Martial Arts Professional Magazine

The legendary martial artist, movie and TV star and founder of the World Combat League and th Kick-Start Program shares the secret of this success.

In part 2 of his interview with Stephen Oliver, Chuck Norris discusses his early martial arts training. As with many martial arts great of his decade, Chuck was first exposed to the arts in Asia, as a member of the U.S. Air Force. Chuck also relates how his championship record in the U.S. led to the success of his school.

The interview also features an in-depth look at Chuck’s KICKSTART Program, highlighting the story of Gerardo Esparza, who went from gang member to a member of the KICKSTART Program to a full scholarship at MIT and a successful career and life in Houston, today.

Chuck also reveals the 12 points that guide his life, motivating and drive him to his success and helping thousands of KICKSTART Program students to experience success - and, often, for the first time in their lives.

Chuck Norris, as with most of the martial arts legends Martial Arts Professional has interviewed, measures his success, according to the results of his “giving back” opportunities, and not fame and fortune - and that is Chuck Norris he wants you to know.

FREE Chuck Norris Teleconference. Visit NAPMA.com/ChuckNorris

Oliver: If you don’t mind, would you mind explaining a bit more of your martial arts background for our readers?

Norris: I started in 1960, yeah.

Oliver: 1960?

Norris: I joined the Air Force after high school, and I was sent to Korea. I was first introduced to the martial arts in February of 1960 in Osan, Korea. I had never heard of Tae Kwon Do, Tang Soo Do or Karate. I had heard of Judo.

When I was stationed at Osan Air Base, I started studying Judo because that’s the only art I had ever heard of. Two weeks into my training, I broke my shoulder on an ipponseoi- nage, for those who know Judo.

My arm was in a sling, so I went to Osan Village sightseeing. As I walked in the village, I looked up to a knoll and saw heads popping up. I was curious, so I walk to the top of the knoll and on the other side were Korean martial arts students jumping in the air and doing spinning heel kicks and other moves. I said, Holy mackerel. I didn’t think the human body could do something like that. I was mesmerized by the ability of those Koreans. They looked pretty tough, so I was afraid to talk with them. I returned to the base and asked my Judo instructor and described what I had seen. He said it was called Tang Su Do. I told him that I’d love to try it, since I couldn’t do Judo with my injured shoulder. He took me to the village and introduced me to Master Lee, who was head of ATA. He was my first instructor and died a few years ago.

The 12 Points that Guide Chuck Norris’ Life

1. I will develop myself to the maximum of my potential in all ways.
2. I will forget the mistakes of the past and press on to greater achievements.
3. I will always be in a positive frame of mind and convey this feeling to every person that I meet.
4. I will continually work at developing love, happiness and loyalty in my family and acknowledge that no other success can compensate for failure in the home.
5. I will look for the good in all people and make them feel worthwhile.
6. If I have nothing good to say about a person, then I will say nothing.
7. I will give so much time to the improvement of myself that I will have no time to criticize others.
8. I will always be as enthusiastic about the success of others as I am about my own.
9. I will maintain an attitude of open-mindedness toward another person’s viewpoint, while still holding fast to that which I know to be true and honest.
10. I will maintain respect for those in authority and demonstrate this respect at all times.
11. I will always remain loyal to God, my country, family and my friends.
12. I will remain highly goal-oriented throughout my life because that positive attitude helps my family, my country and myself.

Oliver: The Eternal Grand Master.

Norris: Yes. I then discovered that Master Shin was teaching on the base. I thought it would be easier to train on the base than to come to the village. I started training on the base with Master Shin, who now has his own organization here in America. When I left Korea, I had earned my Black Belt in Tang Soo Do and my Brown Belt in Judo. After I was discharged from the military, I started teaching in Torrance, California, in 1962. I wasn’t sure where to find students because no one knew anything about the martial arts. Slowly but surely people started enrolling.

When competitions started in 1963, I decided to enter, so I would appear in Black Belt Magazine. My first competition was in Salt Lake City, Utah. I drove all the way from Torrance with three of my students. I had no money and an old car, and we just barely made it to Salt Lake City. All four of us competed, and my three students placed and won, and I lost. I drove back while they held their trophies.

As I kept losing, I developed a philosophy: Each time I lost, I told myself, I may lose again, but I won’t lose the same way twice. I just kept learning from my mistakes and finally started a winning streak and became the No. 1 competitor in the United States. I then won the World Championship in traditional fighting in New York City. My motivation was to compete and attract students to my schools, so I could teach them and give them the benefits of the martial arts. With God’s blessing, I was able to win a good share of tournaments. My motivations are exactly the same for starting the World Combat League: to give these athletes opportunities to make a living at something they love and, secondly, to help support a foundation that can save literally millions of lives. We’ve had some tremendous success stories, Steve, such as Gerardo Esparza.

Oliver: Yes, I remember that story, but please share it.

FREE Chuck Norris Teleconference. Visit NAPMA.com/ChuckNorris

Norris: Gerardo Esparza was an at-risk kid who was also a gang member. When these kids join our program, they must break off all gang ties. They cannot remain a member of a gang. Their new gang is our martial arts group. Gerardo had been in plenty of trouble. He had already failed the sixth grade once. He was in the KICKSTART Program age group because we teach sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders. We have an after school program for them when they attend high school. Gerardo was causing so much trouble that the authorities were about to send him to juvenile hall. My instructor, who teaches at my school in that neighborhood, heard about Gerardo. My instructor asked the principal of Gerardo’s school if there was an opportunity to enroll Gerardo in our KICKSTART Program. As you know, once you incarcerate a kid, he usually becomes worse.

“Let’s give martial arts an opportunity to help turn this boy around.” The authorities and the principal agreed. My instructor said, “Gerardo, you have an opportunity to be in our KICKSTART Program on probation, but you must break off all your gang ties.” He agreed; however, my instructor caught Gerardo with his gang friends on a number of occasions. He warned Gerardo, “You must break with the gang.” After my instructor caught him the fifth time, he called me, “Mr. Norris, I caught him again. I don’t know what to do. I’m contemplating sending him back.”I responded, “Let’s be patient here. Let him finish the year – it’s only two more months before the year is out – and then we’ll see where it goes from there.” Gerardo finished sixth grade at the end of the year with a D average. During the summer (our program goes year-round, so we teach them through the summer as well), for some reason, he developed an allegiance with his martial arts friends, and broke off his gang ties. He finished the seventh grade with a C average, the eighth grade with a B average, and earned straight A’s from ninth- through twelfthgrade. He received a full scholarship to MIT.

Oliver: Oh, my goodness.

Norris: He graduated and is now working in Houston. It just shows what the martial arts can do. I tell Gerardo’s story during my talks and presentations, telling audiences that this is what it’s all about with the martial arts. It helps you develop that inner strength and self-worth to achieve your life goals. As I mentioned earlier, I’m a prime example because I was that shy kid, the underachiever who has made a modicum of success in the movie world. Now, if I can do that, then imagine what you can do?

Oliver: I’m not sure I would say you had a modicum of success in the acting arena; but given your background and the background of so many people who have gone on to achieve incredible success, it’s just undeniable that martial arts was a major, positive factor.

Norris: It really is. Steve, martial arts is the best thing that ever came to our country. I did the entire WCL season last year without a TV deal. That was very scary, Steve, because you can’t be successful without television. I was quite worried about it. I thought, golly Moses, this is costing me a lot of money, and if I don’t get a TV deal, then I’ll be in a world of hurt. Finally, at the end of the season, Versus TV came on board and started airing our shows. Even though it was the end of the television season, Versus aired our shows, and we had incredible ratings. The ratings were so good that Versus aired our shows 237 times. WCL consists of eight teams, four East Coast and four West Coast. Denver is one of our West Coast teams. Our season is very similar to baseball, football and basketball, with teams qualifying for the playoffs, advancing to our World Championship.

Oliver: We’re planning to publish the Versus TV schedule in Martial Arts Professional magazine.

Norris: Oh, great. Fantastic, Steve.

Oliver: NAPMA and Martial Arts Professional would like to give your World Combat League a boost. My personal opinion is if we can get a lot of traction with you and with NASKA, then it’s really good for the industry. I think some of the other more violent circuits and events aren’t, perhaps, as conducive to industry growth as we’d like and don’t develop the image of martial arts we share.

Norris: Most of my martial arts schools are members of NAPMA, and they’re the ones that are successful in my UFAF organization. Every year, we encourage our school owners to join NAPMA because it’s great. I wish I’d been a member when I had my school because it was tough not having any business background in the ‘60s. We had to teach from the seat of our pants because we knew nothing about the business of martial arts. Even though I taught many students, I couldn’t become financially successful because I didn’t understand the business. It was very, very difficult for me in those days to make a living at something I loved. That is what’s so great about NAPMA. You help your member make a living from their chosen profession; Steve, I really applaud you for that.

I want to keep the door open between you and I, so I can help NAPMA. I do a weekly article for World Net Daily (See: http://www.worldnetdaily. com), which is the largest online newspaper in the world. It has 6 million readers. My article is syndicated globally…

Oliver: I read it every week. It’s excellent.

Norris: …maybe I can do something to help NAPMA too.

Oliver: That would be great. We’d certainly like to reprint those columns in Martial Arts Professional as well those online, which we’ll link from MartialArtsProfessional.com.

Norris: I would love to do that for you.

Oliver: As you may know, Chuck, we’re growing our Mile High Karate schools and we’re now all over the country.

Norris: Believe me, I’ve been reading about you. I know what you’ve been doing, Steve. I keep up-to-date with your progress in the martial arts magazines. You are one of the leaders, Steve, you’re one of the leaders in this country for martial arts; and I appreciate being associated with you.

Oliver: I always have to give credit to you, Jhoon Rhee, Jeff Smith Nick Cokinos and all the others who were the pioneers. It would be very difficult to do what we’re doing now without your leadership. You were certainly one of the very first people to run schools commercially. Your efforts since the 1960’s and Jhoon Rhee’s efforts in Washington, D.C. have led to a confluence of interest in martial arts that is sure to make the World Combat League a huge hit.

Norris: Thank you, Steve. There are so many school owners who want to become more business oriented so they can do something they love and make a living at it. NAPMA is the way to go. I encourage other schools to get on board with NAPMA. I’ll be glad to help you out in any way I can.

Oliver: We will hold you to that. I really appreciate your time today.

Norris: I’d be glad to do it.

Oliver: I want parents to know that my six-year old daughter, Jaeda, attended the World Combat League fight in Denver because it is a very family-friendly environment. Aren’t your twins often at WCL events?

Norris: Yes, Dani and Dakota love watching it. There’s no blood. You’ll see the familiar kickboxing style. Once people see it, I think they’ll become fans.

If you click on “Inside the WCL” on the World Combat League Web site (WorldCombatLeague. com or WCL.TV), then you’ll see many comments from kids and fan about the events, and how exciting they are.