Dick Morgan - Warrior Mind: Strategy And Philosophy From The Martial Arts

Dick Morgan

AuthorHouse

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Phone: 1-800-839-8640

This book is a work of non-fiction. Unless otherwise noted, the author and the publisher make no explicit guarantees as to the accuracy of the information contained in this book and in some cases, names of people and places have been altered to protect their privacy.

2009 Dick Morgan. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

First published by AuthorHouse 7/8/2009

ISBN: 978-1-4389-3048-0 (sc)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2009900560

Printed in the United States of America

Bloomington, Indiana

This book is printed on acid-free paper.

This book is dedicated to my teacher, Grandmaster James R. Garrison, 9th dan, and his teacher, Grandmaster, Kim, Sangcook, 10th dan, President of the World Oriental Martial Arts Federation.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

True strength comes from within.

The Mind and the Body are One

Breath control expands awareness

Move from the Center

All energy is directed toward attaining ones objective.

Do Not Resist Force; Blend with it.

Seek the Angle of Best Advantage

Zen Koan: Father and Son

Angular Advantage

Step into the Void Precise timing creates and exploits gaps in an opponents defenses.

Flow with Change

Honor Your Spirit

Forward

There is no doubt that Richard Morgan is a warrior as well as a master of the martial arts. He is a retired firefighter and an E.M.T. (Emergency Medical Technician) who spent his life on the front lines helping citizens. He is a Vietnam Veteran serving in the U.S. Navy during the height of the war, and he is an award-winning author and poet.

Richard Morgan started practicing with us when I was a senior instructor at the Sang Cook Kim School of Martial Arts. He was a legitimate Chinese Kenpo black belt: lean and mean and as focused and dedicated as any student I had known. Without any prompting, he put on a white belt and began to practice with a beginners mind. That was in 1974, and he has continued to be a dedicated student as well as an exceptional teacher. He now has his own school in N.E. Portland, OR., but travels to the main headquarters school to train at least once a week.

Over the years he has traveled with me throughout the United States, offering his expertise to students as well as instructors. Our teacher, Mr. Kim S.C., often said that the measure of a true teacher is one that gives the same or more energy to new students as to senior ones.

Master Morgan is such an instructor. He willingly shares his extensive knowledge with the beginners as well as senior students. Master Morgan has compiled his knowledge in this volume.

This book is a result of his life work and his vast experience. I was with Master Morgan for most of his incredible journey. His insights and observations are priceless, and his ability to condense them in this book speaks to his writing expertise as well as his observational skills. This is a must read for new students as well as a valuable resource for master instructors.

James R. Garrison, MSW, LCSW

th Degree Black Belt

V.P. World Oriental Martial Federation

Owner/Director Pacific Rim Martial Arts Academy

Grandmaster Sangcook Kim

Grandmaster James R. Garrison (right) and Master Dick Morgan

Introduction

The first time I entered full-contact sparring competition was perhaps the worst moment in my martial arts career. I was a new brown belt, in my early twenties, muscular, ambitious, and headstrong. I had told my instructor, a Kenpo black belt, that I wanted to enter the Northwest Regionals, that I wanted to compete.

You are not ready, he said.

I told him I thought I was. I was athletic, limber, and strong. I ran three miles, lifted weights, and spent half an hour doing kicks of every kind every day. I could break multiple pine boards with a punch; I did my forms religiously. I attended class three times a week. How could he say that I was not ready?

You are not ready, he simply repeated without explanation.

My instructor did not compete, at least he had not competed in the time I had studied under him. I thought to myself, this man doesnt know about tournaments, or maybe he didnt want me to outshine him in the dojo (training hall). I decided to compete anyway, despite his attempts to discourage me.

The day of the tournament, I arrived at the school gymnasium where it was being held promptly at its beginning, 10 AM. I listened to the explanation of the rules and began my warm up routines. But even though there were six event rings running simultaneously, time seemed to drag by slowly. There were forms competitions for every style, every age, and every belt level for both boys and girls, men and women. By the time the forms competitions were over, it was early afternoon, and I was becoming impatient. Then the non-contact sparring began. Again there were separate events for each sex, each age group, and each belt level. By the time non-contact sparring was over, it was late afternoon, and I was tired and hungry.

When full-contact sparring began, again I had to wait through all of the children and all of the lower ranks. I sat on the bleachers and watched the younger contestants and the lower ranks sparring. Some of the colored belt contestants were pretty good fighters. Occasionally, someone connected with a powerful kick, and his opponent would hit the floor, dazed or unconscious. I prayed that wouldnt happen to me!

By the time the mens heavy-weight brown belt full-contact sparring began, I was sore from sitting too long. I had warmed up multiple times, and now my muscles were stiff. As I climbed down off the bleachers and got into the line-up, I began to look over my fellow competitors. A few appeared older and overweight; I hoped I got one of those as my opponent. A few others were lean and muscular, youthful and fierce-looking. I didnt want one of them facing me!

As it turned out, the number of competitors was uneven, and I got a bye, meaning I would not compete until the second round. With mixed emotions about this turn of luck, I sat with the other competitors and watched all of the first-round sparring matches. Some of the competitors were very good; I saw some phenomenally fast and strong kicks. One fellow was knocked out of the ring by a side kick to his chest and could not stand up afterwards. Several people on the sidelines shouted encouragement to the kicker, calling him Champ. When I asked a fellow contestant about the young man, I was told, That the guy who won last year. Try not to fight him.

But as luck would have it, the young man with the strong side kick and I were paired up in the second round. I stepped up to the mark on my side of the ring, crouched into my fighting stance, and looked toward my opponent. He was very relaxed, pumping his shoulders and looking directly into my eyes. When the referee told us to get ready, my opponent stepped to his mark and took a loose stance, emitting a strong, loud kihap (spirit yell), never taking his eyes off of my eyes. His kihap unnerved me; I had felt its reverberation all through my body. This young man opposite me was an experienced fighter, and I was going to have to really defend myself or he would hurt me. I had begun to review all the blocks in my head when the referee shouted Sijak! (Begin!) My opponent strode forward and executed a fake front kick, followed immediately by a quick roundhouse which had such force that even though I blocked it, he knocked my own forearm into my face. I threw a roundhouse kick in return, but my kick was so slow and stiff that he was out of range before the kick was fully extended; he didnt even bother to block it.