Head Instructor
Black Belt – 7th Degree
DrZen@satori-dojo.com
Grandmaster Joe Varady began his Cuong Nhu training in 1987 at Gettysburg College. He served Cuong Nhu as Northeast Regional Representative from 1994 to 2000. He wrote and illustrated the three adult Cuong Nhu training manuals, co-authored the Soft Style Training Manual, and compiled two full color manuals for kids.
Outside of Cuong Nhu, Joe served as president of the Universal Systems of Martial Arts Organization, an active fellowship that provides practitioners of different styles of martial arts with an open forum for sharing techniques and principles.
Over the last three decades, Master Joe has cross-trained in eastern martial arts including karate, tae kwon do, judo, wing chun, and eskrima, as well as various western martial arts, such as boxing, fencing, long sword, sword and shield, and various methods of armored fighting.
Grandmaster Joe is the author of three martial arts books and video series, The Art and Science of Staff Fighting (YMAA 2016) and The Art and Science of Stick Fighting (YMAA 2020), and The Art and Science of Self Defense (YMAA 2022). He is currently working on his fourth installment, The Art and Science of Sword Fighting.
Recent Accomplishments
- 2014 WEKAF National Champion in Stick and Knife fighting
- 2014 Taiji Fencing League Grand Champion
- 2014 USMAO Competitor of the Year
- 2015 Doce Pares World Champion, Full Contact Single Stick
- 2016 WEKAF National Champion in Stick and Staff fighting
- 2016 Philadelphia Historic Martial Arts Society Hall of Fame
- 2017 Action Martial Arts Hall of Fame
- 2018 WEKAF National Champion in Stick and Staff fighting
- 2021 WEKAF National Champion in Staff fighting
- 2022 Padded Weapons Champion in Staff fighting (Philadelphia)
