Today we’d like to introduce you to Christen Gates.
Hi Christen, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
While preparing to test for my 4th Degree Master Level Black Belt I was working out in my garage everyday. My neighbors would see me and seemed curious. I posted an announcement on our community board offering to teach my neighbors taekwondo in my garage. Little by little, people started to sign up for lessons. Until my entire schedule was full, from 4:30 to 8:30 PM I held class Monday-Friday. Eventually, my Home Owners Association (HOA) asked me to stop. At which point, I could have given up teaching. But, I’d made so many new friends and I wanted to make sure they made it to black belt. Instead of giving up, I made the commitment to rent a martial arts studio and launched a proper school under the brand of my master. The school is now called Myung Martial Arts by Master Christen.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I didn’t set out to start my own martial arts school. I started teaching taekwondo to make new friends in my community. I was new to the area. We were having so much fun training in my garage. Most people were neighbors so they could walk or bike to my house. The garage wasn’t airconditioned so we’d workout really hard and get sweaty. Then, when my HOA started sending me violations I tried to accommodate all of their requests. All my students and my neighbors wrote to the HOA upon my behalf. But it didn’t have any impact. The HOA wasn’t going to budge. The last violation was a final warning, I had 2 weeks to shut down and find another place to train. I thought about giving up and letting my students find a different martial arts school. Why should they stick with me? Maybe they’d be better with someone else. But, I realized they were showing up to class because I cared deeply about them as people and I wanted to help them become the best version of themselves. By continuing, I also learned to push myself to train and harder and reach greater heights as a martial artist. Even as an instructor, I workout alongside my students, we feed off each other’s energy. I realized, my students aren’t going to find another instructor who cares more than I care about each of them.
That HOA violation hit right before Christmas 2024. I was stressed and overworked. Luckily, I found the perfect solution. A Karate school just 5 miles from my house was open to the idea of me renting space. We formed a partnership and I was able to start my new schedule in the new studio on January 2nd 2025. I’ve been teaching out of this location for the past 7 months and things are going great! I’ve grown organically by word of mouth. I’m hopeful this story helps spread awareness about my school and my dedication to my students.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Myung Martial Arts is a family-oriented martial arts center.
Classes for Kids, Teens, Adults, and Seniors.
Taekwondo at Myung Martial Arts is taught as a defensive and competitive martial art where students develop skills in self-protection, mental agility and physical fitness. Our students improve reflexes, coordination, flexibility, speed, balance, endurance, and strength. Taekwondo students develop a sense of confidence that filters through all phases of their daily lives. Most importantly, the teaching emphasize respect, manners, and discipline in his students through Dojang and comprehensive home rules.
At Myung Martial Arts we train students in World Taekwondo (WT) and International Taekwondo Federation (ITF). The owner and head instructor is 4th Degree Black Belt, Master Christen Gates. She continues to train under Grandmaster Hojung Myung, 7th Degree Black Belt. Master Christen began training with Master Myung when she was 8 years old and continues to train.
Curriculum includes:
Forms / Poomse
Self Defense
Kicking Combinations
Sparring
Hand Techniques
Board Breaking
Weapons
Taekwondo Dance
Muay Thai (kick-boxing)
Flexibility
Cardio
Strength and conditioning
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
I am a small business owner, who is risk adverse. It’s hard to run a business on your own. But, I’m also a martial artist. We have an interesting relationship with risk. A martial artist trains hard to cause physical stress and mental challenges for themselves. We put our bodies at risk when we train. We do it in pursuit of a personal development goal. How strong can we become? How fast could we be? With those skills, what would we do if we had to fight to protect someone or protect ourselves? What are we willing to risk?
As a young taekwondo master, I would tell you, taekwondo is a self-defense martial art. The goal is to deter and de-escalate conflict. Not to start a fight. Our responsibility is to use our skills to create peace and harmony. This might make you think about the symbol of yin and yang. A recognizable image that’s used to teach us a lesson about balance between light and dark energy.
For anyone who goes far on a martial arts journey you learn your self-worth, your capabilities, and eventually you learn self-control.
When it comes to taking risks, I believe a martial artist has the knowledge to handle risk. You accept that you can not control the world or others. Instead, you learn to control yourself and how you manage risk.
Pricing:
- $160/mo for unlimited classes
- $145/mo. 2 classes per week
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.myung-martial-arts.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cmg925/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Master-Christen-Gates-61550088677248/
