Owner Tien Nguyen said martial arts is his passion. After taking classes his whole life, his coach encouraged him to open his own studio.
The backstory
The studio, which is located at 2020 Katy Hockley Cut Off Road, Ste. 2D, Katy, offers kickboxing and jiu-jitsu classes for children and adults. Nguyen and his team also teach small groups and private sessions.
The name FS Mixed Martial Arts was inspired by a Bruce Lee quote, Nguyen said.
“The quote is, ‘be formless and shapeless like water, water being adaptable and free flowing and non-conforming,’ which is the essence of mixed martial arts,” Nguyen said.
When Nguyen first started FS Mixed Martial Arts, he was running the studio during the week while waiting tables at night and on weekends to support his family. Last year was the first year he was able to work at the studio full-time.
Strengthening bodies and minds
While there are many studios where students can learn kickboxing and jiu-jitsu, FS Mixed
Martial Arts is unique in its emphasis on life skills. Students do not just get a work out, they are also strengthening their character.
In the children’s classes, Nguyen picks a “word of the week” such as honor, honesty, courage, compassion, respect, loyalty and integrity and talks about how that word relates to martial arts and to life.
“I teach martial arts for real life situations and applications, not just punching the bag,” Nguyen said.
Although the adult classes do not have a designated time to talk about character, Nguyen said students develop these skills through practice.
“Learning how to defend yourself is built through repetition and overcoming your fear,” Nguyen said. “With courage you have to overcome the fear and with that practice, you start to gain confidence. With that confidence comes integrity.”
Nguyen said the character-building aspect of his business sets it apart from other martial arts studios.
“What I'm most proud of is the atmosphere and the culture that we’ve cultivated,” he said.
Well-rounded students
Some martial arts studios offer a gym-like environment, where the equipment is available and members practice on their own. Nguyen said doing martial arts in a group class is much more beneficial because it gives students the opportunity to practice what they are learning.
“Martial arts in a nutshell is practicing what would happen if someone really tried to hurt you,” Nguyen said. “The only way to practice is to put yourself into a real life situation. If someone's going to try to punch you then you need to practice with somebody really trying to punch you.”
Students are also able to learn both kickboxing and jiu-jitsu while other studios may require a student to pick one skill to focus on.
“Our schedule is flexible,” Nguyen said. “It alternates days where people have the ability to train and it's more focused on the combination of blending the two styles together.”
Allowing students to learn both skills helps them become strong athletes and have more confidence in themselves.
“My main goal is to teach people to be well-rounded in martial arts,” Nguyen said.
In addition to the current class offerings, Nguyen plans to add a Little Ninjas program for children ages 3-5. To enroll in a class at FS Mixed Martial Arts or to learn more, visit the studio’s website.
The above story was produced by Multi-platform Journalist Mary Katherine Shapiro with Community Impact's Storytelling team with information solely provided by the local business as part of their "sponsored content" purchase through our advertising team.
