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Ray Park is a beast. He’s been a Sith-Lord, a mutant, an axe-wielding headless horseman and most recently, a ninja in G.I. Joe.
Nerdy fanboys like me know the Wushu gymnast, but do you? Many people wouldn’t recognize him on the street, simply because most of his movie roles have either had him masked or heavily made up.
Take a look:
Ray Park as Darth Maul- Star Wars: The Phantom Menace.
Ray Park as Toad- X-men.
Just so everyone knows, this is how the guy really looks:
Ray Park in G.I. Joe
After reading some of Ray Park’s interviews for his role as Snake-Eyes in G.I. Joe, I started to realize just how much of a slacker I’ve become.
In order to be able to perform in this mask and outfit:
he trained in a sauna suit, along with a scuba mask and gloves, the strain sometimes causing him to vomit after workouts. All this so he could bring his best to the screen while performing in a suit that completely encased his head.
During a scene that has Snake-Eyes walking on his fingertips, rather than let the special effects wires hold all of his weight, Ray killed his hands and forearms doing most of the work himself, simply to make it look more real. Whattaguy!
Are You a Slacker?
Why didn’t I train yesterday? It was too humid outside.
Holy crap! I’ve become a wuss!
I remember in high school, being yelled at by my mom when she discovered me working out with a weighted backpack after spraining my ankle that morning. Best way to heal up? No. But the drive, people!
Just watch the bloopers for any recent Thai action flick, like Chocolate, and you will see a lot of dedicated martial artists pushing themselves through pain and discomfort.
So yeah, after reading about Park and the other dedicated martial artists that bring the ass-kickery to screen, I think it’s time to bring back real training.
What now?
What’s keeping you from training? What’s your favourite Ray Park movie? Post your best or worst training day stories to the comments!
Also, check out Ray Park’s interviews:
Ray Park’s StarWars.com Interview
Ray Park’s Collider.com Interview
