Karate Lessons : Igor Dyachenko’s knowledge
Karate Lessons : Jean-Claude Van Damme has become synonymous with martial arts. His amazing moves and acrobatics on the big screen have made him a household name. Hollywood can do amazing things with filming techniques and special effects. So is Jean-Claude Van Damme a real karate master?
Van Damme early life
Jean-Claude was born Jean-Claude Camille Francois Van Varenberg in Brussels in 1960. At the age of ten, he begins to attend karate classes. Focusing on Shotokan karate, Jean-Claude regularly attends classes, but training doesn’t stop in the dojo. As many will attest to when Van Damme does something he goes all in. His father creates a dojo in the family home attic space.
After karate training, Jean-Claude consistently trains at home. Hours of kicking the heavy bag and stretches form part of his daily routine. Under the instruction of Claude Goetz, Van Damme joins the Belgian National Centre of Karate at 12. Four years later he becomes part of the Belgian Karate Team training in the full contact form of the sport.
Competing from the age of 15, Jean-Claude amasses 44 victories in tournaments with only four defeats. He is part of the Belgium Karate team as they win the European Karate Championships in Brussels. Van Damme goes on to compete and consequently win, in many matches during his karate journey.
Many experts in the field of karate attest to the high caliber of Jean-Claude Van Damme. There was a fantastic career ahead of him in the sport. However, another passion in acting takes him to Hollywood instead.
Van Damme karate training
The karate training Jean-Claude has, follows the traditional route. He does lots of kata practice, but his passion is in Kumite. Although he may not be active in the karate competition circuit, Jean-Claude continues with his karate training every day.
Training for at least an hour a day, he continues his practice with conditioning and weights. His son, Christopher, has also taken up the tradition with him. Focusing on the lessons of his past, he believes in the quality of training and giving 100% at all times.
Igor Dyachenko applies similar principals to his program at Karate City. Competing at an international level and encouraging focus and mindfulness is part of his teaching. Karate Lessons