Meet Anthony Tupper of Tupper Martial Arts Academy in Friendswood and League City

Today we’d like to introduce you to Anthony Tupper.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Anthony. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I’m a native Houstonian. I grew up in Alvin and Pearland. I was raised by my mom and grandmother. Being an only child to a single mother, having red hair, freckles and being the smallest kid in your class; other kids pounce on you and bully you relentlessly. My mom tried to find a sport or activity for me to be interested in, but none of them really stuck. Then, when I was 11 years old (1998), my mom signed me up for martial arts classes. I didn’t want to go at first. I thought it would just be another reason for kids to mess with me. I was hesitant to start and walked in to my first class already having decided to hate it. That changed when I met the people inside though. My instructors and the other kids in the class made me feel like I was a part of a family, and included me in everything. I instantly fell in love. Five years later, in 2003, I tested for Black Belt and told my instructor, Master Rick Short, that I wanted to learn how to be an instructor. After following his guidance and training, I decided to open my own business in 2007. I was only 19, but I knew what I wanted to do for the rest of my career. A friend of mine introduced me to her children’s school principal at St. Stephen’s Episcopal School, and we decided to offer a martial arts program there. I started with 2 kids at St. Stephen’s. A decade later, I have over 100 students at 9 different locations. It has been an incredible journey to see how far I’ve come, and I have no regrets. I truly get to say that I am doing what I love for a living, and that means the world to me.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It took me a long time to get to where I am today, and I still have aspirations for greater things. One thing I can say I’ve discovered is that in order to achieve your dreams, the road will most certainly not be smooth. I had to overcome quite a bit right out of the gate. I had to gain confidence and respect for myself after all the bullying. There were times when my mom would pull me out of training so I could focus on school, which I resented at first, but looking back, I understand what she was trying to do at the time. About a month ahead of my scheduled Black Belt test, I had a significant knee injury, that tested my will to continue even doing martial arts at all. That injury delayed my test 6 more months. Once I started my own business, I had to meet with people in the business world who were much older and experienced than me, and I felt judged at points. I thought these people were laughing at me as soon as I left the meetings because of my age. For the first 8 years I was trying to build my business, I was also working full time in a restaurant just to pay bills. Even after all that, I still wanted to pursue this. In 2014, I quit the restaurant job and devoted all my time to making Tupper Martial Arts Academy the best I could. Yes, the road had been bumpy. But, I had a great group of people who supported me and cheered me on. My wife, Krystle, is the best person in my life. She’s my best friend, my reason for doing this. My mentor, Rick Short, who taught me everything I know about this industry and how to succeed. And I have a great group of friends who are always there for me when I need it. Without this support system of friends and family, I’d be totally lost.

Tupper Martial Arts Academy – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Tupper Martial Arts Academy offers a practical and effective self-defense training method. We aren’t all about winning trophies and competitions. I want my kids to have the confidence to do what I couldn’t when I was a kid. Stand up to those bullies and let them know that what they’re doing isn’t right. We teach our kids to find a peaceful resolution to these conflicts, whether it’s walking away or telling them to simply leave us alone. We also place an emphasis on finding a support system of parents, friends, teachers, etc. This lets them know that they aren’t alone in this situation. We teach martial arts classes for preschool kids, school age kids, teens and even adults. I have a 57-year-old man who will test for Black Belt this year. We also offer self-defense workshops, private training, kids bully prevention classes and fitness training. Our curriculum is unique, because we combine 5 different styles of martial arts: Tae Kwon Do; Aikido; Jiu-Jitsu; Jeet Kune Do and Russian Systema. The thing that makes me the proudest about my business is the fact that we aren’t just a business, we are a family. My staff and I would do anything for our students and each other. That kind of camaderie is rare in business these days.

What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Success isn’t how many trophies you have. It’s not about a heavyweight belt. Success is personal. Success is individual. Everybody has a different take on the definition of success. My definition of success is providing guidance and help to my students. If I can reach just one student and help make a difference, I’ve succeeded. It doesn’t matter how much money you have in the bank or if you have the newest state of the art training equipment. What matters most is seeing the look on a person’s face when they take their first belt test and break their board. The first time they spar and hit their opponent. I feel like I succeeded when I see one of my students succeed. As a business owner, success is being able to see your work, take pride in it and watch it continue in to greater things.

Contact Info:

• Address: @ CrossFit Iron Sharpens Iron Gym
  1331 E. Broadway St. Suite G
  Pearland, TX 77581
  Tuesdays & Thursdays
  7:00pm
  @ AcroSports Gym
  2705 Dickinson Ave.
  League City, TX 77573
  Mondays & Wednesdays
  6:45pm
• Website: Www.tuppermartialarts.com
• Phone: 281 433 2807
• Email: tuppermartialarts@yahoo.com
• Facebook: Tupper Martial Arts Academy

Image Credit:
William Marsh

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