Black Belt Blog - Mas Cody
July, 2025
I am five years old, walking down Hawthorne with my sister and mother. I have this hazy memory of holding my mother’s hand and walking by a building with a sign saying “One With Heart”. I pointed out the sign and wanted to go in. My mother, very susceptible to persuasion, brought me and my sister right in. The woman at the front desk smiled and immediately started telling my mother all about the wonderful programs they had for kids at One With Heart. We walked to the window that separates the lobby from a classroom called Scico. I had to stand on my tippy-toes to see over the bar, peeking through the glass into a room of children playing a monkey game. I’ll never forget that. The woman told us that I was too young for their youngest class, but I could sign up when I was a little closer to 6 years old. My sister could start immediately, and it would be in this very class we were watching. My mother, if you recall, very susceptible to persuasion, signed us up immediately. Around a month later I was in a room with my little white gi on, ready to train.
Now, nearly two decades later, I am a Pukulan teacher for children who are the same age I was when I started, in the same rooms where I trained (and still train), and teach the next generation the same skills I learned at their age.
I now try to give back the same skills I learned from Pukulan. And by skills, I don’t mean kicking and punching. I have learned the importance of patience, hard work, commitment, kindness, and giving back to my community. I gained the ability to be a leader, to step out of my comfort zone, how to be confident, how to protect myself, and how to stand up for what I believe in. These are skills I am eternally grateful for, and I felt were cultivated through my experiences at One With Heart.
This may be surprising to anyone who knows me, but it wasn't always easy for me to keep up my training. I recall arriving home from school, plopping down on the sofa, and dreading the idea of going to Pukulan when I was little. I would declare that I wasn’t going… and then I always would. Mas Quinn, my wonderful parent who started training just a bit after I did, would convince me to go. They would remind me that we could go together, train together, and that I always felt better afterwards. They were right. I always felt better after Pukulan classes. My little ADHD self who struggled with transitions also needed this place more than anything. Modern research tells us that children with ADHD thrive in settings like Pukulan (huh,go figure).
I continued my training and going to each class got easier and easier. At thirteen years old I tested for my Black Belt. A couple years later, I started teaching classes and even got paid for it a couple times. It was my first job and I’m still there both as a teacher and as Director of the One With Heart Summer Camps. Throughout this journey, I learned responsibility, the importance of preparedness, and how to lead a group of people with passion and purpose.
My entire conscious life weaves around the story of One With Heart beginning with those hazy early memories. I have spent countless hours within the school’s walls, years of my life dedicated to its mission, and an immeasurable amount of time in the arms of the community. I am so thankful that I can give back to this school every day, and I am always looking for ways we can improve. We are never done learning how to be the best teachers possible.
I now have the privilege of working as part of this family business, with Mas Quinn, the school’s new Owner, as my parent. I am so thrilled to give them my support, and I am so excited to continue to grow and train with them. And to think, it all started with a simple curiosity.
I hope you see that we are here to be of service to you, and we hope you feel the impact and love that One With Heart has on its community. I tell you my story so you might see yourself, your child, or your future reflected in it. We are one, all connected, and for me, it is a lifetime of commitment.
Kindly,
Mas Cody
