My name is Cindy MANDLER, i live in a little town called Râches, France, with my husband Serge and my son, Ethan.
My mother died when I was 19 and I quickly had to work to pay for my studies and to live. Responsible for development, I work in an association where I make files to create houses, schools for disabled or aging people. My brother is disabled.
Assaulted when I was 19, I wanted my son to learn how to defend himself very. I enrolled him in kenpo in 2009, he was 4 years old. Watching him train, I quickly understood that kenpo is very rich in teaching and practice. Traveling a lot with my job, by train, by subway, I signed up only 15 days after him to learn how to defend myself.
I am the President of the French Kenpo School « Kenpo Self-Defense Academy Roost-Warendin » we have about 150 students from 4 to 60 years old. My husband and my son are all Black Belts, as well, and we all train, teach, and work at our school.
I hold the rank of 1st Degree Black belt Karate Self-Defence in France and 1st Degree Black belt Kenpo with Master Eddie DOWNEY.
I won some tournaments and IKC tournament in Portugal 2017 in form. I go regularly to Ireland to perfect my kenpo and learn from Eddie DOWNEY and during the European kenpo camp where I have the chance to train with great masters such as John Selpulveda and Bob White.
In 2018, I created self-defence training for women in my school. Furthermore, I provide free self-defence programs to girls in school and women in sport events.
In 2018, 3 days before Christmas, I had cancer surgery and despite the disease, I never stopped practicing and teaching kenpo to my students thanks to my husband and my son who support me all the time.
Kenpo is not just a sport, it’s a family, a way of life. During illness kenpo made me strong physically and mentally. I hope to be able to continue to practice for a long time with friends and people I loved and to inspire many girls, many women to practice.