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The legendary Chuck Norris is an American martial artist, film producer, actor, and screenwriter. He served in the US Air Force for four years and then went on to become legendary in martial arts, winning multiple championships. His career in acting helped him achieve great stardom as his shows, especially Walker, Texas Ranger were hugely popular all over the world. Chuck Norris has several greats under his belt.

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There are many facts that you may not know about this living legend. Today, we give you a glimpse into his great life. Read on to find out 10 amazing facts about Chuck Norris you didn’t know about.

His Name Isn’t Chuck

Well, to everyone’s amazement, Chuck Norris isn’t Chuck at all. His real name is actually Carlos Ray Norris. Although both his parents were Irish and Cherokee, he was named after a close family friend named Carlos.

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He received the nickname ‘Chuck’ while in the military serving overseas in South Korea (reportedly it was actually ‘Ground Chuck) as military police. So, Carlos Norris became Chuck for the screen and never looked back. The legend and his name will forever be etched in our memories. Chuck Norris and his acting skills are so famous that his fan club keeps growing day by day.

Wasn’t An Athlete In School

Norris often said that he was bullied in school and wasn’t very athletic. While serving in the military Norris became interested in martial arts and took classes in Tang Soo Do and achieved a black belt. After leaving the military he moved back to the US and opened a martial arts studio. He started competing to bring attention to the business. He lost ten of his matches early on in his career, but after that, the graph just kept going up. Since 1968 he hasn’t lost a single fight. He finished his career as a competitor with a 168-10-2 record. This is why Chuck Norris is a legend in his field and is so popular even today.

He Created His Own Martial Arts Style

With karate being the main martial art that Chuck Norris is known for, it comes as a surprise to some people that he invented his very own style. His greatest achievement is the six straight titles at the Professional Middleweight Karate Championship. Once he had mastered karate and a couple of other martial arts, he wanted to try out something different. He created ‘Univeral Way,’ or Chun Kuk Do. He started teaching students this new martial art that he invented and it was a hit with them. So now in addition to karate, Chuck Norris has also built his legacy with a new martial art style.

He Trained Hollywood In The Art Of Karate

Chuck Norris trained many stars in Hollywood in the martial arts and became friends with Steve McQueen, Donny and Marie Osmond, Bob Barker and Pricilla Presley. In 1968 when Norris was competing, he met Bruce Lee who was then appearing in the TV show The Green Hornet. When Lee died, Chuck Norris and Steve McQueen were two of the pallbearers at his funeral. Steve McQueen played a vital role in the life of Chuck Norris. He told him to start his acting career and we all know how great that decision was. The world came to know about Chuck Norris once he started to appear on the screen.

He Is A Taekwondo 8th Degree Black Belt Grand Master

Chuck Norris has several medals under his belt. With karate being the mainstay in his martial art career, he has received many medals for it. Apart from karate, Chuck also has black belts in other martial arts like Tang Soo Do, Judo, Taekwondo, and Brazilian Ju-Jitsu.

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It is in Taekwondo that he was awarded a very prestigious award. He was the very first westerner to get the 8th Degree Black Belt Grand Master rank. This is one of the greatest awards that he has received. This also established his presence in the world. America knew him very well, but now the world learned about him too.

Adheres To A Personal Code

When Chuck Norris started Chun Kuk Do, he attached a personal code of 10 rules to live by. Number 4 simply says, “If I have nothing good to say about a person, I will say nothing.” This code is followed to a ‘T’ by Chuck. So, all those who love to talk to Chuck Norris also end up telling him a lot of their stories that will stay with him forever. Chuck has maintained a great regime with all his martial arts techniques. This helped him to have a great meditative mind and strong will power too. The personal code is a great way in which Chuck tries to stay on a positive path and do good.

He Is A Best-Selling Author

If you want to get into the mind of Chuck Norris, then just pick up one of his novels. His best-selling books include Against All Odds, Black Belt Patriotism: How to Reawaken America, The Justice Riders, and A Threat to Justice. These books have become widely famous, putting him on the New York Times best-selling list. Against All Odds is an autobiographical novel that delves deep into his persona and his struggles to reach the top. Other books are in the self-help genre. Through Chuck Norris’ novels, you will get something gritty and strong and this will inspire you to reach for the stars too.

He Was Made An Honorary Marine

Seeing Chuck Norris in action, you would think he started strong from the very beginning. But Chuck was not one of those athletic students in school. Yet, he persevered and reached the top in martial arts. This started in South Korea when he was stationed as an air policeman in the United States Air Force. Chuck Norris was given the honorary title of Marine in 2006 by the Marine Corp for his support of the military branch and his campaign of Protect What You’ve Earned. The program was aimed at getting Marines to maintain their pride in their accomplishments as a Marine and avoiding behavior unbefitting the Marine Corp.

He Was A Spokesman For Action Jeans

Since Chuck was into martial arts and everything, he knew what a good pair of jeans meant for mobility. With his series, Walker, Texas Ranger, Chuck showcased that a good pair of jeans was perfect to fight crime in any situation. He crafted his own line of jeans called “Action Jeans” that were made from superior quality denim material. The cut and style of the jeans were perfect for any kind of movement, especially martial arts stances. Chuck Norris really was one great all-rounder who made the best of everything. It was probably the result of many pairs of torn pants while shooting.

He Is A Philanthropist

With all the wonderful things that Chuck has done in his career, another feather in his cap is his philanthropy. He supports the Make-a-Wish foundation, United Way and also started Kickstart Kids and the United Fighting Arts Federation. The organizations provide martial arts training to kids so that they learn discipline and respect from an early age. He also was part of the National Rifle Association to help oppose legislation on the restriction of gun ownership. He has served as a spokesperson for the US Veterans Administration and supports several foundations in India that care for children with HIV/AIDS, blindness and mental illness.

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