I first became familiar with Quest Martial Arts when I worked next door at Panda Hugs and decided to enroll my oldest son in the Dragons program. During Etienne’s first year at Quest my husband and I were thrilled at the discipline and support he received. The instructors were so willing to help us guide Etienne toward better academic and social behaviors. We were also impressed with the way the instructors trained the young students -everything was very positive. After a while I convinced my husband to begin training so that he and our son could experience something positive together. It was a while later that I decided I really wanted to do something structured together with my children and after a lot of persuasion from my husband I decided to attend a Level 1 class. I found many similarities between my dance background and To Shin Do training and that made me think that I might enjoy learning a martial art, and signed up on the spot.
I can honestly say that I never expected to earn a Black Belt. At the time I joined I had no idea what I was getting into – I just wanted to spend time with my family in an activity that we could all enjoy together. I had no expectations of what I was going to learn or how much these lessons would influence my life. The training (life skills in particular) has given me tools with which to deal with certain challenges in life and have helped me to realize that I am a strong person, inside and out. I have been on a Fudo Shin retreat conducted by Master Russo, which was a tremendous three days of life skills and personal development. I have found support and friendship at Quest Martial Arts. The people are an amazing group and with their support I know I can grow even more.
