Biz Insider: Sioux Falls Hapkido and Judo

Unlock the secrets of Hapkido and Judo as we explore the transformative journey of Scooby, also known as Ryan, who took the reins of the Sioux Falls Hapkido and Judo Club from Master Jeho Sam. Learn how this thriving club grew from a humble start with just eight students to a bustling community of 50 to 60 dedicated martial artists.

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Transcript

Sioux Falls Hapkido and Judo Club

Speaker 1 0:00

What is going on? Welcome to the next episode of the Fit and Healthy Sioux Falls Show man. We are in for a ride today, kind of down memory lane. I've got an awesome guest with me. I call him Scooby, others call him Ryan, but we're going to dive into the Sioux Falls Hapkido and Judo Club and what it is all about. Let's dive in to today's episode. Mr Scooby, what is up, bro?

Speaker 2 0:48

Hey, cj, it's nice to see you again, dude, I love it.

Speaker 1 0:51

So do people call you Scooby.

Speaker 2 0:53

Everybody calls me Scooby. Everybody does, I've been called Scooby since high school. It's one of those things that kind of kicked off and then really just stuck and I never really got rid of it, to tell you the truth too.

Speaker 1 1:05

There have been stints in our relationship where I have actually forgot what your name was Sure, sure. I'm like Scooby what in the heck is his real name? And I just I got stuck because yeah, scooby, and really Scooby and I, you know we met, we meet like right away 2015.

Speaker 2 1:25

Yeah, it was. I was moving out of the front of the building and you were moving into the front of the building and I was moving to the back, to the back. We were in a transition period with the martial arts dojo as you came in, so that's kind of where we kicked off what we have now to tell you the truth.

Speaker 1 1:42

Yeah, the martial arts dojo, the studio that I moved into. You did not own it at the time, right Like in the beginning, when you guys were in the front. It was owned by someone else, correct, and you took over ownership when you transitioned into the back of that building.

Speaker 2 2:01

Yep, that's correct.

Speaker 2 2:02

Also, it was Master Jeho Sam. Yes, he had been teaching for probably 30 to 35 years at that point, from what I remember. Yeah, he was about my age now, to tell you the truth, about 47, somewhere close to 52, I do believe somewhere in there and it was just. I think he felt it was just kind of his time to move on.

Speaker 2 2:25

I was in a good spot to just kind of take over and start to rebuild in a different type of platform, change the name and focusing on a little bit more of Hapkido and Judo, because he was a Hapkido, judo and Taekwondo master Just amazing to watch, kick and strike. It was awesome. But yeah, he was kind of just working his way out a little bit was a hop, keto, judo, anti-quando master just amazing to watch, kick and strike, it was. It was awesome, uh. But yeah, he was kind of just working his way out a little bit, yep, and I just kind of picked up the pieces with a few of the other black belts and started to grow. Shoot, nine years ago now. Yeah, so I'll be. Yeah, man, it's been. It's been a wild ride. It's amazing where we've gone from um, starting from about eight students I think we're at 50 to 60 at this point, that's.

Speaker 1 3:06

That's about where we kind of like to be comfortable with so yeah, but yeah beginning of that is really a neat thing, so yeah, explain to to our audience and re-explain to even me. Um, remind me what is Hop Keto and then what is Judo.

Speaker 2 3:23

Sure, um, that's really nice. I'm going to go into it a little bit. I really started with the Hopkido program because I was big into just self-defense Okay, wanting to be able to take care of myself. And Hopkido best way to put it is like the MMA of martial arts. It's actually meant to fight other martial arts. It has to do with kicking, striking you learn Jo throws, you learn ground submissions such as arm bars and chokes and pins and so on and so forth. But it's a really fundamental martial art. So I really really like that one.

Speaker 2 3:56

It came around 1920s. I'll give you a little history lesson on it because we have kind of a direct lineage to it, which is really crazy, being from South Dakota, oh cool. So it started in 1920s, choi Young-Sool, and then he eventually had about 15 students. One of them was one you'll know is Bong Soo-Han, and he's actually came to America in the 60s and he's in a lot of what is it like Bruce Lee movies and so on and so forth? Yeah, he did a really good job like Bruce Lee movies and so on and so forth. Yeah, he did a really good job of marketing Hapkido and so on and so forth. Our grandmaster, sang-yong Lee was also one of the original students, but he was promoted by a gentleman named Ji-Han Jae. Okay, and he was also one of the original students. Why he was promoting. How the dynamic worked out, I can't give you that information. Sure, but he moved to america as well, didn't have the same promotion ideas as uh. You know, bong suhan as much did more of a private lessons. I think there's only one school of his in california, um, and then jihan j his promoter is actually in the 60s and 70s was the instructor for the uh. In the 60s and 70s was the instructor for the South Korean Secret Service.

Speaker 2 5:06

Oh, wow, yeah, so Hapkido comes in a real strong point out of Korea. Yeah, so I really like the concept of it. It's very practical. It's very to the point when Grandmaster I'm sorry, yeah, grandmaster Sim, grandmaster now he was Master Sim back then. He's made it a few more years he went with a couple other guys and met Grandmaster Lee and he had simplified and made it a little bit more destructive. We'll say, okay, more street, practical. Okay, because if you look at Hapkido like, say, on the internet, and so on and so forth.

Speaker 2 5:48

It looks really fancy, very, you know, very choreographed and stuff like that. But the style we teach is more street, practical. It's to the point. You know one, two, three, four moves. We want to be done with the fight. We don't want to ever fight right, but we have to. We want to win. I always tell my kids and my adults it's better to win the fight and go home and be with your family. You know, there's no reason to be that tough guy and prove a point. It's just easier to walk away if necessary.

Speaker 1 6:10

But yeah, and so Hapkido is is self-defense yes sir. And for adults and kids, yep and men and women.

Speaker 2 6:18

Yes, okay, it works great for everybody, women especially. I really like Hapkido as like a precursor to even opening yourself up to other martial arts, and that's kind of how it worked out for me. Once we started learning how to blend throws with punches and Hapkido, then I'm like, well, I need to learn Judo Sure because now what is Judo?

Speaker 1 6:37

Yeah, right, so now.

Speaker 2 6:38

Judo is created in 1882 by Jigoro Kano, and it is all about basically grabbing onto somebody and manipulating their body, getting them off balance in a certain way shape or form, and you use your hands, your hips or your feet to take them off the ground and put them on the ground. So it's kind of like an old samurai way. It's used as a sport. Now it's an Olympic sport. I mean, it can be a self-defense as well too. It's however you want to put it. We focus on the sport aspect because it really puts you out there For one. We want to take people up in that level and that sport aspect if they wish.

Speaker 1 7:15

Is judo a belt-specific sport, like a white belt you start and then a black belt in judo, or no? Yes, yes, yes.

Speaker 2 7:24

It goes white, yellow, orange, green, then it goes brown, brown, brown and then you get your black belt and I don't know why they do the three brown belts. I never did do much research into that.

Speaker 1 7:34

So you literally get three different brown belts.

Speaker 2 7:37

Well, you keep the same one, and it just gets really dirty.

Speaker 1 7:40

Gotcha, gotcha.

Speaker 2 7:41

Basically is kind of how that goes. But judo is all about taking somebody off their feet. Either throw them on their back, uh, they land on their side, or you can take them down and pin them, choke them and some uh armbar them as well.

Speaker 1 7:55

Sure finish and is it? Is it fun? I actually just went. We have a coach, coach seth, okay, um, who is uh, into like m Cool, and I actually just went to my first fight ever.

Exploring Judo and Martial Arts Principles

Speaker 1 8:08

The LFA was in town, sure, sure, and I know like the only thing I know about any of this stuff is literally that I used to hear you guys doing it behind when I was in, you know, opening Fit Body, and you guys were behind us. So, like, that is the extent of my knowledge. I never took Taekwondo, sure, I never did any of these programs Right, and so he just gets, coach Seth gets excited beyond belief, which kind of reminds me a bit of you when I talk to you about any of the Hapkido or Judo or any of the stuff that you were teaching. Yep, because I can see the people that do this there becomes a very big passion in it. Yeah, but to my, my point that I guess I was getting at is when I was watching these LFA fights. They're they're MMA and they were like the ones we were watching. There was like three rounds and I think they're like five minutes per round. Is that like how judo is played? Or or, or performed?

Speaker 2 9:06

No, yeah, you said it right, we call it playing.

Speaker 1 9:09

Yeah, okay, it's a game.

Speaker 2 9:11

It gets serious more as you go up. But we call each other players Yep. And then I just tell, even with my kids, yeah, let's go play a game. Yep, it goes by ages Okay, three minutes on up. Okay, three minutes for the young kids and four minutes for the seniors. For a round. For a round, yeah.

Speaker 1 9:27

And how many rounds?

Speaker 2 9:29

Only one, one round, only one. If nobody scores or if you're tied at the end of the match, then you go to golden score and the first person to score wins After that.

Speaker 1 9:37

So yeah, three minutes done and then golden score, yep, and there's a penalty system too.

Speaker 2 9:42

So if you get three penalties and you do something incorrect, step out of bounds, grip wrong, touch somebody's face, you get three penalties. It's called a Han Sakamaki, and then you're done for that match. Okay, you're not kicked out of the tournament, but you're out of that match and you lost.

Speaker 1 9:56

The opponent won.

Speaker 2 9:57

Yes, basically, basically. So the judo aspect is just judo is one of the hardest things I've ever learned. I'm actually learning jujitsu now too, and we'll get to that shortly, but judo is one of the hardest things you ever learn. Why? Let's put it like judo and jujitsu they're basically the same thing. They've just divided it up over the years, which is okay, because they both take a really long time to learn.

Speaker 2 10:26

It is hard to manipulate somebody else's body while manipulating your body to get that person out of the ground. I mean, if you've ever been in a wrestling match with somebody and you try, and it's not easy, you know what I mean. So it's very, very difficult to and that's the thing with judoka. Is that perfection? And we call it? Actually, a buddy of mine, dj put it in a really good way it's a moment in time. That's all you get in judo is a moment in time. You've got to catch them when they're stepping. You've got to catch them when they're moving. It's like when that foot comes down to the ground. That's all you have. You know what I mean.

Speaker 1 10:55

Because you're both trying to ground yourself, you're both trying to find that split second where you catch them off guard, totally, because that's like that's all you get. And even, even and I'm just gonna relate it back to watching these mma fights, because literally I just watched them here over this last weekend, recording this. But what I noticed is when you go to the mma fights at least my first time ever being there I could even tell by the crowd. The crowd thrives off of the kicking, the punching, the fighting.

Speaker 2 11:26

Yes.

Speaker 1 11:27

But that actually happens very little, correct. What happens more is just like holding on to each other. But what I noticed, and just like any workout, whenever you're doing like a isometric hold, where you're just holding like a plank, for example, correct, or a wall sit, you just hold your body in a specific flexed fashion. Yep, next thing, you know the body and the muscles they start shaking and the next thing you know, the body starts sweating because it's like you are just you're exerting so much energy, so much effort, yeah, and you're not moving Right.

Speaker 1 12:00

It's like you are giving everything. It's like everything you have and you're not going anywhere. Correct, and so I could see that, and so I get to your point is how you get that split second, and until that split second happens, you're giving everything you have, just to not give them the split second.

Speaker 2 12:16

Yes, yes, and I'm kind of glad you brought that up, because part of judo is called one of our tenets is maximum efficiency with minimal effort. So like being in that tight position like you're talking about. We try to train them to not be that way. We want them to be really, really loose and controlled, sure, and then when you find that split second, that's when you move, that's when you go to it and then that's when you hit it. You know, but like judo is just how else can I put it? It's like fighting a 200-pound Rubik's Cube that fights back.

Speaker 2 12:48

You're trying to solve that problem and it does not want to be solved very easy. Yeah, but putting part of the things that I really was focusing on, too, when we were doing the Hop, keto and Judo program, is putting martial arts together that complement each other. Sure, and I'm not out to knock any other martial art to each their own. Yeah, you know, everybody has their own skills at what they do. And if it makes you happy, rock and roll. And if you're successful in it, rock and roll.

Speaker 2 13:20

I don't like the politics of certain things. You know what I mean. Yeah, just kind of like you promote the same way as the way I promote, I feel, is you want to surround yourself with people that are going to make you better. Yep, no egos, no showing off, no bully type of system in our dojo, ever it's. Everybody helps each other out. Yeah, and we're not out to beat each other, we're out to beat the people that are out there that don't like us. You know what I mean the punks and so on and so forth. We always hope that we never have to use it, but it sure is fun learning with your friends. Even when your friends catch you and they get you in a good move, you're like good job, man. Yeah, you got me.

Speaker 1 14:00

Yeah, it's really cool, I mean, and again, this I think kind of does correlate with a lot of different um types of martial arts, but there's there's always, like you see, like the three or four words and it's like respect and uh, like you know what I mean like and it teaches, it teaches the students of the martial arts, these different core values, almost, if you will, as, and I think that's why, a lot of times, like kids will gravitate towards this, because they love learning this sport with like foundational principles behind it, like we're not just fighting to fight, no, and in today's world I feel like you see a lot of that.

Speaker 1 14:41

You see a lot of fighting just to fight, yeah, and like what is the purpose? And so this helps kids and then, obviously, as they grow into adults and so on, but it helps them learn a set of principles. What are kind of some of the main principles, I guess, that are instilled in um, in anyone? But it's specifically the kids. Like when kids enroll in Hapkido, in Judo, what are some of the principles that they're going to learn?

Speaker 2 15:08

The three that I focus on mainly are respect, humble, humility and patience. Okay, I feel that any way, any shape or order you put those three, they're going to compliment each other. You have to humble yourself to know that it's not easy to learn a technique. You have to respect your partner and not hurt them as you're doing the technique or give them what they want, and you have patience to go through everything that you're learning. So the nice thing is martial arts is a team sport but everybody grows individually. Same concept as Fit Body. It really is. Everybody's there just to get better. Yep, so I really really push the respect, the patience, the humble. I do it a lot in my teachings. You know, I feel I'm an offshoot of the parents as well. Yeah, because parents, you know, come to me too. You know like I need a hand. Yeah, I do it to my mom still Like. I do it to my mom still Like.

Speaker 1 16:06

Mom, what do I?

Speaker 2 16:06

do. Yeah, you know. So I treat all the kids like I treat my kids Like I'm going to bark at them a little bit, like I bark at my kids. They don't get away with stuff that you know. If you can't get away with that in my house, you don't get away with it in my dojo. You don't talk to your parents when you're on my mat. You know that type of thing. We try to re reiterate, um, all of those things that the parents are looking for as well too, and I think it actually kind of translate to the parents as well I mean, in my common sense it should. If they're listening as well, then we're all kind of working together towards the same goal for their kids and whatever we're looking for to accomplish.

Speaker 1 16:45

What age can a child start your guys's program at? And your guys's program, the name of your dojo, is sioux falls hop, keto and judo, correct, correct. So what age can somebody start at sioux falls hop, keto and judo?

Speaker 2 17:00

I try to um the thing with uh, it takes a long time to get through my programs. Yeah, a lot of people have delusions of grandeur of, like I'm going to start my kid off super young and get him to national champ by seven. Blah, blah, blah. I do my best to take my time with that because we do have a lot of time. We start around five years old. Okay, I try to keep just three or four five-year-olds in because they're a little bit more fun than the rest of the class.

Speaker 1 17:30

You know what I mean A little more rainbunches, they are.

Speaker 2 17:33

So they take just a little bit more focus. So I try to keep that number down, but I go all the way. I mean I have five-year-olds all the way up to 55 right now. Yeah, so I push more towards. I'm going to honestly say I push more towards. You know, eight or nine years old for kids to start martial arts. Sure, that gives it a nice amount of time for them to get through high school and to move on and to get through the entire program. Yeah, because martial arts is kind of a lifelong thing too.

Speaker 1 18:01

Yeah.

Speaker 2 18:03

But we don't give belts away. You know, I only test kids maybe once a year and you have to earn it.

Speaker 2 18:10

Yeah yeah, oh yeah, definitely have to earn it. Your attitude has to be good. You have to be good at home. You have to have good grades. There's no acting out outside of there and then showing up and being like, okay, I'm good to go. No, we don't allow that either. You know we promote that and guide that with the parents as well too. But yeah, we just try to keep it on that forward-moving process with the younger kids. But I'm not about pushing kids through a program and making money. I'm about growing people's lives and making them stronger through the concepts of what we're doing. We may never fight, but we're making our bodies stronger. I've always thought it's better to be. My best. Philosophy is it's better to be a warrior in a garden than a gardener in a war. If I never have to use it, I don't want to use it, I tell them don't go brag about it. Put it in your pocket because people want to challenge you, so just use it. When you use it, keep your family safe.

Speaker 1 19:05

Yeah, and I think too there's been times I know only a couple times, but you've actually come to Fit Body and you've taught some like self-defense a couple of times. Do you guys offer that at your dojo from time and time again, like where it's just like specific, hey, this day, this time, we're doing self-defense, or have you now more sort of kind of included that you learn self-defense when you're in our program?

Speaker 2 19:29

You know it. Kind of you do both, okay, Since COVID hit, of course, I've had to pick up something off to the side, yeah, so I'm a little bit more busy now, so the self-defense classes are harder for me to incorporate into my system. Yep, we did have classes for a year. It just didn't kick off as much as I wanted it to. But we do get calls. I'm working with somebody now through a church that we're going to try to work the program through and stuff like that too. But honestly, self-defense classes are a great place to get a good sense of awareness and to start build your confidence. Yeah, but once you actually get into a physical confrontation and it's scary and you don't know what to do, you really ultimately need that training to react without thinking.

Speaker 1 20:19

Yeah.

Speaker 2 20:20

And to learn how to work with that fight or flight mode or panic. So I like self-defense classes. I think they're great for awareness, but ultimately, if you want to learn something, you need to. You need to learn how to, how to battle and put yourself through that type of situation. Hopefully, I say, we never have to use it. Yep, but even just a little bit of confidence in some people really goes a long way. It goes a long way. No is a big word.

Speaker 1 20:47

You know what I mean. Yeah, so, yeah, absolutely. And so for a person, if they wanted to get started in hop, keto or judo, uh, with you guys like, how does that look? What's the, what's the process going to look like for that with you guys, I'd like to offer a two week trial.

Speaker 2 21:04

Okay, uh, I like to do the-week trial because it gives you a chance to do both martial arts. Basically, all the instructors are the same. We have like six black belts in Hapkido, six black belts in Judo, so they get lots of different knowledge. But I like to do a two-week program because it's such an extensive program so you can get to see if you like the kids like the program, like the instructors.

Martial Arts Class Schedule and Program

Speaker 2 21:27

If you don't, such as life, if it's not what you're looking for, okay, but, um, you know, it also helps us to start grow our relationship. You know, it's easier to. I feel it's easier to look somebody in the eye and talk to them and know where they're coming from than texts and emails and stuff like that. Cause you kind of what does that mean? You know, and you keep going back and forth, so, and you keep going back and forth, so I like to get them in the door and talk to them and then we can figure out what goals are and stuff like that. Two weeks free. My website is SiouxFallsMartialArtscom. It has the schedule on there.

Speaker 1 21:55

Yeah.

Speaker 2 21:57

What is your schedule? Mostly nights, to tell you the truth. Hop Keto is Monday and Wednesdays at 630 to 730. Okay, kids Judo is so basically, monday and Wednesday is Hapkido and Tuesday, thursday is Judo, Got it. And then Jiu-Jitsu follows from 7.30 to 9. Okay, after all of those classes, I do believe, yeah, he's got a Friday class as well. No, no, I'm sorry, I'm rephrasing.

Speaker 1 22:25

Saturday class at noon is what he's got. Okay, and yeah, that's on the website and obviously, if they are interested and whatnot and chatting with you, they can learn more about that. For sure, does your studio work in the way in which if you sign up for Judo, then you're doing Judo, or if you sign up for Hapkido then you're doing Hapkido, or is it? I am a member of your club and you can do kind of both. How does that work?

Speaker 2 22:50

It's kind of complicated at the moment I wish it wasn't, but I'm working with another coach at the moment and we're with the jujitsu coach together. So basically, if you sign up with me for Hapkido and Judo, you can do Hapkido and Judo at the same time. If you are looking for just like a grappler's package me and Coach Sawyer with the Misfits you can do like judo and jiu-jitsu and we have a package between us that we kind of discuss in the dojo Because he kind of takes care of that Sure.

Speaker 1 23:19

It's a little more custom package. I take care of mine. He's growing and we're working on the growing type thing which is good for both of us. Yeah, absolutely, Absolutely yeah absolutely, absolutely yeah. And in a given class you call them classes, yep classes, just a regular class. In a given class could you have like five-year-olds upwards of like 50-year-olds in one class, or no? It's broken. How does that work?

Speaker 2 23:42

Actually, I'm glad you brought that up because I focus my Hop Keto program towards families. Okay, you brought that up because I focus my Hop Keto program towards families. I have a kids class 10 and under on Wednesday nights for 45 minutes, but the Monday and Wednesday 630 class I promote families. I think it's great to have a dad come in with their daughter and learn how to take care of themselves. They can practice together at home. Yeah, On top of that, you know, it builds the family Everybody's stronger. Who wants to come into a house full of martial artists?

Speaker 1 24:14

You know what I?

Speaker 2 24:15

mean Right, but I can't do that with judo as much, because it's just a little bit different. But with Hapkido I can. Definitely. I push them as family classes. More family, yeah, more families you can bring in. I cap. You know, my family pricing caps off at four people. So you can have eight people and you're going to pay the same as four. Oh, sure, I just don't believe in emptying family's pockets. Sure, just to learn some martial arts and to make your family safer, yeah, so I just kind of leave it at that. Yeah, yeah, I try to do the best I can for families.

Speaker 1 24:46

Yeah, that's very cool.

Speaker 2 24:47

Okay.

Speaker 1 24:47

So that's kind of how that works. Other than that, too, why did you personally let's talk a little bit about like you and yourself, why did you want to get into martial arts and, speaking of which, before that, have a second to think about, maybe why you wanted to get in Sure. When did you get started? What age were you when you started martial arts?

Building a Strong Partnership in Fitness

Speaker 2 25:06

I started at 30 years old, okay, and I just happened to have a friend who was going to J-Ho's gym, yep, and we were big into, I mean, ufc was just coming out. I think it was like UFC 50 or something like that Chuck Liddell, randy Couture days, you know what I mean Steven Bonner and Forrest Griffin, all that kind of stuff. So I knew that I needed to get into it. It was a choice I had to make because I wanted a standing art, yep, and I wanted a ground art. So I was this close to going to Next Edge, okay, because they were doing Muay Thai and Jiu-Jitsu, yeah, and I was like, well, those two are pretty well. After watching MMA, I wanted to make sure I put two things together that made sense, yeah.

Speaker 1 25:54

You know, because you got to have standing and you got to have ground. In my opinion, I think next actually I know that's where Coach Seth goes- oh really, he's there too.

Speaker 2 25:58

Yeah, yeah, coach Bruce is a great guy. He's got a good program going. He's been growing like crazy and I just kind of there was only four in the Hop Keto class and we just kind of got into it. Yeah, I just dug it.

Speaker 1 26:20

Yeah.

Speaker 2 26:20

Like the discipline of it. I was shouting loud, I was kicking hard. Everybody else was like dude, you know, like chill out, and I'm like no, this is my thing now. I'm having fun, yeah, and like all the stuff that.

Speaker 2 26:40

Master Sim taught you could tell was legit. It wasn't foo-foo. You know what I mean. I didn't want to go to a mcdojo, yep. And yeah, like the guy worked me out, made me puke. My first class I was. I did so many tricep push-ups dude, I thought I was tough and I think I sat in a chair for like three days with ice packs just popping pain pills. But I told him I was like I'm coming. I was like I'm never, just wait for me.

Speaker 1 26:57

Yeah.

Speaker 2 26:58

You know, and then it kind of just started from there and eventually the judo program grew. I was just into the hop keto to start with, yeah, and then the judo program grew and everything just kind of snowballed into that. Yeah. But I started when I was about 30. I didn't want to be 40 years old and out of shape and not be able to do anything about it.

Speaker 1 27:14

So 38, because you're 47? 46. 46, okay, so 37,. 38 was about the time you took over. Yeah, right, yeah. So you'd been doing it for six to eight years with Jay.

Speaker 2 27:30

With Master Sam yeah.

Speaker 1 27:32

And then, as it came time, and honestly, him closing down his portion of the studio when he did turned out to be the biggest blessing for me, oh, yeah, because I had no idea what I was looking for, sure, and when I found I had Jay-Z, who was my realtor, yeah, and he brought me. He's like, hey, there's this martial arts studio that's going to be downsizing. I want you to come look at this. And I don't have a clue what I'm looking for. I need to open a fit body. I'm like I'm over in this gym, what do I need?

Speaker 1 27:59

And when he showed me that space, I still remember there was these dragons on the wall and when we painted over the dragons, we did our best to cover them up, but they continued to seep through and it was like a couple of years these dragons were popping through the white paint, taking out a repaint. I remember that, contending to cover up the dragons. But then you moved to that back portion of that facility and it just worked out really well for the both of us. Yeah, and I think that you and I both, I just can remember you know, I was opening Fit Body, you were taking over the Hapkido and Judo, and there'd be times where we would sit there and in middle of the day there wasn't a lot going on for either of us at that point.

Speaker 2 28:38

yeah, at that point, uh times are different now?

Speaker 1 28:41

yep, but we would. I'd maybe pop back into your dojo and just chit chat with you like, hey, how are we gonna get some more people in here? And we'd just talk and we'd figure out, you know what we could do, and we'd do some different things. And I remember you'd pop in the front like, hey, you know anything about Facebook?

Speaker 1 28:55

We were just talking, trying to figure out what the heck we were going to do. And we shared a back hallway and we shared a bathroom, and I think that both you and I had such the like, let's make it work mentality, totally when you know, our landlord, even too, was like, well, who's going to pay for what and what? And we always worked it out, yep, yep, and we just we didn't know what we didn't know, and we just worked hard to service whatever person walked through our door. And then we tried to figure out how could we have mutual clients, how could, maybe, how could maybe if the kids are going to judo or Hapkido could the mom or dad come?

Speaker 1 29:36

to bootcamp or vice versa, and and we even worked some of those things out and that's how I I met, um, some of the awesome, uh, chloe and her mom, holly.

Speaker 1 29:45

That's right, that's how I met them, and I even helped holly with some, uh, other stuff for her full-time job now doing emceeing of different things, and it's just been been crazy how you never know who you're going to meet. Nope that here we are, almost 10 years later. Yeah, and what was it? Maybe two weeks ago I shot you a text and I was like, hey, I'm just trying to get more exposure to different health and wellness type of things in town. You want to come on the podcast? And here we are and we met in 2015, 2014. Yep, is when we originally met. Yeah, um, and it's wild, your wife, um, and you were clients forever at at the gym and you know you'd pop over there and, man, it was so much fun when we could have, I think, even times you'd bring even some of all of your instructors over and we would all work out together and you'd be almost like a requirement that you're like hey guys, before we do our training tonight, we're going to go do boot camp.

Speaker 2 30:41

Yep and we just had fun.

Speaker 2 30:43

It was a blast. It was a blast. I remember doing that Saturday mornings yes, you know, renting the space or whatever what I had to do, push them through, and then we'd go truth, like if I wasn't doing my dojo, I'd be at Fit Body. Yeah, you know what I mean. That's, that would be, that's, that's my next step, you know, just to stay into shape and to keep going when after I get too old, or whatever you want to call it. You know, yeah, uh, but yeah, that was always fun. I always enjoyed sessions.

Martial Arts Club Benefits and Training

Speaker 2 31:24

You know, we could feed off of each other and that's really nice because we were both in that same position of here we go. You know, like, what did we just get into? Yeah, we got passion. Now, what? Yeah? So, yeah, uh, and it's definitely been. It's been a great roller coaster of a ride, but it's definitely holy cow. The things you've accomplished in almost 10 years and the things that I've accomplished in 10 years. Wild for what we're doing is and out of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, for that matter it's crazy Like, yeah, we're taking over the world from South Dakota Always been my goal, yeah, so, yeah, it's been absolutely wonderful.

Speaker 1 31:46

Tell me you were mentioning, before we started recording that, something about the only registered Hapkido. Or you said that your guys' club is the only has the only registered. You're telling me what was it? Yeah, we actually. It's three things, which is wonderful.

Speaker 2 32:03

We're the only hop keto within god knows how far okay never really heard of any other hop keto. We're the only nationally registered uh judo club in the state, which means that, uh, your promotions and everything. Now there's a registration fee and that's such as life. You know that always goes for things, yep, but your promotions don't go null and void Like they're nationally recognized oh cool.

Speaker 2 32:24

You can bring your card to any judo club in America and be like you know, boom. Whether they want to recognize it or not is fine. But nationally you're recognized and once you get up in ranks then you start. You know placing and you know getting points for tournaments, and then you know, then you're on the national roster.

Speaker 1 32:41

Yeah.

Speaker 2 32:41

The other thing we have, which is kind of ironic because five years ago yesterday is when we met Coach Sawyer. Yeah, my buddy Chris and I had started. Mainly Chris forced me because he's my good friend of mine. He's like you do what you did, sue.

Speaker 1 32:57

I was like okay, fine.

Speaker 2 33:02

You know, I took off all my gis and all my ropes on my body and then he laid on me and killed me in like two and a half minutes, which is pressure.

Speaker 1 33:07

So is jiu-jitsu.

Speaker 2 33:08

You don't wear a gi, not in the style that we do. Okay, we do all no-gi jiu-jitsu, which is very, in my opinion, user-friendly. Sure, you don't have to buy a gi. You can show up in your shorts and t-shirt. Eventually, you're going to buy the cool stuff that everybody else is wearing, don't get me wrong. Sure, sure, but yeah, you can show up in your flip-flop shorts and t-shirt and just start to learn.

Speaker 1 33:29

And you do this barefoot, Yep barefoot on the ground, yep, yep.

Speaker 2 33:34

And the 10th Planet style is just so much fun.

Speaker 1 33:38

Yeah. And so I remember for myself. I mean, I'm very unknowledgeable in the martial arts world, sure. And I remember even thinking like what's a gi? Sure.

Speaker 2 33:50

I didn't even know.

Speaker 1 33:51

So maybe someone that's watching or listening to this episode, maybe they're also like what is a gi? Yeah, that makes sense. So what is a gi?

Speaker 2 33:56

Gi is just the uniform that we wear. It's usually made out of a harder um thicker canvas. Okay, so when we're like when I had my hot keto uniforms, they weren't as thick and we were pulling arms off when we were doing throws, like we're pulling sleeves off of people's uniforms, ripping them so yeah, so these are a little bit uh, tighter and that just standard color is white for judo.

Speaker 2 34:14

Got you, um, when you into nationals you need white and blue for competition. But you know, gi is just, it's basically a canvas kimono is what they call it, and it's pants and a coat. Yeah, pants and a coat and a belt, and you just tie your belt around it. You're good to go.

Speaker 1 34:27

And do you literally use like so, if you're a one of the three brown belts, yes, or any colored, but do you literally use that belt to tie your gi? Mm-hmm.

Speaker 2 34:37

Yeah, it just goes over like a regular standard belt keeps your kimono crossed or keeps your gi crossed and attached.

Speaker 1 34:43

And so when you start, that's your white belt. Right you get the white belt, and then, as you go up, you get the other colored belt and that's the belt you tie it with Yep, and that is a gi, yep.

Speaker 2 34:53

Okay, that's how the gi works G-I A gi, g-i yeah, just G-I yeah. Okay, it's a fun one, like heroes, you know like how do you say that one, because it's spelled so many different ways too, like a giro, A gyro, a gyro. Yes, yeah, it was always fun.

Speaker 1 35:11

Okay, so that's what a gi is Is just shorts, t-shirt, no shoes, rock and roll, yeah, okay.

Speaker 2 35:16

Yeah, and it gets really, really interesting and the great thing you know like we are the only just strictly no-gi practicing club in Sioux Falls. Okay, we do the 10th Planet system. No one else is doing the 10th Planet system. What?

Speaker 1 35:31

does that mean?

Speaker 2 35:32

10th Planet is something that came up. And speaking of MMA, eddie Bravo, I'm sorry, john Jacques Machado created it and he was a jiu-jitsu player and he's only got like two fingers, two fingers, and he's only got a couple fingers, so he had to work on underhooks and overhooks because he couldn't grip. Yeah, so that's kind of where it started from. It's more of an MMA style. I'm going to say I started from. It's more of an MMA style. I'm going to say I mean, all jujitsu is an MMA style. Okay, but a lot of the positions for the 10th Planet Jujitsu is meant for not getting hit in the face. If you're on your back, there's ways to hold the guy to you to where you don't get hit and struck, and so on and so forth. So that intrigued me and that's why I kind of just started that program. Plus, you know everybody already, kind of there's a couple different places that have a gi jiu-jitsu program. So yeah, as a business you want to separate yourself in some way different.

Speaker 2 36:26

Yeah, absolutely uh, we just happened to run into sawyer who was moving into at a tournament, the local tournament here in sioux falls yeah and he was the only one there.

Speaker 2 36:36

It was funny because he won all his matches. But they were two sorriers and they messed the names up, so he ended up taking the bronze. But he just humbled, smiled and kept going yeah, dude is super laid back. Sure, amazing, coach knows his stuff, super awesome. Yeah, very creative. That's the fun part about jujitsujitsu is like I always tell them I don't care how I die, as long as it's cool. You better do something cool to me. Sure, you know what I'm saying. Sure, so actually stepping into that as a white belt and taking off my black belt a couple years was a very interesting type of situation.

Speaker 1 37:12

Probably like pretty humbling right.

Speaker 2 37:14

Super humbling, yeah, because you have a little bit of pride in your black belts and stuff like that. Yeah, but you learn that they're meant for certain situations, yeah. So now I have a standing, a throwing, and I'm working on my ground techniques. I don't know what I'm going to do with it at almost 50.

Speaker 1 37:30

Sure but.

Speaker 2 37:31

I'm just staying in shape at this point. I just really like the program. My youngest son, Cole. I train with him in jiu-jitsu. Okay, how old's Cole now, oh, he's 12. Oh man Dude, he's like 150 pounds too. He's like no joke.

Speaker 1 37:44

Wild.

Speaker 2 37:44

He's only like 15 pounds lighter than me. He just needs the height. You know, my oldest is just graduating college this week. Actually, oh my goodness, yeah, dude, yeah, dude, noah's graduating college this week. Yeah, that's wild. He's 6'2" 190. You know, I don't know, must skip a generation or something like that. Lucky kids, yeah, but they're going to be some big boys Because I do remember for you kind of gaining weight was always difficult. Oh, it's almost impossible.

Speaker 1 38:10

Yeah, you've got like a super fast metabolism. You stay very active and I do remember that was something always like. And that is for for the average client that I work with and even for myself, like I fall into the category where I don't have any problem gaining weight. Um, I definitely have problem keeping the weight off and losing weight. Sure, I wouldn't say problem, but it's more difficult for me.

Speaker 2 38:32

Yeah, right, and as we get older, it's harder. Yeah, yeah so.

Speaker 1 38:35

Yeah, so that's just wild though. Yeah, noah, graduating college, cole training with you. Yeah, it's wild man, super, super cool.

Speaker 2 38:44

And he actually got me a couple weeks ago. I was playing soft with him and I shouldn't have been, because now he's starting to get strong.

Speaker 1 38:51

And he took that split second. He got it. He caught you on your split second.

Speaker 2 38:54

I was so happy. Yeah, I was like boy. But now he got a little, he got too happy and I had to bring him back down a little bit. But yeah, that's what you want, I mean as a coach, as a dad. Eventually your students should catch you. Yeah, I mean you always have tricks, but if you taught them right, then, yeah, they know everything. You know, you know what I mean. So it just kind of falls into place.

Speaker 1 39:17

Yeah, that's awesome, and so, as it pertains to Hapkido and Judo with Jiu-Jitsu, you know, the whole thing of it is that I really just hope that our audience understands that health and fitness and working out, moving your body there are so many ways, and so, really, one of the things we've been really working on is bringing on different guests to this show that have a knowledge different than mine, but it is encouraging movement, it is encouraging wellness, is encouraging taking care of your body, mind, body and soul. The whole works, and so I just love that you have this program, that you have this gym, that you're passionate about it. I love that, even through the ups and downs of life, you have continued to find a way to keep it going.

Speaker 2 40:06

Yes, sir.

Speaker 1 40:06

Because, from a business owner, I understand it's difficult and there are sacrifices that I'm sure that you've had to even make with your family and with those that you love to keep this thing going. And that's just. It's awesome and it should be something that you should be proud of, which I know you are Totally, and I really want just our listeners to know that that's an option. You know there's many options in town for moving your body and staying in shape and doing something, and maybe, if you've tried something that you just didn't love, whatever type of fitness that might be, try more things. Absolutely, get out there and try more things. What we'll do is we'll put a link in the description of this video or in the description of this episode so that people can find your website and on there can they find a spot to be able to get a hold of you and then maybe even claim like two free weeks.

Speaker 2 40:56

Yeah, totally, totally. There's a trial free. And then they just email me and I say absolutely, come on in whenever you're ready. Cool that type of situation. If you'd like to, you can just come in as well. We are at 3504 South Minnesota Avenue. We're actually not far, we're just across. I can see your building from my building.

Speaker 2 41:13

So we're just on the other side of Minnesota, there behind, actually, someplace gone, so it's going to be like Heartland Computers and stuff like that. So we're not very far from the central location. But I agree with you 100%, and whether it's martial arts or fit body or whatever, everybody just needs to find their niche. That's it. And even if you can do it with your family, that's even better. Yeah, but stay in shape, stay happy. And I still wonder why we like being sore to stay in shape. But you know, that's just part of the thing that we go Part of it right.

Speaker 2 41:46

It's almost the prize of okay, I did a good job. Yeah, you know what I mean.

Speaker 1 41:49

Yeah, and I don't mind that part either get off your couch, go have some fun, grab a friend and find something fun. You know, and with that I think the thing with it is like if you don't choose to go make your body sore in effort of getting better, in effort of staying in shape, if you don't choose to go find that sore, then what happens is that sore finds you. That's right. And so I kind of feel like go find it, because either way, you're going to end up at a point in life where you're sore and I'd rather it be your sore because you chose to go move your body and make your body better, strengthen it. Then, for all of a sudden, you define yourself at this point in life where it hurts to walk.

Speaker 1 42:33

It hurts to move it hurts to get up and down off the ground and and the truth is which is a sad truth, but unfortunately that is what happens it does. If you don't choose to take care of your body.

Speaker 2 42:45

Yep, and I tell you what I'm 46, still doing martial arts, and I don't mind the sore and I feel great every day.

Speaker 1 42:52

Yeah.

Speaker 2 42:52

You know, it's like I can tell myself that I did something that was worthwhile, yeah, and I can compare myself to some others and I'd like to take them along on my vision of my journey with me.

Speaker 1 43:02

Yeah.

Speaker 2 43:02

You know, health and fitness, however you get it is just super important for your body and for your mind as well. I always tell my students as well the day you don't want to go is the day you need to go. Yes, the hardest day is always the best day. Yep, for some reason you don't know why you just have to keep that positive thought process of something's going to happen today and I'm going to be really glad that I went Plus here. You got to make sure that you're paying attention to your work out there. You don't want to get punched in the face, so it kind of shuts your mind off, and you've got to focus on what you're doing, be present. Yeah, yeah, you got to be present. You got to be accountable for what you're doing and make sure you give it 100% of whatever you're doing too. Yeah, you know.

Speaker 1 43:41

Yeah.

Speaker 2 43:41

Or else it's not going to get anywhere.

Speaker 1 43:42

That's right. Well, I love that you guys Let that kind of go with you throughout the day is be present, put 100% into what it is that you're doing and just know that, whatever stage of life that you're in right now, in a year from now, it could be 100% different, and for the better, if you would just decide today to take action. Thank you guys for joining us on this episode of the Sioux Falls Fit and Healthy Show. What I'll do is I'll pop that link in the description. You can meet my good friend Scooby in person. Scooby, just thank you so much for taking the time to be here. I appreciate it, my man.

Speaker 1 44:17

You guys like, subscribe and share this episode, because it's only because of you liking, subscribing and sharing that we can keep making this for free for you. Have an awesome day, you guys. We'll catch you on the next episode of the Fit and Healthy Sioux Falls Show. Bye, you guys. Peace, have a good day.