#4: Billy Blanks – "Heart of a Champion (Transformation Begins from the Inside Out)"

09/01/23 • 66 min

“Tae Bo sold 115 million copies and revolutionized the fitness world. It changed the way people talked about fitness, I was the first person that talked about inside out. Most people didn’t really talk about the inside, most people talked about changing your hips, your legs, your bum, and your arms, but nobody talked about the heart. I was the only one talking about the heart. If you really want to change your life, you have to change what is going on on the inside. What if all of a sudden God gave you the best body in the world, would that change who you are as a person? No, because the inside is still the same, outside may look different but what is carrying that body is still the same thought pattern. Change the inside before the outside can change.”—Billy Blanks

My guest this episode is the one and only Billy Blanks who is a 9’th Degree Black Belt and one of the greatest Karate Fighters in history. He is a 7-time world Karate Champion, the first Amateur Athletic Union Champ in 1975, and a Golden Gloves boxing Champion of Champions. He was the captain of the United States Karate Team and won over 30 Gold medals in international competitions. He is the founder of the sensational “Tae Bo” fitness system that sold over 115 million copies and revolutionized the fitness world. Mr. Blanks was inducted into the world Karate Hall of Fame in 1982.

This episode is all about transformation from the inside out. My key takeaway is that success in martial arts and life begins with unlocking the heart. We all experience fears and doubts that cause us to put up protective walls, these walls stop us from feeling, growing, and honestly expressing ourselves. Our true gifts remain hidden behind these walls, but the practice of martial arts pierces these walls, and allows us to discover who we truly are and gives us the ability to face our challenges with courage, confidence, and clarity. We also dive deep into training philosophy and how to perform under pressure at the highest levels of competition. We discuss the value of testing your skills, to see how you can improve and to find out where you stand instead of focusing on outcomes like winning and losing. Mr. Blanks shares some great stories of overcoming adversity, the early Karate Scene, and finding greatness through the service of others. I was really moved by this episode, and Mr. Billy Blanks truly has the heart of a champion.

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#3: Erik Paulson - "The Creative Act of Martial Arts"

“It doesn’t matter where it comes from as long as it works, and you don’t know if it works unless you experiment with it. In order to get good at everything you got to break it all up and pull it apart. Find the common thread, that’s how the styles will merge.” -- Erik Paulson

My guest on this episode is Erik Paulson who is an Encyclopedia of Martial Arts and the first American to win the World Light Heavyweight Shooto Championship in Japan. He was trained by legendary instructors like Guro Dan Inosanto, Benny “The Jet” Urquidez, Gene Lebell, Yori Nakamura, Rigan Machado, Rickson Gracie, Tim Tackett, Ajarn Chai, and Billy Robinson. He is a multi-style Black Belt and master instructor of Jeet Kune Do, Kick Boxing, Savate, Shoot Fighting, Filipino Martial Arts, Muay Thai, Boxing, Wrestling, Catch Wrestling, and a 6’th degree Black Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He is the founder of Combat Submission Wrestling and STX Kickboxing. He runs the CSW Training Center in Fullerton, California, where he has trained MMA Fighters like Josh Barnett, Ken Shamrock, Cub Swanson, Sean Sherk, James Wilks, and Brock Lesnar.

This episode is all about connection and seeking the common thread in all martial arts. My key takeaway is that martial arts is a creative act. We must be humble and open so that we can learn and absorb from all sources. What we learn must be tested so that we know that we can make it work, and the only way to test it is to experiment with it. Martial Arts is a creative process, of transforming knowledge, wisdom, to understanding. Erik Paulson is a true genius of the game, his understanding of the physical, mental, and spiritual aspects of martial arts sets him apart and allows him to mentor and guide his students toward excellence. This is a special episode, filled with insight and old-school stories of Jeet Kune Do and the development of MMA from someone who has first-hand knowledge and experience. Tune in for an unforgettable episode.

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#5: Val Mijailovic – Karate is Harmony

“When I was coming up, we didn’t look at anybody else, we didn’t glorify anybody else, instead we learned by discovering what we could do. Everybody was different. Now days there is so much information out there and it is so easily available. So now we try to become like others, and this takes away from that spiritual and physical muscle memory experience, that one needs to discover themselves.” – Val Mijailovic

My guest this episode is Hanshi Val Mijailovic, who is an 8’th degree Karate Black Belt under the legendary Soke Tak Kubota, and was also trained in Judo and Iaido. Hanshi Val was an international competitor and champion throughout the 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s, winning the USA JKA Championships and the IKA World Championships. He is the owner and publisher of Martial Arts Masters Magazine and has produced over 700 martial arts instructional videos.

This episode is all about cultivating instincts and discovering yourself as a martial artist. My key takeaway is that Karate and all Martial Arts are truly about Harmony. Cultivating peace and balance within yourself is essential to success in life and in the heat of a battle. To study oneself in a relationship with their opponent is truly the path towards mastery. We also dive deep into training methods, fighting strategy, and the importance of becoming a good teacher. Karate is not about fighting but about taking care of others and caring about their well-being. But above all martial arts teaches us to how learn, how to live, and how to experience life. This was an amazing episode filled with so much wisdom, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.