Meet Noah Legel | Karate Instructor & IT System Administrator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Noah Legel and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Noah, can you tell us more about your background and the role it’s played in shaping who you are today?
I am originally from a tiny town in central Illinois, and actually lived several miles outside of town, between a huge cow pasture and corn fields. This environment fostered an emphasis on manners, and a desire to build community. I also grew up with the freedom to explore, and sometimes that came with discomfort and challenges that I had to overcome on my own. You really start to value perseverance, as well as community support, when you grow up that way, and that’s really stayed with me as I’ve trained in and taught martial arts.

To me, a karate dojo should be like a family, supporting and encouraging each other to excel! A wise friend of mine once said that “karate is an individual practice that we do together,” and I find that to be very true. It is up to the individual student to put in the work, but they have a community around them that can encourage them to do so!

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I have been privileged to train in a variety of different martial arts, under excellent instructors who held their students to high standards. For example, my late Sensei, Richard Poage, had standards for a 1st Degree Black Belt that were equivalent to the requirements most have for 5th Degree Black Belt, which is considered by most to be a “master” ranking. I am honored to have been promoted directly by him to 2nd Degree Black Belt prior to his death. He was also my cornerman for my fight in Rage in the Cage, as he fully supported his students testing their limits, and taught me how to effectively use the technique I applied to knock out my opponent.

Since my late Sensei passed away, I have continued my training under the only person to hold a Shihan (master instructor) license in the martial art of KishimotoDi outside of Okinawa. I have also been honored by the foremost practical karate expert in the world, Iain Abernethy, with recognition of my ranking and dojo with the World Combat Association.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I always recommend that visitors stop at Hiro Sushi for excellent, authentic Japanese food, which also supports a small business owned by a family who immigrated here from Okinawa, Japan. The restaurant also happens to be near Sweet Republic, which is an excellent local ice cream shop! If you’re more of a pizza person, we have several Grimaldi’s locations around the Valley, and they are, in my opinion, the best New York pizza around here.

Outside of food, the Japanese Friendship Garden, Ro-Ho-En, is a must-see! Kyoto, Japan, is a sister city of Phoenix, and sent some of its top traditional garden experts to build it, and it shows! Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin West is also a great experience for those interested in architecture, design, and landscaping. There are tons of nice hikes to be had around the Valley, and if you’re up for a bit of a road trip, you’re within a day’s travel of the Grand Canyon, the red rocks of Sedona, and more!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
There are many people that I could shout out for everything they’ve done to help me in my journey, and choosing just one is incredibly difficult! That said, I feel I must shout out my late Sensei, Richard Poage. He is the reason that I can teach karate the way that I do, today, and I miss him every day. He was a great mentor, and friend.

Website: https://azpracticalkarate.com

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