My trainer, Mike Manerchia, has me doing all kinds of things in the gym: body weight exercises, dumb bells, balancing, plyo, and now heavy weight lifting.
Author: Stephanie Dunham
Stephanie Dunham Sensei (Steph Sensei) is a firm believer in empowering others to be their best selves. Stephanie has been training in Ninpo Bugei since January 2016 under the guidance of Mark Bramble Shihan (Ninpo US), and José Benitez (Banri Dojo in Wilmington, DE). She achieved her 1st degree black belt in February 2020. Steph Sensei believes in taking some of the ancient disciplines and traditions of Japanese warrior culture and applying them to modern needs. She enjoys teaching and writing, but most importantly she loves learning. As she continues training in Ninpo, she is adding Krav Maga and some other styles into her repertoire. Steph Sensei believes in a holistic approach in training and works to achieve balance in mental, physical, and spiritual approaches to martial arts training. She is looking forward to working with anyone interested in training, but especially women and kids. Stephanie Sensei believes that martial arts training is for anyone, regardless of limitations, who wishes to improve their lives. Ninpo Ikkan!

Snap Out of It, Dunham! A Moment of Self-Catharsis
I’m sitting with my back to this dumb rock again, my glum face resting on my stone-grazed hands. How many inches did I move this

Yes, You Can.
When new students show up to class, I find myself saying something like “You got this,” or “You can do this,” and any other sentence
I Watch Them Grow
Evelyn suggested I write about my perspective as the main instructor/teacher in our self-defense classes. At first I was like “YEAH!” but now I’m like
An Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure
One night I had arrived at my martial arts class a little early. I was at the back of my car with my back turned

Don’t Fear the Boogeyman
This world is both beautiful and brutal. We find beauty in nature, and in others when we see the variety of goodness in each thing.