Martial Arts: Thompson Brings Gold To Fort Smith
Martial arts, namely Brazilian jiu-jitsu, simply doesn’t have the same appeal as the mainstream sports children grow up participating in today.
But Christopher and Carolyn Thompson of the Thompson Defense Academy, 6421 US 271 in Fort Smith, are doing all they can do to rid of that stigma, and they’re succeeding.
The brother-sister duo teach an assortment of martial arts classes in the studio they’ve occupied since March 2014. Taekwondo, kickboxing and Brazilian jiu-jitsu classes are offered to people of all ages, shapes and sizes.
Christopher has made a name for himself outside of teaching classes, however. In September, he attended and competed in the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation Open in Dallas, and walked away a winner in his very first tournament.
“I trained here for a while in-between teaching classes, and went down (to Dallas), had four people in my class and got matched up with one guy who was out of Texas,” he said. “I was able to submit him in the first couple of minutes, and that sent me to the finals.”
Once in the finals, Thompson was unable to submit his opponent, but he was declared the winner of the match by referee’s decision based on his continuously aggressive effort.
“I had built up so much lactic acid in my forearms from holding this guy for five minutes. It’s five minutes of continuous pulling, attacking and working your whole body. It’s fun,” he said laughing.
“A few weeks ago he competed at the master’s level because it’s pretty much like rank, belt color and body weight is matched to your division,” Carolyn said of her brother. “He had two matches total and did very well.”
Christopher is originally from Dardanelle, about an hour and a half drive down I-40 East, and while he’s not training, working out or teaching classes at the TDA studio, he travels to Russellville to train with his own coach.
Around a decade ago he began Taekwondo and worked at it for four years while also mixing in some kickboxing. And toward the end of his Taekwondo career, he picked up jiu-jitsu, and has been getting into the gym to train more often than he used to.
“I was off and on for a while, but the last few years I’ve been good about being consistent in the gym and working out,” he said.
Not only has Christopher gotten more in sync with working out and perfecting his techniques, he has brought nothing but positive notoriety and publicity for the family-owned defense academy.
“It provides a foundation in the area and shows that it’s not how shiny the gym is, not how expensive the gym is, it’s your dedication to one thing and the medals kind of resemble that,” he said. “I’ve done the cardio, lifted the weights, taught the class and my students help me prepare and when I’m outside of class my family is pushing me.”
Carolyn, who got her start in martial arts while in graduate school at Oklahoma State and got hooked by watching the likes of Bruce Lee movies, has been right behind her brother supporting him.
Christopher’s son, Isiah, also assists in teaching classes, takes classes and is progressing very quickly through the various levels of Taekwondo and jiu jitsu.
For Christopher, bringing the gold medal in the master’s level competition in Dallas back to Fort Smith was a huge accomplishment. But he’s not content. He’s only just started.
“When you’re able to stand on the podium and get a medal, you know, this is the payoff, and it provides a good ceiling to show everybody the potential they can have when we all work together as a team and push each other,” he said.