Introducing Jordan Valle
“Train Until Your Idols Become Your Rivals.”
How did your journey begin?
I started karate at the age of 9 after I was inspired by watching my brother. From age 11 until now, I have been training in karate everyday. When I was 14, I went to Junior Nationals and by 19 I was in the senior team. That was when I tore my ACL for the first time. Thankfully, with the support of my teammates, I overcame the injury and went to nationals where I won the title of being top 2 in the nation. It felt amazing to be able to come back and compete. I then tore my ACL the second time while I was at a tournament. I felt shaken and considered quitting. My Sensei, whom worked with me and motivated me to aspire higher, told me that it was ok for me to not continue. I thought about it, but then decided to give it one more chance before I retire. I’ve gone through it once before, and I know that I can work to return as part of the USA Karate team.
What is your schedule like?
My day begins at 6:00 AM everyday, and my week is usually full. I work as a karate teacher and as an intern at the physical therapy clinic I went to for my ACL recovery. I exercise most of the week whenever I have time in between school and work. My Mondays and Wednesdays are my Kumite (Fighting in Japanese) days. On Tuesdays and Thursdays I run, weight lift, and agility train. Fridays are another days of Kumite and weight lifting. When I show my schedule to my Sensei, she looked at me and wondered how I would have time to do anything!
What's your advice for people wanting to start with Karate?
My advice for those wanting to start with karate, or anything, is to first have fun. When you’re beginning karate, you will train and challenge yourself both mentally and physically. That is tough and will require a lot of dedication, That is why you have to have fun or else you wouldn’t want to come back. Once you’ve had fun, you will feel like coming back despite how hard it is, then you start learning structure and technique. Even though things become difficult, you will be willing to stay. You will continue despite the challenges and hurdles you will face because you know you don’t have to be there, but it is the choice that you make [to keep going].
Another piece of advice comes from the book, “The Slight Edge.” The book speaks about little actions that build up to overall positive and negative effects. That is what makes not hitting the snooze button to my alarm, although something small, is an important victory.
Since if you hit the snooze button in the morning, you are going to hit the snooze button all day. When I feel like putting something off, such as not training, I miss out on the opportunity to become the best teacher, student, or person.
What are your Spirit Words?
My spirit words are “Train until your idols become your rivals”. I keep that in my wallet wherever I go because there are times where I don’t want to work out. Because it is there in my wallet, I know that I have to train just as hard as my idols do so they can become my rivals. So I tell myself, get your butt in there and work while making sure I know how to be careful. My rivals are human too, and they know what they can take. My Sensei and my dad both tore their ACL 3 times now, and my friend Mina Yamazaki has torn it once. That is why you work to push past your limits while also being careful so that you can stand shoulder to shoulder with your rivals.
Jordan's Recommendations
I use warrior on everything: my equipment, my car, my seats, and myself in between workouts when I can’t shower. It works!! The products are something that I recommend to family whenever I can because they are fresh, not oily, nor overly processed. The custom made moisturizer that Laura created for me feels really soft while it protects my skin. It's a worry-free product. I don’t have to worry about bad chemicals in there since I know it’s good quality. I have gifted my family some Azendea products as well, so that they can enjoy them too!
Moisturizers:
When I was younger I was going through puberty and I had acne. I’ve always felt uncomfortable, and especially when meeting new people. I was always overly conscious about how my face looked, and i couldn’t use make-up often since it would cause for more acne to happen. I don't like it either when kids that I taught would inquired about my skin condition, that just something you would like to hear. Since I started using Azendea and changing my lifestyle to eat and live better, now, my acne has improved!