Shugyo 修行: The Way of Training

The Stories Behind Karate: A Conversation with UK Karate Podcast’s Andy Patton

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. Episode Topics * Andy’s start in karate * How the UK Karate Podcast began * Old-school training vs modern training * Karate in the age of YouTube, social media, and online information * Politics, associations, and cross-training * What makes someone a good podcast guest * Why technical ideas need to be explained clearly * Communication as a martial arts skill * Why instructors need to read the room * Advice for future podcasters Connect with Andy Patton / UK Karate Podcast 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. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ukkaratepodcast/ [https://www.facebook.com/ukkaratepodcast/] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ukkaratepodcast/ [https://www.instagram.com/ukkaratepodcast/] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@UKKaratePodcast [https://www.youtube.com/@UKKaratePodcast] Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0Nq7jr9fTKxDY0EFsanYHy [https://open.spotify.com/show/0Nq7jr9fTKxDY0EFsanYHy] Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/uk-karate-podcast/id1861484516 [https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/uk-karate-podcast/id1861484516?utm_source=chatgpt.com] Connect with Shugyō Podcast Linktree: https://linktr.ee/shuygopodcast [https://linktr.ee/shuygopodcast] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Shugyo.Thewayoftraining [https://www.facebook.com/Shugyo.Thewayoftraining] Support the show: https://buymeacoffee.com/shugyo [https://buymeacoffee.com/shugyo]

Turning a Classroom into a Dojo: Martial Arts Beyond Fighting with Marat Iliyasov

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, we discuss: * Growing up and training during the Soviet Union * Why martial arts were once restricted by the state * The connection between martial arts, politics, and conflict * Discipline in the dojo vs discipline in the classroom * Why martial arts is more than fighting or competition * The meaning of “the way” as a lifelong practice * How students responded to martial arts principles in an academic setting * What it means to develop a martial artist mindset Connect with Marat Iliyasov * LinkedIn: Marat Iliyasov on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/marat-iliyasov-25837614b/?utm_source=chatgpt.com] * Email: Shugyō Podcast Linktree [https://linktr.ee/shuygopodcast] * Facebook: Shugyō Podcast Facebook Page [https://www.facebook.com/Shugyo.Thewayoftraining] * Support the show: Buy Me a Coffee [https://buymeacoffee.com/shugyo]

Disrupting the Timing: Breaking Rhythm in the Fight | Jason Serrano

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. Link Tree for Shugyō Podcast: https://linktr.ee/shuygopodcast [https://linktr.ee/shuygopodcast] Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2XleA8dXYJBIRDXECRAYVD [https://open.spotify.com/show/2XleA8dXYJBIRDXECRAYVD] Follow the Shugyō Podcast on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Shugyo.Thewayoftraining [https://www.facebook.com/Shugyo.Thewayoftraining] Support the podcast: https://buymeacoffee.com/shugyo [https://buymeacoffee.com/shugyo]

From Basics to Instinct: What Most Martial Artists Miss — with Sensei Eddie Garcia

Shugyō Podcast – Episode with Sensei Eddie Garcia In this episode, I sit down with Sensei Eddie Garcia to talk about training beyond technique — especially the role of cross-training, building a strong foundation, and what it really means to move instinctively. Sensei Eddie shares insights from decades of training across judo, karate, and traditional Chinese martial arts, along with his perspective on the gap between dojo practice and real-world application. We also get into: * When cross-training helps — and when it slows you down * Why do most practitioners stop at the basics and never go deeper * The difference between controlled practice and real self-defense * What it means to train until your response becomes instinctive About Sensei Eddie Garcia Sensei Eddie Garcia began his martial arts journey in judo at UC Santa Barbara under Sensei Ken Ota, where he also served as team president. He later trained for over 20 years under Tak Kubota Sensei in Gosoku-ryu Karate, and continued his path in traditional Southern Chinese martial arts under Sifu Buck Sam Kong. He is also a writer for Masters Magazine, with a focus on the history and development of martial arts, and is currently working on a book exploring the deeper origins of karate. Connect & Follow Shugyō Podcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Shugyo.Thewayoftraining [https://www.facebook.com/Shugyo.Thewayoftraining] Support the show (Buy Me a Coffee): https://buymeacoffee.com/shugyo [https://buymeacoffee.com/shugyo] Support the Podcast If you found this episode helpful, feel free to like, comment, and share it with someone in your training circle. And if you have any feedback or thoughts, feel free to reach out — I’d love to hear from you.

Shugyō on the Road: Training, Combat, and Adaptation with Carl Boudro

In this episode of the Shugyō Podcast, host Swire Ho sits down with martial artist and Navy veteran Carl Boudro to talk about what it means to train over a lifetime. Carl’s martial arts journey didn’t follow a single dojo or instructor. During his time serving in the U.S. Navy, he trained wherever he could—on bases, in different gyms, and with different instructors around the world. That experience forced him to adapt, observe, and carry lessons forward wherever he went. In this conversation, Swire and Carl explore what it means to keep training when the conditions aren’t ideal, what assumptions about martial arts don’t always hold up when faced with real combat situations, and how experience helps practitioners filter what truly works from what doesn’t. Carl also shares how studying kinesiology and exercise science later in his journey changed the way he approaches strength, recovery, and longevity in martial arts training. The episode closes with practical insights for martial artists who want to continue training for the long haul. Topics Discussed in This Episode * Training while traveling during Navy service * Learning martial arts outside of a single dojo or lineage * Assumptions about martial arts that don’t hold up in real combat * How practitioners decide which techniques to keep or discard * Injury, adaptation, and continuing the path of shugyō * How kinesiology and exercise science influence modern training * Advice for martial artists thinking about long-term practice Connect with Carl Boudro https://www.instagram.com/carl_boudro/ [https://www.instagram.com/carl_boudro/]   Support the Shugyō Podcast If you enjoy the show, like, subscribe, and comment.   Join the Shugyō Podcast Facebook page for more conversations and training discussions: https://www.facebook.com/Shugyo.Thewayoftraining [https://www.facebook.com/Shugyo.Thewayoftraining] If you would like to support me, you can buy me a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/shugyo [https://buymeacoffee.com/shugyo]