Meet Mr. Lujan

Taekwondo is more than a sport to Santi Lujan. It impacts who he is as a person, it has shaped him into who he is today. Before taekwondo he had no discipline, never listening to what his parents told him to do. He didn’t understand the meaning of integrity- doing the right thing even when no one is watching. He thought he could do whatever he wanted whenever he wanted, and taekwondo taught him to respect others and always do the right thing. 

For a long time he was not sure who he was as a person. Through the years of training, he now has the strength to be at peace with who he is and it “means everything to him”. He believes in himself more every day because of the skills learned through taekwondo classes. His confidence has soared, starring in school plays and now earning his blue collar. Mr. Lujan teaches classes all on his own and inspires the students he works with. 

Training since he was four years old, classes are a second home to him. It’s the community that he loves. The relationships and support from his fellow students and his instructors ignite the excitement he feels when he walks into the dojang every day. He loves the feeling of teaching something new to a kid, the look on their face, and the way they light up when they understand and it clicks for them. 

Before taekwondo, Mr. Lujan had trouble paying attention and focusing on anything. He struggled in school and had no respect for his teachers. Since starting martial arts he now excels in school and has a profound respect for his peers and authority figures, especially his parents whom he cherishes. He has graduated with honors from his high school and now attends the Colorado School of Mines. 

Getting his black belt was the greatest accomplishment of his life. The journey and struggle to get there changed who he is as a person. It was the most “enriching” feeling he had ever had. To tie on the black belt with a brand-new uniform, felt like he achieved greatness. Taekwondo made his life better in every way, and he plans on taking in as much as he can, learning something new at every opportunity. Mr. Lujan teaches Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at Mueller’s Martial Arts. He is a captain of the Competition Team, blue collar, second degree black belt, leads classes, and inspires everyone that he meets. To learn more about our program, click here.