Latest news with #martialArts
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Yahoo
California teenage girl fends off attacker by using jiu-jitsu
A 13-year-old California girl is reminding the public that knowing self-defense can save one's life after she reportedly used her martial arts training to fend off a stranger who tried to assault her – breaking the grown man's ankle in the process. The girl, whose name has not been widely shared, recently had to fight to protect herself three years since she began attending jiu-jitsu classes in Carmel, California, about 75 miles (120km) from San Jose, the local news station KSBW reported. Her jiu-jitsu instructor, Michael Blackburn, told the outlet that the teen was walking home from school on 6 May when a man she did not know stepped out from between two parked cars and tried 'to punch her in the face'. The girl immediately turned to her training to defend herself, as Blackburn put it. 'She punched him, she … got him in a headlock, kneed him a couple of times, spun him around, threw him on the ground,' said Blackburn, who teaches jiu-jitsu at the Carmel Youth Center. 'And she had stepped on his foot doing all this – and when she threw him to the ground, she broke his ankle.' The girl managed to run home safely. Meanwhile, her assailant fled. Police were not immediately able to identify a suspect in the foiled attack – and asked anyone in the quaint beach community with a population of about 3,100 to come forward if they had potentially helpful information. 'We're doing everything we can to figure out who this person [is who] is responsible for what happened,' the local police department commander, Todd Trayer, told KSBW. Trayer added that investigators surmise the man may have been under the influence of an intoxicant or 'dealing with some other personal issues'. Blackburn, for his part, said it broke his heart that his student was forced to face down such danger. However, he said to KSBW, he was grateful his student had mastered how to protect herself with jiu-jitsu, a Japanese style of weaponless fighting that emphasizes subduing opponents with holds, throws and paralyzing strikes. 'We're proud of her, and she did exactly what she was supposed to do,' Blackburn said. 'You have to fight in class like you're going to protect yourself on the street.' The girl said she hopes her story inspires others to learn self-defense, according to KSBW. Meanwhile, though they were shocked that one of their own could endure such frightening circumstances, residents said they indeed found inspiration in the girl's bravery. 'I think it was amazing what she did,' longtime Carmel resident Richard Cushman said to KION, another local news outlet. 'It's fantastic, but it's horrible what happened.' The Carmel Youth Center's chief executive officer, Keith Padgett, added to KION that the girl had authored 'a great story of survival'. 'A young person taking charge of their life and not letting anything happen to them – it's a sad story but a great ending,' Padgett remarked.
The Guardian
25-05-2025
- The Guardian
California teenage girl fends off attacker by using jiu-jitsu
A 13-year-old California girl is reminding the public that knowing self-defense can save one's life after she reportedly used her martial arts training to fend off a stranger who tried to assault her – breaking the grown man's ankle in the process. The girl, whose name has not been widely shared, recently had to fight to protect herself three years since she began attending jiu-jitsu classes in Carmel, California, about 75 miles (120km) from San Jose, the local news station KSBW reported. Her jiu-jitsu instructor, Michael Blackburn, told the outlet that the teen was walking home from school on 6 May when a man she did not know stepped out from between two parked cars and tried 'to punch her in the face'. The girl immediately turned to her training to defend herself, as Blackburn put it. 'She punched him, she … got him in a headlock, kneed him a couple of times, spun him around, threw him on the ground,' said Blackburn, who teaches jiu-jitsu at the Carmel Youth Center. 'And she had stepped on his foot doing all this – and when she threw him to the ground, she broke his ankle.' The girl managed to run home safely. Meanwhile, her assailant fled. Police were not immediately able to identify a suspect in the foiled attack – and asked anyone in the quaint beach community with a population of about 3,100 to come forward if they had potentially helpful information. 'We're doing everything we can to figure out who this person [is who] is responsible for what happened,' the local police department commander, Todd Trayer, told KSBW. Trayer added that investigators surmise the man may have been under the influence of an intoxicant or 'dealing with some other personal issues'. Blackburn, for his part, said it broke his heart that his student was forced to face down such danger. However, he said to KSBW, he was grateful his student had mastered how to protect herself with jiu-jitsu, a Japanese style of weaponless fighting that emphasizes subduing opponents with holds, throws and paralyzing strikes. 'We're proud of her, and she did exactly what she was supposed to do,' Blackburn said. 'You have to fight in class like you're going to protect yourself on the street.' The girl said she hopes her story inspires others to learn self-defense, according to KSBW. Meanwhile, though they were shocked that one of their own could endure such frightening circumstances, residents said they indeed found inspiration in the girl's bravery. 'I think it was amazing what she did,' longtime Carmel resident Richard Cushman said to KION, another local news outlet. 'It's fantastic, but it's horrible what happened.' The Carmel Youth Center's chief executive officer, Keith Padgett, added to KION that the girl had authored 'a great story of survival'. 'A young person taking charge of their life and not letting anything happen to them – it's a sad story but a great ending,' Padgett remarked.
South China Morning Post
19-05-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Chinese man trains rigorously in martial arts to compete in slap-fighting tournament
A man in China has attracted public attention for his rigorous training schedule as he prepares to take part in an international face slapping competition. Advertisement Zhao Honggang, 36, is honing his skills in Tongbeiquan, a traditional northern Chinese martial art known for its long-reaching strikes. His hard work comes ahead of a slap-fighting tournament in Japan during which he hopes to promote Chinese martial arts on the world stage. Martial artist and influencer Zhao was born in Gansu province, northwestern China and is now based in Beijing. Zhao Honggang trains by slapping down hard on a cushion ahead of the contest. Photo: Douyin He is the ninth-generation inheritor of the Qi family style, a branch of Tongbeiquan, a traditional Chinese martial art that dates back more than 2,000 years.
CNA
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CNA
Jackie Chan feels CGI stunts making audiences 'numb' to danger of filming action sequences
Jackie Chan fears that CGI stunts are desensitising viewers to the danger of action movies. The 71-year-old actor and martial artist has expressed misgivings about the computer wizardry involved in modern stunt work, as he feels it gives audiences a false impression of the risks involved in shooting such sequences. In an interview with luxury publication Haute Living, Chan explained: "In the old days, the only [choice we had] was to be there and jump, that's it." "Today, with computers, actors can do anything, but there's always a sense of reality that you feel is missing." The Rush Hour star added: "It's a double-edged sword. On one hand, actors become more and more capable of doing impossible stunts with the help of technology, and yet, on the other hand, the concept of danger and limit gets blurred and the audience is numb [to it]. "But I'm not encouraging anybody to risk their lives to do the stunts like I did. It truly is too dangerous." Having performed his own stunts throughout his career of more than 60 years, Chan has no intention of slowing down. "Of course, I always do my own stunts. It's who I am,' he said. "That's not changing until the day I retire, which is never! And to be honest, when you've done it for 64 years straight, there's no physical preparation anymore. Everything is in your heart and soul, it is muscle memory." While Chan is a legendary figure in the action genre, he has also expressed a strong desire to branch out into other genres, hoping to showcase his versatility beyond the action world. The Karate Kid: Legends actor said: "I want to do something outside of action. I want to be an actor who can handle different roles. I personally am very open to change. I want to do some new stuff, rather than staying in the action world. That's just not me, I'm always trying to break boundaries.' "Every filmmaker and actor, they want their own movies to be special and at the same time commercially successful. It's the same for me as well.' Reflecting on his career, Chan pointed out that commercial appeal has always been part of his approach, particularly when it comes to stunt choreography. "Most of the movies I made were commercial films, so it wasn't that much of a conflict. I would constantly brainstorm how to design an action sequence to make it more appealing to the audience,' he said. Chan adopts the philosophy of never being comfortable, both in life and his cinema work. "You can't make everyone satisfied and happy, so the only thing you can do is be true and honest to yourself,' he explained.
