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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Foreword
Chris Olech comes from a middle-class Polish family who settled in Toronto, Canada looking for a better life.
He enjoyed a normal childhood, delivering newspapers, helping out at his parents’ deli and playing soccer in high school, much like my own life.
He would meet the love of his life, Beata, when she was hired to work at the deli in the wake of his parents’ divorce.
Chris’ introduction to martial arts would come as a result of one of his friends’ tales from his many trips to Thailand. Chris was especially captivated with his buddy’s stories about Thailand’s national sport, Muay Thai, the “King of All Martial Arts.” It’s also known as “The Science of 8 Limbs” due to the fact you can use your hands, elbows, knees & feet as weapons. It is one of the most brutal forms of martial arts.
Inspired by the stories he’d heard about the “Mecca of Muay Thai,” Chris signed up for lessons at a local gym. Weeks later he signed up for a seminar put on by UFC Hall of Famer Matt Hughes and thus began his love affair with all things martial arts!
He took an MMA instructor’s course (where he learned he can vomit from exhaustion), he mined Gold in his division at a Grapplers Quest tourney in Canada (submission grappling), and he even competed in Thai Boxing to find out how it would “feel” to fight!
All of his experiences peaked his curiosity. “What makes a fighter tick?” “Why did you start fighting?” “Where does your love of coaching come from?” He wanted to delve into the mental aspects & the evolution of training methodology as it pertains to martial arts and thus began the journey that led to the publishing of this book. For many of my peers & myself, the spiritual godfather of mixed martial arts, Bruce Lee, inspired us, but what/who inspired the younger generation?
I had the pleasure of meeting Chris a few years ago at a Paradise Warrior retreat seminar where I was one of the guest trainers. Chris has an affable personality, and his curious nature allows him to ask great questions.
So, this book is all about martial artists, kickboxers, mixed martial artists, BJJ practitioners, boxers, and, of course, their coaches.
From A-damek (a champion boxer) to Z-ahabi (acclaimed MMA trainer), and many others in between, he has interviewed them all!
Great work, Chris!
Godspeed
Bas Rutten
• Three times undefeated King of Pancrase World Champion
• Undefeated UFC Heavyweight Champion
• UFC Hall of Fame inductee
• Fifth-degree Kyokushin Karate
• Second-degree