Martial Arts

This is Joshua in Chinese!

Most people that know me understand that the martial arts are a big part of my life.   I started getting interested in martial arts from watching movies.   My favorite being Bloodsport.   A couple martial art actors that I really like are Jackie Chan, Jet Li and Bolo Yeung.

I finally joined a martial arts club about 6 years ago at H.J. Karam's Karate Klub in New Philadelphia.   My teacher, H.J. Karam, taught mainly Tae Kwon Do but also blended in techniques from Karate and the grappling arts.

After about a year of training, I started to become involved in tournaments.   That's when I met Chuck Meese (don't forget to go to my friend's page to learn about him) and we trained very hard. After going to these tournaments, a whole new world opened up for me. I saw many different martial arts and for the first time saw the Chinese martial arts, or more well known as Kung-Fu.   I eventually found a teacher of Wushu who unfortunately lived about 2 1/2 hours away.  

 

Nick Gracenin doing straightsword

His name is Nick Gracenin and he has a school in Hermitage, PA. That's him on the left and right.   He's awesome! He is the best teacher in the world and I have learned so much from him.

After my second year of tournaments, I became #3 ranked in weapon forms, #5 in forms, and #11 in sparring in the nation in the Professional Karate Commission. I am very proud of my accomplishments but have so much farther to go.

 

Nick Gracenin doing Ba Gua

Then I found Coach Rick Jacobs after coming to Columbus to attend college. It was only a half hour drive and I enjoyed classes and practicing wushu again.

*NEWS* I've actually started wushu classes again. I was training under Coach Jacobs when he left to go train under his coach in California. So now a couple of fellow students and I are trying to setup the first wushu club at the Ohio State University. I really hope it goes through because I love wushu and love sharing it with all I can! I'm going to be putting up a webpage sometime which I will link on here when I get a chance.


Following is a partial listing of the awards I have won in tournaments I have participated in.   The first column is the year of the tournament; the second column is the name of the tournament; the third column is the place I received in each event; and the last column is the event I competed in.   Some are blank because I can't find what event I competed in.   Also, some tournaments are listed more than once for the same year.   That is because some tournaments had several competitions throughout the year.

1998 5th Annual All American Karate Nationals 3rd Place  
1998 6th Annual Eric Addessi Memorial State Tournament 1st Place  
1998 6th Annual Eric Addessi Memorial State Tournament 1st Place Forms
1998 6th Annual Eric Addessi Memorial State Tournament 2nd Place Sparring
1998 Annual All-American Karate Nationals 1st Place  
1998 PKC Buckeye Karate Classic Tournament 1st Place  
1998 PKC Buckeye Karate Classic Tournament 1st Place  
1998 USAWKF International Wushu-Kungfu Championships 1st Place Changquan
1998 USAWKF International Wushu-Kungfu Championships 3rd Place Short Weapons
1997 4th Annual All American Karate Nationals 1st Place  
1997 4th Annual All American Karate Nationals 1st Place  
1997 5th Annual Eric Addessi Memorial State Tournament 1st Place  
1997 5th Annual Eric Addessi Memorial State Tournament 1st Place  
1997 8th Annual "Karate Kids" Tournament 1st Place  
1997 8th Annual "Karate Kids" Tournament 2nd Place  
1997 American Warrior Martial Arts Tournament 1st Place Breaking
1997 American Warrior Martial Arts Tournament 1st Place Power Striking
1997 American Warrior Martial Arts Tournament 2nd Place Forms
1997 Annual All-American Karate Nationals 1st Place  
1997 Annual All-American Karate Nationals 2nd Place  
1997 Battle of Lake Erie Karate Championships 1st Place  
1997 Battle of Lake Erie Karate Championships 1st Place  
1997 H.J. Karam's Karate Championships 1st Place Weapons
1997 H.J. Karam's Karate Championships 1st Place Forms
1997 H.J. Karam's Karate Championships 1st Place Sparring
1997 Howard Brogan's 6th Annual USA Karate Player's Championships 1st Place  
1997 Howard Brogan's 6th Annual USA Karate Player's Championships 2nd Place  
1997 Howard Brogan's 6th Annual USA Karate Player's Championships 2nd Place  
1997 Land of Legend 1st Place  
1997 Land of Legend National Karate Championships 3rd Place  
1997 Northcoast National Karate Championships 2nd Place  
1997 Northcoast National Karate Championships 4th Place  
1997 PKC Grand Nationals Karate Tournament 3rd Place Forms
1997 PKC Grand Nationals Karate Tournament 3rd Place Weapons
1997 PKC Grand Nationals Karate Tournament 4th Place Sparring
1997 PKC Ohio State 1st Runner up   Forms
1997 PKC Ohio State Runner Up   Sparring
1997 Professional Karate Commission Title of PKC Ohio State Champion Weapons
1996 American Warrior Martial Arts Tournament (August) 1st Place Weapons
1996 American Warrior Martial Arts Tournament (August) 1st Place Sparring
1996 American Warrior Martial Arts Tournament (August) 1st Place Power Striking
1996 American Warrior Martial Arts Tournament (August) 2nd Place Forms
1996 American Warrior Martial Arts Tournament (June) 1st Place Weapons
1996 American Warrior Martial Arts Tournament (June) 1st Place Sparring
1996 American Warrior Martial Arts Tournament (June) 1st Place Breaking
1996 American Warrior Martial Arts Tournament (June) 1st Place Forms
1996 American Warrior Martial Arts Tournament (June) 1st Place Power Striking
1996 American Warrior Martial Arts Tournament (September) 1st Place Weapons
1996 American Warrior Martial Arts Tournament (September) 1st Place Forms
1996 American Warrior Martial Arts Tournament (September) 1st Place Breaking
1996 American Warrior Martial Arts Tournament (September) 1st Place Power Striking
1996 American Warrior Martial Arts Tournament (September) 3rd Place Sparring
1996 Battle of the Northcoast Karate Championships 1st Place Breaking
1996 Battle of the Northcoast Karate Championships 1st Place Forms
1996 Battle of the Northcoast Karate Championships 1st Place Sparring
1996 Battle of the Northcoast Karate Championships 2nd Place Weapons
1996 Clash of Champions 1st Place  
1996 Clash of Champions 2nd Place  
1996 H.J. Karam's Karate Championships 1st Place Forms
1996 H.J. Karam's Karate Championships 1st Place Forms
1996 H.J. Karam's Karate Championships 1st Place Forms
1996 H.J. Karam's Karate Championships 1st Place Sparring
1996 H.J. Karam's Karate Championships 1st Place Sparring
1996 H.J. Karam's Karate Championships 1st Place Weapons
1996 Karate Kid Championships 2nd Place  
1996 Karate Kid Championships 3rd Place  
1996 Land of Legend National Karate Championships 2nd Place  
1996 Land of Legend National Karate Championships 3rd Place  
1996 Northcoast National Karate Championships 1st Place  
1996 Northcoast National Karate Championships 1st Place  
1996 Northcoast National Karate Championships 1st Place  
1996 PKC Semifinals 1st Place  
1996 PKC Semifinals 2nd Place  
1995 H.J. Karam's Karate Championships 1st Place Weapons
1995 H.J. Karam's Karate Championships 1st Place Forms
11th Annual Mid Ohio Martial Arts Open 1st Place Weapons
Clash of Champions Grand Champion  
Tom Smith's Eastern USA Championships 1st Place  
Tom Smith's Eastern USA Championships 2nd Place  
Tom Smith's Eastern USA Championships 3rd Place  
Wu Tang Chinese Martial Arts Tournament 3rd Place  
Wu Tang Chinese Martial Arts Tournament 3rd Place  
     
Totals:    
1st Place 53  
2nd Place 15  
3rd Place 9  
4th Place 2  

Zhao Changjun

This is an image of Zhao Changjun, my favorite martial artist of all time.   He is the very best wushu competitor ever .... at least I think so!

Various pictures of Yuen Wen Ching

Here's some pictures of Yuen Wen Ching.   He's one of the best wushu athletes ever seen.  I still like Zhao Changjun better!


Well that's about it for now.   I might get a few poses of me up in here so check back.   You might also check out these pages or email me if you are still interested in learning more about wushu and the martial arts.

First of all you have to see Nick Gracenin's Page, it's not much but he is cool so go there!

And then of course the webpage for Midwest Martial Arts (Rick Jacobs).

Also you need to visit Raffi's page, the best wushu information page around!   Lots of good stuff at his page!