The Way A One Armed Student Learns Martial Arts

Bobby lost his left arm because of a childhoodattacked a plate of food, and he made good
illness, but it didn't slow him down. He rode bikes,progress. Unfortunately, the instructor, while he
was athletic, and did everything a child is supposedwould show Bobby all the techniques, would only
to do, except for one. He never did the martiallet him work on one specific technique.
arts, he assumed that that was one activity heDay after day, week after week, Bobbie focused
would never be able to do.on learning the one technique. Dutifully, he worked
When a martial arts school opened up in hisout the problems with until his execution was as
neighborhood, however, he could not stop thinkingsmooth as silk. Still, the instructor would not let
about it. He would pass by the school slowly,him drill the other techniques.
staring at the kids working out inside. He wouldOne day, the instructor came up to Bobbie after
ask his friends who studied martial arts aboutclass and said, "I've entered you in a tournament."
their training, but he never went inside the dojoBobbie was aghast, he just knew he was going to
because he knew that there was no way hebe pummeled like a dirty rug and tossed like a rag
could do that physical discipline.doll. Still, he trusted his instructor, so he went to
One day a friend of his invited him to the trainingthe tournament.
hall to witness a demonstration. Bobby went, andHe faced his first opponent, and when the attack
watched, and sadness ate at his heart like acame, he used the one technique and won the
weedwacker chews weeds. After thematch. And he used that one technique to defeat
demonstration, Bobby met the instructor, whothe second opponent, and the third. When the end
invited him to study the martial arts.of day came, Bobbie had won the tournament!
"I don't see how I could," Bobbie said sadly, "sinceThe next day Bobbie thanked his teacher. "The
I only have a right arm." The instructor put forththing I don't understand," wondered Bobby, "is
that having one arm wasn't a problem. He said,why that one technique worked so well!" His
"Anything is possible to a man with a wholeinstructor grinned hugely, "The only defense
heart."against that technique, no matter what art you
So Bobbie began learning martial arts. He threwhave learned, is for your opponent to grab your
himself into the practice like a starving manleft arm.