Tony and Tina Palos are like any other married couple.

They fight.

But the Denton couple does it in a different way. The Paloses do it for fun and exercise.

“Karate is our habit,” Tony Palos said. “We love doing our habit together.”

And together they have shared success as competitors and instructors since they met in college and wed 18 years ago.

Two weeks ago, Tony Palos, a sensei, captured his fourth straight world title in kata at the annual Isshinryu World Karate Championships in Pittsburgh.

Kata is a prearranged form of karate as contestants go through detailed choreographed patterns.

“It is kind of like an imaginary fight,” Tina Palos, also a sensei, said.

Tony also won second place in weapons and third place in kumite, which is sparring.

Tina won second place in kumite, third place in kata and third place in weapons in her black-belt division.

“Not all married couples like to do stuff together as often as we do,” she said. “We enjoy it. We have common interests. And we have shared some great experiences.”

If it wasn’t for Tina, Tony wouldn’t be practicing karate.

The pair met in Corpus Christi in the late 1980s when they were both studying music at a junior college. Love for jazz turned the two into magnets for each other.

“We would hang out a lot and she would always go run,” Tony said. “I was out of shape so I would run with her. Then one day I said I wanted to try karate.”

Enter Tina.

“And I knew an instructor,” she said. “So he tried it and he got real serious with it and I continued it because it was something to do with my husband. It is good exercise and it keeps you young.”

The Paloses moved to Denton when they transferred to North Texas to continue their musical studies.

Tony and Tina also continued to practice karate.

And after four years, Tony had already tied a first-degree black belt around his waist.

“That is fairly quick,” Tina said. “I was a little longer. It took me almost six years.”

Now a third-degree black belt, Tony said the experience of climbing levels in karate is overwhelming. When he was younger, he never realized how athletic he could be.

“I didn’t see me ever getting to this stage,” he said. “The most athletic activity I ever did before this was little league baseball. I was the strikeout king, except I wasn’t the pitcher. Now I am in better shape then I was in my 20s.”

The Paloses have also taken their karate expertise to the chalkboard.

They are instructors for the Texas Isshinryu Karate Kai dojos in Denton and Aubrey. For the last seven years, they have taught students of all ages, shapes and genders.

They have helped students with autism, students with attention-deficit disorder, kids with muscular problems and kids with confidence issues.

Tina said she enjoys spreading her knowledge, especially to younger students.

“Nowadays a lot of kids have a lack of focus and discipline,” she said. “That is the American lifestyle. So we really like teaching the younger kids and seeing them get focused. The best part of teaching is seeing the change in people.”

Tony said anyone with desire can practice karate.

“This is something that can appeal to all ages,” he said. “Men, women, boys, girls and families. You are never too old to start it, and what is great about it is you don’t need any special equipment for it. If you take swimming, you have to find a pool. Tennis, a court. You can do karate anywhere.”

They teach classes five to six nights a week, and because of the advancement of the students, both Tina and Tony have been nominated for instructors of the year by the Isshin-Ryu Hall of Fame. The winner of those awards will be announced at the annual Isshin-Ryu Hall of Fame awards banquet July 31.

“If you would have ever asked me if I would ever be nominated for instructor of the year, I would have laughed and told you no,” Tony said. “Just to be in the top five is a huge honor and very humbling.”

The Paloses formed an electric jazz band called First Take and play gigs almost every weekend throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Tony plays the piano. Tina plays the trumpet.

“The music and the karate work hand-in-hand with each other,” Tina said. “There is a great balance between the two.”

The big question: Have the two ever sparred against one another?

“Once,” Tony said. “In a tournament.”

Tina won.

“I was laughing,” she said.

Said Tony: “She got sneaky on me. No one will let me forget about it.”

They both said they want to continue karate for as long as possible and continue to climb in the ranks.

The ultimate goal?

“I want to grow old gracefully,” Tony said.

As for Tina?

“I want to be right next to him when he does.”

MATTHEW MUENCH can be reached at 940-566-6869. His e-mail address is mmuench@dentonrc.com.