Chris Duval is an educator, actor, director, and fight director whose work has had a lasting impact on the modern practice of stage combat and performance training.

He currently serves as Chair and Professor in the Department of Theatre at the University of Utah, where he focuses on developing actors through a fully integrated approach that connects movement, voice, and storytelling.

Over the course of his career, Chris has led workshops and masterclasses at universities across the United States, sharing his expertise in theatrical combat and actor training with students and educators nationwide.

He has also spent more than two decades working with the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, contributing as a fight director, performer, and instructor on a wide range of productions spanning Shakespearean classics and contemporary works.

His fight direction and performance credits extend to leading regional theatres across the country, and his influence can be seen in generations of actors and instructors working in stage combat today.

A Certified Teacher and Certified Fight Director with the Society of American Fight Directors, as well as a Master Instructor and Senior Fight Director with Dueling Arts International, Chris brings a deeply thoughtful and practical approach to the craft, one that emphasizes the connection between physical action, voice, and text.

He is also the author of Stage Combat Arts: An Integrated Approach to Acting, Voice and Text Work, a book that captures his philosophy on performance and physical storytelling.

In this episode, we explore the evolution of stage combat, the importance of integration in actor training, and how physical storytelling enhances performance at every level.

Please welcome to the show… Chris Duval.

Stage Combat Arts: An Integrated Approach to Acting, Voice and Text Work + Video (Theatre Arts Workbooks): DuVal, Christopher: 9781472526656: Amazon.com: Books

Sarah Andersch is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu instructor and educator whose journey in the art spans more than two decades of training, competition, and teaching.

She began her Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu journey in 1999 and has since become one of the region’s most respected instructors, earning the rank of 4th-degree black belt under renowned instructor Amal Easton of the Renzo Gracie lineage.

Alongside her husband George, who you may remember as a previous guest of the show, Sarah has helped lead Fargo Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Academy since 2008, building a strong and thriving martial arts community in the Fargo area.

Her competitive drive has taken her across the country, where she has competed, and won, in tournaments in New Jersey, California, Colorado, and Las Vegas. Among her accomplishments is a gold medal at the prestigious Pan Jiu-Jitsu Championship.

With more than 24 years of teaching experience, Sarah has played a pivotal role in developing the academy’s Kids Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu program, helping young students grow not only in self-defense and competition, but also in confidence, discipline, and essential life skills.

She also holds a master’s degree in education with an emphasis in school counseling, a background that deeply influences her approach to teaching, mentorship, and student development both on and off the mats.

Please welcome my guest today, Sarah Andersch.

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Peter Tas is a lifelong martial artist, instructor, and leader whose journey reflects more than three decades of dedication to the study, teaching, and preservation of American Kenpo.

Beginning his training at just ten years old, he has spent a lifetime refining his craft and rising through the ranks to become one of the most respected figures in the Australian Kenpo community. He is the founder of Personal Self Defence, a lineage that has produced seventeen black belts, and the creator of the Kenpo Tactical Systems syllabus, blending tradition with practical application.

As a first-generation student and the highest-ranking representative in Australia under Senior Master Graham Lelliott of GL Kenpo, he earned his 7th degree black belt through decades of commitment, leadership, and service to the art.

His influence extends far beyond his own training. Over the years, he has served in numerous leadership roles, hosted national and international training camps and tournaments, and helped bring some of the most influential Kenpo masters in the world to Australia. Through his Mind Sensei Podcast, he continues to share insights on martial arts, mindset, and personal growth, reaching a global audience.

In 2024, his lifelong dedication was recognized with induction into the Australasian Martial Arts Hall of Fame, a testament to the impact he has had across generations, systems, and communities.

In this episode, we explore the evolution of Kenpo, the importance of lineage and leadership, and how martial arts can shape not just skill, but perspective and purpose.

Please welcome my guest today, Peter Tas.

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Ron Amram is a lifelong martial artist, self-defense expert, and internationally respected authority on violence prevention and the psychology of risk.

Holding a 4th degree black belt in Krav Maga and Jiu Jitsu, along with black belts in Kudo and Danzan Ryu Jujutsu, he brings decades of experience across a wide range of disciplines, including boxing, kickboxing, Muay Thai, MMA, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Filipino martial arts, Karate, and Aikido.

For more than two decades, he has taught, coached, educated, and consulted in an extraordinary variety of environments, working with local, state, and federal government agencies, law enforcement, corrections, military personnel, close protection teams, aviation professionals, major corporations, non-profits, women’s shelters, at-risk youth, and everyday people seeking practical, real-world skills.

In addition to his work on the mat, he is a multi-award-winning university lecturer specializing in professional communication, risk management, and the psychology of risk, with advanced qualifications in strategic leadership, integrated risk management, training design, and fitness.

His work sits at the intersection of martial arts, self-defense, human behavior, and the realities of violence in the modern world.

Please welcome my guest today, Ron Amram.

Krav Maga & Martial Arts Perth | Self Defence Classes Perth | Ron Amram

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My guest today is a living link to the roots of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and one of the art’s most respected teachers.

Born into the legendary Machado family of Rio de Janeiro, Rigan Machado grew up immersed in a tradition that helped shape modern Jiu-Jitsu as we know it. Under the direct influence of Grandmaster Carlos Gracie Jr., he developed a deep, principle-based understanding of the art—one rooted not just in technique, but in timing, leverage, and adaptability.

After relocating to the United States, Rigan became a central figure in the worldwide growth of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, earning a reputation as a true “teacher of teachers.” His influence extends across generations, from everyday practitioners to elite competitors and early pioneers of mixed martial arts.

Known for his smooth, effortless style and his emphasis on efficiency over strength, Rigan has helped redefine what effective Jiu-Jitsu looks like, both on the mat and beyond it.

It’s an honor to welcome to the show… Rigan Machado.

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My guest today is Canadian self-defense instructor, author, and speaker Randy King, a leading voice in practical, real world personal safety.

Randy teaches a timeline-based approach to self-defense that prioritizes awareness, decision-making, and avoiding violence whenever possible, with effective physical skills used only as a last resort. Known for his direct style and myth busting perspective, he trains civilians and professionals to better understand violence and make safer choices before, during, and after an encounter.

His path into this work was anything but theoretical. Randy ran a successful adult martial arts gym before moving into nightclub security, eventually managing high-risk security operations and VIP protection throughout Alberta. In those environments, theory met reality, and the gaps in traditional self-defense training became impossible to ignore.

Over the past two decades, Randy has delivered training and spoken in 14 countries and more than 80 cities, working with First Nations communities, corporations, law enforcement, and everyday people. His widely recognized Timeline of Self-Defense model has since been adopted by instructors and organizations around the world.

A published author and respected voice in the personal safety field, Randy’s mission is simple: help people build safer lives without fear, ego, or hype, just honest, practical strategies that work.

Please welcome my guest today, Randy King.

Randy King Speaks: Protect. Prevent. Prepare.

The Timeline of Self-Defense: Before, During, After: King, Randy, Yard-McCracken, Dr. Tammy: 9781594390111: Amazon.com: Books

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My guest today is a lifelong martial artist whose journey reflects the full spectrum of what martial arts training really looks like, the challenges, the growth, and the long-term commitment required to stay on the path.

Jim Ockington began training more than 35 years ago, navigating early setbacks, demanding black belt tests, and years of competition that helped shape both his skills and his perspective. Over time, he grew into a leader on and off the mat, running competition teams, leading sparring classes, and serving as a primary instructor for both adult and teen programs.

His background spans multiple disciplines, including World Taekwondo, ITF Taekwondo, Hapkido, and Bill “Superfoot” Wallace’s system. Along the way, he trained directly under, and often alongside, some of the most respected names in the martial arts world. That exposure to high-level instruction, cross-training, and large-scale tournaments helped shape a well-rounded, experience-driven approach to martial arts.

Today, Jim continues to train and teach daily, sharing his knowledge with students ranging from lifelong practitioners to those discovering martial arts later in life, proving that training is not about age, but about mindset.

A multiple-time Martial Arts Hall of Fame inductee, his story is one of persistence, adaptability, and staying connected to the art for a lifetime.

Please welcome my guest today, Jim Ockington.

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Arlene Limas is a pioneering martial artist and leader whose career has helped reshape combat sports, self-defense, and personal empowerment.

She began training at just five years old in Shaolin kung fu before transitioning to tae kwon do, where she quickly rose to the highest levels of international competition. In 1988, at the Seoul Olympic Games, she made history — becoming the first American and the first woman to win an Olympic gold medal in tae kwon do as the sport made its Olympic debut.

Over the course of her competitive career, Arlene earned national titles, Pan-American titles, World University honors, and World Championship golds. She was later inducted into the Tae Kwon Do Hall of Fame and recognized as one of the greatest taekwondo athletes of the 20th century.

After retiring from elite competition, she turned her focus toward leadership, mentorship, and advocacy. She opened her own martial arts school, breaking barriers for women in instruction and leadership roles, and continued championing empowerment through training.

Today, she serves as the CEO of PAVE Prevention, where she works with organizations to promote personal safety, healthier workplace culture, and empowered performance through evidence-based, trauma-informed programs.

In this episode, we talk about Olympic history, breaking barriers, leadership beyond the mat, and how martial arts can be a vehicle for lasting cultural change.

Please welcome my guest today, Arlene Limas

Arlene Limas Bio | PAVE Prevention

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