Living Heroes.

As a member of the National Leadership Team (www.LeadershipStudents.com) one of the things that we have our kids do is make a list of living heroes.  I don’t mean Batman or Wonderwoman or even Pikachu.  I mean real people who have actually had a profound influence on your life or the life of others.

I have had several people who fit the bill: both of my incredibly loving and giving parents, a handful of teachers and even a few coaches. but I would like to especially mention two of the most influential Martial Arts teachers in my life: Dave Kovar and George Xu.

I first met Dave Kovar when I was just a kid.  We had moved to California from South Carolina (there was a bit of culture shock) and I was already a blue belt in karate.  At the time Shihan (Master) Kovar was a one man show in a school the size of a Dominos Pizza take out.  I’ll bet I was one of his first 20 students.  Now he is almost singlehandedly responsible for every positive teaching method used internationally in the martial arts today and his organization has somewhere around 30 or so schools.  He is considered the Teachers Teacher. 

I put him through the ringer in my enrollment interview.  I made him do kicks, forms, and all kinds of stuff to see if I wanted to train with him. But as it has turned out, earning my first Black Belt under him is one of the things that I am most proud of.  He taught me one very important and very profound lesson:  he taught to not only learn martial arts, but to transcend martial arts.  He taught to aspire to be a positive influence on the world.  He taught that with enough courage and passion you can accomplish anything.

I can think of no greater nor more valuable lessons that can be learned.  Everyday I aspire to live up to his example and to share this vision with others.

My next Living Hero I met much later in life, my current teacher George Xu.  I was already an accomplished martial artist- I think I was a 6th degree Black Belt- when I met him.  It had been a long time since my jaw had dropped watching a martial artist.  He was (and is) so incredibly high level that I went home from our first meeting feeling like a complete amatuer- like I knew nothing.  His grasp of not only chi (living energy) but spirit as applied to martial arts is absolutely astonishing.  His teachings are nothing less than how to live in a spiritual place all of the time via mastery of the Martial Arts. 

Furthermore, I was absolutely thrilled when he invited me to become an indoor student- meaning one of his students who learns the secret teachings.   The level of artistry and mastery that he is able to perform and convey once again transcends the forms and techniques.  He taught me how to make my art more than the art.  He taught me how to connect my body, mind, and spirit on a level that cannot be conveyed in written form. 

Once again, I spend most of my time aspiring to live keeping his example in mind as well as convey the level of knowledge and mastery that is possible in the martial arts. 

The big lesson that both of these great men have to teach is that mastery of the martial arts is about being able to transcend the art, how to live with passion and spirit, and to strive to not only improve yourself- but in so doing to be a positive influence on those around you.

Join Shihan Kovar, Grand Master Xu, and myself on this journey.  Start your education in the martial arts with us today.

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