“Old age? There is no such thing!” Mme. Jeanne Lieberman replied in response to a query whether her age of 92 plus was weighing on her. She was martial arts Grand master who lived in France. This was her response to a question by Claude

Bobin. He was interviewing her. Check the 1978 September issue of the Indian Reader’s digest and you can read the article. The summary is given here.

Mme. Jeanne Lieberman started learning martial arts at the tender age of 63, when most of us would prefer retiring from the armchair to the sofa- watching the antics of our grand children. But for her, it was the beginning of a new

life- a life of conquering and self –discovery plus a whole new vista of

opportunities and healing for a lot of people past 60. She had prepared herself though. She was a regular practitioner of Yoga. And she had-Inspiration-lots of it!

She joined a Judo Dojo (martial arts school) in Paris. When she went to enroll, the joke goes that the instructor asked if it was for her son or her grandson.

Imagine his surprise when she replied it was for her!Her astounding progress soon put an end to the apprehensions of her instructor and her younger classmates and she completed her black belt in sharp five years! Inspiration to her classmates!

She didn’t rest on her achievement, though. She went to Japan and started polishing up her Aikido skills that she had started learning in France. Aikido is a non-violent form of self-defense. She practiced under Master Tadashi Abe for four years before she secured her black belt in Aikido(!).

No, that is not the end of the story. At the age of 72, she started learning Kung fu (Wing Chun).She received her black belt in Kung fu at the age of 80, from Master Hoangnam at the famed Shaolin temple, China! Astounding Inspiration, isn’t it? To think how much an old lady would exert, pushing herself to the limits.

Her diet is very simple: a carrot for breakfast, an egg for lunch and a potato and a spoonful of honey for supper.

Mme Lieberman’s dedication paid off abundantly. She achieved such a level of prowess that she was able to perform unbelievable feats. She has demonstrated her prowess in several ways: In one demonstration she pinned a trained (black belt), 1.8 m tall, 200 kg athlete to the ground in less than one second and then repeated the feat nine times!

Pretty tempting skill to acquire isn’t it? This should be inspiration for young and old alike.

Mme Lieberman is not an aggressive person. Her personal philosophy is rooted in silence, tolerance, understanding and love.

She returned to Paris and started her own martial arts class. She developed her own synthesized style based on the three martial arts and Yoga. Most of her disciples are in their sixties or seventies. Some of them have had extraordinary

experiences. One seventy year old student was attacked by two young muggers in the dark side alleys of Paris . She was able to ward off their attack easily and hold one of them in a paralysing arm lock, with him begging for mercy.

At a time when we keep hearing stories of estranged and isolated old people, who have been abandoned by their children, Mme. Lieberman’s story is heartening in that it gives inspiration to stand up for ourselves, dig into the resources within ourselves and prove to ourselves and the world that we can take care of ourselves, and much more!

Martial arts are a sure fire way to keep oneself fit and old age at bay. Martial Arts also help to maintain peace of mind and to develop suppleness of the body.

Martial arts are one of the best ways to spend ones excess time. Of course this statement would not appeal to the enthusiastic follower, who has dedicated his life to perfection in martial arts.

The lives of people like Jeanne Liebermann convey Inspiration in us to achieve all that we are capable of. They give inspiration to transcend our limits .

Martial Arts come in different forms and they are not only confined to Kung-fu or Taekwondo, which is popularized a lot in television and the movies. You would be surprised to know that certain forms of fighting are also called martial arts. To learn and practice martial arts, one should be well equipped with the proper supplies.
Martial arts have different origins. The term “Martial” is derived from the Roman god of war named “Mars”. Martial Arts simply mean “the art of war”. Although most people think that martial arts only came from the Asian cultures, it is also found in America and Europe. Martial arts feature a type of combat system that has codes within a single objective of physically defeating a person.
Aside from this, it is mainly used for self-defense against any bodily harm. Some martial arts techniques are actually based on a spiritual or religious philosophy such as Aikido and Judo. This is while others base it on a certain code of honor such as fencing. Hence, martial arts techniques are being practiced as a form of combat sports and some in the form of dance.
Thus, regardless of where the art originated, they have similarities with one another. Each style has a systematized fighting style. They even have forms and routines when they do sparring, which is practiced either alone or with a partner. Martial arts are grouped in a way that each style will focus on a certain area.
Below is a list of samples for each group:
Grappling
• Throwing – Judo, Jujutsu, Sambo
• Joint Lock – Aikido, Brazilian Jiu-jitsu, Hapkido
• Pinning Techniques – Wrestling, Judo
Striking
• Punching – Boxing (Western style), Wing Chun
• Kicking – Capoeira, Savate, Taekwondo
• Other Strikes – Muay thai, Karate, Shaolin Kung Fu
Weapons
• Traditional Weaponry – Fencing, Gatka, Kendo, Kali
• Modern Weaponry – Eskrima, Jogo do pau, Jukendo
For some, most of the styles are well known as a form of Martial Arts technique and only a few would know that boxing and fencing is also categorized as such. At present, most styles of martial arts are being used as combat sports. For the others, they are used in military or police training as a form of self-defense.
Hence, Tae Kwon Do, fencing, boxing, and wrestling are events in the summer Olympics. This is while other martial arts such as Wushu of China and Muay Thai have tournaments held around the world. Aside from this, there are also those, which are regarded both as a form of dance and as a type of Martial Art. Good examples would include the Capoeira of Brazil, Yolah of Oman/UAE, and Buza from Russia.
Here is short description of some of the techniques mentioned above.
CAPOEIRA
The slaves in Brazil created this martial art during in the 16th century. It’s a blend of dance, game, and as mentioned already – martial art, where in, music is incorporated. It’s more of a skill based art rather than injuring the opponent. The players’ form a circle called the Roda, where in, they will take turns in playing inside the circle.
The basic movement in Capoeira is called the ginga, in which, they need to swing and rock back and forth. They should move with the rhythm of the music being played by the bateria. Hence, the players usually use acrobatic movements such as cartwheels, handstands and use kicks, sweeps, and head strikes as a form of attack. They also do rolls and ducks, as their defensive move and as type of preparation for an attack.
Thus, this is more of a combination move for self-defense that makes use of a cartwheel with a blocking kick and an attack at the same time.
BOXING
The ancient Greeks first introduced it as a sport and there are different forms of boxing done around the world. As a combat sport, usually two persons with a similar weight class fight with each other using their fists. There is the presence of a referee, one who needs to watch over and control the fight.
Since boxing is a type of contact sport, certain precautions must be taken in order to prevent injury. Hand and wrist wraps and boxing gloves are worn in order to protect the bones in the hands. During practice or sparring sessions, a headgear is also worn to protect the head and face. A mouthpiece is also worn to protect the insides of the cheek and lips from getting cut and also the jaw joint when the face gets hit.
Boxers practice their punches on a “speed bag” or on the heavy “punching bag” in order to develop speed, agility, and strength. Other training equipments include free weights, jump ropes, and medicine balls. The trainer uses focus mitts as padded targets for the boxer during practice.
MODERN ARNIS
A Filipino style of martial arts founded by the late Remy Preses was created as a self-defense system. Influenced by the style of the Bolo (machete) and the art of Balintawak (Stick-Dueling), rattan sticks are used as weaponry, in which, it is called a “baston” (baton) or cane. Two techniques are taught using the baston – the single and double stick technique.
The cane is considered sacred to the practitioners of the art. This is the reason why, during combat, the arm or hand of the opponent is hit and not the cane. This method was called “defanging the snake”, where in, the opponent will drop his weapon, making him less of a threat. Then this technique has been discouraged a lot from learning the art. This is because it was too painful to learn.
Plus, this caused the Filipino martial arts to become almost extinct! Therefore, what Remy Preses did is to preserve the Filipino martial art via developing a method of cane-to-cane combat during practice. This is in order to attract would be practitioners of the art. Thus, the “defanging the snake” method remains the practical application.
TAEKWONDO
Taekwondo is the national sport of South Korea and perhaps the most popular martial art in the world. It is a combination of self-defense, sport, and combat techniques, which makes it an official event in the Olympics. The training of taekwondo usually involves the use of the power of the hips and legs. It also has blocks, punches, sweeps, and joint locks.
Taekwondo is distinguished from other techniques because of its kicking techniques. They believe that the leg is the most powerful weapon especially with the back kick of taekwondo. The union of the mind and body is developed and practiced in this art, while developing other aspects such as discipline, strength, flexibility, and stamina.
The “dobok” is the official uniform of a taekwondo student and is usually white, and with it, a belt is worn around the waist where its color will indicate the person’s rank.
FENCING
A European martial art that involves the use of swords, knives, bayonets and other similar weapons used in armed combat. Presently there are three weapons used:
• Foil – light thrusting weapon
• Epee – heavy thrusting weapon
• Sabre – light cutting and thrusting weapon
Dueling gained popularity with the Europeans in the 17th up to the 19th century, where in, the cutting style of swordplay became a thrusting style or “foining”. During that time fencing involves defending one’s honor so no duels using sharp blades took place unless a formal insult was made.
After World War I, dueling was almost non-existent and went out after the Second World War. Therefore, the training and using of sharp swords disappeared. Plus, the emphasis was more in the technique and training styles of fencing.
As a form of martial art, the goal of fencing is to be theoretically trained for a duel. In classical fencing, where in the art of swordplay is applied and even expected to become applied in their training for an actual duel or fight, they utilize the standard foil, epee, and the blunted sabre. As for historical fencing, the use of a variety of weaponry with realistic weight will demand a different way of handling them, even affecting the movement of the body.
Today, fencing, as a type of sport, uses protective clothing during practices or events. The complete set includes the following:
• Croissard – form fitting jacket covering the groin with a strap that goes between the legs.
• Gorget – small fabric to protect the neck
• Plastron – under arm protector
• Glove – to protect the hand and prevent the blade from going into the sleeve
• Breeches or knickers – short trousers
• Socks – knee length or thigh high
• Shoes – with flat soles
• Mask – with a bib to protect the neck
• Plastic chest protectors – required for female fencers
Things you need when you are planning to join a martial arts class:
1. Uniform – most students are required to have a uniform. There are available uniforms for students of the following:
• Taekwondo
• Karate
• Judo and Aikido
• Kung-fu
• Ninja
• Belts
2. Protective gears and sparring gears
• Head gear
• Hand gear
• Foot gear
• Chest guard
• Shin guard
3. Weapons
• Practice swords
• Escrimas
• Weapons cases
• Weapons stand
• Knives
• Bo’s and staffs
• Kubotan
4. Training gear
• Breaking boards
• Mats
• Conditioning gears – hand grips, double end ball
• Hand held pads -mitts and arm shield
• Heavy bags
5. Boxing equipments
• Gloves
• Cardio wraps
• Jump rope
• Leather speed ball
6. Exercise equipments
• Medicine balls
• Chin up bars
• Heart rate monitor
• Free weights
• Ankle weights
• Stretching equipment

If you do any kind of martial arts sparring, you know that protective gear is of the utmost importance. Any man who has the stones to go into a sparring match without a cup on, won’t have them for very long. There’s protective gear like the heavily padded “foot gloves” that I wear when I’m teaching, so I don’t accidentally do a spin kick and take someone’s head off when they miss a block. But the protective gear I want to sing the praises of today are the martial arts sparring shoes.
Now, I use the martial arts shoe for two very simple reasons. The first is that after I did a series of practice bits against a wooden “sparring dummy”, I walked out of the dojo on several bone-deep bruises in my feet. Now, bruises are the price you pay for any contact sport, including martial arts. Even a little bit of padding would’ve kept me from walking funny for two days. My friends and co-workers were making fun of my little mincing steps to avoid putting weight on the tops of my feet from a particularly nasty bruise – almost a break in the bone.
The foot has so many small bones. And almost no meat. No fat. No protection. Poor bloodflow. At least mine do. Pain sticks attached to my ankles!
I guess I’m a slow learner. Two weeks later, I did the same practice drill and about pulped my big toe when I mis-judged the distance to the wingchun wooden dummy on a kick – instead of hitting it with the arch of the foot, I did a direct “full force kick” with the point of contact centered on the toe. The joint popped, the toe swelled up to twice its size, and only pure blind luck kept me from having a fracture.
OK, so kicking wooden dummies in bare feet is a dumb idea….
I went looking for things to save me from my own stupidity and found martial arts sparring shoes. Now, those sparring shoes are different from tourney foot pads. They’re light enough that you won’t develop compensatory habits to adjust for the weight…and while they don’t offer as much protection, it’s the difference between kicking a wooden dummy with your bare foot and kicking it with a pair of tennis shoes on.
On top of that, they also improve traction on the ground, and stability when doing routines and drills. Given how much I like Kung Fu styles, and how acrobatic they are, that extra traction was very appealing. While it’s not fun to be thrown on your ass by a sparring partner, it’s even less fun to do it on your own because you slipped.
Plus, to be honest, it was good to come home from a session in the dojo without feeling like I was being a sniveling, whiney brat because my feet hurt. Trust me, these things saved my marriage – my wife was making fun of my new “dance steps” when I was busy beating the crap out of my feet and whining about it when I had to take out the garbage.
Didn’t I mention I can dance? That’s for another article. She saw Dancing With The Stars and it was over. I don’t know what hurts more, learning to tango or kicking that wooden dummy!

I recently had a couple of students in my Wing Chun class ask for training in swordsmanship. Now, Kung Fu has a lot of weapons forms, but they tend to be stylized, rather than sparring formats. I originally thought of teaching them Kendo, on the Japanese forms, but having just taken some Tae Kwon Do classes of my own, I decided to look a little further afield. I found the Korean cognate of Kendo, called kumdo.
While there are a lot of practitioners of kumdo who claim that their techniques are passed down over the centuries in secret rituals, a little bit of digging showed that it’s incredibly unlikely that this is the case. When the Imperial Army of Japan occupied Chosun (now Korea) in the early 20th century, they brought kendo with them. Prior to that, because of the Confucian influences from China, and a Korean superstition about sharp objects, the art of the sword in Korea had been withering on the vine for going on three hundred years. The Koreans, like any culture that adopts guns, had relegated the sword to a secondary, and eventually tertiary weapon for military training, and Confucianism put a stronger emphasis on scholarship than martial arts.
So, kumdo sort of grew from Kendo, and it has a lot of obvious similarities. You use a split bamboo practice sword (called a shinai in Kendo, and a jukdo in kumdo), and wear rigid practice armor (called a bogu in kendo and a hogu in kumdo.) The two arts have been diverging slowly since 1945, though the basic forms are nearly identical from what I’ve been looking up. The Korean protective gear is a bit more modern and practical in design, being a bit less tied to tradition than the kendo gear. It is kind of nice to be able to use kendo gear for it, or mix and match. (We have some gear left over from when a prior instructor at the school tried to teach Kendo. It didn’t go over well, but the gear is still here at the school.)
Kumdo and Kendo are close enough in form that Kumdo teams participate in the World Kendo Championships. While there are some differences (Kumdo focuses a bit more on point strikes than power and speed), the kumdo teams do respectably.
Overall, it looks like a good fit with what my students are asking for, which is more an overview of swordsmanship techniques, and as there’s a strong Korean community in Las Vegas, I may be able to set up classes with a wider audience. Kumdo is the second most popular sport in Korea, so it may have some traction here.

The Vigilance Standard in Self Defense

Our society is becoming more violent. Violent crimes increase daily and yet, our world is more integrated than ever. We travel more, commute from home to work, and are out and about more than our grandparents or even our parents were. So, the question is: how will you prepare to be out in this world, as it presents increasing risks to your own personal security? You are taking steps, such as reading this article, to educate yourself. But what type of training will that education lead you to choose?

A New Way of Thinking

Here is a bold statement – self defense is not rocket science. In its simplest form it should be a natural flow of devastating strikes and movements. No matter what you hear from the up-teen million experts on the subject, it breaks down very simply. Protect your life at all cost, using the most devastating forms of hand to hand that you can. It would be nice if we had 10 years to train in Kung Fu and a red pill to take to become a combination of Bruce Lee and Neo from the Matrix, easily rendering our aggressor harmless while gliding through the air. However, that is not reality, and it never will be, no matter who you are.

Train off the principle that, when under an aggressor’s attack, your body will only allow you to utilize gross motor skills, i.e., simple movements. You cannot perform intricate jump-spinning back kicks and other gravity-defying movements with success when under duress. In addition to requiring a ballet of choreographed movements, certain martial art schools impress upon the student that he must be prepared to defend himself after he is physically attacked. Such reactive, versus proactive, training is not effective and relying on it can be costly and dangerous. In fact, the best defense (with a new spin on an old saying) is a good offense.

In addition to advocating easy-to-execute training, the author has designed the following A.D.D. formula for recognizing, processing, and dealing with possible physical attacks:

(A) Avoid compromising situations. Be aware of your surroundings.

(D) Dissuade any potential aggressor with verbal commands and body language.

(D) Decimate your aggressor with devastating strikes.

For more information on Stephen Spivey and American Combat System please visit MaxDefense