instructors

Training

I started training just after my 40th birthday. I’d always been interested in martial arts, but had such bad hand-eye coordination that it didn’t seem like something I could do.

When our daughter was young, my wife Sharona, who had studied American Kenpo growing up, insisted that she had to learn self defense, and she started training with Professor Rocky DiRico. I started learning the forms from the sidelines so I could help her practice at home. Six months later, I enrolled as a white belt.

I progressed quickly, often getting multiple promotions, and began substitute teaching once I was awarded my brown belt. I earned my yondan (4th degree black belt) in 2025.

I also train with Sensei Tom Duffy in Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu Iaijutsu at the Rhode Island Budo Club. 

Recovery

When I started training, I was suffering from significant back problems. I had discs with bulges and fissures, one step from herniated and ruptured. In my physical training and martial arts training, I had to look for ways to progress that took into account my limitations. Whether it was how to modify a form, or different techniques to stretch and strengthen, I’ve been able to steadily improve my technique, strength, and flexibility. Now my back is much stronger and my discs are healthy. While martial arts wasn’t the only component of that recovery, it played a significant role.

I use this experience to help everyone find ways to train that fit their current capabilities.

Competition

I started competing in local tournaments as a green belt with Professor DiRico’s encouragement. While I have won many trophies, winning is not the reason I competed. One was to place myself into an uncomfortable scenario. I can get up and deliver a talk to an auditorium with 350+ people and feel confident (see below), but doing a form in front of 3 other martial artists was much harder. I made mistakes in competition that I never made in the dojo. Each time I competed, I dealt with those feelings and how they would impact my performance. The second reason I competed was to see other people. I got to see different forms and styles, how others at a similar rank performed, and be inspired by those who were much more advanced than I was. I particularly liked watching the 65+ black belts. They tended to have a level of precision and rootedness that was amazing. Not as flashy as younger practitioners, but something that felt achievable as I continue to learn and grow.

Off the mat

I have been in the software design field for more than 25 years and I’m currently a freelance team facilitator, educator and coach for digital product teams. I speak at events world-wide and have been a guest lecturer at Harvard Business School since 2016. I’ve also been very involved with the agile community since 2007, including being part of the planning committee for Agile India from 2018-2020 and a track chair for the Agile Online Summit in 2020.