In this episode of the Shugyō Podcast, Swire Ho speaks with Andżelika Stefańska-Kowalik, a Kung Fu practitioner, international competitor, and StrongFirst Certified Master Instructor based in Kraków, Poland.

Andżelika began her martial arts journey in Hung Gar after years of dreaming about Kung Fu through old Hong Kong martial arts movies. She later represented the Polish National Team at the Traditional Wushu Championships in China, winning bronze medals in Shiyan in 2010 and silver and bronze medals in Huangshan in 2012.

The title of this episode is “Why Every Martial Artist Should Train with Kettlebells.” Andżelika makes a strong case for that idea by explaining how proper strength training can support martial arts without making you bulky, slow, or exhausted.

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Andżelika also shares one of the most important lessons of the episode: strength training should support your martial arts, not steal energy from it. As she explains, after strength training, you should feel stronger, not exhausted.

Website: https://en.tigerzone.pl

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In this episode of the Shugyō Podcast, I speak with Jonathan Snowiss, a longtime practitioner and teacher of Chinese martial arts and qigong.

Jonathan began learning qigong at age 11 after being diagnosed with epilepsy. His early training came through a qigong master from Shanghai, even though Jonathan did not speak Chinese at the time. He later continued his study through Pitzer College, where he created his own qigong and mind-body healing major, combining Chinese language, philosophy, religion, and martial arts practice.

In this conversation, we look at what qigong actually does for martial artists. Jonathan explains why qigong is more than slow movement and breathing. We talk about relaxation, posture, structure, breath, unnecessary tension, and how qigong can help martial artists train with better awareness and longevity.

We also discuss the myths around qigong, including movie-style superhuman powers, martial arts novels, iron palm, and the difference between real internal training and exaggerated claims. Jonathan also walks through a simple introduction to Zhan Zhuang, or standing-post practice, and explains how beginners can start with just five minutes once or twice a day.

Topics include:

How Jonathan started qigong at age 11

Learning from a qigong master through Chinese translation

Studying qigong at Pitzer College

What qigong actually means for martial artists

The difference between relaxation and weakness

Breath, posture, structure, and body awareness

Common myths and misunderstandings about qigong

How qigong can support karate, kung fu, MMA, judo, jiu-jitsu, and other martial arts

Why posture and unnecessary tension matter

How to begin Zhan Zhuang standing practice

Training for longevity instead of short-term performance

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Email: [email protected]

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Please like, comment, and share this episode. Your support helps more martial artists and thoughtful practitioners discover these conversations.

In this episode of Shugyō — The Way of Training, Swire Ho speaks with Tori Brillantes, an Eskrima world champion and StrongFirst Elite instructor.

Tori began serious Eskrima training later in life, but within a short period of focused training, she qualified to represent the United States and became a women’s lightweight world champion in the Philippines. During her final championship fight, she experienced what her teacher called “the flow” — a state where time seemed to slow down, her breathing became clear, and her body continued to perform under pressure.

More than two decades later, Tori found a similar feeling again through StrongFirst kettlebell training, especially during the 100-repetition snatch test. At 66, she describes herself as the strongest she has ever been.

This conversation explores Filipino martial arts, competition, fear, focus, kettlebell training, aging, mobility, recovery, and what it means to keep learning through every stage of life.

How Tori discovered Eskrima later in life

Why her teachers encouraged her to compete

Training for full-contact Eskrima with only a short preparation window

Fighting through fear, pressure, and fatigue

Becoming a women’s lightweight Eskrima world champion

Experiencing “flow” during the final championship fight

How StrongFirst kettlebell training reconnected her with that same state of focus

Becoming StrongFirst Elite within two years

Why mobility, recovery, nutrition, and sleep matter more as we age

How Tori trains clients in their 60s, 70s, and 80s

Why strength is not only for youth — and why it is never too late to begin

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Tori discusses earning StrongFirst Elite status, which includes StrongFirst kettlebell, bodyweight, and barbell certifications. For listeners who want to understand the testing standards, here are the official StrongFirst videos:

SFG I — StrongFirst Kettlebell Level I Technique Testing Standards

SFG II — StrongFirst Kettlebell Level II Technique Testing Standards

SFB — StrongFirst Bodyweight Certification Standards

SFL — StrongFirst Barbell Certification Standards

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Shugyō 修行 means deep, disciplined training — the kind of practice that shapes not only skill, but character.

This podcast explores the stories of martial artists, teachers, competitors, and lifelong practitioners to understand how training changes the way we face challenges in martial arts and in life.

In this episode of the Shugyō Podcast, Swire Ho speaks with Steve Milles, co-founder of Five Points Academy in New York City, Arjan under Grandmaster Chansadeth Chantanao, former USMF Team USA Coach, WKA USA Team Coach, and StrongFirst Certified Senior Instructor.

Steve shares how he discovered Muay Thai almost by accident after moving to New York, then followed that curiosity all the way to Thailand, where he trained, lived in camp, and stepped into his first professional fight. From there, he built a career as a fighter, coach, and teacher.

The conversation explores what separates training from fighting, why some people perform well in the gym but struggle under real pressure, and how a fighter’s development depends not only on personal discipline but also on the quality of the team around them.

Steve also discusses the role of strength training in combat sports. For years, many fighters believed lifting would make them slow, stiff, or too bulky. Steve explains how properly programmed strength work can help fighters move better, hit harder, manage fatigue, reduce injury risk, and stay within their weight class.

This episode is about Muay Thai, coaching, fighter mindset, and building strength that supports the art instead of replacing it.

How Steve first discovered Muay Thai in New York

Training in Thailand and stepping into his first professional fight

The difference between training hard and being ready to fight

Why fighting is an individual sport that still requires a strong team

Coaching recreational students versus competitive fighters

Common myths about fighter training

Why strength training does not have to make fighters slow or bulky

How kettlebells helped Steve move better after years of accumulated injuries

Simple strength programs for busy fighters

The role of swings, get-ups, deadlifts, pull-ups, and clean-and-jerk work

The StrongFirst Combat Course with Ronen Katz and Benny Meyer

Training for longevity, performance, and confidence

Website: https://www.academyfivepoints.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fivepointsacademy/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FivePointsAcademy

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FivePointsAcademy/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-milles-4764687

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In this episode of the Shugyō Podcast, Swire Ho speaks with Chris Walsh, co-host of the UK Karate Podcast and a lifelong karateka who began training as a child under his father.

The conversation explores Chris’s early years in karate, what old-school training looked like, and how the role of mentorship shaped his development. Chris shares his thoughts on why mentorship matters in martial arts, how younger instructors can be supported, and why karate should build more than technical skill.

Swire and Chris also discuss the difference between teaching and mentoring, the importance of keeping high standards without training through injury, and how the dojo can give students confidence, structure, routine, and purpose beyond the physical training.

This episode is about karate, mentorship, fatherhood, dojo culture, and the responsibility of helping the next generation grow — not just into black belts, but into better people and future leaders.

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Website: https://www.ukkaratepodcast.co.uk

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Listen, share, and continue the training.

In this episode of Shugyō: The Way of Training, we sit down with Sifu Oscar Agramonte, senior instructor of Wah Lum Kung Fu, strength coach, and StrongFirst instructor.

Oscar shares his martial arts journey from Taekwondo to Wah Lum Kung Fu and how his pursuit of better movement, strength, and performance led him into the world of kettlebells and StrongFirst training.

We explore the role of Tam Tui, deep stance training, mobility, and flexibility in traditional Kung Fu, and discuss how modern strength training can complement martial arts without sacrificing speed, coordination, or technique. We also dive into one of the most important concepts in both martial arts and strength training: learning when to relax and when to create tension.

Whether you're a martial artist, strength athlete, coach, or lifelong student of training, this conversation offers valuable insights into developing power, movement, and longevity.

Topics Covered:

• Oscar's martial arts journey and introduction to Wah Lum Kung Fu

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Wah Lum Kung Fu Temple

Control Your Health

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In this episode of the Shugyō Podcast, I sit down with Dr. Danladi Whitten, known to his students as Master Don, Head Instructor of JTR Jujutsu International and a Doctor of Physical Therapy with more than 25 years of clinical experience.

Master Don shares his martial arts journey, from earning his first black belt to training across multiple disciplines including Tang Soo Do, Tae Kwon Do, Hapkido, and Japanese Jujutsu. We discuss his relationship with Grand Master Dong Jin Kim, the sudden loss of his teacher, and what it was like stepping into a leadership role to preserve and continue the school's legacy.

We also explore the unique intersection between martial arts and physical therapy. Master Don discusses common injury patterns among martial artists, why overuse injuries often accumulate over years of training, the balance between flexibility and strength, and how martial artists can adapt their training as they age. One of the key lessons from this conversation is a simple but powerful idea:

"Longevity is a skill."

We also discuss his adaptive martial arts program for individuals with disabilities and how martial arts can build confidence, resilience, and community regardless of physical limitations.

Whether you're a martial artist, instructor, coach, or simply someone interested in lifelong learning, this episode offers valuable insights on preserving both the art and the body.

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My guest for this episode is Andy Patton, co-host of the UK Karate Podcast.

Andy started karate in 1999 after watching Walker, Texas Ranger and trying to copy Chuck Norris’ roundhouse kick in his grandmother’s living room. Years later, that early interest grew into a long-term karate journey and eventually led him to co-host the UK Karate Podcast.

In this conversation, we talk about Andy’s karate journey, how the UK Karate Podcast started, and what he has learned from speaking with martial artists across different generations. We also get into old-school training, karate in the age of online information, politics in martial arts, cross-training, and why communication matters both on a podcast and in the dojo.

One of the main themes in this episode is the responsibility of communication. As martial artists, instructors, and podcast guests, it is not enough to simply have knowledge. We also have to be able to explain it clearly, give examples, and help listeners understand why it matters.

Andy brings the perspective of both a martial artist and a podcast host, which made this a fun and thoughtful conversation about karate, storytelling, teaching, and the way we pass knowledge forward.

UK Karate Podcast describes itself as a platform sharing stories and experiences from karateka across different backgrounds and associations. Their public pages list Facebook, Instagram, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube as places to follow/listen.

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In this episode of the Shugyō Podcast, Swire Ho speaks with Marat Iliyasov, a lifelong martial artist, jujutsu instructor, and professor of political science at the College of the Holy Cross.

Marat grew up in the Soviet Union, where martial arts were once restricted and often practiced in informal or semi-underground settings. That early experience shaped how he sees training—not just as physical practice, but as a path of discipline, character, humility, and personal development.

In this conversation, we explore how martial arts connect with international politics, education, conflict, authority, and human behavior. Marat also shares how he created a college course that brings martial arts principles into the classroom, using ideas like daily practice, journaling, meditation, calligraphy, and self-reflection to help students understand “the way” beyond fighting.

This episode is about more than technique. It is about how training shapes the person—and why the path never really ends.

In this episode of the Shugyō Podcast, host Swire Ho sits down with Jason Serrano, a lifelong martial artist with over 40 years of training who grew up in the dojo under his father, Tom Serrano.

Jason reflects on being raised in a traditional karate environment and how that early exposure shaped his mindset, discipline, and approach to training. The conversation moves beyond technique into the deeper aspects of martial arts—adaptability, resilience, and long-term development.

A central theme of the episode is Jason’s approach to kumite and his philosophy of “disrupting the timing”—the ability to break rhythm, control exchanges, and remain unpredictable in a fight. He explains how this concept applies not only in sparring but also in approaching challenges, habits, and patterns in everyday life.

The discussion also explores why work ethic often outlasts natural talent, how martial arts is largely a mental practice, and how training must evolve with age. Jason emphasizes the importance of humility, continuous learning, and finding one’s own purpose within the martial arts journey.

This episode highlights the value of training for the long term—physically, mentally, and personally.

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