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It is 1953 and Gene LeBell, "The
Toughest Man Alive," is in training for the 1954 AAU United States National Judo
Championships, he is working on his upper body strength for his throws. So what
does Gene do to get ready, weight training . . . no way, too routine. Tons of
push-ups and chin-ups…nope, not challenging enough.
Never accused of being a
conformist, Gene simply did what no other human could, he trained six hours a
day for one year, using his own unique and unconventional training methods like
the "Tire Toss." Gene lifted motorcycle tires straight up, with his elbows above
his shoulders, and then throwing the tires he marched the entire length of a
football field until he got end zone where he celebrated by tossing the tire
over the goal post. Then Gene turned around and went back the other way. Gene's
legendary strength and extraordinary dedication led Gene to back-to-back
National Judo Heavyweight Championships in 1954 and 1955.
"I've never met anyone like Gene, he is the Incredible Hulk in real life," says
Gene's close friend and WorldBlackBelt Founder Bob Wall. Gene was actually once
disqualified from a Judo tournament because the officials felt he was using too
much strength. Having a hard time finding worthy opponents, Gene even took on a
bear . . . and won.
Being the son of Aileen Eaton, the remarkable woman who controlled the male
dominated Los Angeles boxing and wrestling scene as the owner of the landmark
Olympic Auditorium, Gene grew up in the company of fighting heroes like Muhammad
Ali, Jerry Quarry, Gorgeous George, Joe Frazier, Sonny Liston, Sugar Ray
Robinson and Archie Moore, just to name a few.
"The Man in the Pink Gi," Gene LeBell is truly an incredibly original Martial
Arts renaissance man, and this is reflected in his many alias. In the 1960s,
Gene got into professional wrestling and became known as the infamous "Hangman,"
where he won fans and championship belts throughout the world. Unfortunately,
for Gene he lost one of those belts just 12 seconds after winning it, after he
accidentally hit the commissioner in the head while proudly flaunting his belt.
In 1963, Gene participated in the first "Martial Artist vs. Boxer" event when he
took on and choked out Milo Savage. Savage was greased head to toe and wearing
brass knuckles, but after four action filled rounds Gene finally got a hold of
the slippery Savage and applied one of his famous chokeholds. This fight is
available on VHS in the Products Section at
www.genelebell.com. A few years later, Gene was the third man in the ring of
the most famous Martial Artist vs. Boxer battle when he refereed Muhammad Ali's
fight with Antonio Inoki.
Naturally, Gene's colorful personality and superb Martial Art skill led him into
the entertainment world. Gene has appeared in more than One Thousand movies and
television shows. Next time you are going to the movies or television channel
surfing at home, don't be surprised if you spot Gene. Whether it's fighting with
Bruce Lee on the Green Hornet TV series, or playing Rodney Dangerfield's stunt
double in the upcoming comedy "The 4th Tenor," Gene makes a lasting impression.
With former star students like Elvis Presley, Chuck Norris, and Bob Wall, Gene's
primary love remains teaching and he always packs them in at his popular
seminars and at his regular 7:30 p.m. Monday Night Grappling Class at his
student Gokor Chivichyan's school, which is located at 5123 Sunset Boulevard,
Suite 214, Hollywood California. For more information on Gene's seminar schedule
or classes visit
www.genelebell.com or
www.gokor.com.
Don't forget to check out Gene's personal website at
www.genelebell.com, and be sure to pick up a copy of "Gene LeBell's
Grappling World, The Encyclopedia of Finishing Holds," and view Gene's six part
videotape training series.
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