| Interview Archive
"...my hope is to teach them all that I know without holding back with hopes that they will in their lifetime learn and become more "Only one can be the best but there are many areas in which to be the best. Always try to be better than you were before..."
"When your training seems the toughest and you feel you are doing your worst....that's when you are learning the most."
"Anything "Goshin Jutsu" is worth the time and effort." "Every time you get out on the floor, it is a victory." “Are you still in karate? Your answer will be: “No, karate is still in me!” I walked up to the guy with the black belt and asked how one can start. He said take off your shoes, I did, and the rest is history..." |
RJ I started training in late 1973. DWH How and why did you start studying the martial arts? RJ I was a varsity letterman wrestler throughout High School and when I graduated there was nothing around like wrestling practice until I meet a co-worker who was taking martial arts classes. I was sold on the first class. Besides when I was a kid I would borrow, buy books or use the library to read about martial arts. My parents thought I was crazy when I glued the one-inch sponges to a 2 by 4 and started punching it. Ouch! Hey it looked like the illustration in the book. After all I was only 12. DWH Whom have you studied under? RJ I started training in a garage without heat in midwinter in Tidioute, Pa with Mr. Tom Edwards and then with Mr. John Snyder in Pittsburgh after making Shodan. It wasn’t until I met Grandmaster Capela that I began to really learn. Mr. Fife and Mr. Hicks were very influential also. Since then only Mr. Capela. DWH Could you tell us about training with Master Capela? RJ My very first encounter with Mr. Capela was at Mr. Hicks' school. Mr. Hicks and I had previously met at my dojo and he invited me to Corry. Well I got on the floor with Mr. Capela to kumite and I saw that red/white belt (which I had not seen many of before) (this was 1978-79) and thought hmmm. Well I kicked a couple of times of what I thought were good kicks at him and the next thing I knew I was upside down on the floor with a mouth full of enamel from my teeth. Now! I knew what that red/white belt was all about. He then took me aside and explained what he did. I could only listen, as I knew this was the person who I had to learn from. My second encounter was at his dojo at his house. I went there for Black Belt class with Mr. Hicks, when Mr. Capela said go on downstairs I thought no one was down there. You could have heard a pin drop. As I got half way down the steps I see about 20 Black Belts including Mr. Fife, Mr. Aikens. Mr. Jerry Stankowski and a myriad of others standing quiet and seemingly motionless eyes fixed straight ahead. It was kind of scary, awesome and inviting all at once. I knew this was the place I needed to be. DWH Could you tell us some of the benefits of training in two different karate styles? RJ I feel that it opens your mind to see that there are many ways to apply the martial arts. The fact that it opens your mind to other styles makes you a much more well rounded martial artist. DWH How has your karate changed over the years? RJ I believe that karate should evolve with each person for the betterment of yourself and your personal style. What I did 33 years ago has changed but not to the point of being completely different, but I would say better understood so that it can be applied. DWH What are your personal beliefs about training? RJ Well in the beginning be serious and train hard. Practice what you are taught. Read to understand and ask questions. As you become an intermediate test yourself against others that are better than you to gain knowledge of yourself and practice it on those equal to you. “In a good way of course.” As an advanced student imagine how you would act as a Black Belt and practice as such. As a Black Belt train even harder-take criticism and learn from it-test yourself and do not be afraid to fail. Never become complacent. A quote says Ki Kiri Saru Mo Ichi Ru “even Black Belts make mistakes-even monkeys fall out of trees”- no reason to quit- just get up and go at it again. DWH What do you feel is the proper ratio of kata to kumite in training? RJ Depends on the rank- in the beginning form (kata) is important to learn to have good technique. Then the kata practice leads to making you stronger and more confident. Once you have progressed to performing good forms you need to understand about distance and timing in order to execute those movements from the forms. As you progress upwards I feel it is a 50/50 ratio. After all it is not about being better than the next student but about understanding yourself. DWH Do you have any funny or interesting karate stories you would like to share? RJ I hope this is okay. I’m sure Mr. Capela won’t care if I tell it. A number of years back Mr. Capela came down to my dojo and explained he had been cleaning out some of his old dojo stuff and had a sandwich bag full of things left in his dojos such as silver and gold items (chains, medallions, earrings, etc.). He told me to take them and melt them down to make some more of those dragon rings. I started looking through the bag and discovered a gold crown from a tooth. I asked him who, it belonged to. He said it was his. So I said, “Well we couldn’t melt this down I‘ll just keep it.” He said “What for?” Well I said “No disrespect but with you being older than me and the natural order of things would be that you would pass on before me” Now he is looking pretty serious at me so I figured I better hurry and explain- He says “What?” I said, “Well if that happens people would ask, “Did you know Mr. Capela?” Okay, now he is really staring at me! So I said my answer would be “ Know him! Heck I have a part of him! And then show them the gold crown from the tooth” Well luckily he started laughing the hardest I think I have ever heard him laugh, he shook his head and walked out onto the dojo floor. Several weeks later he was down again but this time Sue, his wife was with him and he said to me “Tell her what you told me about my gold tooth crown in the sandwich bag” I’m guessing he liked the story and I like telling it. DWH How do you feel about full contact kickboxing and the mixed martial arts? RJ I think it has its place and have respect for it. I give those who do it well a great deal of credit. DWH Could you tell us a little about how your competition career? RJ I have competed since 1974, but not until I trained with Mr. Capela did I start to actually place in tournaments. He used to say, ”Just have confidence in yourself”- I used to think “Hey my Mom used to tell me that” this is lame it can’t be that easy it didn’t work when my Mom said it. But when Mr. Capela said it, it made sense and I did it and it worked. I find competition just a great way to put yourself on the edge, a little nerve racking, a little fun, a little painful but you know you are alive. The trophies, “who cares” they are just something to dust that take up space. What I really enjoy most are the people I meet along with the comraderie. DWH Could you tell us a little about how you prepare for competitions? RJ That’s a good one. 20 years ago I used to take six weeks to get ready until tournaments started being every other weekend. I was nearly physically wasted trying to put six weeks into two weeks until one day I looked in the dojo mirror and said “you already know this – just go do it ”Advice for today’s competitors would be train hard and spend equal time visualizing it. DWH What advice would you give to those who plan to compete? RJ Advice for today’s competitor- train hard, seek advice, and practice visualizing your performance. On the tournament floor – try mushin-no mindedness- that way no one or any event can throw off your hard earned practice. Oh yes, If you have young students, say 6-10 years old, perform your katas for them and ask them to tell you what was good and what wasn’t so good- believe me they will tell you. DWH Do you have any programs or events that you would like to promote or talk about? RJ Just my new Dojo address and new cell phone # Johnson’s Honbu Dojo, 7 Hammond St, Warren, Pa. 16365, 814-779-9457- This at my home a newly renovated garage/dojo 30x30 heated in the winter and hotter in the summer but close to my family. You are all welcome anytime! DWH Is there any one you would like to thank or send a message to? RJ To Grandmaster Durant for allowing me to be in his company. Of course to Mr. Capela- he has been a great inspiration in and out of the dojo. His instruction and friendship is something extremely valuable and irreplaceable. He is the role model for all of us to follow. To Mr. Hicks for introducing me to Mr. Capela and to Mr. Fife and Mr. Hicks for taking me under their wing back in the late 70’s and 80’s “what I learned from these two gentlemen was incredible”. To Jerry Stankowski for his friendship. I miss talking with him. To my dedicated Black Belts who have stuck by me over the past two years Mr. Hill, Mr. Nelson and Mr. Morrison as well as number of others who cared. And finally, last but certainly not least, to my wife Kathy, and my children Sarah, Rachele, and Christian for their support and love through it all. DWH Do you have any advise for the karate students who will read this? RJ Yes, It is not the rank achievements, winning trophies or being the best that you may see as important right now but it’s the journey, the knowledge imparted and the people that you experience are the important factors that shape who you are to become. DWH Thank you for your time. RJ Mr. Tubbs, No Thank you for this opportunity and to you and your energy for this great website that keeps Goshin alive and thriving! A most humble bow of respect to you! Rick Johnson |
