Episode 1077 - How Gatherings Enrich the Martial Journey
In this episode Andrew is joined by Nick Taber and Dennis Campo. They sit down and discuss how you can enrich your martial journey by attending martial arts gatherings and events.
How Gatherings Enrich the Martial Journey - Episode 1077
SUMMARY
In this episode of Whistlekick Martial Arts Radio, Andrew Adams, Dennis Campo, and Nick Taber discuss the enriching experiences gained from attending martial arts gatherings. They explore the importance of networking, building relationships, and learning from diverse instructors. The conversation emphasizes the value of open-mindedness and the ripple effect of teaching, while also addressing common insecurities that prevent instructors from participating in such events. The episode concludes with reflections on personal growth and the importance of continuous learning in martial arts.
TAKEAWAYS
Gatherings break you out of your bubble.
Martial arts events foster camaraderie and relationships.
Networking is a key benefit of attending gatherings.
Learning from diverse instructors enhances teaching skills.
Open-mindedness is crucial for personal growth.
Teaching is about creating ripples that can change lives.
Insecurity can prevent instructors from seeking new experiences.
Continuous learning is essential in martial arts.
Attending events can lead to lifelong friendships.
The benefits of gatherings are often priceless.
CHAPTERS
00:00 Introduction
02:47 The Importance of Martial Arts Gatherings
05:49 Building Relationships and Community
09:07 Networking Beyond Martial Arts
12:03 Learning from Diverse Instructors
15:09 Personal Growth Through Shared Experiences
18:24 The Journey of Learning in Martial Arts
21:21 Embracing the Unknown: The Power of 'I Don't Know'
24:26 The Importance of Open-Mindedness in Training
27:34 The Ripple Effect: Impacting the Martial Arts Community
30:58 Overcoming Insecurities: The Value of External Training
36:55 Elevating Each Other: The Essence of Martial Arts Gatherings
After listening to the episode, it would be exciting for us to know your thoughts about it. Don’t forget to drop them in the comment section down below!
SHOW TRANSCRIPT
Andrew Adams (01:55.667)
Welcome you're listening or watching to another episode of whistle kick martial arts radio and today I'm joined by a couple of great bald brothers Dennis Campo and Nick Taber. Nick, how are you today?
Nick Taber (02:08.581)
Fantastic, my man. I really appreciate you having me, as always.
Andrew Adams (02:13.243)
Awesome. And Dennis, how about yourself?
Dennis Campo (02:15.53)
I am super good at getting better every day.
Andrew Adams (02:18.919)
I love it. I love it. fact, we all go to the same barber and just think of all the money we save on shampoo and conditioner. Yeah. if you're new here to whistle kick, I want to first welcome you. Thank you so much for joining us. we are here to talk about how gatherings can enrich your Marshall journey. But before we get there to talk about that, I just want to make sure that if you are new, check out what this episode.
Dennis Campo (02:26.625)
sure.
Nick Taber (02:26.661)
percent.
Andrew Adams (02:47.261)
It has going for it both through our website, whistlekick martial arts radio.com. You can find show notes on this episode. You can find a transcript. In fact, for every single episode we've done, this is episode 1077 and every single one of those episodes has its own page at whistlekick martial arts radio.com with pictures and show notes, transcripts, all that stuff is there. And if you go to whistlekick.com, you'll find out about.
all of the things that we at Whistlekick do. You can purchase t-shirts and hoodies and books and training programs and sparring gear. You can find out about all of the different events that we throw all over the country. And that you can find at whistlekick.com. we gentlemen are here to talk about how gatherings can enrich your martial journey. All three of us were recently at
a martial arts gathering. We were at martial summit here in Keene, New Hampshire. And it got me to thinking about how events like this and Jeremy and I had gone to Weichi Khan a month and a half or so ago, another martial arts gathering. There are the seminars happening all over the world. And I thought, you know what, let's talk about some of the things that you as a martial artist can gain and what not just
as an individual, as a group, as a school, what can you gain from attending martial arts gatherings like this? So who wants to go first?
Nick Taber (04:25.009)
I'll go. I mean, I think one of the things I wrote some notes down through the day knowing I was going to do this and I wrote them again in phrases is it breaks you out of your bubble. You know, there are so many problems that an individual may have, albeit with a student that's problematic parents, yada yada, and not to get stuck on the negative, but
When we do it, we go home, we go to our, we are in our dojo, we're running our business, we're running our life. And you think it's only like, you are the only one that has this problem. You're the only one that does that. And through the gatherings, whether it's like you're in a class talking with somebody or whether you're just kind of chilling, eating lunch and having conversations and you go, shoot, you too. You know,
You too. Okay. How do you deal with it? And then the other person goes, Oh shoot, you too? You know, and they go, wait a minute. All right. Yeah. And then you brainstorm and they actually elevate each other. And that's the beauty thing of it is, you know, there are so many, like, and I've been in a lot of types of businesses myself where you go to conferences and a lot of people just go for the food. But you know, okay, I go for the food. get the swag. go home. And then, you know, you don't remember a damn thing.
But when you go through this, everybody's working on the same thing. We all want to elevate the world in some degree, albeit whether it's the people in our town or we're doing something like Superfoot does. Whether it's something like that, think it really, once you know that your common problems aren't really, the problems that you have are actually more common than you think.
it makes it much better knowing that there are other people.
Dennis Campo (06:24.787)
Excellent. Yeah, you know, we often say that people join the martial arts. They join the martial arts school for the training, for the physical fitness, for the self-defense variety of reasons. But they often stay because of the camaraderie, the close knit ties that they form with their fellow classmates, with their instructors. It really becomes like a martial family. And like isn't even the right word. It really becomes a family. We call ourselves Dojo brothers and sisters.
And then we do these gatherings like the Superhood Conference that I went to in June, the Weichi gathering that you guys went to earlier this year. Of course, there's the symposium in New Hampshire that we've gone to so many times. There's karate college in Virginia. There's so many of these incredible events. And of course, Summit is right there at the top of the list with all those other incredible events.
And what's happened over time is because this was the fourth summit, but Free Training Day preceded that for almost 10 years. A lot of new relationships have formed over the years. And a lot of us look forward to the event in Keene, Marshall Summit, because it gives us a chance to reconnect with all those new friends that we've made over the years. what's really interesting
And it's consistent among all the instructors or the presenters throughout the event is that when we partner up in certain classes, we're encouraged to search partners. We finished drill, get a new partner. So it really forces us to create more bonds and enables us to really take advantage of the little bit of time that we have in a session to meet the greater number of people.
Andrew Adams (08:00.012)
Hmm.
Dennis Campo (08:08.365)
That and you mentioned Foodnik. mean, that cafeteria at Keene State is just, it's off the charts, right? And in the swag, right? We all left with stuff. But really, it's the relationships. We so look forward to getting together. We had the Facebook page and starting several months out. Who are you looking forward to training with? Who would you like to invite to be there with us? And every year, I leave summit with
Andrew Adams (08:16.181)
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Nick Taber (08:16.464)
Andrew Adams (08:30.719)
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Dennis Campo (08:36.607)
another dozen brand new Facebook friends who become future training partners.
Andrew Adams (08:41.459)
Yeah. Yep. when, when I was thinking about the benefits of, going to gatherings, like the symposium, like, the super foot conference or the Weichi con or Marshall summit, the biggest takeaway, I think that one of the biggest benefits is actually not Marshall related at all. It's it's connecting and networking with other people. Right.
Nick Taber (09:07.474)
Yeah.
Andrew Adams (09:09.789)
obviously making friends, but professionally as well in the martial arts world, connecting with other like-minded people that you've never met before, but you get to know them and, and like being selfish, for example, if I went, I met a lovely gentleman, a martial arts instructor at Weichi Con, this past month, last month,
His episode comes out next week on Monday. I'm not going to say the name. You're to have to wait and see. But I met him. We got along really well. I loved his class. I connected with him. I very much wanted to have him on the show. So we interviewed him and he's from the Boston area. So now if I go to Boston, I know there's a traditional karate school that I'm going to want to go check out and, see this guy and his school because I made this connection.
Dennis Campo (09:41.836)
Nice.
Andrew Adams (10:05.777)
at this martial arts event. And it doesn't have to be the same style. He's a Weichi-Ru practitioner. I'm not, but it doesn't matter. I've made these connections and you the same for everyone that goes to these events. You have the ability to connect with other like-minded people to broaden your group of hopefully eventually friends, but just the people that you know in the martial art world.
Nick Taber (10:07.676)
Right.
Andrew Adams (10:35.017)
And let's face it, most of the people that go to these events are from a rough geographic area near that. mean, not all, obviously we had people that were drove 13 hours to be at Marshall summit. So not everybody is, you know, an hour or two drive from the area. but you know, most of the people that go to the symposium are from new England. Most of the people go to Weichikon are from new England. Same with our event.
Nick Taber (10:47.76)
Right. Yeah.
Andrew Adams (11:03.231)
But you often will get people that drive or fly in and it just helps to grow your group of people that you know in the martial art community.
Dennis Campo (11:14.305)
You know, and that's a great comment, Andrew. I met two fellows there. One is a boxer and never done martial arts before. He said he felt a little bit out of place. He was only a boxer. Only a boxer. said, you take only out of that equation. And another fellow who I met earlier in the day, just walking to lunch. I just started a conversation with him. Really great guy. And then he wound up taking my class and we headed off and we all live in Connecticut, like within.
15, 20 minutes of each other. we're gonna, we are going to connect locally here to train again, which is amazing. And speaking of connections, you Andrew, you and Abby, how many times have you been to my house and we train together? It's again, because of we made the connection at Marshall summit years ago. that time was free training day. It's been that far back. And there's, you we could probably fill up an entire episode, an hour long episode among the three of us with all the people that we've met.
Andrew Adams (12:03.839)
Yeah, that's true.
Dennis Campo (12:10.72)
during these events and we continue to train with to this day beyond just the gatherings.
Nick Taber (12:16.456)
I totally agree with you and I think even like with the first Marshall Summit, the first one that I went to a few years ago and not to stick just in whistle kick, but I can remember being at the presenter meeting and in the back by myself and just listening and going, okay, great. Not really getting anybody. And then these people who have come back, the love of this come back to me.
has been overwhelmingly amazing. you know, I could not, like I look around and, you know, see these, like even you guys, I'm like, I met you guys two years ago. Like that is a weird thing to say because you meet people who are so, like, it feels like a friend of all of us, Jenny Nader, who is from Philly.
Andrew Adams (13:03.403)
You
Nick Taber (13:13.358)
It feels like we grew up together. Now growing up is a funny thing to say when you talk about Jenny, she got halfway there, but you know, just the abilities, because I would never think to myself that, you know, personally, somebody like me from Fall River, Massachusetts would be able to connect with somebody from Philadelphia.
Dennis Campo (13:16.576)
It does.
Dennis Campo (13:24.214)
Ha ha ha ha!
Nick Taber (13:39.76)
and then bounce ideas off each other on a regular basis, how to do more margin stuff. So, but it also, the reason why I say that is not just to slip a Jenny joke in there is to just like, be sure because it gives you value of what you can do in the world, of what you can do and what you can offer and realize that, know, to, you know, the first one I went to,
Andrew Adams (13:46.218)
Mm.
Nick Taber (14:08.264)
I'm like, okay, I'll see what this goes. I don't know how much is gonna happen. And then coming back, you're going, my gosh, thank you. Thank you for doing this. And I'm like, me? Really? Wow, thank you. No, thank you because I went to the summit and I was telling people, I said, the coolest thing in the world is so much to learn. I'm teaching two classes and I can only take six more.
Because I want to jump in everybody's room. I want to learn a little bit. If I could walk into everything and do like five minutes each, I would have been amazing. But I can only split. I can't split in two, man.
Andrew Adams (14:46.921)
Yeah, yep.
So we've talked about some of the non-martial things you gain, but there's obviously, you're at an event where there's lots of martial arts being presented and taught. I don't hide the fact that 90 % of my training is in Japanese or Okinawan karate. But at these seminars and symposiums and martial summit and all these other things,
Nick Taber (15:09.512)
Right.
Andrew Adams (15:16.607)
There is people presenting material on all kinds of different things. obviously you, you learn things by working with other instructors. as an instructor myself, sometimes I see someone present something that I might already know, but they present it in a way that I had not seen before. So going to these events and taking classes with other instructors can and has.
Nick Taber (15:36.53)
brain.
Andrew Adams (15:45.769)
made me a better instructor.
Nick Taber (15:48.84)
Absolutely. Absolutely. There's no question on that.
Dennis Campo (15:50.252)
100%.
Andrew Adams (15:56.394)
Yeah. And even if sometimes, you know, and I'm going to choose a very generic thing, generic martial skill that most everyone listening will understand in our school, we do rising block, you know, I don't know this way. And, and if you're not watching on YouTube, that's tough. You just have to imagine. but everyone else does it this way. And again, if you're not watching on YouTube, you're going to have to go to YouTube and find out what I'm doing. But.
I go to Marshall Summit and they want me to do it, I don't know, this way for whatever. Maybe it's a thing that I do because I'm, you know, going to be open minded. I'm going to try it and I don't like it. Well, I just found a way that to do something that I don't want to do. I don't want to do it that way, but I didn't know until I tried it. Right. There's nothing wrong with going to a class that someone teaches at a Weechie Con or symposium and
Trying the thing they want you to try and you then deciding for yourself. That was really cool. I wouldn't do it that way. That that's all right, right? We all talk about martial arts is our own Dennis when I give you something you do with that what you want, you know
Dennis Campo (17:01.502)
Absolutely.
Nick Taber (17:07.271)
right.
Dennis Campo (17:07.594)
Yeah. Now, we mentioned Bill Wallace earlier. He's been on the show a couple of times, at least. He always prefaces his seminars and saying, look, what I'm presenting is a way. It's my way. It works great for you. But now you've got to take it, modify it, play with it, and make it work for you. And I love, over the four days, I had to present four times.
The four times where I wasn't I wasn't learning, which to your point, Nick, it hurts, right? Because there is some time your teeth are presenting in a time when I really want to take that. So so just to talk a little bit about going as a school, that's where the big benefit is as going as as a school, because then you can divide and conquer. You can go to different sessions and then come back and and take notes and compare notes. Right. But in terms of of learning new stuff.
Nick Taber (17:38.212)
Right?
Nick Taber (17:50.503)
Let's hit the point.
Dennis Campo (17:57.35)
there were more than half a dozen occasions where I'm taking a class, stuff that I've seen before or stuff that I'm familiar with and the presenter just has a different spin on it, presents it a different way and a light goes on, like wow, I really, I've never seen it that way. I like that, I want to use that, I want to modify what I'm doing because I think that fits and then to your point Andrew, sometimes you say, you know, that doesn't work for me but that's good because now you know that.
And you don't know what you don't know until you finally know it. But there's so much. For Craig Weir, let me just say that despite all the classes, it's all Kempo. But I hope I get a message from him that he heard me say that. But it's all good stuff. And it's just a magnificent experience. you walk away with new skills. But I always walk away from these conferences reinvigorated.
Nick Taber (18:44.934)
You
Dennis Campo (18:54.301)
and just wanted to get back to my training.
Nick Taber (18:56.965)
Absolutely. I can give an example to bounce off that is I've got a bunch of kids now and one of the things I require for their white belt is to show that they can properly stretch not to perfection but what they're doing like for example if they touch their toes they don't bend down touch it okay that's done like they understand it but some of them
Dennis Campo (19:00.425)
Yeah.
Nick Taber (19:25.777)
to have a, they don't have the ability to do that. Maybe they're tightly wound up. And I attended one class from Simon Schur was the benefits of stretching. And I'm like, okay. Like, you know, let's see what happens here. And I walked in and I said, okay, my, my right leg was really super tight then. And he gave a advice on how to do a proper split. And he said, you know, to go down as far as you can.
but realize when you're at a point of discomfort, you're probably not breathing. And I went, oh, okay. And I just like looked at it, okay. And I went, it was like, okay, deep breath and then release. And all of a sudden my split got wider. And I went, oh. And then I took that back. And one of the things that one of my past senseis taught me,
Andrew Adams (20:01.387)
Mmm.
Andrew Adams (20:06.219)
Yeah
Andrew Adams (20:14.623)
Mmm.
Nick Taber (20:24.483)
is the most freeing statement in the English language is I don't know. But the more powerful thing as a martial artist is how you take it from there. So I don't know everything and you look at it, you learn it and then you can take that and go, all right, yeah, that's a new way, that's great. But then, know, a, not necessarily a bad martial artist, but when you walk without ego, I guess this is the Dallas chimney coming out.
where you walk without ego and you go, okay, I really like that. But you walk in and say, I don't know everything. Let me see what I can pick from this tree here and say, what can I do? How can I do this? And there's no better place than that. You know, when you gather and go, okay, like they do this. Like you're mentioning the high blocks, you know, why do they do this open palm versus closed knuckles?
or why do they do this? Okay, well let's see what goes here. You know what? Maybe I don't need to do the closed knuckle for a little while when I spar. And another one when I was teaching trauma, was teaching this women's class and I had a lot of people with trauma. This was another gathering years back and I was introduced to the concept of slow sparring. And I went, oh.
This is different. So they used just slowly spar to be able to do this and I brought that to them. Even for me saying, I don't know everything, but let's try this. It was just the most beautiful martial thing you could ever done.
Andrew Adams (21:55.465)
Yep. Yep.
Andrew Adams (22:02.591)
Yeah. And, and then the other thing to consider too is how often have you gone to a seminar or a weekend gathering like, like, like we're talking about right now and gotten something and was like, I'm bringing this to my students. Like when I was at Weechie con and I met the gentleman whose episode comes out on Monday, stay tuned. he taught.
an amazing flow drill that I absolutely loved. And I, not gonna lie. And I told him, I'm gonna take this. He's like, please, it's yours. Like take it and enjoy. And I took it to some of my students and I said, we're gonna work this for a couple of days. Cause I really liked it and I dug it and it was cool. everybody was able to gain something from it. And it wasn't something I had seen before. That's great.
Dennis Campo (22:58.441)
Yeah. That's a beautiful thing. That's fine, Nick. You mentioned, don't know, is the most freeing phrase in martial arts. said, I heard somebody say it. I believe we were discussing it over breakfast one morning. So swear, heard that during that when we were together. So the second time I've heard that, but it was good to hear it again.
Nick Taber (23:14.063)
It was a dream.
Nick Taber (23:21.319)
Thank you. Thank you.
Dennis Campo (23:22.987)
You know, and we often we often talk about everybody has something to teach. We always talk about that. We're just talking about high blocks. Aidan taught a session the very first day presented a session on on high block and how the high block there's a hidden strike in that high block. Not to do so much what you do with the low block a couple of years ago, Andrew. You know, this is a this is a young man. I have children older than him. Yet I.
Andrew Adams (23:46.613)
Yep. Yep.
Dennis Campo (23:51.027)
I learned so much from him in that that session and I was so grateful to be able to take that and and and learn new skills from him just learn new applications of a block that I've been doing for almost 50 years. It's amazing. There's still something there's still a new twist and still something to learn. It's really important to go to these these gatherings with an open mind. We all read that Zen and martial arts right empty your cup if you can.
Nick Taber (24:04.199)
Thanks.
Andrew Adams (24:04.287)
Yeah, yeah, yeah, for sure.
Dennis Campo (24:19.742)
go there with an empty cup, it's going to be overflowing by the second day for sure.
Nick Taber (24:25.255)
Yeah, I totally agree with you on that and I think on that respect, know, I, Andrew, Dennis and myself, I mean, I think between the three of us, we have about a century of martial arts. Yeah, somewhere around there. Like, but going on the fact that there's always a new way to do something.
Andrew Adams (24:44.724)
sure.
Dennis Campo (24:45.342)
Sounds about right.
Andrew Adams (24:47.754)
Hmm
Nick Taber (24:53.607)
I brought this up to you, Dennis, but one of the things I think I've learned from you on one gathering and it was just dealing with difficult situations. And, I had a person come up to me and we were doing a role situation in the class and they said, I am really filling off my grandma.
And it hit me because my grandmother died a few years back and was right around her anniversary. it's hit me emotionally right then and there. And you told me just be real. Like it was a simple little bit of information. And I took that and continued that. I'm like, holy cow. Like, you know, there's the beauty of this is when people like.
I think naturally we always want to elevate each other because we, you know, we always wanted that and it just, it shows because we're all here for reason, for kind of the same reason. We want to grow. You know, we want to grow, but we want to test ourselves and we want to walk away at the end of the weekend or the end of symposium, whatever we do, better people than where we were.
Dennis Campo (25:47.976)
Yes.
Andrew Adams (25:50.015)
Yep.
Nick Taber (26:10.151)
And I wrote one more phrase I want to share because this came out of the ether talking with a friend who was having a bad day. I will preferences. I have no idea where this came from, but we're talking. I said, we as martial arts teachers have the ability to drop ripples in the ocean that will eventually turn the tide.
Dennis Campo (26:10.964)
Yeah.
Dennis Campo (26:14.356)
Yes.
Andrew Adams (26:36.255)
Hmm, that's powerful.
Dennis Campo (26:37.182)
That's beautiful. Yeah.
Nick Taber (26:37.986)
And right. I just sat back. I'm like, where did they come from? And, but it's just the ability also to be able to fill the cup and know yourself. It also gives you the opportunity to drop your, your knowledge, to be able to elevate something because what we want to do as martial arts teachers, we want to leave the world for as a better place.
Andrew Adams (26:40.544)
Yeah.
Nick Taber (27:07.565)
We're holding the martial arts right now. We're holding the ball. We're running with it. We're doing everything we can. But eventually what's going to happen, we're going to pass on. We're going to retire or somebody's going to take our place and we want to leave it. And when we gather, we reach out and we affect as many people as possible. You know, like when we're in our own dojo, when we're in our own school.
Dennis Campo (27:08.159)
Yes.
Nick Taber (27:34.48)
We affect the people who come in, we affect the community, but there's only a small reach. You know, and I'll be negative on that, realistically there is, there's only a small to do that. But when we go to these gatherings and help and do this and say, this is where I do, your reach becomes much larger. And therefore, you know, what we contribute because martial arts only grows when we keep contributing to it. And you know, the more we contribute to it, better martial arts is overall.
Dennis Campo (28:00.702)
Yes.
Andrew Adams (28:04.649)
Yeah, that's a really good point, Nick. That's a good point. Before we close out, there's one more topic or one more.
Nick Taber (28:05.383)
Yes.
Andrew Adams (28:13.735)
Avenue I want to go down and talk about. it's why would a school like, let's say there's somebody listening right now. And we all know that there are schools out there that are very insular, that they don't do anything. They don't go to other people's stuff. for whatever reason, I don't want to get into it, but like they've decided they don't do things with other martial artists.
I want to talk about that a little bit, because some of those people might be listening and they might be thinking, why, why would I ever like, what are the reasons they might come up with to not go to an event like this? So one of the ones I can think of is that they are afraid that their students are going to be taught something that they don't want them to learn. Right. That's, that's the first one that comes to me like, we don't go to this, this, you know,
Weichi con or we don't go to the symposium or we don't go to Marshall Summit because I don't want my students to learn all of these extra things. Well, my argument for that would be they're taking a 45 or 50 minute, maybe an hour long class on this one thing. The chances if you're not if you're not interested in that one thing, you're not going to end up teaching it in your school. So this student of yours is going to learn it for an hour.
They're not going to remember it because you're not going to continue to work on it. So you're not really hurting your students by allowing them to take a 45 minute class on as an example, judo, right? Dennis, do you have any thoughts on, other like downsides that someone might say to themselves? We don't go to the events because of XYZ.
Dennis Campo (30:02.324)
I think it comes from a place of insecurity. I remember as a young instructor, let's be honest, I was young. It was in my early 20s. I knew it all. You didn't have to train elsewhere. I would say, have a hunter goes out, chases two rabbits, he comes home hungry. And I think that was a little bit of insecurity because I thought I knew everything, but I knew I did.
Nick Taber (30:16.654)
Hahaha
Dennis Campo (30:30.617)
And I was, I think there was a place of fear that I might lose my students to other instructors who just has something more exciting than to them than what I was teaching. As I matured, I realized that the best instructors, my own instructor, all of my instructors have always encouraged me to go outside of the box to train with other people and to see what's out there because both Bill Wallace and Joe Lewis. I don't know at all.
Andrew Adams (30:40.491)
Mm. Mm.
Dennis Campo (30:58.713)
That's why Joe always brought Bill into his conferences. He'd bring Mike Dean to his conferences because he couldn't teach everything, but he wanted us exposed to all of that great stuff. It's all good stuff out there. But again, I think it comes from just a place where instructors are intimidated that they may feel, and probably incorrectly so, that they're not providing everything that their students need. I think those instructors who do encourage their students to go outside of their four walls.
I think that I think they achieve a better level of respect from their students and particularly if they join them on the training floor and show them that they are students just like them.
Andrew Adams (31:39.788)
Correct. Yeah. think Nick, I'm gonna throw it to you in a second here, but I would agree wholeheartedly, Dennis, that one of the best things an instructor can show their students is that they themselves are still a student. I think one of the worst things a student can think of their instructor is that their instructor knows everything. Because let's face it, you can't know everything. It's impossible to know everything. So...
Showing, think in my opinion, showing your students that you are still willing to learn from someone else is, huge. That's huge. Nick, what are your thoughts on other or other reasons someone might not come to an event like the symposium or summit.
Nick Taber (32:24.042)
I'm gonna bounce off Dennis for a little bit. think it is a little bit of insecurity as well, but I think it's always a chance because what we do, what you do day to day, you fit into your routine. You get up, you go to your job, you go eat something, and then you go to the dojo, you unlock, you welcome the students, you throw your gi on, throw your belts on, and you get used to that rhythm.
And I can tell you personally, speaking to the dojo owner or to somebody who is watching slash listening, I'm going to speak to you for a second. You don't know everything, number one, but when you grow and constantly grow, how do you grow? You constantly learn to add on to yourself. But when you stop growing, you're dead.
So it really is you want to keep growing and you want to keep living. And the more martial arts evolves, you got to ask yourself, why do you not do this? I can bet nine times out of 10, why you don't do this is because your last instructor didn't do it. Or somebody else didn't do it. You didn't go to tournaments or you didn't do this because the last one didn't do it. Well, don't you want to be better than your last instructor?
Do you want to do something else and elevate the arts? Because when you look at every person who started whatever art it is, whether it's general show or whatever it is, you've enhanced the martial arts since the start of whatever style you have. So why not take the opportunity, whether it's cost or whatever it is, if you think, it's too expensive, you're costing yourself a lot more.
Andrew Adams (33:52.137)
Mmm, good point.
Dennis Campo (34:08.201)
Yes.
Nick Taber (34:19.108)
by not going and learning more so you can add on and do more.
Andrew Adams (34:23.305)
Hmm. That's a great point, Nick. I appreciate that. That's good. And you mentioned cost. You know, I want to recognize as well that a lot of these events cost a lot of money. I'm I'm self-employed as a drum teacher and a martial arts teacher. I recognize how, you know, I often I jokingly tell people that I got married to my wife so that I would have health insurance and she married me so she could never retire.
Dennis Campo (34:25.203)
Yeah.
Andrew Adams (34:53.577)
Right? That obviously I'm kidding, but like, I get it. Some of these events are very expensive and they take time away from your family and that's important. So I recognize that as a concern to attend seminars. I totally get that. We are very fortunate. All of us living in New England, that Marshall summit in Keene, New Hampshire is doesn't
Nick Taber (34:53.881)
I'm
Dennis Campo (34:54.857)
Hahaha
Andrew Adams (35:19.103)
cost anything, you can come and train and you don't have to spend any money to do that. I mean, obviously you've got to get there. So that's going to cost you gas money. Maybe, maybe you live in town and can walk there, but still you're probably going to drive. You know, if you're coming from a distance, you might have to pay for a hotel. Like all of those things obviously may have to happen, but it's not, it's a four day martial arts event. That's not $600, which it
Easily could be right But I do recognize I do recognize that that can be an issue as well before we close out anything else for Actually before I send it to you my last thing as well if you are listening or watching on YouTube And you are an instructor who's like I don't we don't go to events for x reason I'm gonna challenge you to really think about that take what you heard the three of us talk about and
Dennis Campo (35:49.769)
Absolutely.
Andrew Adams (36:17.909)
Think about way the pros and cons to going to events like Summit or the Symposium or WeechieCon or Superfoot Conference or Karate College or whatever, all of these things. Really think about why don't we go? And maybe you have a legitimate reason. I don't know. And maybe you can go if you want, if you feel comfortable, can email me, andrewatwhistelkick.com. Let me know.
Or you can go on to YouTube and make a comment or in our Facebook group, all of those things. But any any other closing thoughts guys before we before we wrap up?
Dennis Campo (36:55.049)
Yeah, I'll jump in so that we can let Nick have the last word. He's so damn eloquent, Nick, so it kills me. But you mentioned something earlier about how we elevate each other. And I think it's so fresh in our minds because we just got home from summit on Sunday night. We have a like-minded group of individuals, nearly 200 people gathering there, a good portion who are presenters. what
I find at summit in particular and most of the other conferences that we've mentioned is that these are individuals who purposely want to elevate each other. There's the absence of ego. I'm not there. I mean all of us who are there. We're not there to show everybody else what we can do. We're there to help you understand what you can do that maybe you thought you couldn't. And it really is an empowering.
four days of experience to have so many individuals who are trying to help me become a better person, a better martial artist, but a better person. that's, we talk about the event is largely free, aside from travel and lodging costs. But the benefits you get out of the event, they really are priceless.
Nick Taber (38:13.991)
I think, I know I've scratched that, know I wouldn't be me without it. I would not do that and I'd say just one more thing to the person who might be on the fence. I can remember when I was younger and you know being a person and go to episode 807 I talk all about this with my cerebral palsy and all the other stuff. Being nervous as heck getting in the sparring ring.
during sparring night and just saying to myself I'm just gonna try this get in and see what happens you know because I'm gonna regret it if I don't now the thing is all this that we've just talked about here if you don't do it you stay right where you are you stay right where you are and there's the
I joined the first year because Jeremy said, Hey, there's this thing. You should be a part of this. I went, okay. And then look forward to it for the rest of the year. Did it. And I had absolutely zero regrets later. He's saying, do you want a job? I'm like, okay. And then kept going. And, know, I joined this thing and then never left. That's cool. But you know, it really is. If you don't do it.
you're only going to know what you know right now. But wouldn't it be beautiful to know more? Try it anyway.
Andrew Adams (39:43.787)
Hmm.
Andrew Adams (39:48.617)
Yeah. Great, great point, Nick. That's a great, great sentiment to end on for the episode. Just want to remind everybody watching or listening, whistlekickmartialarcheradio.com for this podcast and all of our podcasts, which you can find there completely for free. And whistlekick.com to find out all of the events that we host and all of the things you can purchase there and training programs, all that stuff you can find there.
Dennis Campo (39:51.72)
awesome.
Andrew Adams (40:17.725)
So we're going to close out and we're going to go in order. I'm going to go first and then Dennis and Nick. So me, Dennis, Nick. So until next time train hard.
Dennis Campo (40:27.546)
Smile.
Nick Taber (40:28.847)
and have a great day.