Page 22 - Martial Science Magazine August DiG

destroy the body, I have a much greater supplements, acupressure, body work,
respect for restraint. Today, I won’t fight herbs, and more. I put these to work in my
unless I have no other choice. That is a life and was able to get back into martial
huge change from who I was before get- arts and ended up earning my Godan in
ting into martial arts! Shotokan. I have continued my training
ever since.
Also, the longer I studied the martial arts,
the more philosophical I became. I start- 15. When did you start teaching? How did

ed studying the martial arts in order to that affect you?
hone my fighting skills, which I absolute-
ly did. But I got much more out of the arts I actually started teaching early, as I
than I bargained for; I learn the wisdom was teaching school in a small school in
of the arts. I started studying the spiri- the middle of nowhere. That was back in
tual and mental side of the arts and that 1998, only two years after I achieved my
has changed my life. I now have written Shodan rank. I know that most people
12 books and am working on the 13th. The don’t consider the rank of a 1st Dan to be
martial arts set my life on and complete- experienced enough to teach, but I knew

ly different path. I had something to offer these kids and
they had no other options, so I stepped
14. Where did you attend university? up. I had actually been teaching my sons
What major? before that and I was a teacher. I have
been teaching in one form or another
Did the arts affect you there? I started ever since.
my studies at the University of Missis-
sippi and ended up graduating from Fort It really affected me because I got to see
Lewis College in Durango, CO. I studied firsthand how much faith and confidence
computer science, but got my first de- people have in their martial arts instruc-
gree in sociology, with a minor in history. tor. I was still working with my instruc-

I also have advanced degrees from Grand tor as much as possible and Master Jack-
Canyon University and Clayton College son both supported me and urged me to
in Education and Health. The arts taught step up and teach my students. I taught
me perseverance and determination, them just as Master Bob Allen and Mas-
both of which I used to follow through on ter Bill Jackson taught me, and my stu-
my degrees. dents loved it and I learned a lot. During
our belt tests, I would have other masters
After a bad car wreck, I was told that I come and help out. We always got amaz-
would have to be on pain pills the rest of ing comments about my students’ skills

my life and quit martial arts. That did not and manners. I think that actually moti-
work for me! I decided to learn about al- vated me to study and learn even more.
ternative health and enrolled in Clayton
College where I learned about nutrition,
22 MARTIALSCIENCEMAGAZINE.COM