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...