Iowa woman joins with husband for martial arts training

GUTTENBERG, Iowa (AP) - In the beginning, it was a fear of missing out that compelled Nancy Trowbridge to give martial arts a try.

In the mid-1990s, several of Nancy’s sons began martial arts classes. They attended the sessions with Nancy’s husband, Jerry, who had been taking classes for years.

“I felt left out, so I started to join them,” Nancy said, with a laugh. “But it wasn’t long before I could really see the results it was giving us - the health benefits and the self-defense skills. I really wanted to pass those things along to others.”

She spent the better part of two decades following through on that goal.

Nancy and Jerry, of Rickardsville, Iowa, opened Guttenberg Karate Club in 2002 and launched Monona Martial Arts about eight years later, according to the Telegraph Herald. The couple, both 66 years old, also teach tai chi at Center of I Am wellness center in Dubuque.

Tai chi teaches balance, encourages deep breathing and incorporates elements of meditation. Nancy views it as an ideal way to “calm your body or address the issues of the day.”

In their Guttenberg and Monona schools, the Trowbridges focus on tang soo do, a karate-based practice that offers a faster-paced experience and teaches self-defense skills.

Nancy has achieved the elite status of “master rank” in tang soo do. That distinction, coupled with her role as a teacher, has made her a standout in the local martial arts community.

The accomplishments are even more impressive when considered in historical context.

“There was a time when women weren’t even allowed to join tang soo do,” she said. “Now, it seems like a lot more women are getting involved in martial arts. They are taking it upon themselves.”

Nancy’s success has blazed a trail for other women.

Megan Schellhorn began taking classes from her in 2010 and has been hooked since, frequently attending classes in both Monona and Guttenberg.

A teacher by trade, Schellhorn relishes the sense of release she gets from tang soo do. She now sees it as a lifelong journey and believes that Nancy is the ideal guide.

“She knows how to push a student to do better,” Schellhorn said. “She empowers us and helps us realize there are things within us we didn’t know.”

Trowbridge said teaching students how to defend themselves is a major priority. In addition to her tang soo do classes, she often holds free, one-time courses that focus on self-defense basics.

“These skills could help them avoid a bad situation or even save their lives,” Nancy said.

Nancy’s life has long been an intricate balancing act.

Both she and her husband have day jobs in addition to their martial arts schools. Nancy is in sales, and Jerry is a security manager.

And the couple has seven children.

Nancy acknowledged that she usually has “a full schedule,” but she said the lifestyle isn’t as stressful as some might think.

“People assume it’s actually more difficult than it has actually been,” she said. “The kids have always pitched in, and we’ve always worked through it.”

In a sense, teaching martial arts has made the Trowbridge family even bigger. Schellhorn said she has developed a deep sense of camaraderie with fellow students, as well as the school’s owners.

“I know I can reach out to Nancy or her husband if I ever need anything,” Schellhorn said. “It has become another family for me.”