Jackie Chan
Thai Action Movie Star Tony Jaa Defies The Law Of Physics
Meet our man of many names that are tough for us Westerners to pronounce or even remember without a cheat sheet. Names like Tatchakorn Yeerum or Panom Yeerum or Jaa Panom.
We know him better as Tony Jaa.
Just recently Tony turned 34 and man, oh, man, does this guy know how to defy the Laws of Physics, or what?
A trained Thai martial artist, Tony Jaa has a proven track record as an actor, choreographer, stuntman and director.
You might have already admired some of his incredible work such as Ong-Bak:Muay Thai warrior, Tom-Yum-Goong and Ong-Bak 2: The Beginning.
Tony Jaa was certainly influenced by the great Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan and Jet Li.
But honestly, I am starting to believe that this guy from Thailand is taking things up a notch when it comes to eye-rubbing fight choreography and jaw-dropping stunt performances.
Here some examples and don’t try this at home, alright?
Linda Denley, Karate Superwoman From Houston, Texas
I am really excited to talk about today’s featured martial artist!
During the 70s and 80s while living in Germany, it was a real challenge to get my hands on American karate magazines. But whenever I did, it sure felt like Christmas and I devoured every page of information and inspiration. Especially articles and reports on Linda Denley.
For those of you who have never heard of her, let me warn you in advance. After this post you will be impressed. Very impressed, with this true living martial arts legend.
A native of Houston, Texas, Linda Denley grew up one of 12 children and as a teenager she excelled at just about any sport she took up, such as track and field, in which she even qualified for the Olympics in 5 events!! She couldn’t go to the Olympic Games simply because of her professional karate winnings.
Basketball was another example of her natural athleticism, in which she could have played semi-professional for the Houston Angels, but didn’t because of her karate career.
Linda Denley was THE female competitor to beat for many years.
Her aggressive fighting style earned her the nickname “Texas Terror” and boy, did she back that up with a record that is unheard of.
Starting with Tang Soo Do karate in 1973 under Master Robert Torres, she earned her black belt within 5 years, all while collecting trophies at tournaments.
Get this: Linda Denley was the top rated female kumite competitor from 1973 until 1996. That’s right, for 23 years. I am in awe!
She fought for nine years and did not lose a match. That’s just crazy stuff.
If you’re at all familiar with prestigious karate tournaments in the U.S., then you will appreciate this piece of information, too:
Linda Denley won the Battle of Atlanta not once or twice, but eleven times. Yes, that’s right, eleven times!
The other big-time tournament on the West Coast, simply known as the Long Beach Internationals, she won an impressive four times.
She really left “a path of destruction” in countless other tournaments. At least that’s what it probably felt like for her competitors in those days.
For all her accomplishments on the karate circuit, Linda Denley has been acknowledged in so many remarkable ways such as “Competitor of the Year” and not surprisingly “Instructor of the Year 1999″.
In 1980, she was the very first female to be inducted into the Black Belt Hall of Fame!
Her fighting skills did not go unnoticed by the TV and movie industry either:
Linda Denley worked with Jackie Chan in “The Armour of God” and Chuck Norris in an episode of “Walker, Texas Ranger”.
Today, 6th dan Linda Denley owns the Texas Black Belt Academy in Houston and has dedicated her time and energy to helping kids reach their full potential not only inside the dojo, but in whatever they do in life.
And here, I believe Linda Denley, Karate Superwoman from Houston, Texas, is paving “a path of inspiration” for many.
Thanksgiving Week In Review At TheMartialArtsReporter.com
I Hope You Enjoy Thanksgiving Week In Review At TheMartialArtsReporter.com And A Quote I Really Like!
Sifu Eddie Camden, The Instructor Recommended By Martial Arts Legends
Martial Artists And The Day After Thanksgiving, Aka Black Friday
Happy Thanksgiving 2009 From TheMartialArtsReporter.com
Peaceful Warrior Wisdom For Martial Artists (And Others, Too)
Urijah Faber, The California Kid Of World Extreme Cagefighting
Jet Li, From Humble Beginnings To Action/Martial Arts Movie Superstar
This week’s quote for readers of TheMartialArtsReporter.com:
“Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but the number of moments that take our breath away. ” Unkown
Jet Li, From Humble Beginnings To Action/Martial Arts Movie Superstar
Are your ready for some action?
Among all the remarkable action/martial arts movie stars over the last 20 years or so, several of them truly stand out such as Jackie Chan, Sylvester Stallone, Bruce Willis, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Chuck Norris, probably Jean-Claude Van Damme.
(Maybe you have your own favorites that haven’t been mentioned here. Let me know by sending in your comments.)
There are movie performers most people remember and who are quite frankly household names.
One such martial artist and movie performer I am always impressed with is Li Lianjie.
“Who the heck is that?”, you ask.
I admit I also only knew him by his stage name, Jet Li.
For many years, Jet Li has worked extremely hard to get where he is now in his career.
And obviously his hard work and determination have paid off for him and his family.
Especially if you consider that his mother had to somehow pull him, his bother and two sisters through as a widow in Beijing during the Sixties.
As a teenager, Jet Li rigorously trained in Wushu for several years, winning countless titles and national gold medals.
Jet Li became a member of the high-acclaimed national Wushu team that even performed for then-U.S. President Nixon in the United States.
In those days it was an extraordinary honor and opportunity for Chinese to be able to travel overseas and even more so to perform in front of “the leader of the free world”. Jet Li was still just a teenager at the time!
His abilities and achievements as a Wushu forms practitioner paved the way for Jet Li’s acting in martial arts movies that started in China, then Hong Kong and ultimately the United States. He has become a global superstar throughout the years.
You might have seen him in some of his movies such as:
Shaolin Temple
Once Upon A Time In China
Lethal Weapon 4 (This was the first time I had ever seen Jet Li and I was impressed!)
Romeo Must Die
Hero
Cradle 2 The Grave
Fearless
War (with Jason Statham)
The Forbidden Kingdom (with fellow superstar Jackie Chan)
I have learned that Jet Li is a cast member along with Sylvester Stallone, Dolph Lundgren, Jason Staham, Arnold Schwarzenegger to star in “The Expendables” which is scheduled to be released in 2010. More on that at a later date.
But there is also another side to Jet Li such as his charitable activities, notably after his near-death experience in 2004 in the Maldives during a tsunami.
Reportedly, Jet Li’s “The One Foundation” supports international disaster relief efforts with the Red Cross and other efforts, such as recovery in the 2008 Sichuan earthquake.
Jet Li continues to impress on and off the big screen.
Here he is at age 14 performing Wushu form for his first championship:
And who doesn’t remember Jet Li as the bad guy in Lethal Weapon 4?
My Interview With Jackie Chan
“Nei ho. Nei ho ma?”
I am just warming up to greet Mr. Jackie Chan in Cantonese for our interview over lunch in his hometown, also known as Hong Kong, The City of Life.
And you already know from a recent post on October 27 that I have been quite fond of Hong Kong.
Let me re-phrase that: I just love the place!
I will try to be as concise as humanly possible:
Staying at The Royal Garden Hotel at TST (Tsim Sha Tsui) Kowloon means that I just have to walk over to the Star Ferry Terminal and hop on the ferry for a short ride over to Central on Hong Kong Island. This is very cool!
The people of Hong Kong dine on Dim Sum and because nothing conveys a sense of Chinese life more vividly than a visit to a crowded, lively Cantonese restaurant. That’s what it’s going to be. That’s what it has to be.
Let’s check out Frommer’s recommendation:
The Luk Yu Tea House, that first opened in 1933 and that is famous for its Dim Sum.
Their quaint ceiling fans, spittoons, and wooden booths evoke a 1930s ambience.
Everyday packed with regular customers, it’s hard to find an empty seat here, but I have no doubt that there’s always a table for Jackie Chan and a guest.
So I get there on time or better shortly before our scheduled interview and would you believe it, they simply don’t believe that I actually have a lunch appointment with Hong Kong’s favourite son.
Can we even call him that?
Now, why won’t they believe me? Hmm, let me think.
I get over it within not more than a micro-second, because I know that I am scheduled to meet Mr. Jackie Chan alias Chan Kong Sang which happens to mean “born in Hong Kong”.
And there he comes already and even though we haven’t met before in person he somehow knows that I am The Martial Arts Reporter. And no, not because I am wearing some funny flower in the button-hole of my blazer to get his attention.
It’s gotta be the positive energy, man.
I have been looking forward to this opportunity for some time now and my famous interviewee can sense it.
The initial welcome is very sincere and I must say, it feels like we have known each other ever since we were kids. Odd, isn’t it?
“Nei ho. Nei ho ma?”
And of course, Jackie is impressed with my absolutely accent-free pronunciation and he responds in absolutely accent-free Cantonese himself. Why am I not surprised?
He is throwing all this Cantonese at me that my head starts to spin, so I politely ask him if it would be alright to switch over to English.
That’s quite fine with him, he says.
He just thought that I actually spoke Cantonese and I just thought I would try to impress him with a couple of words. We get a good laugh over that one.
Now, in the meantime the word has spread that The Martial Arts Reporter is in house. Or is it because superstar Jackie Chan is in house? We’ll never know for sure.
Anyway, they have to close off the entrance to the restaurant to avoid the masses to swarm inside and create total chaos.
And believe me, it’s already pretty crowded in th Luk Yu Tea House.
The owners themselves show us to our booth and the waitress immediately brings us some Jasmine tea, which just happens to be one of my favorites. This is turning out to be an awesome day. Can you feel it?
We find ourselves in an energetic place where we can feast on spring rolls, steamed dumplings, and other delicacies served in bamboo steamers. And it all tastes great!
So, here I am sitting with Jackie Chan and I remind myself that I want to ask him just a handful of questions that go a bit deeper than just touch the surface. You know what I’m saying.
There is hardly a corner left in the world that hasn’t heard of Jackie Chan. The martial artist, actor, action choreographer, filmmaker, comedian, producer, screenwriter, philanthropist, entrepreneur, singer and stunt performer.
In his movies, he consistently sets the bar higher for his acrobatic fighting style, comic timing, use of improvised weapons and innovative stunts.
He has come a long way since his early days as a stunt performer in the Bruce Lee movies “Fist of Fury” and “Enter The Dragon”.
Jackie Chan has been able to carve out his own personal niche and has created a global fan base that is nothing short of mindboggling.
But I do not want to rehash the stuff that we all know about him in this unique encounter.
I would like to ask Jackie Chan in person and uncensored:
“What do you consider your greatest personal accomplishment and what are you most proud of so far?”
“If you had start all over and let’s remember that you started your movie career at a very young age, what would you do different, if at all?”
“What does your perfect day look like?”
“There are certainly many people who would love to meet you. Who would you like sit down with?”
“If you do have something like a so-called “bucket list”, can you share what’s on it?”
“You have probably heard of The Bigger The Why, The Easier The How, you make things look easy, even though you still work harder than most, what is your Why or Life’s Purpose?”
“If you would want to be asked just one question by an interviewer, what would that question be?”
I am pretty sure this is what my perfect interview on my perfect day with Jackie Chan would look like if I ever get the opportunity to sit down with him over Dim Sum.
Trust me, I am ready and I am looking forward to it!
A Tribute To The Godfather Of Grappling, “Judo” Gene Lebell
It’s about time for a tribute to The Godfather Of Grappling, “Judo” Gene Lebell!
In case of an emergency, people normally call ‘911′. Right?!
Well, when seasoned martial arts and wrestling greats such as Bruce Lee, Ed Parker,
Chuck Norris, Bob Wall, Ken Shamrock, Benny “The Jet” Urquidez, The Rock, Gokor
“Armenian Assassin” Chivichyan and many many more needed grappling advice and
training, guess who they called?
You guessed right, “Judo” Gene Lebell.
In 1954, as a twenty-two year old judoka, Master Gene accomplished something
at the National Judo Championships in Japan nobody had done before:
He won the Heavyweight Title as the first non-Japanese weighing only 165 lbs.!
Master Gene repeated this extraordinary acomplishment the next year.
All while competing in a pink judo gi. So what’s with funky colored gi?
I’m glad you asked.
When Master Gene was in Japan the first time, the laundry service cleaning his gi
messed up big time by somehow throwing in red clothing and so turning his white gi
into the now infamous pink.
Master Gene had no choice but to compete in pink. The Japanese were outraged,
because they considered it disrespectful. Traditions can be very strong.
Master Gene prevailed and the pink gi has been his trademark ever since.
So, when looking around a dojo you knew that dangerous guy was always the one wearing pink.
For years he continued to successfully compete in the Judo and Pro-Wrestling.
His proven skills have helped him in stunt-work in literally hundreds of movies
along side with celebrities such as Elvis Presley, Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan.
Master Gene continues to share his vast knowledge in Los Angeles and at seminars
around the country such as the Paradise Warrior Retreat with other martial arts legends.
Master Gene is certainly not your typical 77-year old.
He’s as sharp as a tack and as witty as they come. And he owns the mat.
And what’s absolutely amazing: His sleeper choke keeps on putting people to sleep within seconds.
Nobody does it better!
Or as the famous saying goes, “When in doubt, choke him out.”
Let me know if any of you have met “Judo” Gene Lebell in person.
Fighting Legend Benny “The Jet” Urquidez Offers Great Advice
Here’s another real treat for you!
Fighting Legend Benny “The Jet” Urquidez offers great advice to any serious
martial artist.
For those of you who don’t remember or who have never heard of “The Jet”:
Benny Urquidez was a true force in professional full-contact kick-boxing,
especially in the 70s. His record was something like 58 wins – 0 losses!
He even fought the toughest fighters in Thailand and Japan at their own
rules and walked away victoriously.
What I didn’t know until recently, was that “The Jet” has actually been
a Mixed Martial Artist for the longest time and living up to one of his
own principles:
Keep an open mind and apply what works.
After ending one of the most successful professional careers ever,
Benny Urquidez has been teaching here in the U.S. and overseas.
Besides teaching, “The Jet” has appeared in a number of movies,
starring with big names such as John Cusack, Jackie Chan, Joe
Lewis, Shannon Lee (daughter of the legendary Bruce Lee!).
Still don’t believe me?
Check out this clip with “The Jet” and Jackie Chan. This is considered
by most the second-best movie fight of all times:
Further, his vast expertise as a fight scene choreographer is always
in demand in Tinseltown.
His fan base continues to grow even many years after leaving the
professional fighting circuit.
Listening to Master Benny “The Jet” Urquidez and applying what works
might just “jet” propel you, too.
Check it out and let me know what you think!
And don’t forget his must-have training manual:
Training and Fighting Skills
by Benny “The Jet” Urquidez
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