Working The Way: Martial Artists on Their Career Journeys

By Lily Chou, Vera Chan, Patrick Chew

WORKING THE WAY is a collection of essays from teachers and journalists, from doctors and engineers--all senior ranking martial artists from a single martial arts program. The University of California Martial Arts Program (UCMAP), headquartered at the University of California Berkeley campus for more than a half century, is the only program in the United States to house six arts under its umbrella: Judo, Karate, Taekwondo, Taiji, Wushu, and Youngmudo. UCMAP's phenomenal success rests on a number of factors, but it was fueled by the passion and vision of its founder, Dr. Kyung Ho Ken Min. He fought in the Korean war and earned his Ph.D. in physical education while teaching martial arts throughout 1960s America to men and women alike. This ambassadorial approach also contributed to building martial arts on a global stage, including Taekwondo as an Olympic sport. The diverse career paths of UCMAP students have been remarkable, from anthropology to mechanical engineering, journalism to optometry, Asian American studies to political science. Martial arts often serves as an athletic and mental outlet beyond the grueling demands of graduate research and field work. These essays, some written during the 2020 pandemic that shut down physical contact for the foreseeable future, reflect on how martial arts shaped their career journeys -- as well as their cultural perspective, intellectual resilience and deep kinship.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0CPVKLFSR
• ISBN13: 9798870009872
• Release Date: December 2023
• Publisher: Independently published
• Length: 316 Pages
• Weight: 1.20 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.0" x 0.8" x 6.0"