[KF25] Member Interview: KarateKen

[Patrick]

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. 

Edited 1 hour ago by Patrick

[Patrick]

Thank you for sharing with us, KarateKen. It was really interesting to hear about how you joined the community after you had finished 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.