Click on the below to listen to the Podcast!
TODAY’S GUESTS:
I had the honor and privilege of interviewing four amazing martial art women in one podcast. In fact, none of them know each other, but all of them are linked through a martial art mission or practice or teaching. Be prepared to be inspired and enlightened by Susan Serota, Debbie Hoplamazian, Emily Nash Darlage and Jane Larkin-Meiser.
QUESTIONS ANSWERED!
- Jane shares why being a martial art woman is so important and her favorite tenets of martial arts.
- Debbie talks about how she uses a martial art mindset in life and some misconceptions about women who train in the arts.
- Emily discusses what she would say to a woman who is interested in learning a martial art and how martial arts empower her.
- Susan explains one of her biggest martial art obstacles and why she decided to begin martial arts in the first place 31 years ago.
****Please share the podcast with your family and martial art friends! Let’s get these martial art women stories told!******
BACKGROUND & BIOs
DEBBIE HOPLAMAZIAN
Debbie is a Shotokan karate practitioner. Shotokan is usually described as a traditional martial art which focuses on punching, stiking, kicking, blocking, and long, low powerful stances. The more she has grown in the art, however, the more she learns the importance of rounded, fluid movements as well as shorter, more efficient stances.
She said it’s a fun journey! Her club, The Shotokan Karate Club of Maryland, is a non-profit club. All of the instructors there are volunteers, including Debbie.
Debbie trains as a student and and is an instructor at The Shotokan Karate Club of Maryland, which is in the International Shotokan Karate Federation (ISKF). She is a 5th degree black belt, a member of their regional kata and kumite teams and a US kata team member.
She has published articles in the Shotokan Karate Magazine. Her chief instructor is Sensei Najib Amin (8th dan, ISKF Shihankai) and her mentor is Farid Amin (7th dan). Her club is outside of Baltimore, MD. They have kids and adults’ programs and run many small events from the club each year. She teaches kids and women’s class, as well as the occasional adult class. She organizes a training camp for women, a kumite tournament, and a kid’s tournament. All of the events hosted at the club are free and everyone is always welcome. Visitors often come to to the club from all over the region, the country and sometimes the world, because of the welcome-ness and technical instruction our Sensei provides. He’s a gem! (He’s 88!)
She met her husband through karate training when they were just kids and he is also a 5th dan. They train at the same dojo but can not train together anymore because they have 3 young kids! Their boys are 9, 6 and almost 2! Their oldest son, Owen, started training and he is a yellow belt. 🙂
JANE LARKIN-MEISER
Jane’s style is Kenwayoshin Ryu where she recently earned her 4th Dan under the instruction of Grand Master John Suarez.
Her style is a hybrid of Wado Ryu Karate, Shotokan Karate, Okinawan Jiu-Jitsu and Iaido. She also has practiced in Aikido and Taekwondo. Jane is the CEO of America Martial Arts Renmei which tries to help other schools who need assistance in various areas such as sitting on a panel for testing, helping teach certain skill sets, or teaching self-defense seminars.
The Renmei helps small schools flourish and grow. She also helps women find their place in martial arts and find the right fit for them. She helps them locate a dojo or dojang near them that is a reputable , safe place.
Jane is also Black Belt in Chung Do Kwan Taekwondo.
SUSAN SEROTA
Susan Serota is a Grandmaster in Kinney Karate. The program teaches Tang-Soo-Do, Jujitsu, Aikido, and Arnis. Kinney Karate celebrated its 50th Anniversary in 2019. It is located in 5 recreation centers in St. Petersburg, Fl and recently opened a dojo. It offers special pops classes since 1990’s.
Susan earned her Granndmaster 8th Degree Black Belt in 2015 after being with the program since 1987.
Susan participates in the following: Presenter of Free Self-Defense Classes for Women; Great American Teach-In; Member Eastern USA International Martial Arts Association; Global Leadership Conference; Executive Board Member; Presenter of Dynamic Training Skills Seminar; Awarded Doctor Of Philosophy Degree 2015
Susan began her martial arts career in 1987. She was in her late 30’s. At that time, she was involved with weight training & cardio classes. A school teacher suggested Kinney Karate for her son, Richard, age 6, who was diagnosed with ADD. Soke Michael Kinney worked with her son and helped him better focus on his everyday activities.
As a professional Commercial Interior Designer, Susan went to job sites & office buildings by herself. One time, a real estate agent was brutally attacked. About the same time, Soke Kinney presented a seminar called The Art of Escape. The jujitsu techniques piqued Susan’s interest and she enrolled soon after. She felt more secure and more aware of her surroundings with the skills that she developed during her early years with Kinney Karate.
At first, she was more concerned about the physical aspect of karate, about learning every move and doing it perfectly. Over the years, as she started to teach and as she reached each belt level, she realized it was more than just going through the motions. At each level, her visualization skills improved as did her skill level. She soon realized that her new skill levels affected her business demeanor.
Her self-confidence became very apparent to her family, business associates and clients. She finds it rewarding to help children & adults develop self-confidence, self-control & starting a healthy exercise regimen. She now teaches 2nd & 3rd generations of students. She has won competitions but what really matters is making a difference in the lives of students. She is proud of the students she trains from white belts to black belt, many of whom are now leading instructors. Students call her as adults to tell her how Kinney Karate shaped and changed their lives.
She was very impressed with Soke Michael Kinney from the start. He instructed the children through positive reinforcement & praise, yet when needed, was a disciplinarian. When you join Kinney Karate you become part of a family. He loved letting everyone know that the school has more than 110 marriages of students who have met through the school. Michael touched the lives of many different people, in many different ways. He was her teacher, mentor and friend. Michael Kinney passed 6 years ago.
She was very proud & humbled (at the same time) to be promoted to Grandmaster through their association, Eastern USA International Martial Arts Association. In teaching you learn the true meaning of the art. “He showed me the path and provided the tools for me to pass on his legacy to future generations of Kinney Karate students.” She continually tries to learn & refine her physical & mental abilities.
EMILY DARLAGE
Emily is 46 yeaRs old and has been married almost 24 years. She is the mother of two amazing sons, Dane, 19 yrs, and Carson, 15 yrs. Her full- time job is in customer service for a non-profit cooperative electric company.
Her martial art journey began 13 years ago with her oldest son. Both sons eventually learned martial arts for a while, but quit. She found her passion and purpose and stuck with it. Her belt ranking is in Chung Do Kwan TaeKwonDo, and her fabulous instructor, Master Donald Gambrel, actually also taught her bits and pieces of other styles such as Hapkido, Aikido, Krav Maga, Silat and several others for self-defense.
A few years ago she started her own business with her main focus on teaching self-defense seminars. She has between 8-10 private TaeKwonDo students. She recently started taking Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu from Coach Lt Mike Brown. It is an hour away so she can’t attend as often as she would like but she loves learning ground techniques to add to her existing skills.
LISTEN TO THE PODCAST FOR THEIR PERSONAL INSIGHTS AND INSPIRATION!
I hope you enjoy learning about these fabulous ladies on this podcast that delves into the mindset and mission of the martial arts women.
LINKS & INFO
Emily Darlage: https://www.facebook.com/ShiningSpiritWarrior/
Susan Serota: https://kinneykarate.com/
Jane Larkin Meiser: https://www.facebook.com/amarenmei/
Debbie Hoplamazian: http://shotokankarateofmd.com/index.html
MORE INSPIRATION HERE
For more inspiration and motivation, pick up one of my martial art books today!
The Martial Arts Woman book: https://www.amazon.com/Martial-Arts-Woman-Motivational-Stories/dp/1544916213
Martial Art Inspirations for Everyone book: https://www.amazon.com/Martial-Inspirations-Everyone-Andrea-Harkins/dp/150297830X
xoxo
Andrea
