[KF 500k] Member Interview: gheinisch

[Patrick]

Member Profile

gheinisch (View Profile)

Former KarateForums.com Sensei

Joined: January 9, 2003

Posts: 2,134

KarateForums.com Awards: Article of the Year (2006)

Interview

Where are you from?

Newnan, Georgia.

Why did you get started in the martial arts?

My wife thought it would be something my oldest son and I could do together. A fun manly way of bonding. My son trained for a couple of years and then high school and the Navy got in the way. I continued to train, I was hooked. LOL.

Why have you continued to practice them?

With the demands of my job, I currently don't participate in the martial arts on a weekly basis. I still participate in special seminars and events such as promotions. Love to see the younger students on their on journey.

Please briefly describe the style of martial art that you have taken.

I have trained in the art of Hon-Shin-Do-Shorei-Ryu. It's more than merely a method of fighting and physical fitness. There are mental rewards such as self-confidence, pride and patience. A new state of mind begins to form. The need to be a bully or overbearing is lost to the feeling of self-confidence. Pride in yourself overcomes a desperate need to aggressively prove ones individual worth.

Patience and inner peace are found in training and performance of the art. Patience is a virtue that is a large and meaningful factor in the practice of Hon-Shin-Do-Shorei-Ryu.

What is your grade or level?

I have achieved the rank of 1st degree black belt.

Do you teach?

I have taught on a limited basis.

What are your first memories from training?

Haha, that would have to be our first introductory class that we attended. My son and I showed up in tight jeans and still wearing our socks. Trying to get into those stances sure wasn't easy. Our Hanshi told us to wear sweat pants for the next one. Good advice.

What has been the highlight of your training?

Has to be my black belt ceremony. A great feeling of accomplishment and knowing that all my hard work has paid off. A proud moment indeed!

What do you do when you're not training?

I enjoy photography and traveling to the beautiful places this great country offers us.

What do you do for a living?

I'm a Assistant Grocery Manager for Publix Super Markets.

Who are or were your martial arts heroes?

That would have to be my Hanshi, Leo Kozloski. He started his martial arts training in early 1965, first training in the art of judo. Later he started to train with Master John Pachivas in karate. Over the years Leo has had an opportunity to study many different styles of martial arts: Goju-ryu, aikido, Shotokan, kempo, Shorei-Ryu, jujitsu and kendo - the art of the sword. He started our school and has never charged a dime for any of us to learn the arts. He has given so much of his time and knowledge! A truly great man!

What are your favorite martial arts films and/or shows?

I'm a fan of the kung fu theater movies on Saturday as I grew up. Any movie with Bruce Lee.

Where do you see yourself going in your martial arts journey in the next few years?

I don't see myself advancing any further than the rank that I have achieved, but I truly enjoy going to our promotions and seeing the young ladies and gentlemen picking up where I left off and being able to pass along a little wisdom that might help them in their journey.

Do you remember how you found KarateForums.com? Why did you join?

I was researching different styles of martial arts online and ran across a link to KarateForums.com and thought it was worth a look. I was right, a great site!

Why did you stay?

An abundance of knowledgeable members without the in-fighting seen on other sites. Great advice given without being critical of one style over another.

You've been a member since January 9, 2003. During this time, how has KarateForums.com changed in your eyes, if at all?

It is still a tremendously ran site. Even when there are disagreements, it is done with courtesy and in a respectful way. If not, there's a great staff to step in and make sure that everyone stays civil. Always has been that way on KarateForums.com and I don't think that will change with the leadership we have.

How did becoming a staff member change how you viewed the site?

You get to see the behind the scenes part of the site. When being a staff member, you have some members that don't like you very much because of a decision you've made over a post, but the majority of the members appreciate and respect the staff for all the hard work they put in to keep the site the best martial arts site out there.

How, if at all, have you used KarateForums.com in your classes or training?

Many times I have used and shared information taken from site. I've also recommended the site to all of the students for great information and to have questions answered on many different subjects.

Are there any members here who have had a particular influence or impact on you?

They would have to be Heidi (ninjanurse) and bushido_man96. Heidi for her longevity and dedication to the site and bushido_man96 for his great advice and ability to be fair even in challenging discussions. Great staff members!

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?

Not any one moment in particular but the constant support I've received from the community over the years. As everyone knows, martial arts training is much like a roller coaster with many ups and downs. During my down times, when I wasn't sure I could hang in there to reach my goal, I received words of encouragement and support from complete strangers. It was needed to continue and complete my journey.

KarateForums.com is so much more than just a martial arts website, it's a community of fellow martial artists who understand and support each other through all the ups and downs. I would personally like to thank the community for twelve great years!

[Patrick]

Thank you for your kind words about the community and how it is managed, Greg. I appreciate it. You were a great staff member and I appreciate the outstanding contributions that you have made to this community. I am glad that we have been able to stay in touch and I look forward to meeting you in person at some point in the future. One of my best friends lives in LaGrange, GA, so I'm sure it'll happen sooner or later.

It's funny, as I was planning out the live stream, I was thinking about the staff that I have had over the years.

I have always had great moderators, at any given time. But, in particular, there were two collections of moderators hat stand out as being particularly strong.

The first group, which Tammy affectionately referred to recently as the "old guard":

SBN Doug: 1/6/2003 to 2005

monkeygirl: 2/9/2003 to 8/6/2005

PunchPressQueen75: 2/25/2003 to 5/8/2005

SaiFightsMS: 5/19/2002 to 9/26/2005

The date spans represent when the person as a Sensei.

The second group is the one we have now and that's saying something because of the people I've had in the past. Right now, I feel that the overall staff is the strongest that it has ever been. Led by these moderators:

ninjanurse: 5/15/2005 to present

bushido_man96: 1/4/2007 to present

DWx: 10/30/2007 to present

tallgeese: 5/12/2009 to present

It is rare when you can have a great group of people like this together for 3+ years, to really meld and become a great team.

But as I put these groups together, I figured out that you are sort of a link between the two groups as you were a Sensei from 1/30/2004 to 10/30/2007, you were with both groups, which contributed to them being so strong. You and Heidi are both connected to both of them.

Thanks again,

Patrick

[pittbullJudoka]

Very good interview, thanks for everything you contribute to the forums here.

[bushido_man96]

Thanks for sharing this interview with us, and thanks for the kind words. Your contributions here at KF have always been great, and the help I received early on when I joined the staff have helped me so much in the beginning, when everything was still confusing and a mess for me. I don't think there is any question that the fact that you and Heidi being the links between the two groups of staff members Patrick mentioned has affected the quality of the staff, both then and now. Thank you. You've been a great part of this community, and I look forward to seeing you drop in again.

On a side note, you joined the site on my birthday! Pretty cool! Its like were connected....

[sensei8]

Great interview!!

Your contributions over the many years are reflective as to the type of person and MAist that you are; solid across the board. I've enjoyed your posts as well as your MA insights for these many years, and I look forward to them in the future.

Thank you for all you do for KF!!

[DWx]

Great read. When I first joined the staff I always looked to your's and Heidi 's examples of how to approach situations and how to resolve them

[CredoTe]

Great interview! I'm still relatively new around here as of this post and haven't had much encounter with your posts, but it looks like you've been around KF for a while. I hope to encounter more of your insights/experiences soon!