I'm 65 years old, and these days I think about movement differently. My first movement of every day isn't a karate technique. It's getting out of bed. Literally. Feet on the floor. Stand up. Walk to the bathroom. Begin the day. I consider that part of staying healthy. Part of staying fit. Part of Living Strong. 🚶 MOVE. Then I keep moving. I move through my home. I move through my community. I go to work. I teach. I train. I practice martial arts. I roll in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. I practice my Tang Soo Do forms. Movement is part of how I stay connected to life. 🥋 THE BODY CHANGES At 65, I've also had to come to terms with something every lifelong martial artist eventually has to face: The body changes. I've been thinking about this quite a bit while writing my upcoming book, Living Strong Through Tang Soo Do Moo Duk Kwan: A Lifetime Journey of Martial Virtue, scheduled for release in March 2027. I've been revisiting the forms I've learned over a lifetime of martial arts, particularly the Chil Sung Hyung of Tang Soo Do Moo Duk Kwan. I was taught Chil Sung Il Ro through Chil Sung O Ro, the first five of the seven Chil Sung forms. These aren't easy forms. There are deep stances, changes of direction, turns, spins, low movements, and techniques that require mobility, strength, balance, and athleticism. Some movements simply don't belong in my 65-year-old body the same way they did when I was younger. And I'm becoming increasingly comfortable saying that. 💭 A DIFFERENT QUESTION Maybe the most important question isn't: Can I still make my body perform every movement exactly the way I once did? Maybe the better question is: Can I still live what those movements taught me? That changes everything. Balance still matters. Breathing still matters. Posture still matters. Timing matters. Awareness matters. Learning how to generate power efficiently matters. Knowing when to be hard and when to be soft matters. Discipline matters. Patience matters.

Good morning, Living Strong family. This morning, before the sun came up, I finished writing Chapter 6 of Living Strong Through Tang Soo Do Moo Duk Kwan. This chapter is called The Gift of Hope, and I have to admit... writing it was emotional. It took me back to a nine-year-old boy from the South Bronx walking into a martial arts class for the very first time. I thought I was there to learn karate. What I really received was hope. As I reflected on my journey, I realized how many people planted seeds in my life without ever knowing what those seeds would become. My first instructor, Mr. Arthur. Master Michael Dinoto, Master Erika Dinoto, and the entire Dinoto family. Training partners. Students. Parents. Friends. Even my own children, Alexandra and Christian, who grew up on the mats beside me and are now raising the next generation. Looking back at 65 years old, I realize that the greatest gift martial arts ever gave me wasn't a black belt. It was the opportunity to spend my life passing hope on to others. I've attached a short video that captures some of that journey. As you watch it, I hope you'll think about the people who believed in you before you believed in yourself. I'd love to hear from you. Who planted a seed of hope in your life? Share their story in the comments. Let's honor the people who helped shape us and remind one another that even the smallest act of encouragement can change the course of someone's life. Thank you for walking this journey with me. Every chapter I write reminds me why this community exists. Live Strong. Pass Hope Forward. ❤️💙

Happy Monday, Living Strong family! 💙 A thought for today as we begin a new week and a new month. During my recent conversation with Erick Tucker, something stood out to me. We talked about how often we say, "I'm going to try." But what if, instead of trying, we simply did? Not because we're guaranteed to succeed. Not because we know exactly how it will turn out. But because action teaches us what thinking alone never can. Do. Learn. Adjust. Do again. That's how we grow. This week, don't wait until you feel completely ready. Don't wait until you have every answer. Take the first step. Then learn from it. Make a small adjustment. Take the next step. Progress is built through action, not intention. 💬 Question for our Living Strong family: What's one thing you've been saying you'll "try" to do that you're ready to simply do this week? Share it below. We'd love to encourage you, celebrate your progress, and cheer you on every step of the way. Remember... You're never too old, broken, bruised, or beat, and it's never too late to live strong. Let's make this a week of doing. 💪

What does it look like when someone refuses to let their past define their future? In this first Living Strong: Your Defining Moments conversation, I sit down with my new friend, @Erick Tucker, for a heartfelt discussion about resilience, family, mentorship, work ethic, and the defining moments that shaped his life. Erick shares: 💙 The moment he chose a different path after prison. 👨‍👧‍👦 The lessons he's learned as a father. ❤️ How his wife, Khadijah, helped change his life. 🥊 What boxing has taught him about life beyond the ring. 🌟 Why he believes every new day is another opportunity to grow. One quote from Erick that has stayed with me is: "I didn't just try... I did." As you watch, I'd love for you to reflect on one question: What defining moment changed the direction of your life? Share your thoughts in the comments below. Your story may be exactly what someone else in our community needs to hear today. 💙 Remember, everyone has a story. Every defining moment has meaning. Every one of us has the opportunity to Live Strong.

This little guy has no idea... He has no idea that Grandpa has been getting up at 4:00 in the morning to write a book. He has no idea that this morning I finished Chapter 5. He has no idea that one day, many years from now, I hope he'll pull this book off a shelf and wonder why his grandpa spent so many early mornings writing. If that day ever comes, I hope he'll ask me one simple question: "Grandpa, what did you want people to learn?" I think my answer would be this: Life is meant to be lived in every moment that you are living. So live it. And if you're going to fight for anything, fight a good fight—for the joy, the purpose, and the life that each day offers. That's why I wrote Chapter 5, Living the Martial Way. Not to teach people how to become better fighters. But to encourage them to become better husbands and wives... Better parents and grandparents... Better friends... Better human beings. Because the longer I live, the more convinced I become that the dojang prepares us... but life is where we practice. Maybe one day, Seraph will read these pages. Maybe he'll discover that this book was never really about martial arts. It was about learning how to live. And if these words help him—and even one other person—face life's challenges with courage, kindness, wisdom, and hope... Then every early morning, every page, and every chapter will have been worth it. Love you, buddy. ❤️ Grandpa is writing this one for you... and for everyone who is still learning to live strong. 💙