- Joined
- Apr 5, 1999
- Messages
- 460
Dear Members,
I am very proud and honored to announce my induction into the United States Martial Arts Hall of Fame. I was officially inducted back in July in St. Louis but due to the fact that I was out of the county at the time there was a West coast induction on December 23rd, held in conjunction with the annual Christmas party at the IMB Academy here in Southern California. I was deeply humbled by my induction which was nominated and voted upon by some of the worlds finest martial artists, true legends and Icons in the field. It was most surreal in that, being a serious fighting arts practioner since the age of 16, I was now standing among those who had literally inspired me to become a practitioner.
As a young boy growing up in the woods of Northern Wisconsin (we were called Jack Pine Savages) I had no access to schools or formal instruction. I remember ordering a book/course titled Ketsugo from the back of a comic book at the age of 12. I also bought every issue of Black Belt magazine that came to our local drugstore. They only showed up about every couple of months, but I would faithfully check every week. By the time I was 16 I was mobile and drove to Duluth Minnesota, 80 miles each way, twice a week to study Korean Judo at the Duluth YMCA, the only martial arts training within 200 miles of where I lived.
Since I was on the football team I talked the coach into loaning me a 200lb heavy bag tackling bag each summer which I hung by a chain on the oak tree in our front yard. I remember my Mom telling me it took years for the grass to grow back around the base of that tree. I guess, now that Im looking back, all the hard work and determination paid off in the end. I can honestly say that my experience in the martial arts paved the way for everything I have today. It opened all the doors and its pursuit, my sweet journey, brought everything to me that I have today. This was never a hobby or passing interest to me. It was a way of life. I lived to fight, to train and to teach. To this day, almost every waking moment and a lot of my dreams, are dedicated to the study of human combat and fighting. I have been asked if it was worth it. Do you mean, the broken bones (last count around 15), the operations (at least 5), the rearranged face, the torn retinas, trauma induced cataracts, the torn muscles and tendons, the dislocations and the concussions, and the injury induced arthritis in my hands shoulders, back and hips?
The answer is not yes, its HELL YES! I wouldnt trade one minute of it. And I will still be fighting even when I have to push my wheel chair to the mat. Few people ever get to do the things they truly love and even fewer get the opportunity to make a living doing what they love. I am one of those lucky ones. I have to thank every teacher Ive ever had, both good and bad, for their influence, direction and inspiration in my life. Without them I wouldnt be writing this story for you today.
Some have called me an expert. I always tell them, An expert is one who has mastered the basics. Train like A Madman . Fight like A Demon.
Ernest Emerson still working on the basics.
I am very proud and honored to announce my induction into the United States Martial Arts Hall of Fame. I was officially inducted back in July in St. Louis but due to the fact that I was out of the county at the time there was a West coast induction on December 23rd, held in conjunction with the annual Christmas party at the IMB Academy here in Southern California. I was deeply humbled by my induction which was nominated and voted upon by some of the worlds finest martial artists, true legends and Icons in the field. It was most surreal in that, being a serious fighting arts practioner since the age of 16, I was now standing among those who had literally inspired me to become a practitioner.
As a young boy growing up in the woods of Northern Wisconsin (we were called Jack Pine Savages) I had no access to schools or formal instruction. I remember ordering a book/course titled Ketsugo from the back of a comic book at the age of 12. I also bought every issue of Black Belt magazine that came to our local drugstore. They only showed up about every couple of months, but I would faithfully check every week. By the time I was 16 I was mobile and drove to Duluth Minnesota, 80 miles each way, twice a week to study Korean Judo at the Duluth YMCA, the only martial arts training within 200 miles of where I lived.
Since I was on the football team I talked the coach into loaning me a 200lb heavy bag tackling bag each summer which I hung by a chain on the oak tree in our front yard. I remember my Mom telling me it took years for the grass to grow back around the base of that tree. I guess, now that Im looking back, all the hard work and determination paid off in the end. I can honestly say that my experience in the martial arts paved the way for everything I have today. It opened all the doors and its pursuit, my sweet journey, brought everything to me that I have today. This was never a hobby or passing interest to me. It was a way of life. I lived to fight, to train and to teach. To this day, almost every waking moment and a lot of my dreams, are dedicated to the study of human combat and fighting. I have been asked if it was worth it. Do you mean, the broken bones (last count around 15), the operations (at least 5), the rearranged face, the torn retinas, trauma induced cataracts, the torn muscles and tendons, the dislocations and the concussions, and the injury induced arthritis in my hands shoulders, back and hips?
The answer is not yes, its HELL YES! I wouldnt trade one minute of it. And I will still be fighting even when I have to push my wheel chair to the mat. Few people ever get to do the things they truly love and even fewer get the opportunity to make a living doing what they love. I am one of those lucky ones. I have to thank every teacher Ive ever had, both good and bad, for their influence, direction and inspiration in my life. Without them I wouldnt be writing this story for you today.
Some have called me an expert. I always tell them, An expert is one who has mastered the basics. Train like A Madman . Fight like A Demon.
Ernest Emerson still working on the basics.
