Interview - Sensei Chris Jensen (True Martial Arts Academy)

Let's Talk - Cobra Kai
Episode 107: Interview - Sensei Chris Jensen (True Martial Arts Academy)

Jason Connell and Sal Rodriguez have Sensei Chris Jensen of True Martial Arts Academy on the show to discuss his connection to The Next Karate Kid and much more.

* Mr. Miyagi does indeed make a brief reference to Daniel in The Next Karate Kid.

Original Episode: S04E19

Recorded: 05-27-22
Studio: Just Curious Media
https://www.JustCuriousMedia.com/

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Transcript

Jason Connell: 5:00:44

Whoa, just curious. Welcome to Just curious media. This is let's talk Cobra Kai and I'm Jason Connell on the show today I'm joined by special guest since a Christiansen so nice to be here. Yeah. So since a Chris, you came on my radar because we had since a Jim true on the show who was your sensei? Yes, he

SenseI Chris Jensen: 5:01:07

was. Yep. almost 40 years now.

Jason Connell: 5:01:08

And I know that you had reached out in a via email. We're going back and forth. And some of the stories since it Jim was saying, we're about you.

SenseI Chris Jensen: 5:01:15

Yeah. Yeah, I'm the I'm the kid that was there in the early 80s. And now his kids are their training was sent to a gym. So it's been my whole family pretty much been part of this for years.

Jason Connell: 5:01:27

That's awesome. So to be clear, this is the true martial arts academy true martial arts academy. Well, before we dive into this since a Chris, I'm going to do a few words for our sponsor, we got to pay the bills around here. Close support for let's talk Cobra Kai is brought to you by manscaped who is the best and men's below the waist grooming and offers precision engineered tools for your family jewels. Join over 4 million men worldwide who trust manscaped and with this exclusive offer, you'll get 20% off and free worldwide shipping with the code. Cobra kai@manscaped.com Okay, since a Chris, I'm dying to know, how did you get involved with training with since a gym true because it was even before it was a true martial arts academy?

SenseI Chris Jensen: 5:02:10

Yeah, we were the shorter route karate Academy. It was just a little garage and unknown Street in Waltham. And it's kind of weird. You know? I wasn't into karate movies. It wasn't like one of those guy where it brought me in. It was before really before karate kid came out. I never watched kung fu. You know, I never really watched any of that stuff till after I started training. My grandfather one day. I was raised by my mother and my grandparents. My dad, no father. He said, No, he needs some activity. He needs some more activity. He does baseball, but he's small. We got to get him into something. So they gave me an option of gymnastics, or karate. So I went down to the why. I'm looking around and they happen to have the gymnastics class was going on. I'm looking at like, Well, that looks okay. Until I saw the kid fall off the pommel horse. And I said, well, that I don't want that to happen. So let's do something a little less dangerous. Let's go to karate class. So I signed up for karate class at the Y sensei gym was the instructor. Yeah. And I think it was about two weeks or maybe a month, he went to my mother and said, Yeah, he needs to come to the dojo, we need to get him down the dojo. This is the be a little bit of a little more advanced than just this kind of white class. You know, not that there's anything wrong with the YMCA class, but just stricter training, harder training.

Jason Connell: 5:03:24

So you're a natural,

SenseI Chris Jensen: 5:03:25

I guess. So. That's what he that's what they told me. I don't know. So he was

Jason Connell: 5:03:29

doing both back then. That's right. It was why building the dojo up.

SenseI Chris Jensen: 5:03:33

Yeah, yeah. He started at the Y. Which, which helped get the name of the dojo out there, you know. Yeah. And that's just kind of where it built it into the dojo started off small that garage and Elm Street was tiny, like one room. concrete floor concrete walls was weighed about a quarter of an inch thick carpet on the floor. So training was really old school. Oh, yeah. hardcore training, you know, rocky for type trained. Yeah. Yeah. But didn't know what to do. Other than that back then, so it didn't matter. You know, that was great to us. It was it was fantastic. And since a gym told us there was no restroom at that dojo, there was a restroom at that one. That was his first okay. He was in the first garage. I didn't make it to the first garage. This was the second one. He got to got it on the street. Yeah. So there was a restroom. It was in the basement. You know, he had to get out into the dark dungeon of the dojo to get there. But yeah, we had a restroom.

Jason Connell: 5:04:20

So after you join and started to kind of take to it, then you opened up to watching martial arts movies. Yeah.

SenseI Chris Jensen: 5:04:26

And then I really get into it. And then the Karate Kid movie came out. And so that really got me going

Jason Connell: 5:04:31

to already be in karate, and that hits that'd be big. Yeah.

SenseI Chris Jensen: 5:04:35

And that Yeah. I mean, you're watching the tournament, you're watching the whole thing. And like, it's I wasn't really bullied as a kid. So I didn't the bullying pot didn't really get to me. I mean, obviously, that's everybody. But that wasn't really what brought me into it. It was kind of like that tournament stuff at the end. And getting through all those fights. And it was just really cool. That's what got to me and you watch that movie. And I remember screaming and jumping out Yeah, I want to do these tournaments. I can't wait.

Jason Connell: 5:04:56

We recently actually broke down Daniel's plight through the original all Valley because he just kind of forget about it's this montage all this is going on, but he fights like six Cobra Kai. Yeah. And then another guy in the beginning. So he had like a hard road. Tober guy never goes that many people right, you know? Yeah. So how old were you when you started training with sensei? Jim

SenseI Chris Jensen: 5:05:15

seven ish, right around seven. Yeah, he's

Jason Connell: 5:05:18

young.

SenseI Chris Jensen: 5:05:19

Yeah, there was a lot of kids back then. We had like a group of us. Five of us that I can really remember the kind of all stuck together. Yeah. From from the beginning all the way through stayed with it. Yeah. And we were there until all of us I believe we all got our black belts together before some kind of trick of the way but we were there for a long time together. So it was really Yeah, that's cool. We're all friends. You know? Yeah. I love that every every Monday, Wednesday, whatever class whatever day you were there. You knew your buddies were good. Maybe they're all training together. And it was fun that helped keep us going to you know,

Jason Connell: 5:05:49

so I say sevens young at the same time I started playing competitive soccer five. Yeah. And then you look up and you're 11. And you have all this experience behind you. So that makes total sense. So it's an individual sport, but there's a team culture, especially with a well run dojo. Yeah.

SenseI Chris Jensen: 5:06:03

A family culture, family culture, absolutely. In a team culture, very, very family oriented. And it's always been like that, because you just feel like everyone's got a family. Yeah, you're training hard together every two to three days a week. And then they go from the kids class to the adult classes, and it's even more intense, you know, and it's very much a brotherhood.

Jason Connell: 5:06:18

Where are you guys doing tournament fighting?

SenseI Chris Jensen: 5:06:20

We did enter Dojo fighting, we had three schools in the area that were all kind of together. Okay. And we would do at least once a year, like a meet like, yeah, do your kata tournament and your sparring tournaments and stuff. And some of us would go to separate tournaments, different, not all run by the association, but we did do our own because we had enough kids and enough adults to run our own through the association. So yeah, yeah. How did you do? I always did well.

Jason Connell: 5:06:46

You're so modest. Okay. Did you win a big tournament like Daniel

SenseI Chris Jensen: 5:06:51

it? Oh, yeah. One of my share of tournaments. Yeah, that's awesome. Yeah. What

Jason Connell: 5:06:54

did you prefer the goddess or the actual spar? I guess it's fighting essentially. Yeah.

SenseI Chris Jensen: 5:06:59

Honestly, the tournament stuff. I prefer the kata. I mean, I love the sparring. I love fighting. Yeah, especially in the dojo in the classes with the kids. You know, you're trying to beat your buddies up, but I really was borrowing to the kata part of it.

Jason Connell: 5:07:09

So when you were doing it, Chris, was it just like the movie the point system to three because I know now there's like a timed fight. And you can just accumulate as many points as you need. So your

SenseI Chris Jensen: 5:07:18

thought to three points? Yeah. Old school. Old school. Yeah.

Jason Connell: 5:07:21

So you're under the Karate Kid. Then Karate Kid. Two comes out part two thoughts. That was my favorite one. Really? Love that one. Oh, my co host on Let's Talk Cobra Kai Sal Rodriguez loves to he always says three should have been to two should have been three. Yeah, because it just ends on such a beautiful note. They are very different. One and two are extremely different. Yeah, but there's a beautiful love story and the stuff with Okinawa. I liked

SenseI Chris Jensen: 5:07:43

the part of the Okinawa is what got to me, you know, yeah. Then going back and seeing where I came from, and actually doing the Okinawa part of the karate training. You notice that? Originally where it came from was pretty cool.

Jason Connell: 5:07:55

It was cool. I still love the original but I almost think the second one could be its own movie standalone movie. Yeah. If it needed to be absolutely and there's there's touching scenes with Mr. Miyagi, like when he's finally breaking down and Daniels kind of the teacher to the student. Yeah, he's looking at the tree loses his father. Yeah, every time it gets me mad. It's like, ah, yeah. So one thing we've been talking about because we're gonna get into Cobra Kai by the way, Chris since it Chris is wearing a Cobra Kai t shirt. There it is official gotta represent strike first strike card no mercy. One thing we've talked about is potential spin offs for Cobra Kai, because at some point in time shows it I mean, it's Cobra is not gonna last forever. Unfortunately, if it did, it would just get watered down. Just be silly. One thing I'm hoping happens is a show called Miyagi or Miyagi dough, and it goes all the way back to young Miyagi and going back in time, yeah, that'd be great. Like kung fu kind of. Yeah. Yeah, I think there's some heat behind that. That's the only thing missing from Cobra Kai is more Miyagi because he's just not present. I

SenseI Chris Jensen: 5:08:55

think the history to the Okinawan karate yes would be huge to show him that because Cobra Kai isn't really Okinawa karate, you know, it's I would think it's more of like a Kempo style. Yeah, so you don't get a lot of a history like you would like to learn about that me Aikido karate from Okinawa.

Jason Connell: 5:09:12

That's what I love about chosen coming back on the show. Yeah, and then Daniel going back there, it's just like, yeah, they're going back to the origins yesterday the scrolls. So talk about just your style of karate, which since the gym got into but it harkens back to that Okinawa

SenseI Chris Jensen: 5:09:27

Yeah, very much. So yeah, it's a real traditional training was what we used to do down the dojo you know, new conditioning, your fists conditioning your body all at once. And as a kids we didn't even realize we were doing it you know, we were doing the push ups we're doing all the stuff and getting hit with the shin i which I'm sure was good for since the gym a little bit to give back this pain in the butt. But yeah, the stories he tells about us on the parking lot doing local push ups. It's true. You know, seven years old, eight years old, nine years old, or would be out in the snow, not bare feet doing Cata in the snow. You know, it's such a gem was fun. He was a fun teacher, but he had serious too when he needed to be but you never had to do any of that stuff. You know? He would tell you to go out there do you know go push ups? If he didn't there was no punishment. He would just wanted to see if he would actually would do it. Yeah. And we all did it. Most of us did it. I don't remember any of the any of the kids saying no or or not wanting to do it. And it just built character. Absolutely. So going on later in life you know, it just kind of becomes what you do about him is realizing what's the training hard. You're training hard.

Jason Connell: 5:10:30

Well, you said something earlier not to get too into it but you didn't have a father growing up right? You connect with since a gem I mean, this is almost Karate Kid. So yeah, your relationship very

SenseI Chris Jensen: 5:10:41

much so yeah, I just when I was into it big time I was down the road. just six days a week, Monday through Saturday, and Saturdays was just him and I for years, that would have three hours just being sent to a gym. So we train, tell jokes, you know, we tell stories or whatever, and we'd have a good time and I was just eight 910 11 years old. And that tea kind of became that father or Big Brother, you would want to say big brother because he doesn't want to Yeah. Yeah. January, my dad, but yeah. So he was that big brother figure to me. You know, my whole my whole life. I just grown up. So yeah, we were down there one day on a Saturday, and he had this big, massive dog. His name was SEIFA. He was a Rottweiler in, he was in the other room. And so since a Gemini aspire, and kind of going at it, and all of a sudden, I wanted to hit him, and he lets me hit him. And all of a sudden, I get tackled on the ground, this giant dog and he's licking my face. Of course, I'm like, terrified, like, oh my god, you just have to look at my face. And it was funny, and surgeons laugh and then pulls them off. And we go on, continue on what we're doing. Ooh, scary. Yeah, that is

Jason Connell: 5:11:45

scary. So to catch our fans up, you are still involved with the dojo true martial arts academy. And what is your role now?

SenseI Chris Jensen: 5:11:54

Right now I'm the dissect bay of the of the dojo. So I'm gonna explain that to us. So basically, senseis asst, kind of the, I don't wanna say the head student, but um, the, I guess, big brother to the rest of the academy, you know, the, all the other students. So your classes, I run classes? Yep. I'm there to like, help people get ready for their testing and they rank. I'll take people aside, especially on Saturdays and works, work different things with them stuff they need work on. Yeah, whatever. They want to work on. Little special attention that I can give to whoever, whoever needs it. That's amazing. Yeah, it's nice. It's nice to be able to spend the time with the with the other students. Yeah. And there's people underneath you, correct? Yeah, yeah, I'm a fourth degree black belt. So we have a bunch of secondary black belts and some showdowns first degree, black belts, blue belts, you know, we have all kinds of different ranks in there for the adults. And there's a ton of kids everywhere you turn those get

Jason Connell: 5:12:43

that to dojo? successful.

SenseI Chris Jensen: 5:12:45

Successful dojo. Yeah. Hopefully they grew up to be where I am someday. Exactly. You know, well, that's

Jason Connell: 5:12:50

what really impressed me about your dojo in general, just you know how true martial arts academy has all this kind of founding members in there. And they really helped grow it. I've been to some other donors of my own training. And it's a one man show and that's fine. Probably like the early days of since a gym, but he's grown this thing to have you come up the ranks. And who knows better than you? Yeah. And besides him, right. So it's very impressive. But what put your dojo on my radar. Was your connection to the next Karate Kid? Yeah. Yeah. Which I do want to talk about. So let's delve into that show. Because we had since a Jim on he told me about his great scene that wound up on the cutting room, which happens all the time. Yeah, but he talked about a few students who made it in the movie and I've seen it several times. It is the weakest since it Chris of the Karate Kid movies. I'm sorry. Okay, okay. We're in agreement. Oh, absolutely.

SenseI Chris Jensen: 5:13:39

I only watched it twice myself.

Jason Connell: 5:13:40

There's moments in the fact that Pat Merida is reprising his role makes it really watchable. And of course, Julie's great Hillary Swank two time Oscar winner, let's talk about how you got involved first of all, and then we'll talk about onset and what that was like. Sure.

SenseI Chris Jensen: 5:13:53

So there was a tryout sets that Jim took us all to this dojo and Malden sets a Brian Ricky's dojo, I believe, I don't remember how many people there there was maybe 100 or so. Okay. And we actually went through this kind of like this tryout, you know, you had to take a punch into a fall and roll and it was pretty cool. So all of us that went our dojo made it in the five kids that I mentioned before, that was all you got. Yeah, it was all of us

Jason Connell: 5:14:15

have been trained since you were seven since that, Chris. Yeah.

SenseI Chris Jensen: 5:14:19

I'm sure a lot of people that would probably but yeah, so we all made it in, in a sense of Jim made it and then he mentioned Don, he made it, there was a few. You know, we didn't know what we were going to be doing.

Jason Connell: 5:14:29

So how old were you at this point in time?

SenseI Chris Jensen: 5:14:30

1617. I was still in high school. Just about to get out of high school. I look like

Jason Connell: 5:14:34

you're like barely in high school. Your high level and looks younger. Yeah, right.

SenseI Chris Jensen: 5:14:38

Yeah. But we were all like, Oh, my God, I've had this for a while. We looked young, young enough, I suppose. Then, you know, we got a call to find out where we were going, Canada. I was told to report to Brooklyn High School. And I was also gonna be going to Tufts University.

Jason Connell: 5:14:57

Okay. Both in Massachusetts, not too far from Boston. I've been by both of these locations.

SenseI Chris Jensen: 5:15:02

About 15 minutes or miles, both of them, okay. Not in the same direction. But you know, not to bet that Brooklyn High School refilm the prom scene, okay. Yeah, I was one of

Jason Connell: 5:15:11

the guys come like out of the ceiling. They come in rappelling down. Yeah, one guy gets hurt. Yeah. Are you wearing a tuxedo?

SenseI Chris Jensen: 5:15:16

I was in a tuxedo. I had the yet we were the dance. I had the girlfriend and all she was in a dress. And it was a long day of just standing with somebody. I didn't know. Yeah, we didn't know each other, obviously, you know, so it was a little awkward at first, but after the first two hours, yeah, got to be a little more normal. But it was fun. It was fun filming just to see what goes on and that was built in all the movies made.

Jason Connell: 5:15:36

Yeah, they pumped music and then they kill the music right so you can do the dialogue and you got to keep your beat going. It's It's hilarious. Yeah.

SenseI Chris Jensen: 5:15:43

Alright, start dance. than just standing there with that little high school dance, right? Yeah, it was fun. It was a good experience. I didn't get the lines. I had no lines in the movies. But that was fun. And then the Brooklyn High School was the Bull Ring scene. Yeah. Out

Jason Connell: 5:15:56

with Michael Ironside running that whole thing with all you students Ross. He had like the gray

SenseI Chris Jensen: 5:16:01

shirt, grey shorts. Yeah. And that was a couple of days of that standard out there on the on the lawn and just retaken everything. And yeah, unfortunately, I had no words on that. I had no action on that either. But they had the cameras panning around. I think he can see the side of my face. I know one of my buddies good in their full full view.

Jason Connell: 5:16:18

Well, there is some fighting there. Michael Ironside is like taking down a student's kind of Cobra Kai asked there is no Cobra Kai and rice in this movie. But I wish it was you guys because you're well trained for it. I

SenseI Chris Jensen: 5:16:28

know. It would have been cool. I got to meet a couple of guys at Walton Goggins who ended up absolutely coming really? Yeah, I got a soda with him sitting there. But I got to meet Pat, Marita. Yeah, cuz he comes over in that seat. Yes. Yeah, the funny story. We're all kind of standing around at lunch. And he came walking out of this bathroom trailer. And he's got his fly and zip that his shirt tail sticking out of his thing. And he's kind of walking by. And we kind of look at him and the laughing point. And he goes, Oh, sorry, whack on whack off and he kind of walks away. Wow, he was a comedian. He was hysterical. But it was it was awesome. It was so much fun to film that just to be part of that. Yeah. Well just

Jason Connell: 5:17:09

think you'd seen karate kid had a huge impact on you at that time. Here is Pat Merida. Mr. Miyagi near right there with him. It's kind of mind blowing. We're

SenseI Chris Jensen: 5:17:18

the same height. Yeah, you know, they don't look like they do on TV, in the movies. But he was cool. He was he talked to everybody. Just a nice guy. Wow. How

Jason Connell: 5:17:29

about Hillary Swank?

SenseI Chris Jensen: 5:17:30

She was cool. I didn't really have too much with her. I think she might have been in. She was there the day we film the Bull Ring. Yeah. But not too much interaction with her. But she she was friendly, too. She talked to everybody that she interacted with. Yeah, there's no hiding in the trailer or

Jason Connell: 5:17:44

anything. It was fun at young but before she went big time,

SenseI Chris Jensen: 5:17:47

I think it was like our first real first movie. Yeah,

Jason Connell: 5:17:50

I think she got 902104 after that. So you do that? Did you go to the bowling scene which didn't say gymnasts at you didn't go there now. Okay. I wasn't a part of that. So when you go to see the movie, now, you've already seen Karate Kid. Karate Kid. Part Two. Oh, we didn't talk about Karate Kid. Part Three. Did you see that one? I did.

SenseI Chris Jensen: 5:18:07

Yeah. It was okay. Yeah. Favorite. Yeah. I like the cat Burns was was a cool character. It's good. I kind of looked like him. When I was younger. I'm like, oh, I want to I want to be that guy. Flat tie this bike. Here. Yeah. But yeah, it was alright. A little cheesy here thought some of the it goes downhill

Jason Connell: 5:18:22

and the all Valley always have a big issue with they just kind of tacked it on with that movie. And then Daniel only has to fight one person. It's like, okay that much. Yeah. But Terry Silva was a great villain. He was a great villain and to see it come back around and you pay off. And he became even better villain. Yeah, Cobra. But you go to see The Next Karate Kid? I'm assuming. Yeah. And what are your thoughts?

SenseI Chris Jensen: 5:18:45

Okay, a little. A little bit. I mean, it was cool, because I filmed in it. So that was fun. Exactly. Yeah. But it was obviously my least favorite of the of the four. Yeah. I mean, I just missed the whole Daniel aspect. I think totally. There was just something that related to everybody, you know,

Jason Connell: 5:19:03

not even a reference to him. Yeah, nothing. He must have said Do not put my name.

SenseI Chris Jensen: 5:19:09

You probably saw that. Yeah. Yeah.

Jason Connell: 5:19:11

It was interesting that they shot at Massachusetts. Now. I think it's super neat. Because I lived not too far from Julie's house and yes, locations and Tufts. I've been by a few times. But at the time, yeah, it was definitely like this other thing. They probably, again, could have called it something else. But you have Miyagi carrying through, which was at least that's the saving grace. You can go back and see him be Mr. Miyagi, one more time. Yeah. And there's a few moments there is some things in there.

SenseI Chris Jensen: 5:19:36

Yeah, it wasn't a terrible movie. There are some good parts, the whole

Jason Connell: 5:19:39

monk thing and her going there. It's like it just went a little bit on that cheesy. Yeah, cheesy path.

SenseI Chris Jensen: 5:19:44

Actually, a friend of mine was one of the monks to really to the Chinese. They used to be a Chinese restaurant in Waltham called Hula, hula, hula and Freddie Wong, which he'll get a kick out of it is this that I mentioned his name on the read. He's one of the three. He's one of the monks that mean, he was in the movie a lot. He didn't have any big roles, but you can see him, but his picture is all over. It was all over the restaurant walls. As soon as that thing came out, and that's all he ever talked about. The thought is gonna be this big movie star. Oh

Jason Connell: 5:20:09

my god. So now let's pivot into Cobra Kai, which I didn't see this coming since I Chris. You know, I just never thought you could reboot a movie that, you know, unfortunately, after the first one, the second one yes. And then it was kind of a downhill plight, you know? Yeah. And then I'm hearing about it. I'm hearing about first season I'm like, Yeah, I heard about the second season just online just a little bit. Yeah. And finally I put on one episode, and I was hooked.

SenseI Chris Jensen: 5:20:35

I was hooked right away. I ended up buying the YouTube premium. I thought I had it early. You went even early. I was at YouTube before they went to Netflix. Yeah,

Jason Connell: 5:20:42

I was pre Netflix. But after Season Two So you're in early, you're hooked. Yeah. And you could see like, wow, this is great Johnny story. What a great way to take it.

SenseI Chris Jensen: 5:20:51

Yeah. And it almost kind of you start feeling bad for Johnny a little bit like, absolutely. But he wasn't the bad guy. Yeah. But it grabbed me right away. It just brought me back to like that. What it was in the 80s. You know, that movie felt like this is unbelievable. Johnny's like the same guy. He just older was frozen in time. Oh, man. Yeah, he's just older. But I love the right from the start. I thought it was fantastic. And I kind of rooted for Johnny a little bit. You know,

Jason Connell: 5:21:13

I did too. I quickly gotten Johnny's camp. Then I understand loose. It's funny how Johnny grew up, we think privileged, and all sudden he's down on his luck. And then you have Daniel from nothing. All the way he's running the valley with his LORUSSO auto groups, but I have compassion for both of them. And my goal is always to see them work together. Yeah, they're better together. Yeah. And now, hopefully, they're there. They always kind of get together and then you know, take it back and then did

SenseI Chris Jensen: 5:21:41

different training. Right. Two totally different senses. You know, exactly. traditional martial arts karate sensei with Miyagi, you know that American karate hard nosed, yeah, crease right. And I think that was what kind of made everyone think that Johnny was the bad guy, but it wasn't really Johnny. Right? It was the sensei that yeah,

Jason Connell: 5:21:57

look at his tutelage and we know his he didn't have a father either at some point in time that was interesting to find out

SenseI Chris Jensen: 5:22:03

so that could have been me. Luckily, I went down that path luckily, since the gym was not crease, he was Miyagi ish.

Jason Connell: 5:22:09

I read that about the writer Robert Mark came in how he went to a dojo, he was well versed in martial arts went to a Cobra Kai type Dojo base, that character and then found this other Miyagi type of path that became I think his name was even Miyagi. Yeah. And then look at this movie. Yeah. So it is great. It went that way as opposed to reverse. So where we're at now with Cobra Kai, we have Terry silver is now kind of the main bag I crease we assume is behind bars. Yeah, still. Yeah. And so what do you think's gonna happen Chris? Do you like to speculate or you just like to enjoy it? No, I

SenseI Chris Jensen: 5:22:42

kind of like it. Enjoy it as it comes. It just you know, I want to see what happens with Chris. I think he's gonna get out of it somehow. You know, you never know how it'll turn around on silver. I don't like to see it. Bronze is coming back. I think Barnes is coming back. I feel

Jason Connell: 5:22:54

that's gonna happen. I thought was gonna happen this last season? Yeah, it seems like it has to happen. And Hillary I think I mean, Julie Yeah. could easily make

SenseI Chris Jensen: 5:23:02

I think they're gonna kind of mix those two somehow. something's gonna happen between Julian and Barnes. But we'll see. Yeah, I don't know. We got to go into Mexico right to find his dad. So who's his dad gonna be? Yeah, we're gonna find out. It's gonna be another big twist of Yeah, something who knows?

Jason Connell: 5:23:15

I've gotten on record saying it's like as a mirallas. Benjamin, Brad or someone else? Like, you know, they recognize like, oh, yeah, that guy. Yeah. Lou Diamond Phillips Yeah, it's gotta be

SenseI Chris Jensen: 5:23:26

something right Lou Diamond Phillips always pops into something somewhere.

Jason Connell: 5:23:28

It has to be like that. Like, we don't know. This guy is the show. I gotta give the show runners such credit. Yeah, always make the right choices. So I trust them. We're in good hands. Yeah, but I'm dying to know. I mean, bringing chosen back to work with Daniel.

SenseI Chris Jensen: 5:23:41

That was so exciting.

Jason Connell: 5:23:42

Oh my god. I love that he came in. And then he comes back at the airport. That whole episode. Miyagi dough from season three was like, an incredible episode. Yeah, that shows and makes that come back from being one of the ultimate villains.

SenseI Chris Jensen: 5:23:55

Girlfriend, kill him and take them all out.

Jason Connell: 5:23:58

And he gets redemption. And now we end the shows up at the gravesite Miyagi, his grave said I've watched that sequence like 10 times. Oh, my gosh, it's chosen. Yeah. And then you have silver running. Finally, the goal from credit card Part Three Cobra Kai dojos. All over. Yep. Yeah. Which is always shocking to me that that didn't happen, because that easily could happen like the tripletail of dojos. Could have happened in the 80s. Yeah. Because there's really nothing in each state that ties I mean, maybe there isn't you would know this. But is there such a dojo, sensei? Chris?

SenseI Chris Jensen: 5:24:29

Yeah, he had the Valarie studios that kind of popped up everywhere, right around that time.

Jason Connell: 5:24:33

In all states, nationwide, nationwide. Yeah. Oh, what style was that?

SenseI Chris Jensen: 5:24:38

Kempo Shaolin Kempo typestyle a mix of karate, and I think a little bit of kung fu kind of mixed in and seemed like when you watch some of the videos, Oh, that's interesting. Are they still around? Yeah, they're not as big but they're still okay. There's still some around and now a lot of them are owned and operated differently there. Right. They run under that same kind of name, but it's separately. privately owned. I actually have a friend of mine whose goes to one in Natick, and it's a pretty good dojo. It's not quite that same McDo Joe type make dojo.

Jason Connell: 5:25:06

I like that. I'm surprised you could have taken that brand name and ran with it. Yes. Cobra Kai was everywhere.

SenseI Chris Jensen: 5:25:13

Yeah. So he was out before that, ya know, before that whole thing started. But once that popularity of the Karate Kid came on you, she marketed everything and he just pumped them up all over the place. It was kind of nuts. Yeah, I'm

Jason Connell: 5:25:23

sure. It's almost like a kid farm. Like a kid mill.

SenseI Chris Jensen: 5:25:26

Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. Yeah.

Jason Connell: 5:25:29

So where are you guys at now with your training your fourth degree black belt? Do you aspire to keep climbing up the ranks as a sensei?

SenseI Chris Jensen: 5:25:37

Yeah, absolutely. I took some time off earlier, you know, before two years in the martial arts coming up in September, but I had some time off My family moved away a little bit here and there. But I've been back now and yeah, I plan on keeping going. I have two sons that are in the dojo now. My oldest Eric is got his junior black belt. He started when he was four. Now what's a junior black belt. So that's kind of like we don't give black belts out to, yes, you have to be 16 years old to get your black belt. So we have three levels of junior black belt, and you can get them when you're 13 or 14, something like that. So there's three different levels. We had that back when I was a student, too. I was the first, I was the third Junior black belt in the whole Association in America, and you just kind of it kind of in limbo till you get to 16. And then you kind of do your black belt test, and then you're black. Okay, but now we have three different levels of black belt because I think since the gym kind of realized, like, if you're stuck in this one right here, it's

Jason Connell: 5:26:30

something to aspire to. Yeah.

SenseI Chris Jensen: 5:26:31

I mean, it didn't bother me back then. Because I was still training and stuff. But nowadays kids don't have the attention span. Yeah, you know, and

Jason Connell: 5:26:36

they watch Cobra Kai and someone joins the dojo in. There are two seconds. Yeah. So that I don't like

SenseI Chris Jensen: 5:26:43

the time span. They have to kind of speed things along. Yeah.

Jason Connell: 5:26:46

It's a wider it's black. Right? Exactly. Yeah.

SenseI Chris Jensen: 5:26:49

Yeah. But you know, back when I first started, it was white, orange, brown, black. Wow, we didn't have all the bells in between yet a piece of tape. Yeah, that's right. So we did like the white with the orange tape. And once you got like four stripes, stripes, and you got you started green tape, then you got your green belt, then you had brown tape, and then you get your brown belt. So he kind of added those belts in between, which is good. I think it works out better, as opposed to just having this raggedy looking tape one. And now with the students with the kids to this even like junior ranks of those belts, so you have like a junior orange belt. So you have your white belt with an orange stripe go right in the middle of it. So you can keep their attention. You know, they get to rank they get a little promotion every every couple of months. Until they realize as they get older then alright. They come a little few and far between, you know, you got to actually earn it. But yeah, so my son got his junior black belt when he was I think he got his first one. He was 13. And I was on his last one. So he's kind of now he's in that spot where he has to wait till he's 16 at this time. Yeah. And then I have a six year old who just started cut months ago. He just got his junior orange belt. So yeah, we're

Jason Connell: 5:27:52

spreading the chip off the old block. Yeah, hopefully both of these guys. Yeah.

SenseI Chris Jensen: 5:27:56

The older one is Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. The the younger ones doing well. He's not as into it yet.

Jason Connell: 5:28:01

He started before you since it Chris bolted. Yeah,

SenseI Chris Jensen: 5:28:05

Eric was for micro six. But yeah, Eric enjoys it. Mark enjoys it.

Jason Connell: 5:28:09

Are they going to tournaments? Or was that stopped? Pandemic or you don't do that?

SenseI Chris Jensen: 5:28:12

We don't even do that anymore. We talked about sensei Jim was talking about doing one just with our kids. You know our students. Right. But we haven't done anything in a while.

Jason Connell: 5:28:22

That's amazing. This is the future of true martial arts academy. Absolutely. And our sons. Yeah.

SenseI Chris Jensen: 5:28:28

That's scary. Yeah, but I don't plan on going anywhere. Yeah, exactly. We have another sensei. Steve, who's also I believe he just got promoted to seventh degree black belt. Oh, my gosh, he's been this as long as I have. We have a couple of the guys that are up there to six for your black belt, Michael. So you know, we're all fairly young ish. Yeah. So we'll all be there for a while. Since a Jimbo proposes a retirement we'll keep the true martial arts academy alive. I love it as long as we can. So since

Jason Connell: 5:28:52

it Jim was saying that he's been using Cobra Kai, the show to relate to the students. I mean, these kids are dialed into this show, which is great. This is such a cross generational show. Yeah. And some of them don't even know about the Karate Kid trilogy, right? Or the fourth movie never gonna be around here because you're in it and stuff. But yeah, so are you using the show to relate to the students as well? Yeah, I

SenseI Chris Jensen: 5:29:12

don't do as much of the kids classes. But we oh, you throw some of that in there. You know, the Cobra Kai references and totally, you know, the train hard and the faces and make that mad face give me that give me that face and that loud key eye and scream and you know, you get them going into stuff like that. Yeah, yeah, that's that's a Jim's always been really good. The Mandalorian he was sensei Lorien for a while, you know, whatever it gets the kids involved, you know, and they make him t shirts. The sensei Lorient t shirt. He had one of the students. Oh, that's great. Yeah. Since he has been excellent about keeping up to date with what's going on. For the kids, you know, to get the kids involved.

Jason Connell: 5:29:43

He was saying like, sometimes we'll train like Miyagi dough. Sometimes we'll do Cobra Kai training because the kid will ask the class and they're kind of divided. Like no, we're Cobra Kai. You know, I think it's fantastic. It

SenseI Chris Jensen: 5:29:54

was all Cobra Kai when I was younger. Oh, yeah. Yeah, there was was only Daniel

Jason Connell: 5:29:58

right. So I had the outfits had the sleeveless

SenseI Chris Jensen: 5:30:02

Leo one sleeve his tattoos. I remember putting little fake tattoos on my arm. So like, it'd be like this big tough guy.

Jason Connell: 5:30:08

credible. We don't even talk about it. Like I'm looking at the logo now, which we love so much. It's like the Cobra snake. But they really nailed it the color scheme about the skeleton outfits for Halloween. Awesome. I mean, it's just timeless. You

SenseI Chris Jensen: 5:30:21

them now you can still get there. Now. I don't think most of the kids realize where it came from. Right. But you can still see that you still get

Jason Connell: 5:30:26

a Cobra Kai did it they had an homage to us like, so cool. Yeah.

SenseI Chris Jensen: 5:30:31

So that was like the best scene in the movie. The original movie. One of the best scenes. Oh, yeah. So Miyagi first beats them all up, right? We

Jason Connell: 5:30:36

learned he's a karate master. Yeah. So that apartment complex. It's in receita, California. We've gone by and visited many times. Yeah, it was awesome. Fire recently I sent Sal down my co host. And it was okay one unit got burned, but I got protected. So we do special episodes. So we hold it very dear to our hearts because it's a real location. And that's what I loved about the movie. The originals. They were shot in Los Angeles in the valley real locations. Unfortunately, Cobra Kai, for the most part is shot in Atlanta. Yeah. And they sometimes do come to LA and shoot, but it is what it is. Yeah. Right. You know, it's cheaper. Of course, it's economical decisions. But you know, I keep hoping that beyond spin offs, which I do believe is gonna happen. There could be a potential Karate Kid movie again, it could come full circle.

SenseI Chris Jensen: 5:31:23

I can see them ending this whole series with a big movie. Why not?

Jason Connell: 5:31:26

We've seen this with like shows like Sex in the City, Downton Abbey, they go, although this one from you know, movies to show the movies. You just don't see that transition. But it's the number one show on Netflix for a reason. Absolutely.

SenseI Chris Jensen: 5:31:36

Yeah. And they gotta capitalize on that. Well, they can Right, totally. I think that'd be a huge movie.

Jason Connell: 5:31:41

Cobra Kai Movie Recording kit, whatever. What did you think speaking of movies inside that universe, there's that one kind of outside of this box is the one with Jackie Chan. Yeah. What do you think?

SenseI Chris Jensen: 5:31:52

I liked the movie. Yeah, but it was kung fu. It was already so I don't know why they call it The Karate Kid. They could have called it the Kung Fu killer. Yes. And it was kind of the same premise as the first movie and was so they didn't really change much. They just stoled

Jason Connell: 5:32:05

modernize it. They put it in China. I liked it. It was yes. Yeah.

SenseI Chris Jensen: 5:32:09

The movie was good in the action was good. I love Jackie Chan. He's always been one of my absolutely one of the guys you've always wanted to watch. After Bruce Lee, right? Who wasn't great, either. It's all this karate people or most of us watched kung fu guys growing up. That's what they're doing. But yeah, I love the movie. I thought that movie was great. I think they should have changed.

Jason Connell: 5:32:26

I wonder if they were thinking they're gonna have a part two, part three of weintrob was involved who produced the Karate Kid? Will Smith got involved then? Because his son was in the movie. He's now like, a part owner of the franchise. But yeah, had they just called it something else? Yeah. And been its own thing. I think it would have resonated more. It was a box office success. Yeah. And the less so Oh, yeah. But then they didn't touch it again. Is it? Yeah,

SenseI Chris Jensen: 5:32:47

I don't know. And I don't know why. Why they didn't touch it again. I think maybe they saw the same thing. Like we just kind of copy the first.

Jason Connell: 5:32:53

Yeah, the first kind of con to America. And the second Yeah. Let's get to the origin. Yeah, let's

SenseI Chris Jensen: 5:33:00

just do a reverse.

Jason Connell: 5:33:01

So any other martial arts movies that are on your radar? I mean, did you like to Seagal movies, Vaughn. Dom did? I did?

SenseI Chris Jensen: 5:33:07

Oh, yeah. That was huge, hard to kill. Bloodsport was probably my favorite kickboxer. kickboxer was good. I actually just watched that without the

Jason Connell: 5:33:15

law. But the law the early movies of both of them were fantastic. Yeah, they kind

SenseI Chris Jensen: 5:33:19

of dried them. And I liked fire down below was Steven Seagal. I thought that was a pretty good one. Yeah, he was in the hills there. Kentucky I think I forget exactly where they were. But I like that under siege under siege was excellent. I didn't like the second one. But the first one was fantastic. The second one was on the train, I think right now, but yeah, they were huge going. I mean, we go to camps. There's a dojo Association. Back in the day, we traveled to New Hampshire, and all Ohio when everybody would come to train together for like a weekend. We'd sit in Sunday gyms room and we'd watch hard to kill or one of them. You know, one of the nights of the guys that was in the adult class. I was 14 years old, but I was in the adult class at this point. Hanging out with all the big guys, you know, yeah, we're watching the movies. And so yeah, we're all into it back then. And we make fun of some of it.

Jason Connell: 5:34:06

Oh, for sure. Some of this can't be

SenseI Chris Jensen: 5:34:09

done. Okay. What you told me that's not gonna happen.

Jason Connell: 5:34:11

How was that one a perfect weapon. You ever see that?

SenseI Chris Jensen: 5:34:13

Yeah. Not a fan of that. Yeah.

Jason Connell: 5:34:16

Well cut that. Yeah. So well. This has been fantastic since a Chris Yeah, to delve deeper into this. I'm excited. I can tell you're super excited for the new season of Cobra Kai could always have you back on and revisit what in the world happens?

SenseI Chris Jensen: 5:34:29

Absolutely. My wife loves it. Yeah, well, there you go. She wasn't a karate kid. She just thought to watch it for the drama.

Jason Connell: 5:34:35

There you go. Who does she like? Is she in camp Johnny or camp Daniel?

SenseI Chris Jensen: 5:34:39

She's in the girl whatever she just likes Oh Tori is Tori. Tori Samantha stories.

Jason Connell: 5:34:45

She's a good storyline. Yeah,

SenseI Chris Jensen: 5:34:46

she's into the drama part of it. So that's fun. Was like lunch she wants to watch it I don't care. Yeah, you know

Jason Connell: 5:34:52

exactly why the show really has gotten complex you have that storyline you have now what you see Kenny join and become a bully you see Anthony bully but then getting bullied. There's so much going on here. Robbie is like on the outside

SenseI Chris Jensen: 5:35:05

the heart. He's my favorite within the script. He could have his own shirt deep. That's what yeah, when when they come up with their own show. I think that should be a hawk.

Jason Connell: 5:35:12

Now he's back to Eli but he could still be hockey game. He still got the tattoo.

SenseI Chris Jensen: 5:35:16

Yeah, I think he's gonna free free find his personality. Yeah, he kind of lost it there for a little right. Yeah, I bet it was a little nerdy self. And now I think he's gonna get back and he's got Moon now. Yeah, yeah.

Jason Connell: 5:35:26

Like it. Listen to us. So many storylines. Yeah, but he's my favorite character. He is fantastic. So just to kind of put this on people's radar. And since it Jim spoke to this, the true martial arts academy. It's just outside Boston. But where is it exactly.

SenseI Chris Jensen: 5:35:41

It's in Waltham. Where We Live Oak road is It's behind the mighty squirrel. A really popular Brewer.

Jason Connell: 5:35:47

I gotta say, yeah,

SenseI Chris Jensen: 5:35:48

there's a sensei Jim beer. Actually, I don't know if he mentioned that. But he has mentioned that

Jason Connell: 5:35:51

on the Preview episode because since they Jim and I were so caught up with I was like, we didn't talk about the beer. So Sal and I did, but yeah, go and speak to

SenseI Chris Jensen: 5:35:58

it. If you haven't, it's excellent. It's like a rice based beer. Japan style. That's fitting. Yeah, it's excellent. So clear, like a light beer. Okay. Very good. No, not hoppy at all, but delicious. Yeah, excellent. It really became popular too. You know, we kind of thought it was gonna be like a fad, right? Because the sensei Jim bear that made a bunch of cases. Now it's on tap. You could buy it in the liquor store. Nice. Yeah, I really thought that come about just the baby squirrel and then the dojo just being neighbors, you know, right. Everyone got along, then all of a sudden their kids started coming to the dojo. Okay. Okay. And we would ask them if we get some functions like we would have functions up after like a special workout. Actually, can we bring the people up there for a function afterwards? And let us use the hall?

Jason Connell: 5:36:40

Yeah, the place is great. It's huge. It's got tons of space and outdoor space.

SenseI Chris Jensen: 5:36:44

Another awesome. Yeah, but it's just again, community type thing. You know, since the gyms always been really community orientated. So he just gets to know everybody and wants to be friends with everybody. Everyone loves the guy.

Jason Connell: 5:36:54

Off course. Amazing. And I finally went to the mighty squirrel brewery, actually, I tried their beer prior to go and it was like, That place is in Waltham. So I went over there. It was amazing. And they didn't have this insane gym beer out. I was gonna get it. I didn't know you could buy a bottle. So I have to go back and try. Yes. You buy

SenseI Chris Jensen: 5:37:11

it in cans. I think most liquor stores have it. No, but you can still go there and buy the kids also at the mighty squirrel. Like I'm a fullback.

Jason Connell: 5:37:17

So how cool is that? So that's where you're at. And I believe the website would be true martial arts academy.com. Awesome. And I know that recently, you and since a gym created a great video promo video for the dojo, we put it on our YouTube Live Channel. It's on there. You're using it to promote the dojo. It's your voice over on they recognize it right away. And you came in they Excellent. Yeah. Fantastic video. So I highly encourage anybody in the Boston area and adjacent to check out the dojo because I'm assuming you're still taking students.

SenseI Chris Jensen: 5:37:48

Oh, yeah. All day every day. Kids all ages. Right? And he is honestly, he's been doing this for so long. He's one of the best of the kids in the area with anyone really. But if you're looking for something for your children to go, that's the place to go. He's really family orientated. He's great with the kids. It's a great experience and they stick with it. Yeah, I can't tell you how many black belts have gone through there. But there's a ton of them. That's amazing. You know, we get all the pictures on the wall if you had seen that video. You could see all the pictures on the wall and then not even all up there. Yeah, there's still something that is probably on the wall my photos Yeah. Unfortunate all the way to the left because it's been this long. Yeah, you wouldn't recognize me if you saw it. You probably look like Mike but I do. I wish I had thought to bring the picture when

Jason Connell: 5:38:28

it was a pleasure since a Christianson having you on the show today.

SenseI Chris Jensen: 5:38:31

It was great. Thank you very much for having me. I had a lot of fun.

Jason Connell: 5:38:34

Let's stick around I'm going to do the outro thank our sponsor, and I'll have you take the and your very best crease we end every episode with this so hang tight. Sure. So unlike your confidence and always use the right tools for the job with manscaped get 20% off and free shipping with a code Cobra kai@manscape.com So thank you so much for listening and please be sure to subscribe to the let's talk Cobra Kai podcast as well as the let's not Cobra Kai YouTube Live Channel. You can also really help us by giving the show a five star rating on Apple podcast. And for all you listeners that enjoy sharing your thoughts you can leave us a review on Apple podcast send us a direct message or post a comment on any let's talk Cobra Kai social media platform. If you're a dedicated listener or viewer of Let's Talk Cobra Kai, please consider supporting the show on Patreon. We also highly recommend checking out our other podcast and visiting just curious media.com Okay since a Chris, take it away,

SenseI Chris Jensen: 5:39:28

no mercy