The Martial Arts Woman Podcast

Ariel Farley ("Arley") is a vibrant martial art woman. She lives in the smoky mountains of Tennessee and practices Krav Maga as well as Tai Chi and self-defense. In some ways, she is a beginner as she began practicing Krav Maga in 2019. However, she has come a long way in her training and is an assistant instructor at her school now, also. She understands the important benefits martial arts offers her and other women. For instance, her confidence improved and she now effectively manages most of her anxiety and stress. Arley hopes to remind other women that they do not need to "make themselves small" or try to fit into a box. She also teaches martial arts to teen girls and mentors them on life lessons and some of the issues they face in their daily lives. She remembers all too well being bullied intensely in elementary and middle school and now she strives to help these young women overcome their difficult moments. One day, Arley aspires to  open her own school, but in the meantime she will focus on learning, exploring the history of martial arts, and networking. She considers the practice of martial arts an uplifting experience, and that is the only time I've ever heard martial arts described that way! On a side note, this martial art woman’s charm and endearing personality will capture your heart. Enjoy.  Arley's Links: Smoky Mountain Self Defense: https://www.nmvfoundation.org/ No More Victims Foundation (non-profit side of the school): https://www.nmvfoundation.org/  Andrea's Links:  The Martial Arts Woman book: https://amzn.to/3inNiuQ Martial Art Inspirations for Everyone book: https://amzn.to/3irRjyy How to Start Your Own Martial Art Program book: https://amzn.to/3zf0aJB --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/andrea-harkins/support

"We can all grow together and be stronger for it." - Sabrina Bliem.  Today's interviewee, Sabrina Bliem, a/k/a The Karate Shrimp, highlights how martial arts changed her life, improved her mindset, provided unexpected opportunities and allowed her to heal through difficult personal situations. This exuberant YouTuber and blogger shares vulnerable moments as a woman who was harassed by one of her martial art students. She tearfully shares the implications of this situation that occurred around the same time as her divorce and her mother's illness and subsequent passing. Sabrina's insights on why women must learn martial arts are compelling and she provides encouragement to those interested in taking their first step into the dojo. This martial art woman finds balance in her life and success as an engaging Youtuber,  mother of two, and an expert and teacher in health and wellness.  She is a prime example of how martial arts are as much for healing as they are for fighting. Yes, we can all become stronger for it! Sabrina's Links:  Blog:  https://www.thekarateshrimp.com/ YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/c/TheKarateShrimp Andrea's Links and Info:  The Martial Arts Woman book: https://amzn.to/3inNiuQ Martial Art Inspirations for Everyone book: https://amzn.to/3irRjyy How to Start Your Own Martial Art Program book: https://amzn.to/3zf0aJB The Martial Arts Woman Podcast: https://anchor.fm/andrea-harkins --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/andrea-harkins/support

Abbey Rickman is an inspiring woman with an amazing martial art mindset who overcame several life challenges. She tore her ACL not once, but twice. The initial one caused a  disappointing honorable discharge from the military where she dreamed of being a military police officer (security forces). Somehow, she landed exactly where she needed to be and found happiness in her current career as a criminal paralegal in the district attorney's office.  As a trial paralegal, Abbey shares her insights on why reporting sexual assault to the police is cathartic for many women, even though it can be a difficult process. She explains why plea deals sometimes occur and how they still ensure some justice is done. Abbey is a 4th degree master in Tang Soo Do. She candidly shares how she once had to use martial arts for physical defense (ouch for that guy!). We chat about why practicing in heels for women is more important than you think, why martial arts are important for women, and how women can get started in training if they are interested but are unsure about getting started. Abbey's insights and experiences, personally and professionally, remind us that overcoming is the greatest power we have.  Andrea's Info:  The Martial Arts Woman book: https://amzn.to/3inNiuQ Martial Art Inspirations for Everyone book: https://amzn.to/3irRjyy How to Start Your Own Martial Art Program book: https://amzn.to/3zf0aJB The Martial Arts Woman Podcast: https://anchor.fm/andrea-harkins --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/andrea-harkins/support

Where do I begin? Dalia Vitkus has an array of astounding stories that will blow your mind. She grew up in a rough part of town in Chicago dealing with peeping toms, gangs and bullies. At age 15 she was very nearly raped in France by the manager of a disco club (a buxom French woman stormed into the bathroom to save her!). She defended her boyfriend in a fight by kicking the assailant with her boots on! Sometime later, as a martial art student, she unexpectedly met Bill "Superfoot" Wallace at a martial art seminar and ever since he's been a friend, mentor and instructor. She also shares how she began her martial art school. Dalia works as an officer of the court and helps to identify and eliminate human trafficking. There's so much more! Don't miss this fascinating discussion with martial art woman, Dalia Vitkus (pictured here with Bill "Superfoot" Wallace).  Dalia's Links & Info:  New Wave Kicks: https://www.facebook.com/newwavekicks  Instruction in the Martial Art discipline of Taekwondo and the Superfoot System; certified by the U.S. Chung Do Kwan Association (USCDKA), Bill "Superfoot" Wallace in the Superfoot System and the World Taekwondo Federation (WTF). Andrea's Links & Info:  The Martial Arts Woman book: https://amzn.to/3inNiuQ Martial Art Inspirations for Everyone: https://amzn.to/3irRjyy How to Start Your Own Martial Art Program: https://amzn.to/3zf0aJB Thanks for listening and have an amazing day! Stay inspired! -Andrea --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/andrea-harkins/support

Jackie Bradbury began martial arts just shy of her 40th birthday. She was a two pack a day cigarette smoker at the time and realized she had to change her ways. She also needed to find a way to deal with a stressful job. She decided to begin martial art training with her family and the rest is history. She and her long-time husband, to whom she refers as her best friend, train together and recently opened their own school after operating a martial art program for many years. Jackie's background includes black belts and ranks in other styles, but the best fit for her is Modern Arnis.  I met Jackie on social media about 8 years ago when we both began our blogs….mine, The Martial Arts Woman, and hers….The Stick Chick. The topics are different but it's fair to say both are written by enthusiastic martial art women with a message! In this podcast, Jackie shares her martial art background, training, and instructors. She fills us in on her recent surgeries and why she is able to rebound faster than most thanks to her marital art mindset and training. We also discuss what it is like to train and teach with your significant other. While we didn’t have a chance to chat about it in the interview, I would be remiss to not mention that Jackie is a huge Kansas City Chiefs Fan and her other interests are “sci fi and fantasy geekery of all kinds," punk music, art and even video games.  Make sure you like her links and pages to (as Jackie aptly states)  "break up your Facebook stream full of memes, politics and selfies!" I think you will mostly enjoy Jackie’s enthusiasm and obvious true love for martial arts in today's podcast.  Jackie’s Links and Info: See Jackie's Full Bio Here: https://www.thestickchick.com/about Please check out her Pinterest, Tumblr, MeWe, Twitter Instagram and on Twitter and The Stick Chick Blog. Andrea's Links and Info:  The Martial Arts Woman book: https://amzn.to/3inNiuQ  Martial Art Inspirations for Everyone: https://amzn.to/3irRjyy  How to Start Your Own Martial Art Program: https://amzn.to/3zf0aJB  Thanks for listening and have an amazing day! Stay inspired!  -Andrea  --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/andrea-harkins/support

Lynda Hatch was born with a hearing impairment that was discovered around 6 months of age. So, don't be shocked when you hear a male voice on this podcast! Her husband, David Hatch, graciously translates throughout the interview. Lynda wanted to make sure that listeners knew she was the one answering the questions and her husband is translating so you will on occasion hear her respond verbally before David translates. Lynda and David met early in her training years and they have practiced and taught together ever since. They have resided in Michigan for many years. Why did Lynda begin martial arts as a young woman at a time when women students were few and far between, anyway? She wanted to learn how to protect herself and she also experienced some bullying as a young girl (not for being deaf but for her red hair and religion!) which prompted her to seek out martial arts. Lynda began martial arts in the late 1960's.  She earned her 1st degree black belt in Karate in April, 1977. She was the only female in a male-dominated karate club. She shares insights on how she learned martial arts during these years without any verbal cues like counting or not being able to hear an opponent's breath or movement during sparring. In 1985, Lynda and David met Guru Dan Inosanto (Guru Dan Inosanto has over 40 years’ experience in the martial arts and is a world authority in Jeet Kune Do and Filipino Martial Arts) at a seminar and their training with him continued though seminars and private trainings. Lynda says that she learned to be a good instructor from those who trained her. She has a huge list of accomplishments and gives credit to Guru Dan Inosanto and Sifu Francis Fong, as well as others, for her accomplishments. We all know, though, that dedicated and determined martial artists put in the hard work and effort, which is exactly what Lynda did with the extra challenge of not hearing.  Lynda wrote a chapter for my book, The Martial Arts Woman, where she shares how she overcame adversity in her life. Today we learn what ignites her passion and commitment to martial arts and more importantly, why being hearing impaired is not a setback, but simply an alternate path for her. Lynda shares a favorite quote which encapsulates who she is as a martial art woman. She says, "If it's going to be, it's up to me." Enjoy!  Lynda's Links and Info:  https://www.attributivemartialarts.com (Attributive Martial Arts, Inc. website)  https://www.facebook.com/amartsinc  (Attributive Martial Arts, Inc.) http://www.protectiveboxinggloves.com/page/402381598 (Attributive Martial Arts, Inc. Instructional DVDs) Andrea's Links and Info:  The Martial Arts Woman book: https://amzn.to/3inNiuQ Martial Art Inspirations for Everyone: https://amzn.to/3irRjyy How to Start Your Own Martial Art Program: https://amzn.to/3zf0aJB The Martial Arts Woman Podcast: https://anchor.fm/andrea-harkins --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/andrea-harkins/support

Joan Cather: "Martial arts for women are a safe haven, a place where they can grow at their pace."  Joan Cather is a passionate, determined and goal-oriented individual who does not accept barriers from preventing her from being the best person she can be in all areas of her life. She is a martial artist, instructor, and school owner who truly wants the best, not only for herself, but for all. Joan began martial arts in 2000 and recently achieved mastership in Taekwondo and she shares that ambitious journey in this interview. Her pure enthusiasm about martial arts and life is refreshing and you will find yourself nodding in agreement to her personal philosophy on living a powerful and productive life. Joan's Links and Info:  [email protected] https://www.stlblackbeltacademy.com/ Andrea's Links and Info:  The Martial Arts Woman book: https://amzn.to/3inNiuQ Martial Art Inspirations for Everyone: https://amzn.to/3irRjyy How to Start Your Own Martial Art Program: https://amzn.to/3zf0aJB The Martial Arts Woman Podcast: https://anchor.fm/andrea-harkins --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/andrea-harkins/support

Michelle Schramm's life story has some shocking twists and turns. But, today, she copes with her traumatic past with a new perspective, thanks to martial arts. By profession, Michelle is a school  teacher who recently opened her own private schoolhouse, a pretty impressive gesture that fulfilled one of her personal goals. This ambitious teacher's past, however, is filled with debilitating abuse began when she was 14 years old when she was molested and raped by the youth pastor at her church. She endured his abuse for 8 long years until, as a young woman, she found the strength to go to the authorities and bare all the intimate details. The residual of this event from 20 years ago remains. She is the mother of 2 sons ages 19 (a product of the abuse) and 11 (who she adopted at birth). Because of the abuse, Michelle spent years believing everyone was going to hurt her, until her oldest son began martial arts and she saw the impact of his instructor on her son's life. She decided to give martial arts a try and eventually settled on Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, which she claims, "saved her life." She weighed more than 300 pounds when she began. Through her practice she has lost significant weight and also became a competitor who has won numerous competitions as a beginner and later, a blue belt. This real-life overcomer story proves the power of martial art practice,  Michelle inspires you and me to finally take the steps toward self-healing and self-betterment, even when hope wanes.  Michelle's Links & Info: https://www.facebook.com/ShugyoPersonalDevelopment/ https://www.instagram.com/biggirlbjj/ #WomenofArnoldBjj Andrea's Links & Info:  The Martial Arts Woman book: https://amzn.to/3inNiuQ Martial Art Inspirations for Everyone: https://amzn.to/3irRjyy How to Start Your Own Martial Art Program: https://amzn.to/3zf0aJB The Martial Arts Woman Podcast: https://anchor.fm/andrea-harkins Thank you for listening to The Martial Arts Woman Podcast!    --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/andrea-harkins/support

In 2013, Lena Smith's son was murdered when she was just beginning martial arts and was a yellow belt. Her son struggled with mental illness and addiction and she was worried about him. Though just a yellow belt when he was murdered, Lena found comfort in the dojo and a chance to heal through her martial art practice. She says, "Karate helped me fill the void in my mind." Her martial art story begins at 50 years of age at the prompting of a friend to take karate. We laughed about the fact that she initially wondered if martial arts were part of some "weird religion," but once she learned more about karate, she immersed herself in training and earned her black belt. She shares some of the struggles she faced in learning karate and how she overcame them, including dismissing negative self-talk. Nine years later, she is a black belt and trains about four times a week. She recognizes the awesome benefits that karate offers including fitness and a positive mindset. She reminds us all that we must be fearless in our martial art practice and in life! I know you will enjoy her positive, light-hearted nature and her remarkable martial art journey. Andrea's Links & Info: The Martial Arts Woman book: https://amzn.to/3inNiuQ Martial Art Inspirations for Everyone book: https://amzn.to/3irRjyy How to Start Your Own Martial Art Program book: https://amzn.to/3zf0aJB The Martial Arts Woman Blog:  www.themartialartswoman.com Andrea Harkins website: www.andreaharkins.com --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/andrea-harkins/support

Vicky Green has been involved in martial arts for nearly 40 years! She shares why she began martial arts, what it was like competing against men, and why her goal is to simply change one life through her teaching. Of course, she has changed many lives over the span of her career. Listen in to how she uses a martial art mindset in life, especially fairly recently with the loss of her husband of 48 years. She discusses the ups and downs of owning a club, why she chose to be a non-profit organization, and what conflict resolution "without force" means. Her most poignant comment bellows true for many women in martial arts who are students or instructors, "We are givers."  Vicky is an 8th Dan in Tang Soo Do Moo Duk Kwan, Chief Instructor at Shell Rock Karate Club, and owner of Greens Self Defense. She was trained by Master Dan Heidt, a 9th Degree Black Belt (Grand Master) in self defense for women and conflict resolution without force. Her story will inspire you to make a difference and to continue to push through in life with perseverance and purpose.  Vicky's Links & Info:  http://greenselfdefense.com https://www.facebook.com/Shellrockkarate/ Vicky is the co-founder and Chief Instructor of the Shell Rock Karate Club and a member of the National Women's Martial Arts Federation. She currently conducts training sessions throughout Iowa and neighboring states to help others learn self confidence and personal power.She is CEO of [email protected]. She is also a security officer at a college.  Andrea's Links & Info:  The Martial Arts Woman book: https://amzn.to/3inNiuQ Martial Art Inspirations for Everyone book: https://amzn.to/3irRjyy How to Start Your Own Martial Art Program book: https://amzn.to/3zf0aJB The Martial Arts Woman Blog:  www.themartialartswoman.com Andrea Harkins website: www.andreaharkins.com --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/andrea-harkins/support