Update: December 5, 2024
As I recover from my second hip replacement, I’m eagerly counting down the days until I’m back on the mats in January 2025. This journey has only deepened my belief that martial arts truly is for everyone—whether you’re 9, 39, or 79. Martial arts is a lifelong pursuit, adaptable to where you are right now, and it’s never too late to start.
Today, I want to extend a personal invitation to fathers and grandfathers to join me on the mats. Whether you’re looking to improve your fitness, learn practical self-defense, or become part of a supportive community, martial arts offers something special for all of us.
Starting in January, I’ll be training and teaching again, and I would love for you to take this journey with me. Let’s rise, thrive, and live strong together. If you’re ready or just curious, leave a comment below or click the button on this page to learn more. This is your opportunity to start something new—and I’ll be right there with you.
When we think about martial artists, it’s easy to picture those who seem to have been born for it—the few who move with grace, fight with precision, and pick up techniques almost effortlessly. There was a time when martial arts schools catered to these individuals. They designed their training for the top 1 to 3 percent—the naturally gifted. The rest of us, the 97 percent, would either struggle to keep up or be left behind.
I remember those days clearly. You’d walk into class, and if the movements didn’t come naturally to you, well, you were on your own to figure it out. Most of us were expected to grind harder, practice longer, and still, we’d often be a step behind. If you were part of the 97 percent, like me, you knew that the training wasn’t built for you. But we kept showing up anyway.
Today, I’m 63 years old, a karate master, recovering from my first hip surgery and preparing for my second. Martial arts didn’t come easy for me then, and it still doesn’t come easy now. My journey isn’t over, but it’s far from smooth sailing. In January 2025, I’ll restart my training after rehab from my second surgery. And you know what? It won’t be a walk in the park. Every step will be hard work, but that’s the essence of what martial arts is really about—perseverance, not perfection.
Back in the day, martial arts schools missed something. They missed the opportunity to truly empower people like you and me—the everyday person. We weren’t born with perfect coordination, natural strength, or immediate understanding of technique. We had to fight for every bit of progress we made. But that’s exactly why martial arts is for us. It’s not just for the gifted few—it’s for anyone willing to put in the work.
Martial arts, at its core, is about character. It’s about grit. It’s about the willingness to keep showing up, even when things don’t come naturally. That’s where the real growth happens. Nowadays, I see martial arts evolving. It’s no longer just about the elite; it’s about empowering the masses. The 97 percent of us who aren’t gifted with perfect form on the first try—we’re the ones martial arts is really for.
I’ve had students struggle with balance, flexibility, and even self-belief. But when they kept showing up, when they committed to the process, they found their power—not through natural talent but through persistence. That’s what creates a true martial artist: the strength to keep going when things don’t come easily.
So, for the 97 percent of us who don’t have it come easy, I say, keep going. Martial arts is just as much for you, if not more, than for the naturally gifted. You may not have been born with the gift of martial arts, but through the struggle, you’ll earn something far more valuable—an indomitable spirit. That’s the real prize.
I know what it’s like to feel out of place, to look around and see people who seem like they were born for this while you’re stumbling through. But I wouldn’t change a thing. Everything I’ve gained in martial arts, I earned through hard work, and that’s what gives it value.
If you’re out there feeling like martial arts isn’t for you because it doesn’t come easy, let me tell you—you’re exactly who this art is for. Keep showing up, keep working, and remember, the journey will be worth it.
