Episode 13: Master Freddie LaPan
Master Freddie LaPan: Episode 13
...because everyone's battle is a little different - everybody comes to the martial arts for a different reason.
Freddie LaPan
Today's episode is with an amazing martial artist and a bit of a home-grown hero. Master LaPan isn't physically intimidating or aggressive, yet he's achieved tremendous success fighting across the globe. I can personally attest to his amazing footwork and dominance in the sparring ring. Yet, there's a lot more to this man than what he does in the ring and I was able to record him talking about it. I only knew Freddie (as he asked me to call him) a bit before we sat down for this episode, but I'd say I know him much better now.His story exemplifies the notion of getting up when knocked down. With multiple joint replacements at a young age, Master LaPan persevered where most would have quit. He continues to train and teach, most recently starting a competition seminar series titled Ultimate Edge. I missed attending the last seinar due to a prior commitment, but I'm looking forward to getting my turn at training with this gifted martial artist.~jeremy
Show Notes
Movies - Enter the Dragon, The Big Brawl - also known as Battle Creek BrawlActors - Bruce Lee, Joe Lewis, Jason Statham, Michael Jai White
Fred Villari's Studio of Self Defense on Facebook
Show Transcript
You can read the transcript below or download here.Jeremy Lesniak:Hello everybody and welcome back for episode 13 of whistlekick Martial Arts Radio. I'm your host Jeremy Lesniak and I'm also the founder here at whistlekick, the place for amazing sparring gear and really cool stuff for martial artists. If you're new to the show, you can learn more about our products at whistlekick.com and you can learn more about the show including past episodes show notes and a lot more at whistlekickmartialartsradio.com. As a thank you for being an early listener to the show, we're going to give you 30% off any purchase at whistlekick.com just use the coupon code podcast1, that's podcast and the number 1 at checkout and that code's only good for a couple more days through the end of June 2015. On today's show, we have Master Freddie LaPan, a martial arts instructor, student, competitor and school owner from Vermont. Master LaPan is someone I've admired for many years and I recently had a chance to sit down with him to get his story. Anyone that has ever met this man knows how dedicated to the martial arts he is and I think that comes through here. His story is both inspiring and entertaining, so check it out. Master Freddie welcome to whistlekick Martial Arts Radio.Freddie LaPan:Thank you very much.Jeremy Lesniak:Well it's great to have you, listeners will be able to tell that we're actually in the same physical space as this isn't a Skype interview 01:21 quality is a little bit different.Freddie LaPan:That's excellent.Jeremy Lesniak:And this is always fun cause I get to you know see people's reaction and know if I'm grilling them to hard. But that doesn't happen it's not my style but it's nice to have that in person.Freddie LaPan:Absolutely.Jeremy Lesniak:Well let's jump right in, why don't you tell us a little bit about your time in the martial arts. How you got started, when you got started?Freddie LaPan:Okay, well I actually originally started the martial arts here right in Barre, Villari's Martial arts studio. I was about 13 years old, how I originally got started, is I was a very hyperactive kid you know labeled ADHD type 02:05 and my sister actually, the studio was very young it just kinda opened up here in the Barre area which this is back in '83, '84 you know in that point so this martial arts studio has actually been in this city for 30+ years you know in business so. Anyway, she took martial arts like that and she came back and told my mother and she goes I think this would be the greatest thing for Freddie to be able to do and I've always wanted to do the martial arts but my mother was afraid to get me into it because they had that persona of you know oh wow you know this he's very active and be able to do this, he might use it the wrong way, knowing that type of thing. So, she agreed and my sister said you know if he does this I will you know help pay for him to be able to do that and that's actually how I started my martial arts career at that point and I've actually been doing it ever since from that day and I'm 44 years old now and have never stopped. I went from student to instructor to studio owner and been doing it the whole time so as I contribute at who got me actually started it was my sister Joie Grandbois who you know if I don't know if it wasn't for that day she could this would be great for my brother and she never did that I don't know if I'd be here today.Jeremy Lesniak:Oh, cool so we owe sitting here right now to herFreddie LaPan:Yeah, I guess you can say that.Jeremy Lesniak:Thank you to her.Freddie LaPan:She's finally getting the credit she deserves.Jeremy Lesniak:Absolutely, on this podcast.Freddie LaPan:Sure.Jeremy Lesniak:A few people will listen to. That's great so you know 30+ years within the same style within the same system.Freddie LaPan:Absolutely.Jeremy Lesniak:And that's something that not a lot of people will say I mean there are people kinda bounce out and come back in and try different things and what has it been about the Villari's system, the Shaolin Kempo system or maybe just the school here in Vermont you know what pieces of it would you say kept you satisfied?Freddie LaPan:Yeah sure, that's a great question. The thing I love about, which I didn't understand it when I was a kid but as I you know was taken more martial arts classes and started to evolve and really understand the martial arts, one thing I loved about the Villari's system that it was very, how do you say, free flowing in the sense where we weren't isolated in the sense of just a kick or a punch or so and so forth. One thing that GM Villari always emphasizes is the different ranges of fighting and how to actually move through those ranges seamlessly. In the sense from a kicking range to a punching range to a trapping range and to a grappling range and to be able to flow in and out of those types of things so that I found that very interesting so with our art I wasn't basically isolated in saying I'm just kicking or I'm just punching, I learned all aspects of the martial arts and I've been with the Villari organization for you know from day 1 and but that doesn't mean I haven't gone and trained with other people. Also, to expand my art expand my knowledge, I'm, my students know this and stuff I'm a sponge, I will learn anything from anyone, I am always growing, I always feel if you're not growing you're dying, simple as that. So, I'm always getting information and pulling it in, sorting it out and integrating it into you know in my martial art. You know it's one of those types of things where you know I love the traditional aspect that I always feel that we should always be evolving too so I guess you know you could say this is where tradition meets evolution you know also in the martial arts.Jeremy Lesniak:That's a great slogan, good you should use that.Freddie LaPan:It's from one of my friends but I always use it.Jeremy Lesniak:Cool, so you I wanna go back a little bit to that sponge thing.Freddie LaPan:Sure.Jeremy Lesniak:It's something that personally for me really resonates, I like the idea of you know I've always used the metaphor that martial arts doing martial arts experience or training is kinda like a trivial pursuit wheel you know and you're adding different wedges and the first place you train is usually your biggest piece and you're constantly adding more pieces and it's never full. But you're trying to round that out as much as you can so I guess I'll throw 2 questions at you. One what would you say might be the biggest piece that you've gone elsewhere to bring in that you think has really benefited you and 2 what has been your favorite kinda none Villari's system thing that you've brought in?Freddie LaPan:Okay.Jeremy Lesniak:Hopefully those questions make sense.Freddie LaPan:Oh, sure yeah absolutely well, first thing off is when anybody gets in the martial arts they have to have a good base, you know the stronger your roots the higher you're gonna be able to grow you know it's kinda like they refer to it as the pyramid. The pyramid's base is a relationship a house high it can be before it gets 07:30. You got a small base and then you bring up a high pit it's gonna blow over. You know the larger the bases the higher things are gonna be able to get so I feel that you gotta train first and get rooted into something before you absolutely move. I think sometimes nowadays people you know they jump around too much too fast and then at that point they get confused. You know once you establish a base then you can start pulling from being you know from other things and then that's when it actually makes sense to you in a sense because your body is different than mine and everybody else's and so and so forth and you're gonna adapt to different things more than other people and I talk about this in my classes a lot. So when we're exploring the martial arts you know you might love kicking I might love punching. I'm gonna teach you to so and so forth but you know we have to adapt to what our body feels naturally be able to do. Okay, so in the martial arts obviously we got all these different aspects when you say you know what how do you train or what other things do you bring in I mean we have forms and we have fighting and we have self defense and we have sparring in the sports side of things or whatever you know. I loved exploring all those types of things. I love the self defense aspects, I really you know gear in to that and then I also love the sports side of it. Also, which I kind of really kind of went to one side on that also, okay and bringing that back, one of your question was you know what do you bring back into the studio when you know from influences and from other thing. I can't pinpoint one specifically, I mean I have an instructor that you know was I guess I gotta put it this way is I've come in so contact with so many people and explored so many ideas. I couldn't sit there and say you know this is one thing that I would value more than the other. I guess it's not particular things I brought back in the studio, I guess it's more influences in the sense through people of that I bring back to the studio. A prime example is as I was coming through the martial arts and I decided that I wanted to, I did well in the sport competition and New England stuff but I actually wanted to make a decision in my life and to be able to go okay, I love the competition aspect I wanna boost it up to the next level, what do I do from here? Okay, I was you know going through New England doing martial arts tournaments and I was you know doing relatively, got a place in the top 3 but I needed to bump it up and this is where I sort out in our style at that point.Jeremy Lesniak:How old are you, what rank are you at this time?Freddie LaPan:Well I started competition right off you know so when I started in my I'd be able to do that and we did like in school stuff and then Villari Organization stuff and then I started to hit the open tournament stuff and started making friends from there and so and so forth and like I said I always did well but then I always admire these other people you know I kinda watch the this is the era you know Billy Blanks is starting to move out I was watching this and then sport karate got real big you know with Mafia Holloway and Ronald and Donald Brady, Pedro Xavier, John Payton you know, Mike Connor are all these guys you know the Paul Mitchell team was exploring and it just kinda started exploding at one and I said this is awesome this is what I wanna get involved with but I just at skill level I just wasn't there yet you know. So, I sought out a guy named Bobby LaMattina they also call him Tokyo Joe yeah Tokyo Joe's studios for self defense and he used to be at Villari's and he just started doing 11:36 also very successful but I went down and I sorted out with him you know and asked to actually teach me you know and it's ironic because he was big in competition and he did well but the thing that impressed me the most is was the people he trained. It wasn't necessarily him, the people he trained were good too you know and that's where I'm like okay if he can teach them can he teach me you know? I'd never forget the day where I went down there first off well I called him you know, would you be able to do this sure I'd be more than happy so I show up at his dojo not knowing to what to expect or whatever so we set up like an hour private before and then sparring was right after so he talked to me about my goals wherein I told him what I wanted to accomplish and he says you think you got it in you and I said sure yeah, yeah I'm ready to do this so for my hour private he stuck me in front of a heavy bag and gave me a combination to work on and a little footwork thing and he says okay do it so alright so then you know 5 minutes go by 10 minutes go by, keep going, alright so probably about 45 minutes or so go by same combination same thing so on, so forth and I'm saying jeez you know so this is my first time and I think alright you know. Then sparring time came and he took a hold in me and just I got kicked from one side of the dojo to the other. I'd never forget because there is this half wall that he had and he had me going backwards and I was leaning right against it and then flying side kick boom over the wall I went come back up and back over and he says you still wanna, yeah, yeah I'm back in there and so on, so forth and so we laughed and I'm driving home thinking I said my god, I mean I took a that was a beating you know and I said see you next week okay and so I did and after a month of training of the same thing kinda going over it was kinda ironic because now hindsight 20-20 he was testing me I gave him my goals I told him what I wanted to accomplish and he wanted to make sure I wasn't wasting his time you know and he knew I was gonna, a hard battle for me to get where I wanted to be so you know he want me to test my perseverance a little bit you know and make sure it's something I did want but I showed up every week took his instruction did exactly that he told me to do and come right back and off we did it again. So as in my sport karate type of career right now I owe it to him because I brought back so when you said 14:31 what I bring back in my studio I brought back the that experience to my students you know the knowledge that he set there and be able you know to give me at that point you know that stuff the determination that type of stuff and I try to portray that to them as me an example and say if I can do this you can do this and you know because I'm not you know overly 15:00 or anything like that you know whatsoever you know and I'm not from a big city or anything like that you know it's just you know it's just a lot of heart to be able to reach the goals that you wanna be able to get you know so you know and that so in that aspect I know your question was you know from the outside influences coming in so I can't say it's a particular technique I've learned this grappling thing and I brought it back here 15:26 it's just the total experiences of all the people that I've run in into my life and I still associate with as in sponging and then taking that information and just portraying it to my students and letting them how do you say helping them with their journey through the martial arts you know and helping them anyway you can because everybody's battle is a little bit different. Everybody comes in the martial arts for a different reason and this is where I help them try to experience that you know and figure it out.Jeremy Lesniak:Great and you know the whole point of this podcast is to get people to tell stories, the questions are really about you know just kinda helping people along pulling those stories out of them and that was a great story I can, I felt like I was there with you you know. I've met this man you know many years ago and I could just see you getting kicked over the wall and I was, you may have noticed I was cringing a little bit you know imagining that as how old were you at that point?Freddie LaPan:Oh, I was you know early 20s you know at that point I mean I was a young man 16:32 I mean he has this like thrown chairs sitting in his dojo at that point which of course I come I've never seen anything like that or whatever I don't know I was sparring blahblahblah I was tired and I sat in it, Oh, no. Mr. LaPan could you please get up and give me 100 push ups and he says no one sits in my chair. I'm like oh no, okay, that's it No accident that was lesson learned you know and just as I say to my students you know everybody makes mistakes in their lives we figure out what we did, we correct them that's what we call experience as simple as that.Jeremy Lesniak:You've already told us you know a couple of great stories there but if you would, were to pick out the one that you would say as your best, your best story, the one that you, you know, was there for I don't know trying to one up people around the campfire or something.Freddie LaPan:Oh I didn't know about 17:33 about anything I mean stories are I don't know I mean you got serious ones funny ones and all that type of stuff I mean I know there was one it was actually 17:47 competition wise this is also I was, you know this is probably in my 20s too and stuff on and I was getting into forms and stuff but you know we starting to get that little evolve where people were starting to do acrobatics and stuff like that I said I'm doing a aerial kart wheel, there's all there is to it you know so I'm learning to do this so I'm learning to and I go head over tea kettle and I'd land on my toe and busted it boom I mean it so, I don't know if I'd busted it whatever but it just like swelling all up and so on so forth and I got a comp now what happens here is now I got a competition within like four days and it was the Boston internationals I'll never forget it and then I can hardly walk so you know I get suggestions from you know everybody just to be able to do this but I ended up going to a chiropractor and he had a herbologist there and he also did acupuncture so they stuck some needles in my toe put some electricity on it and then ironically I mean it was nice it actually brought the swelling down you know so I was able to walk on it so I get down and we're in Boston and I'm walking around and at this point I had of my students and my wife with me and we're walking around but I couldn't get a shoe on. So, it was funny because I had one flipflop on I'm there walking around Boston you know the tournament and what happens in it just seems like every I don't know as you sit there and say person people, street people whatever, hey dude you alright? you know cause I went in and walking and stuff. But of course it was a beautiful thing because they had the Villari tournament the first day and then they had an open tournament the next day so it was a Saturday Sunday type of event but even with a hurt toe I was able to I got first in Bo so I don't know it's a I just thought it was a funny story in a sense where you know you're getting hurt trying to make the comeback you know even people you don't even know were concerned for you the way you were walking and acting you know but you know you still persevered soJeremy Lesniak:And how about that aerial cart wheel did you?Freddie LaPan:I finally nailed it, I finally nailed it I actually put it in a few forms and learned the back hand spring and stuff like that but then I mean as anybody kinda sees nowadays the extreme forms and stuff like that and it's just and this is the thing about competition you know think about weapons forms and fighting in the sense and I used to do all three you know Bo staff was my preferred weapon at that point I learned and so on so forth but as I'm running a full time martial arts studio trying to train myself and and to be able to be good at all three of these which that was the thing I could be good at all three but I couldn't be great at one. I needed to pick one that I could actually excel in. Now you have these prodigies that can just you know they do the forms then they do weapons you know 20:47 I'm just not one of those people I just could not balance doing all three of those type of things so I picked the one that I actually loved the most and then the most that when I went into the sport fighting type aspect of it and really spent most of my time in that avenue.Jeremy Lesniak:At what point would you say you chose to specialize?Freddie LaPan:It was a small evolution I used to do like you know the weapons before and then I dropped the weapon and then I just started doing forms you know and fighting and then eventually was started happen as the forms I can't sit and say they started changing in the sense where you know the acrobatics and stuff and I try to get and be able to do a little bit of it but I could see where it was going a little bit so I was like you know I just don't wanna spend the time doing that you know I took gymnastics classes and stuff like which is it's just not I wanna spend more time doing that so. Then when we went to tournaments like and then be 21:52 and stuff like the head specific kempo divisions I usually always entered that because you're in a level playing field about you know when you're doing a kempo form so that I stayed pretty consistent with but then eventually that just kinda died off and I specifically went straight in to the sport aspect of it you know and then that's when I started fighting you know for you know a professional martial arts teams and got on teams and got sponsored and things like that and that's when it kinda, that's when I really kinda isolated and just because that's what they had me on the team for.Jeremy Lesniak:Sure.Freddie LaPan:Your division, your fighting, that's what it is you know so.Jeremy Lesniak:Cool. So, this has been quite a journey I mean, we've kinda wandered through a bunch of things, certainly you know the martial arts has been the majority of your life so, try and think about what your life might have been without martial arts and of course how it is now and how would you say you've benefited how is Freddie a different person because of his time in the martial arts?Freddie LaPan:Well, I came to a crossroads when I was actually, when I, I made a choice in highschool. I actually went to Chelsea highschool and of course the studio was in Barre so there was like one distance to be able to 23:20 so a lot of times I just love doing the martial arts. So, I mean I'd get home, get my stuff done, my homework whatever the case and then head down to martial arts studio. I was down here 4-5 times a week so on so forth you know training and stuff. In highschool I kinda said you know I think this is something I wanna do you know for my life. So, actually in highschool, I actually had the mind frame of you know I wanna own a martial arts studio and I'm so I took business courses and things like that and then I got out of highschool and I actually did have to sit there and say to myself alright what am I gonna do in my life you know. I always was interested in law enforcements so I had you know relatives that were in the state police and stuff like that and they I was thinking about the opportunity to maybe going that way going to college you know for criminal justice or something to be able to do that and then I'm thinking about the martial arts but the thing that was always in the back of my head was you know if I start focusing my energy over there, this energy right here is going to you know drop. I'm not gonna be able toJeremy Lesniak:Meaning the law, if you focused on the law enforcementFreddie LaPan:And stuff right the martial arts is gonna go down and that was always like an inner fight. I was sitting there thinking I don't wanna do that I don't wanna lose my martial arts I just loved it so much and then that's when I just finally made the decision you know what I'm gonna do this you know and I was about 19-20 years old that's when I actually bought you know the licenses from Villari's here at this point and then started my business you know at that point and then doing it here actually ever since I bought it from my original instructors namely well I can say my original instructor was 25:02 they are the ones who have actually started that and the Barre area and me named 25:10 picked it up after that and I took classes 25:13 then I after I bought this studio and stuff I really 25:16 from 25:18 and Master David Boyes 25:22 they really took me under my wing and helped me out with the business aspect and the shaolin kempo karate you know they have guided me tremendously you know at that point and then when I started to branch out that's when you know Bobby LaMatina came in my life and Mike Conroy came into my life, he's from New Haven Connecticut. He's been a coach of my sport karate teams in a sense so I owe a lot of my success to him also you know, he's, he took me under his wing and we work good together. So you know if I wasn't doing the martial arts I'd probably have explored some law enforcement type of thing you know and that type 26:04 but you know as in how I benefited you know from the martial arts I mean it just gave me so much focus and just meeting the great people in my life I mean I just love meeting people and knowing that I'm actually having a positive impact yeah in their life and having a positive impact in the community I mean this is just a feeling that you know it's just overwhelming sometimes it's like, knowing that you can get up go to work and actually do your passion I mean that's great. So I don't know it's just, as I mentioned before everybody is on their own little journey in life and I love knowing that I'm actually in that timeline at some point and hopefully being something positive to them you know and especially in kids I mean it's getting to the point now where I'm actually teaching kids of kids that I've taught you know and it's great because they're saying oh we had such a great experience here I want my child to experience you also you know, that's just a great feeling.Jeremy Lesniak:Absolutely. I mean what better testimonial...Freddie LaPan:SureJeremy Lesniak:can someone give you than to say yeah, I want you to teach my kid.Freddie LaPan:Absolutely, you know it's the, you know it's a point in my life where I'm actually trying to you know build my legacy I guess a little bit you know and you know it's a good feeling that I have had came in contact with all these people in my life and you know my staff you know is absolutely and that's one thing you know I cannot you know, I would not be able to do or experience the things that I do now or before if I did not have a good group of people around me like this being a full time martial arts studio and I have to go travel and do something I have to step out of here you know and this studio runs 28:10 you know and I contribute to the people that I hear that to be able to do this you get like a Sensei Mandy Anthony she calls me she's giving me an inside joke which she says she's my office wife. You know she always keeps my ducks in a row and she makes sure they're pointed in the right direction you know and to be able to that it's been I she's always here if she needs help, anything I need you know 28:35***names*** if you know even I have other black belts like if I need help or something I need a class covered or something in short notice like 28:53 he would be able to do that you know if I need computer work I have another you know and stuff Tony Morris I can pull him in I got you know kids helping out like 29:03 ***names*** these are all people that come in and help me out in my classes and stuff like that and then you know my son he's you know he's 15 years old now he just got his third degree black belt you know Sensei Fredrick knows he loves that having the title but it's now I can actually start working side by side with my son you know and.Jeremy Lesniak:What's that like?Freddie LaPan:Oh it's an absolutely unbelievable experience you know in the sense where I'm taking all the things that I've learned and I’m trying to you know bring it to him of course he's a teenager too you know and you know he experiences teenager things and he's growing but you know my whole thing is you know I got to mold him into a man you know in that sense and I'm doing that the best of my ability and not every parent gets a chance where their child can actually work with them side by side you know in a business and I just cherish those moments you knowJeremy Lesniak:and in the business that you love he loves too.Freddie LaPan:Oh absolutely, oh sure absolutely and you know he does a great job you know to be able to do this you know at 15 years old you know so.Jeremy Lesniak:Does he wanna open a dojo soon?Freddie LaPan:Oh, I don't know you know whatever he wants to do I will support him but the point being is he's down here in a positive atmosphere also being a positive influence to other people too you know. You know all martial artists we have a job in the sense where the people that we come in contact with and it's the community or anything like that, these people are gonna be you know especially these kids are gonna be our future leaders someday. These are the people who are gonna be running our communities, these are the people that are gonna be working in jobs in so and so forth so the point being is the stronger we can make these children these people in our community, of course as they grow up the stronger it's gonna be you know so you know it's everybody does their part you know absolutely.Jeremy Lesniak:You've got quite a team, that was a lot of names.Freddie LaPan:I think there's more and I 'm sorry if I didn't mention anybody out, 31:05 I mean I get a lot of students a lot of people sit there and help me out and you know it's just I you know there's a you know another person that you know just comes to mine her name is 31:18 you know she's been with me for years upon years she's a sixth degree black belt and she's been a big influence in my life just in the sense where you know she comes in every Saturday at 9 o'clock she has her that's her private lesson time and there's times we just sat there and talk about life how you know the brain works how you know the perseverance and discipline and all that type of stuff and I taught both her children which are you know black belts also and just she's such a down to earth woman and she's actually set my mind straight many many of times you know this is where sometimes the teacher must become the student and she is a wise woman and I take her opinion very heavily you know I really listen in what she has to say and stuff yeah.Jeremy Lesniak:It's nice to have people like that around you.Freddie LaPan:Oh absolutely.Jeremy Lesniak:Keep you honest, keep you 32:18Freddie LaPan:She was gonna call it keeps it real. YeahJeremy Lesniak:So, I'd like you to think about a point in your life that, maybe things got a little challenging a little rough that you worked through overcame you know wherever words are applicable and how your martial arts experience and training enabled you to move past that point or overcome that challenge?Freddie LaPan:Oh Jesus. More than oneJeremy Lesniak:Okay 32:46Freddie LaPan:Alright well in my life in a sense where I've been plagued with injuries and it just seems just when I get started and rolling and something, something's will be able to happen I mean this one might be a little bit long 33:02 because you know I get going in my martial arts career which is you know going and then I'm gonna talk to about the sports aspect of this right now and stuff. First and I never forget it first off Rutland Vermont boom boom boom fighting at a tournament, bang, a guy lands on my leg, dislocates it tears my ACL out of course me being a little bit stubborn, I don't go get it checked ahh it'll heal don't worry dadada. So, I let it go for a while but it just kept going out going out going out, finally go to the doctors well your ACL's gone you know 33:39 so we get an operation. Long story short, not a big deal alright, get back, you should get that ACL fixed yeah, yeah, yeah I don't want 33:46. This is my mentality back then and it's like well that means I'm gonna be off for 6 months, I can't do that you know. So, to this day I still haven't got it fixed. But so, I had to restart so throughout the times that at this point my knee has given me issues it would pop out, never forget I was fighting down at the empire state nationals. Sit down, I'm fighting boom knee pops out, I feel it out can't get on it so now I'm fighting for first and second going into the grands I'm up on points, if I battle out I'm done so and there's like 30 seconds left so I sit there put my leg down there boom hit it as hard as I can snap it back into place I said all I got to do is dance around for you know a few seconds so one when you say what the martial arts has done for you there's that perseverance, there's the discipline there's the mental aspect, was it the smartest thing no, probably not. But.Jeremy Lesniak:No but you had a goal you had something that was of importance to you.Freddie LaPan:Exactly yupJeremy Lesniak:And you were gonna and you did what you had to do.Freddie LaPan:I had did what I had to do got it up boom ended up winning that so got that looked out at that point boom they try to fix it up the best they can. Then another time, then that's second operation, now the third time sparring down here come up boom legs locked. I was like ahh something happened another piece of meniscus or whatever got torn and got jammed in there, couldn't walk went to the doctors the next day, emergency surgery within a day you know they had because I couldn’t move my leg and we just so and so forth and they fixed that. That was the last knee op she actually did a great job there, it's been holding up pretty good since there, she just says you're gonna have to strengthen that knee so hard so tight that it just holds and so that is to this day I just emphasize you know exercises on that, particular things. So, I got all through that but it start and stop, injury get going, injury get going, injury get going so it's kinda like I'm always starting from scratch again you know. So martial arts career is going very well you know late 20s been on many martial arts teams you know in between tade wins TDS telecon, team lead 36:05 and then that was my last team at that point was a team CJV and fighting well, top of my game, and my hip started to feel a little you know off and I'm like jeez you know now at this point I'm very early 30s you know I'm in 31-32 and so and so forth and then I'm fighting through the pain and then you know long story short well you know this is around when my daughter was kinda young and born so I was gonna say I'm gonna take a you know a good first part in the martial arts tournaments because at this time I was traveling all over the, every it was usually once or twice a month I was flying somewhere around the United States you know competing somewhere but you know I had 2 kids at this point and I said let me just spend some time at home with my kids and so and so forth and get back into it and I'll never forget it, it was me getting back 37:00 the diamond nationals are coming I have to start getting in shape and just for some reason you know my hips were not working the way they were supposed to so, long story short you know I fought through it win at the diamonds and then did a panama city down at the NBL so and so forth and then after that I was like man this is just working too hard, something's wrong so I went to the doctor and he says I had bone spurs all over my hips and it wasn't anything from the martial arts, let's just say it was genetic, and he was saying that's just the way it is he says you would have this problem sometime in your life you know it happened in your 30s it could have happened in your 40 it could've happened in your 50s it didn't matter so and so forth but at this point the way the technology was he's saying you're just gonna have to well you can get hip surgery and hip replacements and so and so forth but this is you know if you're in your early 30s and at this time the technology you're only lasting 10 years or something like that and their thinking you can only have them like twice in your life and you're gonna have to wait. So that was a very emotional part in my life because something I loved just got pulled right out 38:07 me. I couldn't compete you know, could I competed yes, could I competed at the level I wanted to? No. So, I kinda just focused on the martial arts here and but you know you have that pull like ahh I just wanna get back in the ring, I just wanna get back in the ring and I was just going through some excruciating pain because of course they said they're like put up with it as long as you can.Jeremy Lesniak:Cause they're telling you basically at that point that you get 20 years from what, as soon as you give up on the pain, you get 20 years and then it's just gonna be you're gonna have the pain on the back side of your life when you've already got all those other challenges.Freddie LaPan:Yeah, you gotta fix you got that so and so forth and you know and you gonna have to get it replaced again and they just want you to hold it out as long as you can so you don't have to keep replacing that you know and especially maybe inactive you know. So on the other side of this you know I'm sitting here running my martial arts studio, doing everything I can, great staff, everybody's I mean it's going well 39:03 but since I wanna get back in that ring but also it got to a point where I could hardly walk I couldn't kick, I couldn't move you know it was the defining moment, never forget it I was at that champagne valley fair had my friend, my child, my son I think it was his birthday party or something like that and in the sense where he had some friends over. Every hundred yards I had to sit down, I had to sit down I just could not take it anymore. I said I have to do something about it.Jeremy Lesniak:And for people that are local to the area, it's a state fair, fairgrounds are pretty wide and there's a lot of great stuff to see so you know. You were probably sitting down quite a bit.Freddie LaPan:Oh yes, yeah yeah yeah it was the quality of life I said this is a no way and this is time to beJeremy Lesniak:How long did it end?Freddie LaPan:Tough 7 years.Jeremy Lesniak:OkayFreddie LaPan:Yeah so it was a while and then I went in and got I went to a doctor and they said they were gonna, they took my worst hip which 40:01. Let's take the bone spurs out, let's see what we can do and it just didn't work and then I went to a down in Hanover to another doctor and they said you know we're gonna fix both these right at the same time blah blah blah and get them right in there. So, we did and they felt good you know at that point and then at that point I started the problem was is me letting them go for so long in my whole 40:24 in my body, you know my skeletal structure switched. So, it wasn't like they have fixed and tadaa I mean I had to retrain and everything my flexibility was shut my walking was wrong I mean it just it took me a while to actually get back to where I was going but the 6 months after the surgery I was back at my first tournament you know.Jeremy Lesniak:That's pretty impressive.Freddie LaPan:I was fighting down in New Haven Connecticut at in a tournament down there and I got back and you know I got first in my division you know going backJeremy Lesniak:After not having competed in almost 8 years.Freddie LaPan:Yup, yup, got back that was my first tournament got things going you know and then it was an evolution for me within those last 3 years to get everything back, straightened out my flexibility so and so forth but the thing about is my right hip after it was fixed it just didn't, it felt good but it just didn't feel like 100% so and so forth and I was actually this was about a year ago well my point being is this me have to come back and this is my come back you know let's go this is my perseverance my discipline, this is it let's get going again you know. Then I'm down at Huzon Alexander's tournament in Springfield Mass fighting in the grands and I pushed off and something went with my right hip which I thought was a pulled muscle well come to find out well I let it go for 5 months thinking it will heal, I'll do this I'll do that so and so forth go back to the doctors 41:57 he says you broke basically the way the bolt in the hip replacement was in there broke and he said I was walking around for a dislocated hip for about 5 months you know and he was like you gotta get a surgery immediately. So, within 4 days I was under the thing and they went on it so here it is I gotta start over again you know but beautiful the technology had nowadays it was very minimal you know. I actually had a full, they took everything out, replaced everything in on a Thursday I was back to work teaching karate on Monday with no you know scratches or anything like that and within a couple of months I was back fighting again. Me restarting so now I'm getting my goals here ready to go again and at this point now I was gonna go fight in Portugal and I for the ISKA here at the end of May and then training boom tore my tendon off my bicep, that was my latest operations so they just had to fix that up and me get going again so I guess the point is I've been a very start and stop you know get going and then something pulled me back but you know as they always sit there and say it's you know it's I keep getting put down but it's like I keep getting back up you know it's, that's where the martial arts teaches me the benefits you know I've always said this and I actually was talking about my students just the other day, the last thing I ever wanna be in my life is probably what they call an arm chair general. So, me walking around there and say if it's hard and this challenge is in front of you, you gotta drive through it you can't quit and you can't do that and you need to keep a good attitude the whole time. I preach this with my students all the time. it's like when my arm just went you know that was my test to them to sit there and say okay, Master Freddie has been training this, he's been looking forward, he's ready to go, he's gonna do that bang he was I disappointed absolutely. Was I kinda crushed sure, but now the decision was this do I keep a great attitude, get this fixed, move forward or do I dwell on it, make everybody else lives miserable because I'm in a bad mood or anything like that, No. I mean there was the cross road, this is my attitude and I'm gonna have to move forward with it and I sit there and talk to them and I used to say that all the kids this is my test now and I'm gonna show the example of how a martial artist should act when disappointment comes in their lives and you know it was good I brought the 44:45 so they could actually see this. As in your original question how it benefited me I guess just perseverance in life, you know if something put you back down get back up, go for it you know.Jeremy Lesniak:And that's, it's pretty impressive, most people don't come back to any kind of athletic career from one of those injuries I mean maybe the bicep stuff but I can't say I know too many athletes in other sports that compete at the level that you compete at that have, fake hips.Freddie LaPan:Sure.Jeremy Lesniak:I mean you're the bionic man for sure.Freddie LaPan:And even within that period too I got in a car accident and broke my nose. You know and they had to put metal on my neck for that one too, that was another drawback I forget about that you know.Jeremy Lesniak:So, it sounds like the take away is, you know if you want something bad enough you know regardless of what the, what life is throwing at you you can certainly move through that.Freddie LaPan:Absolutely.Jeremy Lesniak:And yeah, I think that the martial arts is something that you know teaches us how to work through those obstacles so those are some great examples of how to move forward for sure. So, we've talked about a lot of the people that have had an influence in your life your instructors and secondary instructors and your sister.Freddie LaPan:YupJeremy Lesniak:But I'd like you to think of the one person other than those people you would call your instructor, your senseis, what one person would you say has had the most influence the most perhaps inspiration or however you wanna term it through your martial arts career?Freddie LaPan:Oh jeez, you know it's such a hard question because you know you have through my martial arts career you have so many people that come through your life that support you in different ways and they and where you are in your martial arts career or what you're doing right there you have different 46:55 that support you in that period of life you know what I'm saying and not necessarily you know supporting you, not saying they're not supporting you but it's just you didn't, you don't need them at that this point you know and you know you think about the evolution of what's going on you know okay well think about the person there was from day 1, my mother there you go you know I mean she's probably been my biggest fan so when you say someone that supported me through my martial arts career. When I started my martial arts studio with no business experience or anything like that she was supportive. If that's what you wanna do you may do it. So, and to this day she does my book work for meJeremy Lesniak:Oh, that's great.Freddie LaPan:You know yeah, she comes in and cleans the martial arts studio you know and that type of stuff. She's always been interested and done everything she can to support me in the martial arts as in paying for my classes and stuff and her being a single mother at that point it was hard for her but she always put me forward making sure that I always experience what I need to experience. If I needed to go to a, martial arts tournaments something money was found that I was gonna be able to go. You know and it's funny now because you know she, she's seen me go through this evolution in martial arts she's always of course me getting hurt, she's always been there in my operations, there she was, there's my mom you know that type of stuff.Jeremy Lesniak:She wasn't telling you to stop?Freddie LaPan:Nope, no, no, no, not at all, she tells me I should gain weight but that's about it you knowJeremy Lesniak:Thought she'd say thatFreddie LaPan:No, she no, she's never told me I should stop but the beautiful thing about is now that my son is starting to you know get more involved in martial arts and saying I'm starting to see that her into him you know he just recently fought in a men's division in a period of local martial arts tournament, won the grand championship and she had tears in her eyes.Jeremy Lesniak:Oh coolFreddie LaPan:You know seeing her grandson be able to you know evolve like that you know maybe I'm old news to her now but it's to be able to do that. So, I'm gonna say from day 1, it's my mother and it's probably I mean there's so many other people to I mean to be able to do that I mean even you know in different periods you know when the kids are young my wife was able to take care of them you know at that point so I could be able to go out and other people took care of the martial arts studio you know and so like I said there's so many other people at that point but you know.Jeremy Lesniak:You're certainly blast I mean I've no doubt a number of these interviews now no one else's has talked about as large a circle of people around them supporting them as you've hadFreddie LaPan:And I can't give them enough credit and you know what you even want to put the circle even bigger? Parents, kids, students, if it wasn't for them I wouldn't be here either. You know I mean I'd like to think that I'm offering a valuable service to them you know in that type of sense and you know they keep coming back so I'm you know it's good but you know I owe it to them too you know it's just I don't think they get enough credit I'm always thanking the parents for bringing their kids you know to be able to do you know the martial arts you know I always says this, martial arts is a special think you know every kid gets to do it. So if your parents were able to afford to bring you to classes and take the time to bring you to classes and 50:29 them all over the place and make sure that they're there I mean you gotta hand it to them I wish I could give you know the parents you'll really think about through the time from a child starts until when they get their black belt what is it 3, 4, 5, 6 years depending on you know their abilities okay, whatever now the parent or the grandparent or something that is doing that through them I mean they deserve a black belt too. They're in their video and taking notes and practicing I mean it's just I cannot thank them enough you know for this so I mean the wide circle.Jeremy Lesniak:So, we talked a lot about through these other questions about your time in competition and how important that is to you so I'm gonna reframe the questions from what I normally ask at this point. What do you love about martial arts competition?Freddie LaPan:Love about competition, I love the battle of minds. So, let me put it this way and kinda put it and present I don't perceive it as just kicking and punching at each other in the sense it's your mind against my mind, strategery. There's no different if we put a chess board in front of us and we went at it okay, it's just that we do it with our hands and feet so if I'm in a martial arts competition and I'm going against you at this point you are promote, you are giving me some type of situation, you are giving me some type of problem alright and if it's for the kick or a punch or your movement or something like that it's up to me to be able to figure that problem out and then come up with a solution you know and vice versa. Now where the battle of the mind is, this is where the chess game starts because you come in and you give me that problem I figure out a solution now you just adopt to my solution now you just gave me a new problem. Now my mind has to work again you know and that's the constant movement of the chessboard the way the game goes and stuff. So, when I sit there and say about what I love, I love the physical aspect of it you know. I mean I probably couldn't sit there and do chess as long as I could spar because I love the physical aspect of it but it's a battle of minds, you really think about it, it is.Jeremy Lesniak:YeahFreddie LaPan:And that's what I love about it I mean it's just the whole strategery of what goes on and I'm always thinking how to improve and what does that other person thinking and what can I do to counteract that, I mean it's just constant, constant I mean, this is I have this here I mean I'm constantly looking at it, the people that trained with me they know about this, I always have rolodex and these are moves and peoples that counteract if this person's doing this, I mean if you're a left leg kicker these are my counters to this blah blah blah. I am always studying if you are a right leg kicker so these are my counters I always have your stategy, if you're a right puncher I'll have counterJeremy Lesniak:How long have you done that?Freddie LaPan:Oh jeez, I can't even remember and stuff I even have my offenses and defensive moments and then I even have you evaluated as a fighter. I have your name in here and I know exactly what you do and how you do it and I watch you and even people I've not even fight I watch them and I take notes on them and I fight them in my head many of times and then when I get in front of them and it's almost like okay they should be doing this, this is this and this and this. These are what I should be doing here, here, here and here on an unconscious level of course you can't do that much thinking in the ring. If I can lock it in now and then and let it out instinctual you know when you're in the ring that's the ultimate goal. Now, does it work all the time, no. You know we all win and we all lose and so on so forth but that's the fun of the game. You get in there you do this. you win or lose say I got points scored upon me or I lose my match or whatever. I get back and I scratch my head and I say alright this is what happened, this is the evaluation. What do I do to fix this, now we're back to the 54:36 and do training and now we go back and we're gonna test the skill again you know. This is what I think about competition, days of oh I wanna win or I wanna lose but I can't sit there and say everybody wants to win, don't get me wrong. You wanna win everybody wants to win so on so forth. But I feel the true essence of competition is the evaluation of yourself. So, when I actually go in and to a martial arts tournament you know I had the determination to win to be able to do that but personally when I walk out of that ring, I wanna be able to feel good about myself, there was absolutely nothing more I could've done. That person beat me because they were better that day.Jeremy Lesniak:And how do you feel when that happens?Freddie LaPan:When?Jeremy Lesniak:When you give your all and somebody takes it to you?Freddie LaPan:I hand, shake their hand, high five and now it's this is where the inner voice has to pop in you know and sometimes you got to shut it up. The inner voice tries to throw out excuses, oh the judges didn't see this, the judges you know or the time limit there or the mat was slippery or whatever like that and you got to sit there and say be quiet, you know what you got to get back to the drawing board and you got to figure this out and you got to get back in and that's where the champions mind comes in because people can make all these excuses all they want but that's not gonna make them better you know it's either I've always found you can make an excuse, you can make progress you can't have both you know. I can get back to the studio and make all these excuses and do nothing. So you know you come back, get back in the gym, make that progress, figure out what's going it and get back to the drawing board and see what happens, that's how you grow, that's the evaluation process you know. I do it with sport karate you know and the people would do it with other things and I don't care if it's a you know track or basketball or anything, there's always that going on you know. So, I just choose the martial arts to do that whole process.Jeremy Lesniak:You keep throwing out these gems you know listeners don't get to see this but I keep paper and you know jot down if you've listened to the show you know that there's a quote that comes before so you're quote you know at this point when people hearing me say this they already have heard whatever the piece I'm gonna curve out and throw at the beginning of the episode. I've never had this many written down in the middle, you know usually I have one or two good choices and then you're just keep throwing me gold, so you're a very quotable man.Freddie LaPan:Alright, alright, I always say originality is concealing your source, remember I was a sponge, right?Jeremy Lesniak:That's right. So, you've already trained with a lot of great people but if you could train with someone that you haven't be they living or dead who would you wanna work out with?Freddie LaPan:Oh, Jesus well you can go with I mean there's a lot of people that I love training with you know like I said Mike Conroy, Bobby LaMattina, Jodie Tension, Ross Levene these are all great competitors that I love to train you know, I love training with now and doing that type of stuff but if I was to go back and sit there and these are the 57:46 one cliché is the Bruce Lee.Jeremy Lesniak:Sure.Freddie LaPan:Who and there's a reason for that and the other one would be Joe Lewis.Jeremy Lesniak:Why the two of those?Freddie LaPan:Strategery.Jeremy Lesniak:Okay.Freddie LaPan:This man was 57:58 he was these are the 2 reasons between the two. Joe Lewis was a very strategic guy and you know I always I've met him a few times and I've never been able to experience one of his seminars but I had a lot of his tapes and you know DVDs and things like that to be able to, but this guy was very intellectual. You know how we talked about the minds and that type of stuff, he was very in tuned to that you know I do this because of this and especially when I teach my classes it's, I'm very strategic in the sense that I do things for a reason and say this is the reason I'm doing this because of this or this because of that so and so forth. There's always a reason behind it you know and if I do something and then it really doesn't start to work then I adjust, I have to adjust or will you throw it out or make an adjustment to it so and so forth. Joe Lewis was exactly the same way so I guess as in personalities that we just relate like that I can think in that type of line. It's like when I sit there and teach I'm a very step oriented person you know. Step one step two step three and this is our end result here is where we wanna be able to get to. Bruce Lee innovator a man, you know I heard you know someone I think it was 59:12 at one point and he was doing an interview or talking but he was basically saying you know the art of Jeet Kune Do if Bruce Lee was still alive it would not even look the same if when he starts it, reason being he would've evolved, you know absolutely and this is how the martial arts evolve. I've sat and really thought about this sometimes and you know just think about the martial arts as back in you know 400, 500 years ago you know starting back then why it looks so much different nowadays. Size of people, different weapons, things going on you know at everybody especially different ideas I mean you know you're not fighting on horseback anymore, I'm not worried about a samurai sort of spear coming at me you know now you're worried about you know either a gun or a beer bottle coming at you or something in that type in there so it had to evolve into something a little bit different to be able to defend yourself you know, remember back when Bruce Lee was took away from you know the low deep horse stance and he's started putting footwork into the thing I mean that was blast to me you can't do that you know but it's common knowledge nowadays you know and the reason martial arts evolved is this someone's gonna do something for a bet people are gonna laugh at it and they're gonna make fun of it then they're gonna start imitating it and then once say a move comes out people like well they shouldn't be doing that and say hahaha but to me move starts working then eventually they start using that move. More people start using it, then a counter comes to that.Jeremy Lesniak:YeahFreddie LaPan:Then that means a whole new other move was evolved and then blah blah blah blah blah and this is the way it kinda comes out and evolve and it hasn't stopped you know. I mean just as a thing I mean I'm just gonna use this as a reference but you take like the UFC from day 1 to now it doesn't even look the same.Jeremy Lesniak:No, it's a little bit differentFreddie LaPan:Not even the same, the fighters are just evolved to another level you know but it's because they've took techniques, learned how to put stuff together and then counter techniques and so on so forth, new training ideas and stuff and exploded and we're not done yet you know.Jeremy Lesniak:No, it will never stop and that's some of the fun of itFreddie LaPan:Yes absolutely.Jeremy Lesniak:Do you have any favorite martial arts movies?Freddie LaPan:Movies oh jeez I mean there's so many just as, some that pop in my head like Enter the Dragon, Way of the Dragon, The Last Dragon any dragon movie how is that? You know here's the big brawl you know from Jackie Chan you know that was a good one you know what I really loved when I was a kid, Saturdays at one o'clock Kung Fu theater. I love that just as a child I always look forward to be able to you know see that you know in the afternoon cause it was good so enjoy any martial arts movie you know per se you know. It doesn't even have to be good movie, I just like watching the action and stuff. I actually look at the fight scenes and say those are good fight scenes so that I enjoy that fight scenes and the prime example like in the ears of Steven Seagal I really enjoyed his stuff but then it just kinda evolved into something I didn't never really liked you know but recently like Jason Statham now I really love his stuff you know.Jeremy Lesniak:He keeps popping up.Freddie LaPan:He does, I like his stuff I like Michael J White he is another. Yeah, he puts out as in good clean martial arts skill you know as I sit to be able to do this.Jeremy Lesniak:He's a really good guy, he's really, really respectable.Freddie LaPan:He's good friends with Mike Connor and my coach, I've never personally got to meet him but you know I know they interact a lot 1:03:10Jeremy Lesniak:Get them up here for a 1:03:11Freddie LaPan:Yeah you never know yeah, yeah that would be good so I don't know it's like I said I enjoy movie, one thing I look for a movie is good clean I don't like the camera right next, that we can't see nothing. I like it panned out so I can see what's going on.Jeremy Lesniak:Where you can tell there are legitimate martial arts or not.Freddie LaPan:ExactlyJeremy Lesniak:A couple of stunt doubles, a lot of editingFreddie LaPan:Yeah, so yeah that's what 1:03:33 I'd take any movie just as long as it has some pretty good fight scenes.Jeremy Lesniak:How about books any martial arts books that?Freddie LaPan:Books I mean not martial arts per se books for me but which is probably you're gonna know this now anything that has to do with like psycho, sports psychology type of stuff you know why because it molds your mind. I just love that type of stuff you know. I feel the more control you are of your mind.Jeremy Lesniak:YeahFreddie LaPan:and you understand how it works, when you get put in different situations and stuff like that, you can control it better. Just thing about the ring, the more you can actually calm your, I have three things when you're 1:04:19 and when you're in the ring, emotional calmness, mental clarity and physical energy. So, when I say emotional calmness and mental clarity, those 2 go together you gotta be able to control them and just ahh and you gotta have that mental clarity where your mind can actually just relax and not a thousand things going through it you knowJeremy Lesniak:Sure.Freddie LaPan:And it's weird, it's funny just quoting a movie like the Last Samurai, there's one thing I absolutely love which I've always talked about and I bring this up to the students when I sit there and say when you're in the ring, when Tom Cruise is fighting the you know the master at that point he says you know he kept 1:05:02 and he said too many minds too many minds that means he was thinking about too much you know he said you gotta just have that mental clarity and let your body react, rely on your training, it will come out if you let it you know and then at that point that's not when you've reached that point where everything is locked in you know but a lot of times we hold ourselves back because of that. So, any books that have to do with that type of stuff I'm on it you know so.Jeremy Lesniak:Cool, well now it's kinda your chance to frame where we're gonna go. Do you have any goals?Freddie LaPan:Oh many of goals I mean I'm just constant that's a, I always sit there and say your goals give you the pain, excuse me your goals give you the purpose of pain, you know you really think about it it's like you know when I go on a dojo and I'm sweating and my muscles are burning and all that type of stuff it's like what am I doing this for, well this is my purpose so 1:06:07 because of this so again so think about that you know you're goals gives your pain a purpose, that's what you're looking at you know in that sense but there's many things I'm trying to achieve, there's a as in, getting back because of this arm injury back in to the big scheme of things. I'm looking to hit the national circuit again, be able to do that which is good. We've you know the Mike Conroy which is a coach, we've actually almost pretty much formed another sponsor to be able to do that. I'm not allowed to say the name yet but that's in the works right now. Another goals is of course I'm still evolving and my body you know I'm getting to the point where you know I'm a competitor but I'm also an instructor and as we talked about earlier about my legacy is I'm starting to build that too I feel part of my job as being in martial arts is to share my knowledge with other people too and to have them experience the same things I did and so I've actually started doing, I've started another little brand of stuff all from my you know shaolin kempo karate the Villari's things which I call Freddie LaPan's ultimate edge sport fight training so I'm training people that have come up from different areas and stuff privately and then I've been putting on certain seminars which my next one is gonna be June 6, here at my martial arts studio from 1-4.Jeremy Lesniak:Okay so quite make it out before thatFreddie LaPan:Excuse me.Jeremy Lesniak:This will get really 1:07:48 but you know listeners can know that the next time you have one of those will certainly promote that through our channels so if they're interested then they can take advantage.Freddie LaPan:Sure, you know so people that are looking to get into the sport aspect of things I'm here to help you I mean I wanna give you the same experiences I'd be able to do you know in this area and be able and say you know I had to travel hours upon hours upon hours upon hours and all over the United States to be able to gain the knowledge I had because I had to sort the people to be able to do this but now you know the great thing is, is I've done that leg work. I'm sitting here in Barre Vermont and the people that wanna experience that same type of knowledge you don't have to do that you know so my goal is to put on these seminars and train people and I can do it privately where in everybody wants to be able to do that also you know to get them up to that next level and try to help them achieve their goals also.Jeremy Lesniak:Cool.Freddie LaPan:So that's one of my you know most goals of course it's to build my school and to you know influence more people you know that's always been a… underlining goal with everything I do of course but those are the things that are in the works right now is trying to get that brand out there a little bit more, get that exposure out you know let more people know.Jeremy Lesniak:Awesome so, promote yourself you know you even mentioned some things that you've got going on now with the seminars and everything but anybody you wanna give a shout out to any sponsors or…Freddie LaPan:Ah well I mean as in promote myself I mean I'm here at Villari's martial arts studios here in Barre Vermont you know 47802 4790661 you know if you're interested in martial arts classes or you know any we also offer you know physical fitness classes also 1:09:40 to do the you know as in promoting myself I guess I'm not the biggest person I try to stay pretty humble you know I've kind of always been in the shadows because I just don’t do it for the limelight I do it for myself you know and that type of sense and but you know I love teaching and if anybody you know wants an experience and come on in I'd love to have them.Jeremy Lesniak:Cool. Great and of course we'll link to your Facebook page and anything else we'll throw out in the show notes on the website. So, one last thing any parting advice any I mean you threw out a lot of great stuff but anything you wanna end on?Freddie LaPan:Parting advice you mean for like people that who listenJeremy Lesniak:YeahFreddie LaPan:I don'tJeremy Lesniak:You know play Confucius for a momentFreddie LaPan:Well parting advice you know what the word that comes in my mind I keep thinking about is consistency that's the thing you know it's like as we talked about a little about my stories of me getting put down and getting back up. There's one thing that's been in my life and its consistency in the sense where I didn't abandon anything in the sense I everyday was a new day and say what am I going to accomplish today you know you really think about this skill anything like that it's a sum of all your efforts that's done on a daily basis. You really think about that you know it's not something I don't want to know why and then I gain all this skill or something I knew and I feel like it that's when I gain a little skill you know. It's the consistency of doing something when you actually don't feel like doing it, that's the most important time you know. That's the you know it's like the true word of commitment you know when you make a commitment to yourself commitment means you stay loyal to that word even though you're not in the same mood when you made it you know what I mean about thatJeremy Lesniak:YeahFreddie LaPan:Okay so it's like I said yeah, I wanna be a world champion let's go do it, let's go do it, I'm more motivated then today you're sore and you're tired and you go okay I'll train tomorrow. No, that wasn't the commitment you made, you go right back in that gym and you stay true to your goals ans you do what you're supposed to be doing. That is not part of the plan, so again consistency that's where it, you know and I don't care if it's in martial arts, I don't care if it's a job, I don't care if it's a hobby, I don't care whether it's anything consistency is the key of you to be able to be successful at whatever you wanna do you know. Think about school you know we don't send our kids to school once in a while, you know they're successful in school because of what they do day in and day out, no different than anybody and anything else. You just got to put in perspective, there's your parting words.Jeremy Lesniak:I won't even try and add anything on to it.Freddie LaPan:Alright.Jeremy Lesniak:Well Master Freddie I really appreciate you coming on and talking to me and being here on whistlekick Martial Arts Radio.Freddie LaPan:Oh, it's my pleasure I hope it was worthwhile.Jeremy Lesniak:Absolutely.Freddie LaPan:Thank you so much.Jeremy Lesniak:Thank you for listening to episode 13 of whistlekick Martial Arts Radio. A big thank you to Master LaPan for giving up some of his time to be on the show today. Please subscribe to the show so, you never miss one of our weekly episodes. If you could help us out by leaving a 5-star review on stitcher, iTunes, wherever you download your podcasts it would really help us out. Those reviews help newcomers find the show in a vast listings, that are online podcasts. You can check out the show notes with links to everything we talked about today at whistlekickmartialartsradio.com and while you're there if you want to be a guest on the show or you know someone that would be a great interview please fill out the guest form and of course if you'd like to learn more about the great products we make at whistlekick, please check us out at whistlekick.com and don't forget that coupon for 30% off podcast1, that's podcast and the number 1 which is only good for a couple of more days through the end of June 2015.