Today we’d like to introduce you to Rob Rowland.
Hi Rob, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I started taking martial arts when I was 11 years old, but it was a passion I’ve had since I was able to walk. I continued all the way through to college when I got my black belt.
After graduation, I was asked to teach a women’s self-defense class, which I did for about a year, and then I was asked to go back to my original gym and teach a kickboxing and fitness course. After the unfortunate passing of my teacher, I was asked to take on the role of the head instructor.
However, immediately after my promotion, the pandemic hit and we were forced to shut down. Pivoting to classes via Zoom and YouTube, we kept the business afloat until we could open our doors again.
At this point I realized I had a love for creating YouTube content, so I decided to continue my channel as an avenue to give my students extended training, as well as discuss my love for martial arts as a whole.
As my channel and reputation as an instructor grew, I decided to leave the gym I was at and open at a new location with my current instructor. We opened Warrior Family Muay Thai which teaches Muay Thai, Combat Self Defense, and Weightlifting classes.
I am a coach in all three programs and devoted to growing the gym into a valuable part of the Austin community and the martial arts world as a whole.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
This entire endeavor has been an adventure from start to finish.
Obviously, martial arts training is full of bumps, bruises, bloody noses, and beatings. I don’t regret a moment of it, but I recognize that it is not an easy passion to pursue.
Outside of that, unlike food or clothing, it is an uphill battle convincing people that they NEED martial arts and self-defense. Too many people see martial art as just a hobby – and while I can understand that, I do not agree. Personal safety and health is one’s own responsibility. A few months of intelligent martial arts and self-defense training will change your life, so choosing not to is like choosing to drive without your seat belt. But, convincing someone of that is always a struggle. You don’t believe safety and health are important until you lose them.
But beyond that, I’ve never run a business before. Whether we’re talking about my physical space or the YouTube content, I’ve never been responsible for making sure classes are running on time, that a curriculum is followed and enforced, and that we have enough water and cleaning supplies to keep the place open. In terms of YouTube, it is extremely difficult to make sure I’ve filmed enough content and have the video ready to release every Thursday by 8:30 AM. It’s a lot of late nights, a frustrated girlfriend, and long filming days.
Between both the classes and my channel, I also have to be on top of my own training. That means hitting the mats and the weight room at least three times per week each, studying how to be a better coach and new material to teach and better help my students. The job is a full-time gig, but when you have passion, it’s very rewarding.
But I can’t ignore the elephant in the room. Trying to run an in-person martial arts program, then venturing off and starting your own during the pandemic meant every day, I had to be ready to shut down. Possibly forever. I’ve had days where the gym is full of people and I don’t see the momentum slowing down, but then one person tests positive and suddenly it’s a ghost town.
The hardest part has been learning to roll with the punches (no pun intended). Fighting is not about never getting knocked down, it’s about getting up every time you are. So sometimes I feel like I’m on top of the world and nothing can hit me, then I’m humbled and remembered it’s always an uphill battle.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a martial arts and strength coach at Warrior Family Muay Thai. I teach people how to fight and defend themselves from whatever life throws their way.
For some, this means lacing up their gloves and stepping into the ring. For others, that means picking up a barbell and discovering just how much their body is truly capable of. For others still, it’s giving them the confidence and skills to walk home at night knowing that they will not be made a victim.
We are all more capable and stronger than we allow ourselves to be. It’s my job to bring that out of each and every one of my clients. So whether I have an aspiring athlete, a stay-at-home dad who needs some exercise, or a business exec who wants to build her self-esteem and confidence, they are all fighters in my eyes. Each of us has a fight we need to win. As a coach, it’s my job to prepare them to the best of my abilities.
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
I’m an Austin native. I was born here, I went to high school at Crockett, and I chose to start my business here. I’ve seen this city explode into one of the fastest growing in the country, but still see the pockets of the small town.
People think of Austin as this giant, cold place, but it’s not. There’s still a small-town energy in the heart of this town. Everyone wants to befriend their neighbor, share their favorite lunch spot, and help you out if your car breaks down on the highway. We’re not just people stacked in gentrified townhomes – we’re dozens of communities coming together to make one giant one.
But at the same time, growing pains exist. Too many people ignore the history of this down and happily remove history and people from their homes. Austin deserves to be one of the top cities in the US and to do that we need to grow. But growth at the cost of the very soul that created this city is not the growth I want to be a part of.
Pricing:
- Self Defense classes – $180/momth
- First three classes – $20
Contact Info:
- Website: combatsdtraining.com
- Youtube: Youtube.com/combatselfdefense
- Other: MuayThaiATX.com
