Guest Posted August 3, 2015 Share Posted August 3, 2015 I've been a fighter most of my life. I've been practicing Krav Maga since my early teens. I've studied Aikdio and Jujutsu to varying degrees as well. Most recently I've been kick boxing for the past two years. The gym I practice at is tucked away in the basement of a shopping complex. They have a very good ol' boys attitude, and one hell of a waiver. Every once in a while we get a cocky college jock who wants to piss machismo all over the place. They rarely make a second appearance. This morning we were treated to something very different. I like to hit the gym first thing in the morning. Partly out of habit, and partly because the early bird gets the good sparring partners. This morning I arrived even earlier than usual. I had the place to myself except for this scrawny kid who I'd never seen before. He couldn't have been more than 18 or 19. It was shocking enough that he was there in the first place. More shocking still that he challenged me to spar. His form wasn't exactly polished. He kept readjusting his guard as if he wasn't sure which direction his fists were supposed to face. I zoned him for a bit before putting him on his butt with a round punch. Not content with being put down once, he challenged me again. The second match ended very much like the first. After several rounds of putting him down I excused myself to the squat bar. Much to my surprise when I look over from my exercise I saw the kid in the ring with a fireman twice his size. I had sparred with his opponent many times. Believe you me he hits like a mack truck. The kid must have gone through at least five matches by the time I left the gym. As you can imagine the kid didn't fare well in any of them. It is tempting to laugh at the kid. Call him an idiot. Out of his element. A failure. An idiot? Perhaps. Out of his element? Almost certainly. A failure? Absolutely not. The kid reminds us that failure is NOT getting knocked on your ass. Failure is staying down. Failure is giving up. Failure is choosing to believe that you are not good enough to try. Watching a scrawny skin-and-bones teenager get his ass kicked repeatedly by trained fighters was a humbling experience. We could all use a little of the kid's spirit in our lives. So get out there and try! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 6, 2015 Share Posted August 6, 2015 Love the post FF! It does remind me of Michael Jordan saying A: how getting cut from the basketball team motivated him to practice for tryouts the following year, and B: how he has said he has lost more games than he's won (in the last few seconds), yet his team mates looked to him as their "go to" guy. I'll root for the skinny kid to keep coming back and getting stronger! At one point I WAS that skinny kid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Worker 11811 Posted August 6, 2015 Share Posted August 6, 2015 The kid is smart. If he fights nine guys who are bigger than he is, by the time he fights the tenth guy who is his size, he'll throw his opponent around like an old rag doll. Train above your level and when it comes time for a real match, you'll be that much stronger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White Fox Posted August 6, 2015 Share Posted August 6, 2015 I love this post for even more than that message itself. I love it because it really does show how many different individuals we have here. People from all walks of life coming together in one common place, to sit down and relax and just enjoy it. Who would have thought we would have a kick boxer here. Who would have thought we would have a post about such a "Kid" who is obviously not a kid at all in one sense of the word, but instead, probably quite grown up! What a great thread! (And by the way. You guys might note. If you get too frisky she can beat you up! Ha HA!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White Fox Posted August 7, 2015 Share Posted August 7, 2015 Hey, Foxy... I always wondered. You will maybe know the answer to this. Obviously Chuck Norris is in good shape and knows a thing or two about kick boxing and fighting. But I've always wondered. Is he as sort of "Professional" as tv makes him out to be? Or is that mostly movie acting and hoopla? i.e. just how good is he? Any ideas? He actually does always come out as a sort of "Good guy image". I always like that in most of his shows at least. W Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 7, 2015 Share Posted August 7, 2015 Good question White Fox. I can't speak to Chuck Norris specifically so I'll answer your question generally. First of all believe nothing of what you see on movies and TV. Chuck may very well be a skilled fighter, but his image in film is strictly for entertainment. The fighting you see on TV is highly choreographed. A real martial arts or combat sport competition doesn't look flashy at all. Furthermore there is a huge difference between combat sports/martial arts and an actual combat situation. A real honest to god street fight is quick and dirty. Technique is great. Training is great. Nothing but situational awareness and real life experience can prepare you for a real fight. There is no magic punch that puts someone out in one go. If someone pulls a knife on you, I suggest you throw the heaviest object you can find at him and run like hell. That is what I would do, and if Chuck Norris has any sense that is what he would do too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Worker 11811 Posted August 7, 2015 Share Posted August 7, 2015 If someone pulls a knife on you, I suggest you throw the heaviest object you can find at him and run like hell. That is what I would do, and if Chuck Norris has any sense that is what he would do too. Your best defense is a good pair of running shoes! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White Fox Posted August 10, 2015 Share Posted August 10, 2015 Yes, re "Run like Hell". Any kind of fighting does not stand up very well against guns. And not too often that the criminals would all be as terrible a shot as on tv or old time radio. Great to know some fighting moves if someone goes after you in the park or something similar. But tv is indeed a long way from reality! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 10, 2015 Share Posted August 10, 2015 Yes, re "Run like Hell". Any kind of fighting does not stand up very well against guns. And not too often that the criminals would all be as terrible a shot as on tv or old time radio. Great to know some fighting moves if someone goes after you in the park or something similar. But tv is indeed a long way from reality! It's like my sensei used to say: Your hands have many ways to fight and many ways to forgive. There is only one way for a gun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
punisherthunder Posted August 10, 2015 Share Posted August 10, 2015 Hey, Foxy... I always wondered. You will maybe know the answer to this. Obviously Chuck Norris is in good shape and knows a thing or two about kick boxing and fighting. But I've always wondered. Is he as sort of "Professional" as tv makes him out to be? Or is that mostly movie acting and hoopla? i.e. just how good is he? Any ideas? He actually does always come out as a sort of "Good guy image". I always like that in most of his shows at least. W He's a legit fighter. My father was an avid fan of Chuck's in the 80s. If memory serves, Chuck held a Middlweight Karate championship for 5 or 6 years and was undefeated of course, during that time. He also won the most karate tournaments in a year I believe as well and I think that record might still be held by him to this day. So while his films and such are choreographed, in a pinch, he could still take someone out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
red_fox Posted August 12, 2015 Share Posted August 12, 2015 I wish I kept at least 1/3 of his... "bounciness". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcel Posted August 14, 2015 Share Posted August 14, 2015 We have a rising star in this insane and brutal sport called MMA. He's name is Alexander "The Mauler" Gustafsson. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94WHfVyG_xw Yes,It's allowed to pound even if your out cold. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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