Business & Tech
Spears Tae Kwon Do Academy: Teaching a Way of Life
Grandmaster Larry Spears brings an "I can" attitude to Lemon Grove.
Tae kwon do (or taekwondo) is an ancient Korean martial art. Think of it as karate’s tougher cousin, because it employs many more jabs, punches, chops, blocking moves, and leaping kicks.
Larry Spears grew up poor in Houston’s Fifth Ward. To escape the dead-end poverty of that neighborhood at the time, he joined the Marines at age 17. Spears spent the next 27 years in the corps, and—lucky for us—ended up in San Diego.
The 7th-degree black belt grandmaster in tae kwon do moved his martial arts studio to Lemon Grove just over a year ago. Spears is an interesting and engaging fellow who is making a difference in his student’s lives. He’s not just showing them moves—he is teaching them to believe in themselves.
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“My goal is not to make them Olympic champions, but to make them champions in life,” Spears says.
He says it has been very rewarding to see many former students go on to college and have successful careers. He added, “For a lot of them, it was a new way of life.”
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His students range in age from 3 to 68 years old. Spears said he currently has about 125 enrolled for classes. In addition to tae kwon do, the martial arts studio offers Grappling, Zumba, and other body fitness disciplines.
The academy charges students a monthly fee of $110, which allows them to attend classes five days a week, if they wish. Spears says, “Just bring your ‘I can and I will’ attitude,” and he and his instructors will do the rest.
If you, or someone you know, want fun, confidence, focus, teamwork, and discipline, then this place may be a life changer.
Spears Taekwondo Academy (also known as Spears Academy of Martial Arts) is located at 2627 Lemon Grove Avenue, near the corner of Cypress Avenue. Classes are offered Monday through Friday from 4 p.m.–7 p.m., and every other Saturday from 10 a.m.–noon. Their website is under construction, so call the Academy at 619-638-5292 for more detailed schedule information and special offers. You can also send an e-mail to larry.spears@sbcglobal.net.
