The heavy use of proverbs in the Japanese language provides the ability to express meaning concisely. For example just two words are required to convey one of the most important principles in martial arts – “nanakorobi yaoki.”

Nana = seven
Korobi = fall down
yao = eight
Ki = get up

So the proverb means “fall down seven times and stand up eight.”

For the nitpickers who say that it doesn’t make sense because if you fall down twice, then you have to stand up twice, consider that you can’t fall from a height of 0. There is no fall without standing first. So if you fall seven times, you have to stand up eight.

Combat sports are unlike other athletic pursuits. You play Tennis or golf or basketball. You don’t play Muay Thai, or play MMA, or play boxing. If a tennis match doesn’t go your way, you lose twenty-love. If you lose in combat sports, it’s your ass. Combat sports are not a metaphor for life, they are real – they are life.

Thus the lessons imparted by combat sports are more profound and are more keenly felt than those in other, less serious pursuits. Nanakorobi yaoki is an expression of a central lesson from fighting. In Korean it is Baekjul Boolgul, in Japanese is it Tamashii, and in English it is Indomitable Spirit.

You cannot function in martial arts, or life, without trying to develop an indomitable spirit.

Without irony, one of the best expressions of it came from Rocky Balboa.

“Let me tell you something you already know,” says Rocky to his son. “The world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows. It’s a very mean and nasty place and I don’t care how tough you are it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life.

“But it ain’t about how hard ya hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done!

“Now if you know what you’re worth then go out and get what you’re worth. But ya gotta be willing to take the hits, and not pointing fingers saying you ain’t where you wanna be because of him, or her, or anybody! Cowards do that and that ain’t you! You’re better than that!

“I’m always gonna love you no matter what. No matter what happens. You’re my son and you’re my blood. You’re the best thing in my life. But until you start believing in yourself, ya ain’t gonna have a life. Don’t forget to visit your mother.”

That sound advice all around, including the part about visiting your mother.

In this fight, over and again a fighter is knocked down, but he keeps standing, and then …

There is also a lesson here in humility in victory, but that is another story.