Episode 930- Sensei Wojciech Wasilewski
In today's episode Jeremy sits down and chats with Sensei Wojciech Wasilewski, owner of the Taro Karate Dojo in Connecticut.Sensei Wojciech Wasilewski - Episode 930
SUMMARY
In this episode of Whistlekick Martial Arts Radio, Jeremy interviews Sensei Wojciech Wasilewski, a martial artist and owner of a karate school. Wojciech shares his journey of becoming a martial artist and opening his own school. He discusses the importance of observation and learning from watching others, as well as the impact of his first instructor on his training. Sensei Wojciech also talks about how martial arts helped him overcome bullying and gain confidence. He emphasizes the need to find a balance between discipline and adaptation in teaching martial arts. Sensei Wasilewski shares his journey in martial arts and how it has impacted his life. He talks about his fascination with martial arts and his desire to continue learning and gaining knowledge. He discusses the challenges he faced when he moved to the United States and how he found a way to continue his training. Sensei Wojciech emphasizes the importance of discipline, setting goals, and pushing oneself beyond limitations. He believes that martial arts has many beneficial aspects and can positively impact all areas of life. He encourages listeners to believe in themselves and seize opportunities.
TAKEAWAYS
* Observation and learning from watching others is an important aspect of martial arts training.
* Martial arts can help individuals overcome bullying and gain confidence.
* Finding a balance between discipline and adaptation is crucial in teaching martial arts.
* The first instructor in martial arts holds a special place in a student's journey.
* The training methods and goals in martial arts have evolved over time due to societal changes. Martial arts is a lifelong journey of learning and gaining knowledge.
* Moving to a new country can present challenges in finding a training environment that aligns with one's goals and values.
* Discipline and setting goals are important aspects of martial arts training.
* Pushing beyond limitations and believing in oneself can lead to personal growth and success.
* Martial arts has many beneficial aspects that can positively impact all areas of life.
CHAPTERS
00:00 Introduction and Background
03:14 The Power of Observation and Learning
09:09 Opening a Martial Arts School
13:00 The Importance of the Decision
21:08 Overcoming Bullying and Gaining Confidence
25:20 The Impact of the First Instructor
28:53 Finding the Balance in Teaching Martial Arts
31:33 Challenging Students and Building Trust
33:55 The Fascination with Martial Arts and the Desire to Learn
37:25 Challenges and Continuation of Training in a New Country
45:17 Discipline, Goals, and Pushing Beyond Limitations
51:35 The Benefits of Martial Arts in Personal Growth and Life
53:34 Believing in Oneself and Seizing Opportunities
Show Notes
Contact Sensei Wasilewski:
Facebook - Taro Karate Dojo
Instagram - @tarokaratedojo
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Show Transcript
Jeremy (00:09.759)
Hey, what's going on everybody? Welcome. It's another episode of Whistlekick martial arts radio. And on today's episode, I'm joined by Wojciech Wasieluski. I was hoping I wasn't going to look at my notes, but I wanted to get it right. It's more important to get it right than get the notes, than to not look at the notes. And to those of you out there, if you're watching, if you're listening, I appreciate you being here. We're going to have a good conversation here today and you get to hang around and can watch it or listen it depending on what you've got going on.
And if you're new to what we do, head to whistlekickmartialartsradio .com, check out all the episodes we've done. We're closing in on a thousand episodes. We're getting closer every day. It's kind of crazy. And you can check all of them out. Transcripts, links, photos, videos, all of them there at whistlekickmartialartsradio .com. And if you want to support us, the best thing to do is join our Patreon, patreon .com slash whistlekick. All right. Thanks for being here. Intro done.
Wojciech Wasilewski (01:09.389)
Thank you very much. I'm honored to be here today and share a little bit of my story.
Jeremy (01:11.455)
Yeah, it's great to have you here. You know, your name is familiar to me. You've been paying attention to the stuff we've been doing for a while.
Wojciech Wasilewski (01:22.54)
Not that much, to be honest. A couple of times I show up at some different events. We pass each other probably a couple of times. But I'm the person that I would rather hide somewhere in the corner than go and show everybody who I am.
Jeremy (01:25.375)
No, I've seen your name in comments. Yeah.
Jeremy (01:43.167)
I can relate to that. You might not believe it, but I can relate to that. What is it about?
hiding that makes you comfortable. Why hide?
Wojciech Wasilewski (01:52.747)
One of the beliefs that I have in my life is the fact that I would like to listen, I would like to watch, I would like to observe, and that is my form of learning. So instead just jump in between conclusions, between the words and the sentence, I would rather stay somewhere and listen.
and learn. And what you observe, that's the big part of my life lately on the basis of that. That's how I'm getting my knowledge. It's something that way better than basically show my opinion on or my philosophy. So I rather gain the knowledge first and then try rethinking and present my opinion.
Jeremy (02:45.183)
I can relate to that. I also like watching, observing, and I think as martial artists, it's so valuable. I think one of the best things martial artists can do is to go sit in public, go sit in a coffee shop and just watch people, watch how they interact, watch the distance that most people are comfortable with standing in line, watch how someone feels and acts.
if someone stands a little closer than they're comfortable behind them. All these little details I think are so valuable to everyone, but especially to us with what we do. And if we can better understand people by watching them, by listening to them, we can be better at all the other things that we do as martial artists.
Wojciech Wasilewski (03:37.833)
I absolutely agree with you. I mean just by simple thing, which I believe simplicity is part of our life as well, watching, observing, learning, gaining the knowledge and understanding if there is something that we can basically adopt small tiny thing in our life. That's going to make purpose, big purpose of what we can offer. What we can offer as a martial artist, what we can offer also as humans.
So that is very intriguing part.
Jeremy (04:11.583)
Have you always been an observer? Has that always been your way?
Wojciech Wasilewski (04:15.08)
Most of my life I would say I like to be a quiet person if I can use that kind of phrase or explanation. I would like to stay on the side. However, last couple years a couple things changed in my life. I own my own school, Karate school and that basically at some point almost pushed me to the point that I have to stand in the front. I have to be that person who's leading. I need to be
that person who is going to give direction. Yes, yes. So the things are changing automatically when you are in a spot that you know group of people, students, adults they're watching you and they're interested in what you would like to share with them. So there's new way of experience that I'm trying to learn and learning every day and right now having interview with you doing that first time in my life that's another new experience in my life and
Jeremy (04:46.431)
It's hard to lead a class if you're hiding in the corner.
Wojciech Wasilewski (05:14.727)
It's always that first time. It's hard, it's difficult, and our emotions going to the mind and body. I am ready, I'm not ready, what I'm gonna do, what was bad, what was wrong. But after all, I believe after that first expression, that first experience, next one is easier. Because then you can look back a little bit, and you can think, okay, that was my first statement, that was my first opinion, and then after that, okay, I would like to learn, I would like to make.
something different, I would like to make sure that that connection became much easier to grab.
Jeremy (05:53.311)
A lot of people that...
I'm not necessarily gonna call you shy, but you're at least adjacent to that, the way you're talking about yourself and being in the corner. There are a lot of martial artists who never wanna open their own school because they're more comfortable in the background. What was it for you that made you take that step?
Wojciech Wasilewski (06:16.581)
Those couple different things happened, let's say in the last five years of my life. One of the main decisions was the fact that when I started my karate in my first classes, early 80s in Poland, I never thought that I'd be a martial arts karate teacher, whatever you would like to call this thing. I never see myself.
staying in the front of people, staying in the front of students and sharing knowledge. That time when I started, there was two main factors for me to do it karate. One of the things was the form of self -defense. The other form was of confidence, things that we started our interview. And what happened five years ago, COVID came in and I've been practicing for almost four decades in my life.
and never thought seriously about to be the person to open martial arts school. Never thought that I'd be teacher. Never thought that someone's gonna call me sensei. What happened was the COVID came in and there was a lot of different tragic things happen. Tragic but different definition, different situation and happened some change in my life.
Then the fact that I was not able to continue training with some of the school that I used to be affiliated before, I started to think, what I'm gonna do with that luggage of 30 plus, 40 years of my life? So there was the question that I had to answer by myself. Nobody did it. I mean, I talked with my family, I asked the questions, what they think, I checked a little bit of guidance, I talked with some very close friends of mine.
some of the ex -students and I thought and I thought and I said well there's four years of your life and what are you gonna do that you can just put them aside and almost imagine that never happened or you can take it for another level another step another part of your life journey and the other thing that has happened very short a couple years ago my mom should pass away.
Wojciech Wasilewski (08:40.642)
and I flew to Poland and after funeral I sit at the city where I was born, walking to the streets when I grew up over there, thinking about everything that happened in my life. And then I talk about, think about her, my father, which he passed away much earlier, and I said, I cannot just give up my martial arts life right now because of what they gave it to me.
So my parents, they're those, these are the humans that they gave me guidance in my life. They give me the value, they taught me about respect, about confidence, about integrity. They proved me many times in my life that no matter what happens, if you really believe for your goals, if you really believe for achieving the things, they always gave me that guidance. Never give up on yourself no matter what.
And one of the things that I would like to share also, we grew up in that time in Poland under communist system. Communist system that means basically our country was basically occupied by Soviet Union. And the way how we grew was very difficult, was very harsh on us.
there was a lot of uncertain things through the days. For example, simple things, food. There wasn't food enough. There wasn't any form of leisure life, like going to the movies, watching TV, having cell phones, having computers. None of these things existed at that time. So my life was a little bit different than the majority of people I would say, comparing with the United States' life I see right now.
And every time when I'm looking back, when I'm thinking about how I grew, how they gave me that guidance, how they gave me that insurance almost, that my life is valuable. When I was there a couple years back, I decided to pay tribute for them, to take that extra step and everything what I'm gonna do in my life, especially with decision, very important decision in my life.
Wojciech Wasilewski (10:56.095)
because I can go to any other jobs, I can do many different things, but I decided to keep going with guidance in martial arts because I appreciated what they gave to me. And the moment I believed what kind of pushed me to that decision also was the fact that if I would not make that decision to continue what I've done, what they gave to me, there would be huge waves. So these are a couple of small details of things that helped me basically to make that decision. And it wasn't an easy decision.
like you mentioned it's very harsh it's very difficult especially for someone who is rather be observer watcher than person who's gonna lead the group the person who's gonna have clients that they cannot put the trust and on and on and on so the moment I made that decision it took me almost six months to develop everything to find the purpose to find the
Exactly philosophy to find the curriculum to find so many different things that basically there are surrounding the school and Everything what is happening right now in my school my dojo It's built on me basically. So Everything what I'm providing for my clients my students. It's on my knowledge. And as I said before each day brings
right now probably I will learn another couple different things every day. I'm trying to put this to the package. I would like to use that form of package and share with everybody. So we just started. We're going to celebrate Pica University this year, two years on the market. Thank you. We're very happy. I'm very happy. And obviously, as you know, there's a lot of different challenges. There's a lot of different things that you have to be ready to answer.
Jeremy (12:36.639)
Congratulations.
Wojciech Wasilewski (12:49.788)
follow up and on and on. However, the moment that I decided three years ago about opening my school, I believe that was the best decision so far.
Jeremy (13:00.543)
That's a big statement.
Wojciech Wasilewski (13:03.388)
It is. And again, the other thing is, yes, the truth is we're getting older and we're not getting younger. And what was happened also was the fact that, you know, being alive for plus 50 years, there are certain things that I basically taught to myself. I have to change my process of thinking. I have to change a little bit. And that shyness, that no way of observation. I have to switch to the...
point that I have to be in a spot and I have to be that person that someone's going to rely on my opinion, someone's going to rely on my expertise or a simple thing. You know, just asking the question, do you know anyone? For example, I need a word, I lost the word, do you know any connection? So these are the things that I'm preparing myself every day. So that's how it starts.
Jeremy (13:55.583)
Let's go back. You talked about how important it was to...
I'm going to use the word respect the gifts that you were given from your training when you were younger and growing up and everything. But how did you, how did you get into training? You said, you know, communist Poland, there, there wasn't a lot going on and you're not the first person to come on this show and talk about how little there was in communist countries in the eighties. So when I think of that,
that time and that place, the fact that there was martial arts just seems magical that it existed there and that you could do it.
Wojciech Wasilewski (14:42.746)
It was, it was. As I mentioned before, I was born in a city, very old city, one of the oldest cities in Europe with tons of history. And that time we're talking early 80s. One of this big event also happens in Poland. I would like to just share with listeners, 1981. Unfortunately, we have martial law.
So from me being an age of let's say 10 years old, seeing the army on the street with guns, tanks, all these things happen, you know, special form of security, police, basically taking people from the line, from the houses, that was kind of crucial moment in my life. And I will never forget this moment because that also creates the form of characters, characters that we grew up.
something that we learned. We learned how to read the sentence and what is the between the lines. So that time in Europe we never thought that something like that exists, first of all. The biggest impact also happens in the 80s was the fact that I believe that was 1982 or 1983. We have a chance to see first time in Poland the famous movie Enter the Dragon, we'll post it.
So already, looking in the time, Sherry, 10 years later, when premier was done and Hollywood around the world, that movie was already existed like one of the most important thing in the industry. And the movie came to Poland and the way how they showed, again, because we grew under that system and the government was very careful what they present to the public. Obviously, with many different reasons, I don't want to go to the details.
We got the opportunity to watch the movies and it was like, I would say like 50 -60 % of the population was like, wow, what happened? Who is that gentleman? Where is that coming from? And it was like a kind of sense of finding the knowledge, finding the details. Who was personally, why this movie is so popular? And that time obviously we didn't have any access for, you know, these all beautiful things like today, just Google.
Wojciech Wasilewski (17:06.454)
Boom, done. We have to go on our own research. So that was done by either by libraries most of the time or someone who did some form of martial art. And it happened very shortly after that. We just get notified and found that Karadziskul is opening. And that's kind of, I'm not using the word fun, I think happened in terms of timing -wise because everything has purpose. And...
Yes, we started training. I remember the first training that I did. There was local elementary gymnasium, there was 300 plus students on the floor. And we've been on the last line, the shortest kids in the studio. And we were just watching from distance. That was amazing. Seeing all this group of people, they tried to learn something. And even the most important thing was to find out after two, three months.
Jeremy (17:49.951)
300 people.
Wojciech Wasilewski (18:03.701)
how that group of 300 people get less and less and less and question rates will happen. Because the moment when I started, I felt some kind of special connection with either with the form of that art or form with connection with my sensei. And I never thought when I started that, as I said, I'd be the teacher. What fascinated me was the fact of details.
I never, because of my body, I was bullied in school, I never thought about myself competing in big tournaments, I never get that kind of sense of idea putting me in that picture. I was more fascinated about details of techniques. I was more fascinated about that form of meditation. I was more fascinated about how I can take that training, I'll say in my private life, public life.
and how I can control some of these things that other people are not able to do. So there was a little bit different form of fascination and that fascination basically kept me going and growing for years and that's where we are right now.
Jeremy (19:18.975)
You said something sort of quickly. Because of your body, you were bullied in school. Did I hear that correctly? What were you talking about?
Wojciech Wasilewski (19:26.387)
Yes. So obviously we have that problem growing around for decades. For centuries. I deeply believe it didn't happen yesterday. It's continue and it's going to continue. I believe it's part of human characters. So obviously I was easy target because I was small person and I was picked by the bully and...
The experience that I had wasn't pleasant, obviously. So at some point when you're getting bullied and you have that feeling that someone is taking and abusing you because you're looking a little bit skinnier or smaller, it really wasn't that factor of happiness in my life. So that was another of the reasons that I decided to go and train.
Train that means learn self -defense techniques. Learn something that with my body, small body, I'd be able to do something that either is gonna show that person who's attacking me, stop, listen what you're doing. You don't have to hurt that person. You don't have to beat them up. You don't have to prove that you're stronger, you're better because that other person is weaker than you. So there was a lot of different, that type of elements also.
get me to that direction that I need to do something. I need to do something to prove myself at that very young age in my life of value that I have, that value also that my parents did pass on.
Jeremy (21:08.703)
Did your experience with bullying change once you started training?
Wojciech Wasilewski (21:15.888)
It did. It did. There was a couple different factors of that. One of the thing was the city that I grew with about roughly about 25 ,000 residents that time. Considered small city, but the moment that the school was open, the dojo was open in city, everybody who was a member of that organization.
That was like a big statement for the rest of the city because they knew that we put in effort, we're training hard. My sensei, he was that type of person that he never was satisfied with 100 % effort. And that's one of the things that I learned there. And you have to put more than 100 % of your effort. And then there's question, what is the limitation? There is limitation. But he proved me that hard training that I did it with him.
For all these years, it helped me to stand up for myself. And that was a big statement to understand that even with my ability, with my small body, I'd be able to protect myself. Not only that, the moment that you're gaining more and learning more, you're more understanding that you'll be able to protect close friends, families, things like that. And it goes more and more in age when you're gaining the age, more experience.
But that was another factor of being worried starting karate at that very young age.
Jeremy (22:52.223)
Were your parents always happy that you were training? Were they worried at first or were they excited?
Wojciech Wasilewski (22:59.535)
No, I don't think so. They were worried. They knew that, let's put it in a simple way, I'm in a good fence. So my first sensei, Andrzej Orgorski, he was known in the town as a really good instructor. And matter of fact, we've been neighbors for years. And the moment that they learned that I'm going and he's gonna take kind of care of myself, they never worried, they never have like a...
questions what you're doing how you're doing they knew it the path that I picked it's gonna help me overall in life and they knew it that the skills that I'm learning also I'm not gonna use against anyone so the other words I'm not gonna be king and I believe that was kind of statement that they look for it they received that statement and that was that was easier for me as well and it was easier for them they knew it I'm doing something certain that I have a little bit of passion a little bit
of interest with it. And as long as I'm not doing different things on the side, like some of the, my neighbors, some of the kids my age, they keep themselves very happy. So staying out of the trouble, that's happiness.
Jeremy (24:17.055)
And I think I heard you say first instructor. First instructor means there was a second instructor.
Wojciech Wasilewski (24:22.703)
There was a couple of them actually going through the life, some of the mentors, good friends, but you always come back to that first instructor because I believe that person is making that impact on you. As I said, I never expected myself to be future reference as a teacher, as a sensei, as a person who can share the knowledge, but always looking back,
to that first training when I did it. Always get that memories of what he said, how we train, how we became closer friends, what he saw in me, what kind of value and the knowledge that he passed in that first phase of my training will always stay with me. So no matter how many instructors there are in a way, I believe the first instructor is always special.
special to the point that you can treat him as a family, good friend, the person that you can rely on it, and the person who gave you that little bit of spark, what you're doing right now, because everything is going back all the way, 34 years back, and everything what I'm doing right now, I always see pictures with him. And obviously I'm not able to pass all the same thing, what he gave it to me, but...
the value that he put in my knowledge and my learning is going to be always a big part of him.
Jeremy (25:56.959)
How close is what you teach in your school now to what you learned from him?
Wojciech Wasilewski (26:03.334)
I will say 50 % what I learned, only 50 % because... I'm sorry.
Because there's a lot of big change in the civilisation, the biggest change that I see when we pass millennium, I started watching and observed the way how humans react and found out very interesting.
Wojciech Wasilewski (26:32.393)
pattern, we started to chase that. We started to chase that. We started to get more value of being attached to electronicity, to the phones, to the computer. We started to put on the side a little bit of value of being bound in the families. They can care about kids. They can care about ourselves as parents, adults. And obviously with all the small tiny things,
It's difficult to teach the way how I learn because I have to recognize the fact that the ability of a youngster generation, we're talking about someone who was born 10, 15 years ago, it's totally different. The pattern is different. And I have to be honest, the way how I see it's big lack of movements. That is the big challenge also coming to point to the point that...
you have to, as an instructor, give them something special that they will get like a little bit of that impact or instinct and they will follow you. So my training was really on the base of discipline and repetition. I've been sharing with my students lately about being, you know, three, four days per week in a training. Then my sensei called me, he said, let's...
Let's go outside, let's do a couple of Ks, as a warm -up running. Sunday, let's play soccer. It was on and on every time. And we never refused it. We always did it. And obviously, if I would try to get to that point, even time -wise, during like an hour and a half training, which he still does it in Poland, there won't be any students. Because they will say, it's too much.
So if there is class, for example, 30 minutes, 45 minutes, that's the max what they can push towards to that training. So the difference, as I mentioned before, it's definitely it's a base of body movements and the mindset. So when I mentioned the fact about training with discipline, everybody who is listening were disciplined. no, we don't want to do it this simply because it's so hard, so painful.
Jeremy (28:51.999)
Supplin' is hard.
Wojciech Wasilewski (28:53.062)
It is, it is, but also helps you in many, many ways in life. And the repetition is another thing. I'm trying to do it less of discipline, less of discipline and repetition. However, these things, they need to be applied. Because if we're looking back for how the martial art is built, it's simple, built on the form of army structure.
This is one of the things that I believe. So discipline is a big part of it. Repetition is a big part of it. And now the biggest challenge that I have, the way how I learn and the way how I will present that skills and knowledge, I have to balance. I have to find healthy balance. And it's difficult. It's difficult. Sometimes I'm thinking I overdo the thing. Sometimes I'm thinking I can do a little bit more.
So my process of doing training with students, passing the information, it's constantly learning about that balance, how to find that balance, what's gonna be good for this particular age of group, what's gonna be for that one, how far I can push, how far I can challenge. So it's like every day I'm finding this either during the class or shortly after the warm up is done on the basis of energy that I see.
from the students, so I have to make that adjustment. I have to make that decision. And I know I'm 100 % sure that it's not going to happen. The way how I train at my young age, I won't be able to do the same type of training. However, the moment that my students, they understanding more of my intention and goal that I have for all of them, because I have individual goal for all of them,
The moment that they're going to understand, they more leaning towards to give me that little bit of that extra freedom that I can push and that's make my job easier. So that's the difference how I train and the difference how I have to find that balance.
Jeremy (30:56.575)
Yeah. Yeah.
Jeremy (31:05.151)
To people who haven't run a school, it can be so difficult to understand what we do as instructors, to find those goals for people, to challenge them, to help them trust us, to push them towards something that they don't understand because they've never done it. Right? And it requires such a strong relationship. And it's something that I talk to my students about, you know, I...
I want you to get here. I know you've never been there. I've been there. I believe you can get there. I'm going to challenge you to get there, but you've got to trust that I'm going to push you through some things that you might not want to do.
Wojciech Wasilewski (31:48.641)
It's difficult. And I believe the other very important thing that I'm learning and I'm finding is how to first became, instead of became a instructor, of karate instructor, how to became that humans that have that first connection with person walking to the school. So my philosophy also changed and based what I've been seeing, I would like to present myself as a humble person when someone is walking.
And basically my explanation is very simple. I was there too. So if I have particular students who is coming and I say, I would like to lose weight. So my conversation started very simple. I understand your intention and then I'm trying to find out more details. And the moment that the person start sharing with me more and more, obviously I'm learning more about that goals. I'm trying to present what I can offer. I'm not saying,
to the other words, grab by hand that person and say, yes, you're in the right spot, that's the best thing that happens in your life, I want you to stay with me, I want you to sign contract, I want you to be forever with me, I would rather give them opportunity to think what I can offer and then make right decision. The other words, I don't wanna chase person and force them to do it, I think I would rather be more happier to have that kind of balance between me and them.
and understanding more of the intention. So there's a lot of different things when they come in and with expectation and it's a lot of different things from my side that I have to learn and I have to make sure that yes, they're on the right spot and the things that they're thinking about me as a human and eventually after that as an instructor that's gonna bring them to that goals that they're looking for.
Jeremy (33:46.207)
You mentioned when I asked that half of what you teach came from your first instructor. Where did the other half come from?
Wojciech Wasilewski (33:55.583)
On the basis of other trainings, other forms of gaining the knowledge, and again, when we're talking about martial art, not necessarily about karate, like a big, big industry going around the world with different systems, as I mentioned before, I was fascinated with art when I started, with details. So at some point I decided to...
besides the karate that I learned and I learned my first karate was Kikushinkai, it was a very demanding system, really hard and harsh and I can go on and on. Yes. And there was a time in my life after learn and get good skills and knowledge of it, I was more interested in what else I can learn. And then I started to...
Jeremy (34:34.623)
Seems very appropriate for a communist country in the 80s. Kjøkken.
Wojciech Wasilewski (34:53.182)
Find the knowledge, either by books, either by different types of symposiums, different types of events, different types of friendships. That helps me a little bit to open my mind, my process of thinking. It's building every day. And one of the things that I'm constantly repeating to my students, I'm only one white belt. It doesn't matter how many years is my experience because...
Once when you have passion and you really believe and you have these things in your heart, there is no way that you cannot stop until you have like a bad injury that is not going to help you to continue or you have limitation and many of these things. But getting knowledge just keeps me motivated every day. So again, we're getting older and every day is a great opportunity.
One of the things that I'm sharing with my students, it's opportunity. We as humans, we have great opportunity to learn. Learn on our mistakes, learn on our success, get that knowledge, and in the first place, use that knowledge in our personal life. And the moment that we understand it's working, then I can share with other people that they needed or asking for help. So.
That is the thing that keeps moving me and motivating me every day. Get that sense of connection. Learn from different persons, attend different events. One of the other things that I'm learning lately as well, I'm meeting people. I'm meeting different people, different styles, martial arts styles. But the moment that we have a little bit of conversation and then...
our philosophy, what we're doing, what we decided to do is kind of connect. That proved me that I'm doing right thing because I'm not alone and there's majority of us that we have that passion with love and we believe with our mission, I'm calling this as well mission in life because that's what we decided to do it. So getting that knowledge every day, it's basically give me the energy, give me the sense of what I'm doing.
Wojciech Wasilewski (37:20.218)
what I'm going to do in the future and how I'm going to live my heritage.
Jeremy (37:25.599)
When did you leave Poland?
Wojciech Wasilewski (37:28.122)
That was 1996. We moved to the United States. Yes, we came to the US that time. I came first to the United States, then my girlfriend came after me. We stayed a couple of years. Our first son was born over here and we decided to stay. The funny story about the United States was the fact that I was young.
Jeremy (37:32.607)
And did you come to the US? Okay.
Wojciech Wasilewski (37:57.049)
and as I said, we didn't have that much sense of connection outside of the Poland. I mean, even traveling that time outside of the Poland, you have to have passport. The passport was kept in special security offices. So physically, you didn't have passport at home. Yes. So every time when you try to travel outside of the country, you have to go to the special office in the town hall. Yes, get the permission. And on the base where you go, if you go to the West,
Jeremy (38:20.351)
you needed to ask permission.
Wojciech Wasilewski (38:26.168)
There wasn't that, you know, a lot of agree, yes, you can go. It was more like going to the part when the rest of the East Europe was occupied by the Soviet Union. So what was happened, it was really difficult. It was really difficult to get that sense of what's outside.
And talking about the United States, I watched movies. We have probably, that was Saturday evening, some of the westerns, not that much, obviously, of showing us that there is existing different worlds with different culture. And why the United States? I remember I watched a movie, it was Marilyn Monroe, Jane Wayne, I believe, one of these old movies. And the next Saturday, there was another movie, and I looked for that live, and I said, wow, that is fascinating.
was really something interesting. Either the way how life was presented in the movies or the way how the country looked, you know, that beautiful natural connections, surroundings, rivers, waterfalls, mountains, something was fascinated. And at some point I decided my life, well, one day I'm gonna live in United States. I'm gonna be residents, I'm gonna be citizens of that country. And that was like a kind of dreams in the clouds.
that time because all of these things that I mentioned before, not to have your passport in your hands, talking about expenses, the price for the tickets, all this connection, all this process going through. But I put that goal somewhere in that clouds and time goes by in my life and at the early 20s I was lucky to become a resident of the country and that's how I ended up here.
Jeremy (40:14.399)
and where in the US are you now?
Wojciech Wasilewski (40:16.182)
We're in the Connecticut right now living in a valley area close to New Haven. We're in the UK. No, not too far. Yes, beautiful state. We're very happy. Very nice. It has a little bit of that part of country when I left, when I lived before in Poland. So I'm kind of happy living over here.
Jeremy (40:23.007)
Not too far, just a few hours away.
Jeremy (40:44.127)
What about your training? Here's why I'm asking this question. I've traveled, I've never lived in another country.
But I imagine that when you go elsewhere, even if you're training martial arts, the way martial arts is trained is different because the culture of the country you're in is different. The people teaching it are different. And I could imagine that it might be difficult to find.
people that train the way you want to train. Now, if you just opened a school, I didn't hear you say you stopped training. So you came over here and you found a way to keep training. What was that like?
Wojciech Wasilewski (41:32.98)
So one of the things when I train in Poland, something basically get me to the point that I would like to keep my training because I saw the positive benefits of that typical training. So my body felt healthier, my mindset was clearer and when I moved to the United States after all these years of training, being active, doing something...
every day, there was a big wall of change that I had to do in my life. First of all, you mentioned the culture. And I'm still more than two decades, I'm still learning the culture. I'm still learning the things that are... Yes. You can understand how hard and difficult it is for me to come from a different country with different values.
Jeremy (42:19.999)
So am I, because it keeps changing.
Wojciech Wasilewski (42:31.634)
growing up to a different system to get that sense that how I can feel to be part of that culture. So culture is still a process of learning. Language, obviously, is still a process of learning. The history is a process of learning. So there was like a big wall. Let's use that kind of expression. And one of the things that I decided to find or continue,
not to lose in the sense of all these years when I train in Poland, what I can do to myself and how I can find something similar when I train over there to keep me moving basically. So it took me years, obviously, because the way how I train over there, because of the way of communication with the owners of schools, because of the way...
of how they taught, the way how they express themselves. It was very difficult and took me really a lot of time to find something that gave me that purpose of not starting. So it's definitely time -wise. You have to take time, you have to make that kind of decision right and see if that's gonna continue that strength, build that strength.
and keep you moving, keep you be able to enjoy basically because the moment when I stopped training in Poland, something was missing in my life. I was like, shut the door almost. And I came over here starting that new life, finding all the different elements in daily life, finding the job, learning the new things, learning the language.
all on and on and on every day. Then the doors are shut in Europe because of my training and then suddenly I decided to not shut these doors. I would like to keep them open. I would like to keep it going. I would like to learn and not put them aside. It was a different time, different difficult time. But I'm happy that I did it. I never decided to, okay, let's keep on a different profession. Let's...
Wojciech Wasilewski (44:56.687)
learn new things and just you know forgetting about everything.
Jeremy (45:03.776)
You talked about the, what I'm going to call the personal growth aspects of martial arts training. You've brought up discipline as well, setting goals.
Jeremy (45:17.535)
How is that impacting your life now? What is going on with your training that keeps you disciplined or what are the goals you're setting for yourself or what is it about your training outside of self -defense that keeps you motivated? You know, talk about something in there.
Wojciech Wasilewski (45:39.663)
Okay, so one of the things that I deeply believe, the moment that we're staying in front of the students, we have to show skills. So if I don't have skills to show proper technique, nobody's gonna be interested to walk through the door and say, okay, I would like to begin your students. There is something specific that I would like to learn. So my motivation has been...
Jeremy (45:51.999)
Mm -hmm.
Wojciech Wasilewski (46:08.173)
many different levels of keep me going. My daily training is happening almost every day. I'm training a little bit of small scale right now than I used to do because five years ago I had an accident. And one of the things that I have to learn very fast was the fact that my body is not able to do the harsh training or training that I used to do because of some limitation. So it took me...
couple months to understand that I won't be able to let's say kick high or do the stretching or push myself for physical aspect for let's say hour or two hours. So I have to change this thing I have to adopt and I know I have to keep going training everything what I learned because the moment I'm going to stop first of all it's gonna affect my personal health and if my health is gonna be really in a bad
position I won't be able to present any of the techniques, any of the skills that I have. Not only that, if my health is not of the level that helped me to enjoy my life, that would be the point that I have to start thinking about changing what I'm doing right now, which I don't want to do. So the limitation that I have, I have to understand when I...
or how I can take that next step. So I didn't decide to stop. I didn't decide to, let's say, I'm not gonna do training every day or every second day because of the pain that is gonna cause me later, which is happening every time when I'm pushing too hard, obviously, my training. So the other big motivation is that I'm really enjoying the training by movements.
I really enjoy the fact that I can challenge myself without anybody who is noticing the fact that I'm training. My training is only my personal training. When I'm doing my personal training, nobody sees my training. And that type of form of training basically puts me on a specific zone when it's only me and me and nobody else. So the moment I'm struggling with some specific either movements or techniques,
Wojciech Wasilewski (48:36.522)
There is that moment that we're talking about that consciousness and confidence when you say, okay, you've done it that for all these decades and I know it's gonna be limited right now. What you can do, how you would like to proceed the same training that you've done at let's say 20 years ago or 10 years ago. And that is the challenge specifically when you're doing one -on -one training, when you're training yourself. When you're seeing the point that you...
push over that 100 % of limitation, it makes you at some point motivated to share everything else with your students. So if I see that I'm capable to do that training with all this limitation and when I'm coming to the school to my daughter and I see some students, let's put very simple explanation, don't be lazy.
Because all of us have the ability to do the things and I see that lately. They became lazy, they're using a lot of excuses, being tired and this and that. Parents, they basically quickly approve these things, kind of leaning towards that explanation. My statement is very simple. And all my students, they know story about my accidents, my limitation, things that I can do. I'm just a simple statement.
Jeremy (49:42.751)
Mm -hmm.
Wojciech Wasilewski (50:01.96)
I said, if your sensei can do it, there's no way for you that you're not able to do it. And I'm doing these things because I deeply believe I can come in and I can present for you, I can prove your life. I can show you that you can better every time that you come in here, seeing me training, because everything what I'm teaching, basically you're capable to do it. So there's many different aspects and form of my motivation for training. And again, one of the things that I mentioned before,
Because I truly believe that martial art has a lot of beneficial aspects and I'm pretty sure you know all of them. That is the big philosophy of me doing this training hard, coming by myself, going outside where it's hot, where it's cold, where it's snow, and pushing to that limit and find out what else you can do with yourself. How can...
you can prove yourself that you can do more. And these things also rely on my private life. So that is the form of that balance that helps me by that hard training and how I can bring that aspect in my private life, how I can deal with the problems that my family has, like everybody else, like my students, they come and ask me questions. How we can use this form, how we can share this experience and how that can help.
So that is my motivation of that training.
Jeremy (51:35.039)
Love it. For me, the reminders that the limits really don't exist are so important in what I do, because almost everything that I do, other people said I couldn't do. And if I'd listened to them, you know, if nothing else, I wouldn't be talking to you right now, as well as many other things that have happened would not have happened. So I'm glad you brought that up in a couple of minutes, not even in a short time. I'm going to throw it back to you to close us up.
Wojciech Wasilewski (51:48.262)
this.
Wojciech Wasilewski (51:56.582)
Yes.
Jeremy (52:05.055)
give some final words to the audience, but to the audience, some powerful stuff here today. And I'm so thankful that you joined us and I hope that you'll consider maybe where you draw limits that maybe you shouldn't, maybe where you could benefit from some additional discipline. Doing hard things brings out the best in us. That's something that's happened far back in humanity as I'm aware of. And remember, if you want to check out everything we've got going on, whistlekickmarshallartsradio .com.
Of course, do you have a website, social media? What stuff can we share with the audience for you?
Wojciech Wasilewski (52:41.478)
Well, definitely one of the things that we've been talking about during that conversation about is how Marshall RS benefits everything. And me today being with you, sharing my life with the audience, sharing the main direction that they change my life. It's very important to learn a new experience just sharing these things, sitting with you.
Jeremy (52:51.359)
Mmm.
Wojciech Wasilewski (53:11.334)
There's always opportunity. One of the things that I constantly believe is that we have opportunity. Don't give up on anything. Don't say, I'm not capable. Don't say, I don't want to do it. I can't. Don't say these things. Believe. Start believing in yourself. The opportunity is opening that window of...
space that there is no end in my opinion. And all of us will have these things in our hands. Nobody's gonna do it for us definitely. We're the people, we're the persons that were responsible for our life. No matter what's gonna happen, if there is martial art, you would like to became president, you would like to be CEO, manager, on and on, everything is in our heart. So we need to have beliefs, we need to have relative beliefs on...
things that we're capable to do. So keeping the life simple, one of the things that I would like to share at the end, I will start with the love. Love is a very important thing in life. Finding the definition of what is that love meaning for us. It's very important. And that love is going to create happiness. The moment that we're happy, the happiness is going to create...
good health and I mentioned a couple times during the conversation that we're getting older and the moment that we're not having that good health the purpose of our life kind of just you know running like a rain between the fingers so there's a lot of different things that definitely is worth it to believe. Me being seven years old in Poland watching a movie from United States, dream about living in a country
That's one of those things that I will always keep in my mind. I will always share with anyone who is willing to listen. Set your goals high. Definitely I will say hi and keep working. The beauty of reaching the goals also is the fact that you're reaching them in a period of time. Don't think that you're gonna reach them over the night. So existing in a life, it's more interesting, it's more beautiful. And that's the beliefs that I would like to share with you.
Jeremy (55:35.775)
Great stuff. Thank you. Thanks for being here.