“I was that angry kid, bullied in the hallways, then becoming the bully. Pushing others around, thinking that's what strength looked like. I was desperate for respect, looking for it in all the wrong places.”
At 17, a troubled boy stepped onto a Ninjutsu mat for the first time. Decades later, the student has become the teacher… for the most part.
From angry kid to respected instructor, Revelation Martial Arts head instructor John Sawatzky turned his passion for martial arts into a thriving outlet for people of all ages and walks of life.
“Bullied, and being smaller, I knew I had to figure out how to get stronger,” Sawatzky shares. “Martial arts will do that. You’ll get into better shape. I was learning how to fight, learning that I had the skills and could actually, potentially hurt somebody, and that alone taught me that I didn’t actually want to go out and hurt anybody. It gave me confidence and discipline.”
Sawatzky has trained in martial arts on and off for the past 30 years, including achieving black belts in Ninjutsu and Jiu Jitsu. He opened Revelation Martial Arts opened in Steinbach in 2011. Forever the student himself, he credits his students for fueling his desire to grow and learn, and invites all ages, all genders, and all abilities to come by and give martial arts a try.
“We get it - when you first start, it’s scary,” Sawatzky notes. “I had a student say that it wasn’t her first time coming to the gym, but it was her first time coming through the door- she would wait in her car and be too scared to come inside. And once she finally got inside, she said she couldn’t believe it took her so long. I’ve also had a business man many years back that dealt with millions and millions of dollars with no problems - his first time on the mat, he was vibrating he was so nervous.”
He encourages anyone with even the slightest interest in martial arts to just try it. You can schedule a quiet tour of the facilities, a private session, or watching from the sidelines. Although, Sawatzky notes, those who choose to watch rarely spend the whole class doing so.
“Most of the time when they sit and watch, they’re only there for a little while… and then they’re on the mats. They just can’t help it, because it looks so fun,” Sawatzky notes. "I hear People say they don’t want to start because they don’t know anything. And I’m like, well, that’s where every black belt started,” Sawatzky says.
It’s a simple and flexible process- all you need to do it show up, flag down an instructor, share your goals, and get started. He emphasizes that you won’t find better instructors anywhere else, and says that they are all great people both on and off the mats.
Revelation Martial Arts offers Jiu Jitsu, Kickboxing, Judo, Ninjutsu, Taekwondo, and Wrestling Classes. Participants come from all walks of life- whatever your age or fitness level, you’ll find a community that fits at Revelation Martial Arts.
For more information or to sign up for your free trial, visit the Revelation Martial Arts website.