Master Willie Lim (left).
With the advent of MMA and the long-time marketability of, and preference for, kick/punch martial arts styles within popular culture, many argue that the true essence of traditional martial arts has been diluted, and in some cases lost for all time. With the passing of the masters of old, many styles, it seems, have been modified to accommodate big business interests (namely the entertainment and teaching arenas). While in most cases, with many sports and activities, change can be a good thing and with the passage of time and the progression it allows, greater opportunities and growth can occur for the betterment of all concerned, the martial arts (including all traditional styles) are one pursuit, it could be argued, that must remain authentic: correct application and stylistic qualities of the traditional arts, it is thought, are easily lost when not given their due respect. While many styles do retain their authenticity, politics, big business and ego conspire to water down others. One man doing his best to keep the flame of traditional martial systems burning is Master Willie Lim, perhaps known best for his emphasis on analyzing and interpreting forms (or kata) – as passed down from their originators – to retain the life preserving technical aspects hidden within them.
Anyone belonging to the ‘70s-‘80s New Zealand martial arts community, indeed the broader fitness industry, would have almost inevitably heard the name Willie Lim, if not been trained, and influenced, by the man himself. A martial arts icon, Master Lim began his teaching career in 1970, eventually pioneering Tae Kwon Do (of which he currently holds an eighth degree black belt) and Tai Chi in New Zealand while operating several fitness centres. Born in Penang, Malaya, in 1946, Master Lim’s first martial arts style encompassed a mixture of Judo and Kyokushinkai karate, of which he began in 1961, influenced by an old friend of his father’s. Since then he has attained a seventh degree black belt in Ryukyu Kempo Karate and expertise in Sing Ong Tai Chi along with his Tae Kwon Do (TKD) credentials and a nomination for Martial Artist of the Century. While based in New Zealand, Lim established himself as a leading martial arts figure and throughout his own learning progression has taught many people (this author included) the form, function and philosophy behind what has become one of the world’s most popular martial forms: Tae Kwon Do. “I believe I learnt a lot about myself from teaching TKD and from my own mistakes,” says Lim. “This helped me to be a better teacher and, business-wise, everything just fell into place. I believe a lot of the success occurred through being in the right place at the right time and having a strong student base that was very supportive of what I did. I would say at one point we would have been the most active group and the largest operating in New Zealand.”
As Lim evolved as a martial artist, demand for his expertise increased and, in 1989, he moved from the country he so impacted to share his knowledge internationally. Since leaving New Zealand, Master Lim has specialized in analysing forms (the various hyung/katas, or original time-tested techniques of the masters from which they originated) and how they specifically relate to realistic self-defence. Says Lim: “upon leaving New Zealand I based myself near San Francisco and taught applications of Karate/TKD forms and private self-defence classes. I also found a new direction by immersing myself in the study of Tai Chi. Presently I teach Tai Chi where I am based at the different resorts here in Scottsdale, Arizona, and in Jamaica, and I also teach at Cancer centres using this art as a healing modality. I travel to Europe twice a year to teach applications of forms and have been doing that for 19 years now. I also teach in Malaysia and Thailand yearly.” Underpinning the applications concerning the various styles Master Lim has taught over the past 40 years are the various kata, of which he considers to be of critical importance for the mastering of each style as they were originally intended to be conveyed: The kata,” said Lim in a 1994 interview, “contain the life preserving techniques of the Masters. These were well hidden within the kata and were only passed on to a privileged few (in some cases the first born male).” Master Lim is critical of how various kata have been diluted since the inception of the arts they form. “Kata as we are taught today is too simplistic,” Lim continues, “as it dwells in the realm of block, punch and kick. Even when we get to Black Belt we are still practicing elementary interpretations, only with more finesse and power.”
Asked how he has evolved as a martial artist throughout the course of his career and Master Lim, ever seeking self-development despite widespread recognition as being one of the world’s best, says, “I look at everything as a journey and the search for the truth in my own eyes.” Perhaps controversially, Master Lim is also known for his belief that martial artists today are products of watered down systems. “What we are learning today in terms of Karate/TKD,” says Lim, “has already been watered down, hence the reliance on strength and brute force. Real art relies very little on that. Martial artists buy into a structure and, because of that, buy into the hype of rank recognition. Many can talk the talk but very few can walk the walk.” With his belief in retaining the purity and integrity of the martial styles he teaches, Master Lim has also become known as an authentic practitioner of his craft in capturing the true essence of each of his systems. For him the martial arts is all about mastering a process, not attaining rank. “There are so many ways that the arms and legs can move and the way certain techniques can be applied. I meet different martial artists who tell me about their systems and boast of the number of techniques they have, of the ranks they hold in different martial arts. While these are good people, I tell them I have one concept and I keep refining this concept before walking away. In martial arts any system is a process. People keep learning more forms as they buy into a structure. You have all the alphabets in the world, but can you form the letters? That is what the martial arts are about.”
Once an instructor using a systematized class structure to teach his style of TKD, Master Lim eventually broke away to become a sought after martial arts freelancer, and a self-confessed rebel of sorts. He shifted from organized martial arts federations with their inherent political structures to concentrate on what he does best: teach authentic martial arts with no restrictions: “Federations are fine and good,” says Lim, “if they really look after the people that support them, but often it is just a structure to feed those at the top. When people buy into a structure they clamour to be what this organisation or that stands for. The strength of a martial artist or organisation is not the piece of paper that they issue but the respect that you have without that paper. There are so many masters around. No one can make himself or herself a master, it is the people they have taught through the years and the high regard in which they are held the gives credence to that title. I prefer to be able to work with anyone, without having any restrictions placed on me.” Asked if there is a common thread that runs through all martial styles, a particular essence a martial artist, irrespective of their art, should aim to understand and derive from, Master Lim says, “Irrespective of styles we are all on the same journey. Some get there faster, others slower. We all have different ideas of what is right or wrong and what we choose to learn is based upon personal preference. The sooner we understand this the better the world will be for the martial artist.”
In TKD there is the sporting side (which is usually optional) along with the traditional cultivation method instrumental in learning this style’s nuances. For those who train specifically to enter tournaments, Master Lim has the following advice: “The practitioner must have a comprehensive understanding of the arsenal they have and to realistically know what they can do with it in a sporting situation and his physical condition must be up to par so as to not injure himself and his partners in this context.” And what does TKD have to offer as a martial art compared other arts, including Tai Chi? In what ways can each style compliment the other? Says Lim, “TKD, like any combat sport, can be used for self-defence if the exponent has a realistic level of understanding of the art, but Tai Chi is an art that refines all the other arts if you know what you are looking for. Tai Chi can help the TKD exponent learn to be soft and have a better flow, and thus move better.” The key to becoming a successful martial artist, including what a practitioner, regardless of style, should aspire to attain throughout their journey is, according to Lim, “to have a good head on them and to understand that they are on a journey and to get the help of those with better experience to guide him, and to mentally stay focused on the journey.”
Long known for their health benefits, as well as self-defence and competitive applications, the various martial arts can offer something for almost everyone. Asked what he considers the most effective martial art from a health standpoint, Lim says, “If I were young then I would consider a pugilistic art like Karate/Kung fu or TKD most effective, as this would give me a strong body while helping me focus on certain aspects of the art. At this point in my life I would consider Tai Chi more suitable for me as I need to stay safe and the training demands my mind "presence”. And is there a superior combative art? “Baked beans are baked beans, the question is what brand do you prefer?” says Lim. “The exponent makes the style effective. No I do not believe that any one system has a monopoly on effectiveness. The whole individual that understands his system well would be the best advert for his system.” And this, it seems, fits perfectly with Master Lim’s martial arts philosophy: “There is no destination in real learning – we are perpetually evolving.”
Mark Farnham (left) with Master Willie Lim (right)
