she`s so skirt!

Whitney Bell is in good form.

“I always stuck up for the underdog,” says Whitney, who was raised not to be one. This Isshin-Ryu 3rd degree black belt is the highest rank in her school (seiberkarate.com). “Sensei” to her students, Whitney teaches them to dig deep. “They’ll see the physical, but I want them to find the fight, find the energy,” she explains. Isshin-Ryu is a close-end fighting style, rooted in the lore of Japanese goddess Mizu-Gami, a figure that hangs on the dojo wall. “The water’s rough, the sky’s calm. Mizu-Gami finds the calm in the storm. She’s well-rounded,” explains Whitney. Recognized by the Isshin-Ryu Hall of Fame and the Universal Martial Arts Hall of Fame, this 16-year-old would like to start a women’s defense class. “Some people don’t like being taught by someone younger, but most of the females here are black belts.” Whitney says desire makes a good Isshin-Ryu student. “It’s the flow of energy between mental, spiritual and physical. Without all three I can’t be well-rounded in karate or in life.”