Masters Mag - Sept 2022

She’s not Lois Lane.
She doesn’t need a superhero to rescue her, for she is

her own superhero as SiDaGoo!

By
P.S. Divine

If one were to ask Odette Russell a.k.a. SiDaGoo if
her martial arts journey reached its end upon achieving a 9th
degree black belt, as well as becoming the inheritor of
SWAM Martial Arts Academy, she would likely burst into
utter laughter. The idea of ceasing to train would be
humorous to her, having arrived at the young age of 60 with
the understanding that her sojourn within the world of
martial arts has only begun. Russell is eager in her
endeavors to embark upon more significant stages within
her martial arts’ quest while she progresses as a senior
master. Each martial arts’ plateau, from white belt to her
present rank, has afforded her a unique, yet mandatory
experience of ripening into her own leader and hero. This
evolution has proved to be the catalyst for developing a
woman who not only stands in contrast to the average
female, but who also differs greatly from the defiant
teenager she once was. An adventure as such has molded her
into a phenomenal teacher, mentor, and advisor, giving rise
to the person her students now affectionately and
respectfully refer to as SiDaGoo.

Russell’s martial arts’ journey began at the age of 9, in 1971, when her two loving parents
enrolled her into the Ji Do Kwon Tae Kwon Do system. For one year, she and her two sisters
would set out on a bus traveling to Hunts Point within the South Bronx section of New York City
to train. Her teacher was a short Hispanic man, with an exceedingly strict demeanor, who took his
teaching very seriously. Going to class was a torturous undertaking which involved knocking out
many pushups, holding kicks in place for what seemed like eternity, as well as getting hit on the
knuckles with a bamboo stick if one’s wrists were not aligned properly to execute an effective
punch. Russell’s lack of recognizing the value of this discipline led to her quitting, something she
later regretted as a teen.

As a resident of the southeast section of the Bronx, the
trappings of her environment induced her to choose the lifestyle of
the urban jungle over her parents’ desire of making better choices
that would inspire a successful future. Beginning at the age of 12,
fighting, truancy, clubbing, and experimenting with illicit drugs
became her norm. Assuming the form of a rebellious teen, Russell
lost interest in everything relating to making positive life choices.

At the age of 14, she experienced a frightful encounter with
a local drug dealer who was approximately 9 years older. Paying
marked attention to her, the pedophile would pursue Russell with
threats, owing to her lack of interest in him. Pursuant to her, the idea
of being with this old man was gross, and the more she attempted to push him away, the more
intrigued he became with her. In time, simple teen activities such as going to school, venturing to
the grocery store for her mom, or hanging with friends in the neighborhood parks, appeared
unpredictable and frightful. His horrendous pursuit entailed assaulting one of her boyfriends,
threatening to hire a drug addict to pour lye on her face, calling her home to admonish her for what
she wore to school that day, and creating rumors to slander her character. She endured this ordeal
for four years until she graduated high school. Although living in a gang and drug infested
community could prove intimidating by itself, having to deal with a grown man’s abusive antics
elevated Russell’s understanding on how to cope with fear at a young age. Understanding the laws
of the streets, she was well aware that she could not show any signs of weakness, or she would be
eaten alive. So, she carried on with her teenage life becoming an expert at concealing her
trepidation, never affording the stalker an opportunity to see her sweat. It is likely this is what
attracted him to her—that he couldn’t break her.

On two occasions, his pursuit became physical. Once, when she was 17, Russell was
dressed up for a night of clubbing and was walking through the neighborhood. Unaware he was
observing her from a bench where he sat with his friends, she attempted to catch a cab when she
recognized his voice. He called out for her to come to him and she ignored him. This angered him,
prompting him to run to her and slap her. Undesirous of ruining her dress, she opted not to fight
back but to go home and for the first time inform her dad about what was going on. Having returned
to the scene moments later with her father and two other male friends, they could not find her
attacker.

The more severe attack occurred when she was 15. Following her into her building, he
rubbed her leg. Russell immediately responded by slapping the 200 pound plus stalker. He returned
her slap with a punch to her face. Without hesitation she went wild on him, scratching, biting,
punching, and kicking him. However, lacking the proper training, he overwhelmed her with strikes
in an attempt to ruin her face, only ceasing upon noticing a woman entering into the building. The
result of this encounter left Russell with two black eyes and a busted lip. Notwithstanding, Russell
managed to get in a couple of good licks herself, leaving him with a black eye as well. Unable to
hide her face, she told her parents she got jumped. Having never seen their daughter’s face so badly
bruised, Russell’s parents were exceedingly worried. Yet, their daughter was more concerned with
protecting them from the wrath of her attacker who belonged to a notoriously dangerous gang. She
opted to avoid him as best she knew how, until she met Mutakabbir at the age of 18. One firm talk
with the stalker was all Mutakabbir needed to convince him to never approach her again.

In 1980, after graduating from High School, Russell attended the only college that accepted
her subpar grades, LaGuardia Community College. It was at LaGuardia where she met her
husband/teacher, the iconic martial artist, Sijo Abdul Mutakabbir. Being the positive influence in
Russell’s life, Mutakabbir guided her back into the lifestyle of discipline and focus, instilling the
desire for her to achieve higher goals by exemplifying the value of martial arts. Russell devoted
herself to daily training as Sijo’s only dedicated female student.

Sijo Abdul Mutakabbir, the founder of SWAM Martial Arts Academy, started his martial

arts’ training in 1962 at 11 years old. As a young teen, Sijo studied the Yun Mu Kwan Karate

system under Grandmaster Abdul Musawir and Grandmaster Min Q. Pai. While training in Yun

Mu Kwan, Sijo also trained in the Seven Star Praying Mantis system under Sifu Raymond Nelson

and Sifu Chiu Leun. By his early 20s he continued his training in the Sanuces Ryu system under

Grandmaster Moses Powell, as well as the Wing Chun system under Sifu Peter Chow and Sifu

Jerry Gardner. By the

time Russell started

training with

Mutakabbir in 1980,

SWAM was already

developed and Sijo had

incorporated other

disciplines which

enveloped various

styles such as the Hung

Ga System (Sifu Frank

Yee), Lama Pai/Choy

Lay Fut Systems (Sifu

Chan Tai San),

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

(Master Jacare

Cavalcanti) and the Tai

Chi/Chi-Kung

Breathing (Master

Chew, Sifu Moo and Sifu Chen).

Russell found herself living with a true hardcore martial artist who spent the majority of
his days training, venturing throughout New York City from one martial arts school to another.
Sijo would train under two maybe three
instructors simultaneously, spending his nights
drilling each form and technique into his brain.
During that era of the 1980s, without access to
videos to study, Sijo had to depend on his
memory to ensure he did not blend the
information. Russell, along with Mutakabbir’s
other students, became his guinea pigs and
external hard drive as he would test its
effectiveness while implanting his newfound
information into their minds. Training under
Sijo as a newbie was difficult as it required being
thrown into learning complex movements while
comprehending different facets of each system.
This of course would prove confusing when
some systems would be at variance with the
others.

Being the only female student of SWAM at the time meant that all of Russell’s training
sessions, which included sparring, were with men. Her husband insisted upon a strict decorum at
his school—no playing, no water breaks, no air conditioning, no mats to support one’s falls—only
training. Rank was NEVER discussed, nor did they have promotion ceremonies. During that era,
Sijo’s system of ranking followed the Kung Fu traditions, and his students were given sashes.
Whereas ranks were not a priority to Sijo, all students—under-belts included—were bestowed with
black sashes. This removed the importance of rank, placing the primary focus on enhancing martial
skills. It was owing to this reason that Russell wore the same sash for almost 40 years.

During her first six months of training, Sijo would
instruct her to sit in a horse stance and watch the other
students practice intricate katas and deadly ju-jutsu
techniques. During one of these occasions, she sat in a
stance so long that her hips locked in place, requiring her to
implore others for assistance with standing. In observing
Sijo, she quickly recognized that becoming a great martial
artist required developing a trust in her teacher and
engaging the SWAM system with dedication and hard
work, minus the short cuts.

Russell competed in her first semi-contact tournament in 1983, three months after she had
her first child. She competed within the kata division against women who were ranked from green
to brown belts. In those days, there would be
between 30 to 40 women in the competition
who primarily performed hard-style katas.
Although the SWAM system had a strong
karate/ju-jutsu base, the katas which Sijo
developed had more of a Kung Fu influence. To
her delight, she placed second, receiving a
trophy in her first tournament. She competed for
the remainder of the 1980s until she became
pregnant again in 1990. Demonstrating her
forms with such a powerful combination of
grace and strength, Russell was determined to
impress the hard-style judges who were either
biased against, or unfamiliar with, the soft-style
systems. It wasn’t until she achieved the rank of
black belt that she began fighting in
tournaments.

At a height of 5’9” and a
weight of 155-pounds, this long
thin female fighter had to compete
in the heavy weight women’s
division. Her opponents were
incredibly big, strong, and skillful.
Being alone in a ring with such
challengers built an unyielding
trust in one’s own skills.
Consequently, fear again became
her friend. Profoundly proud of her
accomplishments during those
competitive days, and having successfully won 1st place in at least 75% of her New York City
tournaments (in both kata and kumite), Russell’s confidence flourished.

Russell’s competitive success came with consistent hard work, contrary to what she
exhibited as a teen. Endeavoring to keep up with her husband’s regiment, she would train 5-hour
sessions, six days a week. In the 1980s, for the average female, Saturdays were typically a big
shopping day or a time for household chores. Not for this lady. Saturday was a significant training
day, because it was the day before tournaments. An ordinary Saturday for her consisted of arriving
to the dojo before the youth class which started at 10AM. Around noon, the adult class would start
and it would last until 5PM. The adult class would begin with a rigorous drill of calisthenics and
conditioning, which entailed an intense stretching routine. The regiment would proceed with
empty hand katas, then weapons training, ju-jutsu techniques, bag work, then sparring. Once the
adult class ended, Sijo would begin his own personal training. On most Saturdays, Russell and

Mutakabbir would not leave the school until roughly 7PM. During the winter months that meant
they only saw the sunlight upon entering the dojo.

Sunday, the 7th day, was not a day of rest. Instead, it was the time for Russell to test her
martial arts’ skills in competition. In essence, martial arts’ training was her husband’s full-time
job (as he trained at least 10 hours daily), and her second job. This type of uncompromising training
which she endured was common for martial artists at that time, and it was a must that she kept up
with her husband during the peak of his competitive era.

Entering into her second decade of developing her
martial art skills, her proficiency for teaching increased.
Moving away from the competitive phase, the concept of the
spiritual and mental aspects of martial arts began developing
within her. Character building grew into an important aspect
of her training and became the focus of her teaching when
she and her family moved to Atlanta, GA in 1991—
establishing the southern division of SWAM. However,
dependence on the income derived from Sijo’s security
company in New York, demanded that her husband spend
most of his time out of state while his family lived in Atlanta.
This compelled Russell to act as the primary instructor for the southern school—a responsibility
she handled well while caring for two young sons who were only 5 months and 8 years old.
Committing her time and energy to running the school for nearly seven years, Russell’s efforts
were undeniable as the academy developed into one of SWAM’s most successful institutions. At
that point, Russell was bestowed with the title Si Di Goo, which means “Senior Female Instructor”.

Although it is perceived that there are benefits to being married to your instructor, Russell
received no special treatment nor had she any power of persuasion. The only benefits (which are
the best of benefits) were the level of training she underwent and being a first-hand witness of her
husband coming into his own as an iconic martial artist. Notwithstanding, having the responsibility
of running the dojo, while having no authority, was very frustrating for Russell.

At the end of Russell’s second decade of training and teaching, with her husband/teacher’s
approval, she formed a female
division of SWAM. This division of
SWAM—Sister Warriors Against
Madness—is a reality-based system
focusing on effective martial science
and self-defense tactics for women
by enhancing control, accuracy,
speed, and fluid motion of multiple
effective strikes, along with an
awareness of the vulnerable areas of
the human anatomy. Lessons of
adaptability are primary, meaning
using what is available for defense—
not just hands or feet, but also items
that are at their disposal (water
bottle, cell phone, purse, shoes, etc).
Directing and controlling her own
division of the system truly allowed
Russell to blossom as a martial artist,
permitting her creativity and
leadership to flourish. Presently,
over twenty years later, the division
of SWAM which Russell developed
has received respect from her
teacher, her peers, and the martial
arts’ community as a whole. She has
been recognized by receiving
multiple awards, featured in
numerous books and magazines, and
most importantly, has had the opportunity to teach hundreds of females (conducting self-defense
seminars, wellness workshops, and training camps), while producing multiple dedicated female
black belts.

It was at the start of Russell’s fourth decade of training and teaching that she received the
honorary position of designated inheritor of the SWAM system, along with the title of
Grandmaster, as a 9th Degree Black Belt. Although privileged to accept this incredible role, the
title of Si Di Goo holds a stronger meaning to her, as it expresses her teacher’s acknowledgement
of her as being an exemplary student 20 years ago. Desirous of retaining the name but not the title,
and with the sanction of her teacher, Russell changed the spelling from Si Di Goo to SiDaGoo. No
longer solely a title which implied being a senior female instructor, her name now indicates the
empowerment, inspiration, enhancement, and encouragement of all who trains under her. With the
intention to bring out the warrior spirit lying dormant inside of others, the name SiDaGoo
represents a role of an enlightened warrior that will take a lifetime for Russell to fulfill. Always
striving to improve as a student who loves to teach, Dr. Odette Russell, a.k.a. SiDaGoo, follows
the method of combining traditional knowledge and ancient wisdom with modern day reality.



As SiDaGoo reflects on those turbulent
teenage years and remembers the harsh training
regimen she had to endure while balancing
family life, school and work, she embraces her
uniqueness as her own leader and hero. She
never limited herself or waited for others to give
her anything she knew she was capable of
obtaining herself. It was SiDaGoo’s approach as
a teen to prohibit fear from controlling or
paralyzing her. Likewise, it was SiDaGoo’s
dedication as a young woman to commit to the
hard work of being a martial artist which
amplified her superhero demeanor. In the
manner of other powerful superheroes, SiDaGoo
also focused her time on directing others towards
discovering their own conquering spirit—
providing them with tools to enhance their
confidence, esteem and self-trust.

Taking note to celebrate her victories,
SiDaGoo’s current accomplishments have
exceeded all she ever envisioned while growing up
in the Bronx four decades prior. In 2018, she
received her Ph.D. in Health Psychology, her fourth
degree, and is currently working on a research
project regarding obesity, with the plans to publish
the results in peer-reviewed journals. Russell’s
scholarly expertise has allowed her to merge both
aspects of her skills as a top rank martial artist and
a specialist in health psychology. For the average
person, these achievements would be enough, but
for SiDaGoo, her work is just beginning. She still
has a long road ahead of her as she endeavors to
improve her martial arts skills by continuing to train
with her husband and develop students who will
assist in establishing a thriving SWAM legacy.