“Van Damme Inspired Me to Train Past 50 – Here’s My Story (Episode 1)”

Intro

Van Damme Inspired Me to Train Past 50.Growing up, my weekend evenings were never about clubs or crowds. They were about mission-driven pilgrimages to the neighbourhood video store. Those aisles, stacked floor to ceiling with faded plastic covers, held a special magic. For me, it was always about finding the latest Kung Fu film or a new Jean-Claude Van Damme blockbuster. That’s where my lifelong story with martial arts began.

Chapter 1

I’ll let you in on something, while the rest of the world seemed spellbound by Bruce Lee, I never quite bought into the hype. Strange, perhaps, for a martial artist enthusiast, but I’ve always found myself drawn away from the trends. Where others saw Bruce’s legendary stoicism and intensity, I caught myself grinning at Jackie Chan’s goofiness or marvelling at Jet Li and Sammo Hung’s acrobatics. And yes, there was absolutely no substitute for the flying, spinning back kick ofJCVD. Every time Van Damme landed one of those, it made me want to learn how to do them too, so I started practicing on my brothers.

Chapter 2

Those films sparked something deep within me. It wasn’t just the high kicks or the whirlwind choreography, it was the world behind the fights. The philosophy spoken softly by wise old masters. The mental strength that radiated from calm, focused faces before a confrontation. The way these warriors seemed utterly at peace, even when chaos brewed just seconds away.I started to believe, perhaps naively, that I too could become a mental and physical powerhouse. That if I trained hard enough, I’d achieve that same Zen-like calm in the face of danger. Turns out, I was half right. Those lessons did fuel my dreams of travelling the world and proved invaluable during my law enforcement career. Though I’ll admit, staying “utterly at peace” whilst wrestling a drunk bloke twice my size in a car park at 2 a.m. is considerably harder than the films made it look. Van Damme never had to fill out incident reports afterwards, either.

Chapter 3

Looking back now, I realise those nights weren’t just idle entertainment. They were the start of my lifelong passion for martial arts. I was drawn not only to the action, but to the lessons tucked between the punches and kicks, the discipline, the resilience, and the ability to remain calm in the face of adversity. It all began there, in front of a flickering screen with JCVD, Jackie, Jet, and Sammo leading the way.

Chapter 4

And so, my journey started, not because I followed the crowd, but because I always found my own path.What those films taught me, beyond the choreography and one-liners, was that martial arts isn’t really about fighting at all. It’s about becoming someone who doesn’t need to fight, the discipline to show up when you don’t feel like it, the humility to tap out and learn from it, the patience to master something slowly, over years, not weeks.Whether I’m rolling on the mats, navigating a new country as an immigrant, or making split-second decisions in uniform, the principles are the same: stay calm under pressure, respect my opponent (or my challenge), and never stop learning.Turns out, the real “enemy” was never the bloke across from me, it was my own ego, impatience, and fear. And unlike in the movies, I can’t defeat those with a spinning back kick. Trust me, I tried.

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