• Aikido
• Krav Maga
• Ninjitsu
• Swords
• Escrima
• MMA

I, James Toby Fowlks, would like to be a black belt in Combat Aikido because I want to learn self defense to use on my security job; to know how to handle people, and to learn self control. I would like to be a more humble person and more loyal to people. I would like to become a better person and build character values.

I never thought about taking any martial arts until I met Master Miguel and became friends with him. Rick Dill and Jeff talked me into coming to the dojo for a class in self defense. I have learned so many things about my job and on a personal level day to day. The times I had working out with Jeff before he moved back to Wisconsin to look for work and take care of his other place...miss him. My other buddy, Kenny, that went through the time and the hard work that we went through before he blew his knee out in a MMA fight. I love the those two more than you know.

The two that are still here, Bert and Travis, thanks for the time, effort, sweat, and hard times that we as brothers have put into our Aikido and Krav Maga. I thank you brothers. And one more person, Robert, has taught me while working out in front of Master Hernandez, that loyalty and character are important. Thank you Sensei Robert for all you've done for me, my family, my sisters, and my niece.

And speaking for my family, it means a lot to me to have my two sisters and niece with me in the class. It means a lot to see my niece taking Taekwondo and Aikido and seeing the change it brings in her. And seeing her going to the tournaments and doing so well in her sparring and in her forms; it means a lot to me seeing her in the class, and to see the new students coming into the dojo; Johnny, Donnie, Tyler.

Taking Combat Aikido has taught me a lot about myself and the way I handle situations. Learning self control and knowing how to handle myself more clearly and not let situations get out of control; so that I can handle my thoughts and not let emotions get in the way of the situation at hand and what I'm doing. It has helped me to be very humble and to let emotions roll off my back and move the other way.

By learning to be humble, loyalty is not far behind. Loyalty to me is to be there for my family and friends and my classmates. That is in a suitable and caring way not to bring misconduct and disappointment to my family and to my Master Miguel Hernandez to whom I, James Toby Fowlks, will always and always be loyal and will respect to my last days and while I am in the Hernandez dojo.

Martial arts have brought to me a lot of character values. Character can bring a lot of things out of a person like me; it can mean a lot. Character can bring out a lot of bad things, but there is one good thing about character; it will always bring the valuable things out of me to take care of the rest. I value the good times and the bad that life puts in front of me and to let all of them ride the way they lay in front of me and take them in stride.

Since I was a little kid, I have always been amazed with the martial arts. And growing up and watching Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris and the martial arts they brought to the movies; to be able to do all the stunts and the moves themselves was a great thing to see. It brought a lot of joy to me to watch Bruce Lee before he lost this life.

To be able to meet Chuck Norris at the race meet, having a beer and watching the horses, and getting to talk to him was a very special time for me. He was a person I looked up to as a kid and grew up watching.

Why I want to be a black belt, and what it means to me to be a black belt in Combat Aikido: it means a lot to me to have gone through the classes at the Hernandez School of Martial Arts dojo.  To go from my white belt all the way through all of my belts means a lot. I've seen a lot of friends come and go through the dojo, and to know that I made it through all of my belts means a lot. To let a very special person know how much he means to me and my family, Master Miguel Hernandez, has brought and has taught me more than he will ever know.

Master Hernandez, you have taught me so much about how to handle my emotions and how to defend myself. You are not just my master, you are like family to me and my family. You are my brother and will always be in my thoughts and in my heart for all you have taught my family.

You are a very special person in my family's eyes for what you've done. For what you've done for my sister Leah and my sister Bona, and for being a very special person for my niece, I want to thank you.

For all the good times we've had and are still going to have the rest of our days to come, I just want you to know you mean the world to me. You're not just my master, you're my brother.

Love you. Brothers for life.

James Toby Fowlks