Authors List
YMAA Publication Center Authors
Here you may read more about the YMAA authors, who are listed in alphabetical order. These exceptional writers offer their expertise and a wealth of information across a wide range of subjects: Chinese Martial Arts such as Kung Fu and Taijiquan, the Healing Arts of Qigong and Massage, Japanese Karate, Korean Taekwondo, Meditation, Chin Na grappling, and many others.
Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming
Yang, Jwing-Ming Ph.D., is a renowned author and teacher of Chinese martial arts and Qigong. Born in Taiwan, he has trained and taught Taijiquan, Qigong and Chinese martial arts for over forty-five years. He is the author of over thirty books, and was elected by Inside Kung Fu magazine as one of the 10 people who has "made the greatest impact on martial arts in the past 100 years." Dr. Yang lives in Newton, Massachusetts.
Liang, Shou-Yu
Liang, Shou-Yu was born on June 28, 1943 in the city of Chongqian, Sichuan Province, China. When he was six he began his training in Qigong, the art of breathing and internal energy control, under the tutelage of his renowned grandfather, the late Liang, Zhi-Xiang. Mr. Liang was taught the esoteric skills of the Emei Mountain sect, including Da Peng Qigong. When he was eight, his grandfather made special arrangements for him to begin training Emei Wushu (martial arts).
Al Arsenault
Al began his pursuit of the ways of pugilism in 1971, obtaining black belts in Okinawan, Japanese, and Chinese martial arts. He was a highly-decorated member of the Vancouver Police Department (VPD) from 1979-2006, where he assisted in the training and education of its members in control tactics and non-firearm weaponry. He currently trains in, and helps to teach, Judo at the VPD Judo Club.
Arthur Rosenfeld
Arthur Rosenfeld is a martial arts teacher, writer, speaker, and coach. His martial arts training spans more than twenty-six years, and includes instruction in Tang Soo Do, Kenpo, Kung Fu, and Tai Chi Ch'uan.
Darrell Craig
Darrell Max Craig is a highly regarded teacher of many of Japanese martial arts, and a pioneer in their development in the West for over forty years. He holds multiple black belts and is a U.S. Kendo champion, leading the U.S. Kendo team to the world championships. In 1973 he was awarded the title of Shihan, or Master Teacher. Among his many books on the subject is the widely praised The Heart of Kendo. He lives in Houston, Texas.
David Silver
David Silver has had a lifelong interest in meditation, and began training Gojū Ryu Karate at age 11. He studied Taijiquan, Qigong, and Yoga in his 20's, and became certified to teach Qigong by Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming in 2006. David works as a writer, producer, and director of instructional martial arts and health books and DVDs. He is the co-writer of the books and DVDs Sunrise Tai Chi, Tai Chi Energy Patterns, and Sunset Tai Chi. David lives on Cape Cod, MA.
Doug Cook
Doug Cook holds a 5th Dan Black Belt in the Korean martial art of taekwondo and is certified as an instructor and in rank by the United States Taekwondo Association and the Kukkiwon. After training in Korea on several occasions, he went on to become a six-time gold medalist in the New York State Championships and the New York State Governor’s Cup Competitions. He holds a D3 status as a US Referee and has received high honors from Korea in the form of a “Letter of Appreciation” signed by World Taekwondo Federation president, Dr. Un Yong Kim. In 2003 Mr. Cook was awarded the Medal of Special Recognition from the Moo Duk Kwan in Seoul, South Korea. His earlier book Taekwondo, Ancient Wisdom for the Modern Warrior has become recommended reading in Taekwondo Schools worldwide. Doug resides in Warwick, New York.
Dr. Aihan Kuhn CMD
Aihan Kuhn, C.M.D., is a Chinese medical doctor trained in both Western and Traditional Chinese Medicine. She is a graduate of the Hunan Medical University, Changsha China. In China, Dr. Kuhn practiced OB/GYN in Chinese hospitals (1983-1988), studied Tai Chi and Chi Kung (since 1978) and returns each year to advance her training in both Traditional Chinese Medicine and martial arts.
Dr. Bin Jiang Wu
Dr. Bin Jiang Wu has been studying TCM since childhood under the tutelage of TCM Doctors in his family. He obtained his Doctor of Medicine from Heilongjian University (1983), a Master of Medicine and Qigong from the China Academy of TCM, Beijing (1988). He is currently the President of the Ontario College of TCM, Toronto Ont. Canada. Dr. Wu resides in Toronto.
F J Chu
F.J. Chu, born in Taiwan, ROC, is a certified black belt instructor in Kenpo Karate. Over the past twenty-five years, he has also trained in Fu Jow Pai Kung Fu, Aikido and Tai Chi Chuan.
Frank Thiboutot
Frank Thiboutot, the original creator of Cardio Kickboxing, has three decades of experience involving every aspect of the martial arts. He began boxing in high school in 1966 and began training in the martial arts in 1969. Frank taught karate at the University of Southern Maine in 1970 and at the University of Kabul in Afghanistan in 1973 as a Peace Corps Volunteer. Later, from 1974-76, Frank studied Taekwondo while serving another two years in the Peace Corps in South Korea.
George A. Katchmer
George Katchmer, Jr. is a longtime Qigong practitioner, martial artist, and practicing Buddhist. Mr. Katchmer has a B.A. in Philosophy from Villonova University and a B.A. in Divinity from United Theological Seminary.He is a student of Master Hiroshi Tajima at the U.S. Headquarters of Genwakai Karate in Dayton and a member of Karma Thegsum Choling, Buddhist Temple in Columbus, Ohio.
Gin-Foon Mark
Gin Foon Mark was born in 1927 in Toison, China, a small village near Canton (Guandong). At the age of five he began his studies in the art of Gongfu, under the supervision of his uncle Kong Boon Fu, a 4th generation master of White Crane Gongfu. His grandfather, who was also a master, tutored him in their family style known as Mok Gar (Mark Style) Gongfu.
Hong-Chao Zhang
Hong-Chao Zhang was born on December 20, 1954, in Lankao County, Henan Province, the People's Republic of China. He began learning Wushu (Chinese Martial Arts) from Grandmaster Niansheng Wu in his hometown when he was a young boy. From 1971 to 1974, he learned Traditional Chinese Medicine, Acupuncture and Massage at Gaozhuang Hospital in Yangchen County.
Jeffrey Bolt
Tournament promoter and Vice President of the USA Wushu Kungfu Federation.
Joeseph Faulise
Mr. Faulise has been training and has had an interest in the martial arts since the age of thirteen. He began training in 1973, when he was encouraged by his mother to try out for the wrestling team at school. He learned that the coach also owned a judo school and began training there as well. He did wrestling in the winter months and judo in the summer months until 1977.
John Loupos
Sifu John Loupos, M.S.Psych, began studying martial arts in 1966. As a young teen, John inherited a school of his own and has been teaching martial arts ever since. His studies include Okinawan Karate, Chinese Kung Fu ( Bak Sil Lum, Choy Lay Fut, and Praying Mantis), Yang style T'ai Chi Chuan (108 move set), Liu He Ba Fa, Xingyi, and Bagua, and various Ch'i Kung and energy oriented meditation disciplines. John also has a background in Classical Homeopathy and currently maintains a private clinical practice in Hanna Somatics.
Kathy K. Yang
Kathy K. Yang, daughter of Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming, has trained under the supervision of her father since the age of six. She is a three-time grand champion of both external and internal martial arts in the United States, and she is currently teaching in Europe.
Kris Wilder
Kris Wilder began his martial arts training in 1976 in the art of Tae Kwon Do, he has earned black belt-level ranks in three arts: Tae Kwon Do (2nd Degree), Kodokan Judo (1st Degree) and Goju-Ryu Karate (4th Degree), which he teaches at the West Seattle Karate Academy.
Lawrence A. Kane
Lawrence Kane is the author of Surviving Armed Assaults and Martial Arts Instruction, as well as co-author of The Way of Kata and The Way to Black Belt. He has also published numerous articles about teaching, martial arts, and countervailing force. Over the last 30 years he has studied and taught a wide variety of martial arts including Goju Ryu karate, kobudo, medieval weapons forms, and close-quarters combat (e.g., knife, gun). Working stadium security he has been involved in hundreds of armed and unarmed confrontations. Lawrence lives in Seattle, WA.
Master Ren GuangYi
At age 16, Ren GuangYi moved to Chen Village, the origin of Chen Taijiquan, where he trained daily for 10 years. In 1991, Ren founded the International Chen Style Taijiquan Association to promote the teaching and practice of Taijiquan, offering group and private classes in America. He is the author of several videos and publications, and worked as the martial arts choreographer on the groundbreaking Darren Aronofsky film The Fountain (2006).
Michael Gilman
Michael Gilman, a long time teacher in the human potential movement, was born in San Francisco, California in 1943. After graduating from the University of Arizona with a degree in Theatre Arts, he worked as a television director, actor, and dancer. Mr. Gilman began his studies of Tai Chi Chuan in 1968 with Master Choy Kam-Man in San Francisco. Master Choy's father, Choy Hok Peng, a long time student of Yang Chen Fu, is credited with introducing Tai Chi to America in the 1940's. END
Michael Rosenbaum
Michael J. Rosenbaum was born on May 12, 1961 in Knoxville, Tennessee. He started his martial arts training at the age of five when his father instructed him in both Judo and Boxing. At the age of fifteen, he began studying Isshin Ryu Karate and by the time of his seventeenth birthday he had been introduced to the Burmese fighting art of Bando. At the age of eighteen Michael enlisted in the U.S. Army.
Paul Dillon
Paul Dillon was born in Montgomery, West Virginia. He attended West Virginia Institute of Technology, majoring in Printing Management. His Chinese studies were at The College of Far Eastern Languages / Yale University.
Qingshan Liu
Following his family's tradition, Qingshan Liu has practiced Qigong and Taijiquan since his childhood. He learned this thousand year old art from several famous masters in China and was acknowledged as a master, even as a youth, after he successfully passed rigorous exams. Liu studied modern Western Medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine, including acupuncture, acupressure, and Tuina-Anmo therapeutic massage at the Beijing Union Medical College in China.
Ramel Rones
A senior disciple of renowned teacher & author Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming, PhD in Boston, MA, Ramel is a Gold medalist in Internal and External Martial Arts: Three-Time Gold Medalist in Shanghai China, for Tai Chi, External & Internal Weapons (Grand National Championship 1994) & Gold Medalist for Tai Chi & Kung Fu Sword, 1994. From 1991-1993, Ramel earned Gold Medals for Tai Chi, Pushing Hands and Tai Chi Sword in the International North American Chinese Martial Arts Competition.
Richard Chun
Richard Chun began studying Taekwondo at the age of 11 under two highly respected teachers in Seoul, Korea: Chong Soo Hong and Ki Whang Kim. He progressed to 9th Dan by Kukkiwon (World Taekwondo Federation) and Moo Duk Kwan after more than fifty years of study, establishing him as one of the highest ranking master instructors in the United States. (9th Dan by Kukkiwon in 1989 and by Moo Duk Kwan in 1981).
Robert Chuckrow
Robert Chuckrow has been a Taiji practitioner since 1970 and has studied Taiji under the late Cheng Man-ch’ing, William C. C. Chen, and Harvey I. Sober. He has taught Taiji extensively and has written four other books. He currently teaches Taiji in Westchester, NY.
Rory Miller
In the course of a week almost everything in my biography is wrong. I’m no longer a tactical team leader, no longer a sergeant working for a corrections agency in the northwest. Just Rory Miller, citizen. Citizen on his way to Iraq. To teach what I have been doing for the last seventeen years in a new place, a new culture, with a new language barrier. I’ve been stuck for a couple of years wondering what the next steps were on my path. This looks like it. This will be very cool.
Tai Ngo
Tai D. Ngo is a two-time Internal Style U.S. Grand Champion and martial arts instructor. A student of Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming and Master Liang, Mr. Ngo lives in Malden, Massachusetts.
Tom Seabourne
Tom Seabourne, Ph.D. has been a two-time All-American member of the United States Taekwondo Team and a National International AAU Taekwondo Champion. He was an ESPN Professional Karate Association full-contact karate winner, varsity tennis player at Penn State, and a USPTA tennis pro. Dr. Seabourne currently holds 4 ultra-distance cycling World Records.
Walton Lee
Walton C. Lee, born in Taipei, Taiwan (the democratic China) is very fond of Chinese history and literature. A naturalized American citizen, he is a graduate of San Francisco State University. His goal is to introduce sophisticated Chinese culture to Western readers. Mr. Lee lives in El Cerrito, California.
Wen-Ching Wu
Wen-Ching Wu was born in Taiwan, China in 1964. He loved Wushu and many othe sports since a young age. During high school he was on the school's basketball an softball teams. He graduated from high school as a salutatorian. He came to the U.S. in 1983 to study Mechanical Engineering and in 1988, he graduated with honors from Northeastern University, with a BSME degree.
Xu Xiangcai
Xu Xiangcai, was born in 1943 in a small village on the banks of the Yellow River near the city of Jinan, the capital of Shandong province of China. During his childhood, he lived a poor life but had a very rich mind. Once he was asked what do he wanted to do when he grew up. 'Something unusual!' was his answer.
Yanling Lee Johnson
Born in Beijing, China, November 1944, Yanling first became interested in Herbs and Qigong at the age of three, watching her uncle treat his patients using herbs and Acupuncture. Her whole childhood, in fact, was spent in the Chinese Qigong community, bearing witness to people around her using Qigong and herbs to heal their internal and external illness, all the while reading and practicing on her own.
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