The need to fight part I

For as long as I can remember, I have been fascinated with the human need to visit violence upon one another. Don't get me wrong, I'm a quiet, peaceful guy, I don't go round picking fights and I'd rather get along with people. But I have always held this deep interest in the propensity our species displays to fight one another.

From a one-on-one fist fight to all out warfare, fighting is a fundamental part of human nature. Ever since the first caveman decided to hit his neighbour over the head with a big rock, human beings have fought one another for almost every reason imaginable. Honour, greed, pride, religion, love, fear, the list is endless.

My interest in fighting began at a young age. A love of Bruce Lee and Claude van Damme films led to me taking up Shotokan Karate at five. I spent five years doing karate, reaching 2nd Kyu Brown and White belt.

For a few years I didn't really train any martial arts, though I maintained an avid interest in fighting and war, particularly ancient military history.

In University, I took up Ninjitsu which involved an interesting mix of techniques, from pressure points and grappling to weapons training. Ninjitsu is one the few martial arts that teaches weapon use from the beginning, mainly the bokken (wooden training sword around the size and shape of a katana), tanto dagger and bo staff. Ninjitsu was a great experience, but I had yet to find the fighting style truly perfect for me.

This finally happened about a year ago, when the Tony Jaa film Ong Bak sparked an interest in Thai martial arts, particuarly Muay Thai and Muay Boran (the collection of techniques used in Thai boxing prior to the introduction of modern equipment and rules). Mixed with a growing passion for MMA, I began to feel a strong need to start training once again. The obvious choice was Muay Thai, and I have the fortune of living less than two minutes walk to a top notch Thai gym, the Shor-Chana School of Thai Boxing. I have been training there for a few months now, and love every minute of it. Muay Thai is the perfect martial art for me, and I intend to be doing it for many years to come.