As a writer, I spend a very unhealthy amount of time sitting in a chair typing out the words that make my stories, or relaxing in that same chair reading a book or watching TV.
It hadn’t always been this way. At fourteen, I had begun martial arts training, but quit at nineteen. Almost twenty years later I was having a conversation one sunny Vancouver afternoon, while walking on the beach with a friend. I had been looking into various neighbourhood tae kwon do schools, seeking one that was about personal development and low-key training.
I told her the story of how, as a teenager, I had seen a movie called The Karate Kid, and joined the first tae kwon do school I saw. I didn’t do a lot of research—nor did I understand that there are differences not only between the arts, but also in the school’s philosophies. The first school I went to was very rough with the motto, “Kick first before he kicks you.” We were taught takedowns, leg kicks, and finger breaking—and were encouraged to use these techniques while sparring in the school.
The next school I went to was much different. It was about the tenets of tae kwon do—courtesy, integrity, perseverance, indomitable spirit, and self-control—and learning how to respect one another. After two years, I switched (on the advice from a friend) to full-contact kickboxing. This lasted for all of two weeks, when during a sparring match the instructor pointed at me and said, “Someone put that guy down.” It turned out that this kickboxing school had a grudge against the tae kwon do school where I had trained. In order not to get hurt, I had to put my opponent down with a quick kick behind his leg—a move I had learned from the first school.
During this walk on the beach, my friend listened intently to my story. “This should be your next book,” is what she finally told me. I used this as an excuse to push myself to get back into the dojang. I did find a great school here in Coquitlam, Peak Performance, where we have fun and learn how to better ourselves through martial arts.
Thanks to Flying Feet I have gone from being a couch potato, to being an orange belt in tae kwon do. Which is why I call this the book that saved my life.
James McCann will launch Flying Feet at the Cameron Rec Centre in Burnaby, BC, on Sunday, June 13. For all the details, check out the event invitation.
