Mat Fraser – proof that being disabled doesn’t mean you can’t do martial arts…and other lessons

Mat Fraser is a British actor and musician. Among other things, he is also a martial artist. In the field of martial arts, he has trained the likes of Hapkido, Karate, and Taekwondo. However, Fraser is also unlike most typical martial artists, as he has a physical disability in the name of phocomelia. This was the result of his mother’s use of thalidomide during her pregnancy. Thalidomide was an over-the-counter drug that was developed in the 1950s as a painkiller. It also had side effects of giving birth to babies with phocomelia.

Phocomelia is the name of Fraser’s condition and is when you’re born with shortened limbs. In the case of Fraser, this only applies to his arms as he stands at just under 6 feet. It turns out that Fraser has also used his height to his advantage in the world of martial arts. As many know, the likes of Karate and Taekwondo, in particular, are brilliant for using and relying on kicks. This is a great example of something playing to their strengths and not letting a physical disability get in their way.

As mentioned, Fraser happens to be a man of many talents. He’s not just a martial artist and has proven to be a successful actor, perhaps best known for his role of Paul The Seal in the hit TV show American Horror Story. This acts as yet another example of Fraser’s versatility and positive attitude towards life. Because of this, you could claim that in many ways, Fraser represents the purest definition of being a martial artist.