Episode 549 - Junior Black Belts

In this episode, Jeremy and co-host Andrew Adams talk about the importance and relevance of Junior Black Belts

Junior Black Belts - Episode 549

The Black Belt is important because it is a standard for measuring the skills of martial artists. However, this standard varies from one school to another where there are junior black belts. The schools give these belts for a variety of reasons including giving as a reward for children so they would not stop training. In this episode, Jeremy and Andrew talks about how they think about schools giving Junior Black Belts instead of giving it to them when they are in the right age. Listen to learn more!

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Episode 548 - Professor Zahalea Anderson

Professor Zahalea Anderson is a martial arts instructor and practitioner at the Urban School of Martial Arts in Long Beach, CA.

Until now, I never made money for myself. It all went back into the dojo. I'm working with kids whose parents were abusive. The dojo became a home and a safe house for them.

Professor Zahalea Anderson - Episode 548

Growing up in a household where your father is a martial arts instructor, becoming a martial artist is not impossible. A self-proclaimed "dojo baby", Professor Zahalea Anderson's passion for martial arts came naturally for her. Professor Anderson became an instructor of Jiujitsu and built a dojo herself called Urban School of Martial Arts in Long Beach, CA. However, things took a wrong turn where her dojo was destroyed by a fire this year. Listen as Professor Zahalea Anderson tells the story of her journey into the martial arts.

Show Notes

In this episode, we mentioned Dr. Moses Powell

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Episode 547 - Resuming Training After a Break

In this episode, Jeremy and co-host Mr. Andrew Adams talk about the breaks that they took from their own martial arts journies.

Resuming Training After a Break - Episode 547

Taking a break in your training can be a result of different reasons such as vacation, work travel, illness, and a pandemic among others in the long list of possible excuses. How hard is it to resume training if you're out for just a week or even a couple of years? Do you return with guns blazing or take it slow and low key? In this episode, Jeremy and co-host Mr. Andrew Adams talk about their experiences in resuming training after a break in their martial arts journies. Listen to learn more!

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Episode 546 - Dr. Shawna Pandya

Dr. Shawna Pandya is a martial arts practitioner, physician, science-astronaut candidate among her other illustrious titles.

I had never ever thought that I wouldn't turn down anything for medical school and then the opportunity of going to space came a long. I realized that I wanted to make space part of my life and career. Sometime everything doesn't have to go to plan, as long as you keep your end-goal in mind.

Dr. Shawna Pandya - Episode 546

You can get the girl out of the Dojang, but you can't get the Dojang out of the girl. It might just be a joke that Dr. Shawna Pandya tells her friends but it is solid proof of how martial arts is an important part of her life. Dr. Pandya started training at the age of fifteen, it's amazing how she hadn't turned her back to martial arts in spite of having a full list of titles in her bio including being a physician, science-astronaut candidate, and medical executive among others. In this episode, Dr. Shawna Pandya tells us not only her journey to the martial arts, but her journey that could eventually bring her across the skies.

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Episode 545 – whistlekick LIVE Season 2 (Episode 1)

In this episode, Jeremy brings us the first Episode of the whistlekick Live Season 2. We have new segments and surprises!

whistlekick LIVE Season 2 (Episode 1) - Episode 545

Today's episode is the first installment for the whistlekick Live Season 2. Jeremy answers questions, including what's the best zombie weapon, and reads stories from the listeners as well as giving out some cool trivia about martial arts or anything under the sun. In this episode, we are trying to live up to the "LIVE" aspect of the show and bring you our first guest, Justin Lee Ford of MartialJournal.com. We have a much-improved show, at least by our standards! Listen to find out a lot more good stuff!

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Episode 544 - Mr. Jason Neef

Mr. Jason Neef is a martial arts practitioner and CEO of Kicksite, a company focused on giving martial arts instructors a platform for their business.

It's a really arduous process to earn a blackbelt, especially at the end when you're going through that testing. But when it was done, oh my goodness, without a doubt it was one of the proudest accomplishments of my life.

Mr. Jason Neef - Episode 544

A self-confessed martial arts fanboy, Mr. Jason Neef started training at 8 but it was cut short because his family was not keen on him training. However, years later, he went on to train and got his blackbelt. Presently, Mr. Neef is the CEO of Kicksite, an online software that helps martial artists to focus on their art by simplifying how they teach. Listen as Mr. Jason Neef tells his story on how he became a blackbelt and the inspiration behind Kicksite.

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Show Notes

Connect with Mr. Jason Neef at Kicksite.com and get their free template here!

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Episode 543 - Thoughts on Becoming a Better Instructor

In this episode, Jeremy is joined by Mr. Andrew Adams and they talk about their Thoughts on Becoming a Better Instructor.

Thoughts on Becoming a Better Instructor - Episode 543

What would it take to become a better instructor? Do you study new ideas or just improve on something that you are not good at? In this special episode, Jeremy is joined by Mr. Andrew Adams, who is a qualified and experienced martial arts and music teacher, and they talk about their Thoughts on Becoming a Better Instructor. 

Show Notes

You can check out Mr. Andre Adams' episode here.

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Episode 542 - Miss Valery Brosseau

Miss Valery Brosseau is a martial arts practitioner, a public speaker, and an advocate of mental health and suicide prevention.

It's not linear, it's not a straight line, and there are stumbles. What matters is that you pick yourself up. It's not about having a perfect track record, it's about persevering when things get tough.

Miss Valery Brosseau - Episode 542

Growing in a family with a lot of brothers, Miss Valery Brosseau did not think twice about following them into Karate training. That would be the start of Miss Brosseau's affinity with martial arts where she would end up training in Muay Thai and Brazilian Jiujitsu. Miss Valery Brosseau would have a few setbacks and it would include mental health problems and a failed suicide attempt. It would prompt Miss Brosseau to become a staunch advocate of mental health and suicide prevention through public speaking and providing workshops.  

Show Notes

In this episode, we mentioned Episode 455
Connect with Miss Valery Brosseau at valerybrosseau.com and subscribe to her Instagram or Submit the Stigma

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Episode 541 - What Martial Artists Have Learned in 2020

In this episode, Jeremy tells us what Martial Artists have learned in 2020 and how can we get through it.

What Martial Artists Have Learned in 2020 - Episode 541

The year 2020 hasn't been kind to most of us martial artists because of the effects of the pandemic. It has affected the way we train, the way we conduct classes, and the fact that we are not yet allowed to go to our own martial arts schools. The effects have been devastating both for us and martial arts schools but there are important lessons that this year has taught us. In this episode, Jeremy tells us why he learned this year that training alone sucks and 5 more things that Martial Artists have learned in 2020.

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