Martial arts, by definition, is a sport where fighting skills are focused on combat and self-defense, in a variety of styles. However, at Revolution Martial Fitness (RMF for short), martial arts takes on an additional meaning. Owner Sensei Paul Castagno who is not only a 5th Degree Black Belt, but also founded RMF about 15 years ago, has dedicated himself to helping students strive to be a positive influence on others the moment they’re “out of the dojo” and  “into the world”. 

“I really wanted to have a huge focus on the personal  development piece when it comes to the martial arts,” Pauls explains when we sat down to talk about the broader meaning to martial arts, “it’s self-defense against things that could harm you, like apathy or sedentary lifestyle or a lack of resiliency.” The school purposefully focuses on “the development of the whole person” and Paul further explains how he “wanted to put something unique and overall, to really elevate the image of the martial arts as a whole.” This message is exemplified by the meaningful 5-minute talks held at the end of each class to help students to really look into themselves and consider the effect of their actions.

Being a sensei is a kind of profession that comes with its own set of responsibilities that are unique to the martial arts world.  “As a sensei, there is a level of accountability you don’t get from most professions. I have influence over the students, whether I wanted it or not, and in order for me to be the most positive influence I had to be the best version of myself.” Paul concludes that “it’s held me accountable for my own personal development.” 

“It takes a special mindset to be a business owner because no day is the same and you have to be adaptable and steadfast, ” Paul says, adding that he has a  “laundry list of challenges, but it allows me the opportunity to adapt and grow. In the beginning, he thought of himself as a just teacher and not really a business guy, but he’s been able to learn from trial and error. While teaching students and helping them hone their skills is Sensei Paul’s favorite part, he concedes that “I’ll do the accounting. I’ll do the cleaning. I wear many hats, and it’s not my favorite part, but I’ll do it because it’s what needs to be done to have a good quality school.” 

Many aspects of running a martial arts school are different in comparison to other businesses’ as there’s a much more personal connection between the students and instructors. For Sensei Paul “it’s a personality-driven business. The product is the classes, which end up being a reflection of the person on the mat,” but he adds that “It’s not a one-off transaction when you work with people. I’ve had students who train for 12 or 13 years and you develop a very tight relationship with people.” 

These close-knit relationships help create a culture that’s supportive of everyone, regardless of age or ability, more belovedly  known as the “RMF Family.” “We want to be part of the village. We want people to come in here and escape any negativity out there. They’re going to come in here and see people who are smiling, people who are excited to see them, and people who are ready to give it their all.” After further contemplation, he adds that “I’ve been very lucky to have that culture grow as the school grows.” 

Traditions at RMF include a yearly kindness challenge that promotes people to commit 10 acts of kindness, yearly food drives to give back to the community, Staffsgiving to show the staff how much they’re appreciated and belt promotion ceremonies where Pauls explains, “we try to make it a celebration for [the students] since they’ve worked so hard for their achievement.” 

When prompted about encouraging people to join martial arts, Paul starts with the “martial arts offers unique opportunities that a lot of activities don't offer. To the delight of many and simply put “there’s are no bench sitters in martial arts.” Sensei Paul confirms that “everybody participates equally, everybody gets 5-star service” and if someone’s looking to build on their skills he adds, “a lot of athletes supplement their sports training with martial arts because it offers a unique way to build your coordination, your strength, and your mobility.”

Getting more into depth about the benefits of doing martial arts, Paul comments, “To me, the most important part of training is the martial arts always finds a way to find the part of yourself that you struggle with the most. Whether it be your potential feeling of coordination or lack of confidence, it takes these things that could potentially hinder you in your life and allows you to work on them in an environment here people are supporting you and cheering you on.” He concludes with a powerful statement, “You get to become a better version of yourself through the training which I personally have not have many other activities that inherently do that.” 

When asked what inspired him to start the school, especially considering he opened RMF at the young age of 23, Paul says, “One day, I got a letter and a gift from a student. The parents wrote about how much of a positive role model I was on their child. I was really floored by that and I realized I could positively impact people doing something I really liked doing and maybe, even make a living at it.” It’s fair to say he’s made quite the living out of it with over 300 active members as of today, but for Paul, “at the end of the day, I’m at home on the mat.”