Pulling Back The Curtain

What is your Achilles heel technique?

Because of my challenges with internal hip rotation on my left side, I would easily say lead leg left roundhouse and many different sweeps with that leg.  I’m still working on it and will win this one!

What is your weirdest superstition?

Everything around me needs to be in straight lines or neatly put away.  Yes, my O.C.D. is strong (really it should be C.D.O., because that is in alphabetical/proper order).

The best cheesy song that you love?

“Glory of Love”- Peter Cetera.  Insert Karate Kid jokes now.  Little known useless fact, the song was originally written for the ending of Rocky IV, but instead United Artist went with “Hearts on Fire” by John Cafferty.

Favorite moment on the Floor?

I’m not sure I can narrow a single moment, but rather a single “feeling.”  That energy when everyone is training with the same goal of improving.  When everyone is putting their training motives aside to help the person next to them.  

What word do you always mispronounce?

Mischievous - I always want to add an extra “i” (mischievious) and pronounce is “mis-cheev-EE-us" and add a fourth syllable.  I’m working on it!!  

Best Student Training moment?

When students embrace the feeling of being “uncomfortable” and understand that is when the learning and growing begins. 

What is your go-to dance move?

It’s a mixture of the “Carlton” (think Fresh Prince of Bel-Air) with a Jean Claude Van Damme hip movement like from “Kickboxer”.  Proper warm-up and mobility are needed. 

Favorite technique?

Good old right cross/reverse punch!!

Favorite Learning Moment?

This came from a student during a very sad time.  I visited a student of our dojo, Dennis Vaca, for the last time as he was dying of cancer.  I brought him some kanji calligraphy from the dojo.  When I gave him the gift he began to cry.  I never saw this strong powerful stubborn man cry before.  I never realized, till that day, how much karate and martial arts meant to him. 

Up to that point, I was a naive young 20 something-year-old who trained 8 days a week and saw anyone that trained once or twice a week as not as serious or passionate about their training.  How silly of me! I was single and had no commitments.... he had a family to support and worked his butt off to do so.

Dennis taught me that we all love and embrace our martial arts training in our own unique way.  Our training is very personal.  No one has the right to pass judgment to how passionate, serious, authentic, or dedicated we are to our training. Whether we are the most athletic or least athletic, stand-up strikers or grapplers only, traditional martial arts or sport-oriented arts; it is our own personal journey and that is what matters most.  Dennis’s black belt certificate hangs on our training floor wall as a constant reminder to what the real purpose of our training should be.

What are your teaching mantras?

“Show them what they can do, not what you can do.”  

Tony Blauer- Defense tactics pioneer!

 “No one cares how much you know until they know how much you care.” 

Theodore Roosevelt- 26^th President of the United States of America

Reread both those great quotes by two pioneers in their respected fields.  

Our students should not be carbon copies of us nor should they be held back by our limitations.  They should stand on our shoulders.  They should be inspired, coached, and taught to be the best that THEY CAN BE with their god-given talents.  A good teacher ALWAYS uses that as their compass.