Karate Master and 9th Degree Black Belt Still Going Strong at 73!

At the age of 73, he is still training Makiwara several times per week and traveling to tournaments. His story is fascinating to us for several reasons:

1. His very close, 35 year relationship with his Sensei.
2. His passion for martial arts that is still going strong at age 73.
3. His personal journey from practicing mainstream medicine to participation in herbal, Chinese and alternative medicine.
4. His willingness to face his health circumstances and make dramatic changes to his lifestyle, diet, routine and more to save his health. 

Martial Arts and Medical Practice

Richard began studying martial arts in 1974 while in residency training in surgery.  Three years later, after finishing his surgical training to start his medical career, he moved from New Jersey to Florida. During this time, he continued his karate training with a new Sensei who would become his friend and mentor for the rest of his Sensei's life (35 years).

Richard was chief of surgery at a new hospital in Florida.  In this position, he was working many hours a week and training in martial arts. He also had to supervise a large group of other surgeons on the medical staff. Needless to say, this was a very high pressure, high stress environment. 

 

Mainstream Medicine to Alternative Healing 

After several years, he began experiencing health issues. He was hospitalized, skipping every other heart beat from too much caffeine, and then later, experienced a bout of optic neuritis with temporary blindness in one eye (often a precursor of Multiple Sclerosis). Understanding the seriousness of these symptoms, they got his attention. He knew that, without a major change, he would not survive long. 

With the support of friends and family, he sold his practice and moved to a farm in Tennessee, along with his Sensei and his family.  There, they raised most of their own food, and lived a simpler lifestyle in a log cabin heated with wood.

Robert did continue in medicine, doing emergency medicine in a small rural hospital (yes, for him, this was actually less stressful!).  His Sensei encouraged him, as part of his martial arts training, to explore other areas of alternative healing such as acupuncture, herbal medicine, energetic healing, etc. 

In his improved state of health, Richard was able to progress through the ranks in martial arts and not long before his death, his Sensei granted Richard the rank of Kudan (9th degree black belt). 

 

Acupuncture Restores Normal Blood Pressure

Some years ago, Richard's wife had tripped and fallen, sustaining fractures of both shoulders. In the process of her recovery, Richard had used a lot of his own energy to assist her healing. Being emotionally involved in her healing process, he had allowed himself to absorb a lot of pain and negative energy.

After she recovered, Richard went to an acupuncturist for the first time and told him the history. He told told the acupuncturist, "I need my Chi cleaned." Richard had inherited high blood pressure from his mother and had been on medication for that for years.  After 4 weekly acupuncture treatments, he began experiencing dizziness on standing. His blood pressure was 80/40.  He had to come off all blood pressure medicine, and, 15 years later, he is still on no medicine for blood pressure. 

 

Makiwara Training and Dit Da Jow

Today, Richard is still involved in Okinawan martial arts. In this system, the Makiwara is an important part of the training to strengthen the weapons of the body for impact. This training will often include several hundred strikes per day, which Richard is continuing to do. Critical to his longterm training success has been the use of a good Dit Da Jow to promote the development of strong ligaments and bones and to prevent and heal injuries. Richard uses the Ancestors Advanced formula for his Makiwara training: