The two head instructors of Diaz Martial Arts, Eddie Diaz and Kayla Royal, gave me the opportunity to intern under them. They guided me through the martial arts world for a short time and showed me what it is like to run a small business supported by this subculture. Mr. Diaz’s credentials include a 6th Degree Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do; 6th Degree in Kali, Escrido, and Arnis; 3rd Degree in Haganah; 2nd Degree in Krav Maga, Black Band and Arjan (Master) in Muay Thai; 1st Degree and Instructor in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu; Full Instructor in Jeet Kune Do; A Professor in Martial Arts and 3½ year consult under the Black Belt School International. The credentials Ms. Royal has achieved include a Black Band and instructor in Muay Thai, an in house Black Belt at Diaz Martial Arts, instructor in Hagenah and an Orange Belt in Filipino Martial Arts. The report will open by discussing the business’s background and the building’s layout. It will be followed by my observations of Mr. Diaz’s teaching and my daily routine as part of the staff. Then, it will go over the basics and history of the different types of systems that are taught at this studio. Finally, it will end with a discussion around the common stereotype of those who practice martial arts and the kinds of people that can actually be found at places similar to Diaz Martial Arts. The intended outcome is to shed light on an unknown world and clear up any misconceptions.
Business Background
The business didn’t start from very much, and is not a large business. Diaz Martial Arts is located on the outskirts of San Marcos at the Cottonwood Creek Business Park. Mr. Diaz spent his whole life obtaining black belts in multiple fields without strong intentions of opening a school. After obtaining his licensing, Mr. Diaz simply got a small business loan. He and his brothers found a good community in San Marcos, so they decided to stay. Now they have students who have been there since their opening in the late ‘90s, and get new people coming in all the time who were referred by a former student.
Building Layout
Looking at the floor plan of the studio, and what the space is most devoted to, can give someone a glimpse at what is considered important. The building has two large garage-type doors that they roll up every day, and a door which opens onto the instructors’ office. Most of the floor space inside is devoted to the mats where the classes take place. The class space can fit about 25 adults comfortably, and is surrounded by seating for observers which is highly recommended for newcomers or parents. In the back corners, and along the back wall, are spots used to store equipment (pads for punching/kicking, various training weapons, exercise equipment, etc.). Their office space consists of a waiting area, the work area and a small personal office that Mr. Diaz uses. The work area has a walk in closet where uniforms are organized. Along the back wall of the work area are several small drawers which designates belt sizes, and a small box where a student’s contract and information is filed. Above the drawers, and around the room, equipment like gloves/shin pads, mouth guards, nun-chucks and T-Shirts with their logo are displayed. The brands Mr. Diaz often chose were Gameness and Venom because he had been using them for years and was pleased with their track records in safety and durability. By observing the layout one can see that the student’s comfort comes first. Students get the most floor space to allow optimal movement, and when looking at products, which take up most of the wall space in the office, one will see brands that’ll fit properly and keep the person wearing it protected.
Teaching Martial Arts
While Mr. Diaz taught the kid’s taekwondo class, I would often observe his teaching. It consisted of repetition, and attention to form, while also maintaining a somewhat playful atmosphere to keep his young students engaged. I noticed that his style of teaching didn’t really change when going from a kid’s class to an adult one. The type of humor used would become more mature, but a goal of his was to create a fun atmosphere to keep everyone attentive. Mr. Diaz used his humor as a teaching tool, and it showed me that teasing each other is a big part of the fight culture. It would always help to keep situations light hearted. Every sparring match I watched ended with high-fives and smiles. It doesn’t matter how hard someone gets slammed to the ground, or how many good punches a person was able slip into another’s guard, people in this culture can often give one another a hard time and just laugh about it. An important lesson Mr. Diaz would teach is the interconnection between everything, and how what is learned in the classroom, aside from the martial arts, can be applied to other aspects of one’s life. Things like consistency, persistence, and respect. No matter what you do, there has to be the discipline to keep doing it, to follow through to the end, and the ability to be mindful of yourself and others along the way. This is some of the philosophy that can be learned through martial arts.
Daily Routine
The day would begin around seven in the morning because competition fighters would show up for their first training of the day, along with an early Brazilian Jiu Jitsu class for adults. After a short break, the Filipino Martial arts class would start, followed by an adult Muay Thai class at 11am. This was always their largest class. After Muay Thai was an occasional BJJ class. From one to four was a lunch break before returning to prepare for the evening kid’s classes.
I performed most of my duties in the evenings. My jobs were often cleaning/organizing gear, filing paperwork, I would enter birthdays of new students on a calendar, I’d make flyers for upcoming events, and answering the telephone was common. If not watching Mr. Diaz, I would be helping Ms. Royal with either filing, organization, or other things related to the business.
By having over the phone interactions, I gained the skill of steering conversations toward a conclusion that put another student on the list. This idea of having an awareness over interactions, and situations, is something that intersects with the martial arts. Both Mr. Diaz and Ms. Royal explained that getting certain information, like experience and intentions, to steer potential students was essential for the school to remain open. They need a certain amount of people signing up each month because of the constant flow of students. After having this business for so long, Mr. Diaz has realized, and accepted, that things happen and people have to quit attending or participating in the program. Because of this, they both would stress how important it is to keep a steady influx of new students.
The Various Styles
This section will go over important information regarding the different styles taught at Diaz Martial Arts. It will cover some basic aspects of movement, and application, as well as some history. After my description, I will discuss any changes that were made to a particular style by Mr. Diaz and my participation in his classes.
Muay Thai
Muay Thai is the national sport of Thailand, holding a strong cultural bond to the nation and its people. Its exact age and origin are still debated over, with some reaching back to the 14th century and others saying the mid-18th century. It’s argued that it comes from tribes in south-east Asia, and also that it came to those groups from China. What is known though, is that it has been used by warriors to defend the area for hundreds of years (Vail 2014). In his journal entry on Muay Thai, Peter Vail describes it as practiced by the Thai people when he says, “In its martial-sport form, Muay Thai allows the use of kicks, punches, elbow- and knee-strikes. It is typically fought in five-round matches, accompanied by traditional sarama music, and preceded by a ritual ram muay dance in which boxers pay respect to their teachers.” He goes on to talk about the form that can be better described as the martial-art form called Muay Boran. It is seen as an older style consisting of non-sporting methods that are said to come from the origins of Muay Thai, and many of the techniques are considered to be too dangerous to be used in the realm of modern ring fighting (Vail 2014).
What is practiced at Mr. Diaz’s studio is highly Americanized. It remains on the focus of the sporting aspects of Muay Thai while also mixing in some inspiration from boxing and American Kickboxing. What does this look like? The way a typical Muay Thai fighter looks, in the orthodox position, is that the left foot is forward and the right is back to keep a kick constantly loaded. Both hands are open, facing slightly outward, located about forehead high to block the face. With a consistent timing, the fighter will have what is called a “Thai march” going; this is just stepping from one foot to the other, bringing the front knee slightly up. The point is to time your parries and various strikes. When a fighter mixes boxing and kickboxing in with Muay Thai, the fighter’s stance becomes more squared up to the opponent and the footing changes. The fighter now has more of a bounce off the tips of the toes and a shuffle in the movements. The hands close up a little more and lower down to hug the cheeks. Both approaches are useful for different circumstances, so they train their students to be flexible.
I participated in every Muay Thai class, Monday through Friday. They only offer adult classes, and the sizes can range from eight to sometimes twenty students depending on the day. It began with a warmup of jogging or jump-rope. Then, everyone would pick a partner and work specific combos on each other. One would hold pads while the other would strike. What could be learned from this is that each person has different limits, speeds, and rhythms. Getting a different partner allows the learner to take hits from another direction, and sometimes the hits are much harder. Overall, it teaches the diversity of fighters that exist.
Taekwondo
It has been said that “[T]aekwondo may have arguably contributed more to Korea’s universal, cultural recognition and image than any other single item or event.” (Moenig & Minho 2016). Taekwondo has its origins in Korea and is the national sport of the country. Controversy surrounds the style’s origin, with some resources stating it was formed out of Japanese Karate, but by the ‘70s any mention of outside influence was removed from Korea’s records. The authors Udo Moenig and Kim Minho explain that in the 1960s the art form spread to neighboring countries and eventually around the world, going on to be seen as an Olympic Sport. In America, it is recognized as one of the more strict martial arts. It has a heavy focus on specific form and technique that must not be broken or changed. Many professional fighters believe it is wise to take taekwondo as a good base for kicking stability because of the training required to master even a single kick. It is also very strict on the aspect of respect for the master and other students, so it is often sought after by parents for their children.
At Diaz Martial Arts, Taekwondo is not altered. The kid’s classes are broken up by age with the youngest being four and the oldest thirteen. Class sizes are typically six to ten in each age group. Adult classes have about five to ten students per class. I never participated in these classes, but would often observe. From my observations, the adult classes did not focus on striking pads or sparring. The focus was mostly on stretching, flexibility, and attention to form. The classes for kid’s had more pad striking, because it helps to keep them interested with some action.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
The system of Jiu-Jitsu came to Brazil from Japan in the early 1900s. It was a style of fighting where a smaller fighter could defeat a larger opponent with a combination of strength and technique. Once it arrived in Brazil, it was introduced to the Gracie family. The Gracie’s adapted the art, and created a longstanding legacy on the teaching and diffusion of what they called Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. What makes Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu different from the original is that it was changed to require less effort from the fighter while also becoming more effective in execution. The Gracie family was trying to create a style more suitable for both men and women of all ages and of varying sizes (da Rocha, Esteves, de Mello, da Silva 2015).
What is taught at Diaz Martial Arts is not solely focused on the sport side of it. Every other month the classes will switch from a Gi to Gi-less style. The Gi used in Jiu-Jitsu has tightly woven fibers, so it won’t tear, and mimics a jacket well. Some competitions require a Gi and some will not, but the classes will change in order to teach self-defense for real world scenarios. When wearing the Gi, one can grab his or hers, or the opponents, to aid in a submission or defense, but once there is no Gi another grip or hand position will be needed. This goes back to the mindset of flexibility that is often taught at the school. In a real world scenario, where it’s impossible to evade, one must be prepared to be able to use the attacker’s jacket against them. If they don’t have a jacket, then a person must know which hand placements and grips to use.
I participated in as many of these classes as I could. The 7am classes that are offered for adults would have three or four students and the evening typically around twelve. Something I took away from this class is how to be a good partner. I saw that the best way for someone to learn the techniques was to do each movement slowly and fully locking in a submission every time. To accomplish that, a partner must be willing to accept, sometimes extreme, discomfort so that the learner can properly execute a move. This meant letting someone put their full body weight on my chest, while they position themselves for an arm-bar. This also goes the other way. To be a good partner one must be aware of when a move is executed and the other person has tapped, which signals they’re feeling something.
Filipino Martial Arts
This system includes a focus on both open hand and weapon fighting. Common names used when mentioning FMA are Eskrima, Escrido, Arnis, and Kali. These names are interchangeable and really only reference the specific time or place it may have originated, but the styles or skills taught are the same (Terry & Cox 2017). It is often mistaken as simply stick fighting because people seen practicing will use two strong bamboo sticks, but these are taking the place of one-handed swords or knives. Much of it consists of the weapon techniques accompanied by an open hand style with an emphasis on disarms, parries, and footwork, which will determine whether certain strikes are in range or not. The open hand technique that accompanies FMA is Jeet Kune Do. This was invented by Bruce Lee by mixing multiple arts together to make a formless martial-art. He believed the lack of form allowed it to fit with all styles (Bucklin 2000). This ideology is solidified in Mr. Diaz’s teaching of flexibility and readiness.
The student base for this class is about ten, and everyone in it takes some other class at the school. I enjoyed my participation in this class, it was great for learning hand-eye coordination. The teaching and repetitive practice of each combo was fast paced, which forced the student’s to remain focused.
Haganah
The last martial art system I’ll touch on is called Haganah. This is a self-defense system that can be described as the evolution of Krav Maga. Krav Maga was invented by the Israeli military and draws from different styles like boxing, wrestling, Judo, or karate. Haganah was invented recently by an Israeli Special Forces member and picks up whatever slack Krav Maga may have. Mr. Diaz and I talked several times about his experience with Krav Maga, which he is a 2nddegree black belt in, and he would tell me that a large portion of the “schools” in the US are watered down versions of Krav Maga. Mr. Diaz has a 3rd degree in Haganah and trains directly under the creator, Mike Lee Kanarek, so he would compare the two any time it came up. He would often mention how Krav fails to cover weapons use until once a black belt is achieved, but Haganah from the beginning teaches students basic weapons use and defense. Another important aspect of Haganah that he would like to talk about is the fact that it is constantly adapting to meet more needs or fill any gaps. Both Mr. Diaz and Ms. Royal go train with Mike Lee Kanarek a couple times a year to catch up on any new additions and renew their certificates to teach it. Because of its recent origins in the military, Haganah has a heavy focus on gun use and emphasizes strong situational awareness. One of the classes taught, that is based off the Haganah system, is the I.P.T.T. course, which stands for Israeli Professional Tactical Training. That class teaches its students to have an attention to detail regarding themselves, their weapon, and the things going on around them. It requires the student to be familiar with their gun and its mechanics. It requires that they focus on their reactions and be mindful of where their bullets are going. This class is highly recommended to any person in the studio who has a permit to carry a firearm. Both Mr. Diaz and Ms. Royal are certified firearm instructors and have been teaching these classes for years.
This class was interesting to be a part of. The class sizes for this are about twenty people every time. It covered basic strikes as a warm-up before moving into knife techniques. We would often work the motions with soft rubber knives, and then pair up to do knife sparring. If the class wasn’t covering knife techniques, it would usually be focused on how to defend against attacks from behind. Like other classes, everything a person is learning is repeated constantly. First, moving slowly and speeding up with every other repetition.
Discussing Misconceptions
Now that I’ve covered the systems they teach, I will discuss a list of the different type of people who are a part of this subculture and hopefully take down any stereotypic views that might be held. The language used so far often uses words like fighter or warrior, but the personalities and titles that can be found vary greatly. Not everyone who surrounds fight culture is a brute, or some fight stats fanatic, though these people can be found. One can find teachers, police officers, firefighters, computer engineers, HVAC technicians, introverts or extroverts, Retirees, and people who are on the autism spectrum. The first day I arrived I met Mr. Hare; he was in the army for a while and now works at Texas State University managing the regulation of AC for the entire campus. He partakes in several of the classes, holding black belts in taekwondo and FMA. He also teaches some of the kids’ classes. His wife and kids can be found in multiple classes as well. Mr. Hare would often go on about the bureaucracy of his job, but would be all smiles once he changed into his uniform to teach at the studio. I learned after a short conversation with a woman named Andrea that she and I both had a musical background in common. She explained how she spent her whole life becoming a professional violinist learning to play a list of different genres, and one day found herself wanting to put the instrument down, get in better shape, and get out of her comfort zone. Andrea had never exercised much in the past, and had somewhat of a problem with people touching her, so she decided to join a couple classes and has stuck with it for several months now. Andrea told me about how much it changed her and gave her a new perspective on life. It’s made her more confident and she actively strives toward healthier living; she even signed up with a personal trainer at the small gym next to Diaz Martial Arts. In the BJJ class I met another Texas State Senior named Michael, who also does Muay Thai. We often spoke about the start-up he, and a friend of his, were putting together. Michael is a robotics engineer and is working on a program that helps calibrate movement in wheels or legs that would be on a robot. He had a little bit of experience in boxing, but hadn’t done it in a while. He joined Diaz Martial Arts the same week I started my internship, and explained that he needed something to get him out of the house and help him meet more people. He remembered the atmosphere of the boxing gym and looked for the closest thing to it in San Marcos. Like everyone else who came through there he felt right at home. There is a man from Morocco named Ayyub that I met and enjoyed speaking to. Currently he works as a professional driver that delivers high value, VIP type, clients. He takes Muay Thai and Haganah because he’s training to become a personal body guard. There were several teenagers who came in to take classes because their parents felt it would be a good place to release anger and anxiety; it was often because of an incident at school. An attitude shift could be seen almost immediately after they started classes. They would typically be friendlier and, because of the support they receive from day one, they loved giving support to others. Another Texas State student I met is named Hana. She’s studying theater and plans to dive into acting. She takes multiple classes at the studio and is even competing in an upcoming Muay Thai competition. She enjoys the active lifestyle and the mental relief she gets once she steps on the mats putting all else to the side. The people I’ve just described have not made martial-arts their life, but they do it to challenge themselves and feel better. When looking at this group, one can see that there is not one type of person that practices martial arts.
I’ve written a bit about some people that can be found around the gym who may not fit the usual image of one that practices martial arts, but Diaz Martial Arts does have a small group of legit Muay Thai fighters and martial art masters. There is a group of males and females that are regularly in and out of the studio on their own training schedule. They’ll usually come as a group to train for a few hours, and then leave. Some will train and then stick around for the next Muay Thai class. The people in this category are a minority and have made fighting a big part of their life. A couple are in it for a full blown career. They train constantly for competitions and can get very technical about fighting. Getting a chance to watch them train often gave a ton of inspiration to those in the classes. Any time someone approached the fighters with a question on something, they were excited to break it down and discuss fundamentals.
Conclusion
While some may assume that the only people you’ll find in a martial arts gym are outgoing fighters ready to crush skulls, or hardened warriors that aren’t much for talking, that notion couldn’t be farther from the truth. Media has exaggerated and brutalized martial arts and combat sports for their own gain. This has created a separation between what martial arts really teaches―which is mental, physical, and spiritual balance―and has left a false representation of uncontrolled aggression (Kusnierz, Cynarski, and Gorner 2017). The people that will be found in the studio are all nice, caring, and accepting. It doesn’t matter what rank someone is, or how long they’ve been at the gym, people are glad to help. They will not tolerate mistreatment of others, and will always support a person however they can. They’re intelligent and have a wide variety of personalities. Whether a person is a troubled teen who needs a place to divert their energy, a video game geek who needs exercise, someone just looking to make some friends, or someone who’s meek and wants to learn self-defense, the martial arts community is all inclusive.
Work Cited
Bucklin, C. (2000). Comment, Trademarking Jeet Kune Do, 40 Santa Clara L. Rev. 513-514. http://digitalcommons.law.scu.edu/lawreview/vol40/iss2/5
da Rocha, A., Esteves, F., de Mello, R. C., & de Silva, J. F. (2015). Diasporic and Transnational Internationalization: The Case of Brazilian Martial Arts. BAR – Brazilian Administrative Review, 12(4), 403-420.
Kusnierz, C., Cynarski, W.J., & Gorner, K. (2017). Social reception and understanding of combat sports and martial arts by both school students and adults. Ido Movement for Culture. Journal of Martial Arts Anthropology, 17(1), 30-37.
Moenig, U. & Minho, K. (2016). The Invention of Taekwondo Tradition, 1945-1972: When Mythology Becomes “History.” Acta Koreana, 19(2), 131-164.
Terry, R. & Cox, B. (2017). Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) on the Filipino Martial Arts (FMA). http://www.martialartsresource.com/anonftp/pub/eskrima/digests/fmafaq.htm
Vail, P. (2014). Muay Thai: Inventing Tradition for a National Symbol. SOJOURN: Journal of Social Issues in Southeast Asia, 29(3), 509-553.