What Kind of Martial Arts Background Does Lomachenko Have

I've been preparation in martial arts since the 1980s and consistently since the '90s. I am a 2nd-caste blackness belt in Kenpo Karate.

The Connexion Between Martial Arts and Leadership

I think it goes without saying that our Founding Fathers strongly supported fighting for your rights and standing up to bullies. Afterward all, they went up against an empire to secure rights for themselves and their fellow Americans.

Then it may not come as a surprise that martial artists have held the position of the U.Due south. presidency every bit far dorsum every bit George Washington. The man himself was a very well-trained wrestler.

George Washington: Skilled Wrestler

Back when George Washington was 15 and entering Rev. Maury's Academy, a finishing schoolhouse in Fredericksburg, Virginia, he probably didn't know he'd exist confronted by bullies. Existence the kind of guy he was, he didn't accept the assault sitting downwards. He trained in an old Irish gaelic folk wrestling art known as "neckband and elbow" wrestling; information technology is a discipline with throws, trips, kicks, pins, and even submissions; yes, it includes locks and chokes. It is a bit different than the wrestling you'd see in high school and higher today.

Not simply was Washington able to beat back the bullies, but he also became a wrestling champion. Well, he went on to exercise a lot more than such as helping to win a revolution against the British Empire and condign the starting time U.S. president. This might accept had something to practise with his fighting spirit.

Depiction of Abraham Lincoln's wrestling lucifer with Jack Armstrong.

Abraham Lincoln Wrestles With the Bullies

Long before he fought slavery, Lincoln was into defeating bullies wherever they happened to be. Working in a store in a little town called New Salem, in Illinois, he was known for existence a rather big and strong homo; his dominate bragged about him, and give-and-take got around boondocks. Local bully Jack Armstrong had already been known as a formidable menace in town, and the locals wanted Lincoln to fight him. Abe agreed to a wrestling lucifer and chop-chop trounced the groovy.

Lincoln was known for being kind and pleasant, but also for being an intimidating fighter. As a soldier in the Black Militarist War, he defended a Native whom his troop wanted to kill. None of his colleagues were willing to become confronting him.

Even on the entrada trail, he'd stop talking to toss a ruffian around. In his legislative bid, a hooligan got crude with one of his supporters in the middle of his speech communication and Abe stopped what he was doing, tossed the agitator almost a dozen anxiety, went dorsum to the platform, and continued his speech.

Why was Lincoln and so formidable? It was truthful he was big, stiff, and dauntless. He was besides trained in the art of neckband and elbow wrestling. He was one of the best wrestlers in Illinois.

Yamashita Yoshiaki, master of Judo, taught Theodore Roosevelt his martial art.

Theodore Roosevelt Takes on Judo

Teddy Roosevelt was always energetic and liked fighting. When he was younger, he boxed until he took a heavy blow that damaged his retina. After that, he focused on wrestling.

Teddy wasn't shy, and he was known to storm effectually and affirm himself. Every bit police commissioner in New York Urban center, he wasn't afraid to walk the city and make sure the cops were awake and doing their jobs. He was willing to go to Cuba and take his Rough Riders into battle. He even took on large corporations and broke upward monopolies and fought to limit workers' hours and raise their wages.

Teddy was adventuresome, and when he saw a demonstration of Judo by famed Japanese Judo master Yamashita Yoshiaki, he had to try it out. While training, Roosevelt remarked that though he was getting old, his instructors could throw him around without hurting him. They were so controlled and skilled at their fine art. Teddy accomplished the rank of third Dark-brown in Judo, no small feat.

An interesting bated: Theodore's cousin, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, received healing massage therapy from famous Dan Zan Ryu Jiu-Jitsu master Henry Okazaki. Every bit role of the discipline'southward curriculum, students are required to acquire healing massage. I take long known that Dan Zan Ryu practitioners also practise healing massage through my exposure to them through my martial arts training in Kenpo, an fine art closely connected to Dan Zan Ryu. So, when I was training in the Filipino martial art of Decuerdas Eskrima, my teacher, who is likewise an expert in Kenpo and Dan Zan Ryu, told me near FDR's connectedness to Okazaki.

So, it seems the Roosevelts are an adventuresome lot.

Curlicue to Keep

A immature Howard Taft at Yale.

Howard Taft: Yale Wrestling Champ

Some other collar and elbow wrestler, Taft was a wrestling champ at Yale. He was known for throwing his opponents hard with the "flying mare." A mare in collar and elbow is whatsoever throw that puts the adversary's feet above his head. As you lot can imagine, information technology'southward devastating. All you lot have to do is have a expect at the size of Taft, and you tin can envision what his powerful wrestling capabilities were.

Eisenhower'due south catch wrestling instructor, Tom Jenkins.

Dwight D. Eisenhower: Boxer and Wrestler

A armed services human being who warned us about the Military Industrial Complex, Ike was every bit contradictory and interesting as Teddy Roosevelt. He was also a boxer and a wrestler. In fact, his teacher at West Point was American heavyweight champion in catch wrestling, Tom Jenkins.

Gerald Ford: Boxer

Ford might not be our most memorable president; he was the guy who took over after Nixon was forced to resign due to the Watergate scandal. Withal, he was good plenty at boxing to coach the sport at Yale—and non only there. He was also a boxing coach in the U.Due south. Navy during World War II.

More Presidential Wrestlers

• James Garfield
• Franklin Pierce
• Andrew Jackson
• Ulysses Southward. Grant
• Chester Arthur
• Zachary Taylor

Takeaway

America has always been a rough country. The frontier, a identify where y'all had to know how to fight to survive and where fights were commonplace, produced men such every bit Abe Lincoln. He was smart only formidable. He won elections as much by his intellect as he did by his reputation for existence physically tough.

And no uncertainty the personality that put a human upwards confronting mammoth corporations in the proper name of fairness also made Teddy Roosevelt want to learn an Asian martial art that was quite obscure at the time.

Being tough and having a sense of fairness seems to characterize these men and often characterizes martial artists. These are also common traits in leaders.

© 2014 Nathan Bernardo

Steven on May 10, 2020:

I have trained in Kenpo and Escrima for many years. Still sooo much to acquire. Jesus I am convinced was a martial creative person as well. Testify he traveled the about East

Mendy Due south on Jan 12, 2020:

I believe Bush-league senior was trained in Hapkido. Very interesting and infirmative read. Thanks.

Erik M. on January 04, 2020:

So here is more proof of the sissy-fication of America. I dubiety if our last few preseidents tin fifty-fifty make a proper fist let alone wrestle.

Nathan Bernardo (writer) from California, United States of America on June 24, 2016:

Thanks, Barbara, much appreciated. I also could run across Teddy wrestling, no doubt about information technology. I'll have to put Obama in there now that I've learned he did Tae Kwon Exercise.

Barbara Fitzgerald from Georgia on June 24, 2016:

I can imagine TR wrestling very hands. Lincoln yet, I always thought of him as sort of gangly and delicate. I guess he was only bending down to stoop to the others' levels in the photos. lol. Very interesting article, and delight add Obama to the listing.

Nathan Bernardo (writer) from California, United States of America on June 16, 2015:

Thanks, Mel. Aye, it'south pretty interesting how many of these guys trained in fighting and were good fighters. I learned the other day that Obama took some Tae Kwon Practise, been thinking near adding him to the listing.

Mel Carriere from Snowbound and down in Northern Colorado on June xvi, 2015:

Very interesting stuff. I knew that Lincoln was a fighter, but I was unaware about the other Presidents you have mentioned here. Great hub.

Nathan Bernardo (author) from California, United states of america on September 24, 2014:

Hullo, Jan. Proficient to meet you, haven't seen you for awhile.

Yes, martial arts are basically whatsoever kind of fighting systems. They go as far back as aboriginal Egypt. You find them in Greece, in Western Europe and, of course, rather famously, in Asia. I agree President Obama would benefit from Tai Chi. It'south amazing watching Presidents while they are in office; you can literally see the stress weighing downwardly on them; they seem to historic period speedily while in function. I don't want that job, I can tell you that.

Cheers for the compliment and vote. Glad you stopped past!

Janis Leslie Evans from Washington, DC on September 24, 2014:

This was quite informative, NateB11. I had no idea which presidents would have been into battle, wrestling, or martial arts. Are you proverb that all of these practices stem from martial arts? Another fact I did non realize. I gauge it shouldn't be a surprise that some of our presidents were athletic only I would never associate them with practicing martial arts. I think our current president might benefit from a little tai chi and qi gong practise with the amount of stress he'due south under, lol. You did a peachy job hither Nate, very well-written, voted up and interesting.

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Source: https://howtheyplay.com/individual-sports/US-Presidents-Who-Practiced-Martial-Arts

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