Today we’d like to introduce you to Marine Barseghian
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I come from a very traditional culture and family where girls have their place in the home and are expected to act within typical societal expectations of the “female norm”. So you can imagine my family’s displeasure when at age 10, I expressed an obsessive interest in karate and begged my mom to join martial arts.
My brother had begun training in October of 1998 in a small Armenian community center right here in Pasadena, where we lived and grew up. Everyday, he’d come home from training, take off his karate uniform, and before it had the chance to hit the floor I’d grab it and put it on. I would start doing “karate moves” and act like I was fighting off imaginary bad guys… like my idol, Xena! Yes, the warrior princess! I was always a tomboy, no girlie anything about me, absolutely detested the color pink, girlie dresses, playing with girls or dolls, etc. A good time to me was running around barefoot outside, riding bikes, playing basketball or football with the guys, climbing trees and the roof of our house. I’d wrestle with my dad and brother and at times, when things got too rough, my dad would sit me out because I was “a girl”. I didn’t care for that! I wanted in. I wanted to fight. I wanted to roughhouse! I was always a very physically active child.
In December of 1998, my parents gave in and let me go to karate with my brother. It was the beginning of my journey in a life of martial arts. Since starting 26 years ago, my younger brother and I have been training together and tested for every belt together as training partners.
Currently, we’re the two highest ranking black belts in the Pasadena studio under the direct instruction of Associate Master Antranig Parseghian, Senior Master Jeff Speakman’s highest ranking black belt worldwide.
The cultural stereotype took a stronger hold when I turned 18 years old and was asked by my paternal grandmother if I would be stopping “this karate thing” now that I am a woman. After all, I need to focus on getting married and having children……because what else am I as a woman made for? My answer to her and to everyone who asked me such questions was “No, I won’t stop. I am not put on this earth to solely marry and have kids, I have a passion and a talent and I’m going to keep doing it until I can’t do it any longer”. It wasn’t the answer they’d hoped for, in fact to answer them back at all was in and of itself breaking the glass ceiling. But I had, without realizing, gained a confidence and a sense of strong self through the martial arts that I never thought I would. To speak out against my cultural norms and go against the grain of what a woman can and should do, never in a million years did I think I’d be the one to set that precedent amongst the generation gap of my family.
After a few years into starting my training, I began helping run the Pasadena studio, teaching classes and learning the administrative side. The journey has been nothing short of amazing, having traveled the world teaching and learning martial arts and getting to do what I love. Meeting people from all types of cultures and backgrounds is incredible, and to be able to share the martial arts with all of them, and get to see a world beyond my own little bubble here in Pasadena completely opened my eyes and I was hooked. THIS is how I wanted to live my life!
I am thankful for my parents who, begrudgingly at first, not only allowed me to step into this world but also support my passion for it and advocate for me to continue this as a lifestyle far beyond the intended hobby of a little girl who loved to fight. I would not be here today in this world of Kenpo 5.0 as a 6th Degree black belt in a worldwide organization under Senior Master Jeff Speakman, had it not been for my stubborn pursuit of becoming and doing more in my life than just what was expected of me as an Armenian woman.
I hope my story finds someone who is struggling with similar stereotypes and expectations, so they know they can break the glass ceiling too! I was just a 10-year-old little kid who loved to play with the boys, who didn’t want to take piano lessons or do traditional dance. I am forever grateful I found this organization and this art, or rather that it found me! My life has forever changed because of it and I’m eternally grateful that I get to live out the rest of it doing what I truly love.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has not been a very smooth road at times. I found myself struggling to balance the duties of motherhood and a martial artist later in my career. Wanting to be perfect at both, I had to at times, give way to one or the other realizing I am not superwoman. My children came first for me always, so being a good mom was at the forefront of my responsibilities. But I never let go of the desire to be great at martial arts, so when my kids grew up and I had more time to focus on my passion again, that’s when I really found my stride. I’m thankful they are also training now and understand the commitment it takes to do what we do. They forgive me my shortcomings as a mother and hopefully look up to me as a martial artist.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
I am so incredibly proud to be one of the owners of the JSK 5.0 Pasadena studio, with my husband Anto Parseghian. We have built an amazing community of members who represent the Jeff Speakman organization with pride. We teach martial arts to ages 4+ and have been a staple in the Pasadena community since 1997! We are all about self-defense, respect, discipline, and teaching the youth values, commitment, and determination.
We are part of a franchise organization, with Master Jeff Speakman at the helm, where there are over 50 schools worldwide in 15 countries. The amount of people our martial arts family gets to meet, influence, and help is outstanding. I’ve never seen an organization that cares more about its school owners and practitioners.
The common goal is to inspire and better the lives of everyone we meet through the martial arts. With Master Speakman’s endless wisdom and kind spirit to lead us, we know we are set on a path of making the world a little better than we found it.
We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
Personally, most people may not know or see that although I am a martial artist and have been a “tomboy” all my life, I have very feminine and traditional qualities as well. I wear dresses and cook and clean! Sometimes kids see me outside of the studio and can’t believe I’m wearing a dress!
And if I didn’t pursue a life in martial arts, I would have studied psychology.
Professionally, what people may not realize about our brand is that it began with Master Speakman and my husband, Anto, in Lake Arrowhead, California. They decided it was going to be the two of them doing this art of Kenpo and whoever would like, can join or not. Fast forward to today, little did they both know that it would turn into a franchise organization worldwide with over 50 schools in 15 countries and still growing…..
Pricing:
- $209/month for 2 classes per week
- $249/month for unlimited classes per week
- $80-$150/hour for hourly private lessons
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.jeffspeakmanpasadena.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jsk5.0pasadena/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JeffSpeakmanKenpo1
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Hyekenpo7
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/jeff-speakmans-kenpo-5-0-pasadena-2?osq=Jeff+Speakman%27s+Kenpo+5.0
Image Credits
Angela Medina Photography
Chris Hori Photography
Touch of Art Photo
