Upland Shotokan Karate

09/15/2026

Always a student. Always something to learn.

This past Saturday, September 12, our adult advanced class at Defense Arts Center welcomed Sensei Santiago Ardines for a special training session.

Thank you, Sensei, for sharing your time, knowledge, and experience with us. We’re grateful for the opportunity to train together and bring a fresh perspective to our practice.

09/14/2026

This Sat. The Defense Arts Center in Upland is hosting a book signing (lecture and demo) by Alexus McLeod. The event is FREE, and All are welcome. Please join us.
Date: Saturday September 19th 2026
Time: 1:00 pm
Location: Defense Arts Center
1842 W. 11th St. Unit D
Upland, CA. 91786
Questions: Ty Aponte (951 204-0341)
http://www.Defense-Arts-Center.com

Alexus McLeod
Professor, Department of Religious Studies
Indiana University

https://www.alexusmcleod.com


Three Black Belts youtube.com
https://www.youtube.com/

09/14/2026

As martial artists get older, is technique enough?

Many of us still want to train, but the body starts asking different questions.

--Do I have enough strength to keep moving well?
--Am I protecting my joints, balance, posture, and recovery?
--Can I keep showing up next week, next year, and ten years from now?

In this episode of the Shugyo 修行 podcast, Tori Brillantes talks about why muscle becomes a necessity as we age — not for appearance, but for movement, bone health, stability, recovery, and healthspan.

For martial artists over 40, this is an important reminder: strength training is not separate from martial arts. It may be what allows us to keep training longer.

Watch the clip here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSk72qwWrOw&t=36s

09/12/2026

Our friends at Kali Method are having a Free Women’s Self-Defense Seminar — in the city of Upland

Sunday, September 27th • 4:00 PM

Kali Method L.A. Dojo,
1202 N. Monte Vista Ave. #11, Upland, CA 91786

This beginner-friendly seminar (held in honor of Women's Empowerment Day) is designed for women ages 14 and older and offers a supportive environment for developing practical skills that can improve confidence and personal safety.

Participants will explore:
• Situational and environmental awareness
• Prevention and personal-safety strategies
• Boundary setting and assertive communication
• Practical self-defense and escape concepts
• Confidence under pressure
• Fundamental Filipino Martial Arts principles
If you have daughters, mothers, sisters, partners, coworkers, neighbors, or friends who could benefit, please share the invitation. Giving someone in your circle an opportunity to become more confident, prepared, and aware is one of the simplest ways we can strengthen our broader community. 👩🏽‍🌾 👩‍🎓 👩🏾‍🏫
Minimum age: 14 years
RSVP to:
[email protected]
to confirm your booking.

09/04/2026

Martial artists are often willing to push through one more rep—but is that always the right choice?

In this clip from Shugyo 修行, Andżelika Stefańska TigerZone - Trener Kettlebell / StrongFirst Master explains why exhaustion and soreness aren’t proof of effective training. Progress isn’t always about doing more. It’s about doing the right things.

How do you know when to push—and when to adjust?

09/02/2026

Why should martial artists train with kettlebells—and how can they build strength without becoming slow, stiff, or exhausted?

Andżelika Stefańska TigerZone - Trener Kettlebell / StrongFirst Master is the guest for this episode of the Shugyō Podcast. Based in Kraków, Poland, she is a Kung Fu practitioner, international competitor, and StrongFirst Certified Master Instructor.

She represented the Polish National Team at the Traditional Wushu Championships in China before becoming deeply involved in strength and mobility training.

The episode explores how kettlebells can support explosiveness, stability, mobility, breathing, recovery, and longevity in martial arts.

Listen here
https://youtu.be/d7tw0ZPm0ek

Do you use kettlebells—or another form of strength training—to support your martial arts practice?

Why should every martial artist train with kettlebells?

That is the question we explore in this new episode of the Shugyō Podcast with Andżelika Stefańska , a Kung Fu practitioner, international competitor, and StrongFirst Certified Master Instructor based in Kraków, Poland.

Andżelika represented the Polish National Team at the Traditional Wushu Championships in China, winning medals in Shiyan in 2010 and Huangshan in 2012. She later became deeply involved in StrongFirst and Flexible Steel International , using strength training to support her martial arts practice.

We talk about why kettlebells can help martial artists build explosiveness, stability, mobility, breathing, recovery, and longevity — without becoming bulky, slow, stiff, or exhausted.

One of my favorite ideas from the episode: strength training should help your martial arts, not steal energy from it.

Check out the episode here:
https://youtu.be/d7tw0ZPm0ek

08/16/2026

Awesome form ~ Hoshimi Asai

07/23/2026

Sensei Jason Serrano’s Shugyo 修行 Podcast episode has now been featured in Budo Mindset Magazine

The article focuses on one of the main lessons from his Thursday night kumite class at Defense Arts Center:

Disrupt the timing.

In sparring, this means learning how to break rhythm, read patterns, and create the right moment to move. But the lesson does not stop there. The article also explores how this same idea can apply outside the dojo — in work, habits, mindset, and everyday life.

For those who train with Sensei Jason on Thursdays, this is a great reminder that the lessons we practice in kumite can carry far beyond the mat.

Read the article here:
https://budomindset.com/welcome/f/disrupting-the-timing

06/19/2026

A new movie based on the life of Olympic gold medalist Sandra Sánchezis coming later this year.

What do you think it takes to reach the highest levels of kata competition?

Is it natural talent, hard work, great coaching, or something else?

Watch the trailer and let us know your thoughts.

Ya está disponible el teaser tráiler de ‘Karateka’ la increíble his...

06/19/2026

How can kettlebell training help martial artists?

The hip snap used in a kettlebell swing can improve explosive power, strengthen the glutes and hamstrings, and help the body produce and absorb force more efficiently.

In this clip, Sifu Oscar Agramonte explains how that can carry over to stronger kicks, better jumping, and improved movement.

Curious to learn more? Watch the full conversation at the Shugyo 修行 podcast
https://youtu.be/ABbQs6LBe3c