MY MARTIAL ARTS TRAINING

I began training on May 16,1973 at the Tracys Karate Studio in San Diego. Dick Willett was the head instructor.

An accomplished tournament competitor he was also a great teacher and motivator. The studio was full of great black belts and everyone had a positive and focused attitude. The support and help I received was critical, because I soon found out that learning how to kick and punch was only a small part of achieving a black belt.

My first two lessons were postponed due to my stupidity. While waiting for my lessons I was punching and kicking the bag. Not knowing how to do this properly I hurt my hand and broke 3 toes. During my actual first lesson I got accidentally punched in the nose. It was decided that since I had two ears and only one mouth, that even God was telling me to listen and keep my big mouth shut. I remembered again that there is a right way and wrong way to do things.

Even though working long hours in the shipyard, I spent most of my free time at the studio. I was learning, improving and loving every minute of it. Many others helped, especially a great friend, Tom Cook, and ex-professional boxer. Over the years I learned a lot about boxing and its relationship to the Karate I was learning. (See my training video on the speed bag). These lessons really helped when the "full contact" craze started. I started to realize that everything I learned could be helpful to me.

After earning my brown belt, I transferred to a studio closer to home, newly opened by Orned "Chicken" Gabriel, another of Dick's black belts and widely known tournament winner and teacher. At this time, the popularity of Karate was growing, due to Bruce Lee movies and the television series "Kung Fu". I stayed with Chicken for about 5 years, studying and teaching and finally in 1981 I earned my black belt. That same year, I opened my own studio in Encinitas, Ca. I had become a successful businessman, teacher and respected member of that community.

"Better it is to be of a humble spirit with the
lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud."

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