Fencing, he elaborated, is a lot like physical chess, in that "fencers have to think several moves ahead and then execute those moves."
In 1989, the year the former Beijing resident arrived at Temple to begin his doctoral program, the last thing he thought he'd be doing was running a fencing school.
"I didn't even know what South Jersey was and where it was," said Ma, 40, who had competed as a member of China's team in the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, but did not win any medals.
His weapon at the Olympics was the saber, and it continues to be his preference. Of the three fencing weapons - foil, epee and saber - the saber is heavier than the foil, which bends, and has a slightly curved blade. The epee has a rigid blade that tapers to a sharp point with no cutting edge.
"I like the saber because you have to be very aggressive and very quick, and I like lots of action," Ma said.
After spending a year at Temple, he moved on to Ohio State University, where he was a fencing instructor for the varsity men's team. He then returned to Temple to resume work on his doctorate. While at Temple, he was a coach for the fencing teams at the University of Pennsylvania.
A U.S. citizen since 2002, Ma has finished the coursework needed for his doctorate, but the dissertation is "still on hold . . . I'm too busy teaching others how to fence."
And while he loves competing, that, too, is on hold.
"I love seeing my students compete," said Ma, who lives in Cinnaminson and spends many weekends taking his students to tournaments. "That gives me the most satisfaction."
His mission is to expose more area residents to fencing, one of only four sports to have been continuously a part of the modern Olympic Games since they resumed in 1896. (The others are track and field, riflery, and wrestling.)
