Bob Choat

Bob is the founder of Optimal Life Seminars along with Dr. Lori Shemek, the author of Mind Your Own Fitness and the forthcoming book, The Four Pillars of Optimal Fitness. His articles on fitness and more have been published via various publications and websites. He's appeared on both radio and TV, including KABC TalkRadio, Cosozo Radio Network and Hypnosis Today. Starting from the age of 18 months, he trained in the martial arts (when his mother introduced him to kendo) and later formally in karate at the age of 5 to 8 while living in Okinawa. The martial arts has always been the primary focus of his life in all that he has done. That includes the mind, body and spirit. He spent many years in the Marines (having served in both infantry and reconnaissance MOS's). Afterwards he joined the LAPD until 1981. From there he worked in security protective positions and taught the martial arts (including women's self-defense). 

From the mid 80's and through the 90's he started various entrepreneurial ventures, including a direct response ad agency. After that he went back to school to earn a masters and PhD in psychology. He increased his studies in that arena as well as in hypnosis, NLP, EEG Neurofeedback, rational emotive behavioral therapy (REBT) and other mind strategies. He is also certified in fitness training and has multiple black belts in the martial arts, including a 5th degree black belt in Kenpo, Master Instructor in Close Quarter Combat and Sr. Instructor in Jeet Kune Do. He is the president of an international martial arts organization as well.