We were lucky to catch up with Matt Ward recently and have shared our conversation below.

Matt, appreciate you joining us today. Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.

I started studying martial arts at a young age, but it is important to know that you can start learning at any age. Even as a 3rd degree black belt in Hapkido, I’m still learning more and more about the art. As you study in martial arts, being able to teach becomes part of the lesson plan and a necessary part of growth. We learn far deeper aspects of the art from teaching it. We are faced with questions that force us to closely examine why our techniques work, how we integrate them into our rhythms, and how we adapt them to our body types.

I was fortunate to have great teachers and in my higher ranks, I began carefully studying “how” they teach, not just “what” they teach. I wouldn’t have done anything to speed up the learning process because learning is never ending; if we stop learning, we have not succeeded, we have quit. Contentment of knowledge is acceptance that we will be left behind. This is true in all places, not just the arts.

The most essential skills include adaptation, articulation, empathy, and patience There is a saying that I’ll paraphrase as this: You do not truly understand something unless you are able to explain it to a child. If you’re a teacher/trainer/coach, you should understand every intricate detail of your craft so excellently that you can explain it to anyone willing to learn. In martial arts, we must understand the techniques and principles, but we must also understand physics, biology, anatomy, psychology, and deeply understand our own body. When we have a deep, well rounded understanding, we must then adapt to our students needs and their way of learning and understanding. When doing so, we should follow up with our skill of articulation. The teacher should be well versed enough to articulate the craft in ways that each student can understand, there is no cookie-cutter way of explaining the art.

The skills of empathy and patience are vital. Being able to read the room, and interpret where the students are individually and collectively will be necessary. A martial arts teacher may arrive at class and have it in their mind to work on an advanced technique; however they find their students are all fatigued from school, college, work, etc. It should be within the instructors ability to recognize that the students are not in the proper state to go into advanced technique and rather, set up simple drills to help them clear their mind and release endorphins. Patience is demonstrated as a teacher of any craft. We do not wish to shatter the mold, rather we should, over a long period of time with a very gentle touch, reshape the mold.

No obstacle stands in the way of learning more. We have nearly unlimited access to the collective knowledge of the world- we should use it.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Matt Ward. Cultivating a strong community is my life’s work; martial arts and expeditions are the cathedrals in which I practice that calling. I am a lifelong martial artist and teach Shinsei Hapkido, a style composed of throws, strikes, wrist and joint lock and manipulation, grappling, and pressure-point fighting. Being ex-military intelligence and having worked as a fugitive recovery agent, I have been able to test and try the martial arts training in real-world scenarios. I currently teach Hapkido in Chattanooga, TN at two locations and travel to teach at seminars. I am currently, with permission from the board of the Shinsei Hapkido Federation, writing the textbook of techniques for our style.

In addition to martial arts, I also do contract work as a wilderness medic, joining both recreation and research expeditions and providing wilderness expertise and remote emergency medical services to those on the expeditions or trips.

I began as a martial artist in the Home Dojo of Shinsei Hapkido in Blountsville, Alabama. My teacher, who had study under a master from Korea, is recognized by the World Kido Federation out of Korea as a 7th degree black belt in Hapkido and was permitted by the Federation to create Shinsei as a recognized style of Hapkido. I spent my teen years studying and traveling to train with some of the United States and the U.K.s top Hapkido and Jujitsu masters. After taking my term serving in the U.S. Navy as an intelligence specialist, I returned to Alabama to teach at the home dojo. As life has evolved, my wife and I moved to Chattanooga, Tennessee where I now teach in two locations.

On the wilderness medicine side, in 2019 I founded Alpha Expeditions- a recreational adventure guiding company. We successfully ran the company for four years before we closed it down as our mission had changed. While running Alpha Expeditions- I also worked for several county tourism departments to help increase recreational and ecological tourism in their respective counties. In 2020, I received a congressional award for my leadership in the outdoor industry.

We have since closed down Alpha Expeditions and are looking to take our services in a new direction by creating a company that provides free-to-user opportunities for advanced outdoor recreational trips and expeditions.

In addition to that, we are launching a podcast to share the best knowledge and experiences from wilderness leaders, martial artists, creatives, authors, and business owners alike.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

From the time we are kids in elementary school, we are fed with a narrative that we have “one” great calling, “one” great purpose and that calling or purpose is tied to our “one” career. While its true that some are gifted and in love with “one” thing and go on to be the best at it; we do not have to succumb to the idea that we are meant for only one talent or one path. In the expedition world, I am heavily involved in recreational and research caving. Caves are by far one of the most remote and truly wild settings with incredibly unique ecosystems and a world of dangers on their own. My caving mentor, Fenn Spencer, put it best when I asked him about his calling. He said, “I work diligently on what is in front of me.” Whether that is teaching a new caver, working at his job, attending a search and rescue mission, or taking care of his family, he works diligently at it.

I had to unlearn the idea that I should pick one occupation and cling to it. If you were to ask my what my dream job was I would not have an answer as I do not dream of working. I find that our purpose here, our dharma, is much more than the task at hand and should be counted separately. It is not in one space that I work, nor is it in one occupation that I give to the community. I have devoted my life to cultivating a strong community. It does not have to be the same in every moment. Today that could be that I must diligently clean my home that it may host our friends; tomorrow it is that I must teach well at a martial arts class; this weekend it will be that I must be present while rock climbing with our group; next week I must listen intently and with care and compassion as my friend shares their struggles with me. In this moment now, I must answer this interview question and hopefully inspire others to look for a calling beyond the “one” thing they think they must be in order to succeed.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

We should create and market more opportunities for creatives and artists to share and be compensated for their work. The more local markets with farmers, creatives, and artisans selling their work the better. The more these opportunities are available, encouraged, and utilized the more creatives will thrive.

I would advise anyone with a youtube channel or other video social media to create videos to help influence the use of local markets and purchasing from local vendors. Use your tools to influence and encourage these opportunities. Create awareness of local markets. Cities should create free parking and transit opportunities to reach these markets and remove any other barriers to them.

Contact Info:

• Website: mattkward.com
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYIlLiU2u7JBlwcLRWk8KoQ