A martial arts practitioner and teacher for more than a decade, Maria Bondoc is also a mother who several years ago enrolled her now-grown son, Jordan, in a martial arts class. She said she witnessed the impact the sport has had on her then shy boy.
Concentration, social and life skills, confidence and fitness habits, and the physical and emotional gains many young people experience when studying various forms of martial arts are what Bondoc and many experts say help students strive for excellence.
“Martial arts taught him the principle of achieving a goal,” said Bondoc, who lives in Los Angeles. “He learned that if you want to reach your goal, you must work hard for it. He applied that in his studies. Now he’s in UC Davis.”
In Antioch, Living Proof Martial Arts & Fitness stands as an example of an academy that has made a significant impact on its students. Owner and founder James Howe is from Antioch and trained with the U.S. national team for 20 years until he tore an ACL in his knee. The injury was the start of his transition to becoming a coach and opening Living Proof to give back to the community that gave him so much, he said.
“I’m grateful for everything that Taekwondo has given me,” Howe said. “It is my job now to pass it on to everybody else.”
The academy – with a focus on Taekwondo – practices the five tenets of courtesy, integrity, perseverance, self-control and dominable spirit. The Korean sport is a systematic and scientific traditional martial art, which uses punching and kicking techniques.
“It is a discipline that shows ways of enhancing our spirit and life through training our body and mind,” reports USA Taekwondo.
According to Classcard, a class management app, movies like “Kung Fu Panda,” “The Karate Kid” and “Everything Everywhere All at Once” have increased an interest in martial arts teaching everywhere.
“Martial arts offer a holistic approach to mental and physical well-being, making them an excellent tool for students navigating the challenging academic and social landscape,” Classcard said on its website. Some of the benefits it lists that people of all ages can experience include fostering positivity, boosting confidence, developing mental resilience, mastering discipline and relieving stress.
As a sport, Living Proof has seen several students place in martial arts nationally, have been members on the senior and junior USA national teams, and have competed on an international level and won medals.
Kaelynn Jae Agustin is one of Howe’s students who competes in Taekwondo. The 16-year-old is a second-degree black belt, is part of the California Unified Taekwondo Association team for seniors and juniors and to date has won silver at USA Taekwondo, Gran Prix West and USA Open, as well as taking home a bronze medal at the Canada Open. Agustin is set to compete for a spot on the U.S. national team, which will put her one step closer to one of her long-term goals: To compete for a spot in the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
Beyond her medals, the 11th grader at Heritage High School in Brentwood said Taekwondo has taught her discipline outside of the ring, the value of hard work, confidence and how to take the right steps to reach her goals.
“Some lessons I’ve learned in this sport is that the journey to get where you want is never easy,” said Agustin. “This sport has a lot of ups and downs, but the friendships you create with others is something you will cherish.”
Max Academy in Brentwood offers a diverse mix of lessons to the public and provides free self-defense seminars to women so they can learn to defend themselves.
Sadie Sexton, 18, attends Max Academy and said what she learned has taught her life lessons and how to be a leader and mediate. The Antioch resident is part of the leadership group at Max Academy and said she has grown more confident and received incredible support from her mentors and peers.
“They talk a lot about leadership, how you want to lead people and to be a leader for others, and not let other people tear you down,” Sexton said.
Although she no longer teaches martial arts, Bondoc – who studied Escrima, Wing Chun and Muay Thai – encourages martial arts for all.
“If you ask what is the best martial arts system, I say none and all because it’s not about the system, it’s about the person practicing,” Bondoc said.
Emma Mayta Canales is an 11th grader at Deer Valley High School in Antioch.
