I have been teaching Karate for 14 years at Riverside – Westley United Methodist Church and Pomona – Westmont Park and have been practicing martial arts for 24 years. I am currently a 4th degree Black Belt with Young Champions, 2nd Degree Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do, and 1st Degree Black Belt in Judo.
Prior to teaching, martial arts taught me the importance of physical fitness, tenacity, and continual improvement. I learned that no one is perfect, but not to let that be a wall and stop me from further learning. I also learned that earning a black belt in one style was not the end of learning, that there are other arts and sports that I can participate in which would help my growth in the martial arts as well.
I love learning each and every technique, but there is more to it than punches and kicks. Truly mastering the martial arts requires learning how, why, and when the techniques are used. Along with the beneficial physical training, martial arts stimulates the mind by challenging the practitioner to develop strategy, control emotional responses, and empathize with others. All of these things gives me a respect for those who taught me and those come to my class to learn. I love teaching because I get a chance to pass on all the knowledge I have gained over the years. I get to talk about my philosophy on martial arts and introduce martial arts to a new generation.
I have placed in several tournaments and have earned several black belts over the years in Karate, Tae Kwon Do, and Judo, and also appeared in Cuban Olympian Israel Hernandez’s DVD “Everything you need to know about Uchi Mata”. I have a love of science, engineering, and technology and perform research at University of California Riverside while I’m work on a PhD in Materials Science and Engineering. I also love music, play guitar and write short stories in my spare time, and go to concerts when I can.