Robert Newton
4th Degree Black Belt
I started studying Shaolin-Do in 1984 under George Burnette in Leitchfield, KY. I quit for a few years to serve my country and to find myself. I started back in 1992 and earned my black belt in 1994.
I started teaching as soon as I received my black belt, out of necessity. My instructor quit teaching to attend the Seminary. In 2010, I started attending classes in Lexington. It is nearly impossible to explain the motivation, camaraderie, and the respect I've seen there. I learned that I may be an only child, but I have a large family in Shaolin. People come from all walks of life — rich, poor, educated or not, but we all sweat the same. It's more than a work out. It is about being a part of something larger.
What I've learned there, I've brought home to my school. My classes are more intense, structured, disciplined, and of a higher quality. The change is in me and my students.
Shaolin-Do can be the foundation for the rest of your life. Embrace it, learn it, and live it. Although I am far from perfect and I struggle for every single skill I have, I am a better man than I would have been without it.
