Resources

Websites

Cuong Nhu Martial Arts Association:  Learn more about our style, Cuong Nhu, and join the association.  Members of the Cuong Nhu Martial Arts Association have access to lots of supporting materials including videos, curriculum support, online articles and guides, community forums and more.

Redwood Heights Community Center:  Our classes are located here.  To learn more about the facility and other programs offered here, visit their website.

Books

These books are a great resource to supplement your in-class training.  They are available for purchase through the instructor.

The Kids’ Karate Workbook: A Take-Home Training Guide for Young Martial Artists

Author Didi Goodman, founder of Redwood Dojo

The Kids’ Karate Workbook is an engaging workbook meant to be used at home by young people who want to supplement their regular Karate training. Drawing on the author’s more than 20 years of experience teaching martial arts to children, the book offers a step-by-step curriculum that traces a typical journey from first-day beginner to intermediate-level student.

Along the way, kids learn about uniforms and etiquette; practice the most frequently used strikes, kicks, blocks, and forms; and unlock the basics of martial arts physics. The curriculum is highly interactive, inviting readers to answer questions and solve puzzles. It also highlights common mistakes to avoid, answers frequently asked questions, and points the way to a deeper understanding of martial arts. The easy-to-follow text is accompanied by 150 illustrations depicting the author’s own Redwood Dojo students—real kids who are also serious martial artists. While written for youngsters, the book is equally useful for parents who want to assist in practicing at home, as well as instructors who teach children.

The Art and Science of Staff Fighting: A Complete Instructional Guide

Author Joe Varady, Sixth Degree Master in Cuong Nhu

This book stands apart from other staff training manuals. While most titles focus on forms and twirling, The Art and Science of Staff Fighting emphasizes the dynamics of combat. The author draws on thirty years of martial experience, presenting the best of both Eastern and Western traditions.

Joe Varady lays out a comprehensive course of study in nine levels, from beginner to expert. He guides readers through such fundamentals as stances, striking, blocking, and footwork. In advanced lessons, readers learn disarming techniques, groundwork, and facing multiple opponents. But this book is not just for staff enthusiasts. Even those unfamiliar with martial arts can adapt these techniques, increasing their skill and confidence in defending themselves.

“Our environment is usually full of improvised weapons,” Varady writes. “Staff fighting techniques can be effectively applied in a self-defense situation using a walking stick, coatrack, curtain rod, floor lamp, hockey stick, fallen tree branch, broom, mop, shovel, or rake.” Equipped with this knowledge, readers will begin to realize that, in one way or another, they are nearly always armed—and capable of defending themselves.