Jeff Williams:
Welcome to Community Voices, a production of NPR Illinois. I'm your co-host Jeff Williams. In the studio with me today is Amy Giles. Amy, how's it going?
Amy Giles:
It's great. How are you?
Jeff Williams:
I'm good. Yeah, I just thought it'd be cool to have you come in and kind of tell us a little bit about yourself. Are you originally from Illiopolis?
Amy Giles:
I am.
Jeff Williams:
Right on. Okay.
Amy Giles:
Right here from Central Illinois.
Jeff Williams:
Do you still live in Illiopolis?
Amy Giles:
I do.
Jeff Williams:
Okay, I've got a question for you. This might sound kooky.
Amy Giles:
Bring it on.
Jeff Williams:
When I go through Illiopolis, I'll stop sometimes. And I've seen this, I don't know if it's really a business or not, but it's got like a loom. somebody's weaving or something inside of there.
Amy Giles:
Okay, maybe so. Is it uptown?
Jeff Williams:
There's a park like on the other side. And there's, It's got a little arched front. I saw that there's like an antique almost like a little like mall sort of area in there.
Amy Giles:
So, I don't know if anybody actually does the looming or not. You know what? I will find out for you.
Jeff Williams:
I'm super curious about that. It doesn't look like it's like collecting dust. It looks like things are in different (places and moved) parts, but it also doesn't say it's a functioning business. This person, maybe they're like… “Stop busting me out right now! I'm trying to stay low-key about it” (Laughter)
Amy Giles:
Well, I don't know, but I can certainly get the answer to that for you. And now I'm curious, because I know exactly where the space (is), but I can't really picture that. But you know, I worked on that street as a kid in the video store, Mary Street Video. So, I have fond memories.
Jeff Williams:
Was the video store in part of that little mall area?
Amy Giles:
Yeah, it sure was!
Jeff Williams:
That's cool! I've peeked in there and looked in there and it looks like it's active, but I haven't been in there when it's been (actually) open.
Amy Giles:
Yeah, there are definitely functioning businesses in there, which is really cool. There's a clothing boutique… there's two actually, one for children and one for women. There is a newer business. The guy, Rob Whitehead. He makes things from, I think it's called Knotty and Naked. It's kind of a cool name. He's making tables and it's kind of turned out, I think, a hobby into some pieces that he's selling. So yeah, there's some neat things still in the uptown area.
Jeff Williams:
Well, once again, we're in the studio with Amy Giles. And now let's talk a little bit about you. Your business is called MindBody Martial Arts, is that correct?
Amy Giles:
That is correct.
Jeff Williams:
You had a different name before that, that changed?
Amy Giles:
I did. For years it was Progressive Kempo Karate, Cardio Kickboxing, and Krav Maga. Let's just tell everybody all the names of all the things that we do. Mostly we called it PKK or Progressive Kempo Karate, but, no one could remember Progressive Kempo Karate. I was always (hearing), “Oh, you're that karate school by BLH?”, “You're that karate school by Yanni's Gyros”, or way back in the day, “You're that karate school by Top Cats”.
Jeff Williams:
Top Cats! That’s right! You weren't there when Mel-O-Cream Donuts was there, were you?
Amy Giles:
I was. For a little bit. Yeah, for a few years, they were there before they moved over to 6th Street. And I just wanted to have a name that people could remember, but also to really have my name be more reflective of what we do. Obviously, you're going to learn how to defend yourself… to kick and punch… but the mindset aspect to martial arts and then just personal development in general is really important to me; to have that portion of what we do. That part that's so important to our training. (To) be reflected in the name, that's what I was going to say.
Jeff Williams:
MindBody does feel more of a personal connection (name-wise). So how did you first get into the martial arts?
Amy Giles:
Well, I was an athlete all my life and in college too. So, I started out volleyball and running track at Illinois College.
Jeff Williams:
Oh, I ran track at Illinois State!
Amy Giles:
Oh, wow, that's amazing. That's really cool. What was your race?
Jeff Williams:
The high hurdles.
Amy Giles:
High hurdles. That's tough. I ran the 400.
Jeff Williams:
OH! That race is brutal… that's a brutal one! Kind of unrelated again, but I remember being at Illinois College. I saw a performance. I think it was like a church on the campus, but it had a crazy organ with these huge pipes (up to the ceiling).
Amy Giles:
That's Rammelkamp Chapel. It's a really beautiful building. It's the oldest college in Illinois. Yeah, it's some really beautiful buildings. So I, once I graduated, I went to work for the state actually. And I just was like, what do I do with myself? I'm so used to having the structure and I love movement. And I went to a cardio kickboxing class. There was a previous owner and took a cardio kickboxing class and (thought), ‘this is fun’! This is amazing. I started taking the martial arts classes eventually. And I don't know, it's just… I stepped onto that mat and it was like, I've done this before. Something was really… it was bizarre, but cool and fascinating all at the same time. Even though I was brand new, it just felt like something in me had done this before. Like a calling, a connection.
Jeff Williams:
And then really just kind of fell in love with it.
Amy Giles:
Yeah, I did. I fell in love with it. You know, as an athlete, you know, in track, if you're not fast, right? You're going to struggle. In basketball, if you're not good at passing, shooting, dribbling, basketball's not going to be your thing. But in martial arts, there's something for everybody. And I really love that. You know, if kicking is not your thing, that's great. Wait till we get the hand strikes. Or maybe you're super fluid at wrist locks. You know, maybe you love fighting in close. Maybe you like kind of playing with how to keep the person at arm's length. I mean, there's just so many different aspects to this. I don't really like to call it a sport, but just the system in itself.
Jeff Williams:
The discipline.
Amy Giles:
The discipline. Thank you. You're bound to be good at something.
Jeff Williams:
MindBody connection! You know, it really is. I also played soccer and I raced bikes. But as you said, sometimes you want to do it. You don't want to also get frustrated, but you can just push yourself in your own way in this.
Amy Giles:
Yes, absolutely. I played soccer at Illinois College for a little bit too. Yeah, we have a lot in common here. Yeah, it helps with all the kicking that I do now, I think, all those years of soccer. in martial arts, nobody sits the bench, right? So, you're constantly given the opportunity to improve. You know, you're constantly being able to work on your skill set. And rather than constantly comparing yourself to the other people that you're playing with, you get to make it more (of) your own personal journey.
Jeff Williams:
It's your own PRs in a way, your own personal records.
Amy Giles:
And then you have this community around you that, they want you to grow. Like I said, maybe kicks aren't your thing, but, your partner's really great. And like, okay, that kind of gives me a gauge and something to work towards. You help me with this, and I'll help you with that. So, I love the community aspect. That's something I pride myself on with this business. It really is… (well) yes, it's a business, but it's so much more a family and a community. I mean, you mentioned Lindsey (Feger) at the beginning that, yeah, you know, she referred me to you, and she took kickboxing for years and there's and she's a great friend. And even though she isn't taking classes there anymore, we're still great friends and that connection is there.
Jeff Williams:
Yeah.
Amy Giles:
I love that.
Jeff Williams:
So then… you're 4th degree black belt?
Amy Giles:
Yes, and Krav Maga. So, I primarily teach two different styles at the studio. One is Krav Maga. It's a very street practical. The whole philosophy is simple is good’. I am a fourth degree black belt in that system under Israeli Krav International. And then in Kenpo karate, I'm a sixth degree black belt.
Jeff Williams:
I don't know much about it, but they both sound very impressive.
Amy Giles:
Been at this for a lot of years. Yeah.
Jeff Williams:
So, you also did compete quite a bit in that then too?
Amy Giles:
I competed a little bit in the beginning with karate. Most of the tournament styles around Central Illinois are really more geared towards taekwondo, which is a completely different system. And I did do that some, but I have to tell you that once I became pregnant with my son, who's now 18 and going to Illinois College himself… he's a freshman there. I sort of felt some hypocrisy in saying, okay, this is for, you use common sense. You use this only for self-defense. Okay, now we're going to go to a tournament and I want you to kick this person for points.
Jeff Williams:
Right.
Amy Giles:
Yeah, it just didn't feel right to me anymore. So, we haven't competed for a long time. Our focus is very much on street practical martial arts. And obviously in Kenpo, we're going to do things that are flashy and fun, and you know, (things) we'd only do inside of the studio, like jump front kicks and dragon sweeps and things like that.
Jeff Williams:
You're just trying to work on yourself really… you know, with other people, you can create a sense of a community, but you're all in it together in a way.
Amy Giles:
Yeah, we absolutely are. Yeah, it's a lot of fun.
Jeff Williams:
Very cool.
Amy Giles:
I can't believe it, but at the end of October, we'll have been providing service for the Springfield community for 25 years. Which feels like impossible, really, but exciting too.
Jeff Williams:
So you started around 2000 then?
Amy Giles:
Yep, in 2000. My gosh. So I guess, this is 2026. Yeah, so 2001.
Jeff Williams:
2001 started 25, which is still crazy sometimes to think about… 2000.
Amy Giles:
I know, yeah.
Jeff Williams:
25 years ago.
Amy Giles:
October 2001. You don't have to have any experience to come in and try out a class. I think that there's a little bit of a misconception around martial arts that it's all about fighting, right? No, That's definitely not our focus. For me, I want my students to definitely feel a surge in confidence. I want them to understand that their body can work for them. And I want them to feel (better), walk a little taller, right? Obviously, awareness is a big part of what we teach. And then that character development too. Just, a positive attitude, self-discipline, respect for oneself, for other people. Every month with the kids, we have a power word and we focus on. Anything from, gratitude and generosity to intensity to imagination. Just really trying to, again, hone in on that mind-body connection. But it's super important for me to know that my students can defend themselves if that ever, if ever deemed necessary. Obviously, I hope they never have to use it. But I just want people to know that you don't have to be this great athlete to come in and participate and get a lot of great things out of it. It's a super fun way to move your body… again… to develop that confidence. And that goes from whether you're 4 or I think my oldest student right now is like late 60s, but I've had students in their 70s training. And, you know, the more we learn, the more we grow. And I feel like martial arts is kind of like your education. No one can take that from you. This is just knowledge that you get to build, not only of the mind, but in the body with that muscle memory. And yeah, it's a really great skill set to have no matter what your age. And you can carry it with you throughout your life.
Jeff Williams:
Yeah, when you mentioned kids, I was going to then ask pretty much any age range, right?
Amy Giles:
Yeah, you know, four or five. Sometimes we have a four-year-old that comes in and maybe they're just not quite ready yet. But yeah, around that age four or five all the way through adults.
Jeff Williams:
Yeah, that's good for people to know too that it's not necessarily like … “Well, If I was (still) in my 20s…”,(but) everybody can be part of it.
Amy Giles:
Yeah, because we can modify things. Noone is going to say, “Oh, you're older, so I'm not going to try to take that bag off your shoulder”. There's not that discrimination there (if such a situation comes up). We really want to let people know that this is for everybody. There is something for everyone. Just let them know if you've ever thought about it, because I've had so many people say, oh, that's something I've always wanted to try, but I've been afraid to or just, haven't made the time. It doesn’t cost anything (to try). I give you a couple classes just to come in. Try it out. Yeah, see if it is something that for you or not, and, you know, maybe it is and maybe it's not. That's okay too, but at least you tried.
Jeff Williams:
Yeah. Building people's confidence, letting them in a way, you also learn more about yourself when you do that. You learn, and not just on a physical side, you learn just more about how you can push yourself or be outside of your comfort zone.
Amy Giles:
Yes, that's where you grow the most. Outside of your comfort zone. I probably should say it to the adults more often also, but for the kids, making mistakes is okay. Like we're always taught to avoid the error, (but) mistakes are how we grow and they're how we learn. And this is like a safe space to do that. You're not competing (in this to make) the starting team. So if you make a mistake, it's okay. Learn from it, grow from it, and you know, try to, build from there the next time you're in class.
Jeff Williams:
Well… Amy Giles, thanks a lot for coming into the studio.
Amy Giles:
I mean, thank you so much. This is a lot of fun. You know, it's my passion, so I really appreciate the opportunity to let people know, hey, we're here. I mean, maybe you didn't realize that. We're on Stevenson Drive in Lake Town Shopping (Center).
Jeff Williams:
That's what I was going to ask, even though we talked about the businesses around it, you have the exact address then?
Amy Giles:
Yep, so it's 1824 Stevenson Drive, so it's in Lake Town Shopping Center and right in the middle. We've been there for almost 25 years and come on in, try it out. They can find me on Facebook, MindBody Martial Arts, or they can give me a call. Do you do phone numbers on here?
Jeff Williams:
If you want! Yes!
Amy Giles:
So if you wanted to reach out, our number is 217-726-0097. Give us a call and set up an appointment, at least come in and take advantage of that free trial. Yeah, see what's up. Love it.
Jeff Williams:
All right. Well, thanks a lot, Amy.
Amy Giles:
Thank you so much for having me, Jeff. I really appreciate it.
Jeff Williams:
And once again, Amy Giles from MindBody Martial Arts!
Amy Giles shares her journey from college athlete to owner of MindBody Martial Arts
Amy Giles
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Amy Giles
