taekwondaddy

6th Dan in American Tang Soo Do, Mike Jones talks about his martial arts journey through not 1 but 2 major life disruptions that I believe would have broken any normal human being. But not Mike.  He has used both obstacles to hone and sharpen the man that he is, often carried through them by his community and faith.  A truly inspirational man with an incredible life story, I'm honored to have been able to spend this time with him.

Professional Health and Fitness Coach and BJJ Black Belt Raynald Ray joins me to discuss increasing power in my quest to do a jump 540 kick (cheat 720).  At a high level being able to increase revolutions in the air requires proper technique and power, which can be aided by strength training and losing weight.  One of my long time friends, I always enjoy the opportunity to visit with Ray and am grateful for his knowledge.

Was invited to speak on Taekwondo on Li Lin's Funny Millionaires podcast where we discuss what Taekwondo is, why it's awesome, and which if my kids will take over the reigns when I'm gone.

Learn more about Li Lin at funnymillionaires.com and more about me at taekwondaddy.com.

I used to consider myself a long distance runner, but I don't anymore; primarily because I practice martial arts now.  On this episode I give 10 reasons why I chose martial arts over running and why I think all runners should do the same (with the obvious exception of elite runners, triathletes+, and ultra marathon folks...those folks are amazing and should keep doing what their doing...)

How do you handle a student crying on the dojang floor?  Do you yell at them to stop or let them get off the floor and take a break or something else entirely?  Regardless of the answer, what we do during those developmental moments in children matters and I believe as martial artists we should take emotional learning and training as seriously as we take the physical one.

On this episode I visit with clinical child psychologist Dr. Jami Furr, Assistant Clinical Professor at Florida International University, to answer some tough questions about the best way to handle crying children and hopefully am a better parent/instructor today because of it.

Palmer College of Chiropractic-Davenport graduate, Dr. Nick Askey (with Airrosti) joins me for a quick visit on tips and tricks every martial artist should consider for dealing with pain so you can continue to train.  Pain is an inevitable part of growth and often a limiting factor for training, so understanding how to deal with it and safely power through it is an important topic I believe every athlete should consider, especially to improve the long-term outlook of their physical health. 

Dr. Nick Askey runs the Broken to Unbroken podcast and you can follow him on instagram @kickaskey

A successful business man and entrepreneur, Master Lowell Lyle is a 4th degree black belt in Tang Soo Do under Grand Master Johnny "Lightfoot" Thompson.  An active member of the Tang Soo Do Karate Association (TKA), Master Lowell takes very seriously the role of being a father, committed to breaking the cycle of his own fatherless upbringing.

A Tae Kwon Do practitioner since 4, after high school Raynald Ray went to play football at NCAA Division 1 Ohio University, then almost went to the NFL, but ended up returned to San Antonio to be a full time personal trainer and, at the same time, became a Muay Thai fighter and Jiu Jitsu World Champion. 

Following up with last episode, 10 Things Instructors Hate About Parents, Shihan Greg Borrego (with The Dojo Karate Academy) and I visit on the 10 things instructors love about them! From simple things like cleaning up after yourself to more frustrating things like making sure your kids practice, this episode celebrates parents and their role in educating our students.

Master Jose Ramirez (of the Christian Taekwondo League) and I visit on what to expect now that you're officially a martial arts parent! We start out with some negative things to experience (like crying and disappointing looks) the move into lots of positive benefits (like better listening and flexibility) and wrap up with several keys to success.
 You can read Master Ramirez full bio here: https://sa-christiantkd.com/christian-taekwondo-league-jose-ramirez/

Coach, teacher, speaker, certified John Maxwell Leadership team member, and president of the International Martial Arts Council (IMAC), John Terry is a clear leader in the martial arts community and a true joy to visit with. His passion for leadership is obvious and his heart for the community is intentional as displayed through his US Martial Arts Hall of Fame and a 2016 Master’s Hall of Fame induction for his Kid-Safe and Women-Safe advocacy work.

The Grandmaster of my dojang (Christian Taekwondo League under Master Jose Ramirez), Johnny 'Lightfoot' Thompson has guest instructed and consistently supported all of the students every week as long as I can remember. A 9th Dan in American Tang Soo Do, Johnny is not only an incredible source of knowledge, but a constant source of encouragement, inspiration, and for those who know him, fun.