One of the unique facets of the International Karate Connection Association is the variety of backgrounds our members come from.  It’s one of the reasons this feature came about.  The subject of our profile this quarter, 6^th Degree Robert Barnett of Rossmoor, California comes from the background of business and finance. 

                A native of  North Carolina, Bob was raised in Wilmington, Delaware.  Attending college at USC, he went on to graduate school receiving an MBA from Cornell University.  Seeking to utilize his degree, Bob embarked on a career with Union Bank as a vice president. Eight years ago he accepted an early retirement from Union Bank and for a short time worked with an IBM subsidiary.  Bob now works as a full time fitness trainer while also managing a web site design business.  Coming from an athletic family with his father being elected to the College Football Hall of Fame, Bob began weight training and was a competitive power lifter in the 1970’s, rising to the #2 ranking in the world in his weight division.  “A British lifter who I highly respected was #1.  We were constantly neck and neck in the competitions.”

                Bob’s exposure to fighting arts began at a young age.  Starting in Judo, he attained a brown belt ranking before moving on to Golden Gloves boxing.  His first exposure to Karate came under Tonny Tulleners, the famous fighting student of Shotokan Master Takayuki (Tak) Kubota.  Bob went on to achieve his 1^st Degree Black Belt in Shotokan in 1969.  He began his study of Kenpo in the Tracy franchise system, continuing his studies through Rick Snyder and David German (TAI Karate).  In the recent past he has supplemented his Kenpo background with studies in Gracie’s Brazilian Jiu-jitsu, studying under Rorian Gracie.  “I rely on my Kenpo for the standup fighting and my Jiu-jitsu for the ground fighting!”, Bob relates.

                Bob’s involvement with the Karate Connection began with ordering the preview video, like most of us, but then things took a strange twist.  Bob lives near Chuck Sullivan and Vic noticed the how close the addresses were when processing the video request.  In fact, they had both seen Bob working out with his students.  They invited him over to see what the IKCA was all about.  Bob liked what he saw and is a regular student of Chuck’s to this day.  “I have thoroughly enjoyed my involvement with the IKCA.”, Bob says, “What I like most about the program is the feedback that it gives the students.  That’s what sets it apart.”  “The diligence and scrutiny that the students undergo is intense.”, he continues, “The video feedback is a tremendous teaching device, and the interaction is excellent.”  Bob had the pleasure of attending a couple of Amite seminars and was given the privilege of being the head judge at the 2^nd Annual IKCA Championships in Long Beach.  “I was impressed with what I saw. The video students were very good.”, he said, “Keep up the good work!”  When Bob praises video, he’s not just talking, he puts it into practice.  This is actually the second time that Bob has appeared in the IKCA newsletter.  His private studio, complete with built-in video taping system, was featured in the April-May-June 1996 issue.

                When asked for words of wisdom to pass along to his fellow IKCA members Bob says, “What impresses me the most about the Karate Connection is the fact that it teaches dignified behavior for the martial artist, not just the mechanics of the art.  Character first and skills second, that’s the way it should be.  Those signs are the embodiment of the true martial artists, like our teachers.”  Thanks for the reminder, Bob.