Kenpo Karate: Be the Lion

There's a movie that I like called Poolhall Junkies. It wasn't a great movie or anything many would remember, but Christopher Walken had a great line in it near the end, and I think it applies to kenpo karate.

You watch those nature documentaries on the cable? You see the one about lions? You got this lion. He's the king of the jungle, huge mane out to here. He's laying under a tree, in the middle of Africa. He's so big, it's so hot. He doesn't want to move. Now the little lions come, they start messing with him. Biting his tail, biting his ears. He doesn't do anything. The lioness, she starts messing with him. Coming over, making trouble. Still nothing. Now the other animals, they notice this. They start to move in. The jackals; hyenas. They're barking at him, laughing at him. They nip his toes, and eat the food that's in his domain. They do this, then they get closer and closer, bolder and bolder. Till one day, that lion gets up and tears the shit out of everybody. Runs like the wind, eats everything in his path. Cause every once in a while, the lion has to show the jackals, who he is.

 I say this because as a lion, a kenpo karate student must be able to stand up for themselves. There comes a time (usually for young students) when they may be bullied or picked on by someone looking to prove themselves. The martial artist must not back down.

However, it is also the martial artist's job to pick their battles. There is not reason to fight a person for fighting's sake. Also, to fight someone over words is not the best time to fight either. Only fight when you absolutely have to and not to show off or be a bully. A true martial artist knows that.