Matthew Polly

Matthew Polly
Born Matthew Polly
(1971-05-05)May 5, 1971
Topeka, Kansas, United States
Occupation Author
Nationality American
Alma mater Yale University
Genre Non-Fiction
Notable works American Shaolin (book)
Tapped Out (book)
Bruce Lee: A Life (book)
Notable awards Lowell Thomas Award

Matthew Polly is an American author best known for being the first American to defend the honor of the Shaolin Monks in a fight, the details of which were published in his memoir American Shaolin. In 2011, he published the book Tapped Out about the two years he spent training to become a mixed martial artist.

Early Life

Polly was born on May 5th, 1971 and grew up in Topeka, Kansas to Dr. Richard Polly and Linda Nolan Polly. His father was an assistant physician for the Dallas Cowboys, while his mother was a graduate of Iowa University. During his childhood, he spent a significant portion of his early years on the sidelines of Texas Stadium watching Tom Landry’s team practice football. Roger Staubach called him his lucky charm, until he was forced to sit out most of the 1972 season due to a separated shoulder.

While visiting a friend, he happened to watch a movie featuring Bruce Lee, which had a profound impact on him.

Career

Polly graduated from Topeka West High School.[1] In 1992, at the age of 21 years, Polly took a leave of absence from Princeton University and traveled to China to train at the Shaolin Temple, the birthplace of Chan (Zen) Buddhism and kung fu.[1]

In exchange for $1,300 a month Polly was allowed to stay and train with the monks. He spent two years at the temple and became the first American accepted as a Shaolin disciple.[2] His experiences included training seven hours a day six days a week, involving running, breathing exercises, calisthenics, kung fu and gymnastics. He became a formidable kickboxer, and won a challenge match against a kung fu master from another province. He also became an "iron forearm" expert, where his arm became impervious to pain by calluses formed by bashing his arm against a tree for 30 minutes per day.[2]

In 2003, he wrote a series of travel articles about his experiences in China for the online magazine Slate.com, "Return to the Shaolin Temple",[3] and again in 2004 with a series on Monroe Elementary School in Topeka, Kansas.[4]

April 13, 2005, he appeared as a guest on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson.[5]

Polly wrote about his experiences in China in American Shaolin, published in 2007 by Gotham in the US ( ISBN 1592402623) and by Abacus in the UK.[2]

In 2018, he authored and published the biography of Bruce Lee titled Bruce Lee: A Life.[6][7]

References

  1. 1 2 Blankenship, Bill (2005-04-13). "A Shaolin Taught". Topeka Capital-Journal. Bell & Howell Information and Learning Company.
  2. 1 2 3 de Bertodano, Helena (2007-04-03). "Ready for the iron crotch, Grasshopper?;Men". The Times. Times Newspapers Limited.
  3. ↑ Slate.com, "Well Traveled" feature starting at Dec. 1, 2003, http://www.slate.com/id/2091701/entry/2091721/
  4. ↑ Slate.com, "Well Traveled" feature starting at May 3, 2004, http://www.slate.com/id/2099730/entry/2099783/
  5. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sky_xcc9RAM
  6. ↑ "Nonfiction Book Review: Bruce Lee: A Life by Matthew Polly. Simon & Schuster, $35 (672p) ISBN 978-1-50118-762-9". PublishersWeekly.com. Retrieved 2018-09-04.
  7. ↑ Bruce Lee. 2018-06-05. ISBN 9781501187629.
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