When the original “Karate Kid” movie was released, martial arts captivated the hearts and minds of young people across the country – including a young Chris Jones, who would later go on to found the Durango Martial Arts Academy.
“Growing up as an ’80s kid, everything was about martial arts,” he said.
Jones grew up in Ohio and, when he was introduced to the world of karate, Brazilian jiujitsu and judo, he was captivated by the discipline, skill and art that martial arts could provide.
“A Brazilian guy had just started going to college nearby, and he was a blue belt in Brazilian jiujitsu,” he said. “That just happened to be the time I walked into his dojo. I feel like it was destiny for me. Once I took a class from him, I was like, ‘This is it.’”
That class, Jones said, gave his life a lot of direction. It also inspired him to compete in martial arts and eventually start a dojo of his own. And after moving to Durango in the early 200s, that dream became a reality, he said.
In 2006, he started the Durango Martial Arts Academy with its first location on Second Avenue. Since then, it has moved to its present location at 1129 Camino del Rio.
At first, Jones said, running a business and maintaining a passion for martial arts ran into some challenges because he didn’t have any formal experience running a business.
“I didn’t have the business skills, I didn’t have the student base yet and I had to build rapport with the community,” he said. “But every now and then a student would come in and buy another membership and we’d go a little longer and a little further.”
From those meager beginnings, the academy grew, Jones said.
The academy offers children, teens and women-specific classes over a variety of disciplines, including judo, mixed martial arts, Brazilian jiujitsu and kickboxing. Parents who once learned from Jones have started sending their children to do the same, and the studio recently awarded a black belt – which takes 10 years to earn – to an 80-year-old.
“We’ve had this generational change,” Jones said. “Martial arts can be so personal, and it’s uniquely individualized because it’s an art.”
One of those students is August McKinley, 16, who started at age 14 and now works the academy’s front desk. He said after being told by friends about martial arts and having tried traditional sports, he fell in love with the discipline.
“It’s nice working here and training here,” McKinley said.
He said he likes the atmosphere of the academy, and although he has competed before, the academy doesn’t pressure anyone to compete, instead focusing on being a good, welcoming outlet for exercise.
“Everyone here is just super chill,” McKinley said. “There are people who go and compete, but it’s not like super competitive. It’s nice to have a skill.”
That was the goal, Jones said – not to raise hyper-competitive, sweep-the-leg fighters, but to inspire a love of the art and an inspiration to learn.
“We have the nicest people that can kill you,” he said. “Everyone has such respect for each other.”
Besides the combat-centric nature of the sport, the real reason people keep coming back is it makes them live more in the moment, away from the trappings of social media and other technology, he said.
“Jiu jitsu would be like learning to really appreciate the moment,” Jones said. “Looking back over 20 years, that’s what you really want to try to do, is really appreciate the great wellness that you have with all these wonderful people.”
The people make the sport and the academy special too, he said. After all, if it were not for the people coming to spar and learn, there would be no gym.
“Some people can learn community from jiujitsu, learn to disconnect and get back to those personal relationships,” Jones said. “I just can’t believe how long so many people stuck with me and the gym, like how many relationships I’ve built in the last 20 years. I’ve had students from the beginning, and we’re all still together.”
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