Having been studying and working diligently, Judy “Striker” Gompf is poised to achieve her Purple Belt ranking in the near future. Her basic KIA fundamentals, fighting skills, and kata proficiency are progressing extremely well. We look forward to witnessing her next test and then on and beyond, working up the ladder to The Wall. Striker, a mother of two children, has multiple collegiate degrees. Serving the SoCal area, she is a “Veterans Approved” agent for Keller Williams Realty (her business card is below).

Karate Institute of America Orange Belt Aidan “Smasher” Ligtvoet is expanding his wide interests to include horsemanship and settling in to the cowboy lifestyle. Here he is at the rail with his new equine buddy while he’s all duded up in boots, jeans, kerchief and riding helmet. Dig those glasses, too. Looking cool, man! Catching a rear side look at a young man and his horse. Smasher is extremely smart, loves horses, and will make a great equestrian.

One of the proverbial questions asked in martial arts is, “Who can punch harder, muscle guys or skinny guys?” The answer may surprise you. As in all cases, the answer rests in technique and speed. Which would you prefer to get hit with, a medicine ball or a bullet fired from a .45 caliber pistol? On the Fight Science YouTube channel their answer is: In reality the issue of whether bigger guys can punch harder relates more to the ability to move your body mass quickly over short distance.

Spartan women expected their husbands and sons to be brave in war. Hence the phrase, With your shield or on it. In other words: if victorious in battle, come back with your shield; if dead, be carried back home on your shield, but don’t come back having turned your back on the enemy, thus retreating as a coward. How many men and boys today would be benefited if their mothers had the same convictions and strength as Spartan women?

If you saw the movie Robin Hood (2010) featuring Russel Crowe and Cate Blanchett, you are quite familiar with the core message of the film, a message applicable to every human being in every age regardless of gender, culture, race, religion, language or nationality. That message, encrypted on the hilt of Robin Hood’s sword, is: RISE & RISE AGAIN UNTIL LAMBS BECOME LIONS. Such a message reminds us to never quit, never give up, ever, and if we fall down to get back up and keep going until we succeed.