Coming from the great state of Minnesota, Master/Sergeant Louis has been enamored with the martial arts since he was a child. The initial imprint came from his father, a practitioner of the Jidokwan style of Taekwondo. With the "Green Hornet" television show capturing his eye, he knew martial arts was something he really wanted to get into. Dabbing into various styles of Kung Fu and other arts, before he knew it, he got into point-style sparring.

Once he started training in an Olympic-style Taekwondo school, as a green belt, he volunteered at the 1993 USA National Championships in St. Paul, Minnesota. This is where his Taekwondo journey and life changed forever. Enamored by seeing the Armed Forces Taekwondo Team enter the arena, he knew this was his calling. He enlisted into the military and began basic training at Fort Hood, Texas, and came under the tutelage of Master Michael Bennett. Training alongside some amazing team members, he began to travel with the team to places like Germany and Korea. He highlights Germany. He was in awe of their "tenacity" in training. He adopted this style of fighting, and it brought him success around the globe in military competition and at the USA National Champions, where he became a 2x National Champion in the Middleweight division.

At the height of his success, duty called, and he was deployed to Iraq. Sergeant Davis makes it very clear that service to our country always came first. Upon retiring from the military, he found his true calling. He became enthralled with keeping the history of the Armed Forces Taekwondo alive. He wrote a book and dug deep into the initial beginnings of the program. Through traveling and exploring deep into the internet, he has made this project happen. With the hopes of inspiring future generations of Taekwondo practitioners to join the military through Taekwondo as he did.

For more info of our podcast and Sergeant Louis Davis click below:

"One Team. One Fight. One Family. - The History of the Armed Forces Taekwondo Team" - https://a.co/d/02WAQaC6

"First Look - Armed Forces Taekwondo Team" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2I2lsYRo08A

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@blackbeltwayoflife

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/276fCOHsnHb8YcakObQqWP?si=6cf665afac1043eb

Amazon Music - https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/9d314fb1-51bb-4232-b3ab-60247520f343/a-black-belt-way-of-life

Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-black-belt-way-of-life/id1769633501

Best Martial Arts/Mooto USA - https://bestma.us

Kickfit Taekwondo shoes - BBWOL at checkout for a discount - https://www.kickfit.us

Press Record Studios - https://pressrecordstudios.com/

New York Black Belt Center - https://nybbc.org/

Carl Coulanges is a born and raised documentary filmmaker from Queens, New York. His love for sports & pro wrestling led him to a career in media and broadcasting. He turned that love and passion into teaching. After graduating from St. Francis College, his degree in media earned him an internship at PBS. In an industry where networking is essential, Carl was able to make those connections to further his career. Now a professor and admin at Iona University, he decided to take his love for sports and pro wrestling to create his own channel, The Sports Hit List. A sports & pro wrestling channel on YouTube and social media that offers sports debate on everything current, past, and future of sport. Martial Arts came into his scope of work through a mutual friend and student of Master Joseph Lupo Jr. Never having been involved in martial arts, in particular Taekwondo, led to intrigue. A casual conversation and some video work done at a Black Belt promotion exam led to the start of the "Master Joe" documentary. A piece that he has shown to his students countless times as a learning piece. More documentaries have ensued from this one piece focusing on competition and Military Taekwondo. Storytelling is an art; Carl Coulanges is a master of this art.

For everything BBWOL and The Sports Hit List, click below:

The Sports Hit List - https://www.youtube.com/user/CoulangesProductions

"Master Joe" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvacFwaY6a0&t=866s

"Master Joe - Journey to Korea" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qMI65CYgog

"First Look - Armed Forces Taekwondo Team" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2I2lsYRo08A

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@blackbeltwayoflife

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/276fCOHsnHb8YcakObQqWP?si=6cf665afac1043eb

Amazon Music - https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/9d314fb1-51bb-4232-b3ab-60247520f343/a-black-belt-way-of-life

Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-black-belt-way-of-life/id1769633501

Best Martial Arts/Mooto USA - https://bestma.us

Kickfit Taekwondo shoes - BBWOL at checkout for a discount - https://www.kickfit.us

Press Record Studios - https://pressrecordstudios.com/

New York Black Belt Center - https://nybbc.org/

Master Mark Warburton returns remotely to the new and improved Press Record Studio from Sarnia, Canada. Tonight's topic? Making Taekwondo better from the grassroots through the elite level. All the criticism is constructive and done out of a lifelong love for the sport. Master Mark Warburton has dedicated his life to Taekwondo coaching and competition. He has been through every rule change thrown at all the athletes and coaches. He is vocal on social media outlets regarding these issues and now brings it to our podcast for the world to watch and listen to. Master Mark Warburton does not bash the modern game of Taekwondo. He acknowledges the past and those who shaped the landscape for all of us to have a platform. Always keeping martial arts principles at the forefront of everything expressed from his point of view. An opinion that carries weight and is to be respected.

For everything, A Black Belt Way of Life and Master Mark Warburton, click below:

Sarnia Olympic Taekwondo - https://www.facebook.com/sarniatkd/

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@blackbeltwayoflife

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/276fCOHsnHb8YcakObQqWP?si=6cf665afac1043eb

Amazon Music - https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/9d314fb1-51bb-4232-b3ab-60247520f343/a-black-belt-way-of-life

Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-black-belt-way-of-life/id1769633501

Best Martial Arts/Mooto USA - https://bestma.us

Kickfit Taekwondo shoes - BBWOL at checkout for a discount - https://www.kickfit.us

Press Record Studios - https://pressrecordstudios.com/

New York Black Belt Center - https://nybbc.org/

Living a healthy lifestyle, both inside and outside the four walls of the New York Black Belt Center, is a priority for Master Joseph Lupo Jr. Master Joe often uses analogies when explaining certain things to students. One such analogy is something his mother (the head chef and owner of L'Italiano Trattoria) always says, "we eat first with our eyes, then our mouth." Master Joe often refers to this because, upon entering the dojang, it's important that the student or potential student see a "model" of health. Master Joe takes great pride in his physical appearance. All through hard work, lots of exercise, proper nutrition, and a healthy lifestyle. But that all changed when Master Joe took it upon himself to get checked by a cardiologist due to some family occurrences that transpired this past year. What he found through blood work and an exam called a "calcium score" changed his life. High cholesterol and a dangerously high calcium score, all through genetics. Master Joe's saving grace was a healthy lifestyle and, as the doctor put it, "a beautiful heart."

With the help of his amazing guest, Dr. Daryl Thuroff, Doctor of Chinese Medicine, Acupuncturist, and Licensed Massage Therapist, Master Joe has decided to turn this life-altering experience into a learning lesson. Dr. Daryl, a past guest on BBWOL, gives her perspective from an Eastern medicine standpoint while not arguing or fighting with the Western medicine approach. Daryl sides with Western Medicine and offers how her approach can aid and help in this process.

Knowledge is power. The more we know, the better we can approach any obstacle that comes our way. Forever teaching us, we are always students.

For everything BBWOL, click below.

Dr. Daryl Thuroff DACM, LMT - https://www.yinovacenter.com/team/daryl-thuroff-dacm-l-ac-lmt/

Dr. Daryl would also like to mention - The LAD or "widowmaker," which refers to The Left Anterior Descending Artery which is the largest coronary artery.

Press Record Studios - https://pressrecordstudios.com/

Official Apparel Company - https://bestma.us Kickfit Taekwondo shoes - use promo code BBWOL at check out for a discount - https://kickfit.us New York Black Belt Center - https://nybbc.org

Master Jeff Pinaroc's Taekwondo journey began in Chicago, Illinois. But it wasn't until he moved to Dallas, Texas, and set foot into Chang Lee's Taekwondo, where he was surrounded by and began training with Taekwondo champions like Dae Sung Lee, Clay Barber & James Villasana, that Master Pinaroc's Taekwondo career took off. Fighting in both junior and senior divisions by the age of 13, he qualified for the 1988 Olympic Team Trials. The inaugural Olympic Games for the sport of Taekwondo. After he decided to retire from a successful competition career, he turned his attention to developing champions. He did just that, taking a young boy named Stephen Lambdin and turning him into an Olympian representing the United States at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. One would think what is left for someone who has accomplished so much in the sport taekwondo, becoming the head coach for the USA Masters Team. A group of athletes where egos are checked at the door and camaraderie is paramount. Master Pinaroc's story is one of a truly endless Taekwondo journey.

Make sure to follow our guest, production company and everything BBWOL:

Master Jeff Pinaroc - https://www.pinaroctkd.com

USA Masters Team - https://usamastersteam.org

Black Belt Way of Life Podcast

YouTube - http://www.youtube.com/@blackbeltwayoflife

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/276fCOHsnHb8YcakObQqWP?si=694b07f440014ac9

Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-black-belt-way-of-life/id1769633501

Amazon Music - https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/9d314fb1-51bb-4232-b3ab-60247520f343/a-black-belt-way-of-life

BBWOL Show Producer - Press Record Studios - https://pressrecordstudios.com

Official Apparel Company - https://bestma.us

Kickfit Taekwondo shoes - use promo code BBWOL at check out for a discount - https://kickfit.us

New York Black Belt Center - https://nybbc.org

Fresh off a 22-second head kick knockout in Karate Combat, Mr. William Findley joins the BBWOL podcast studio remotely from Eddie Alvarez's Underground King's MMA school in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. William started Taekwondo at the age of 4 with his parents by his side. The support from his parents and many years of Taekwondo training, support, and aspirations led to a 2023 National Heavyweight Gold Medal and an invitation to the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado. When there, William learned of the inner workings of the academy program and realized their ideas did not co-align with his. That is when Kombat Taekwondo began, and William made the jump to the cage. Successfully winning his first 3 professional matches, representing the United States with pride all over the world, he made a huge decision to take his training to the next level. Joining former UFC champion Eddie Alvarez and his team. William understood the sacrifice. Traveling an hour going to and from the gym. With a "warrior mindset" and a dream of becoming the best, or in his words, "dominate", the future is bright for William. Always carrying his flag, his family name, and the Taekwondo torch proud every time he steps into the arena.

Make sure to follow BBWOL and the @taekwonsymbiote !!!

Instagram - https://taekwonsymbiote/

Underground Kings MMA - https://newtownpi.com

Black Belt Way of Life Podcast

YouTube - http://www.youtube.com/@blackbeltwayoflife

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/276fCOHsnHb8YcakObQqWP?si=694b07f440014ac9

Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-black-belt-way-of-life/id1769633501

Amazon Music - https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/9d314fb1-51bb-4232-b3ab-60247520f343/a-black-belt-way-of-life

BBWOL Show Producer - Press Record Studios - https://pressrecordstudios.com

Official Apparel Company - https://bestma.us

Kickfit Taekwondo shoes - use promo code BBWOL at check out for a discount - https://kickfit.us

New York Black Belt Center - https://nybbc.org

Mrs. Mildred Andaluz is a Certified Life and Confidence Coach under the ACSTH (Approved Coach Specific Hours) with a master's degree in Counseling. Mrs. Andaluz is also the assistant community school director in the public Queens High School System. Her most important job and title is that of being a loving wife and amazing mother to your 3 beautiful children. During the pandemic, with the world in a massive pivot, Mrs. Andaluz decided to take her love for helping others to a new level. Inspired by her children, who were involved in travel athletics, she found life coaching as a way to help not only others but also her own children through the ups and downs of competitive sports. Sports is a microcosm of the big picture we call life, but can be used as a tool to build and create successful individuals. With the proper coaching, this is where someone like Mrs. Andaluz can help. Let's face it, kids do not always take to their parents' or coaches' opinions. At times, the delivery is not "proper" in their mind. This is where a coach, like Mrs. Andaluz, serves as a buffer to get that child or adult on the right track.

For everything regarding our guests, podcast, producers, and sponsors, click below.

Mrs. Mildred Andaluz

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/confidence_life_coach_

Gmail - [email protected]

A Black Belt Way of Life Podcast

YouTube - http://www.youtube.com/@blackbeltwayoflife

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/276fCOHsnHb8YcakObQqWP?si=694b07f440014ac9

Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-black-belt-way-of-life/id1769633501

Amazon Music - https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/9d314fb1-51bb-4232-b3ab-60247520f343/a-black-belt-way-of-life

BBWOL Show Producer - Press Record Studios - https://pressrecordstudios.com

Official Apparel Company - https://bestma.us

Kickfit Taekwondo shoes - use promo code BBWOL at check out for a discount - https://kickfit.us

New York Black Belt Center - https://nybbc.org

Founded in 2010 by Master Joseph Lupo Jr., the New York Black Belt Center has stood the tests of time for 15 years. Like anything in life, in order to succeed, it takes a village. Two of the most loyal and committed contributors to the success of the New York Black Belt Center have been Master's John Rodriguez and Chet Bridgewater. Both 5th-degree black belts and the highest-ranking students of the school. Masters John & Chet are the only students of the school to have opened their own locations under the name New York Black Belt Center, in Corona and Westchester, respectively.

The trials and tribulations of running a business of any kind is no mystery. Covid was not easy, but we as a Wolfpack unit have persevered. We have stood the tests of time. The beauty of it, we have done it together while staying true to the art of Taekwondo. This special roundtable episode talks about a foundation that was laid in blood, sweat, and tears. This very foundation is the blueprint for a never-ending future to the New York Black Belt Center

For everything BBWOL, New York Black Belt Center, & Press Record Studios click below. ⬇️

A Black Belt Way of Life Podcast

YouTube - http://www.youtube.com/@blackbeltwayoflife

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/276fCOHsnHb8YcakObQqWP?si=694b07f440014ac9

Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-black-belt-way-of-life/id1769633501

Amazon Music - https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/9d314fb1-51bb-4232-b3ab-60247520f343/a-black-belt-way-of-life

BBWOL Show Producer - Press Record Studios - https://pressrecordstudios.com

Official Apparel Company - https://bestma.us

Kickfit Taekwondo shoes - use promo code BBWOL at checkout out for a discount - https://kickfit.us

New York Black Belt Center - https://nybbc.org

Melvy Alvarez, a second-generation taekwondo practitioner and athlete, has represented the United States of America at every world-class level. To say you were a 10x National Team Member and an International Champion is no easy feat. But without the support and inspiration from his mother, Master Marina Aguero, a former National Team member from Argentina, and his teammates at the Connecticut Taekwondo Academy, none of this would've been possible.

Melvy does not hesitate to remind the audience of those who helped and supported him. His humility knows no bounds. The character instilled in Melvy by his parents at a young age shaped him into the man he is today. Melvy's story is one of faith above everything and following the groundwork laid out by his mother. A former resident athlete who still competes, a college student at UConn, and now a business owner, Melvy's maturity has enabled him to balance life. He is inspirational to the Taekwondo community. A person who all young athletes can follow and admire.

Subscribe below and check out everything BBWOL

Mr. Melvy Alvarez - Connecticut Taekwondo Academy

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/teamcta/

A Black Belt Way of Life Podcast

YouTube - http://www.youtube.com/@blackbeltwayoflife

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/276fCOHsnHb8YcakObQqWP?si=694b07f440014ac9

Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-black-belt-way-of-life/id1769633501

Amazon Music - https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/9d314fb1-51bb-4232-b3ab-60247520f343/a-black-belt-way-of-life

BBWOL Show Producer - Press Record Studios - https://pressrecordstudios.com

Official Apparel Company - https://bestma.us Kickfit Taekwondo shoes - use promo code BBWOL at check out for a discount - https://kickfit.us New York Black Belt Center - https://nybbc.org

Special shout-out to the following amazing individuals follow them on Instagram

Marlen Arevalo - @marlonaarevalo

Marcus Bennett - @_marcusbennett_

Ian Hong - @Ianjhong_

Xavier Hong - @xavier_s_hong

Kingsheup & Charlie Hong - @team_hong2 @charztography

Lorenzo Pragano - @lorenzo.pragano

Renata & Anthony Pragano - @renata.rosa.507

Anna Mcgrade - @anna_mcgrade44

David Yehenara - @sirmuhu

Carlos Campos Castro - @_los.c17

Team CTA - @teamcta

Master James Thorsten was born in Korea and came to the United States as a young child through adoption in 1976. Being a Korean American raised in the Bronx was not easy. Master Thorsten quickly needed to learn how to defend himself and have the confidence to survive the tough streets of the Bronx.

His adopted family decided to give him a sense of culture. Master Thorsten began taking Taekwondo lessons at the world renowned Tiger Kim Taekwondo studio in the Bronx. Despite his Taekwondo training, there was still a lack of confidence, and also a fear of getting in trouble with the New York Police Department, since cops were not seen as friends or allies during that time . That fear of cops all came to an end with a chance encounter with a police officer who just wanted to speak to a young Master Thorsten.This encounter became Master Thorsten's inspiration to become a cop.

As a police officer, Master Thorsten still trained in various styles of martial arts, but his true love and passion was always for Taekwondo. He achieved his rank of Master under Grandmaster YH Park. Master Thorsten's pursuit of serving the community led to the start of the NYPD Taekwondo Team alongside Lieutenant John Connolly. NYPD Taekwondo has become a place where law enforcement officers, who are current Taekwondo practitioners, can continue their training and compete under the NYPD Taekwondo Team banner. Through grants from the NYPD, children of all ages can train for free. Master Thorsten truly lives a life of service, even through his retirement.

For everything BBWOL, NYPD Taekwondo, Press Record Studios and more, click below:

NYPD Taekwondo

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61561925888388

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/nypdtaekwondo/

A Black Belt Way of Life Podcast

YouTube - http://www.youtube.com/@blackbeltwayoflife

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/276fCOHsnHb8YcakObQqWP?si=694b07f440014ac9

Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-black-belt-way-of-life/id1769633501

Amazon Music - https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/9d314fb1-51bb-4232-b3ab-60247520f343/a-black-belt-way-of-life

BBWOL Show Producer - Press Record Studios - https://pressrecordstudios.com

Show Sponsor - Mr. Joseph Ferone of Weichert Realty - https://www.zillow.com/profile/josephferoneny

Official Apparel Company - https://bestma.us

Kickfit Martial Arts Shoes - Promo Code BBWOL at check for a 10% discount - https://kickfit.us/

New York Black Belt Center - https://nybbc.org