Ripple Effect Martial Arts Podcast

What happens after you earn your black belt? Masters Macy sit down with five seasoned martial artists preparing to cross into the rarified air in the martial arts world—fourth-degree black belt. From the martial arts school to college essays, from corporate careers to community impact, these long-time members of the Ripple Effect community share how the lessons of discipline, service, and perseverance continue to shape their lives.

Master Macy sits down with Miss Chrissy, Miss Dana, and Miss Alison—Ripple Effect staff members and moms of black belt students—to talk parenting, perseverance, and the power of martial arts. Through personal stories of discipline, failure, growth, and grit, they reveal how training side-by-side with their kids shaped not just strong martial artists, but stronger families.

Master Macy welcomes an inspiring panel of black belt moms—Mrs. Ogle, Mrs. Davis, Mrs. Clark, and Master Bono—to reflect on how martial arts shaped not only their children’s lives but their own. These women share personal stories about overcoming hardship, healing family dynamics, and finding their voice. Whether training alongside their kids or watching from the wings, these moms reveal how martial arts has empowered them and created lifelong bonds that extend far beyond the mat.

Master Macy sits down with three remarkable moms—Miss Kris, Miss Crystal, and Miss Chirstina—who are not only dedicated parents but also committed martial artists. Each shares her unique journey of stepping onto the mat alongside her children, discovering unexpected strength, battling self-doubt, and embracing the shared challenges of training. From postpartum struggles to sparring seminars, these moms reveal how martial arts has strengthened their families, inspired personal growth, and turned everyday parenting into a black belt-worthy pursuit. A must-listen for any parent wondering if it’s too late—or too hard—to join the journey.

In this special Mother’s Day edition of the Ripple Effect Martial Arts Podcast, Mr and Mrs Master Macy sit down with the two most influential women in their lives—their mothers, Master Jan Lappin and Clara Macy. Together, they explore the often-unsung but crucial role moms play in a martial artist’s journey, from childhood discipline to black belt perseverance.

This episode of the Ripple Effect Martial Arts Podcast dives into the transformative journey of students preparing for their black belt tests. Mr and Mrs Master Macy and our prep cycle coordinators discuss the impact of martial arts training beyond physical skills, emphasizing teamwork, leadership, and resilience.

Master Rachael Macy welcomes Ms Sophia Latino, a martial artist and instructor with a rich background in Taekwondo, Tang Soo Do, and Japanese Jiu-Jitsu. They discuss her journey from training and teaching in Florida to moving to Italy, where she continued her martial arts education, and her upcoming role as head instructor at the Fort Collins location.

On this episode of the Ripple Effect Martial Arts Podcast, we sit down with Justin Ortiz, a world-class martial artist, stunt performer, and coach. He shares his journey to earning a 5th-degree black belt, his experiences in Cobra Kai, Black Adam, and Blue Beetle, and how martial arts shaped his career. Justin talks about training, competition mindset, and overcoming challenges—both in martial arts and life. He also shares insights on coaching and his work with the NexLevel Competition Team, helping students grow and succeed.

Ms Maya Walton, a 3rd-degree black belt in Tang Soo Do and instructor with Ripple Effect Martial Arts Middleburg, shares her thoughts on beginning and progressing in the martial arts. She's gone from mirroring her brother's moves on the mat to joining him out there, earning multiple black belt degrees, instructing, and becoming a member of Tang Soo Do's demonstration Team Phoenix. This is all while earning high marks in high school and college, overcoming life challenges, and having fun along the way. Find out what motivates Ms Walton to continue teaching, training and inspiring the next generation of black belt students.

On the 44th episode of the Ripple Effect Martial Arts podcast, 2nd-degree Black Belt Mr Ada Yasar talks about how martial arts has impacted his life at home, at school and in life at large. He's just 16 years old, but has accomplishments and ambitions well beyond his years. These include music, math and AI programming, as well as travel and full-time Black Belt instruction in his future college career. Thank you Mr Yasar for exploring the potential of the Black Belt journey!

Black Belt instructor Lionel Lariviere (or Mr L, as he's better known) has been studying and teaching martial arts for "like, a hundred years" [his words]. His experience translates to the training of hundreds of Black Belt students over the course of more than two decades, with more Black Belt generations to come. He's fascinated by everything from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles to the etymology of last names, and here he shares his passion for his own Black Belt journey, student growth and more.

Karate. Community. Pyrotechnics. Master Devin Arkfeld was our first podcast guest back in 2021, and he’s been very busy since. He shares his thoughts on being a martial artist, an Eagle Scout, a teacher, and a national and international tournament champion. For Master Arkfeld, martial arts and all its rewards and challenges is a long-term investment in yourself, your students and your community. Hear about his black belt journey; we hope it inspires your own.

Second-degree black belt Mr. Caleb White has been training at Ripple Effect Martial Arts since he was five years old. He has always had a hunger to learn and teach, and just finished instructing a white belt series for adults with traumatic brain injury. His father is one of his students, and Caleb and his grandmother Sandy talk about the impact martial arts has had on their relationship, Caleb’s growth as an individual and member of his community, and the prospects for his future. Listen in for a very inspiring story of family connection and black belt leadership.

Ever wondered what inspires a person to become a black belt? What it takes to open a karate school? The origins of the sparring nickname “Mad Dog Macy?” This is just the tip of the iceberg of our talk with Mr and Mrs Master Macy, the founders of Ripple Effect Martial Arts’s schools in Colorado and Florida. Listen in to find out the personal history of the black belt culture and mission of Ripple Effect!

Master Jan Lappin has studied martial arts for more than 40 years, beginning with Judo in college and since earning a 5th-degree black belt in the Korean art of Tang Soo Do. She has trained hundreds of black belts through Middleburg Martial Arts (now Ripple Effect Martial Arts), including her own daughters who continue to teach and train. On the latest podcast, Master Lappin discusses her philosophies of teaching, learning, leadership and setting goals at all stages of life. Listen in for her insights on what martial arts has brought to her life and her community.

Whether it’s public speaking or any performance in front of a large audience, many of us wonder how well we’d do. Both kids and adults are subject to attacks of the nerves when it comes to public performances, but we all can gain the confidence to step up to the stage and give it our best. This edition of the podcast features a short story about a karate student ready to head to her first tournament, as well as a talk with a teenage black belt whose first tournament experience came at the young age of six. Goal-setting is featured throughout. Enjoy and continue to set your sights on earning top place at the next martial arts tournament!

Grab some candy corn and gather up somewhere warm for the last podcast of 2023, a little tale from the north pole that involves a little-known secret about Santa's top elves... Hope everyone is looking forward to the new year! Best from all of us at Ripple Effect Martial Arts!

Mr Chris Green has spent his professional life in hospitality. He's run hotels, resorts, hotel companies and management firms, and the teams he's led have helped guests experience landmark events as well as seen families through natural disasters. Here Chris talks about learning how to lead from difficulty and challenge, and how a mindset of curiosity breeds strong leadership, in business, the martial arts, and life.

Joseph Wade was barely six (or seven?) when he asked his mom (Jennifer) to join karate. This request happened to coincide with the opening of the first Ripple Effect Martial Arts school in Fort Collins, Colorado, in 2013. Now we're ten years on, and the entire family--Mom, Dad, Joseph and sisters Grace and Marilyn have risen to 2nd degree black belt, helping each other and hundreds of other black belt students along the way. Listen to their memories of hardship and leadership in this special ten-year anniversary podcast.

Anyone familiar with the podcast knows Ms Allie Hayes, who recently coached a team of Ripple Effect Martial Arts black belts at the annual Battle of Atlanta, one of the longest-running and most acclaimed martial arts competitions on the planet. Hear Ms Hayes talk about her experience as a coach of top-ranking competitors from Ripple Effect, including meeting one of her heroes, Grandmaster Jhoon Rhee's protege John Chung.