Meet Joseph Lipman aka, Master Joe! He is the owner and a teacher of martial arts at Hong Ik Martial Arts in Mahwah NJ. His martial arts school encourages each student to work to be their best physically, mentally and spiritually, by promoting growth through harmony and balance!
Thank you Master Joe, for teaching martial arts to our children!
Questions:
Q: What inspired you or led you to your current career?
A: I’ve been doing martial arts since I was 9 years old, under my master, Song Kun Yoo, whose school is in Tarrytown, New York. I got my black belt when I was 13 and I started helping my master around that time with his classes. I started teaching full time when I was around 19 and it turned into a passion of mine and I just kept teaching from there. I really didn’t have any plans to open a school but it just turned into that. Business has been good so far, I have around 60 students right now and I’ve been here a little over 2 years. I love the students and the parents are great!
Q: What is your favorite restaurant in Mahwah, and what do you love there?
A: Can I do Suffern? I like Sushi Bada in Suffern. I haven’t really tried a lot of restaurants in Mahwah but I gravitate towards Asian food!
Q: How long have you lived or worked in Mahwah?
A: I’ve been here for few years.
Q: Who is the most interesting person you’ve met here in Mahwah?
A: Lauren Beswick, she used to run a art studio next door for kids with disabilities.
Q: If you could travel anywhere in the world right now, where would it be? And why?
A: I did a lot of travelling already so I don’t have any passion to that anymore. I’ve been to India, Korea, Chili, Columbia. My wife is Colombian so if I would pick a place to travel right now, I would go to Columbia to visit my wife’s family. I feel like there’s a lot you can learn from travelling but you can also learn something from staying at one place, like developing yourself and working towards your goals.
Q: What is your favorite movie OR what is the first movie you remember seeing in a theatre?
A: I’m not a big movie person, my favorite movie is Dumb and Dumber. I used to watch it with my father and my sister growing up. We used to watch it every weekend!
Q: What advice would you give a crowd of people?
A: Don’t follow the crowd, think for yourself! If you believe in something, even if it’s against what the majority tells you, just trust your gut!
Q: What is something on your bucket list?
A: I don’t have a bucket list. But maybe just a wild adventure – travel around, experience everything that is to experience! I am pretty content as to where I am right now; I am just trying to grow within myself and just do what I’m doing.
Q: Do you have a favorite book?
A: There are a couple of books! The first book that I fell in love reading is “Cloud-Hidden”, by Alan Watts. And another one called “I am” thats by Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj, that book puts things into pretty clear perspective for me! I got that book when I was in India.
Q: What is your favorite music/ 3 bands you would like to see (dead or alive)?
A: I love the Grateful Dead, I’ve been listening to them since my early 20’s. I also play the guitar since I was 17.
Q: Choosing anyone and a non-relative with whom would you love to have lunch? Why and where would you have lunch?
A: Jerry Garcia from the Grateful Dead. He’s dead but he’s alive in my heart!
Q: Where do you see yourself in 5 or 10 years?
A: Still in Mahwah, hopefully in bigger space with some instructors. Also, maybe having my own house and a child or two .
Q: (Even for friends or family), what is something interesting that most people don’t know about you?
A: I am very bad at planning things!
Q: What 3 words or phrases come to mind when you think of the word HOME?
A: The place I grew up, Sleepy Hollow.
Q: What 3 words or adjectives that your peers would us to describe you?
A: Creative, Bad Planner, Humble.
Q: If you had a full time staff member that was fully paid for, who would you choose? Chef, Housekeeper, Driver, Coach, Physical Fitness Trainer, or Nanny?
A: A Personal Chef would help us a lot because I get home late.
Q: If there is something that you want others to know about you, what would it be?
A: I think there is something really special that can happen when people come together and focus on one thing. There is some meaning in it, so come to Hong Ik martial arts to experience it!
Q: If you were cast into a major motion picture and had your choice of anyone to be your co-star, who would you choose?
A: I would like to co-star with Master Patrick, he has a school in New Rochelle. We trained together and grew up together and we’re close friends. It would be fun for sure!
