Everyday Martial Artist

Scott DaDante began his martial arts journey at the age of 10, and more than 46 years later, he continues to dedicate his life to studying, teaching, and sharing the martial arts. Throughout his journey, he has explored numerous disciplines, including Taekwondo, Tracey’s Karate, American Kenpo, Infiniti Kenpo, To-Shin Do, Kali, and Kenjutsu. In 1993, he founded Northeast Kenpo Kali, where he has spent more than three decades helping students develop confidence, discipline, practical self-defense skills, and a deeper understanding of themselves. Scott’s passion for teaching extends well beyond the dojo. He spent 15 years working in public, private, and charter schools, including serving as a site coordinator. He is also the founder of Phoenix Academy, an organization that brings together martial arts, holistic wellness, and personal development. Through programs in Tai Chi, meditation, chair yoga, and senior self-defense, he continues to make the benefits of movement and self-protection accessible to people of all ages. Today, he teaches at three local senior centers, helping participants improve their mobility, balance, confidence, and overall well-being. His contributions to the martial arts community also include serving as Director of Seminars and as a member of the Board of Directors for the Cleveland Martial Arts Hall of Fame. In these roles, he helps bring together martial artists, instructors, and public-safety professionals to exchange knowledge, experience, and ideas. One of the central themes of Scott’s current work is what he calls the Protector Mindset. His approach emphasizes situational awareness, critical thinking, emotional control, and the ability to make sound decisions under pressure. Through his work with bailiffs, court officers, and other public-safety professionals, he reinforces the idea that effective self-protection goes far beyond physical techniques. With more than four decades of martial arts experience and a lifelong commitment to education, wellness, and personal development, Scott continues to encourage others to imagine what is possible, believe in their potential, and become the best versions of themselves. Please enjoy my interview with Scott DaDante! Two Shades of Night – Kindle edition by DaDante, Scott. Literature & Fiction Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com. Phoenix Academy – (1) Facebook Northeast Kenpo – (1) Facebook Click here for your EverydayMA Discount – https://blizniaksbokken.com/?coupon-code=EverydayMA&sc-page=shop

Growing up in a martial arts family, Yesenia Yser was introduced to the discipline and values of the martial arts long before Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu became her own passion. With a father who was an amateur boxer, held multiple black belts, and operated his own dojo, martial arts were simply part of everyday life. Nearly a decade into her Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu journey, Yesenia is now a two-stripe purple belt who continues to compete, challenge herself, and grow on the mats. Through her training, she has developed the ability to stay calm under pressure, work through difficult positions, and find a way to keep moving forward. Lessons that have proven just as valuable outside the academy as they are on the mats. With more than 12 years of experience in cybersecurity, including working with Fortune 100 companies, Yesenia recognized an opportunity to bring two important parts of her life together. Seeing the growing threats women face both physically and online inspired her to create The Lioness Instincts, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering women with practical physical and digital safety tools rooted in the principles of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Through the organization, Yesenia has helped raise funds to provide approximately 50 women and children with opportunities to attend competitions and BJJ retreats, while also bringing self-defense and digital privacy workshops to communities across the United States. Her long-term vision is ambitious: to reach one million women with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to better protect themselves. Today, Yesenia is continuing to expand that mission by exploring yoga, prenatal yoga, and breathwork, with an emphasis on helping women find their way back to the mats after welcoming a new life into the world. Please enjoy my interview with Yesenia Yser! Home | The Lioness Instincts Our Digital Privacy Audit Ebook – Women’s Digital Safety Bundle — 6-file Guide to Online Privacy, AI Scam Protection & Account Security | Cyberjiujiteira – Etsy Donate here – Donate | The Lioness Instinct The Lioness Instincts Instagram – (2) Instagram The Lioness Instincts – YouTube (24) The Lioness Instincts: Overview | LinkedIn Personal LinkedIn – Yesenia Y. | LinkedIn Your Blizniak’s Bokken Discount here: https://blizniaksbokken.com/?coupon-code=EverydayMA&sc-page=shop

Brian Corrales has devoted more than 35 years to the Korean martial art of Soo Bahk Do Moo Duk Kwan, including 25 years as an instructor. As the owner and head instructor of Wasatch Martial Arts Academy in Salt Lake City, Utah, he is dedicated to helping students of all ages develop discipline, confidence, and character through martial arts training. A certified 6th Dan and a master model instructor, Brian is the highest-ranking Soo Bahk Do practitioner in Utah and leads the state’s only federation certified school authorized to teach the art founded by Grandmaster Hwang Kee. He has completed the demanding eight-day Ko Dan Ja Shim Sa masters’ examination in California, Switzerland, Utah, and Spain, most recently in 2026. His dan number, 36364, was personally issued by the founder of Moo Duk Kwan, Kwan Jang Nim Hwang Kee. Beyond his own dojang, Brian has held numerous leadership and teaching positions within the worldwide Soo Bahk Do community, including serving on the U.S. Federation’s Technical Advisory Committee and as Moo Duk Kwan Heritage Liaison. His teaching and training have taken him across the United States, Korea, Europe, and Africa, and he has had the opportunity to receive personal instruction from both Hwang Kee and his son, Kwan Jang Nim H.C. Hwang. While Soo Bahk Do remains the foundation of his martial arts journey, Brian has also cross-trained in Tae Kwon Do, Tang Soo Do, Shorin-ryu, Shotokan, Budoshin Jujitsu, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He also teaches specialty seminars in the Korean staff, known as Kan Bong, and Qigong, combining a deep respect for tradition with a commitment to continued learning and growth. Please enjoy my interview with Brian Corrales! Traditional Tang Soo Do and Soo Bahk Do Training Online | Digital Homepage – WASATCH MARTIAL ARTS Soo Bahk Do Utah | Tang Soo Do Classes | Salt Lake City *** Click here for you Blizniak’s Bokken discount – https://blizniaksbokken.com/?coupon-code=EverydayMA&sc-page=shop

Dan Bernardo has dedicated his life to the study, preservation, and cultivation of traditional martial arts, with a deep connection to the teachings and lineage of Hwang Kee, the founder of Tang Soo Do Moo Duk Kwan. Beginning his martial arts journey at the age of 10, Dan has spent decades learning from respected instructors and practitioners while exploring the history, philosophy, and traditions that shape the martial arts. His studies extend beyond Tang Soo Do into Yang Style Taijiquan, Japanese and Italian sword traditions, and an Italian peasant stick-fighting art passed down through his own family. Beyond his work as a martial artist and instructor, Dan is a professional calligrapher specializing in Korean, Chinese, and Japanese martial arts calligraphy. For more than 30 years, he has researched, translated, and studied the philosophical teachings and cultivation methods associated with Hwang Kee’s legacy. Dan serves as President of the Tang Soo Do Training Initiative and teaches at WellWithin Martial Arts in Columbia, South Carolina, where he brings together traditional martial arts, cultural preservation, personal cultivation, and community. Please enjoy my interview with Dan Bernardo! Dan’c Calligraphy site – Calligraphy Jayeonhwa – Home Tangsoodo Training Initiative WellWithin Martial Arts Dan Bernardo – YouTube Jayeonhwa – Cultivating Natural Principles – Volume 1: Forging my Practice from the Texts of Hwang Kee, Kwanjang Nim: A Guide and Commentary: Bernardo, Dan: 9798262623440: Amazon.com: Books Please click here for your Blizniak’s Bokken Discount – https://blizniaksbokken.com/?coupon-code=EverydayMA&sc-page=shop

Trap Gambino has experienced the world of combat sports from just about every angle, from training and competing in MMA and grappling to cornering fighters, working in combat sports media, and appearing on MMA-related reality programming. Along the way, he has gained valuable experience working alongside some of the industry’s most experienced figures. Today, he has brought those experiences together in a different role as the founder and CEO of Made Fight League, a Las Vegas-based promotion. As a promoter, his responsibilities extend far beyond the fights themselves, encompassing everything from fighter relationships and event production to promotion, safety, and the countless details that go into putting on a successful live event. His journey offers a unique perspective on the many paths a life in martial arts can take, and what it means to move from competing inside the cage to creating opportunities for the next generation of fighters. Please welcome my guest today, Trap Gambino! Made Fight League Official Promo Reel #MFL #Boxing #LasVegas https://www.instagram.com/trapdaddymma Click here for your Blizniak’s Bokken discount – https://blizniaksbokken.com/?coupon-code=EverydayMA&sc-page=shop

Jeremy Butler has spent more than two decades studying, teaching, and applying the martial arts, developing an approach that goes far beyond simply learning how to fight. His work focuses on preparing people for the physical and psychological realities of violent encounters, and understanding what it really takes to be prepared when things go wrong. Growing up on the south side of Chicago, Jeremy began his martial arts journey at the age of 12. What started as an early interest would eventually become a lifelong pursuit that would take him into martial arts instruction, law enforcement, higher education, and defensive tactics training. At just 24 years old, Jeremy opened his own martial arts school while beginning a career in law enforcement. During his seven years as a police officer, he served in a variety of roles, including working as a control tactics instructor and verbal de-escalation instructor for multiple departments through a regional police mobile training unit. His commitment to understanding the science behind human movement and performance also led him to pursue higher education, eventually earning a PhD in Kinesiology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Today, Jeremy’s work brings together martial arts, defensive tactics, kinesiology, law enforcement training, and the mental preparation necessary to deal with potentially violent situations. He currently serves as a police academy lead control tactics instructor, Associate Director of Project FLEX, and a Kinesiology instructor at Northern Illinois University. His martial arts background includes Pagoda Ryu, Filipino Martial Arts, Dog Brothers Martial Arts, 360 Gun Grappling, Jun Fan Gung Fu and Jeet Kune Do Concepts, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, where he holds a brown belt. An author, professor, defensive tactics instructor, and speaker, Jeremy has dedicated much of his career to helping both law enforcement officers and civilians better understand the realities of violence, preparation, and personal protection. Please enjoy my interview with Dr. Jeremy Butler. J. BUTLER, PH.D – Trainer, Speaker, Author Amazon.com: Jeremy Butler: books, biography, latest update Dr. B’s Defensive Tactics – YouTube **Reminder to check out Blizniak’s Bokken for your discount: https://blizniaksbokken.com/?coupon-code=EverydayMA&sc-page=shop

David Brock has spent more than five decades training, competing, teaching, and helping shape the martial arts community around him. His martial arts journey began at the age of 17 and would eventually lead to a 9th Degree Black Belt in Kenpo Karate and approximately 45 years of teaching. Along the way, David had the opportunity to train with and learn from some legendary figures in the martial arts, including Chuck Norris, Mike Stone, and his longtime instructor, Bob White. David’s competitive career is equally remarkable. He became an eight-time international fighting champion and a five-time Las Vegas Nationals Grand Champion. In 1975 and 1976, he was ranked the number-one lightweight tournament fighter in California. His tournament record includes an incredible 82 lightweight finals, and 82 victories. His contributions to the martial arts extend well beyond competition. David was inducted into the Kenpo Karate Hall of Fame in 2018, received the Joe Lewis Fighting Award in 2019, and has been recognized among the Masters and Pioneers of the martial arts. After more than five decades in Kenpo Karate, David Brock continues to represent the dedication, competitive spirit, and commitment to teaching that have defined his martial arts journey. Please welcome my guest today, Mr. David Brock. Amazon.com: Broken Rhythm: Championships – Cocaine – Christ: 9780988412668: Brock, David, Hayes, Bill, Thomas, Jennifer: Books Instagram EverydayMA discount from Blizniak’s Bokken here: https://blizniaksbokken.com/?coupon-code=EverydayMA&sc-page=shop

Gator Conley is a lifelong Kenpo Karate practitioner whose martial arts journey has spanned more than four decades, built on loyalty to his instructors, a passion for teaching, and a deep commitment to preserving the traditions and lineage of American Kenpo. His journey began in 1984 at the age of sixteen, and what started as an unexpected introduction to martial arts soon became a lifelong pursuit. He remained under the instruction of Bill Rhinehart for more than 30 years, until Rhinehart’s passing, and today continues his training under Senior Grandmaster Tony Martinez Sr. Throughout his journey, Gator has continued to grow as both a martial artist and instructor while remaining dedicated to the principles and traditions of Kenpo Karate. Over the years, Gator has earned the rank of 8th Degree Black Belt and competed successfully in tournament competition, including earning a Grand Champion title in kata. He also represented his school at the 50th Anniversary of the International Karate Championships in Long Beach, where he had the opportunity to connect with Kenpo practitioners from around the world. His training has included time with many respected names in Kenpo, including Ed Parker, Jeff Speakman, Larry Tatum, Dave Hebler, Gilbert Velez, and many others. Today, Gator is the owner and head instructor of Draper Kenpo, where he has spent more than a decade teaching and mentoring students. Through his instruction, he continues to help students develop confidence, discipline, and practical self-defense skills while carrying forward the legacy of the instructors who helped shape his own martial arts journey. Please welcome my guest today, Gator Conley. Draper Kenpo Karate and Self Defense (2) Facebook Instagram Click here for your EverydayMA Discount – https://blizniaksbokken.com/?coupon-code=EverydayMA&sc-page=shop

John Hackleman has spent more than five decades immersed in martial arts, beginning as a young kid learning to defend himself on the streets of Hawaii and eventually becoming one of the most respected coaches in mixed martial arts. A lifelong martial artist, John began training in Judo, Shotokan Karate, and Kajukenbo before building a career as a boxer, kickboxer, and professional fighter. He earned Golden Gloves titles, competed as a member of the U.S. Army boxing team, and fought professionally under legendary promoter Don King. But perhaps John’s greatest contribution to the martial arts has been the fighters he has helped develop. As the founder of The Pit and creator of Hawaiian Kempo, he has spent decades coaching and developing champions while emphasizing the safety, health, and long-term well-being of his athletes. His students have included some of the biggest names in combat sports, including Chuck Liddell, Glover Teixeira, Tim Kennedy, Court McGee, and many others. Please enjoy my interview with John Hackleman. The Pit – Martial Arts, Fitness, Hawaiian Kempo THE PIT Online Dojo Intro Instagram (1) The Pit (@Pit_Master) / X https://blizniaksbokken.com/?coupon-code=EverydayMA&sc-page=shop

Chris Henderson is a lifelong martial artist whose journey has taken him through both the hard and soft sides of the martial arts, combining physical discipline with a deep commitment to balance, health, and personal well-being. His martial arts journey began in 1984 with Song Moo Kwan Taekwondo. After stepping away from the martial arts for nearly two decades, Chris eventually returned with a renewed passion for training, earning black belts in both Songahm Taekwondo and Tang Soo Do. Along the way, he discovered Ki Gong and found another powerful dimension of martial arts training, dedicating himself to helping others find greater health, sustainability, and inner harmony. Today, Chris is a Level IV instructor with World Ki Gong and a 1st Dan Black Belt in the World Tang Soo Do Association. He believes martial arts, much like nature itself, can be both powerful and peaceful. His philosophy is built around continuous growth, giving back to others, and finding beauty and balance amid the inevitable chaos of life. Join us for another conversation with a martial artist whose journey demonstrates that the martial arts are about far more than physical techniques, they can be a lifelong path toward balance, growth, and helping others. Please enjoy my interview with Chris Henderson! Dragon Turtle Arts – Coming Soon Daily Qigong Videos – (17) 7StarsMA – YouTube