Descendant of the masters

For the students of the martial art Jeet Kune Do in Los Alamos, there are no fancy uniforms or fighting hall lined with weapons and instructor certificates or strict adherence to etiquette and “proper form.” Instead, these diehard practitioners gather at High Flyers Gymnastics to learn the economic, realistic, and often-devastating fighting system founded by one of the most famous martial artists of all time, Bruce Lee.

“And from there I fell hook, line, and sinker into everything about the martial arts.”

Guiding the adrenaline-pumping workouts is Lawrence Garcia, third-generation martial arts descendent of Bruce Lee. Soft-spoken and humble, intense and knowledgeable, Lawrence has decades of martial arts experience, having earned instructor-level ranks (black belts) in various fighting systems.

On the path toward mastery

Lawrence began studying martial arts when he was nine years old. “It was around that time that I first saw Enter the Dragon,” he laughs. “And from there I fell hook, line, and sinker into everything about the martial arts. I immediately started looking for a place to train.”

For several years Lawrence practiced Tang Soo Do, a Korean style taught at the Santa Clara Indian Reservation. While at this school, he participated in various fighting tournaments, which culminated in his qualifying for the Junior Olympics.

For the full interview, click here.