MEET our instructors

JOE CHAO

KID'S KICKBOXING - TINY TIGERS
KRAV MAGA - MUAY THAI - KIKBOXFIT

Instructor Joe Chao has been training and teaching martial arts and fitness since the 1980's. He has trained in 8 martial arts and is an advanced instructor in Kid's Kickboxing, Muay Thai kickboxing, Israeli Krav Maga, Police Defensive Tactics, Israeli Combat Weapons, Active Shooter Response, Krav Maga VIP and security program, Hung Gar Kung Fu and KIKBOXFIT. He has trained around the USA as well as Asia. His classes are fun, exciting and action-packed. You can expect to train like a real fighter without getting hurt while learning reality-based self-defense.

ALEXA ARNOLD

WOMEN'S SELF DEFENSE

Alexa has been a student of martial arts and yoga for many years. She holds a 3rd Degree Black Belt Instructor in Shaolin Kempo as well as a Krav Maga student. She teaches our Women's Only Self Defense Workshops that are all formulated from a woman's perspective. Alexa is a Level 1 Krav Maga coach who has been training in Krav Maga since 2021.

Her art, Shaolin Kenpo Karate, is a martial art style that combines the Five Animals of Shaolin Kung Fu, the core competency of Kempo, the hard-hitting linear explosiveness of traditional Karate, as well as the power of Western boxing and the felling and grappling arts of Jujutsu, Chin Na, and Mongolian wrestling.

jayne jenkins

YOGA

Jayne Jenkins has been a passionate yoga practicioner since age 12. She received her RYT certificate in Prana Vinyasa with Chrlotte based Shiva Rae student Jaimis Huff Rae in 2019. She has also recently completed 50 hours training in creative sequencing led by Erin Kelly and Stevi Gongora of Authentic Movements and is super excited to share these newly acquired intuitive modalities. Jaynbe's classes are fun yet chalenging for all ages.

meridith fuchs

TAI CHI

Meridith is a certified Tai Chi for Arthritis and Fall Prevention from the Tai Chi for Health Institute with Dr. Paul Lam. She is a very hands on instructor who not only makes her classes fun but safe especially for those with mobility and pain issues. She has first hand experience on how Tai Chi will improve your health. She had spinal surgery and continued to practice her Tai Chi during her recovery. Her doctors were amazed on how quickly she recovered that they now recommend their patients to study Tai Chi

tommy wright

Muay Thai & Kids Kickboxing

Tommy Wright is our first promotion to Muay Thai Coach in WNC. He is an amazing person with tons of personality guaranteed to make you love his classes. He is a Level 1 Muay Thai Coach which allows him to be an assistant instructor for Muay Thai and our Kid's Kickboxing program. He is an Army veteran and understands the importance of discipline while still making the classes fun.

GUEST INSTRUCTORS

JAMES MURPHY

AIKIDO - KENDO

James Murphy has been a martial arts practitioner for over 30 years with experience in various disciplines in martial arts such as Northern Shaolin Kung-Fu, Tae Kwon Do, Judo, and Aikido and Kendo.

He holds a Third-Degree Black Belt (Master) in Aikido and First-Degree Black belt in Kendo. Aikido is a self-defense art that combines disciplines from Judo and Ju-Jitsu to develop a system that uses your opponent's strength combined with their bodies off balance to eliminate any threat of attack to the Aikido player.

Kendo is the practice of traditional Japanese sword fighting with the elements of sport and competition.

He is also Krav Maga VIP Protection and Security Program Specialist. He is currently training to be an instructor in Tactical Firearms Training.

His approach to self-defense is…I train for Self-Defense so that I will never have to use it!

JULIE DUBERNARD

ISRAELI KRAV MAGA

Julie has been training in Israeli Krav Maga for many years and has acquired her Associate Instructorship in Israeli Krav Maga. She is a very intense lady who has gained a wealth of knowledge in self defense applications as well as Tactical Close Combat Training. She is a true example of what you can do if you devote yourself to self improvement.

MONICA MIGUEL

ISRAELI KRAV MAGA & MUAY THAI

Monica has been training and teaching for several years and has earned her Associate Instructorship in Krav Maga as well as being a Level 3 Coach in Muay Thai Kickboxing. She is a natural coach always taking the opportunity to welcome new students and setting them up for success. Her friendly attitude always makes new students feel comfortable especially during the awkward first week of training. She is very detail oriented and makes sure to point out the finer points of all techniques. Her classes are fun yet very challenging.