...And 114 years old! En.epochtimes.com has an article about Lu Zijian, who was born in 1893. Which means this gentleman has seen three centuries - just think about that for a moment...
Lu is, according to the article "(...) adept at martial arts and can still move a young man of around 150 pounds 15 feet away with just one push."
It is really great to read about an old master being active like this!
Still, it is kind of strange to read how he once fought a "Japanese taekwondo master" in Shanghai.
Anyhow - let's take it for what it is. If nothing else it shows how one can stay healthy and active way beyond what is normally considered old age.
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Bamboodo
Missouri -- A Warrensburg martial arts instructor is accused of hitting a 7-year-old boy with a bamboo stick, according to thekansascitychannel.com.
According to a police report, the mother of the boy said her son had problems respecting his parents, so she asked the instructor to help her son learn to respect his elders.
But when the boy finished martial arts class on August 27 and had bruises and red marks on his shins, his right thigh and right wrist, the mother contacted authorities.
The police report said the man hit the boy with a bamboo stick if he failed to do squats and push-ups the correct way.
According to a police report, the mother of the boy said her son had problems respecting his parents, so she asked the instructor to help her son learn to respect his elders.
But when the boy finished martial arts class on August 27 and had bruises and red marks on his shins, his right thigh and right wrist, the mother contacted authorities.
The police report said the man hit the boy with a bamboo stick if he failed to do squats and push-ups the correct way.
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
The "krotty" kick
In case you wonder, "krotty" is also known as karate... And what's this - someone missing with this über-lethal kick? I thought only *experts* were allowed to flash the serious stuff (like the judo chop, krotty kick, ninja finger signs and jiu-jitsu strangulation)?
Story:
Germany -- A 29-year-old man was one of three arrested following an incident on the fringes of a wine festival in Guntersblum, near Mainz.
A group of six Germans encountered a Sudanese and an Egyptian man in the early hours of August 19, according to Dailystaregypt.com.
The 29-year-old is believed to have shouted a racist slur, threatened to ''flatten'' the two and then tried unsuccessfully to karate-kick the Sudanese man, who was then beaten, a prosecutor said.
When the Egyptian tried to help his companion, he was attacked with a broken bottle and had a finger injured. Passers-by then intervened and called police.
Story:
Germany -- A 29-year-old man was one of three arrested following an incident on the fringes of a wine festival in Guntersblum, near Mainz.
A group of six Germans encountered a Sudanese and an Egyptian man in the early hours of August 19, according to Dailystaregypt.com.
The 29-year-old is believed to have shouted a racist slur, threatened to ''flatten'' the two and then tried unsuccessfully to karate-kick the Sudanese man, who was then beaten, a prosecutor said.
When the Egyptian tried to help his companion, he was attacked with a broken bottle and had a finger injured. Passers-by then intervened and called police.
Monday, September 17, 2007
More Ninjazz
Ninjazz: Sneaky music with (very) odd meters. Players tend to wear black and hide in the dark. Scary stuff... :-)
From murfreesboropost.com:
A man expressed worry because his Murfreesboro neighbor was outside waving around a sword.
An officer explained to the neighbor he couldn't practice his Ninja skills in his front yard. The man promised to leave the non-sharpened practice sword inside his home.
From murfreesboropost.com:
A man expressed worry because his Murfreesboro neighbor was outside waving around a sword.
An officer explained to the neighbor he couldn't practice his Ninja skills in his front yard. The man promised to leave the non-sharpened practice sword inside his home.
Sunday, September 16, 2007
All That Ninjazz
New York -- A ninja-clad burglar was sent scurrying from a Staten Island kitchen early yesterday when the homeowner stabbed the samurai sneak in the shoulder, according to nydailynews.com.
Phil Chiolo said he had just gone to bed when he heard what sounded like a pan hit the kitchen floor about 1 a.m. in his Dongan Hills home.
"When I got into the kitchen, the door was jimmied open," the resident said. "To my surprise, there was a man standing there dressed in a ninja costume, with nun-chucks and everything. All I saw was his eyes."
The intruder immediately struck Chiolo across his collarbone with the nun-chucks, he said.
Read this and other martial arts stories at: Your Martial Arts Resources
Phil Chiolo said he had just gone to bed when he heard what sounded like a pan hit the kitchen floor about 1 a.m. in his Dongan Hills home.
"When I got into the kitchen, the door was jimmied open," the resident said. "To my surprise, there was a man standing there dressed in a ninja costume, with nun-chucks and everything. All I saw was his eyes."
The intruder immediately struck Chiolo across his collarbone with the nun-chucks, he said.
Read this and other martial arts stories at: Your Martial Arts Resources
Saturday, September 15, 2007
Aggressive Not Angry
Here's a great article about Muay Thai for women.
Amongst other things it talks about being aggressive without being angry - something is vital to all fighting arts.
This statement really rings true: "Overcoming fear is half the battle in any situation -- whether it's in the ring or everyday life."
It does sound though like this is more of a fitness/work-out thing, rather than actual fighting.
Amongst other things it talks about being aggressive without being angry - something is vital to all fighting arts.
This statement really rings true: "Overcoming fear is half the battle in any situation -- whether it's in the ring or everyday life."
It does sound though like this is more of a fitness/work-out thing, rather than actual fighting.
Friends Fighting
Who could possibly need enemies with friends like this...
Story:
Pennsylvania -- Around 7:30 p.m. Friday, North Sewickley Township police were called to a high school parking lot for a reported stabbing, and found two young men in a field adjacent to the school, according to timesonline.com.
Police said a 19-year-old male was bleeding from stab wounds, and about 70 yards away, the other man, 20, was lying on the ground with cuts on his head and left thumb.
Police said the two, who had been friends, were arguing about a girl and the dispute turned physical. Police said a maintenance man who saw the fight broke it up and left. But the men fought again, he said.
The younger man, who police said has been trained in the Army in mixed martial arts and ground combat fighting, knocked the other to the ground and began punching and kneeing him, in addition to choking him, police said.
The 20-year-old was on the ground when he pulled a fold-out pocket knife from his pants and stabbed the other in both legs, police said.
Story:
Pennsylvania -- Around 7:30 p.m. Friday, North Sewickley Township police were called to a high school parking lot for a reported stabbing, and found two young men in a field adjacent to the school, according to timesonline.com.
Police said a 19-year-old male was bleeding from stab wounds, and about 70 yards away, the other man, 20, was lying on the ground with cuts on his head and left thumb.
Police said the two, who had been friends, were arguing about a girl and the dispute turned physical. Police said a maintenance man who saw the fight broke it up and left. But the men fought again, he said.
The younger man, who police said has been trained in the Army in mixed martial arts and ground combat fighting, knocked the other to the ground and began punching and kneeing him, in addition to choking him, police said.
The 20-year-old was on the ground when he pulled a fold-out pocket knife from his pants and stabbed the other in both legs, police said.
Friday, September 14, 2007
Escala-Do
Indiana -- According to Tmnews.com, an 18-year-old woman and her friend goes to the home of a 26-year-old man in Bloomington, to visit a puppy.
The man snaps at her and becomes confrontational, the two starts to argue. A fight eventually ensues. Woman shoves man, man slaps her with open hand.
The woman retaliates by punching the man in the mouth. Man leaves and come back with a samurai sword. The man swings the sword at her, but the sword hits the floor by her foot.
With her friend encouraging her to leave, the woman turns to go, and as she steppes off the porch she is being cut in the buttocks. The woman is left with gaping cut that is 8 to 9 inches long.
The man snaps at her and becomes confrontational, the two starts to argue. A fight eventually ensues. Woman shoves man, man slaps her with open hand.
The woman retaliates by punching the man in the mouth. Man leaves and come back with a samurai sword. The man swings the sword at her, but the sword hits the floor by her foot.
With her friend encouraging her to leave, the woman turns to go, and as she steppes off the porch she is being cut in the buttocks. The woman is left with gaping cut that is 8 to 9 inches long.
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Klodeckeln-Do
Sure, this is a great feat, and I'm confident this is a great guy, but still... I'm always left with sort of a pressing question, a simple: why?
Even though one can pee on electric fences doesn't automatically make it a brilliant idea to do it... The late, great Bruce Lee probably said it best when he talked about why he didn't break boards: "Boards don't hit back".
Story:
41-year-old Kevin Shelley from Indianapolis is a fourth-degree black belt in taekwondo. He can probably defend himself against a lot: muggers, troublemakers, now even the occasional wayward toilet.
The Carmel personal trainer credited his technique in a successful quest to set a Guinness Book of Records mark by using his head to break 46 wooden toilet seat lids in 60 seconds.
Shelley recently appeared on a live, German version of the "Guinness World Records" television show to compete for the world record in breaking "klodeckeln" (wooden toilet seat lids) with his head.
He broke 46 of the lids in 60 seconds; his opponent - a martial arts expert from Hamburg, Germany - broke 41. The previous 60-second record was 30.
Source: The Indianapolis Star
Read more martial arts stories at: your-martial-arts-resources.com
Even though one can pee on electric fences doesn't automatically make it a brilliant idea to do it... The late, great Bruce Lee probably said it best when he talked about why he didn't break boards: "Boards don't hit back".
Story:
41-year-old Kevin Shelley from Indianapolis is a fourth-degree black belt in taekwondo. He can probably defend himself against a lot: muggers, troublemakers, now even the occasional wayward toilet.
The Carmel personal trainer credited his technique in a successful quest to set a Guinness Book of Records mark by using his head to break 46 wooden toilet seat lids in 60 seconds.
Shelley recently appeared on a live, German version of the "Guinness World Records" television show to compete for the world record in breaking "klodeckeln" (wooden toilet seat lids) with his head.
He broke 46 of the lids in 60 seconds; his opponent - a martial arts expert from Hamburg, Germany - broke 41. The previous 60-second record was 30.
Source: The Indianapolis Star
Read more martial arts stories at: your-martial-arts-resources.com
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Apologize
I'm not really sure what is the strangest (as in most stupid) part here. Shaolin munks taking a forum post about ninja serious; or the fact that they have a lawyer looking into the matter.
Can we expect an all-american (now also Chinese) Sue-do match in the near future? :-)
Story:
China's Shaolin Temple has demanded a public apology from an Internet user who claimed a Japanese ninja beat its kung fu-practising monks in a showdown, a lawyer said Friday.
An open letter from the temple posted on the Internet denied the fight ever took place and called on the person who posted the claim under the name "Five minutes every day" to apologize to the temple's martial arts masters.
Monks from the temple said they will consider legal action if he or she doesn't make a public apology.
Source: ca.news.yahoo.com
Can we expect an all-american (now also Chinese) Sue-do match in the near future? :-)
Story:
China's Shaolin Temple has demanded a public apology from an Internet user who claimed a Japanese ninja beat its kung fu-practising monks in a showdown, a lawyer said Friday.
An open letter from the temple posted on the Internet denied the fight ever took place and called on the person who posted the claim under the name "Five minutes every day" to apologize to the temple's martial arts masters.
Monks from the temple said they will consider legal action if he or she doesn't make a public apology.
Source: ca.news.yahoo.com
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
A Decent Blow
New Zealand -- A would be abductor got more than he bargained for when a woman used her martial arts experience.
The woman and her friend were walking home from inner city Hamilton when came across a two door silver car parked suspiciously. A man jumped out of the vehicle and attempted to drag the woman into the vehicle but she escaped after striking him with what police say was a decent blow.
Both occupants of the car were described as wearing dark clothing and had masks over their faces. Police investigating the activities of a serial rapist in Hamilton are keeping an open mind on whether there is any link.
Source
The woman and her friend were walking home from inner city Hamilton when came across a two door silver car parked suspiciously. A man jumped out of the vehicle and attempted to drag the woman into the vehicle but she escaped after striking him with what police say was a decent blow.
Both occupants of the car were described as wearing dark clothing and had masks over their faces. Police investigating the activities of a serial rapist in Hamilton are keeping an open mind on whether there is any link.
Source
Splendid
Judo: 1 - Robber: 0
Germany -- A blind judo expert astounded a mugger by pinning him to the ground after he tried to steal his cigarettes, police said according to News.yahoo.com.
The 17-year-old assailant spotted the 33-year-old (identified only as Emil E.) at a train station in the southwestern town of Giessen and thought he would be easy prey, a police spokesman said.
But what the attacker did not know, was that his intended victim was a world-class blind judo wrestler.
The 17-year-old threatened the blind man, then punched him in the face, at which point the martial artist flipped him and held him down until police arrived.
Germany -- A blind judo expert astounded a mugger by pinning him to the ground after he tried to steal his cigarettes, police said according to News.yahoo.com.
The 17-year-old assailant spotted the 33-year-old (identified only as Emil E.) at a train station in the southwestern town of Giessen and thought he would be easy prey, a police spokesman said.
But what the attacker did not know, was that his intended victim was a world-class blind judo wrestler.
The 17-year-old threatened the blind man, then punched him in the face, at which point the martial artist flipped him and held him down until police arrived.
Monday, September 10, 2007
Disco Dojo
Yep, it's the latest fitness fad from LA - [...drum roll...] Disco Dojo (sic.)
"We can't possibly have the boring old stuff, now can we? People want to be entertained, they demand something fresh and exciting... This karate stuff is sooo last week!"
Story:
Maybe you want to try kicking things up a notch to make things a little more interesting.
You don't have to be a dancer or practice martial arts to take a disco dojo class. "But you can train like one," says Scott Cole, creator of disco dojo. "
What is this class exactly? "Fun, F-U-N," Cole says. "It's a combination of martial arts and dance. I had a dance aerobic background, and then I started taking martial arts in my early 30s and then started combining kickboxing, tai-chi, taekwondo, all into the mix of Latin salsa, some of the kicks, punches, and some of the disco moves too."
Source
"We can't possibly have the boring old stuff, now can we? People want to be entertained, they demand something fresh and exciting... This karate stuff is sooo last week!"
Story:
Maybe you want to try kicking things up a notch to make things a little more interesting.
You don't have to be a dancer or practice martial arts to take a disco dojo class. "But you can train like one," says Scott Cole, creator of disco dojo. "
What is this class exactly? "Fun, F-U-N," Cole says. "It's a combination of martial arts and dance. I had a dance aerobic background, and then I started taking martial arts in my early 30s and then started combining kickboxing, tai-chi, taekwondo, all into the mix of Latin salsa, some of the kicks, punches, and some of the disco moves too."
Source
Tycoon Step Down
According to Straitstimes.com, Park Yong-Sung is to step down as head of the International Judo Federation (IJF).
The South Korean tycoon has been under pressure from European countries to resign as he has been serving in the post since 1995. He was elected in 2005 for a third term which was to last until 2009. His resignation as IJF president means he will automatically lose his IOC membership.
Mr Park was convicted in 2006 of corruption and his IOC membership was suspended. He was later pardoned by the government and reinstated on the Olympic body. He was the second South Korean IOC member in two years to receive a criminal conviction.
The South Korean tycoon has been under pressure from European countries to resign as he has been serving in the post since 1995. He was elected in 2005 for a third term which was to last until 2009. His resignation as IJF president means he will automatically lose his IOC membership.
Mr Park was convicted in 2006 of corruption and his IOC membership was suspended. He was later pardoned by the government and reinstated on the Olympic body. He was the second South Korean IOC member in two years to receive a criminal conviction.
Killer Trucker Ninja
New York -- Police believe they've solved the vicious murder of a New Jersey woman and say the suspect may be connected numerous other murders along the East Coast.
A 43-year-old North Carolina truck driver was arrested and charged in the murder of a 38-year-old woman, who was found hacked to death inside her Bloomsbury home July 29. Surveillance video from a truck stop near her home shows the man was at that stop the same night of her murder.
Police say just one day after that crime, the man was in Massachusetts where he broke into a home in Chelmsford dressed as a ninja and tried to rape a teenage girl at knife-point. The teenager was not seriously injured in the incident. Her father was able to hear her screams and ran into her bedroom where he pinned the intruder down until police arrived.
According to police, when they apprehended the suspect they found knives, a mask, and a DVD titled "Hunting Humans" hidden inside the cab of his truck.
Source
A 43-year-old North Carolina truck driver was arrested and charged in the murder of a 38-year-old woman, who was found hacked to death inside her Bloomsbury home July 29. Surveillance video from a truck stop near her home shows the man was at that stop the same night of her murder.
Police say just one day after that crime, the man was in Massachusetts where he broke into a home in Chelmsford dressed as a ninja and tried to rape a teenage girl at knife-point. The teenager was not seriously injured in the incident. Her father was able to hear her screams and ran into her bedroom where he pinned the intruder down until police arrived.
According to police, when they apprehended the suspect they found knives, a mask, and a DVD titled "Hunting Humans" hidden inside the cab of his truck.
Source
Sunday, September 09, 2007
Experts Everywhere
UK -- A 52-year-old martial arts expert (sic.) beat up a teenager after his son said he had been assaulted by him.
The father launched his attack after his son phoned him crying. He was playing football with his friends and the group decided to play another game involving play fighting.
The prosecutor said, "The victim picked up the defendant's son and then dropped him to the ground. He started crying. The defendant punched and kicked the boy who fell down and was then kicked in the face. He kicked him in the leg, elbow and in the back of the head and threw him to the ground."
The boy reportedly sustained injuries which included a laceration to his lower lip, grazes to the left cheek and swelling.
Source
The father launched his attack after his son phoned him crying. He was playing football with his friends and the group decided to play another game involving play fighting.
The prosecutor said, "The victim picked up the defendant's son and then dropped him to the ground. He started crying. The defendant punched and kicked the boy who fell down and was then kicked in the face. He kicked him in the leg, elbow and in the back of the head and threw him to the ground."
The boy reportedly sustained injuries which included a laceration to his lower lip, grazes to the left cheek and swelling.
Source
Saturday, September 08, 2007
Naughty Nocturnal Ninja
Oh boy... Watching too many video games and bad movies I guess :-)
Story:
Three teen members of a self-proclaimed "ninja" group who graduated to burglary after skulking across rooftops and ghosting through people's yards at night were taken into custody Tuesday night. Two 15-year-old boys and one 16-year-old boy were lodged in a juvenile detention center and face multiple charges.
Rogue River police became aware that local youths were involved in the dangerous nocturnal antics early this year when a Grants Pass man called to say his son had friends in Rogue River who were dressing in black costumes, sneaking around at night, and climbing on things.
Over the past several months, the police department has been plagued by calls about the escapades of the so-called ninjas, a spokesman said. Lawn ornaments were removed, wooden sculptures blockaded a driveway, paint cans were tipped over, and black-clad figures were seen on rooftops and in trees.
"In one incident, the word 'ninja' was burned into a man's yard with bleach," the spokesman said. "But I don't think anybody saw them committing crimes."
Source
Story:
Three teen members of a self-proclaimed "ninja" group who graduated to burglary after skulking across rooftops and ghosting through people's yards at night were taken into custody Tuesday night. Two 15-year-old boys and one 16-year-old boy were lodged in a juvenile detention center and face multiple charges.
Rogue River police became aware that local youths were involved in the dangerous nocturnal antics early this year when a Grants Pass man called to say his son had friends in Rogue River who were dressing in black costumes, sneaking around at night, and climbing on things.
Over the past several months, the police department has been plagued by calls about the escapades of the so-called ninjas, a spokesman said. Lawn ornaments were removed, wooden sculptures blockaded a driveway, paint cans were tipped over, and black-clad figures were seen on rooftops and in trees.
"In one incident, the word 'ninja' was burned into a man's yard with bleach," the spokesman said. "But I don't think anybody saw them committing crimes."
Source
Thursday, September 06, 2007
Pain-Free With Tai Chi
There's a new study on tai chi, conducted by the University of California at Los Angeles' (UCLA) Center for East-West Medicine. And reportedly this study adds one more medical malady to the list: Tension headaches.
Dr. Ka-Kit Hui, founder and director of the center and co-author of the study, says that "A lot of people have tension headaches and they just take Tylenol or over-the-counter medications, which buys them some relief, but doesn't get to the root of the problem. We teach them how to deal with negative emotions."
Tai chi addresses body-mind issues, Dr. Hui added, which can help improve a practitioner's quality of life.
According to the National Headache Foundation (NHF), tension headaches are the most common form of headache, with about 78 percent of adults experiencing one at some point in their lives.
Source
Dr. Ka-Kit Hui, founder and director of the center and co-author of the study, says that "A lot of people have tension headaches and they just take Tylenol or over-the-counter medications, which buys them some relief, but doesn't get to the root of the problem. We teach them how to deal with negative emotions."
Tai chi addresses body-mind issues, Dr. Hui added, which can help improve a practitioner's quality of life.
According to the National Headache Foundation (NHF), tension headaches are the most common form of headache, with about 78 percent of adults experiencing one at some point in their lives.
Source
Tuesday, September 04, 2007
Kung-Fit
"Martial arts classes don't make you fit or get you in shape. It's a martial arts myth, says Mike Wittig who studied kung fu for 16 years but joined a gymnastics class to get the conditioning he wanted."
Source: Canada.com
You know what? To a large extent I tend to agree. Many martial arts classes that I've observed are more like a "walk in the park" than a serious work-out.
Still, this "lack of fitness" largely depends upon A. The art/style itself, and B. How the various classes are run.
Let us not forget either that the concept of "fitness" is a very broad team. It is something that is measured in relevance to something else; you are more or less fit compared to someone or something.
But yes - if you are after, say a specific sort of cardiovascular endurance, then other activities - like running - are absolutely better suited to the purpose than kung fu, karate or jujutsu.
Finally, make no mistake about it, any fighter worthy of the name must be in great shape to succeed.
Source: Canada.com
You know what? To a large extent I tend to agree. Many martial arts classes that I've observed are more like a "walk in the park" than a serious work-out.
Still, this "lack of fitness" largely depends upon A. The art/style itself, and B. How the various classes are run.
Let us not forget either that the concept of "fitness" is a very broad team. It is something that is measured in relevance to something else; you are more or less fit compared to someone or something.
But yes - if you are after, say a specific sort of cardiovascular endurance, then other activities - like running - are absolutely better suited to the purpose than kung fu, karate or jujutsu.
Finally, make no mistake about it, any fighter worthy of the name must be in great shape to succeed.
Allegations of Misconduct
As US taekwondo athletes head to Colorado Springs for next week's Olympic trials, several allegations of misconduct are surfacing. The charges include underage drinking and sexual harassment.
The chief executive of U.S. Taekwondo, said he has imposed a zero tolerance policy on such misconduct.
Six current or former junior team members have told media they participated in or saw underage drinking 13 months ago during a competition in Vietnam.
A female member of the U.S. Olympic team in 2000, said younger team members were having sex with older members.
Source
The chief executive of U.S. Taekwondo, said he has imposed a zero tolerance policy on such misconduct.
Six current or former junior team members have told media they participated in or saw underage drinking 13 months ago during a competition in Vietnam.
A female member of the U.S. Olympic team in 2000, said younger team members were having sex with older members.
Source
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