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Tell us a little about your hobby.  

I wouldn’t necessarily call this a hobby, but rather a lifestyle. I study and train in Okinawan Japanese karate called Ryukyu Kempo. Karate has a long and storied history. It originated as an indigenous art developed on the Ryukyu Islands known as Te. It further developed with influences from China. Ryukyu Kempo is a style of martial arts that focuses on traditional instruction. It is a well-rounded style that encompasses different studies that many of the modern styles practiced today consider both old-fashioned and irrelevant. However, these practices are extremely relevant, because they are what elevates Ryukyu Kempo to an art and a way of life, and make it an effective style of self-defense. Ryukyu Kempo is the only martial art to teach grappling art known as Tuite and the nerve-point techniques that are called Kyusho Jitsu.  

When did this hobby start for you?

I started studying martial arts with my twins in 2011. It started as a time to spend with my boy-girl twins and elevated into more than that when I started training more. 

What’s something this hobby provides you that applies to your job?

Karate is part of my company’s brand. I learned early on that karate is more about mindset than physical abilities. Meaning, it’s important to be in the right mindset before you start training. In karate we have the term “structural integrity” and what that means is that your body is always in the right position to defend yourself because, if it is off by a little bit, you can lose your balance or not defend yourself optimally. I realized that structural integrity can be leveraged as a concept in everything we do, and once the foundation is stable, you build upon it with techniques, skills and then ultimately a transformation. I use martial arts in my coaching, consulting and speaking model to help clients reach their personal and professional goals. 

Tell us a tip or fun fact about your hobby.

You can be ANY age to start martial arts. You just need to have the right mindset and know that your only competition is you.