The Maben Lions Club recently invited Josh Buford to describe his new business in Maben, Fearless Martial Arts, featuring several of the martial arts.
He has studied martial arts since he was 4, and now that he has children of his own, he is more interested in training them than ever before.
He told about his own daughter being bullied in the first grade. She needed to know how to defend herself, and building self-confidence was the key to her ability to stand up to the bullying.
A knowledge of the practice of martial arts leads to peace and security, sometimes without relying on physical violence, just by learning to exhibit self-confidence. Not only does a person learn how to get away from a physical confrontation, but sometimes just by showing assurance in your own abilities you can avoid the threat of bullies altogether.
The four aims of Josh’s approach to his classes are to Equip individuals with skills needed to build self-preservation, to Empower individuals to advance those skills and to depend on them to defend yourself, to Inspire an individual to advance goals in life by setting dates for accomplishment of those goals, and to Encourage continued advancement all through life.
Josh described his participation in baseball during his college years to accomplish his educational goals through scholarships, but then to use all his skills at age 21 to advance his goal to be in ministry through sports. He has been involved in church ministry for years, but now he is concentrating on martial arts because it is designed to help each individual, not just a few who make a ball team.
“There are no bench warmers in martial arts instruction; everyone gets involved to the extent of their interest and talent.”
He has 52 students from the area around his new business located in the large building on Second Avenue in Maben where The Grocery Store used to be, and next door to the office of Dr. Sue Simmons.
In addition to martial arts of various kinds, he will offer an after-school program with tutors to supervise and encourage students who might need added help with their homework. He will work with families who need financial help to participate. His heart is to make his services available to everyone who wishes to take advantage of what he has to offer.
