Episode 288 - Master Tim Smith
Master Tim Smith is a martial arts practitioner, instructor and an anti-bullying advocate based in Durango, Colorado.
I can always spot the one that I know who’s gonna make it to black belt and above. they have something a little bit different in their eyes. I think that they were destined to wear black belts on them.
Master Tim Smith - Episode 288
How do we address the problem of bullying in the school and community if it’s considered a part of growing up? Master Smith was a shy kid with a speech problem who began a massive life transformation when he saw Bruce Lee’s Enter the Dragon. That movie became the beginning of his passion for the martial arts, and he hasn’t stopped training since. His personal experiences with bullying led him to start a bullying awareness program in his area. Like many of the best advocates, he took something that was originally a negative impact on his life and used that experience to better the lives of others. Listen to find out more!
Show Notes
On this episode, we mentioned the following:Bruce Lee, Enter the Dragon, Jeff Speakman, Jason StathamWe mentioned the following movies:The Karate Kid, John Wick Movies[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eiNESoqgGG4[/embed]
Show Transcript
You can read the transcript below or download here. Jeremy Lesniak:Welcome to whistlekick martial arts radio episode 288 and today I'm joined by Master Tim Smith. It’s a great episode, I love this one, hopefully you're going to love it too. And guess what? We have 287 other episodes that you can check out all for free here martial arts radio. They're available on YouTube, they're available on your favorite podcast app, they’re available at whistlekickmartialartsradio.com and in fact when I say there are 287 other episodes, that's a bit of a live there actually 288 other episodes because if you sign up for our newsletter we send you our exclusive behind-the-scenes top 10 tips for martial artists episode. It's never been released publicly on the podcast feed and it never will. We only send it to those folks who are willing to get our once or twice monthly newsletter. We don't spam you, we don't sell it, your address that is, we don’t sell the newsletter either in fact we give you discounts sometimes to the products we sell. The products we sell on whistlekick.com, the products that are available all over the place, Amazon maybe your martial arts school has a pro shop and maybe our stuff is there, we are all over the place and the number of places that we are continues to grow, it is mind-boggling. But I haven't even told you who I am, my name is Jeremy Lesniak, I'm the founder here at whistlekick and I am the blessed guy who gets to talk about martial arts as part of his job and that's what I'm doing here today. This episode touches me in a bit of a different way than most of our episodes because our guest today, grew up shy, had some noticeable speech issues as a child, and he was bullied because of his differences. Those experiences while not seem as my own story, are similar enough that it gives us some common ground. Experiences we do spend some time discussing. Master Tim Smith has been training since he was 11 and hasn't stopped since. His is a great story so let's listen to it.Tim Smith:How are you doing Jeremy?Jeremy Lesniak:I'm doing great how about yourself?Tim Smith:I'm doing fantastic, Thank you. Sorry about last week on there.Jeremy Lesniak:Hey, not a problem you know coordinating this stuff is not easy and I'm still you know we are over three years in now and I'm still learning tips and tricks to make it easier for everybody, I mean thank heaven we don't have to deal with time zone math.Tim Smith:Exactly. I have my wife doing all my business stuff for me so I think we had a little confusion on the phone number so I apologize on that.Jeremy Lesniak:Hey, don't worry about it you know, good things come to those that wait right they say that so we just kicked it back a week and now here we are and we get to talk.Absolutely.Jeremy Lesniak:Everything coming through fine on your end?Tim Smith:[00:03:12.57] get over there?Jeremy Lesniak:Oh yeah you sound wonderful. Cool.Tim Smith:First time I ever heard that, my wife tells me to shut up all the time.Jeremy Lesniak:I'm not stepping in that one.Tim Smith:We're married for 20- 26 years so she has the right to know every now and then.Jeremy Lesniak:Does she train with you?Tim Smith:No, she doesn’t. She tried before she got up to orange belt but she couldn't separate the business side from the martial arts side because she is my business manager.Jeremy Lesniak:Okay interestingTim Smith:So, she just had hard time kind of turning her mind off of there you know what I mean and then when she's on the mat she was always wondering what was happening on the other side of the mat. So, she just couldn’t and this is being for her and that's okay you know. [00:03:59.12]Jeremy Lesniak:But at the same time, she still involved in martial arts.Tim Smith:Absolutely she does make sure the studio run fine. She has my back in a lot of different ways, so she is involved in martial arts. She goes to seminars with me and kinda hangs out there and watches and absolutely she is.Jeremy Lesniak:I'm sure that, I guess we can call it division of labor?Tim Smith:There you go. That’s the best absolutely I never thought about that absolutely she's behind the scenes person.Jeremy Lesniak:I think we can all think of those people that we lean on in business and having a martial arts business is no different so.Tim Smith:Yeah, she allows me to concentrate on teaching part and kinda growing that part of what she can handle you know we both know our strength and weaknesses and that is her strength she allows me to do what I do best on their, it’s a good partnership.Jeremy Lesniak:There's some amazing parallels to training in what you're saying. [00:05:02.23]Tim Smith:Absolutely absolutely.Jeremy Lesniak:Cool. Well you know is if you're okay with it because that this is the audio quality is been fine since you picked up the phone and we kinda have this good chat going, I don't I want to break the flow can we just kinda keep rolling and call this all part of the episode?Tim Smith:Oh, absolutely I have no problem with that. AbsolutelyJeremy Lesniak:Well then let me take a moment to take a step back in and introduce you to the listeners, I’ll record an intro later but I do appreciate that formality something I like doing. So, listeners, today we have Master Tim Smith on the line here and you know, were just, we're just gonna can see where it takes us. As you already heard we just kinda started wondering off talk about martial arts business and who knows where else we're going today. Let's take a step back I mean, this is this is a question I often ask early on because I think it helps set the tone, how'd you get started in the martial arts?Tim Smith:I never really was looking for martial arts. When I was a kind I have a speech, problem growing up and I got picked on a lot for it. I got not only verbally abused, but physically abuse for my speech problem and I was kinda shy and wouldn’t really talk to people so I didn't really have a lot of confidence, if that makes sense. And you know that went up till boy, I think I was in fifth grade, something like that. So I kinda have that issue going on and I remember one time when I was living in California, my mom took me to a movie and it was like one of the [00:06:35.23] drive-in theater that about five different screens going on and my mom took and go see Herbie the love bug and I remember that and I didn’t really like Herbie love bug so I was watching her on different movies and I see this guy in this other screen, he was little short guy is wearing a yellow jumpsuit and he was kicking someone in the face and he had so much energy on him and it looked like he had so much confidence and that turned out to be Bruce Lee on enter the Dragon. And I was so enthralled with him with the way he looked and the way his confidence was that I asked my mom you know; can I start whatever he's doing and I can look around and found out that that was karate or martial arts and I made the phone call about two days later to the nearest karate school I could find and I started right from there I think about 11 years old [00:07:25.38] and I’ve been with it ever since.Jeremy Lesniak:What is changed for you and your training in and let's talk about the part of martial arts that's internal in your mind, what has changed for you as you approach martial arts from the moment you saw the guy in the yellow jumpsuit jumping around to now?Tim Smith:I realize that you know, the power, you don't let other people have power and that come to martial arts and the training that you know. I was letting other people have power over me doing that. When I started martial arts and I started doing karate, I realize that the power that I had was in me and not anybody else and once I’ve learned that do the training and discipline and learning how to defend myself basically that I realize, hey ask what that guy in the yellow jumpsuit had that he had the power within him to not, [00:08:33.01] really care what other people think and I think that's what I was taken out of training is more the physical side but the mental side, it was more no I don't, I don't really care what other people think about me anymore because I know my power what I had within me that makes sense to you and so I think that's what changed from there from there, from then to now, is that I have more control over what I do, my power within me and that's pretty much it with there.Jeremy Lesniak:It's such a part of so many people's journeys and not just a martial art, I think we, we sometimes those of us that have been bullied I think it's easy for us to think that it's something that only happens to some people and that it in that way it can sometimes become a badge we identify with it.Tim Smith:I considered a badge of honor honestly, you know, the gentleman that was blowing back when I was a kid he actually called me he got to Facebook with me a while back ago and he called me and he apologized for it and we had a really good conversation and that was way back that was 40 years ago. You know and he called me in and apologize for it and I told him that's kinda what I consider a badge of honor he changed my life. I mean he took that and I went from a negative to positive that with that because of what he was doing, I could've gone different ways and what he did change my life. I consider it as a badge of honor because it basically became who I am today.Jeremy Lesniak:I'm sure you do how do you bring that forward into the way that you teach? What are you considering as you work with I'm expecting especially younger children who you probably have a good idea are getting picked on at school, how does how does your experience make you a better instructor for them?Tim Smith:Over the last couple of years, I couldn’t, the first time one of my students came in and talk about bullying I mean, I try to answer the best I could but I didn't think I had the answer he wanted. So over the last 20 years I kind of figured out just to listen and understand what they're coming from and listening is the major thing that I found that I could refine is listening and do not know say I have all the answers just sometime they just need to be heard about it and then once they're heard, they feel better a bit more empower that somebody is listening to them, I think that's what I got out of that and the last couple years I’ve been just really trying, we've been putting together bully program on how to belt handle bullies, how to understand bullies, how to talk to them and then I just make sure that they know my doors open and I may not have answers for them but I will definitely listen to them.Jeremy Lesniak:As someone who's, who was bullied I mean, we have that in common and I know so many of the listeners have reached out over the years to say that they've had similar experiences just validating that it's happening. When everyone around them you know, especially their peers and you know were slowly seeing a shift in culture but often times, it still looked at as kids being kids or things like that and you know what maybe that's true but if that's true. But if that's true, it’s true in hindsight it's not true in the moment when you're eight years old and you're being stuck in a trashcan.Tim Smith:Absolutely. You know what I found to you know, the culture-wise, like you said, there's a small shift going on but especially with boys. Boys are like I heard dad saying all that just part of growing up you know, you learned and [00:12:42.07] that to a point that is true but you know I felt that a lot of the kids when the parents were telling them that, that’s just part of growing up, that's a rite of passage that they’re not be invalidated what's happening. You know when you're eight years old and like you said being your head put into a trashcan, they need somebody to validate that and they need to know, they needed to have somebody listen to them.Jeremy Lesniak:If you could go back and you could be the martial arts instructor now to you as a child, what would you tell yourself?Tim Smith:Don't be afraid. Have courage to speak out and hold your head high and honestly don't back down. That’s kinda what I would tell him that you hold your head a high and don’t be afraid and have courage to stand up to him [00:13:40.09]. Cause that's, once I’ve done that after I won martial arts and kinda once I done that for the first time, it kinda took care of the problem.Jeremy Lesniak:I'm sure in your time teaching and training and all that, you've got some pretty good stories. We like really like talking about stories here they're my favorite parts of the episode. Do you have a great story you want to share with me your favorite?Tim Smith:I do. It’s not an excitement story but to me it’s kinda exciting. When I was growing up and I think [00:14:13.06] a 1991 I’ve seen the perfect weapon with Jess Speakman and it’s kinda like one of my favorite movies at that time because it just kind of sold kempo, what kempo was about I kinda really enjoyed it cause that's the first I’ve seen where kempo actually it works right? So, I always like Jeff Speakman so I was gonna go to Vegas a while back ago for a seminar there, we had to gathering of the eagles in Vegas one time and I heard that Mr. Speakman was there and I called them I said, hey can I come see your to studio or your dojo I mean, I heard it was beautiful. And his assistant said, sure come on right so I went in there and kind look around his dojo and his assistant was showing me around and I hear how you doing I turned around and Mr. Speakman was there. It’s like a little kid meeting an idol, you know what I mean? And I got to talk to him for a little bit, he was there and he was very gracious and he kind of talking and showed me around and I had a couple of my students with me and was very gracious and I thought that Would be an end of it. So, the next day at the hotel Mr. Speakman was gonna be one of [00:15:20.35] for the gathering of the Eagles and I was down in the copy line getting copy and I had a tap on my shoulder and turn around it was Mr. Speakman and he said you know we didn't get a lot of time to talk. So, you know you want to sit down and have coffee and talk with me? And of course, I said yes so, we sat down and we talked for about a good hour before the seminar. So that was kinda exciting for me to have Somebody I always grew up with in martial arts with and I got finally meet him and he actually took time out to sit down and talk to me. And you not been communicating with him [00:15:56.07] in the last couple years because of that so that was kinda cool story for me with it.Jeremy Lesniak:Yeah, he's such a good guy and you're not the first person to tell me a story similar to this. I don't know that we've had others on the show but he's always struck me as someone who didn't let fame get in the way you know.Tim Smith:I did not believe he did. He was down to earth, he was very humble and just a great person to talk to at that time absolutely.Jeremy Lesniak:Cool. I'd like to think about life and how life has changed, how life is grown and I like to think about one of the rough times. Tell us about sometime when things were going well and how your martial arts saved you?Tim Smith:There it out one night when I was growing up I had mentioned her speech issue. I was very shy and I wouldn't talk to people and that's kind of beginning of things for me and through the years I had some ups and downs and because of that I had some issues with things. The one that's the lowest part of my life we you know what I was getting kinda picked up an [00:17:31.35] like kinda getting picked on and I felt [00:17:37.33] Compton, my little boy came back to me and I was being that 11-year-old boy again who was getting picked on and that happened for a little while, I was at work and it was happening for a little while and I mean it doesn’t seem like much now but it was back then you know this was 20-25 years ago you know it was hard for me and my wife was trying to figure it out and I do martial arts I kinda figure I had it kinda guy back into that and say hey you know I am black belt now I'm not that little boy again who can get picked on and I know different now and once I realized that it kinda helped me get my competence back in and kinda get me going again and get moving again and I showed up and said enough is enough and handle the problem and finally went away its cause my martial arts training right kinda dig back in and say hey I'm not the same boy back then, I'm different now and it help me kinda get everything back in line with it.Jeremy Lesniak:I'd love for you expand on that a little bit. Because I'm sure we have some folks out there who aren't able to lean on that standing is black belt you know, I do that myself we talk about that on the show the idea that when you look at the work that's gone in whether that's overall or specifically the test to earn your black belt, for many of us it's something that we can hold up in our mind and say I achieved this, I'm a different person, I can get through anything you know, whatever it is. But maybe we have a white belt or blue belt out there who's listening and they're not able to do that, do you have advice for them?Tim Smith:I think, I think everybody had that energy and I'm not [00:19:30.44] I really truly believe that, I think deep down they have a mechanism that they can take on that is, that will help them with their confidence and they just need to step back and take a deep breath instead worrying about them, the day and the time that they're being picked on, take a step back and say okay, this is who I am and this is what I’ve done and this is why I’m an important person and just really start thinking about the positives of yourself, what you have done positive for yourself and to me that will help start building your confidence And then once you do it, I think that [00:20:17.23] a lot of power within you that will allow you to do almost anything you want to do including setting up but with boys on their. You didn’t have to be a black belt you could be a white belt, you could be a non-martial artist and so find that courage, to step back and realize you have it in you and that you have done great things in your life and you can find that power if you dig deep enough on there and listen to it and use that power for it.Jeremy Lesniak:Good words. If you can't tell and in listeners if you can't tell you know, were talking about a subject that I only recently on an episode realized I had a lot more work to do, to deal with you know that the bullying stuff from my childhood so the questions I'm asking you are selfish. They're completely selfish.Absolutely. I'm okay with that.Jeremy Lesniak:Just getting some perspective here. Well, good. I hope so, because right now is it's you and I and in the listeners, get to listen you know, I’ll give, I’ll give everyone a full refund if they don't like this episode. All $0 and 0 cents if people have to pay to listen. Let's switch up a little bit. Who's been the most influential person on your martial arts?Tim Smith:Oh well of course my instructor in [00:21:42.37] his name [00:21:45.54] and he's been mighty big influence on me. I've had him as my instructor over the last 20 something years and I can't say no great thing about him but besides him, Mr. Ted Sumner who is a tenth-degree black belt and [00:22:01.25] kempo. He's been a big influence on me to not only had mem had me look at different ways of doing kempo and kind of different way working at kempo. You know he introduced me into the healing art perfect kempo about that healing side of martial arts so that was kind of a fun way to kinda look at my training that kinda took it to a different level. Oi think Mr. Sumner is probably one of the biggest influence to with me.Jeremy Lesniak:And I’ll kinda asked the question in a different hypothetical way, who would you want to train with?Tim Smith:Oh easily. Dead or alive? Yeah, Bruce Lee easily hands down. I mean if it wasn’t for his movie, I wouldn't be where I am nowadays, so I would just like to train with him and I like his approach about being you know, using different trials and I like his philosophy in martial arts I think Bruce Lee hands down to be the one I want to train with absolutely. I enjoyed watching all of his movies and I like the way he moves and I just like digging into his brain a little bit deeper and really kinda back to philosophy side of martial art not necessarily the physical side of it, but the philosophy part of it because I’d love to tap that mind.Jeremy Lesniak:You kind of glossed over but I wanted to dig in. You said but if it wasn't for Bruce Lee you wouldn't have found martial arts. That's what I heard. Do you believe that?Tim Smith:I wouldn’t have down [00:23:32.50] as I did let's put it that way. I believe there is a path for everybody and I think the path Was martial arts and it so I eventually think I would've found it. You know might have been a couple more years until I founded it but I think I would have found it without watching that movie as soon as I did and that's kinda what I need it most down there, that make sense?Jeremy Lesniak:It does. So many of these will call them origin stories on the show come from someone, seeing something that just kinda became the final piece that clicked in and honestly, it's a lot of Bruce Lee movies or it's the karate kid or it's ninja turtles or it's a particular person. When people talk about getting in the martial arts they don't talk about it as this long process of developing into the person who's you know, getting ready sort of this the cliché when the student is ready the Master will appear, it always seems to be this final kick. But yet, if you weren't ready, the movie wouldn’t have had the impact, if I wasn't ready then, you know my origin story wouldn’t have kicked off in that way would've been a much longer process. Do you think people are destined to be right for martial arts? Tell me about that.Tim Smith:I decide teaching for 20 years now and I’ve been [00:25:06.10] thousands of students Come into my dojo and I got to put at some are coming in for different reasons and they don't say as long as they should be but I can always spot the one that I know that’s gonna make it to black belt and above. They have something little bit different in their eyes, I think that there were destined to wear a black belt on them and started between but I can definitely spot and I thinker there are people out there that is drawn to it and they been drawn to it since they are a little kid. They could be watching you know kung Fu movies on Sunday morning and they have been punching since they were three years old and don't know what they were doing but he always had that interest in it they couldn’t explain it. So, I think people are destined to do martial arts I really do. Cause I been to people who said they wanted to it in their hearts not in it but then I can find that some person that showed up every class and a train hard in a sweat and they put everything they have behind it and I can tell that there is a drive in them that I can't put into them, it’s into them. I just have to help develop it so yeah, I think people are destined for martial arts absolutely.Jeremy Lesniak:Where do you think that drive comes from? Is it, you think it's a single place if we, this isn't a rhetorical question it's not me asking a question that I even have an opinion on its question that just came to mind. You’re talking about these commonalities this drive these people that I agree are destined to find martial arts, what's the common thread? What is it about them and their personality of their upbringing that we can look and tie everyone together?Tim Smith:I don't know if there is a one common thread in somebody I haven't been able to identify that yet I just know that I can see it in their eyes and I don’t know how to explain that and I think the common thread is different for everybody they could be picked on like I was, they wanted to find that something that they could Master in martial arts would be something that they really, they could take care of and Master and become a black belt in. I don't really know if there is a common thread except they wanted be excelling in something they want to be able to say hey, Tim Smith:I finished this or I made this and I’ve done this. And I think is like military, I think certain people go to be in the military and because they want to be they want to be challenged, there wanted to be something higher than themselves. I think that's the same with martial artist they find out that black belt is something that is not everybody has and I need to work for it and I challenge myself and back so that might be a common thread is that they want to be challenged want to be pushing to something that is not marble, they wanted to goal for themselves that a lot of people do not obtain. That make sense?Jeremy Lesniak:It absolutely does and I think you're right I think, I think that lines up in and I'm gonna think about it more because as I said when I asked the question was a question that I had even thought to ask, so I appreciate your answer.Tim Smith:Oh, my pleasure.Jeremy Lesniak:What you do when you're not training or teaching you know what's life look like for you outside martial arts?Tim Smith:Well I like to spend a lot of time with my family. I worked at that second job to you so I don't get a lot of time with my family so when I do have free time I do like spending time with my family they’re very important to me. They kinda keep me grounded and then I do, I'd love to draw that's one my favorite thing to do, I have a little drawing thing at my house, I’ll sit down and it's kind of a meditation therapy for me if I'm having a [00:29:03.43] that day or I need to clear my head I’ll sit down and do some drawing. I think drawing and spending time with my family is my biggest things like to do with it.Jeremy Lesniak:What do you draw?Tim Smith:Rodeos are big in Durango when I live in during the Colorado we have a lot rodeos. So, I’ll go take some pictures of you know, a different rodeo things or I’ll find something on and on Facebook or whatever and I’ll sit there and I’ll draw pictures of cowboys on horses there are on both being left off or I like a lot of different Western theme type of things with it. It's kind of fun to capture that moment when you have that adversarial bowling cowboy, to me it’s kind of a fun picture to draw for me.Jeremy Lesniak:Yeah, does that culture of the Southwest ever creep in the martial arts people showing up in cowboy hats and has anybody ever want to put a belt on chaps?[00:30:05.06] but they do show up for a lot but cowboy hat but I don't get there to put them on and with it on the mat. If I gave them permission they might want to but I'm not but I never seen that but yeah we do, during the wave of a Western [00:30:25.56] they do have a lot of agriculture and you do have a lot of western people on there and so yeah now then will get somebody coming in and you know, they have their cowboy hats on you know I'm going to man up and I have my cowboy hat that’s sitting on my desk and my boots are sitting by the shoe rack just like somebody else so yeah, yeah we get that culture in there but never on the mat.Jeremy Lesniak:Is there, another question I’ve never even thought to ask so many listeners know I live in Vermont, I come from new England we have a strong tradition of agriculture here as well and there's something that I’ve noticed about the training approach that I guess the dedication to martial arts training among those folks who come from farm families. Is there something similar, you know when folks coming out of out of agricultural lineage?Tim Smith:I noticed that more in adults too, but I noticed that more in the kids like the teenager who they have they could do chores at work, at home they have to get up and then [00:31:38.16] hey they have to get up and feed the cos and they have a little bit more drive to be able to push themselves in to practice more, air little bit more focused on things. You know, they're still teenagers and I got to get on the [00:31:56.07] but they do you have driven to where, they know they have to put some hard-work into it and they're not afraid of the hard work. I know because I think that's a lot to do with their upbringing [00:32:08.21] 4 o'clock morning and feeding the calves and helping your dad you know shipping irrigation water, I think there is a big difference in the in the way they approach their training yes.Jeremy Lesniak:I think so too. Is competition something that you guys talk about much in your school?Tim Smith:You know I was never really raised on some competition in my upbringing in California, I think I did maybe two competitions growing up and I did very well on them and I don't think that more than third place on them. And I enjoyed him but when I moved after to Durango, my instructor was not really a competition person he's just kinda more how effective is your art if needed to basically do self-defense. So, something that we never really were brought up on in this school. But lately, my students been wanting to competitions and about two years ago I took a handful of them down to Santa Fe and [00:33:13.06] competition and you know we did very well, we took home some trophy out of five people I think we took home about three trophies and they enjoyed it so something worth looking more and into doing nowadays with it.Jeremy Lesniak:What do you see as the benefits? We have a lot of people on the show who come from a tradition of competition they spent a lot of time competing in their earlier days and so they have you know, they see some value in it because they know what is done for them. Most of the folks who did not have a tradition of competition rarely get into it and you know, I don’t wanna say make it a priority but it seems like whatever you grew up with whether that's a tradition of competition or how you approach forms or anything, that's what your school becomes. And it almost sounds like you're saying you're letting some your students have a little bit different.Tim Smith:Yeah, we make it a slight shift in the school, absolutely. I found after I took I think it was six kids down there and out of the all the kids we have I think we took about six of them down there and what I found is [00:34:30.55] from they really enjoy it, they enjoy the competition part, but enjoy the camaraderie of the competition, the competitors they really enjoy that part of it a lot and they formed a better friendship at it being a team and that makes sense to you? So, I think they got a lot of it out of being a team they really enjoy that part of it yet as going down there as one unit. And then I also, once they come back with trophy and even the ones that didn't come back with trophies, they held their heads a little bit higher they were proud what they accomplished on their day even if they didn't won a trophy they're proud that they went into the tournament and they gave everything they had and they were recognized for it. So I think that's what I found the beneficial of it is one that builds team what better it makes them stronger as a unit and then it gives them a little bit more pride and confidence in themselves at the your competition and that's not for everybody but that's for some of them [00:35:39.22] give them a chance to do as I say hey, you guys want to do this there's one coming up in a couple months, let's go ahead and start working on it and if you don't want to, that going to go to sit there and we'll do what we been doing with it. So, I think that's what I decided I wanted to kinda change a little bit. We're not gonna be actually looking for competition but if we find one that's interested in there and the kids want to do it and the adults, will look at it will do it absolutely.Jeremy Lesniak:We spent so much time in martial arts holding of the benefits of individual progress, of personal growth and at the same time we watch as team sports especially once kids at that adolescent phase pulling people away and it sounds like you're seeing the benefit of both of finding opportunities of people can be individual succeed as individuals but still feel like part of a group.Tim Smith:Absolutely. And I think some of the kids that come through my school being either homeschooled or whatever their background is, they need that belonging of becoming part of a tribe, that makes sense to you? And I think that's what competition does [00:36:52.43] of the six I took in the last couple of years their friendship has grown so much bigger and they go out with each other and hang out with each other outside of [00:37:02.38] they actually became a team and I love seeing that. So, I think some of the kids, they kinda craved that without them even knowing it.Jeremy Lesniak:I think we all want to be part of something, we want to be part of a group, I think we want to succeed and you know, when we talk about commonalities one of the commonalities among children, young children to get in the martial arts is like you and I they were in some way kind of pushed out you know we didn't click, well I shouldn’t speak for you, I didn't click well with team sports.Tim Smith:Absolutely, neither did I.Jeremy Lesniak:Okay so in martial arts we find our thing where we can succeed but the desire to be part of something else never goes away.Tim Smith:Absolutely and I think with martial arts that's a great thing is that, you know, you can become it's one on one it's you against yourself but it’s also you know, if you have the right environment and you have the right instructor, you know you can make it that's part of the team even if you going to competition your part and experience, your part of something special, you're surrounded by people that have the same goal that you do and I think people fed off of that. I really truly believe that. So, you know, I think martial arts has great things to both sides of it you get individual from, you could kinda be one-on-one against yourself that you get that other side when have something pushing the same way. You know you can make it to black belt, you don’t need people to do that for you. [00:38:43.47]Jeremy Lesniak:I would say of the schools I visit, I travel around a bit, the schools that seem to have the strongest programs especially in that team demographic they have some way of mimicking if not outright creating a team dynamic. Whether that's a tournament team or demonstration team or some of the leadership team and there were there a lot of ways that they implemented but it often uses the word team.Tim Smith:Absolutely. I have a demonstration team also and They have a great time doing that you know, it's something that they feel special going that they have that common, that common bond between the two of them and I think a lot kids will be truly, specially ones that are pushed toward martial arts sometimes they feel they don’t belong like a basketball or baseball they're not good at that but they want something where they are part of the team. I think that given the demonstration, team the competition team, leadership team like you said gives them that experience, I may not think that this I'm still part of the team cause I'm good at this. And I need to find that calling with it.Jeremy Lesniak:Are you a fan of modern martial arts movies? Or movies beyond Bruce Lee's?Tim Smith:I am the considered martial art movies but I love the John Wick movies.Jeremy Lesniak:They keep coming up on the show. We keep talking about them and listeners if you have not seen John Wick and John Wick 2 and I'm going to guess you're gonna go throw the raid movies in as well. Everyone seems to they love those together check them out. Why do you like them?Tim Smith:Well one, I like the fact that Keanu Reeves actually did the training. I don't like actors who rely on set people to do what they need to be done. I mean, cause to me when he does the training and when he believed in what he's doing and you can tell me the actions better, his character's better, the fight sequences are so much more realistic because you can tell hey oh that's what he's doing. So, I like the way that he is training, so I like that part of that he does most of the training himself to make that character [00:41:15.32] plus I like the action in it.Jeremy Lesniak:Yeah. Fantastic movies.Tim Smith:Absolutely, and then the other movie, I was kind of wondering, I like any of the Jason Statham movies, I like the way he does yeah there's one called Homefront, I do believe it’s called Homefront and I was just watching that a couple weeks ago on Netflix and I thought that was a great movie too. That was kind of a fun movie for you to watch. I enjoyed that one.Jeremy Lesniak:Yeah, I know he almost seem to usher in this kind of newer style of martial arts movie where you know he does not come from a background of martial arts but did the work, as you said, and does a tremendous job. He's got the athleticism, he's got the dedication and what he portrays is really solid to the point where most people don't realize he doesn't have a martial arts background.Tim Smith:No, no and I did not believe that until I actually [00:42:20.57] great martial arts background you try to [00:42:24.04] solid performance I mean he everything the does is to my opinion is fantastic I mean it's right on the money. He worked hard at becoming what he is and it showed in his movies. I don't know if you heard but there that new Cobra Kai is coming out YouTube red.Jeremy Lesniak:So, excited. Are you gonna watch?Tim Smith:Absolutely. I don't do YouTube very often but I just actually got up on YouTube red so I can watch it when it comes out and I'm kind of excited to see how that one plays out little bit with it. So, I think that this new modern thing I want to watch is that new Cobra Kai.Jeremy Lesniak:So, or anybody listening that may not know, the original cast, a number of them from the karate kid films including Ralph Maggio, including Billy Zapka, William Zapka are going to be starring in a paid YouTube exclusive show called Cobra Kai and so YouTube Red is the paid YouTube version. And you know there are a lot of martial artist that I hear talking about it and the final thing they say is I guess I have to sign up to pay for YouTube now. Because how can we let this one go?Tim Smith:Yeah, I was battling back and forth as I don't like to sign up paper very often but this one, I had a breakdown and can sign up it. After the episodes are over I might have to switch my way of thinking but right now I have to sign up for YouTube and I'm excited to see how that's story kinda plays out a little bit.Jeremy Lesniak:How did those movies and that characterization impact you in the originals?Tim Smith:The original one? I'm probably teenage growing. To me was the battle of good versus evil, I mean you have Daniel [00:44:26.55] you'd base a good kid he wants [00:44:33.19] we have no Johnny who, I think that he's actually a good kid he just had a bad teacher and he can overcome his issues too. So, I think, to me it was more of a battle of good and evil not only for the character but within themselves you know, Daniel had to find that fighting spirit that he had and then Johnny I think towards the end, he kinda had figure out hey this is not what martial arts was about and I have to change my way of thinking. So, I think that's kind of where I was coming from, that I had to find my spirit like Daniel and then make sure I don't push that into the Johnny zone [00:45:11.18] that makes sense to you? So, I think that's where I that impacted me that the characters you know if you look at a more than just what they were, they were very deep. They were kind of find himself in that movie basically.Jeremy Lesniak:There's a great episode of the sitcom How I Met Your Mother where Neil Patrick Harris's character explains the karate kid but from the opposite perspective that that Daniel is the villain and that Johnny is actually the hero and I'm gonna try find that on the on YouTube and I’ll link that on the show notes. If anybody is new we drop show notes whistlekickmartialartsradio.com so stuff we're talk about, links to you know, movies and people and just things that have come up on the show you can check all those out over there. Yeah, have you had you seen what I'm talking about in that show?Tim Smith:Yeah, I heard that [00:46:08.28] he was kinda arrogant at some point. He, I don't think he was kind of a total Angel in that movie I think he pushed the limits sometimes when. So and then fight like I mention on Johnny in other that was that quote on their there's no such thing as a bad student just a bad teacher, I think that Johnny was basically good kid at Heart cause I think there's one point in the movie where he said I have a year to make it work [00:46:40.01] I have one year to make this right, I think you're going to try to make himself a better person but he is being held back by bad teacher so I think at the end of it, he's trying to find himself you know, when he handed out trophy to Daniel, I think that was a big shift in his way of thinking. I think that they’re both sides to blame, Daniel was a good kid but he wasn't the angel it made him out to be and I think Johnny was a bad kid but he had some good quality.Jeremy Lesniak:People are far more nuanced and maybe that's why that movie holds up because it's not that the acting is exceptional or that the story is anything revolutionary or even that the choreography is that good, but I think maybe it's that it's really honest look that you know our villains aren't entirely bad our heroes are entirely good you know, I mean, that is the manifestation of the yin-yang's symbol.Tim Smith:Absolutely. I agree that you're right on that. The movie was a pretty decent movie, it’s not award-winning movie I don't think that’s gonna, was and win any Oscars but I think that if people seen it to what they wanted see it for, every person that watched that movie, they took something different out of it. For whatever reason or whatever thing, they took out of that movie resonated with them and I think that’s why it does held up for 30 something years later I absolutely.Jeremy Lesniak:Yeah, it’s been a while. Alright.Tim Smith:Yeah makes me feel old when I think back that far away.Jeremy Lesniak:I just try not to do it. I try not to think about that. What's keeping you going? Your training, your teaching, you’re clearly still passionate about martial arts so my question is why?Tim Smith:One is passing on my knowledge on the I had some great instructors growing up. My original teacher was [00:48:39.14] united karate studio in garden grove California, [00:48:42.51] California and he's one of my original teachers and then my teacher nowadays I had the last 20 something years, I wanted, I want to uphold what they told and showed me. I want to keep that legacy going, I want to keep their martial arts. So, one I see the impact we live in a very small town and [00:49:08.26] to dinner yesterday and I ran in before my students at dinner and I like seeing what difference I’m making in their life. Either by just seeing it or from telling me so I’m very passionate about improving people's life. You know, I always said that I can make anybody, I can teach anybody how to fight, I can teach them how to punch and kick but it's hard to make them into a better human being or help them find their path in life and I enjoy that part a lot. That's what kinda keeps me going. Other than that, for personal wise, I like to keep myself moving, I’d like to keep myself going, I’m getting up there in age I just turned 50 and I know that's not old but I want to still keep pushing myself to make myself better. I want to keep finding challenges for me and try to see of can answer the challenges with it.Jeremy Lesniak:And people want to reach out to you, how can the how can they find you? Tell us about, I think you got a website.Tim Smith:We have a website which is www.durangokempo.com and you can leave a message on there. We have our schedule on there, classes and we have what we're, my history, my background and then we do you have a Facebook page, Durango kempo karate studio on there so you can look that up. We have a twitter account and we do have Instagram. I don't do Instagram as much as I should be honestly I don't really get that part of it very often but I do the twitter account very often so you can reach us on twitter and on Facebook.Jeremy Lesniak:And what words would you leave the listeners with before we go?Tim Smith:Be yourself, be true to who you are and why you got in the martial arts. I mean I’ve been a martial arts since I was 11 years old, I’m 50 years old now. I have a lot of people trying to tell me their version of their truth of what their path is, with their version of their martial arts journey is and for a while I was trying to follow their journey, not my journey. What I see their eyes, I was trying to see in my eyes and that's not that's not good for anybody. So, what I would leave people is on your journey and stick with it. Find the reason you're passionate about it, find the reason why you started it and stick with that reason don't make anybody out to drain your dream. You’re gonna have ups and downs, you’re gonna have places where you want to quit you career, you're gonna have places where you’re gonna thriving career and just realize that that is the journey. You always gonna have things that can make you want to quit. Keep with it. Push yourself to that limit and make it your own journey and have fun doing it.Jeremy Lesniak:I really appreciated our guest today sharing his experiences, being so open and how he's used some of those experiences to help teach children facing the same challenges. I have no doubt there are number of kids growing up better and healthier because of his time. Thank you Master smith for your great work and your heartfelt passion for the kids growing up like us. Head on over whistlekickmartialartsradio.com check out the show notes with photos and links and video on some of the show notes pages, all the stuff that will give you more context, more insight into who our guests are. If you want to know more about whistlekick, you can check out whistlekick.com you can find us on social media we are @whistlekick primarily on Facebook, twitter, and Instagram but we're at other places as well and of course you can email me directly jeremy@whistlekick.com. I want to thank you for your time thank you for your support and thank you for tuning in to martial arts radio. Until next time, train hard, smile, and have a great day.