Isabel (Isa) Torres
About Isa
"I'm originally from Layton, Utah. I did my undergrad in Western Massachusetts and then lived in Connecticut and Rhode Island before moving to Ann Arbor. Here, I'm a dual-degree MD-PhD student at the University of Michigan, where I'm completing my doctoral research in anthropology and working toward becoming a physician-scholar."
Athletic & Martial Arts Experience
"I had a pretty active childhood. My earliest athletic endeavor was figure skating, which I did until I became more obsessed with downhill skiing. Living in Utah, the mountains are pretty unbeatable, and my parents skied a lot. They wanted my brother and me to learn to ski so we could go together as a family. I was on skis at age 2, and by age 6 I had joined a local developmental program. One thing led to another, and I ended up ski racing NCAA in college. Being in the mountains is still one of my favorite things in the world!
I didn't have any prior martial arts experience before JMAC. My brother grew up doing mixed martial arts in a local dojo, so I was familiar with the setup. I think I had taken one self-defense class before going to college, but otherwise everything has been new!"
Path to JMAC
"After retiring from ski racing, I took up mountain biking and road cycling while living out East. When I moved to Ann Arbor, I thought I might continue these, but I found that getting to good trails or quiet roads took too much time during medical school. I joined JMAC at the beginning of my second year of medical school after realizing I needed something new to stay active. That year, I was completing my clinical rotations in the hospital, which are notoriously fast-paced and overwhelming. So, in addition to looking for a new way to move my body, I was also seeking something to quiet my mind and provide a space for reflection and presence."
Favorite Aspects of JMAC
"It's very hard to pick one thing! It's always about the people, though. The senseis are incredibly passionate—both about practicing martial arts and about teaching it. You can hear it in their voices and see it in their eyes when they teach class. I think it inspires everyone to show up and do their best, and I love that we balance focused training with a good atmosphere.
I also love that I feel very safe training in the dojo. I have had a lot of concussions and injuries from other sports, and I'm really glad that I found a place where I can practice a contact sport without fear of training partners being unreasonable, inappropriate, or aggressive."
Personal Challenges & Growth Since Starting Training
"My biggest challenge since starting JMAC has been level-setting with myself. I joined with the intention of finding a lifelong practice, not of adding another competitive sport to my repertoire. Some days, I think I should be practicing more or focusing more on training. And while it's always great to show up and train more, I also try to be real with myself about what I hope to get out of my practice. I remind myself that whatever I do is better than nothing at all, and that my journey with martial arts is my own. So, I try not to compare, and I try not to feel bad when I can't get as much practice in with my schedule. That switch—from viewing it as a competitive sport to embracing it as a personal practice—has been a major focus of mine.
Training has helped me in many ways, including improving my focus and presence. But perhaps the thing I'm most proud of is learning not to be afraid of sparring! I remember that for the first several months, Sensei would have to remind me to keep my eyes open during sparring class. Once I realized that all of my training partners were there to help me learn—not to hurt me—it became so much easier!"