They say: "You should never meet your heroes!"
I have met many of mine and, luckily, they have not disappointed
One such occasion was when I first met and got to learn from master Rickson Gracie
After an amazing two-day seminar, we ended up having a conversation that took us through a multitude of topics
At the end, he was kind enough to sign my copy of the documentary "CHOKE" which follows him as he prepares to defend his title in the 1995 Vale Tudo Freestyle Fighting Championship in Tokyo
He signed it:
To Liam
STRONG SPIRIT
The conversation we had has influenced my whole outlook on martial arts, self defence and being a man.
I decided that if I ever started to teach the martial arts, I would teach them as a vehicle for life.
Strong Body. Strong Mind. Strong Spirit.