KIA Black Belts are diverse individuals. Mike “Shooter” Benedict is one such person. One of his hobbies is being a biker, and he’s placing that “Benedict focus” into a fun and healthy passion.
Shooter is the sixty-second Black Belt of the Karate Institute of America. He is also a second dan. His youngest son, Greg aka, “Earthquake,” is the fifty-ninth Black Belt of the KIA—another terrific father/son Black Belt duo.
Mr. Benedict stopped by class last week after another 2-3 hour bike ride. In this first photo he’s flanked by fifth dan Master, Kim “Cultivator” Thomas, and first dan, Tristan “Raptor” Ligtvoet.
Raptor, Shooter, Cultivator
Shooter has been riding three days a week on average since the Fall of 2008. His average rides are 2 to 3 hours. He loves it because the cardio helps keep his weight down and health in check. He has two bikes—one road and one mountain, the latter being his favorite. Four years ago he became a member of the ASG racing team, which races in local cross-country events during the summer months. The best aspect of belonging to ASG for Shooter is the fund raising the team does for local charities. This is true to who Mike Benedict is. He is and has always been one to help others. He has been a great asset to our Kiado-Ryu legacy and we are all very proud of his accomplishments.
Shooter, Whitefire