Exploring Life & Business with Marvin Saint-Cyr of Bushiken Karate Saint-Cyr Dojo

Today we’d like to introduce you to Marvin Saint-Cyr.

Hi Marvin, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I started my martial arts journey as a child in New York. I was 5 when I was first introduced to karate. My parents put me in karate class as a way to toughen me up and to get some exercise. My personality was very laid back and non-aggressive, thus they worried that I would be picked on. I studied for several years until I hit my teenage years, and then started pursuing other interests. The seed had been planted though. Prior to leaving, I had not obtained my blackbelt. As I got older, the desire to go back and train grew stronger.

After completing my undergraduate studies, I went back into training and started competing in semi-contact and full contact competitions. I was pretty good at fighting and enjoyed winning. In 2001, I received my blackbelt and asked for permission to open a school. At the time, I was preparing to move to Maryland and thought this would be where I would stay. I went out to Maryland as a young man ready to conquer the world, only to realize that I still had a lot to learn.

I continued to train not as consistently, I still had ambitions to fight, however, that dream came to a halt when I tore my patellar tendon in 2003. Eventually, I moved to Raleigh, and the thought of opening a school re-emerged. In 2012, I started down the path of opening my school, and in 2013, I became an official North Carolina Business.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
There have been countless struggles throughout my journey. The first of which I would say, transitioning from a program to a business. While I was trained as a martial artist, I was never taught how to run a martial arts studio. Thus, I had to learn many lessons along the way. I had to find creative ways to fund my business endeavors and had to find ways to keep the doors open after securing a location. After my teacher passed, myself and several other schools decided to band together to form a new organization. This meant having to completely rebrand.

Around this time, I tore my other patellar tendon in a freak accident. This came at the worst time as I was just building my school and did not have anyone else to assist. So, as I was recovering from my injury and having to go through physical rehabilitation. I was also continuing to teach during this time.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Bushiken Karate Saint-Cyr Dojo?
We are a Full Contact Japanese karate school located in the heart of Raleigh NC. Our method is based on the teachings of Grand Master Soshu Shigeru Oyama. Our style maintains traditional values but is geared towards modern-day needs. Our students see great benefits physically and emotionally. Through our training, we work on improving self-esteem, conditioning, focus, discipline, and coordination.

We are the only full contact Karate School in Raleigh and have an excellent reputation among our students and in the community. We pride ourselves on being a family-oriented facility. Men, Women, children of all ages, and families as a whole are encouraged to train. it is not unusual to see entire families training together.

Whether you have a desire to get into shape, compete, or are just looking for something different, Bushiken Karate has something for you. We start training students as young as three years old and go all the way up to adults. Classes and terminology are taught in both English and Japanese. We engage in fair business practices and do not attempt to upsell individuals into specialty programs. We offer flexible times and many options to suit your family’s needs.

Because we believe in what we do and in our product, we offer a free one-week, no-obligation trial. Also, we do not tie individuals to long-term contracts with crazy penalties if you have a change of heart.

Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
We are located in the Holly Tree Plaza in Raleigh in between Buffalo and Old buffalo road. We offer classes up to six days per week and students are not limited to the classes that they can attend.

Pricing:

• One student $99./mo
• Two students $179/mo
• Three students $250/mo

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: bushiken.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bushikenraleigh/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SaintCyrDojo
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCu57Xz-1kHbx5SwPCLF58qw
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/bushiken-karate-saint-cyr-dojo-raleigh-2?osq=karate

Image Credits
Vidal M. Randolph