Chuck Norris, a Master of Many Martial Arts

Chuck Norris (born March 10, 1940) is an American martial artist and actor. He is a black belt in Tang Soo Do, Brazilian jiu jitsu and judo. After serving in the United States Air Force, Norris won many martial arts championships and later founded his own discipline, Chun Kuk Do.

Shortly after, in Hollywood, Norris trained celebrities in martial arts. Norris went on to appear in a minor role in The Wrecking Crew (1968). Friend and fellow martial artist Bruce Lee invited him to play one of the main villains in The Way of the Dragon (1972). While Norris continued acting, friend and student Steve McQueen suggested he take it seriously. Norris took the starring role in the action film Breaker! Breaker! (1977), which turned a profit. His second lead, Good Guys Wear Black (1978), became a hit, and he soon became a popular action film star.

Chuck Norris is also credited with founding his own two styles of martial arts, known as American Tang Soo Do and Chun Kuk Do (Chuck Norris System). American Tang Soo Do is a combination of five different martial arts styles, which include the Korean arts of traditional Tang Soo Do and Moo Duk Kwan-style, Judo, and the Shitō-ryū and Shotokan styles of Karate. According to American Tang Soo Do Association, Norris started the American Tang Soo Do system in 1973, as well as the National Tang Soo Do Congress, which Norris would eventually branch off to the United Fighting Arts Federation (UFAF).

With the evolution of Tang Soo Do and the addition of more martial arts styles, Norris would form Chun Kuk Do, now known as the Chuck Norris System. Norris created his own moral code of honor for the system, consisting of 10 rules for its members to follow. Norris’ United Fighting Arts Federation continues to hold tournaments and training conferences in Las Vegas and has 90 schools worldwide, in several different countries. There are more than 4,000 active members of the UFAF.

The art includes a code of honor and rules to live by. These rules are from Norris’s personal code. They are:

1. I will develop myself to the maximum of my potential in all ways.
2. I will forget the mistakes of the past and press on to greater achievements.
3. I will continually work at developing love, happiness and loyalty in my family.
4. I will look for the good in all people and make them feel worthwhile.
5. If I have nothing good to say about a person, I will say nothing.
6. I will always be as enthusiastic about the success of others as I am about my own.
7. I will maintain an attitude of open-mindedness.
8. I will maintain respect for those in authority and demonstrate this respect at all times.
9. I will always remain loyal to my God, my country, family and my friends.
10. I will remain highly goal-oriented throughout my life because that positive attitude helps my family, my country and myself.