Martial Arts Past and Present

Rarely does one interview pack in so much heart, humor, and hard-won wisdom. In this continuation of Sensei Ed Brizz’s conversation with Grandmaster Eric Lee, the discussion digs deep into what it truly means to be a lifelong student of martial arts and of life itself. Grandmaster Lee makes one thing crystal clear: purpose demands action, not just thought. He rejects the idea of retirement entirel...

Rarely does a single conversation capture decades of wisdom so powerfully. Grandmaster Eric Lee, the legendary “King of Kata,” sits down with Sensei Ed Brizz to share a lifetime of hard-won insight about what martial arts truly means. Born nearly eighty years ago in a small village near Canton, China, Eric’s journey began watching his father practice and grew through the influence of classic kung...

Rarely does a single conversation contain this many hard-won lessons packed into one sitting. Chris Harris, sixth Dan martial artist and founder of Roku Jitsu, built a system combining six martial arts disciplines after a childhood that could have broken anyone. Growing up in Dayton, Ohio, with his mother incarcerated, Harris found himself homeless around age twelve, living on the streets by choic...

Rarely does a martial artist's story span five black belts, seventy films, and a groundbreaking role alongside Michelle Yeoh, but Cynthia Rothrock's journey does exactly that and more. Starting martial arts at age thirteen after watching friends practice in an exercise room, she went on to become an undefeated forms champion over one hundred times and one of the first Caucasian women to perform ma...

Rarely does a single phone book advertisement change the entire course of a life. Yet that is exactly what happened when Hanshi Don Mathews began his martial arts journey in 1983 after spotting a yellow pages listing. What followed was over forty years of training, teaching, and eventually founding the Warriors Legacy Hall of Fame to honor those who truly earned their place. Don holds a ninth-degr...

Rarely does a conversation about martial arts cut this deep. Jef Naayers, who first fell in love with Kung Fu at age eleven after watching David Carradine in the original Kung Fu pilot, has spent decades training at Shaolin Temple, traveling to China yearly, and wrestling with questions that go far beyond fighting technique. The overuse of titles like “Grandmaster” and “Sifu” is actively damaging...

What does it take to transform childhood bullying into a lifetime of martial arts mastery? Jose Luis Torres II started training at age five after his mother enrolled him in karate, inspired by Chuck Norris films. Fast forward four decades, and Torres, who is now a ninth Dan in Tang Soo Do, actually met his childhood hero at a charitable gala in Texas. (Talk about a full-circle moment.) Interesting...

Starting martial arts training in 1973 after watching Bruce Lee, Hanshi Jonathan Edmondson thought earning a black belt would solve everything. The bullied child seeking confidence discovered something far more profound: his real opponent wasn’t external at all. (It never is, really.) Now an eighth Dan in Chosen Kwan and ordained deacon, Edmondson reveals how true mastery means understanding your...

A conversation between Sensei Ed Briz and Kwanja Nim Chris Natsky explores Chris’s 50+ years in martial arts, his mentorship under Bill “Superfoot” Wallace, and how martial arts shaped his life, career, and personal breakthroughs. Overview of Our Discussion * Chris shares how he began martial arts in 1973 after being inspired by the TV show Kung Fu . * He describes growing up in Wisconsin, playing...

The 2026 edition marked the 25-year milestone of the Action Martial Arts Hall of Honors, widely marketed as the largest martial arts networking, seminar, and awards gathering in the world. It was held from January 30th to February 1st, 2026. The multi-day convention-style martial arts summit combined: * Hall of Fame / awards ceremonies * world-class seminars * celebrity appearances * tournaments a...

What happens when a seven-year-old boy learns martial arts to protect his mother from domestic violence? Mike Hess, a 10th Dan karate instructor and retired police officer with 35 years of law enforcement experience, shares his remarkable journey from childhood trauma to becoming a respected martial arts teacher. (He’s been running his own school since earning his black belt in 1975.)Throughout th...

From Humble Beginnings to Mastery: Master Angel Lee on Resilience and CharacterStarting with just two years old, Master Angel Lee, a sixth dan martial artist, began a journey that would take him from childhood training under his gung fu master father to facing paralysis and ultimately building a multimillion-dollar business. What happens when someone refuses to let a devastating car accident defin...

If you missed Part 1 of Bill’s Birthday Bash interviews, you can find it here… Bill "Superfoot" Wallace's 80th Birthday Bash - Part 1 The interviews continue with more great stories about how these martial artists got started along with when and how Bill became a truly special part of their lives. As a recap, Friday’s events included testing and a celebrity meet-and-greet. Saturday started off wit...

This week, I come to you from Indianapolis, Indiana from Bill “Superfoot” Wallace’s 80th birthday celebration. Friday’s events included testing and a celebrity meet-and-greet. Saturday started off with Bill leading a morning stretching session followed by several seminars hosted by great martial artists. The day concluded with a wonderful dinner celebrating the great Bill Wallace. In this first pa...

Sensei Ed Briz welcomes Mike Gillespie, a third Dan from Sarasota, Florida, to discuss his martial arts journey. Mike began in the late 1980s at age eleven, inspired by The Karate Kid and persistent requests to his parents. He previously played soccer and ran cross country. Mike identifies the “blue belt blues” as a significant early challenge, a term coined by his first instructor Jim Graydon, de...

Join Sensei Ed Briz as he finishes up interviewing martial arts icon “Superfoot” Bill Wallace, the undefeated middleweight kickboxing world champion and 10th Dan black belt. Bill and Ed discussed karate training and testing. Bill shared his experience training in Okinawa, emphasizing the importance of consistent practice and understanding the “why” behind techniques. They agreed that testing shoul...

Join Sensei Ed Briz as he sits down with martial arts icon “Superfoot” Bill Wallace, the undefeated middleweight kickboxing world champion and 10th Dan black belt. From his humble beginnings weighing just 89 pounds in Indiana to becoming a global martial arts phenomenon, Wallace shares his incredible journey of resilience and adaptation. After a career-threatening knee injury ended his judo prospe...

Join us again as we hear from Grandmaster David Lee Garrison. Early Journey and Discipline Grandmaster Garrison began martial arts in the 1970s after competing in other sports. He admitted he struggled with his temper and competitiveness, but martial arts gave him discipline, structure, and a way to channel his energy in a positive direction. Patience and Consistency He believes beginners often ma...

Journey with Sensei Ed Brizz as he talks with Master Roy Worth, owner of his own Martial Arts school in Florida. Roy explains how he started his own journey into the world of Martial Arts. He has made it a family. From the time he was a boy, watching Kung Fu theater, to helping to keep his very young students on track, he knows the struggle to stay on course with training. We also learn about his...