One of the most important episodes of "Martial Arts odyssey": Antonio spent 18 months in Cambodia trying to find even one surviving master of the Cambodian martial art of Bokator. Watch Part 1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gobc3zSjXZU Watch part 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBwvwThib5s His search eventually lead him to Grand Master San Kim Saen whose story of courage […]
Old School Taiwan – Part 1 In a small gym, in Tainan, Taiwan, Host Antonio Graceffo meets 62 year-old Chen Ging Hway a former champion of boxing and San Da (Chinese kickboxing). He teaches Antonio some old-school professional fighting and tells stories about the early days of Syo Bodji, free fighting, in Taiwan. Still active, […]
Using martial arts to educate the world about the plight of the Shan people of Burma. A lot of fight fans don’t get very involved with international politics. Hopefully featuring the Kung Fu of the Shan people will help call attention to the genocide in Burma. Inside the war zone of Burma, under protection of […]
In the war zone of Burma, Antonio Graceffo meets Mater Kawn Zanie, a legendary, undisputed master of Lai Tai, Shan Kung Fu, a soldier with decades of combat experience who often goes out on patrols armed only with Shan double swords, and no gun. The Shan have been fighting a defense war against genocide and […]
A detailed explanation of the practical fighting program: Teaching basic hand-to-hand fighting skills to soldiers, Host Antonio Graceffo goes back into the war zone of Burma, with the Shan State Army, a rebel group, protecting the Shan people from genocide committed by the Burmese government. Practical fighting is a basic program of 18 strikes, beginning […]
Watch it for free on YouTube This is a look into the new web TV show, “Martial Arts Odyssey” hosted by Antonio Graceffo. In this short overview, Antonio explains how the show came about and what the basic premise is. Host Antonio Graceffo has been living in various countries in Asia, studying martial arts, for […]
Since the launch of my web TV show, “Martial Arts Odyssey,” more than 18 months ago, I have received a lot of email asking about Khmer and Thai martial arts, what they are, and which is better. This is just a brief overview to help people understand the martial arts of Cambodia and Thailand. You […]
“You can gain extra power on your kicks by throwing your kicking arm down, but you need to protect your face with a cross arm defense.” Explained Adjarn Ngern, at the national kick boxing stadium in Vientiane, Lao. In Tae Kwan Do and a lot of other kicking arts, the right hand comes down when […]
In the world of professional sports, politicians have long learned that great athletes make great PR. Basketball player Yao Ming is probably the first Chinese national to become a household name. Paradorn brought a lot of positive media attention to Thailand. And, you would have to go into the deepest regions of a remote jungle […]
In 2003, Antonio Graceffo went to Thailand to find a Buddhist monk, named Prah Kruh Ba, a former professional Muay Thai fighter, who lives in a jungle monastery on the Burmese border, where he takes in tribal kids, orphaned by the war in Burma. Antonio cut the Kruh Bah story out of a Taiwanese newspaper, […]