Octavius
01-29-2004, 02:20 AM
Who was the best, and smallest (in physical size) martial artist you've ever met? I've found that when small guys get good, they get ridiculously good (I guess to compensate to lack of size, they sharpen their skills to the max).
My story: when I was in high school, had a friend who's father was a TKD black belt from Korea. No taller than 5'6", maybe 150 pounds tops. But solidly built and all the muscles were like steel cables kind of body. Very old school kind of guy. Very mellow and laid back, surprisingly enough, but old school in that he was combat, fighting skills first, sports and ranks and such, didn't give a hoot. Had become a blackbelt in the Army back in the 60s, served in Vietnam, got back and went up to 3rd degree, and never bothered to test any further (got sick of teh politics, got in your face to some higher ups and got kicked out). My friend told me that his dad's personal schedule was to get up at 4am, practice for an hour and a half, then leave for work by 6 to get to the store by 7, to open by 8. Ran a dry cleaner with the wife. Then would go home by 4, practice with his sons for 2 hours, go back to the store, and close up with wife and be home by 9 or 10. And this was during teh weekdays. Ridiculously fast kicks. Didn't like breaking boards - preferred to pound on a small tree in the back yard wrapped in rope - sort of a natural makiwara. Last I heard the tree didn't last too long. I tried to train with my friend and his Dad for a month, but it as too intense for me, and school got in the way, so I quit (yeah, I was a wuss!). He was the kind of guy who's philosophy was "sure TKD kicks to the head, but the trick is to bring the head to teh foot, not the foot to the head". Recently recovred from a liver transplant (he liked to drink) and still going strong at the age of 66. Still moves faster than me or his sons. Not as flexible anymore, but his sense of timing is unnerving. Favorite technique is a front heel kick. Can use it against practically anything I or my friend can do - just jams the hell out of us everytime we even think of moving. Scary dude, hope I'm like that when I'm in my 60s.
My story: when I was in high school, had a friend who's father was a TKD black belt from Korea. No taller than 5'6", maybe 150 pounds tops. But solidly built and all the muscles were like steel cables kind of body. Very old school kind of guy. Very mellow and laid back, surprisingly enough, but old school in that he was combat, fighting skills first, sports and ranks and such, didn't give a hoot. Had become a blackbelt in the Army back in the 60s, served in Vietnam, got back and went up to 3rd degree, and never bothered to test any further (got sick of teh politics, got in your face to some higher ups and got kicked out). My friend told me that his dad's personal schedule was to get up at 4am, practice for an hour and a half, then leave for work by 6 to get to the store by 7, to open by 8. Ran a dry cleaner with the wife. Then would go home by 4, practice with his sons for 2 hours, go back to the store, and close up with wife and be home by 9 or 10. And this was during teh weekdays. Ridiculously fast kicks. Didn't like breaking boards - preferred to pound on a small tree in the back yard wrapped in rope - sort of a natural makiwara. Last I heard the tree didn't last too long. I tried to train with my friend and his Dad for a month, but it as too intense for me, and school got in the way, so I quit (yeah, I was a wuss!). He was the kind of guy who's philosophy was "sure TKD kicks to the head, but the trick is to bring the head to teh foot, not the foot to the head". Recently recovred from a liver transplant (he liked to drink) and still going strong at the age of 66. Still moves faster than me or his sons. Not as flexible anymore, but his sense of timing is unnerving. Favorite technique is a front heel kick. Can use it against practically anything I or my friend can do - just jams the hell out of us everytime we even think of moving. Scary dude, hope I'm like that when I'm in my 60s.