Steven Seagal used to be one of the most famous action movie stars in the world. In the 1980’s and 1990’s he starred in hit movies like Above the Law, Marked for Death, and Under Siege. In recent years he’s been turned into a meme. With his weight gain, questionable claims, and even more questionable politics, he’s become a favorite target for comedians.
Despite his downward trajectory, Seagal has managed to maintain his mystic appeal. He’s still a favorite in Russia and the best pal of Vladimir Putin for example.
In this video, Jesse Enkamp from the Karate Nerd YouTube channel, spends a day talking to, and training with Steven Seagal. This is the first video in a two-part series.
The first part of the series begins with Steven Seagal explaining his philosophy on fighting. He explains that his style, which is an aggressive form of Aikido, differs from modern jiu-jitsu because he doesn’t go to the ground. His method was practiced by the Samurai and is about life and death, not sport.
“We don’t go down to the ground. Just as much as those guys spend diving for your legs, we spend just as much time cutting your head off.”
After the initial discussion, Jesse and his brother Oliver meet Steven Seagal’s training partner. A young man who’s quite good at taking a beating from the large martial artist. They enter a large and impressive mixed martial arts facility with a room upstairs reserved just for them. He then puts on an amazing display of his martial arts prowess by demonstrating potentially lethal techniques on his training partner, and even on Jesse and his brother.
One technique I was looking forward to seeing was the front kick that he taught MMA strikers, Anderson Sylva and Lyoto Machida. Both fighters used it to knock out UFC Hall of Famer, Vitor Belfort. After his explanation, the technique makes a lot more sense. I now see why it’s so devastating in MMA competition.
After the training, Seagal explains to the brothers his philosophy on generating power, internal energy (Chi/Ki) and the importance of his legacy.
I’m personally not a fan of Seagal. However, I did gain more respect for him as a martial artist. Jesse Enkamp and his brother are experts. Jesse has years of karate experience, and his brother Oliver is a mixed martial arts fighter. Therefore, they should be able to spot a fraud in a heartbeat. To Steven Seagal’s credit, the brothers seemed genuinely impressed with his ability.
If you are a fan of the martial arts, action movies, or both then check out the video.