men who compete in Laamb traditionally use the beach as their training grounds. The sand acts to cushion the blows of being slammed and is also good for footwork training as the sand acts more dynamically that a flat surface would. The beautiful view plus the sea breeze doesn't hurt either.

It also works out well for the tourist; they get to enjoy the beach, and enjoy the wrestlers who don't mind practicing on those who want to test their strength against them. Also, the people on the sidelines who don't wrestle get to enjoy the show of the beautiful bodies in motion.

s2s.