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Balance in all things

Inyodo Martial Arts is teaching lessons about tae kwon do and about life, which are often the same. David "Bobcat" Smith is the new Inyodo owner.
Randy Wyrick|randy@vaildaily.com |

For information

Inyodo Martial Arts teaches: Tae kwon do, Aikido, Brazilian jiu jitsu, kickboxing. For information and class schedules, go to inyodo.com, or call 970-569-3083

EDWARDS — David “Bobcat” Smith was slogging along on a treadmill, attempting to break a sweat.

Kim Fields was already a black belt, second or third degree, Bobcat couldn’t quite remember which. All he knew was that she was really, really good at martial arts, and still is.

She was his roommate at the time and a good person. She rescued him from the treadmill and invited him to try martial arts.



“You should try this.” Kim Fields said to Smith as he slogged along his treadmill.

Bobcat look at his spot on the treadmill, and at his feet occupying that spot, and decided that walking in place — getting nowhere faster than other folks — was no way for an adult to elevate his heart rate.

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He showed up for class, strapped on his white belt, someone showed him how to tie it, and he was on his way.

Bobcat is now a second-degree black belt and bought Inyodo Martial Arts in Edwards, where it all started for him. He has been an instructor for about seven years.

From treadmill to taekwondo

Kim and Jason Fields started Inyodo not long before Kim Fields led Bobcat away from his treadmill and toward taekwondo — the way of hand and foot.

Kim and Jason Fields are back and forth between Virginia Beach, Virginia, where they launched another Inyodo studio, and the Vail Valley where they check on the Edwards location regularly.

In Japanese, Inyodo means “the way of yin yang,” representing balance, interconnection and mutual dependence, Jason Fields explained. In taekwondo, it is a study in relation to an opponent.

“An opponent is necessary to prove a technique, in the form of success or failure. Try to learn from both without emotional attachment,” Jason said.

Learn by teaching

Students begin teaching after they earn their red belts, one step below black belt, because the best way to learn something is to teach it.

Martial arts teaches things such as agility, strength and coordination. More importantly, it teaches respect, self-confidence, discipline and balance in life, Smith said.

Kids start small, learning respect almost immediately. They speak to adults and each other with “Yes ma’am” and “Yes sir.”

“If they get through this, they’ll be able to go into life and take it on,” Smith said.

At least as important, students learn to set long-term goals — a black belt — and work toward it through a series of incremental goals. Reach a new goal and you get to break boards.

Besides running Inyodo, Bobcat puts on events with the Resurrection Fighting Alliance. So far under his watch, they’ve put 40 fighters into the UFC, considered the major leagues in that world.

Cowboy Cerrone is one, a UFC star who started in Inyodo.

Those Resurrection Fighting Alliance and UFC contacts make it possible for Bobcat to bring in martial arts stars.

Carlos Carvello is a Brazilian jiu jitsu master and was recently in town to teach some classes.

Luis “Kickin’” Yusello comes around for sparring sessions.

The reason he does all this is not complicated.

“I want it to be successful, and I want the students to be successful,” Smith said.

Staff Writer Randy Wyrick can be reached at 970-748-2935 and rwyrick@vaildaily.com.


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