Bartlesville Radio: The area’s best source for news, weather and sports!

A martial arts historian and instructor in Bartlesville has perfected his craft and inspires many to pursue their dreams with his story.

Growing up, Nathan Chlumsky said he has always loved martial arts and wanted to take martial arts because he was severely bullied in school. Chlumsky would buy books on how to do karate like in the Karate Kid movie.

At Barton County Community College in Great Bend, Kansas, Chlumsky majored in art and graphic design. Physical education was a requirement for students at BCCC in 1993. Chlumsky said they had martial arts courses and he took off in the profession from there. He said he learned karate on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays while taking Tang Soo Do courses on Thursdays.

College moved Chlumsky around. Chlumsky said he did everything he could to do some form of martial arts though. He said he took Taekwondo courses and later trained in Aikido at Kansas State University before returning to his original karate instructor where he has been ever since.

Now, Chlumsky is a fourth-degree black belt in Okinawan Shorinryu Matsumura Karate. Chlumsky said he could be a sixth-degree black belt, but he has had to have several shoulder surgeries following an injury in 2011 that has held him back. He said he hopes to go for his fifth degree black belt by the end of the year or the early part of next year.

Chlumsky is also a fourth-degree black belt in Okinawan Kobujutsu (weapons), and a fourth-degree black belt in Okinawan Tuite (self-defense). He is a level four mixed martial arts street fighting concept instructor and an instructor in Israeli defense tactics and more.

Chlumsky is a three-time Hall of Fame inductee in Action Martial Arts Magazine because he has been deemed as an ambassador for good will in martial arts. Chlumsky has also received an induction into the Hall of Fame for a life-time achievement of being in the martial arts for 20 years, and for literary contribution because he has written and published five books on top of writing articles for outlets like Taekwondo Times.

"A black belt is a white belt that never gave up" is a phrase the Chlumsky lives by. With all the bullying that is going around in today's day and age, Chlumsky said he believes martial arts are needed now more than ever. He said the martial arts provide great exercise and great discipline.

Martial arts is hard, and Chlumsky says you have to be crazy to do it. Chlumsky said it is a lot of hard work, especially when you go to a good quality school and not what is known as a "Belt Factory McDojo." He said the "Belt Factory McDojos" make you think you are learning quality stuff when you're really not.

Above all else, Chlumsky said you should never let someone tell you that you cannot accomplish something. Chlumsky said people can do anything, so don't believe people when they say you can't do something. He said "can't" doesn't exist in his vocabulary. You can do it, just not very well right now.

To Chlumsky, you might not be great at something at first, but you can train to do whatever it is that you enjoy and love well. If you love martial arts and want to improve your craft, Chlumsky encourages you to train with him. He said his hope is that if you join and train with him, he can teach you how to do martial arts well.

Chlumsky can be reached at Facebook. All you have to do it look him up. Chlumsky says he is the only Nathan Chlumsky in the world, so he's easy to find on Facebook. You can also reach him through the Facebook page Okinawan Karate of Bartlesville.

You can call or text Chlumsky at 620.617.1701. Chlumsky can be reached by email. All you have to do is send an email to karateman27@yahoo.com or nchlumsky27@yahoo.com.

If you'd rather drop by Chlumsky's home, you can do that too. Chlumsky said you can find him at 1533 S. Oak Avenue in Bartlesville.

Chlumsky said he is available to do seminars and demonstrations.