News
Opinion
ENLARGE
INCLINE VILLAGE, Nev. — It happens every day — an elderly individual with a cane advances to the front of the line at the airport.
But Eric Stalloch knows some of those seniors aren't using the cane to help their walking: Their canes are for self-defense.
“Just seeing that cane, they got stereotyped into that group, ” Stalloch said. “They found it a little awkward and a little humorous, because they weren't carrying it for disability reasons.”
Stalloch operates the American Martial Arts Institute in New Hartford, N.Y. His school offers several programs involving a cane, including Cane-fu, a martial art developed by Incline Village resident Mark Shuey Sr. that utilizes a crook cane as a mechanism for self-defense. Shuey said the program builds strength and self-sufficiency in the elderly.
“I probably get a dozen calls a week from different health centers around the country wanting to start the Cane-fu program,” Shuey said.
Shuey, an Incline resident since 1977, is the CEO of Canemasters, which began as a cane manufacturing company but grew to include his self-defense techniques in the 1990s. Cane-fu became a recognized American martial art in 2001, and Shuey has received increasing media attention recently, including an appearance on Comedy Central's “The Colbert Report.”
The satirical news program hosted by comedic pundit Stephen Colbert, described Cane-fu as a method for seniors to take back the country, portraying Shuey as someone “going around the country teaching senior citizens how to kill with a cane.”
“It's actually pretty funny,” he said.
He was featured in the Wall Street Journal — “a shock,” he says — and he also appeared on CBS's The Early Show, a documentary on PBS called “Retirement Revolution” and on the CNN Health Channel.
As his self-defense programs are garnering more and more attention, Shuey has expanded his clientele, now training bodyguards and working with gun club members. Shuey said gun owners are looking for an alternative to using their guns, which the cane provides.
“It's already in their hand, so it's already locked and loaded,” he said.
And Shuey has started work on two foundations related to his work. The American Canemasters Foundation, scheduled to begin its work in a few months, will support disabled veterans, and the Cane-fu Foundation is scheduled to benefit senior citizens.
Stalloch said Shuey is dedicated to his work to help out seniors and the disabled.
“Grandmaster Shuey is the type of person who really cares about his community and the world,” Stalloch said.
Shuey said he hopes the foundations will benefit the elderly and disabled just as Cane-fu has, allowing those individuals to gain strength and confidence. He is now developing a Cane-fu physical therapy curriculum so the program can spread to more hospitals and health care centers in the U.S. and abroad.
“People walk in very skeptical, and within five or 10 minutes, they have a smile on their face,” Shuey said. “They have a whole new mindset.
“It could even save their life.”
But Eric Stalloch knows some of those seniors aren't using the cane to help their walking: Their canes are for self-defense.
“Just seeing that cane, they got stereotyped into that group, ” Stalloch said. “They found it a little awkward and a little humorous, because they weren't carrying it for disability reasons.”
Stalloch operates the American Martial Arts Institute in New Hartford, N.Y. His school offers several programs involving a cane, including Cane-fu, a martial art developed by Incline Village resident Mark Shuey Sr. that utilizes a crook cane as a mechanism for self-defense. Shuey said the program builds strength and self-sufficiency in the elderly.
“I probably get a dozen calls a week from different health centers around the country wanting to start the Cane-fu program,” Shuey said.
Shuey, an Incline resident since 1977, is the CEO of Canemasters, which began as a cane manufacturing company but grew to include his self-defense techniques in the 1990s. Cane-fu became a recognized American martial art in 2001, and Shuey has received increasing media attention recently, including an appearance on Comedy Central's “The Colbert Report.”
The satirical news program hosted by comedic pundit Stephen Colbert, described Cane-fu as a method for seniors to take back the country, portraying Shuey as someone “going around the country teaching senior citizens how to kill with a cane.”
“It's actually pretty funny,” he said.
He was featured in the Wall Street Journal — “a shock,” he says — and he also appeared on CBS's The Early Show, a documentary on PBS called “Retirement Revolution” and on the CNN Health Channel.
As his self-defense programs are garnering more and more attention, Shuey has expanded his clientele, now training bodyguards and working with gun club members. Shuey said gun owners are looking for an alternative to using their guns, which the cane provides.
“It's already in their hand, so it's already locked and loaded,” he said.
And Shuey has started work on two foundations related to his work. The American Canemasters Foundation, scheduled to begin its work in a few months, will support disabled veterans, and the Cane-fu Foundation is scheduled to benefit senior citizens.
Stalloch said Shuey is dedicated to his work to help out seniors and the disabled.
“Grandmaster Shuey is the type of person who really cares about his community and the world,” Stalloch said.
Shuey said he hopes the foundations will benefit the elderly and disabled just as Cane-fu has, allowing those individuals to gain strength and confidence. He is now developing a Cane-fu physical therapy curriculum so the program can spread to more hospitals and health care centers in the U.S. and abroad.
“People walk in very skeptical, and within five or 10 minutes, they have a smile on their face,” Shuey said. “They have a whole new mindset.
“It could even save their life.”
