Childhood
Who would have thought that a skinny boy with thick glasses would grow into a European karate champion? Jean-Claude Van Warenburg grew up in the family of an accountant and a flower shop owner. I studied classical ballet for about five years. When Jean-Claude turned eleven, his father took him to the Shotokan karate section. At the same time, the boy enthusiastically watches films with martial arts master Bruce Lee and dreams of getting into the world of cinema. Naturally complex, Jean-Claude begins to actively work on himself: he stays in the gym after training to practice techniques, and does psychological auto-training.
Jean-Claude was lucky with a coach: Claude Goetz, who saw considerable potential in the guy. In 1978, Jean was awarded a black belt and won the European Karate Championship. It is well known that Van Damme lost only once in his entire sports career, winning eighteen fights by knockout. He was actively involved in bodybuilding and kickboxing.
Training principles
In his bodybuilding training, Jean-Claude Van Damme used classic bodybuilding exercises and techniques. I never chased heavy weights and used bodybuilding training mainly not to develop strength, but to build a harmoniously built figure.
He trained in a regular gym and devoted a lot of work not to gaining muscle mass, but to building the relief of muscle groups, so his training program is quite long in time, which makes it very intense.
As a rule, Jean-Claude Van Damme performed all exercises for 8-15 repetitions and rested for 1 minute between sets.
It is worth emphasizing that when starting his bodybuilding training, Jean-Claude Van Damme already had a certain “sports foundation” and potential for training. Therefore, the training program described below is not recommended for beginners, because the body will very quickly be exhausted by excessively intense exercise.
Jean-Claude Van Damme: movies list
The path to a film career turned out to be long and thorny for actor Jean-Claude Van Damme. At the same time, he led a fairly prosperous life: he owned a sports club in Brussels, was married, had a bank account and a sports car. But his childhood dream did not leave him, so he decides to radically change his life. To begin with, he sells his successful business and leaves for the USA, where he works part-time as a waiter, driver and bouncer. He hits the thresholds of film studios, but his first appearances on the screen are so insignificant that he is not even listed in the credits.
In 1986, Jean-Claude sought an audience with Cannon Films producer Menahem Golan, according to one legend, he sat down in front of him on the splits between two chairs, he, amazed by the Belgian’s fabulous stretch and stubbornness, showed him the script for the film “Bloodsport”, not particularly without expecting anything. According to the script, Van Damme's hero (it was then that he took this pseudonym) - American and martial artist Frank Dukes - goes to Hong Kong to fight the Chinese Chon Lee and become the first white in the history of these competitions. Imagine the surprise of the filmmakers when the film unexpectedly collected $15 million, which at that time was a tidy sum by the standards of the film industry. Everyone immediately wanted to film Van Damme.
“Black Eagle”, “Cyborg”, “Kickboxer”, “Double Impact” - everywhere Van Damme shows himself primarily as a martial artist, not forgetting to demonstrate his signature straight split. Even the actor himself jokingly calls himself Muscles from Brussels. Career is taking off. In the 1992 science fiction action film Universal Soldier, he plays the good robot soldier Eric, as opposed to the bad robot Dolph Lundgren. The film brings Van Damme not only wide fame, but also a substantial fee.
More interesting works in terms of acting begin with the film “Time Patrol” (1994). The events of the film take the viewer to a time when people will be able to travel in time, or rather, return to the past. “Time Patrol” is nothing more than a special unit created to control illegal movements that could disrupt the course of history. Van Damme's hero plays a brave police officer fighting against criminals. At the same time, he himself is seized by the temptation to break the rules, since in the past he lost his beloved wife. In Sudden Death (1995), Van Damme plays a fireman whose children find themselves in a stadium taken over by terrorists. Van Damme demonstrates not only power techniques, but also a deep study of the role.
Later, Jean-Claude Van Damme played more than one role - for example, in such best films as “Second in Command”, “Exam”, “Until Death”, “Killer Games”, “The Expendables 2”. Although by Hollywood standards he is not one of the most sought-after actors, Van Damme does not disappoint fans of his work, regularly appearing in new films. By the way, Jean-Claude Van Damme's height is 177 cm.
Jean-Claude Van Damme - biography
- Actors
30/09/2014
Anna Savchenko
230
Jean Claude Van Damme is one of the most famous actors of the 80-90s of the 20th century, the idol of millions of boys and men.
Biography of Jean Claude Van Damme:
Jean-Claude Van Varenberg was born in Brussels on October 18, 1960, in the family of a Belgian father and a Flemish mother. The boy's mother did housework, and his father owned a flower shop. It's hard to believe, but Jean-Claude Van Damme in junior high was a very weak, bespectacled boy who was bullied by everyone.
It is unknown what would have happened to the boy later if not for his father, who brought him to the karate section at the age of 10.
Jean Claude literally caught fire with martial arts. He trained with particular persistence, even when all the students went home. In parallel with physical activity, the boy mastered auto-training to overcome self-doubt.
Well, the amazing stretching and flexibility that amazed Jean Claude Van Damme in the films is the result of five years of classical ballet training.
Hard work led to Van Damme winning a prestigious tournament at the age of 16, defeating an opponent twice his age.
At the age of 19, Van Damme already had a black belt in karate, as well as the title of European champion in the disciplines of karate and kickboxing.
Interesting fact: in the early eighties, Van Damme sparred with Chuck Norris.
In 1979, Van Damme, by then a titled fighter, opened his own gym in Brussels, where he worked as the head trainer.
To penetrate the world of cinema, Van Damme resorted to a trick - under a false name he entered a business congress held in Milan, where he distributed his business cards to well-known people in the film industry. After this, Van Damme sells the gym and leaves to conquer Olympus.
Jean Claude Van Damme photo No. 2
It must be said that before realizing his dream, Van Damme worked as whatever he had to - a bouncer, a driver, a pizza delivery man.
His first foray into cinema was the film “No Retreat, No Surrender” (1986), in which he played a Russian fighter. At this time, Jean Claude changed his unpronounceable surname to Van Damme.
Interestingly, Van Damme was initially offered the role of the Predator, but was soon rejected. The replacement of the actor occurred due to Van Damme's short stature. But the unofficial version says that the actor got into a fight with one of the crew members.
In an attempt to get a new role, Van Damme barely makes his way to the office of film producer Menahem Golan to persuade him to participate in the action film Bloodsport. Thanks to the positive response and filming in this action film, the actor became world famous.
After his resounding success, the actor began to receive offers to star in expensive films; in addition, he became the prototype for the character Johnny Cage in the game Mortal Kombat. Inspired by the actor’s ideal body and excellent fighting skills, thousands of men around the world went to the gym and martial arts classes.
Next, Jean Claude Van Damme chooses films with an appropriate plot in which he could fully reveal his skills: “Cyborg”, “AWOL”, “Black Eagle”.
One of the best works of that period created by Jean Claude Van Damme is “Kickboxer”. This picture is a pearl in the actor’s career. The main villain in this film was played by Michel Kissi, who in real life is Van Damme's best friend.
Jean Claude Van Damme photo No. 3
In the mid-nineties, Jean Claude Van Damme could afford to choose films from category “A”. The actor's popularity reached such a level that every film with Van Damme, immediately after its release, became a cult.
And today, watching films with Van Damme brings pleasure from the quality of filming and brilliantly staged fights.
Having sufficient experience and worldwide popularity behind him, Van Damme begins to receive large fees - $ 8 million.
At the end of the nineties, Van Damme's career experienced a decline due to personal problems and a decrease in audience interest in action films. At this time, the actor was going through a protracted divorce from his next wife, Darcy, as a result of which he became addicted to cocaine. Naturally, this event could not have a positive impact on his career.
To somehow rectify the situation, Van Damme moves on to films of a cheaper category: “Legionnaire”, “Waking Death”. Despite impeccable fights and good acting skills, Jean Claude Van Damme began to rapidly lose his popularity.
However, the actor found the strength to end drug addiction, for which he underwent treatment at a rehabilitation clinic.
The actor’s return began in 2008, when the drama “J.K.V.D.” was released, in which he played himself. Despite limited theatrical releases, the film received rave reviews.
Jean Claude Van Damme photo No. 4
In 2010, the long-awaited continuation of the epic “Universal Soldier 3” was released. Despite the fact that the film was not released in theaters, but was released straight to video, it received flattering reviews.
A striking milestone in Jean Claude’s career was his participation in the second part of the western saga “The Expendables 2” (2013), in which he played the colorful villain Jean Vilain.
To further stir up interest in his person, in the same year the actor released a shocking video known as “Jean Claude Van Damme - Volvo advertisement.” In this viral video, the actor demonstrated miracles of flexibility and dexterity by doing the splits between two moving trucks.
Judging by his excellent physical shape, Jean-Claude Van Damme does not stop training to this day, because he does not want to disappear from the media space again.
The wide release of the film “Fulllove” is planned for 2014, where he played the main role, and also acted as a producer and director.
Thus, the actor withdrew from active participation in films, limiting himself to rare filming in selected films, advertising, and production work.
And here are the actor’s words that characterize his current state: “I’m in great shape, both spiritually and physically. I worry much less about little things. It happens, of course, that I can get upset over a trivial matter, but on a mental level I feel more relaxed.”
Van Damme's personal life is as stormy as his creative activity - the actor married five times, two of them to the same woman, Gladys Portugues, with whom he was married until recently.
However, not long ago information leaked to the press about a romantic relationship between Van Damme and Ukrainian model Alena Kaverina. The actor is truly in excellent shape, since he allows himself to have affairs with young girls.
Jean Claude Van Damme is not just a talented actor, karateka and bodybuilder, but a symbol of an entire era, invincibility and self-confidence.
Video trailer for the film with Jean-Claude Van Damme “Kickboxer”
Share Tweet Pin It +1
Add a comment Cancel reply
Jean-Claude Van Damme: personal life
If polygamy were allowed, then actor Jean-Claude Van Damme would definitely support this idea. Was married five times. And these are only official relations. The first time he married a certain Maria Rodriguez, it was with her money that he opened his own sports club. He was married to dancer Cynthia Derderian, actress Darcy LaPierre, and fashion model and bodybuilder Gladys Portugues.
He remarried the latter in 1998. She helped Van Damme in difficult times when he had problems with drugs and alcohol. He considers her the main woman in his life. The actor also has three children. In his free time from training, he likes to listen to Beethoven.
Photo: Rex Features/Fotobank.ru
Personal Information
- Name: Jean-Claude Van Damme
- Date of birth: October 18, 1960
- Place of birth: Belgium, Brussels-Capital Region.
- Occupation: actor, athlete, director, writer.
- Physical data
- Height: 178 cm
- Weight: 85 kg
- Bicep circumference: 43 cm
- Bench press (maximum): 130 kg
- Start of training: at 16 years old
