A San Antonio karate dojo combines AI learning and martial arts for modern samurai training.
SAN ANTONIO — When you think of samurai, you probably think of ancient Japanese warriors with long metal swords. While that way of life may seem like something from long ago, one of San Antonio’s own karate dojos is using that tradition to teach students how to deal with today’s challenges.
The way of the samurai is not just about how you wield the katana.
“The reason we call it modern samurai is because it’s not just the ancient weapons, but it’s the weapons that are needed for survival in today’s modern world,” say Scottie C. Jackson, sensei at the Professional Karate Institute of Mixed Martial Arts.
The dojo near San Antonio’s Medical Center teaches much more than self-defense.
“We were founded by Kyoshi Ivan Ujueta, who founded the art of Ju Kido, which is a style that means the gentle, powerful way,” says Jackson. “It is a Japanese concept, but yet it’s inspired by five different cultures. Our pillars are fitness, self-defense, and character.”
The students here range from ages 4 to 80. They learn the ancient arts of self-defense, which can come in handy when faced with the modern menaces like peer pressure and bullying.
“If somebody tried to jab me in the nose, I’ll most likely use an up block,” says karate student Christian Salinas.
Today’s troubles can attack in many ways. So the students learn how to defend themselves in life, learning skills such as financial literacy, problem solving and team work.
For some, it has grown into a family tradition.
“It’s been a great experience for all of us,” say Charlene Mazzucca. She and her husband Mark became students after seeing how much their daughter Catalina enjoyed it. “I see that Cat is thriving. She’s happy. She anticipates coming here. It’s hard to take her away from the dojo.” Catalina eagerly agrees. “I love the environment. You know, it has a lot of friends and really good friends where we all train together.”
The professional karate institute wants to do more than just teach children self-defense. As a matter of fact, this fall it will become an academic institute as well, offering courses from third to sixth grade.
Recently the Texas Sports Academy has taken the dojo under its wing, helping create a curriculum tailored to each student using artificial intelligence.
“The AI academic software is unique in that they are able to finish their Common Core in just two hours a day in the morning,” says Malekai Mischke, Head of Growth with the Texas Sports Academy. “That frees time in the afternoon to develop martial arts skills and learn life skills from a leader like Sensei Jackson.”
For some parents, it’s the perfect mesh of physical and mental education their children don’t get in a traditional school.
For Katie Bulderburgs, it’s the perfect environment for her very active son, Jackson.
“We just recently enrolled him in the Modern Samurai Academy. So we definitely have full faith in the program,” says Bulderburgs. “We know that they have great expectations. A lot of similar things that align as far as his him growing into a good person academically, but like his character, like we talked about as well. It’s going to be great for him as an adult.”
The goal is to equip the student in mind, body and spirit for any challenge they might face.
That is the way of the samurai.
The Modern Samurai Academy hopes to take advantage of the new school voucher law, which provides families with about $10,000 per student to enroll in private schooling. For more information, you can visit the Professional Karate Institute of Mixed Martial Arts website.