Interesting Chuck Norris martial arts facts

These days, Chuck Norris is sadly viewed as a bit of an internet meme. This can be seen with the various Chuck Norris jokes from years back that would compliment his fighting skills and macho persona. However, beyond these jokes – there is actually a very real, dedicated martial artist. As it happens, he is a life-long practitioner of various arts. These include Karate, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Tang Soo Do, Taekwondo, and Judo. In his earlier life, he had also won various Championships in Karate which proves he’s not just an actor either, he’s certainly the real deal. With this said and done, here’s some interesting facts about Chuck Norris and his life in martial arts.

Does Chuck Norris really know karate?

As mentioned earlier, Norris certainly does know Karate. He is an 8th degree black belt in Kyokushin Karate which literally takes most people a lifetime to achieve said rank. Karate was one of the first martial arts that Norris practiced. As seen, this fighting style was commonly used in his movies. However, the proof is in his rank. Combined with the fact that he won various Karate competitions earlier in his life, is proof that is genuinely knows a lot about Karate. He is also a 9th degree black belt in Tang Soo Do which is a Korean fighting style, that is very similar to Karate.

Does Chuck Norris have a karate school?

Although Norris has previously taught Karate in his younger days, the answer to this question is no, Chuck Norris does not own a karate school. Years back, he did teach Karate in a Texas middle school that was designed to build confidence as well as practical fighting skills. However, the busy schedule and acting lifestyle has meant that Norris never owned his own gym or dojo. Nonetheless, he still managed to train at various places, dependent on his location at the time.

Did Chuck Norris ever lose a fight?

Contrary to internet legend, Chuck Norris has lost fights in his time. We’re not just on about in movies either. As it happens, the apparent record of Norris was 183-10 which shows his fighting credibility. This record was held during the late 1960s when he was still an active competitor on the Karate/Kickboxing scene and saw him earn the title of World Professional Middleweight Karate Champion. Remember, this wasn’t MMA, but was probably the closest thing to MMA back in the day. So, even though he has been defeated, his record is still incredibly successful and a testament to his skill.

Did Chuck Norris do Taekwondo?

Now in his 80s, Norris isn’t as public with his life anymore, so it’s unknown if he’s still training. Nonetheless, Norris also trained Taekwondo for several years. As Norris is 8th degree in Taekwondo, like Karate it shows a genuine devotion that can’t be achieved in a couple of years either. This rank means that technically, Norris is a grandmaster in Taekwondo. Like Karate, TKD is based primarily on strikes and like many Korean arts, TKD also focuses heavily on kicks. Because of this, when it comes to striking in particular, you could say that Norris is very well rounded.

Is Chuck Norris part Indian?

According to the man himself, his ethnicity is part Cherokee and Irish. Having said this, he is often seen as an all-American hero and patriot. An interesting fact of Chuck is that his birth name was Carlos Ray Norris. Like many actors, his name was changed to sound more appealing to an American market at the time.

Who is tougher than Chuck Norris?

The answer to this question is purely based on personal opinion. By modern day standards, UFC fighter Israel Adesanya has a fighting record of over 100 wins with 7 losses. This is recorded across MMA, kickboxing and boxing. With this said, you could argue that Adesanya’s record is better than that of Norris due to being more rounded due to featuring MMA bouts. Nonetheless, both men have incredibly impressive fighting records.

Did Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris ever fight?

This is a classic Chuck Norris question that made the rounds in the earlier days of the internet. Basically, Chuck Norris and Bruce Lee were seen as the greatest martial artists during the 70s, however they never fought. Instead, the pair featured in The Way Of The Dragon and fought on the big screen. Had the pair fought in an MMA setting back in the day though, it would have been the stuff of legend by today’s standards.

Is Chuck Norris tall?

Norris is not particularly tall. Standing at roughly 1.78 meters, he is roughly 5’8 in height. Ideally for a striking martial artist, he would have long limbs to help his kicks and punches. Irrespective of this, his technique alone made him a champion, so when it comes to fighting perhaps size doesn’t always matter.

What belt is Chuck Norris in judo?

Striking martial arts aren’t the only fighting skills that Chuck Norris possesses. As it happens, he is also a black belt in Judo. The exact rank of his Judo belt is unknown. Having said this, to achieve such a rank roughly takes around 5 years – which means that combined with his BJJ black belt, Norris is a highly accomplished grappler and can fight on the ground too.

Did Chuck Norris do his own stunts or have a stunt double?

Again, this question is based on internet mythology. Even though Norris is undoubtedly a tough son of a gun, he did have a stunt double for Texas Walker Ranger, named Kinnie Gibson. In short, even though Norris is a skilled fighter, there’s still a certain amount of risk involved when jumping out of buildings and falling from heights. No amount of martial arts training will prepare your body for possible accidents, so Norris often had a stuntman around, especially as he got older.

Is Chuck Norris a 10th degree black belt?

Chuck Norris is a 10th degree black belt in his own system, that he named Chun Kuk Do. This was founded in 1990 and was based on several codes in what to live by. At the time, Norris was still massively into martial arts such as Karate, so in terms of its physical application, it looks similar to Karate and Kung Fu styles. As mentioned earlier, he is also highly skilled in other martial arts too.

Were Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris friends?

As Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris were on film together, it’s only natural that they became friends. Not only this but the pair also trained martial arts together. As those who train martial arts will know, when training with others you will often form an unbreakable bond with them.

What happened to Chuck Norris first wife?

Norris was married to his first wife Dianne Holechek for over 30 years. They then divorced and he married his current wife Gena O’Kelley. Sadly, O’Kelley is quite sick with an illness called gadolinium deposit disease.

What belt is Chuck Norris in BJJ?

Chuck Norris is currently a third degree black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. This is a tough rank to obtain, which he achieved under Rigan Machado. In general, a black belt in the art takes roughly 10 years to obtain. After that, each dan takes a further 3 years, meaning that Norris has probably done BJJ for over 20 years. Combined with his Judo skills, this would make him a menace at ground fighting.

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