Wu Quanyou (1834–1902), or Wu Ch'uan-yu as he was also known was a t’ai chi ch’uan  master from China. He taught many great exponents of the art including his son, Wu Chien-ch'uan who created the Wudang style of t'ai chi ch'uan, and Maozhai who was the creator of the Northern Wu Style Wang. Wu Quanyou is believed to have had great abilities; in particular he excelled in skills that involved neutralizing hard external energy and developing the flow of soft internal energy (chi).

More leg...
Continue reading ...

Prince Narusuan was a key figure in the development of the martial arts in Thailand (formerly Siam). In c. 1585, Narusuan succeeded in reorganizing a defeated Thai army. He made sure his men all learned martial arts leading to successful campaigns against the Burmese soldiers who had occupied the country since 1568.

Then, in a dramatic final showdown, he faced the leader of the Burmese army in open battle, both on the backs of war elephants. After a violent fight, Narusuan’s martial arts sk...
Continue reading ...

Nai Khanom Tom is a Muay Thai boxing legend of the highest calibre. Known as the ‘Father of Muay Thai’, Nai Khanom Tom was taken prisoner along with thousands of his countrymen when the capital Ayutthaya fell in 1767 to the Burmese. In 1774, a great festival was held by the King of Burma and as part of the celebrations, Nai Khanom Tom, still a prisoner of war, was to fight ten of the king’s men in a row.

After dispatching each of them, the Thai boxer became a legend and was rewarded wi...
Continue reading ...