Long ago, when all of my joints still worked and bruises seemed to clear up in a couple hours, I had an opportunity to spar with a karate legend back in the day: Steve “Nasty” Anderson. Anderson was a fearsome kickboxer and point fighter in the 70s and 80s. I know a lot of folks probably look down on kickboxing and point fighting these days because apparently, it’s not really fighting unless you knock a guy down and subsequently jump on top of him and beat him senseless or choke him out. It’s similar to the difference between a very technical boxer and a brawler; sure, the latter can beat people up, but I’d much rather watch a technically proficient fighter who internalizes his art. That was Steve Anderson. He won over 10 world titles and was particularly know for his backfist and “blitz” style of fighting.
He showed up at our school in Colorado Springs in the late 80s for a seminar. At that time, he was in training for a kickboxing bout and used us for “light” sparring, at least that’s what he said. He was quite the trash talker. Anyway, some of the top martial arts fighters in town showed up for his seminar and the chance to go toe-to-toe with him. He went through at least four guys before it was my turn and he never took break. Pretty impressive for a guy who lived in San Diego at the time, coming up to train at 6,035 feet…you tend to lose wind pretty quick at higher altitudes, but he was hardly affected. And when it was my turn to spar with him, he literally pointed his gloved hand at me and said, “Let’s go.” Now, you don’t easily forget “pucker” moments like that.
As the round started, I knew instantly that I was incredibly out matched. It was intimidating and scary. One of Anderson’s tactics was to continuously taunt his opponent, make him look and feel clumsy and outclassed. I was outclassed. Then came a brief moment where I saw an opening for a roundhouse to his face and took it, without hesitation. That kind of moment, by the way, is known in Japanese as kime, “the exact moment to strike.” You can only achieve kime if you put in the reps. I made contact with the right side of his head and he backed up, a little surprised, looked at me with that “Oh no you didn’t” type of stare and preceded to hook kick my head and some other stuff I can’t remember. And that was my three minutes of fame. After my round, my lifelong friend and mentor Chris Pedrick walked up to me and said, “Well, that was stupid.” Chris was usually right about that sort of thing.
Here’s the thing…Yes, like so many other times in my martial arts career, I got my ass handed to me. Now, that is one of the most important things that can happen to someone whether or not he or she is a martial artist. Losing something or someone is an opportunity to rise up and overcome. It sounds a bit woo woo, but it’s the truth and in my experience, there are two types of people in the world: Those who understand how to handle loss and those who avoid it. In my particular case with “Nasty” Anderson, I knew going in that I was no match for this guy. I mean, it was his job, it was how he made a living. But I will say that despite the fact that a lot of other dudes showed up that day, only a few us were willing to fight. And everybody who did had the same realization as me; “I’m about to get my ass kicked.” We all did, of course, but I’m sure we were all better for it. That humbling experience made me want to train harder. And feeling the physical impact of Anderson’s strength, I also started seriously training with weights. That three minutes of pain and humiliation had a lasting affected on my life. What would have happened had I chosen not to fight? The easy answer is nothing.
That’s right, you can spend your whole life avoiding pain and discomfort. Lot’s of people do. Many of us become masters of excuses; “I’m too old…I’m too busy…I’m too tired…I’m too broken.” And those who deal with loss by blaming others or by falling into some type of addiction may never know the realization of reaching the other side of things. There’s always another side to things, kids. Lost your job? Another one is out there. Lost your temper? Well, that’s an opportunity to practice improved temperament. Didn’t achieve your rank when you thought you should? Time to study and train harder. Lost someone you love? Time to love harder.
Staying safe in a fallen world is simply not an option. You can try. Avoid meaningful relationships and you…well, avoid meaningful relationships. Stay in the same job you hate because the money makes you feel safe…until you’re asked to do things that are inherently wrong for you. You’re only as safe as the next pandemic, the next war, the next corporate downsizing. Avoiding the gym because you don’t want to feel discomfort? Obesity and arthritis are far worse than a treadmill. Don’t want to take chances because you’re afraid of poverty and death? Well, that’s not exactly a way to live, is it?
You know, I have a few people in my life who, while having a strong faith in God, are so consumed with longevity that they search the web constantly for the next life-saving supplement, diet, etc. Death is a hard and scary thing. It’s hard to contemplate your own death and it’s hard to watch someone die. And if you live in fear of death, I have some advice: understand kime. There is an exact moment to enter boldly into fear, but you have to do the reps first. Understand that you are a child of God and seek Christ. Read scripture, study the word. Pray. Do the reps. That’s how you'll know when it’s time to enter. When you know where you’re going…you’re not afraid to leave. That’s how you live your best life. After all, there's always another side to things.
Dave Magliano
Tatsu Dojo
Jissenkan Budo
Dojo Cho
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