Episode 920- Sensei Dan Dovidio
In today's episode Jeremy sits down in person and chats with Sensei Dan Dovidio about his journey through the martial arts and the connections between IT and the martal arts world.Sensei Dan Dovidio - Episode 920
SUMMARY
In this conversation, Dan Dividio shares his journey in martial arts, starting as a teenager and continuing for 48 years. He discusses how martial arts has served as a grounding tool in his life, helping him navigate through challenges and maintain a positive mindset. Sensei Dividio also talks about the importance of personal connections in martial arts, both with instructors and fellow students. He shares his experience of fighting in an Okinawan tournament and the impact of immersive martial arts experiences. Finally, he discusses his role as a martial arts teacher and the balance between teaching and personal life. In this conversation, they discuss their journeys as a martial artist and teacher, as well as the intersection of martial arts and IT. Sensei Dividio shares his experience of starting teaching after returning from Okinawa and opening his own school. He emphasizes the importance of being a lifelong student and constantly improving in martial arts. He also highlights the positive impact of martial arts on mental and physical well-being, as well as the importance of staying active in retirement.
TAKEAWAYS
* Martial arts can be a grounding tool, helping individuals navigate through challenges and maintain a positive mindset.
* Personal connections with instructors and fellow students are important in martial arts, contributing to long-term commitment and growth.
* Immersive martial arts experiences, such as training in different dojos and participating in tournaments, can solidify one's passion for martial arts.
* Teaching martial arts requires adapting to different environments and fostering a positive atmosphere for students. Starting teaching and opening a school can be a natural progression for martial artists who have a passion for sharing their knowledge.
* Being a martial arts teacher requires the ability to communicate and connect with students, as well as the willingness to constantly learn and improve.
* Martial arts and IT can complement each other, as both require problem-solving skills and the ability to adapt and learn new techniques.
* Maintaining physical activity and staying motivated are essential for longevity and well-being, especially in retirement.
* Martial arts is a lifelong journey of self-improvement and should be approached with a mindset of continuous learning and growth.
CHAPTERS
00:00 Introduction and Welcome
01:18 Starting Martial Arts Journey
07:03 Martial Arts as a Grounding Tool
08:27 Using Martial Arts in Everyday Life
09:35 Impact of Martial Arts on Personal Life
13:21 Training with Siblings
19:13 Fighting in Okinawan Tournament
21:38 Immersive Martial Arts Experiences
24:24 Importance of Personal Connection in Martial Arts
29:02 Teaching Martial Arts
31:06 Starting Teaching and Opening a School
32:03 Discovering a Passion for Teaching
32:33 Enjoyment of Teaching and Seeing Students Succeed
33:29 The Connection Between Martial Arts and IT
34:51 Balancing Martial Arts and IT Careers
35:35 Martial Arts as a Therapeutic Outlet
36:12 Helping Others and the Similarities Between IT and Martial Arts
36:52 Running a Semi-Private Martial Arts School
38:37 Maintaining Motivation and Staying Active
40:13 The Importance of Physical Activity in Retirement
41:19 Never Settling and Constantly Improving
43:19 The Role of a Sensei and Continual Learning
45:19 Incorporating Pressure Points and Efficiency in Techniques
46:08 The Lifelong Journey of Martial Arts
48:16 The Importance of Having a Purpose in Retirement
49:03 The Negative Effects of Inactivity in Retirement
49:58 The Positive Impact of Martial Arts on Mental and Physical Well-being
52:03 Learning from Students and the Role of a Teacher
54:01 The Influence of Martial Arts on Life Choices
56:41 The Inseparable Connection Between Martial Arts and Life
58:10 The Importance of Positivity and Happiness in Life
01:00:15 Continuing to Learn and Never Settling
Show Notes
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Show Transcript
Jeremy (00:04.11)
What's happening everybody? Welcome back to Whistlekick Commercial Arts Radio, joined today by Dan. Dan Dovidio. I was questioning the word choice that I had used. Not your name. Actually that part I had nailed. There's too many vowels. Everyone gets it wrong. There's a lot of vowels in here. Everyone gets it wrong. Well, I can already tell we're going to have some fun.
audience make sure you hit whis for all the things that we've got going on with this show and whistlekick.com for the things that we are doing to connect educate entertain the traditional martial artists of the world like this show like our events like Products like whistle kick alliance for you school owners out there check it out. Let me know if you have questions
but over to you. Hey, thanks for being here. Hey, no problem. I appreciate it. Nice, raw, rainy day. Oh my God. This, this is, this is quintessential New England spring, isn't it? Well, it's the door opening of spring. So I'm okay with it. Not quite sure how to dress. It's cold, it's rainy, but you know, it's not winter clothes, but it's definitely not spring clothes. Right. So one of those days I just want to, it's one of those days that you do in the fire or podcasts. We could podcast in front of the fire.
Oh, there you go. If we could have done that, that would have been great. We are at Karate International in Exeter, New Hampshire. Shout out, thank you to them. There is no fireplace. We have a space heater in here, but that doesn't quite count. That's right. Not the same. So we get warm in doses. Yeah, that's right. Cool.
Cool. We're here to talk about you and your journey, your time training and all that good stuff. Okay, so I guess I'll kick it off. Yeah, kick it off. No pun intended. I started martial arts in a different way than most people do at the time. A lot of people are out looking for different schools or a different way of learning the martial arts.
Jeremy (01:59.438)
I happen to fall upon it only because I was the oldest of four brothers and I was the only one that had a license when I was 16. And my mom went, bring your brothers to karate, bring your brothers to karate. So I'd bring them to karate. Had they already been doing karate? They started, well, Mr. Durkin opened up his school in 74. And at that time I was bringing my brothers there when he had first opened. I had a couple other friends there. You weren't training? No.
because they were too young to have a license. So I would bring them there and sometimes I'd sit there and watch the class or sometimes I just take off for an hour and come back and pick them up.
And over time I'd sat, talked to Mr. Dirk and he would never like, you know, hey, you want to start class? You know, he wouldn't see, he wasn't selling me, you know, because he just by seeing it sells itself. So by me being there, I said, hey, I can do this. And I started in 76 and I've been doing it since I've been doing it for 48 years now. So that's how I started martial arts. It wasn't something that I was actually out looking to do. It was something that I kind of
to osmosis. That is a different story. Here we are. I mean we've done close to 500 of these interview episodes and I don't think we've had this one before. Right. Do you remember what you were thinking sitting on the sides that made you say maybe I want to do this? Um well I think it was over time. I don't think it was like the first time I sat there. It was over a period of time but I just happened like I said I had friends that did it too. Sure. And my brothers were doing it.
Jeremy (03:41.388)
They always wanted me to do it, but I just like, you know, my interest was in music at the time. I was playing guitar and stuff like that. And I just wasn't wrapping my head around it.
I was part of it in a sense, not directly but indirectly. But the whole thing is it's something that kind of just, something sparked my interest. I don't know exactly what it was, but the next thing I know I'm on the dojo floor, I'm working out and then I have from there I just I got bit by the bug and I love it. I love it since then. So that's kind of like how I got into it. And I stuck with it, which is amazing to me, you know what I mean?
48 years that's a long time I mean I haven't even been married that long you know I mean I'm more married to my karate than I am my wife don't tell her don't tell her she knows she's one of the
Jeremy (04:45.554)
it wasn't specifically that said okay I'm gonna do this I think it was just being exposed to it. What did your parents think? This idea that you're bringing your siblings and then all of a sudden now you're doing it too. Um, no, well I mean, I don't think they really had any input into it because I was kind of already a teenager. But were they excited? Um, I don't think so. I mean my dad wasn't around but my mom was a single mom.
she's pretty yeah exactly so and I paid for it myself you know she didn't pay for it so I don't think she really you know she's all that's great you know because most parents want their kids to do well or do things that will make them better you know but that's just basically how it played out
We're talking 48 years ago. I don't remember so a lot of stuff that happened back there. So I'm just trying to kind of recall. But that's basically the gist of how I got started. It's just through osmosis and just being there. And back then, there wasn't a lot of karate schools. I mean, they were far and few between. And if there were some, some of them were really bad. Then you had some that were really good. So I just happened to fall upon this. I mean, it could have been any karate school.
I think there might have been one other karate school in town at that time. And then of course, you know, as decades go, they, you know, they're like the McDonald's now, you know, I mean, you can see them like, it's probably three or four in each town these days, you know. So so it's, you know, that's how I got into the martial arts. And I've stuck it out, which is which is a good thing. Yeah. It's definitely been my.
my grounding in life is doing the martial arts. Because as you go through life, stuff happens, things, I'm always great, because in life, you get the peaks and valleys. Any points in time you're willing to talk about where that grounding was important to you? Well, I think once I got my black belt, that was a huge milestone. Back then, that was a big thing. How about stuff more personal outside of trading?
Jeremy (07:03.892)
When people talk about, you know, this is grounding for me, it suggests that it's helping you deal with stuff. Well, yeah, I mean, growing up in a broken family, it was tough. I grew up in Somerville, so I'm a city boy, you know, by birth. And we did a lot of crazy stuff there. Coming to New Hampshire was a total culture shock for me and probably my brothers and stuff. And, you know, just that mentality.
as you get in trouble and shit happens. Can you swear on this? This is something. Yeah, you know. Well, you can. It's a miles, yeah, I can. Yeah. That, you know, things happen and it just, it gives me something to come back to. You know, it's something that's internal and it's something that's personal to me. And that's why I think that that's what grounds me. So whenever something happens, I always.
internally go there and I come out of whatever negative thing that has happened to me in life and I used that as a positive saying you know I need this to get me above and beyond it where a lot of other people would probably use other things like substances and stuff like that to numb the pain I guess so for me it was more of an internal thing and just trying to focus in inward and try to bring out the best of whatever it was you know that was happening to me at that
So, you know, that's kind of like how I use the Moshelot and it's a great tool to have because I can be anywhere at any time And it's always with me and that's great thing about Moshelot is I mean you must seem seeing, you know Yeah, you must see do the same thing, you know where the sun's down you like
You just kind of catch your breath, you just focus on what the solution is instead of what the problem is. And that's what a lot of people do. So I think if anything it's actually made my mindset more of a positive than a negative. You know, half full and half empty. So that's kind of like how I personally...
Jeremy (09:05.71)
use the martial arts in my everyday, opposed to the dojo floor. You use it more outside the dojo than you do in the dojo. What do you mean by that? Well, I mean, like I said, the mindset. How you approach things and how you approach people, how you deal and solve problems. That's kind of like how I use that energy, that positive energy to hopefully resolve any issues that you have.
Everyone has issues. Everyone just has different flavors, different times in their life, and that's how we come over them. So that's kind of like how I use it as far as keeping myself sane and keeping everyone else safe. Kind of the way you're talking about your childhood, you know, connecting some dots here that may or may not actually connect.
the other half you're talking about positivity there were you were you at all an angry kid actually no i was the type of kid that got bullied i got bullied i wasn't the bully the way you were talking about summerville suggested maybe you were that was just no i was never the bully uh... but we just can kinda do stupid stuff
kids do stupid stuff. Yeah, I mean, you know, and then of course, you know, you're hanging around with a bunch of other kids. Kind of not I don't want to say gang, but it mentality, the gang mentality. Yeah, you know what I mean? You get the peer pressure. More people in a group the dumber that group is. I know I'm telling you that's why I'd rather be by myself. But
yeah i mean it was it was kinda top i mean it makes me who i am today i mean it wasn't anything specific but like i said i was one of the number one sixth grade uh... swanky account push all and i would i would just call uh... one day i just got set and he came out to me
Jeremy (11:12.586)
So as he was coming at me, I grabbed him, threw him against the fence, and I started, you know, hitting on him because he was doing it to me all the time. And ever since then, we became friends. Really? He was my best friend for like the rest of the year, and then of course, then we went into junior high, because junior high starts at seven, eighth, and ninth, and in some of them. So this was in sixth grade, you know? So it was just something that had just happened. But yeah, I don't typically have anger issues. Never had anger issues.
If anything, I'm more of the fun guy. I kind of saw things through humor, opposed to anger or being, you know, peed off at anybody. So that's, which I'm surprised, growing up in the city that it wasn't like that. When you, generally when someone uses the phrase broken home, right? That's one of the first places that I'm going to wonder is, what's the emotional impact of that? And especially you're the oldest, right? So it tends to be,
Aggressive.
or humor? Are you trying to control or are you trying to make everybody's life better? Right. It's one of those two. Right. And I think it's more the way. I try to tend them to make them better opposed to worse or be the aggressor. But yeah, I mean, being the older brother, I mean, probably when I was little with the siblings, I don't know, it's a little bit different, but I would kind of like be the boss of them. I'm like- Kind of had to. The third parrot, you know what I mean? And well, sometimes I beat them up.
for whatever reason. I don't remember anything specific. But yeah, it was four boys too. How old was the youngest? Well, two of them have passed. So my...
Jeremy (12:59.57)
I had a brother when I was younger, that was a year younger than me, that passed when he was 13. And then I have another brother that's two years younger, he's still alive, he's still with us here, actually lives pretty close to here. And then I have my youngest brother, he was four years younger than me, and he had passed probably about four years ago. So you know.
So there was a four year difference between all of us. You know what I mean? That's tight for four people. But as they got older, they started getting smiling. They're like, hey, wait a minute. There's three of us and only one of him. That's what I start giving them. Bullying them and giving them a high five. They're like, I know what you're saying. What was it like training with them?
training with my brothers? Yeah. Well actually they stopped. They stopped. Yeah, well that was very short lived because when I started they started moving away and they stopped doing it.
They've come back here and there but never like consistently Was that coincidence or was it because they were doing? Yeah, they just stopped doing it actually like I said I was a musician Wanted to be a guitar player and I actually gave my guitar to my brother who was playing now actually I'm going to help tomorrow night. He's playing down in Boston But anyway, I had given him my guitar and then he just took off with that
He's still doing that and I took off with the karate and I'm doing that. Yeah, it's basically we basically switched hobbies and then we just, you know, life long. Decades later still going. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Same with him. Yeah. So it's just, it's just amazing how your life changes like that, you know, where you're initially looking for one thing and then you wind up somewhere totally different. Yeah. You know what I mean? And then you're pursuing that to life. So, you know, it's just crazy how life is.
Jeremy (14:54.544)
And you know how it is. I do. Yeah. Anytime somebody tells me they've done something for a few years, let alone decades, it suggests to me that that.
Pursuit that whatever it was ended up in a position of priority over a lot of other things right life throws a lot of options As right, you know You've been around long enough. You've seen plenty of kids graduate high school They go off to college and that's the end of their training or maybe they they're local for College they come back when they can they graduate they take a job over there That's the end of their training or maybe they get married or they have a child. That's the end of their training
There wasn't an end of your training? No.
How were you able to continue to make martial arts a priority, despite all the things that life threw at you that also, I'm sure, at least at various times, you got married, so at some point your wife entered the list. My wife, she'd sit there and watch classes, similar to what I did initially, where it was a running joke with her too, because she's a yondon. Oh, she trains? Well, she did. She does it now. Okay.
the same thing where she was sitting and watched me do it and I remember somebody interviewed her I think we did a women's self-defense.
Jeremy (16:20.398)
class for some local cable company and they asked us, so how long have you been in karate? She goes well I've been watching it for about seven years and then I started doing it and you know what I mean so by watching it she counted that as time served so to say you know what I mean but it's just funny that that's how it happened with me. I was just sitting there watching it and you know I said hey I can do that and that's how I got into it so she did it only because she was mad at me.
so because she knew it was a part of my life so she you know she wasn't see the karate of me she didn't give me that ultimatum so she's not that's good she might not have won that huh she might not have won that ultimatum oh i probably you know i don't know yeah well no i think i don't think i would have given it up i think i would have somehow talked her into
why I should keep it. But yeah, other than that, she's awesome. How old were you when you met her? I met her when she was 81. So at that time I was 20.
Jeremy (17:48.038)
a couple kids later. Your kids trained? My son's a sandan. OK. She's trained under me. And my daughter does not train at all. Did she ever? No. But the thing is that's a funny thing, where me, my wife, and my son train in a lot of shalats. But out of the whole household, we're all afraid of her. What she lacks in technique, she makes up with attitude. But yeah, my daughter, if she was attacked, she would.
Jeremy (18:21.294)
You know what I mean? I mean she's not technically Be capable of defending herself. It just threw her out. She's spirited. That's right That's right in a martial arts most of the most of the training in spirit, you know techniques the smaller part of the big equation So but so that's how my wife and you know, she's always supported me Just I remember back Actually, we went to Okinawa for winter camp and we fought in the
tournament. She was in, we left on Thanksgiving Day, I think it was in 85, 84 going to 85, and she was in Hawaii for two weeks. She came home for 12 hours and then I'm on a plane Thanksgiving Day heading to Okinawa. So I was there for a couple weeks and Mr. Durkin was there, there was a whole bunch of us that went down there.
Um, and I've got to fight in the all-Okinawan tournament, which is great. Yeah. And that was some, that was a big milestone for me. Um, you know, fighting in that tournament. I would imagine in Okinawan tournament that is open to.
essentially all styles in the 80s. It was probably a bit rough and tumble. Yeah, it was okay. I mean, it wasn't too bad. I mean, there were some people that got hurt. But back in the day, I don't know, you've probably done tournaments.
We never had safety gear. I was just thinking that all we wore gear was out, but nobody was wrong We're in it. All we wore was a knuckle pad Yeah, you slide it's a wristband and it all does is cover your knuckles So that way they you don't hurt anybody when you punch it. Feet gear not hurt up, you know, and I think they required a mouthpiece But yeah, it was a little bit tougher than the sport car rider you see today so It was it was quite the experience though, and I did pretty well I went through it in
Jeremy (20:13.584)
division which was great because I was like the junior black had you been competing here before you I've done tournaments yeah but not like that it was just a little different just the whole organization because over there you know they sensationalized one event opposed to a regular tournament you got ten rings going all at once there it's just one ring and everybody's watching
So all the attention is on the actual competitors, one at a time. So it takes a long time. You actually had to qualify to even get into the tournament. What was the qualification? The qualification was you went to matches. Oh, okay. And if you lost, you were out. So you had to win a couple of matches just to get into the tournament. So it's kind of like NCAA? Yeah, probably something like that. It's a qualification. You got to meet some criteria before you can get into the main event.
It was pretty cool and it was a great experience for me. I got to train at the Master's Dojo, Master Wei Jie's Dojo, and it was just an unbelievable trip. I wish I could do it again. We've been talking about it here and there. You haven't been back to Okinawa since then? I haven't been back to Okinawa since then. But we've been talking about it. Hey, you know, we should make another trip. It's been a while. It's a couple years, yeah. Oh yeah, a couple decades. What are you talking about?
But yeah, I mean, it was a great experience. And it just, that really, that probably was, solidified my longevity into the martial arts, I think. You know, I mean, we're that kind of like, hey. What was it about that locked you in? Well, I think it was just being around the master that we've always been talking about. I'd never seen it for years. And now we're training in his dojo and we're competing and we're going to visiting other masters, like it's a Shinjo's dojo, we train there.
I remember one time we were there and he was kind of sizing up the fighters. So it was me and a couple of my students, fellow students that were there. And he'd have his fight with his students and stuff. And we were like just cleaning the floor with them. All right, it was. It was.
Jeremy (22:26.182)
It was it was a cool trip just by visiting the different dojos and each dojo had its own like Horror about it. You know what I mean? Like, you know what I mean? East dojo is more about weapons and shinjo is more about fighting and of course master, you know, I mean grand master Wei j is was more like kata, you know really focusing on the technique and everything So each of them had a different flavor which I benefit from yeah, we all did and it was it was a great time It was great time
25 us that went. We had a chat on the plane and yeah it was pretty cool. That's really yeah yeah. There's something about that immersive environment I think whether it's martial arts or anything else being able to focus on maybe it's not one thing maybe it's not you're just doing forms or you're just fighting but you're focused on this thing that you are so passionate about and you don't have a lot of other things right. I think
if you've not had the experience yourself, you've had plenty of people that have told you, they went on vacation somewhere and that's the best place in the world. Well, yeah, cause you've left all the things that you don't like about your life at home. Right. And so you got to do that with martial arts and your relationship to martial arts gets even better as a result of that. Yeah. And of course, you know, I mean, Mr. Twerkin, you've interviewed him before. I mean, how can you not love the guy? He's a beautiful man. You know, it's like, you meet him, you talk to him, it's like, all right, you know.
mentor, great leader, and he's a person that a lot of people look out to. And that definitely has a lot to do with why I probably suck it up. You know, because it's that personal relationship between student and teacher. Even though he's got a hundred students, he still has that personal relationship with each one of those people. Opposed to, you know, okay, comes in the class, teachers are leaving, you don't even really get to interact with them. And I think that interaction makes a huge difference in why people stay at certain schools.
want to stay with a certain person over those over the years. So I think that has you know that I think has contributed a lot to why a student would stay at a school. I mean you probably see students leave and come and go to schools all the time. Why? Because they just haven't connected with their sensei or the person that's running. How do you prioritize that connection? What actions do you take in your time on the mats? As far as what now? To make sure those relationships are
Jeremy (24:54.756)
Well, you know, I think any dojo, if it's run properly, is a place that you go and it's a positive atmosphere. You can leave all the negativity behind you when you step into the dojo. And it's not only the relationship you have with your sensei, it's also the relationships you have with your fellow students too. You build that friendship and over time, you know, it could expand outside the dojo. And sometimes it's just relative in the dojo.
Jeremy (25:31.61)
or it's a positive experience every class. So I mean, I have some classes, you know, you get some guy that's visiting, just being a tole, whatever, you know. But a lot of times they get pretty humbled quickly. You know what I mean? Well, you step into someone else's domain, you better be respectful. You can't be going off on students or anything because they're gonna just give it right back. When enrolled. And that's right. Yeah, yeah. I've seen some examples of people
and trying to do it the way that they did it at their school. And it rised and...
Yeah, yeah, it doesn't fly. So the thing is you need to adapt to whatever environment you're in. And that's like, you know, like this podcast, me sitting here with you, I'm adapting to a conversation. I haven't met you ever. That's right. Until now, but we're sitting here having a conversation, like we've known each other. That's right. Yeah. Well, the only thing that we have in common is the martial arts. So that definitely is the base, you know, common denominator, which is good. But at the same time, I'm comfortable sitting here with you. And it's not, it's not a struggle of, you know, who's the better martial artist.
Who cares? It doesn't matter. The thing is that we're decent human beings and we're talking about something that helped us both, but at the same time can help other people and that's why you go to broadcast. So you can get it out there so these people can say, hey, this martial arts might have some validity to it. Let's check into it. Let's go see what the school is like down the street. That's kind of like how it all starts. I mean, it's just, you know, it's word of mouth. That's how martial arts really works.
on but usually a lot of people know somebody that's doing it and that's how they do it. Why? Because they may like that person and they're like, you know what? I want to try that because I think I can benefit from it. And that's just a big snowball. That's right. The best advertising absolutely does facilitate word of mouth and the best programs and more short schools that bring people in are those that honestly they are they're kind of subtle. Not that there's anything wrong with referral programs.
Jeremy (27:36.988)
and things like that, but the thing I tell, I work for the number of schools. When was the last time you told your students I would really appreciate it if you told your friends about what we do? Right. And when they do, make sure you look them in the eye and say thank you or send them a card. Right, right. It doesn't have to be big, it doesn't have to be financial, it can just be appreciation. Yeah, very subtle, yeah. Yeah, like you said, just the subtle appreciation is.
is really what you need. So, yeah. So, I mean, that's kind of like how I look at how people get into doing the martial arts is to do so many things now. And that's just the nature of the business, I guess, so to say. Because I believe me, I've spent tons of money advertising stuff like that. And sometimes there's some rewards, but sometimes it's not at all. And they're like, oh, man, I just wasted all that money. It can be tough. And like I said, word of mouth, family members.
and that's how a lot of family members get going. One person starts it, everyone's watching it. Like I said, we're back to osmosis. It's always, like I said, that's basically the bottom line of how people start is either do something they know or somebody that's part of their family that's doing it and that's how they got into it. And we see it all the time. There's a gravity, right? And for most schools, if they reach a certain critical mass,
relative to the population around, people can't get away from the conversations about martial arts. Right? They're at a barbecue and there happen to be two people that train and they're talking about training and now they're hearing training and they're talking about these positive things and they go away thinking about maybe I should do it.
and maybe then they see the ad and that triggers them, right? Like it's a very complicated way that gets people into training. But you mentioned spending money. You I think you said your son trains under you. You have a school? Yes. Well, I teach I have I have a group. OK, you have a group. I don't have a commercial school. Sure. I rent the senior center a couple of days a week. And that's to me, that's still a school. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. I know. I don't have a size. It's it's basically it's private lessons.
Jeremy (29:53.988)
Maybe so I have a handful of students guys that were with me forever I did have a commercial school for 10 years And then we started having kids so we were kind of like We're at a crossroad we just needed to figure out what to do so we try to do the best of both worlds So it wasn't your full-time job you were doing something at one time it was it was well for yeah for a bunch of years But I'm an IT too
and I had a business doing IT as well. A lot of us in IT. A lot of IT in the martial arts, a lot of music in the martial arts. Right, and I got both. I got music and IT.
Jeremy (30:35.97)
So we just kind of, and my lease is up, because you usually do a five-year lease when you do a commercial rental. And so we just decided, you know what, let me go do a part-time, we take care of the kids. You know what I mean? So that's how it still worked out. So I never stopped teaching. I just changed what, where I taught and how much I taught. So that's kind of like how it all kind of transpired into what it is today. So yeah, like I said, I've never stopped teaching. Like I rent a small space.
and you know it keeps me going keeps me fresh and i still go down to Mr. Durkins every week so you know still there training and yeah it's good you know. When did you start teaching? Well I started teaching I started teaching at Mr. Durkins uh probably
Probably right after I got back from Okinawa. Around that time, mid 80s, mid to late 80s. And that's when I started teaching and then I opened up a school in 90. And did that for 10 years and then I went part time since then. So. Was teaching something that you had thought about before it happened? No, no, it all came from Stanton Karate. It was a white belt with Mr. Durkin. And then over time it's just like, I can do this.
I can talk to people. I can teach them what I've been taught. You know, that's kind of like how I got into it. It wasn't something like...
that I wanted to do when I started or even before that. You know, like I want to become a teacher, but I'm not sure what kind of teacher I want. Do I want to do kindergarten? Do I want to do high school? Do I want to do martial arts? You know, drive his head, doesn't matter. I mean, I could have taught anything and that's something that I wasn't wanting to do. I didn't want to teach. But I wasn't against it. It's just not something I ever thought of. And so I started doing it and I was like, yeah, I can do this. Did you enjoy it right away? Oh yeah, definitely. I mean, I was teaching on the class
Jeremy (32:33.832)
classes at Mrs. Durkin's. And actually there's a couple of white belts that started there when Mrs. Durkin had gone and opened up their own schools at one time. So it was pretty cool just to kind of see them. One of the guys had a school in Bellarica for a bunch of years and became a real renowned martial artist. He moved to Japan and was teaching that too.
you know just seeing him from a white belt coming to where he is evolved to it was kind of like it kind of felt like you know like you know I taught him you know when he was a white belt so it's just a good feeling when you see somebody like that prosper and become very good at what they do and you had a part of that which is it's a great feeling yeah it's a great feeling you know so in life we've got to take our happiness in small doses you know what I mean yeah and because you know there's a lot
of crap that gets thrown at you. So you just gotta just kinda, hopefully, repel it. Life's really good at throwing kicks. Oh yeah, definitely. Whether you're standing or you're laying down, that's pretty good, those kicks. You mentioned IT, I also spent about 20 years in IT. I'm curious what...
What is your IT background? Background, career, what does that look like? Yeah, well, way back in the day, actually before I even started Karate, I was working for Digital Cooperation when I started there. You know, just doing assembly stuff. Of course, it kind of spawned off of there. That was right around the time when...
Jeremy (34:21.35)
But in three grand, and then it's like 10 grand now. Oh yeah, definitely, definitely. So that's how I got started, and then I kind of just stuck with it, and like I said, I had my own business still in IT repair, and a couple clients and stuff, and then that money got me going into the open up my own school. So you were on the hardware side? Yes, on the hardware side. So now I've been working for a defense contractor for about 25 years now, and I'm still doing IT,
software. So, you know, it's a good job. It's a nice contrast, you know, between martial arts and the IT. So, you know, but the thing is, is I can do the martial arts anyway. That's the great thing about it. The reason I asked is, is I think because we kept running into these guests that...
Jeremy (35:35.657)
do I do I do I do I do I do I do I do I do I do I do I do I do I do I do I do I do I do I do I do I do I do I do I do I do I do I do I do I do I do I do I do I do I do I do I do I do I
And by being a martial artist, you're almost a therapist as well too. So, you know, people come to you with their problems and they tell you their personal things. And what's your objective? Well, to hopefully guide them in the right direction or to give them the advice that they need. So, and hopefully the advice is, you know, transcends into something that's positive for them. So, that's kind of like how probably why a lot of people are in the IT and martial arts or whatnot.
together just for that process. They want to help people, they want to help them solve their problems. So yeah, I get that. It's a good feeling when you can help someone advance whatever the situation is. Exactly. So yeah, I haven't had any regrets whatsoever. You mentioned that your school now, its current incarnation is, you describe it as semi-private. What do you mean by that? Well, yeah, I just don't have a ton of students. Okay.
Jeremy (36:52.398)
because I am of course I got the core of the way J and I train I told her train with Matt Brown doing the Keppo with the pressure points and stuff so what was good about that was that no matter what style you take you can incorporate that and that was one of the things that brought me to Matt and it was something that I was kind of thinking of and I always know that it was there and I kind of research to myself but I wanted to get some formal training when I met Matt
that's when I really got into it. He makes it fun. He does. I love Matt. He's my best friend. He's a good guy. He's a fantastic guy. And he teaches well too. The knowledge he has, if I only had a tenth of what he knows, I'd be good. I'd be good at everything. I'm just in medical,
hurting but the healing part of it which is the part of the course. If you know if you get to learn how to hurt somebody you got to learn how to heal them. You get on you got to understand both sides of that. I think for a lot of us that starts with as we hurt ourselves right how do I heal myself yeah and then it goes hey this helped me. Right right so you know that's one of the things that I actually incorporate into the training as well.
and I actually teach them the Ruko system too. My students. So they kind of get in the play. I told them, you're majoring in WHA, but you're minoring in Ruko chemistry. So it's kind of like a double degree. So that's kind of like our approach to the guys. And Matt and I are now talking about getting the curriculum where we can get these guys promoted in his system. So yeah. Yeah. Awesome. What keeps you fired up?
uh... meaning before you answer you're clearly fired up still you mean as far as my training yeah well yeah i mean a lot of it has to do with just longevity life
Jeremy (38:53.186)
that's another good thing about martial arts is that it gets you in that mindset to work out. Now, it can spill off the dojo where you can do cross training. It doesn't matter what it is. It could be walking, biking, running, weightlifting. It doesn't matter what it is.
i think they kind of hand in hand anything physical like that kind of keeps me motivated keeps my energy going uh... because i don't do caffeine uh... so i don't use stimulants to get me going i just use what was given to me and i get up in the morning like in the morning especially when i'm at work i do what's called the tibetan rites it's their kind of like yoga poses it's what the tibetan monks do every morning to
Get them get their body just flowing with energy. So I try to do that at least four or five times a week The weekends usually I'll just back off Kind of those are my days of rest. Well other than the Saturday class of positive So after Saturday afternoon on to Monday, those are my days. Yeah, that's my recover day again Yeah, 67. So it's you know, I gotta you know, I gotta pace myself these days. I can't go to
Jeremy (40:13.141)
I'm 44. But how many people my age? I'm looking around and I'm going, really? And I was talking with somebody last night who's in his 50s and he was talking about
going to the first high school reunion he'd been to was just a year or two ago and people he graduated with in walkers you know and more than one oh yeah you're 67 you don't have to be terribly observant to notice that a lot of 67 year olds not only aren't as active as you are but they're barely moving yes well that's because they haven't been moving right so when you don't
Jeremy (40:54.116)
Even if it's just getting up and going for a walk. Even if you're walking around your driveway, it doesn't matter, you need to get up. You can't just sit there because I've been talking about this, about retiring from my job and stuff like that. And they're like, oh yeah, don't retire. Most statistics say that you're going to die within the first five years after retiring and all that stuff. And the reason why is because what happens is when someone retires...
They don't do anything. They lose purpose. Yes, they just sit there and they just become, they just basically just melt into their chair and then out of life. You know, so it's a type of thing where you've got to have something to do to keep you occupied even after the retirement because right now we have purpose by working. You know, somebody pays us to come in to, you know, problem solve and you're moving. You know, so most jobs, I mean, I do have a desk job but I do move.
A lot of times when I'm at work, I'll go for 10 minutes, I'll go off to the gym and just do something. You know what I mean? Lunchtime I'll go off for a walk. I do the yoga, Tibetan stuff in the morning. So I'm constantly doing something. So a lot of the guys, I know a couple of my coworkers, they'll go out and have a smoke every 10 minutes, every hour. Well, I go to the gym for 10 minutes every hour instead of having that smoke, you know what I mean? So that's kind of like how I keep myself going. I try to break it down
more manageable workouts. So instead of doing a long workout, I just do micro workouts. It's just as efficient. It's easy enough for life to steal that, you know, enough of that whole workout that you're not going to do it. Right. And that's why people, you know, they leave it for the end of the day, it never gets done, but I'm a firm believer, you know, a couple minutes, a couple times a day, that accumulates. Oh yeah, it does. So I mean, if you're doing
Jeremy (42:50.556)
That's a lot of activity. That's not counting the activity that you would normally do. That's just the activity that you've chosen to stop doing what you're doing and go do it. And so to me, that makes a huge difference on longevity. Where we don't want to be those guys in the locker or with the crane. The cane. I wouldn't mind being in a crane. I don't want to be on the receiving end. But I'll get in the cab.
So I mean, that's to me, that's just essential. Life 101, you gotta go. So if you did retire from your day job, what would you feel that time?
Um, I think well now that's the question. I mean, I'm very marketable as far as what I can do but um, I had briefly Joking talk to some people and maybe be helping them in their school You know what I mean? Maybe join some school and help them Teaching martial arts. Yeah, so you fill that yeah, probably just something like that. I don't know pot this part time Yeah, i'm gonna do a full time. You know the whole purpose of maybe retiring is not to work all time You know
Yeah, I mean I could see myself doing more of that. Maybe some more seven hundred's, maybe travel with Matt more and do helping him with his stuff, you know? So, I think that's what I would do. I mean, believe me, I don't have a lot of things to do. Plus I own a home, so there's a lot of crap that I've been wanting to get to that I can start working on. I once heard somebody say a New England home is never finished. It never is. And I...
Jeremy (44:27.786)
the time this comes out it'll probably have happened I've sold my home just recent yeah it's under contract right now should be done right about the time this comes out so in the 12 years I own a home that wasn't done there's always more projects than I ever had enough time and money to address oh yeah there's always something I have some breaking I mean my house I built it like 26-7 years ago so you know
I'm looking at the roof, I'm like, yeah, that doesn't look too, you know. Original roof? Yeah, original roof. Well, I got an architect shingle, so that helps. It gives you a little bit more longevity. But still, eventually everything's going to wear down. Nothing's permanent. That's right. Especially even us. We're not permanent. Even us in the E. And let's go here now. Let's talk about that permanence of skill. You're cross-training. You're doing a variety of...
This camera's been a little... Most people listen rather than watch, but the camera's been a little uncooperative. Right, I just noticed it. I appreciate that. Here, let's do that. Let's see what happens here. I tend to move around and I think it has a hard time focusing. Oh, right. So, I know, we're both over there. Yeah, gesticulating wildly. It'll figure it out.
One of the things that I find fascinating about martial arts training is that the longer we're doing it, the more we get exposed to, the more we realize we'll never be able to become expert level at all of it at the same time. Right. That maybe, okay, so I'm going to really focus on my forms now. I'm going to have to let some other things fall back a little bit. And you're adding other curriculum into this. How do you balance?
everything you have in your repertoire with what gets the attention. Well, I think a lot of it doesn't matter what you do for a style or any of the type of martial arts.
Jeremy (46:23.362)
It's an ongoing thing. It is, you can never perfect it. You're always trying to do better. If you resign to that, then you will succeed because a lot of people, if they said, okay, I know it, I'm perfect at it, and what happens? They stop doing it. So the thing is that, right, it starts going down. So the thing is that you can't settle of your own training. There's always something to do, and that's why you have a sensei,
they will always find some flaws in you. Something that you've done perfectly for years, all of a sudden is not done properly now. It's like, okay, why? Well, maybe because like you said, you focus is somewhere else, and you're doing something else, and then this here kind of gets pushed off to the side. Or maybe even grades. And then you have to figure out. They get better at understanding what it could be, and they're passing that expectation down to you. Right, so it's a type of thing that you just gotta kind of.
constantly think You know I can I can never be perfect at this I always something that I need to work on and that's what kind of keeps you humble You know because it's a tough guy that thinks he knows it all is the one that gets hurt And I've also I've also talked to Marshall on this Oh you do Marshall on I got a black belt and blah blah, and I'm like oh really where do you train? Oh, I haven't done it in 20 years
So how polished is that person to defend themselves? Yeah, they may know how to throw a punch, they might know how to do a block, but how they practice that. So if anything, by doing it and keeping yourself on a regular regimented schedule, you're keeping yourself refined, and that refinement is going to bring you to a plateau of your lifelong training. And that's kind of like how you have to approach it. You can't approach it to like a college degree. All right, I got my degree, I'm done.
that way. You know, you know you got your black belt, I'm done. No, you can't. You've got to keep going. I mean, you really don't start to learn until you're a black belt. You really got a nice somewhat, you know, basic foundation to work with now. But how many schools...
Jeremy (48:33.282)
present a different expectation early on and they see those students, they earn their black belt and they quit because we messaged them from early days. You gotta get your black belt. It's not, you gotta do this forever. Which is really, that's what you're talking about. I believe the same thing. This is a thing that will continue to pay more dividends in your life than just about anything else. And I would say anything else over the entirety. If you break your leg,
want to rehab that leg that's going to pay more dividends than ignoring it and going to class right but your leg isn't gonna be broken indefinitely right your life is always ahead of you and martial arts will always give you tools to better that time you have left right exactly and in the keep it keep it moving keep it grease so that way there it works for you because if you hurt your leg and you don't move
Jeremy (49:33.296)
from. So yeah, I think the bottom line is you can just never settle. You know, I always think that there's always something that you need to work on. That's our slogan, never settle. Never settle? Yeah. For your dodo? For Whistlekick. Oh really? It's not on this hat, on some of the hats it says never settle on the back. Yeah, I mean that's basically, that's the key. If you don't settle...
there's always something to do. And getting back to, you said incorporating the pressure points, I did it as an added value to what I already do. So it wasn't anything new that I was teaching my students. I'm just kind of guiding them why we do it this way. When you do a strike, we're striking certain points of the body, and it was designed that way because you're trying to get the optimal effect out of the one movement opposed to
something hits, you know what I mean? So that's why you want to try to be as efficient as possible with your technique and the only way to do that is you got to keep doing it. You got to keep refining your own training and at the same time as a sensei or a teacher you're gonna help your students do the same thing. So I never put myself above the students. I always put myself with the students because that way there I'm a student for us before I'm a teacher. I have to keep training. If I don't then how am I supposed to
grow and build and pass that on to my students. There are a lot of instructors out there, and I've talked to them, they've been on the show. Their only consideration really of rank is that they can continue to bring up their students. I think there's really something beautiful and elegant.
about this structure that we generally have. And it's why I like the term sensei and the definition that I understand, one who came before. Right. You know, we often simplify it to teacher. Right. But I like the other definition better because, and I tell my students.
Jeremy (51:33.99)
I'm in front of the room not because I'm perfect but because I know stuff that you don't and you want to learn it. Right. Doesn't mean I know it perfectly. Doesn't mean I'm not, it doesn't mean I'm done learning. Right. I weren't just as much if not more teaching them. Exactly. I love teaching. Oh yeah. I mean it's great. I mean like on Saturdays the sub director will turn to the scene and say you want to do something with the class. You know like five minutes or whatever. Yeah. And I always pull something out of the...
class. I don't like come prepared with something. I just kind of go to the class and I see what they're doing and then I just take something that I'll either expand on that or tailor it around that theme. So that's kind of like how I teach. White belt can do something and all of a sudden it'll hit me. I'm like, oh my god you just taught me something. And I'll give them the kudos. I'm like, you know what, that was a great
Jeremy (52:34.124)
that you know what I can use this and over here on this other thing they're not entrenched with what we've taught them eventually they're gonna move like us right yeah watching those early day light belts and because they're gonna teach you a lot about what you thought you knew right they're gonna teach you how things can be done incorrectly that you never imagined right make sure that you actually know what you're teaching because how many people get in front of some new white belts and think they know how to teach it people rather die
and straight. So it's kind of like you know I think it I think the martial arts itself will give you that confidence to get up in front of the class and do that. A lot of times I would take the shyest kid and put them up on the front all right all right do the first couple exercises and just have them count out loud and tell you that probably did them more service than the actual karate itself is getting them up in front of somebody and just doing something
Jeremy (53:33.984)
of martial arts is to build confidence. I mean that's one of the traits. So that's what you're trying to do for those students. So yeah, and it's just overall, I can't think of anything negative about martial arts that I can think of. You know what I mean? I do. So here's a question. Imagine an alternate universe where
You didn't drive your siblings to karate class. You didn't get that FaceTime watching what it was. You never started training. Obviously life would have been dramatically different. Yeah. But in what ways? What, you know, some weird,
Jeremy (54:24.182)
some weird occurrence happens where I start interviewing non martial artists right and you end up in this chair next to me and I'm asking you about your life right what would you be telling me? Instead of talking about martial arts you'd be talking about well I would probably be talking to you about something that I'm into whatever it may be some other passion yeah could be music it could be IT because I started IT before I started martial arts would you still be as the most active?
I don't know. That's hard to say. I can't say that I would or I wouldn't. Maybe I would be doing something. I really can't say for sure. Because I only know what I know now.
you know this is the path that I went so I can't really give you a definite or even a speculate another answer because this is all I know so yeah I if my life was different I don't know what I'd be doing I would hope I would still be active in some form or another whether it's just going to gym or whatever you know running or biking or whatever um but yeah I don't know that's a
can come up with an answer. I think because generally when I ask this question I don't ask it often but when I do I usually get some sort of answer like what you're giving it and I think what is most valuable in that is it helps us see that martial arts has woven its way into who you are at such a fundamental level that you can't even conceptualize of what anything else would be without it right and I
Jeremy (56:09.45)
martial arts predates most of my memories for me. So I can't, you can remember bits at least of the time before you started training. I really can't. So I get it, yeah. I was really fortunate. I started training when I was four. It's been my whole life. And I'm so thankful for that. One of my goals is that I live long enough, I can say I've trained for 100 years. There you go. Well, yeah, you'll probably get more 100 years than I would.
because you get a little bit yeah you still got a lot more like to live to you yeah we're still going this we're still going every right something's worth doing continuing to do exactly so that's why we keep going back because we find that it's positive and anybody that does train does that too so even if they stop they always wish they were back
and they still can and so they still can and some do but life gets in the way they either like go off to college or they get married they have the kids and we've done some of them look i get emails all the time for people that watching or listening to this show is their intermediate step between to get back into it i want i want to get back and i get back and they watch or listen right they're in the audience there are some of them out there right now that hopefully they hear your words and they say you know what
right I mean that yeah that's all this I mean in a sense of somebody's watching this
they could be like you said some could spot them like you know what I'm gonna go back or I'm gonna stop working out even if it's not martial arts this is I gotta do something. The couch is not a good life plan no it's not it's not it's a death plan hey we don't want that. It's true. You know I mean because we only have one life to live so we just we gotta do the best that we can to live as long as we can live
Jeremy (58:10.222)
fulfillment of happiness and positivity as much as we can because you know the negativity is out there man I mean as human nature we always repel the negativity and By going into the dojo at least I know it's a place where I don't expect that and I can get away from it all
We had this little story, this kid that was going through a divorce. He was coming to the class and he was really just angry because he was going through it. But he was coming out working with other students. And the other students were kind of like, oh, you know. In an unhealthy way? No, in a negative way. Okay. You know what I mean? So, you know, he was going pretty hard with this other kid. And the other kid, you know, you can keep up with them, you know, as far as, you know, fighting and stuff like that.
Jeremy (59:31.636)
So, but that's a place where he actually, and he says, oh, thank you so much for telling me that. Because, you know, where else is somebody going to tell him that? You know, so he came in, trying to take it out on someone else. I called him on it, or at least brought it to his light, and now he's aware of it, and now hopefully he'll just...
keep it outside the dojo. You know what I mean? And then deal with it when he has time to deal with it. Not in this environment that we've created, safe, positive, friendly environment, which we call the dojo. Well said. If people wanna get ahold of you, how can they reach out? Well, they can get ahold of me at the end of the video. Yeah.
I also have a YouTube channel called Live D&D. They can get a hold of you that way. But yeah, just then, to Mr. Dirk in school, you can get a hold of me. So. I'm gonna close out and then I'm gonna throw it back to you to end so you can think about how you wanna leave things. Hey to the audience, thank you for being here. Remember, whis for everything related to the show. Whistlekick.com for all the things related to all of the things, whether it's our product lines, our events.
content we do a ton of different things if you haven't been to the website lately you're missing out because I'm updating things on there at least weekly So please check it out and thank you for all of your support Especially all of you out there contributing to the patreon you want extra behind-the-scenes bonus content all that good stuff It's not for the patreon you started to box them up two bucks a month two bucks a month Yeah, if the only way we tell people the only place people find out rather where the upcoming guests, right? Are who they are is on patreon?
out anywhere else so right people who are throwing in their two bucks and yeah we've got higher tiers with more stuff but I just I did I think three updates this week on patreon one of them was here all the upcoming episodes we have scheduling including the four that we did today right cool yeah what do you want to leave the audience with like how do you want to close out for them well I think I think if you're in the moshelots
Jeremy (01:01:45.166)
Just kind of make sure that you kind of just focus on being a student, opposed to being the teacher. If you're a student, then that's great. But sometimes some instructors don't or they forget how to be a student. If you just remember how to be a student, I think your own training and your own thirst for that knowledge will stay there. Because once you decide that you're it, you know everything, then the well dries.
up and you got to keep that well well-plenished you know I mean so you got to just keep going and just thinking yeah okay I still need more to work on no matter how long I've been doing it I mean even mr. Durkin still need something to work on doesn't matter who you are you know what I mean so it's a type of thing that it's just it's an evolution that just keeps going and going and going and then there's only one time to stop is when you're no longer with us
And that's basically what you want to be doing for the rest of your life is to be the student and of course once you become a student and you have enough knowledge pass it on. And that's another thing too is pass on what you know. Don't hold it for yourself because it's not going to do anybody any good if you hold on to all that dead knowledge. So always pass it on. Always keep one thing under your reserve because you don't want to give them everything. But yeah I think that would probably be the...
the best is to stay a student and never settle. I like that. Whistle kick, never settle. Didn't tell him to say another one. He did, no, believe me. It's a staple for every martial artist, well any sane martial artist, I guess. Good stuff. All right, buddy. Appreciate your time. Yeah, thanks for having me.