Challenges = Success

Martial Arts Academy, Owasso, helps students develop self-confidence, discipline and focus.

In every social setting, there are leaders and followers. And for Martial Arts Academy Owner Chris Velez, he has made it his mission in life to create confident leaders through martial arts.

“It’s a very structured environment,” Velez said. “The primary focus overall in training is to help a student develop confidence and discipline.”

Though a student will also learn how to defend themselves, get in shape, and become flexible, Velez said that’s not the end goal. “They will achieve those things,” he said. “But martial arts is a means to an end. When a student comes here you can boil it down to that they will experience challenge and success. The more challenge and success they experience, that’s where the growth takes place. And overtime it becomes easier for them to see themselves as successful.”

When a parent sends their child into the world to lead their own life, a way they can have peace is to know their child is firmly established in confidence and discipline.

“It takes confidence to be who you are,” Velez said. “And to be the positive example. They can have all the knowledge of what’s right and what’s wrong, but it’s another thing to actually execute that.”

A longtime resident of Owasso, Velez began his training at an early age, in Owasso.

Velez worked, trained, and taught martial arts throughout high school, and he spent so much time there people started asking him if he was going to open his own school? “At that age, I wasn’t considering the idea because I hadn’t been exposed to many martial arts business owners,” Velez said. But one thing led to another, opportunity presented itself, and Velez took a leap of faith. He opened his business in Owasso in 2003 and Martial Arts Academy is now not only working—it’s thriving. His successful business is a true testament to the practices of martial arts.

“We are helping parents raise confident leaders and adults reach their true potential,” he said.

When explaining the different options at the academy, Velez said, “There’s two schools within this school. We have the martial arts students, and then we have instructors. Developing instructors is different from developing students. We give instructors space and a platform to gain experience.” Velez is proud to note that all of his current instructors began as students at his academy when they were young and he has enjoyed watching them grow up. “I had a couple ladies that were counting down the days to when they could actually work here,” he said. “They had put in a lot of instructor hours in learning and assisting students and classes.”

Though Velez stays busy with running the business, he still trains and involves himself in nearly all of the classes.”I’m on the floor, here, and present the whole time. Every person that comes in to enroll, I meet them personally.”

If interested in enrolling, or if you want to learn more about the principles of martial arts, call 918-376-9080 or go to martialartsacademy.net.