Every martial artist begins their journey as a white belt, looking forward to the day they finally earn their black belt. But my journey had a slightly unusual detour—one that took me straight onto a Hollywood movie set in 1983 to stand in for the original The Karate Kid, Ralph Macchio.
Plucked from the Dojo
I was 18 years old and a native of the San Fernando Valley, brand new to martial arts and training out of Tarzana Karate. I originally got involved in martial arts purely for fitness and because I wanted an activity that was mentally stimulating—I wasn’t actually looking for self-defense at the time.
My foray into the world of Hollywood stunt-acting happened purely by chance. The stunt coordinator for The Karate Kid was visiting local dojos to find a stand-in who matched Ralph Macchio’s build, and I fit the bill perfectly. They brought me in to check if I was “comparable,” and funnily enough, that initial check was the only time I actually saw Ralph on set!
After that, my job began in earnest. Instead of training with the hero, I spent my days training alongside the “Cobra Kai” bad guys, tirelessly practicing and choreographing the movie’s iconic fight scenes.
The Ultimate Insurance Policy
I spent three months on the film set, though I didn’t end up in the final cut of the movie because Ralph did most of his own stunts.
My real purpose for being there was as part of the production’s insurance policy. They needed a stunt stand-in ready so that if Ralph got hurt, they could keep the cameras rolling. If anything had happened, they would have dyed my hair, shot me from the back of the head, and kept filming. Fortunately, he was always well-padded and protected during his fight scenes, so everything went smoothly. However, they did invite me back to participate in the iconic tournament scenes, which we filmed over at Cal State Northridge (CSUN).
The Only Brown Belt at CSUN
One of my favorite memories comes from filming those tournament finals.
The prop master walked up to me and handed me a black belt to wear for the scene. At the time, I was only an orange belt in real life. Even at 18, I had too much respect for the martial arts to wear a rank I hadn’t earned. I looked at him and refused to wear it.
We compromised, and he let me wear a brown belt instead. If you watch that final arena scene closely today, you will see that I am the single, solitary brown belt competing in the entire tournament.
In True “Karate Kid” Fashion
There is another parallel between my life and the movie that most people don’t know. In true Karate Kid fashion, I couldn’t actually afford karate lessons when I was 18.
Because I was short on funds but high on motivation, I ended up cleaning the Tarzana studio in exchange for my lessons. I did that diligently for four years to earn my black belt.
Participating in the movie was a great “one-off” opportunity, but I never seriously considered chasing a career in the film industry. I knew my true calling wasn’t playing a martial artist on screen—it was becoming one in real life.
Overcoming Challenges on the Mat and Beyond
That dedication to the art eventually brought me to Agoura Hills, leading a martial arts program at the Spectrum Club. When the previous instructor left abruptly in 1995, I stepped in to take over the program. Shortly after, I opened our studio on Canwood Street—Respect Martial Arts—and we’ve been running ever since.
Over the decades, we’ve faced plenty of hurdles, including pivoting hard to virtual classes during the pandemic, and later running outdoor classes through intense California heatwaves and fire smoke. But overcoming challenges is at the very heart of karate. I always tell my students: there’s no way I’m going to stop doing this just because it’s not easy.
My Advice to Anyone Starting Out
Whether you are inspired by the classic films, the resurgence of Cobra Kai, or you are just looking for a way to stay in shape and find focus, my advice to you is simple: Believe in yourself.
Understand that everything is a process. You are going to make mistakes in the beginning. You might trip, you might miss a kick, or you might feel out of place. But do not let those initial stumbles stop you from leaning in and moving forward. Every master was once a beginner who cleaned the mats and refused to quit. Those initial stumbles stop you from leaning in and moving forward. Every master was once a beginner who refused to quit.