What if we look at our Martial Arts training from a different perspective?
Is it possible that the training we do is a lesson about keeping our bodies moving and self defense is a byproduct of us moving our bodies?
How I got started on this path
My journey began in June 2004. It started as an activity for my wife and me to do with our son, who had already been training for a little over two years. While we were sitting on the sidelines watching him, I turned to my wife and asked if we should join the classes too. This was at our local park district with a club called the Illinois Shotokan Karate Club.
The idea was simple: to do something with our son instead of just sitting and watching. Our initial goal was to get some extra exercise, with no plans of pursuing or examining for rank.
Fast forward about six months, and we had already taken and passed our first rank exam. Before we knew it, we were attending more classes each week.
Within two years, we were training three times a week and assisting our instructors with classes. This deepened our passion for karate, and by the time we tested for Shodan in 2010, we were training five days a week and assisting with other classes for up to 10 hours per week.
We were extremely lucky to have trained under some incredible Sensei during our 15 years with the club. Dominic Noia Sensei, Brian Plocharczyk Sensei, Ed Brien Sensei, and, in particular, Marty Cieplik Sensei, who taught us that training was more than just punches and kicks, it was a way of life.
Around 2011, we started training in Iaido with Marty Cieplik Sensei, who introduced us to bladed weapons. This opened up another fascinating path in our martial arts journey, allowing us to explore discipline, precision, and mindfulness in new ways.
In 2020, when COVID disrupted the world, we could no longer train in person. Although our dojo offered some online classes, those unfortunately only lasted a few months. During this time, we discovered Rick Hotton Sensei’s online classes through his Sunday Morning Keiko program. Alternating between Sundays and Saturdays, these sessions introduced us to new perspectives on movement, technique, and the philosophy of karate. Rick Sensei’s approach wasn’t necessarily about different techniques but about an entirely unique way of presenting and practicing them.
After a year of weekend classes, Rick Sensei began offering remote training through his West Wind Dojo. This gave us the opportunity to replace in-person training with online sessions that allowed us to continue our practice from home, a shift that came with its own unique benefits, like the ability to focus deeply on fundamentals and movement.
For years, I had dreamed of training with Rick Sensei after watching his videos on YouTube. There is something distinctive about the way he moves. It’s not just his power and precision but the ease and flow in his movement qualities that I strive to understand and emulate.
This brings my story to the present day. Currently, I learn something new in every one of the three to four classes we take with Rick Sensei each week. His blend of Shotokan Karate with Aikido, along with the use of weapons such as the jo and nunchaku to enhance our movements, continues to expand our knowledge and understanding of martial arts. Each lesson reminds me that this path is not just about perfecting techniques but about growth—physically, mentally, and spiritually. My journey is far from over, and I am excited to see where it leads next.