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I am the Greatest! (or am I?)
Author: taichi online
Over the years I've see and heard many claims of how good different people are at their chosen art, and not just in the Martial Arts. Working in the computer systems industry, I often meet people who claim to be experts, and persist on telling me how good they are and that they have worked for this company and that company, but I often find that they actually have little substance to back up their claims. On the other hand, I find that people who do not boast, are often the true experts. I am good at my job and often receive praise, but when someone starts asking me about server configurations or what network topography is the best, I am straight up and tell them I am a computer programmer and not a network architect, (that's someone else's job).
The Martial Arts world is no different, every day a see adverts or interviews with people who claim to be British, European or World Champion but offer no evidence to support this claim. I, myself, am Undefeated World Champion and never lost a fight. Prove me wrong. The actual truth is that I am not, unless you count an inter-association championship where I am the only competitor in my category.
I recently read an interview in a Martial Arts magazine, where the interviewee stated that he was the British, European and World Sanshou Champion and had only ever lost one fight in his entire career. He then went on to make up some lame excuse for his defeat.
In 1994, this fighter participated in the European Wushu championships in Munich, where I witnessed his defeat, and his final position was joint 3rd. The following year he entered the World Wushu Championships in Baltimore where he was eliminated in the first round of fights. I would conceded the fact that at the Europeans, his opponent did cheat him and go on to win a Gold medal, but the official record states that he only achieved 3rd placing. Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but by my reckoning, that is twice the he has lost a fight. Anyway neither of this fights are the one he mentioned in his interview, so that's at least 3 fights he has lost.
Now, on consulting the British Council for Chinese Martial Arts (BCCMA), this same fighter according to the BCCMA, has not been apart of the British Sanshou Team for any European or World Championship since Baltimore in 1995, which are the largest championships of there type, so maybe he does not recognise either the European Wushu Federation (EWF) or the International Wushu Federation (IwuF) as legitimate governing bodies or their championships, which would be puzzling seeing as the IWuF set the rules for Sanshou and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) do recognise the IWuF.
By making these claims, he also disrespecting, the fighters that have fought and achieved medals, including many eastern Europeans of dubious backgrounds, who I would not wish to upset. Also, I feel that by making these claims, he may has well have slapped the likes of Richard Hamilton in the face. Richard in my opinion is a true champion, having fought in many European and World Championship but not quite achieving the Gold position he has sought for so long. So why do I consider him a champion? Well that is easy to answer. He never boasts about his abilities, is happy to acknowledge that he was not quite good enough to win his gold medal, but most of all, he fights well, with all his heart and wins the respect of his opponents. I am sure that Richard is so well respected, that he could go to any country, pick up a phone and someone will be ready and willing to assist him. I do not think the same can be said for the other guy.
I also see people that claim that their Chi is so powerful that nothing can hurt them. I've seen demonstrations of "masters" snapping chopsticks, by placing the pointed end in their throat and slamming their palm against the other end. This I believe is nothing to do with Chi just body conditioning and guts.
The other demonstration that I've seen a lot is a "master" washing his face in broken glass. On closer inspection the glass was actually polished so that it has no sharp edges. I wonder how confident he his in his "Chi" and would he wash his face in glass provided by me? I think not!!!
One of the more famous tails of Chi demonstrations involved a "master" that claimed his chi to be so powerful that he could repel any attack without touching his assailant. To this claim, Dan Docherty responded by walking on to the stage and saying to the master "If your chi is so strong, stop this" and proceeded to pouring a jug of water over the "master's" head. Needless to say, the "master" did not stop Dan's attack.
So when these people tell their lies, what do they actually achieve? Who are they lying too? Firstly, they are lying to the people who know no better and pay them for lessons. (I'm sure there are laws concerning fraud). Secondly they cheat the people that work hard to actual achieve a high level through hard work and dedication, but most of all they lie to themselves and one day someone will challenge them, and they will not be able to support their claims and shame will befall them all.
At the end of the day, if you feel the need to lie or bend the truth, then you should revaluate yourself and your skill, because I think you will find that you either have low self esteem, or you are just not very good and you need to cover up you inadequacies. ...