I recently sat down with Jose Luis Torres II for our men's Conversations That Matter series… And before you even watch this conversation and the short clip below… I want you to understand who you’re listening to. This isn’t just a conversation. This is a man who has spent decades building something meaningful. --- 👊 Master Torres is a lifelong martial artist. He began his journey back in 1982 in Tang Soo Do… earning his black belt and continuing to rise through the ranks to become a high-level master and leader in multiple disciplines. He is the founder of Team Torres Martial Arts… with schools that have served children as young as 3 years old… all the way up to adults in their 70s. He didn’t just build a school… He built programs in communities, after-school systems, and environments where kids and families could grow stronger—physically, mentally, and emotionally. --- 🌎 One of his biggest contributions? He founded the North American Federation of Martial Arts (NAFMA). An organization that now connects thousands of competitors and hundreds of schools across multiple martial arts disciplines… creating a platform for growth, competition, and unity in the martial arts world. He’s also spent decades promoting martial arts events across the U.S. and internationally… bringing people together through competition, discipline, and shared purpose. --- 🎬 And now… he’s evolving again. Master Torres has stepped into the world of film as an actor, producer, and creator… Working on projects like City of Honor and films like Killer Ex… bringing stories of honor, struggle, and identity to a wider audience. --- Now listen… A man like this… A builder. A leader. A father. A creator. When a man like this sits down and opens up… You pay attention. --- 💬 Because what we talked about had nothing to do with titles… We talked about mental anguish. The kind most men carry quietly.

The last time my aunt saw me… I was 4 years old. Yesterday, at 64, we found each other again. There are moments in life that don’t ask for attention… they earn it. Yesterday was one of those moments. My son CJ and I took a three-hour trip up to Stormville, New York… not just to visit family… but to reconnect with a part of my life that had simply been… distant in time. I spent the day with my Tía Carmen and my Tío Julio… and from my heart… thank you. Thank you for opening your home. Thank you for opening your hearts. And thank you for receiving us with love, warmth, and generosity. I also had the blessing of meeting my cousins, Sharon and Stephen, for the first time… along with Sharon’s husband Dennis and Stephen’s wife Alicia. And just like that… what once felt like distance… became connection. My brother Tony came by… we sat together… shared stories… laughter… a beautiful meal… and something even deeper than all of that— we shared presence. And then… there was that moment. We recorded Tía Carmen and Tío Julio dancing salsa. Tía Carmen—89 years young. Tío Julio—in his early 80s, dealing with a bad hip. But when the music played… what you saw was passion. What you saw was rhythm. What you saw was life… expressed through movement, culture, and love. It was beautiful. For me, this wasn’t about fixing anything. There was nothing to fix. This was about something far more powerful— family. Coming together. Reuniting after decades. Being in the same room… at the same table… sharing life. My aunt told me the last time she saw me… I was four years old. Think about that. Sixty years later… here we are. And what made this even more meaningful… was sharing this with my son, CJ. For him to meet this side of the family… to see where we come from… to feel the energy, the conversation, the music… And to hear him recognize the similarities— educators… thinkers… the love of culture… the music that lives in both sides of our family… That meant everything to me.

This weekend reminded me of something I’ve known for a long time… but sometimes we need to live it again to feel it deeper. On Saturday, we released my Living Strong conversation with Forrest McClendon… A powerful exchange. Real. Honest. Present. That kind of conversation that doesn’t just sit in your mind… it stays with you. And this coming Saturday, April 25th at 6PM, we go live with my Living Strong conversation with Jose Luis Torres II… Another man who understands what it means to walk the path with purpose. But yesterday… yesterday was something else. I took a three-hour ride up to Stormville, New York with my son CJ… To meet my Aunt Carmen—my father’s sister—for the first time since I was four years old. Let me say that again… Since I was four. We sat together. We talked. We laughed. I met my cousins Sharon and Steven… spent time with my step-uncle Julio… And my aunt—Tía Carmen—prepared a beautiful meal… lasagna, meatballs… the kind of meal that doesn’t just feed your body, it feeds your soul. And in that moment… I realized something powerful… This is Living Strong. Not just the work. Not just the message. But the moments we choose to step into. We could’ve said, “another time…” We could’ve delayed. We could’ve let life keep moving. But we didn’t. And that’s the lesson I’m carrying into this week… 👉 Don’t hesitate. 👉 Don’t delay. 👉 Execute. Because the victory… is in the execution of meaningful action. You don’t wait until things are perfect. You don’t wait until you “feel ready.” You move… because the moment is here. You define your moments. You’re always in great shape for the shape you’re in. And you are never too old, broken, bruised, or beat… to live a life of meaning, purpose, and empowerment. This week, I’m back in the community… Continuing the work at Action Karate Mt. Laurel… Connecting with families… Building… serving… growing…

This morning, 4:30 a.m… quiet… still… and I’m sitting here reflecting. Last night, my conversation with Forrest McClendon went live on my Living Strong channel. No script. No performance. Just two men… talking about life. And I’ve got to tell you… these conversations are starting to mean a lot to me. I’m sitting down with men who’ve lived 5, 6 decades… men who’ve been through some things. Wins, losses, moments of darkness, moments of light… the kind of life that teaches you what really matters. And what we keep coming back to is this: Living Strong has very little to do with physical strength. It’s about mindset. It’s about perspective. It’s about how you define the moment you’re in… especially when it’s hard. At this season of my life—going on 65—I can look back and say this with conviction: There were moments I didn’t think I’d get through. But I did. And because of that… I believe I’ll get through whatever is in front of me now. If you’re in a season right now where things feel heavy… uncertain… maybe even dark… Hang in there. There is a way through. Sometimes all it takes is one conversation… one voice… one idea… that reminds you of who you are and what you’re capable of. Maybe this conversation with Forrest is that for you. You just never know. I’ll place the link in the comments. Go watch it. And if you’re someone who’s lived some life… 50, 60, or beyond… and you’ve got lessons, perspective, and experiences that could help someone else… Let’s talk. I’d be honored to sit down with you for a Living Strong conversation. Because your story might be the one that helps someone else keep going. And that… that’s what this is all about. Living Strong. --- This morning at 7 a.m., I’ll be connecting with my friend Garry Noakes in London… a man who played a big role in my own journey, especially with my hip replacements.

you already feel it. Time is moving. Faster than you expected. You catch yourself saying it now… maybe even joking about it… “I’m getting old…” And you’re right. You are. You’re 40. And soon… you’ll be 41. I’m 64 right now. In a couple of weeks, on May 9th… I’ll be 65. So I’m not speaking from theory… I’m speaking from living it. And let me tell you something straight… Those 25 years between 40 and 65? They go by like one day. A blink. You already know this. Because you remember being 20… and now here you are. So here’s the question… What are you doing with the time you have left? Not someday. Not when things calm down. Now. I just recorded a short video where I share five things I do every single day to stay strong… mentally, physically, and spiritually. Nothing complicated. But everything intentional. And I made it short… on purpose. Because I know time matters to you. You’re in great shape… for the shape you’re in. And you’re never too old, broken, bruised, or beat… But you’ve got to start. Now. 👉 Watch the video. 👉 Then come back here and tell me… Which one hit you the hardest? Living Strong. Let’s go.