RAPID CITY - Eric Anderson emulates his movie and television heroes when he steps into the martial arts ring.
"I've always watched movies with Jet Li, Jackie Chan, Bruce Lee and Steven Seagal," said Anderson, 32, of Rapid City. "I wanted to be just like them."
Anderson, a second-degree brown belt in Ju Jitsu, participated at Saturday's 2008 Martial Arts Open at the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center.
Anderson was in forms, a solo demonstration of skills similar to floor exercise in gymnastics, and also competed in point sparring, one-on-one bouts where points are scored with punches and kicks.
Anderson was born in Los Angeles but didn't start his martial arts training until after his family moved to Rapid City.
Anderson started with a martial arts program at the Rapid City YMCA when he was eight or nine years old, he said.
After being away from the sport for several years, he returned to training with Dynamic Martial Arts in downtown Rapid City about five years ago.
"It helps you with mind-over-matter," he said. You get a workout and you make lots of friends."
The 32-year-old is employed at the Bandit Inn at Ellsworth Air Force Base, where he works in the kitchen, runs the dishwasher and busses tables. He trains a couple times a week at Dynamic Martial Arts.
Anderson finished fourth in the Men's 18-34 Under Black Belt class Saturday.
"I had a good day," he said. "There's always new talent out there and you can learn a lot from them."
He hopes to take another step closer to the heroes of his chosen sport.
"My goal is a black belt," he said.
