Deep breath…

Stories can be powerful. I keep telling myself that, as I’m about to delve into a whole lot of personal shit, believing that someone out there will be inspired to take the next step forward into whatever challenge they are facing. 

My life was very different many years ago. It’s funny how activities that can seem trivial to some, can truly change the life of someone else. That is why when someone tells me that “something” changed their life, I am immediately connected with their feeling. So again…deep breath.

I was an early 20something single mom, and I just moved into my new one bedroom apartment. My preschool aged daughter would get the bedroom and I would put a divider in the living room and make that my sleeping space. 

I distinctly remember that feeling of empowerment. I would no longer be victim to my husband who would clean out my bank account to feed his addiction while the rent checks would bounce. I would never again sit in the dark because I had no money to pay the electric bill. I would no longer be steering clear of mood swings that could lead to potential violent outbursts. 

I remember it clearly and vividly. I was finally feeling like things would be okay.

This new sense of empowerment would spread into other areas of my life. I finished my degree with honors. For the first time I wasn’t scraping by. There would be no more social services, WIC checks at the grocery store, and I had an actual savings account with money in it.

When I was approximately 26 years old I decided that I really needed to focus on my health. All of that emotional baggage had become a lot of physical baggage as well. I was close to 200 pounds. I felt uncomfortable in my skin.  I wanted my body to reflect this newfound empowerment. I wanted to feel more confident meeting new people. I also wanted to be a healthy example for my little girl. 

I started working out with a personal trainer friend of mine. We did a lot of strength training, cardio, some yoga, and I took classes at the local gym. One of my favorites were the cardio style, Kickboxing classes. They were so much fun. I would joyfully punch and kick the air to a choreographed class while I thought, “this would be so much more fun if I could learn this for real.” 

There was a kickboxing gym up the road from my office that I drove past everyday. One day I mustered up the courage to walk in there and book my introductory session. At my first lesson I was hooked. I had that feeling of power all over again. There was me taking shit from nobody. There was me generating enough power with my body to serve as a constant reminder that I was nobody’s victim. 

Becoming a member there was a stretch financially, and my 50 hour work week made it a challenge to get to class, but I made it my priority. I would workout the earliest class I could and then return for the late class in the evening while my daughter did her homework off to the side. She would even join the class occasionally. To this day she can throw some killer strikes. 

Eventually my master instructor trained me to lead classes. I had a great sense of pride teaching others. I was always bubbly and friendly. No one knew the true reason I was drawn to this sport.

When I moved to Monroe, there was no kickboxing gym. My master instructor for kickboxing was also an accomplished Tae Kwon Do Master, so I compromised and studied Tae Kwon Do. I achieved my black belt in 2010. I love learning and I studied other forms of martial arts as well, but nothing ever resonated with me like kickboxing. I loved how a few basic moves had so much technicality to them. I always felt like there was more I could learn. I also loved sharing knowledge. I started my own little kickboxing program. I had this amazing diehard group of students that would barely miss a class. 

While they say “everything happens for a reason”, I personally believe you only find those reasons when you are open. Things weren’t working out in the location we were training, so we merged with another group in town. Most of my diehard group stayed on. One of those people, Theresa, eventually became an instructor. One day the owner of the school called to let me know he was closing the business in 3 days.  I thanked him and said “I wish I could take it over”. I wished him luck and hung up the phone. I started to think “why can’t I take it over?” I texted my friend, most accomplished student, and now fellow instructor Theresa, and asked “do you want to take over the kickboxing studio?” She answered “Yeah!”, and we got to work. We needed to get everything set up and running as quickly as possible so we didn’t lose the small base membership left from the previous business. The other instructors, sad at the possibility of losing the community we created, were willing to continue teaching classes as well.  Within a few weeks we were back in business, with a small, loyal group. Some of those people still train with us today. 

ST3 is now in its second location. This is literally what I envisioned as a kickboxing space. Every design choice is personal and thought out. Our vision is STRENGTH, DURABILITY, and EMPOWERMENT. I stand in this space feeling the same way I did years ago in that tiny, one bedroom apartment, with the desire to share that feeling and bring it into the lives of others so they too can feel empowered in life.