Kenpo Karate expert teaches self defense, self confidence in Anderson

Alan Myrtle's interest in martial arts was sparked as a young boy when he decided to send away for the "Red Master Secret Death Techniques" in the back of a comic book.

Today, Myrtle owns the Northwest Martial Arts Center in Anderson on Barney St.

He is an expert in American Kenpo, a street defense style of Karate. He holds a sixth-degree black belt in Kenpo, and has studied under the pioneers of the sport.

Myrtle competed for 18 years against athletes from all over the world, and was rated in the top 10 in the nation five different times in Kumite - a sparring style of Karate that emphasizes control of the body. The martial arts expert has also passed his love for the sport on to his son, 25-year-old Nic Myrtle, who helps him teach Karate at the Northwest Martial Arts Center.

Nic Myrtle describes his father's teaching style as 'old school,' "which is a good thing, because a lot of teachers now days are so lenient," he said.

"My dad's not like that, he makes you earn it. But you learn from it, and you're that much better," Myrtle said.

Nic Myrtle started learning Martial Arts from his father when he was six years old. He is a second-degree black belt in Kenpo, and has begun to branch off to learn other styles of martial arts as well. He hopes to one day become a mixed martial artist in UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship). The Northwest Martial Arts Center is Alan Myrtle's fourth school in the area. It will be 10-years-old in March. The center just went through a renovation, and now has new carpets, paint and a new mat. Students at the school raised money for the project by holding a kickathon.

Kenpo Karate is the primary Martial Arts style taught at the studio in Anderson. Myrtle teaches his students three degrees of self defense - the ability to control, hurt and kill in a combat situation.

"First you try to control the person verbally or mentally before it gets to a physical point. If it does get physical, then controlling the person physically if necessary," Professor Myrtle said. "And if that doesn't work you may have to hurt the person to make them stop. We still practice for the last degree, which is to kill someone, and that may be a situation that they have to face."

Myrtle said he has students who have gone into the military and law enforcement, where these techniques can be valuable.

"When we are doing our Kenpo we are doing eye strikes, knee breaks, elbow breaks, finger breaks, things that seriously hurt someone," Myrtle said.

"It's not play time. It's the real thing. I teach my students to do what they have to do. And hopefully they will use their minds and control themselves, and only use whatever force is necessary," he said.

Myrtle teaches his students how to defend themselves in tough situations. But he also instills them with a sense of self-confidence and self-control, so that they do not misuse their skills.

"Those are the biggest things I try to pass on, especially with kids," he said. "Self defense is usually the last thing they learn. We do self confidence, self control, alertness, awareness, better coordination and better agility. These are the things I want them to learn," he said.

Myrtle said he wants to pass on the same traits to his students that helped him become a successful adult.

"I ended up getting in trouble after high school because I didn't have the self-control I should have. I ran with the wrong group," he said. "I realized I had to do something to get myself focused and get myself going in the right direction. When I got into martial arts it really gave me that direction, that self confidence and control that I needed to continue on to do what I needed to do in life."

The Northwest Martial Arts Center offers lessons to children and adults, men and women, of all fitness levels.

Myrtle interviews each of his prospective students before he starts training them in martial arts.

"I want to make sure I'm teaching someone who will utilize this in a proper way. It gives me a chance to get a feel for that person, and for them to meet me," he said.

"It also gives me a chance to learn why they want to do it and what they would like to get out of it," Myrtle said. "Some people come here strictly for self defense. Some people come here because they want to get in shape and lose pounds. Some people want to come here so they can expand their horizons."

Jesse Yamasaki is one of Myrtle's long-time students. He has a black belt in Kenpo and continues to attend and teach at the studio 10 years after his first lesson.

"When I walk in the door, all of my problems from the outside world are gone. I'm here to be here," Yamasaki said. "I love every bit of it, from the workouts to working with these guys (Alan and Nic Myrtle) and learning from them. Every day I come in here I learn something new."