So many families’ lives have been transformed through the purposeful and thoughtful martial arts curriculum at SwiftKick. When people walk into the Carlsbad or Rancho Bernardo studio, they sense something different: a professional, welcoming studio with instructors leading students of different ages in engaging and focused training exercises. So, what makes SwiftKick such a unique martial arts training experience? It is probably the heart and soul Founder Brian Cowell has for martial arts, believing it can transform lives and allow everyone to access their best selves and overcome adversity.
Brian’s Story
Brian began martial arts training at three years old and loved it. Fortunately for Brian, his mother sought out martial arts training for three reasons:
- He was painfully shy and majorly lacked self-confidence.Â
- He had great difficulty focusing on organized academics.
- He was delayed in his physical development and coordination.
Brian recalls enjoying the physical and intellectual challenges partnered with the constant push to be a better version of himself. Looking back, he did not realize when he was young just how much my martial arts training would impact his life and the lives of others. Brian attributes many of his success stories to his martial arts training. Brian went from being a shy kid to confidently speaking in front of large groups of people and teaching classes to kids and adults starting at 15. He was among the youngest Nationally Certified Instructors at 17 and began SwiftKick Martial Arts at 22.
Academics
Brian recalls:
In high school and college, I remember how hard it was to focus during lectures or while reading complex academic material. I had to put in more hours of study in school for what seemed to come easy to others. I remember it took years of commitment to building my physical strength and stamina in middle and high school to be on par with where most athletes start. It was those times and those moments that were life-changing experiences. My actual development was during the tribulation, not because of the outcome, and it was my training and lessons in the martial arts helped me survive those tough times. However, many years later, I would recognize this impact on my life.
Brian went from lacking focus in school to graduating Summa Cum Laude with a B.S. in Psychology with Honors from San Diego State University and obtaining a master’s in business administration. His story went from delayed physical development to breaking and setting records in physical fitness examinations in high school and becoming a First-Degree Black Belt at 16 and Second Degree Black Belt by 18. Although Brian takes great pride in his achievements, he believes the journey is his greatest success.
Psychology Classes Affirmed SwiftKick’s Purpose
As a psychology major at San Diego State University, Brian became intensely involved in researching and studying self-esteem and its impact on the individual and society. With his professors, he pondered the following: how is it that our current generation has some of the highest self-esteem reported yet also the highest rates of drug abuse, suicide, anxiety, aggression, and depression? While at SDSU, Brian completed an Undergraduate Honors Thesis that had compiled research at the time and served as a foundation to pursue his research in a Ph.D. program. In summary, he found that all arrows pointed to high self-esteem built through solid social relationships and competent skills that developed a stable identity of self that was resilient when facing challenges.
Martial Arts Unlocking Potential
Martial arts unlocked the secrets to accessing Brian’s potential. Quality training and invested instructors taught him to be honest with himself, embrace his strengths and weaknesses, and improve on them. Brian learned the value of commitment to developing skills and achieving goals. Brian also learned to face his fears, which was challenging but yielded incredible results.
Brian suffered a shoulder injury before graduation and was told his days of martial arts training were over. His world shattered as he realized what a significant role martial arts had played in his life. It was during this challenging time that Brian decided to start his martial arts training studio to put into practice all he had learned and experienced. Brian’s decision was based on his desire for others to experience the benefits and transformative qualities of martial arts training.
Brian says:
My martial arts training helped me have the discipline, positivity, and work ethic to rehabilitate my shoulder to complete recovery despite the doctors’ prognosis. It was my martial arts training that best prepared me to face my anxieties and fears about starting a business with no financing and no experience. It was my martial arts training that helped me develop the resilience and tenacity to grow a small class of students with classes at parks, community centers, and churches into a successful business operation that empowers and employs 18 outstanding men and women, has two locations (Carlsbad and Rancho Bernardo) and has impacted thousands of students lives over the last 16 years. This is why I started SwiftKick Martial Arts: to transform lives through the power of martial arts and to help others unlock the secret of accessing their potential.Â
Brian Cowell, SwiftKick’s founder and Master Instructor, has over 35 years of martial arts training and coaching. Brian holds a 5th Degree Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do and a 1st Degree Black Belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu under Sam Kressin. Brian is certified as a Scientific Wrestling Catch Coach and a Red Zone Threat Management Knife Defense Trainer. There is no more dedicated martial arts studio owner in San Diego with an entire staff of qualified and professional instructors.
Contact SwiftKick today for a free trial class, or read our reviews online. We would love to see you soon!