Patrick

Thank you for joining us for this interview series, JazzKicker. Always happy to see a post for you and great to have the chance to get to know you better. I appreciate all of the contributions that you have made over the years.

For our 25th birthday celebration, we're publishing an interview series with members from our community. Member Profile @JazzKicker (View Profile) Joined: August 7, 2017 Posts: 222 Where are you from? Central New Jersey, USA. Why did you get started in the martial arts? I was in high school, Kung Fu was on TV, and my brother was trying Chun Do Kwan in college. Why have you continued to practice them? All the usual reasons. Health, fitness, self-discipline, confidence, a sense of personal power. Please briefly describe the styles of martial arts that you have taken. Judo, Shito-Ryu, Tang Soo Do, Hapkido, MMA, Jeet Kune Do, Tai Chi, Ryu Kyu Kempo, and boxing. What is your grade or level? 4th Dan Hapkido, 3rd Dan Tang Soo Do, and senior level JKD. Do you teach? Not currently. I did teach a TSD class in the past. What are your first memories from training? Being sore from karate and being slammed in Judo! What has been the highlight of your training? I have been fortunate to learn from many notable masters and teachers, both in regular classes and seminars. What do you do when you're not training? I play jazz guitar and trumpet. I cross-train with cycling, running, and yoga. I'm a parent. What do you do for a living? I'm a retired electrical engineer. Who are or were your martial arts heroes? Among movie stars: Bruce Lee, Chuck Norris, and Jackie Chan. Among the "not famous:" my Hapkido instructor, Frank Woolford, my first karate instructor, Yoshisada Yonezuka, and Tim Tackett from JKD Wednesday Night Group. What are your favorite martial arts films and/or shows? My favorite current series is Warrior. Where do you see yourself going in your martial arts journey in the next few years? The biggest goal as I get older is to keep training with the club I'm with, staying mobile and healthy. It would be nice to get to 5th Dan before I'm done! Do you remember how you found KarateForums.com? Why did you join? Probably a web search. I like forums like this more than Facebook because people here are more mature and respectful. Why did you stay? There's a nice and diverse group of contributors here. You've been a member since August 7, 2017. During this time, how has KarateForums.com changed in your eyes, if at all? It seems the same, except people have left. How, if at all, have you used KarateForums.com in your classes or training? It's good to have an external community that reminds me of the commonality of the martial arts. I can bring up a topic, and there will be people here who "get it." Are there any members here who have had a particular influence or impact on you? I would say all the currently active contributors. Can you share a memorable moment within the community where you received great advice or an experience that really affected you and your martial arts journey? I would say not so much a moment as a period of time in my life, where I did not have a regular group outlet for training, and I struggled with life issues like work and parenting. Being able to connect with others on a shared passion was a support.

Thank you for sharing, Ken, and for all of the contributions that you have made here, both as a member and staff member. Congrats again on making Sandan!

For our 25th birthday celebration, we're publishing an interview series with members from our community. Member Profile @aurik (View Profile) KarateForums.com Sempai Joined: November 8, 2016 Posts: 709 KarateForums.com Awards: Member of the Year (2022), Funniest Member of the Year (2023), and Karate Contributor of the Year (2023, 2022) Interview Where are you from? Erie, Colorado (just north of Denver). Why did you get started in the martial arts? The original Karate Kid movie sparked my interest. And then when I was in high school, a friend had been training in karate and Aiki-jujutsu. I checked it out. It looked like a lot of fun, so I signed up. Why have you continued to practice them? Now that I'm a few years older, I continue to practice because they help keep my body moving the way it should. I also have met quite a few friends at the dojo. And I want to continue to be an example to my son. Please briefly describe the styles of martial arts that you have taken. Juko-Ryu Shorinji Kempo, Juko-Ryu Aiki-jujutsu, Shuri-Ryu Karate, Judo, Uechi-Ryu Karate, and Matayoshi Kobudo. What is your grade or level? Uechi-Ryu Nidan (I will be testing for Sandan before this is published). I just earned my Yonkyu in Matayoshi Kobudo Do you teach? Yes. I am currently training for (and will be testing for, prior to this being published) my Shihan-Dai (apprentice instructor) license. What are your first memories from training? I remember one time when I was 17 or 18 and a cocky kid asked my 5th degree instructor to spar with me. He looked at me and called me out. Another time, we were hosting our soke for a seminar. He asked me to be his uke (demonstration partner) for a demonstration - I felt like my feet were going to hit the ceiling from some of those throws! What has been the highlight of your training? There are many of them. Passing my Shodan test in Uechi-Ryu was a big one. Watching my son earn his Shodan-sho (junior first degree) was another one. What do you do when you're not training? Work, spend time with family, video games (I just started back on Diablo 2), blacksmithing/bladesmithing, traveling (we're heading to do some off-roading near Badlands National Park over Memorial Day). What do you do for a living? I'm a software engineer for a large company. Who are or were your martial arts heroes? Two of my instructors - my current instructor (Richard Bennett) and one of my past instructors (Joe Walker). I look up to them because they continue to train and teach and evolve their karate every day. Richard makes a point to visit other senior instructors a couple times a year to refine his karate and "cross-pollinate" with other senior Uechi-Ryu instructors. What are your favorite martial arts films and/or shows? Oh, there are too many to list. Bloodsport, Hard to Kill, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Hero, Cobra Kai (and the rest of the Karate Kid series). Where do you see yourself going in your martial arts journey in the next few years? I hope to remain injury-free and continue training regularly. My next two goals are to earn my Sandan in Uechi-Ryu [editor's note: Sandan earned] and Shodan in Matayoshi Kobudo. I would also like to take my son to Okinawa over spring break before he graduates high school. Do you remember how you found KarateForums.com? Why did you join? I remember Googling around and found it when I was just getting started back into the martial arts. There was a lot of good information on here so I signed up. Why did you stay? The sense of community; the sense of mutual respect and camaraderie. I appreciate how when one of us shares the highs or lows on here others will join in to support and/or congratulate them. You've been a member since November 8, 2016. During this time, how has KarateForums.com changed in your eyes, if at all? I think over the years the quantity of material shared on here has gone down somewhat. However, the quality of those contributions continues to excel. How did becoming a staff member change how you viewed the site? It pulled back the curtain somewhat and let me see how some of the decisions were made. It also made me feel more responsible for keeping up the high standards here. How, if at all, have you used KarateForums.com in your classes or training? Every so often I'll come across a particularly insightful post about the meaning or interpretation of a technique that will sometimes make me re-evaluate it. It may not necessarily result in a huge change to how I do something, but it helps me reinterpret the meaning behind that technique and possibly present new ways of applying it. Are there any members here who have had a particular influence or impact on you? I've found Noah (@Wastelander) and Bob (@sensei8) to have particularly insightful information. However, the number of members who have positively influenced me is far too many to list in a single post. Can you share a memorable moment within the community where you received great advice or an experience that really affected you and your martial arts journey? I don't have any one specific moment. However, the members here have been a continuous source of encouragement, feedback, and information over the years.

Congrats Ken! Happy for you.

When I mentioned this initially at the time of posting this announcement, this thread was not yet up. Now it is! Would love to have you participate if you are not already part of the interview series we are publishing: https://karateforums.com/topic/52556-kf25-answer-our-member-interview-questions/. Thanks!

Thanks for sharing that with us, @camotheman! Good to get to know you a bit better.

Hey all, As you read the interviews that we publish this month for our 25th birthday celebration, you'll learn a lot about your fellow members. Even if you weren't included in the list of interviewees, you can absolutely answer these questions, too. We'd love to hear more about your background. If you're up for it, please reply to this thread and answer the questions below! You can simply copy-and-paste them from the text block below. Thank you for taking the time. I look forward to reading your responses. Patrick Where are you from? Why did you get started in the martial arts? Why have you continued to practice them? Please briefly describe the styles of martial arts that you have taken. What is your grade or level? Do you teach? What are your first memories from training? What has been the highlight of your training? What do you do when you're not training? What do you do for a living? Who are or were your martial arts heroes? What are your favorite martial arts films and/or shows? Where do you see yourself going in your martial arts journey in the next few years? Do you remember how you found KarateForums.com? Why did you join? Why did you stay? You've been a member since November 11, 2021. During this time, how has KarateForums.com changed in your eyes, if at all? How, if at all, have you used KarateForums.com in your classes or training? Are there any members here who have had a particular influence or impact on you? Can you share a memorable moment within the community where you received great advice or an experience that really affected you and your martial arts journey?

Thank you for sharing with us, KarateKen. It was really interesting to hear about you have continued to join in after you stopped training. Clearly, the passion for the arts there, and it's awesome that KF could be an outlet for that. I appreciate all of the contributions that you have made here over the years.

For our 25th birthday celebration, we're publishing an interview series with members from our community. Member Profile @KarateKen (View Profile) Joined: November 11, 2011 Posts: 1,735 KarateForums.com Awards: Member of the Year (2025) and Funniest Member of the Year (2025) Interview Where are you from? Earth, though a few people have questioned that. Why did you get started in the martial arts? Got tired of being bullied. Wanted to build self-confidence and learn to stand up for myself. Why have you continued to practice them? I don't train anymore but when I did, it was about community, fitness, pushing myself, and the appreciation of learning more. Please briefly describe the styles of martial arts that you have taken. Started in Olympic style TKD, also studied Hapkido, JJJ, and Karate. Took a semester of Tai Chi, Aikido, and Krav Maga while in college. What is your grade or level? I have rank in TKD, Hapkido, JJJ, and Karate, no ranking in Tai Chi or Krav Maga, and a white belt in Aikido. Only trained those three for a short time. Do you teach? No, I am not a sensei. Never have been. Though I did spend a summer teaching weapons class in TKD. What are your first memories from training? Tying the belt wrong. What has been the highlight of your training? Can't name just one. Some of them are my first tournament, learning weapons, breaking my first brick, and watching myself and others progress. What do you do when you're not training? I love stand-up comedy, so I watch a lot of that. I read books, take walks, exercise, relax in the hot tub, watch sports... the usual. I am not very social, so I mostly stay in, but I do see family and friends at times. What do you do for a living? I'm retired. Sometimes I think about going back to work, so maybe I will unretire. What did you do before you retired? Before retirement, I was in several different fields. I worked for a newspaper, was a radio producer, and spent some time in food and beverage, to name a few. Who are or were your martial arts heroes? I became a fan of Chuck Norris and have seen all of his movies, but it started after I was already training. I don't think I ever watched one of his movies before green belt. What are your favorite martial arts films and/or shows? Karate Kid inspired me a lot. I had left training then caught the movie one night, and it pushed me to go back. I also loved Cobra Kai. Currently, I am going back through it and am on season six. Each time I watch it, I see something new. I liked Walker, Texas Ranger, the first two Kickboxer movies and, of course, Ninja Turtles! Where do you see yourself going in your martial arts journey in the next few years? Not currently training so I don't know. Maybe I will start again, but I don't have any plans or expectations for that. Do you remember how you found KarateForums.com? Why did you join? Google search, I think. I was getting ready for a belt test, had a lot of anxiety, and wanted to talk about it. Why did you stay? There is a lot of support on here. It is a friendly group, and I appreciate that. Some of the other forums I used to post on were not that way at all. A civil conversation often quickly escalated into a flame war of personal attacks. I've never seen that here. I honestly thought that when I was done training, I wouldn't be on the forum anymore, but here I am! You've been a member since November 11, 2021. During this time, how has KarateForums.com changed in your eyes, if at all? The obvious thing is the new layout, but there have been some new members as well. I see a lot of the regulars who I've gotten to know a bit over the years. How, if at all, have you used KarateForums.com in your classes or training? I might have, I don't know. I can't think of any examples off the top of my head. Are there any members here who have had a particular influence or impact on you? I've enjoyed talking with many of the members, but sensei8 and I seem to have good rapport. Can you share a memorable moment within the community where you received great advice or an experience that really affected you and your martial arts journey? I joined the forum near the end of my training, so I don't think there is one. If I had joined 25 years ago, I would probably have many of those.

This is so well said. Thank you for sharing this with us, Brian. It's touching to hear how the community has impacted you. I know you know this, because we've told you, ha, but you have had a tremendous impact on the community, too, and have been one of our greatest ambassadors to new members. Thank you for everything that you had done here to create a space where others feel welcome and comfortable enough to share their experience with us, no matter their current station - or post count.

Thank you for sharing with us, @Wastelander, and for all of the contributions that you have made to our community over the years. Being able to follow the growth of a martial artist over several years has been one of the most rewarding parts of being in this community for so long. You are a perfect example of that, and it's been a pleasure to follow your evolution through your posts here, as illustrated by these two interviews. I appreciate you.

For our 25th birthday celebration, we're publishing an interview series with members from our community. We did this back in 2013 and Wastelander was one of the members that participated. Member Profile @Wastelander (View Profile) KarateForums.com Sensei Joined: October 18, 2010 Posts: 2,839 KarateForums.com Awards: Community Spirit Award (2023), Staff Member of the Year (2025, 2024, 2014), Karate Contributor of the Year (2020, 2019, 2016), Equipment Contributor of the Year (2014), and Instructors and School Owners Contributor of the Year (2025, 2022, 2021) Interview Where has your martial arts journey taken you since our first interview in November 2013? A LOT has happened since then! I began formally training in KishimotoDi, I fought in MMA and won, was promoted to Shodan in Shorin-Ryu, started the Waza Wednesday YouTube series with my Sensei, was promoted to Nidan, had my Sensei pass away, traveled to Okinawa and trained there, broke away from my organization and joined the World Combat Association, moved back to Illinois, and helped co-found the International Neoclassical Karate Kobudo Society. What martial arts do you currently take? Shorin-Ryu (Kobayashi) and KishimotoDi. What is your grade or level now? Yondan (4th degree black belt). When I asked you the highlight of your training back in 2013, you mentioned a young man that you used to teach and how he appreciated the time you had together. Do you have any new highlights to add? I couple of things spring to mind. One was my MMA fight, where I fought a former state champion wrestler with a 3-0 MMA record, who was apparently making his professional debut even though I was fighting as an amateur for the first time. Tunnel vision in round 1 was serious, and he was able to take me down, but couldn't really do anything effective. The tunnel vision wore off by the time we got to round 2, so I was able to actually do what my Sensei and I planned, and kick him in the head when he tried the takedown again. I won by KO 11 seconds into round 2. Another highlight was earning my black belt, despite the fact that I had started experiencing neurological issues that I now know are part of widespread dysautonomia caused by my joint hypermobility disorder. Finally, although it is a sad highlight, I was honored to be the one to read the eulogy for my late Sensei at his celebration of life. Public speaking is hard for me, and it was especially hard because he was like a brother to me, but I will never forget it. Where do you see yourself going in your martial arts journey in the next few years? My hope is to travel to Okinawa, again, and be able to train at more than just one dojo, including the Bugeikan honbu dojo, where KishimotoDi is based. I also hope that I can set up a proper dojo in a commercial space, rather than teaching from my home, at some point. How would you sum up the last 13 years of your life? It has been a wild ride of ups and downs, but I can say that I have matured as a person and a martial artist, without losing my passion for the arts. Why are you still visiting KarateForums.com? The community feels tight-knit, even though we only engage with each other online, and I know that we can have meaningful conversations about martial arts without it devolving into arguments and personal attacks. What's changed in the community over the last 13 years? Honestly, it's largely stayed the same, in a good way! We've had some upgrades to the forums, themselves, which have been beneficial for everybody, and there are folks who leave and new folks who join, of course, but the sense of community stays the same. What do you think it says about the community that we are doing this again, so many years later? It is remarkable - keeping an online forum alive for 25 years is no small feat, particularly when you consider the fact that KF has stuck around through the massive social media boom, from Myspace to Facebook to Bluesky, and more. When we spoke back in 2013, you were a Sempai and later you became a Sensei, which you still are today. Why have you remained committed to the community in this way? I think it is largely because I enjoy helping others, and keeping the community safe and healthy is part of that. Plus, it makes me feel invested in answering questions and engaging in conversations. I'd like to end by repeating the last three questions I asked you previously, as I think these answers can change over time - or not. But they are worth asking for the sake of identifying what makes this community so special. How, if at all, have you used KarateForums.com in your classes or training? Sometimes, subjects will be brought up that I haven't touched on in a while, and it gives me a renewed interest in circling back to them. I have also come across subjects that have made me think about the way I train or teach in a different way, from a different perspective, which gives me new insights into what I'm doing. Are there any members here who have had a particular influence or impact on you? @sensei8 and @bushido_man96 have been consistent, helpful presences on KF for a very long time, and I always value their input, experience, and perspectives. Can you share a memorable moment within the community where you received great advice or an experience that really affected you and your martial arts journey? Like last time, I'm very bad at remembering specific moments and conversations, unfortunately. What I can say is that I have been able to learn from many different people from diverse backgrounds thanks to KF, whom I would otherwise never had the chance to engage with!

Thank you for sharing with us, @Wado Heretic, and for all of the thoughtful contributions that you have made to our community.

For our 25th birthday celebration, we're publishing an interview series with members from our community. Member Profile @Wado Heretic (View Profile) Joined: May 23, 2014 Posts: 514 KarateForums.com Awards: Karate Contributor of the Year (2020) Interview Where are you from? On the Welsh-English Border of the Midlands in the United Kingdom. Why did you get started in the martial arts? Childhood interest in martial arts. I enjoyed a lot of media around martial arts or fighting in youth such as Dragonball and Star Wars. Why have you continued to practice them? Primarily the connection with people such as my sensei, fellow students, and my own students. My passion for the history of Okinawan Karate and Kobudo, and the possibilities and lessons of the martial arts, keep me interested in learning. My desire to preserve the tradition I have been gifted gives me the discipline to practice and motivation to teach. I also find several benefits to training to myself with my Autism including its help in regulating. Please briefly describe the styles of martial arts that you have taken. I will first explain my formal studies in arts where I have been granted grades. I started in and studied two heterodox forms of Kempo Karate from the age of 9 until 18. The first was simply titled Kempo Karate (which I studied until age 16) and the second was Pangai-Noon Shorei Kempo (which I studied until age 18). At age 19 (2008), I began studying Wado-Ryu Karate and Ryukyu Kobujutsu. In 2012, I switched from Wado-Ryu to the Kobayashi-Ryu Kodokan of Aragaki Isamu Sensei, along with my instructor at the time, Michael Bayliss (Yondan). I trained in Judo while in university from 2011 to 2015. In 2018, after a time training by myself without a teacher, I reconnected with Kazoku Kai and Derek Ridgway Sensei, who had much more time directly studying with Arakaki Sensei. I continue to study with him and, aside from deepening my knowledge of Shorin-Ryu, I have also revisited Wado-Ryu Kumite concepts and studied elements of Shito-Ryu including bunkai principles, Koshiki, and Naha Kata. I passed my Yondan examination in September of 2025 and currently run my own club. For clarity, here is list and timeline of what I have accrued grades in: Kempo Karate (heterodox style local to myself based on Tang Soo Do and Shukokai): 1999-2005 - Junior Black Belt/Shodan Ha Pangai-Noon Shorei Kempo: 2000-2008 - Nidan/Second Degree Black Belt Wado-Ryu Karate: 2008-2012 - Shodan/First Degree Black Belt Ryukyu Kobujutsu (Taira Ha): 2008-2014 - Yonkyu Judo: 2011-2015 - Ikkyu Kobayashi-Ryu Kodokan (Arakaki Isamu) Shorin-Ryu Karate: 2012-Present – Nidan Kazoku Kai Karate: 2018-Present – Yondan To briefly explain my present arts, I teach Shorin-Ryu and was awarded my Nidan grade by the Kodokan in Okinawa. Thus, as an instructor, my syllabus is grounded in Shorin-Ryu up to second degree black belt level. However, under Derek Ridgway Sensei, head instructor and founder of Kazoku Kai International, my personal study now includes elements of Shorin-Ryu, Shito-Ryu, and Wado-Ryu. For simplicities sake, I just identify my current personal practice as Kazoku Kai Karate. Plus, for my Sandan and Yondan grades, I was just awarded the rank in Karate with no reference to styles. Outside my official studies, as a teenager from 14 until 18, I also regularly cross-trained with two close friends. One who was an amateur wrestler and aspiring professional wrestler. The other trained in Judo and Hankyo Kempo Jujutsu. We exchanged techniques and drills from our different styles, and sparred against each to test our different skill sets in free-fighting. My specialty in the trio was striking due to my karate and Kempo background. We finished when the wrestler went off to pursue an Olympic career in Manchester, and the latter joined the army. I was also an aspiring kickboxer/professional fighter between the ages of 16 and 20, and cross-trained in boxing, Lau Gar Kickboxing, and shoot-wrestling. When I was in university, I also had the chance to study Shotokan and Shukokai Karate, Wing Chun, and European Jujutsu. Between 2015 and 2018, when I had no official teacher and did not belong to any associations, I attended seminars in Gracie Combatives, Muay Thai, Nippon Kempo, Shindo Yoshin-Ryu, Kukamishin-Ryu Bojutsu, and several styles of Okinawan Karate and Kobudo. However, I never earned any qualifications in any of arts mentioned above. From the age of 26 until 32, I trained with an exponent in Bujinkan, but I did not become a member of the organisation as it was a mutual knowledge-exchange relationship. I was interested in learning the kata of Shinden Fudo-Ryu, Kukishinden-Ryu, and Takagi Yoshin-Ryu. Shinden Fudo-Ryu due to its potential connection to Mabuni Kenwa, and the latter two due to their being authentic koryu. In exchange, I taught him live drilling methods and helped him introduce sparring to his students. I also helped him develop flows drills, resistance-based exercises, and shadow work based on the kata he taught. Our training relationship came to an end due to the COVID pandemic, and his moving to Japan after to further his training at the hombu. He gifted me nominal teaching certificates in the three arts I learnt from him, and to be fair I did become quite competent at them due to my prior experience, and the nature of the help I gave him required me to analyse them deeply. However, I do not use said certificates or claim their validity with great vigour or assertiveness. That said, I have incorporated some of the Shinden Fudo-Ryu and Takagi Yoshin-Ryu exercises into my karate teachings and have used elements of Kukamishin-Ryu to expand my Kobujutsu Syllabus. I was also involved, to an extent, in historical European martial arts and historical fencing from age 13. Though it was through the medium of reenactment. I focused on the long-sword, and the quarterstaff. I took a step back from it when I turned 16 to focus on kickboxing, and after 19, struggled to be available for it due to my Wado-Ryu and Kobujutsu classes being on Sundays. I continued to dabble in armoured combat (longsword, spear, poleaxe, and dagger) until 26 but was forced to retire completely due to the ACL injury that stopped my Judo training as well. What is your grade or level? Yondan in Karate. Do you teach? Yes, I have been teaching at my own club since 2018. What are your first memories from training? I most remember being shown a kata and not being able to get it right at all. Looking back, I am surprised I went back to training because it was embarrassing for a nine-year-old, though I am glad I did. What has been the highlight of your training? Training with Arakaki Sensei is what springs to mind first. Also, teaching on a course in India alongside my teacher, Derek Sensei. The other would be earning my Sandan grade. It was after a period of essentially training in Isolation, including COVID, and after getting my left knee ACL repaired. It was not to my own high standard with regards to final score compared to my second and first grades, however, I was very glad to pass. It gave me a sense of being back on the correct path after being in the wilds. What do you do when you're not training? Music is another big part of my life. I sing in a Welsh Male Voice Choir, play guitar, and compose music. I am also an avid reader and enjoy classics as well as knew works. What do you do for a living? I am an employment specialist. I work for my local authority in welfare and work/employment support assisting people to return to work or remain in work. Who are or were your martial arts heroes? Arakaki Isamu Sensei, I can say without reservation for he has passed, and the memory is dear to me. One day with a great master surpasses a lifetime with a poor one. Thankfully, my other major inspirations are people I can call friends rather than heroes. With regards to strangers, I do not believe in having heroes. I cannot know their true qualities. That said there are several figures I am grateful to for existing. Without them my life would not be what it is. Anko Itosu, Kano Jogiro, Funakoshi Gichin, Chosin Chibana, Yuchoku Higa, Tatsuo Suzuki, Peter Spanton, Roy Partridge, Steve Catttle, and Keiji Tomiyama are names that come to mind. That is just a short list of martial artists that needed to exist for me to be the martial artist I am. What are your favorite martial arts films and/or shows? Narratively, Karate Kid I and II and the Cobra Kai Series are my favourite western productions. Blood Sport was a good effort at bringing a more adult angle to martial arts films, and The Perfect Weapon really aimed for a much higher technical level. Karate Olympia is a film that has aged poorly with the quality of the acting and the state of the plot. However, it features some of the best European karateka of the time, and the fights are surprisingly entertaining still. They all fall flat with regards to the story compared to the Karate Kid though. Michael Jai White is arguably the best martial arts actor alive today in the west. Undisputed 2 works well even if the tropes are familiar and the setting convoluted. The action is great, and the story never strays from what it needs to do to justify the fights. Never Surrender: Never Back Down wears its heart on its sleeve and leans much more into martial arts. It weighs on them in a way few of Mr. White’s other films do. From Japanese Cinema, The Twilight Samurai is not truly a martial arts film but is a period drama which features sword fights. It is a great film to watch regardless of genre preference. Kuro-Obi is a film with excellent martial arts, but the story is cliché, predictable, and works on familiar tropes with regards to Imperial Era Japan. Fighter in the Wind, a fictionalised biopic of Mas Oyama that borrows as much from Karate Baka Ichidai as reality, similarly has great fights scenes though it is cliched. However, the story is much more heartfelt and has an emotional weight Kuro-Obi struggles to capture. To go back to older efforts, Blood Fight is a Blood Sport knock-off, but the story has more heart, and the choreography is much better. Regarding Hong Kong Cinema, It is hard to avoid having a soft spot for Enter the Dragon. It set the standard for a long time, and as a result the action has aged well. Enter the Fat Dragon is also an excellent spoof. Wheels on Meals, Drunken Master II, and Dragons Forever have action that needs to be seen to be believed. Fist of Legend is also an earnest and very capable reimagining of Fist of Fury and is arguably the better version of the two attempts. Where do you see yourself going in your martial arts journey in the next few years? Continuing to run my club and getting some students to black belt level for the first time in a while. Hopefully taking my Fifth Dan grading successfully. Attending and helping with courses around the UK, and overseas again, when the opportunities arise. I am also hoping to return to Okinawa to pay proper respects to Arakaki Sensei’s memory. Do you remember how you found KarateForums.com? Why did you join? The short answer is no but I presume I may have just found it when searching for martial arts forums. In 2014, I had moved to start university and lost direct contact with my karate community. Thus, I joined a space to talk about karate. Why did you stay? The membership and variety of experiences. It feels like a place where one can have effective discussions, and many people share deep and interesting knowledge regularly. You've been a member since May 23, 2014. During this time, how has KarateForums.com changed in your eyes, if at all? Probably that it feels quitter than it once was, and that posting is down to some committed regulars. I admittedly have periods where my activity drops off, which is connected to life changes in the last few years rather than the forums, so that may skewer my perspective. I have appreciated the forum updates though and feels that as a site it is much easier to navigate and use. How, if at all, have you used KarateForums.com in your classes or training? I have employed drills and ideas I have read or seen on the forums. Are there any members here who have had a particular influence or impact on you? I am reticent to name names because everyone I have had the privilege of interacting with, or reading the work of, has given me an insight into different ways of thinking or given me the gift of knowledge or need to reflect. Can you share a memorable moment within the community where you received great advice or an experience that really affected you and your martial arts journey? When the community rallied around to offer its support to sensei8. It really made me appreciate that community is not always what we think it is, and how the martial arts can bring together people from very different places together for a good cause.