A friend recently shared a video with me involving highlights from a kickboxing match between Chuck Norris and Bill (Superfoot) Wallace. Apparently some people think it was staged, or perhaps just an exhibition fight. That's because the techniuqes those masters used were very clean and precicse. At one point during a close exchange of punches, Chuck Norris performed one of his signature moves, a spinning backfist, that sent Wallace to the mat. Whether it was staged or not, you can't help but apprecate the art and talent of these two legends. This was a different era for martial arts and at that time, kickboxing was MMA/UFC. And though many would disagree with me, I'd say these martial artists had it all over a lot of the MMA fighters of today. To me, UFC fights are little more than thug matches; ego and "ground and pound" have replaced sportsmanship and hard earned talent.
One big difference is the fact that the majoirty of kickboxers in the 70s and 80s came from solid backgrounds in traditional martial arts. And many of them like Chuck Norris, Joe Lewis, Mike Stone, and others, not only completed in kickboxing, but also full contact karate tournments. No pads and few rules. Of course, many were injured during such bouts, but I can't remember ever seeing anyone break their shin over sombody elses' leg like you see often today. Why? Because these guys had to demonstrate control. Furthermore, a lot of them frequently trained together and their community was a much smaller, tightknit group than the often loud, arrogant, attention-seeking competitors of today. Now, I know there are some legit fighters out there who compete for all the right reasons, and that's fine. And I'm an older guy now with clouded memories and an ever-present longing for things in my youth, like opposable hips. And... fearlessness.
I vividly remember the moment I overcame my fear of fighting. We were living in Colorado and I was getting some much needed boxing lessons from a military buddy who would uppercut me with such force, my feet left the ground. Funny how they don't seem to be there when you land. I rember jabbing him pretty hard in the face and he'd just take it...like, it didn't even phase him. That's a scary momment right there, when you realize your jab-cross combo feels like a little bug on your opponent's face. But boxing is a superb way to learn how to take a bunch of punches and realize that you're not going to die. You may want to die...but, you're not going to die. It gave me confidence and I started participating regularly in dojo sparring matches. And then I started to win more than I lost. Again, my memory is cloudy and I might be wrong about that, but I do remember the feeling of "no fear" when I'd square up with somebody.
But something happens to the best fighters eventually. You get hurt and you're used to getting hurt but for some reason, you don't heal as quickly. As a matter of fact, you begin to acquire perminent injuries; busted collar bone, torn ligaments, joints that are no longer stable. And you start thinking about the stuff you're supposed to think about, like supporting your family, having a career. You might even begin to care about what you're face looks like after sparring. I had a pretty tough few rounds with a local dude when I retired from the Air Force and started working in the hospital in physical therapy. He tagged me really good in the left eye; pretty sure my orbital bone was fractured. It's not like having a little zit somewhere; my eye was swollen shut for two days. My boss told me never to show up to work like that again because it was unprofessional and scared several of our patients. And she was right. I had a responsibility to my patients and family.
The most competent warriors have a healthy fear of war. They've seen what happens in the chaos of battle and realize that despite training, tactics and tech, good people die. In martial arts, having a healthy fear of reality is vital to a person's growth and devleopment. Some of the most arrogant and ignorant martial artists I've met have never stepped into a ring with a competent fighter, nor have they ever been tapped out or choked out by a judoka or jujutsu practioner. You see, that's why pain and injuires are necessary in training; if you never have to face the reality of fighting, you never develop a healthy fear of it. A healthy fear keeps you alive.
Now I'm really going to sound like an old man here, but our country has lost a very important aspect of this concept; a healthy fear of the Lord. "Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling." Psalm 2:11. There is a reason for the chaos you see in the world. The more creation-centered we become, the less fear and awe we have for the creator. We use science to explain away things in order to sleep better at night and to rationalize behaviors that we internally know are wrong. But we all face the reckoning at some point. If you live and pray with a healthy fear of God, you will know to get on your knees and ask for forgiveness before and when that day comes. And in that moment, you'll know grace. But walk into that moment with no fear, and you'll get the uppercut of a lifetime with no legs to land on when you come back down. Grace is not and will not be kept from us...we simply walk away from it.
Have a healthy fear of fighting and you will train your butt off to become a good fighter. Have a healthy fear of the Lord, and you will pray a lot. You'll go right when left seems so much easier and welcoming. You'll ask for forgivness instead of answers. You'll live with the knowledge of consequences instead of indulginces. And through hard training and dicipline, you'll understand what real freedom is.
Dave Magliano
Tatsu Dojo
Jissenkan Budo
Dojo Cho
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