Finneys Martial Arts Academy-FMA

Happy Sunday! Check out our weekly update!

Who is ready for Warrior Challenge next week?
Go to the events tab and register!

🔥 WARRIOR CHALLENGE 🔥 August 5th–8th | Finney's Martial Arts Academy

Calling all Warriors! It's time to put your strength, speed, and spirit to the test.

The Warrior Challenge is a timed obstacle-style event running right during regular class hours, open to ALL ages and ALL ranks. Every student gets 2 attempts to complete each challenge and rack up points toward their very own Warrior Medal.

Students compete in their own age and skill category: Little Warriors • 5–7 Girls & Boys • 8–9 Girls & Boys • 10–11 Girls & Boys • 12–15 Girls & Boys • 16 & Up Girls & Boys

Whether you're brand new to martial arts or a seasoned black belt, this challenge is built to push you, test you, and celebrate everything you've been training for.

📅 August 5th – 8th 🥋 Runs concurrent with regular class times 🎯 2 attempts per challenge 🏅 Earn your Warrior Medal

Spots are limited — sign up today on the Zen Planner app!

🥋 FMA'S NEWEST BLACK BELTS 🥋

Success isn't the belt itself—it's discovering who you become through the challenges, setbacks, sacrifices, and moments when quitting feels easier than continuing.

For the past three years, these young martial artists have shown perseverance, discipline, resilience, and heart. They navigated obstacles, adapted through a system change, stayed committed to the process, and never lost sight of their goal.

This week, we had the honor of promoting seven incredible students to the rank of Black Belt. Their achievement represents far more than a new belt around their waist. It represents years of dedication, growth, character development, and the decision to keep moving forward when things became difficult.

Please join us in congratulating FMA's newest Black Belts:

🏅 Ana Sofia Garcia-Barboza
🏅 Nathan Longnecker
🏅 Juliette Colombo
🏅 Dish*ta Pandey
🏅 Ruthik Gunturu
🏅 Jace Suhanovsky
🏅 Jolene Suhanovsky

We are incredibly proud of each and every one of them. 🖤

Most people think martial arts is about kicking, punching, and memorizing forms. That might be 5% of what we do here.

The other 95%? It looks like today.

Before anyone touched a board, we sat together and talked about confidence. About that voice inside you that says "I can't" — and what it takes to answer back. Each student took a moment to give themselves an affirmation. To look inward and decide they were worth betting on.

Then we asked them to do something they had never done before.

Three attempts each. No guarantees. No safety net. Just themselves, a board, and everything they had inside them.

One student broke through on their attempt. But here's what I want you to understand — every single person in that room succeeded today. Because success wasn't the broken board. Success was choosing not to walk away. Success was attempt number two after attempt number one didn't go the way they hoped. Success was standing back up for attempt number three.

That is the CAN DO attitude. And that is what we build here — not just better martial artists, but stronger human beings.

I couldn't be more proud of this group. 🙏