Our goal is to create an environment to practice martial arts that feels welcoming, respectful and inclusive. Feeling safe and accepted and being able to fully trust in our training partners helps us achieve our full potential.
Traditional martial arts venues can feel alienating to those from marginalized communities or those who may have different needs. Many gyms are designed to cater to young, athletic, cishet men and can be uncomfortable -- or even hostile -- to those outside of this demographic.
We are committed to welcoming LGBTQ+ members of the community, all genders and bodies, BIPOC, the neurodivergent, and those who require adaptations for physical, psychological, or emotional needs. We see diversity as a virtue that makes us more well-rounded as both martial artists and as humans.
Whether it is through small-group or one-on-one training, we want everyone to feel that martial arts is something they can participate in.
We agree with the common belief that pushing oneself is important both for growth as a person and for developing martial arts skills, but we recognise that not everyone is ready to do this in the same ways or at the same pace. People should be able to have their own idea about what challenging themselves means, and we believe that the safer and more heard that person feels, the faster they will actually get there.
We believe that a supportive environment where there are trusted training partners is a necessary step if this is to be achieved. Everyone has a different on-ramp for their experience!
We are a husband and wife team based in the Inland Empire of Southern California. We have been training in martial arts since 2011, having started well into adulthood. Our focus is in Filipino (weapons-based) Martial Arts and grappling. Despite spending our own time on these two styles, we have pluralistic philosophy towards martial arts, and we strongly believe that people can find useful things in many arts and styles.
Acceptance and inclusion is a core part of our worldview and has deeply shaped the kind of people we are. After years of asking whether wanting this in martial arts was a mythical unicorn or pipedream, we decided that if we couldn't find such a thing in our area, then we would try to connect with others to make that space ourselves with like-minded people.
We are located in the Inland Empire with close proxomity to large cities like San Bernardino, Fontana, Ontario, Rancho Cucamonga, Corona, Pomona, etc, within western San Bernardino county and within reasonable driving distance of Riverside County and eastern Los Angeles County.
If you're a like-minded person who is interested in training with us, either as someone new to martial arts or someone looking to continue their training, please Reach Out!
If you run a school in our area committed to these values and are looking for new students or people willing to lead individual or small group sessions, please touch base!
Our goal as a training group is to create a community-forward, inclusive space where all participants feel respected and safe - physically, mentally, and emotionally. These guidelines create a framework for achieving this, and express the values we strive to obtain together.
Knocking Down Macho Gym Culture
Training should be welcoming for all genders and all bodies. We know that many gyms and training spaces have perpetuated a culture of toxic masculinity that has been dispiriting for women, queer and trans people, those who are gender non-conforming, as well as those who are big-bodied or who may require adaptations to make training work for them. Our goal is to curate a group of people who aim to uplift and support each other. We see the diversity of bodies, experience, and abilities not only as something to be celebrated but as an opportunity for growth in our own skills as martial artists.
We strive to reflect these values in the way we speak, including respecting names, pronouns, and avoiding ablelist language. We should be open to learning from our training partners, and willing to accept corrections and feedback.
It is critical to listen to our training partners' consent and boundaries for their security and comfort and to establish trust. Trust in our partners fosters a positive environment and reduces the risk of injury and harm.
Policies for Injury
Check for injuries before, after, and during training. Be proactive in reporting injuries and requesting any accomodations to account for them.
Simple choices such as doing warmups, keeping hydrated, and taking breaks as needed is important for well-being.
When doing partner drills and sparring, be mindful of differences in physical attributes such as size, age, strength, athleticism, training experience, etc. Those who need to avoid certain techniques or positions due to injury, trauma, or discomfort should be respected. Those who need assistance or modification in techniques should communicate this to training partners.
Participants should know their bodies' limits and not be afraid to tap early, and others should not shame them for doing so. Only the individual knows the line between what is pushing for improvement, and what is pushing too hard and endangering their healthy and safety.
Those recovering from injury should take as much time as they need to heal and prevent further injury, without judgment. When returning to training, communicate what accomodations are needed to support recovery.
This framework was heavily inspired by the Misfit Community Guidelines who found a way to articulate what we want in a community better than we ever could have.