Today we’d like to introduce you to Michael Eichenberg.
Michael, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I began training in martial arts 40 years ago. I spent most of my martial arts training in Ninjutsu. My former teacher Stephen K. Hayes is a Black Hall of Fame Member and viewed by many as the Western world’s foremost authority on the ninja.
I joined the USMC after high school and served as a Security Forces Team Leader. Upon getting out of the service, I attended and graduated from ESI, Executive Security International and later became an executive protection agent for a multi-billionaire and his family. I also spent time on an armed response team at a nuclear facility in MI.
After opening Warrior’s Edge Martial Arts, I began teaching at Naperville Central High School as their self-defense expert. I was a part of their program for eleven years. I have also taught self-defense to all of DuPage, Kane, Kendall and DeKalb county probation officers as well as a group of undercover agents for the ATF.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
The road to success was not easy. It took many years to earn the reputation we have in Naperville as the premier martial arts school for self-defense. When we moved to our current location the economy went into recession. This made the first few years very difficult but we persevered by providing quality training and caring about every student.
Opening a self-defense school in the city that has been named the safest place to live in the US for its population size was a hard obstacle to overcome. Educating the public on why self-defense is an important skill not only for themselves but for their children became a decade long endeavor. The unstable state of the world today has made it much easier to get our point across that self-defense is for everyone.
When Warrior’s Edge was founded in 2005 we had 50 students. Today we have around 200 students.
Please tell us about Warrior’s Edge Martial Arts.
Warrior’s Edge teaches the martial art of Aiki Ninjutsu. This translates as the art of perseverance through harmonious interaction. This system teaches powerful strikes, throws, joint locks, take downs, ground fighting, historical weapons training, modern weapon defenses, how to deal with multiple attackers and most importantly how to achieve your goals and live a happy and fulfilling life. All of our training teaches how to use your attacker’s energy against them instead of trying to overpower them. This makes the art work for students of all ages and sizes.
At Warrior’s Edge, the emphasis is on self-protection and self-perfection. We develop leaders and protectors not fighters. We are very proud that our school has as many adults as it does kids. This is a testament to the curriculum being for students of all ages and that the skills are ones that serve a practical purpose and not just exercise and sport.
We have classes for kids 4-7 years old called Ninja Rangers. These classes focus on how to stand strong, punches, kicks, how to fall safely, how to avoid being hit and how to escape when grabbed by an adult predator.
Our Warrior Women Empowerment for Life Self-Defense Classes are 8 week courses for an hour per week that are taught by women for women only.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
If I had a chance to start all over again, I would spend some more time on learning marketing and graphic design. These are the two areas that I most lack in. It is always a challenge to find new ways to market to the public.
Pricing:
- We offer an introductory special that is $99 for 6 weeks of group classes.
Contact Info:
- Address: Cress Creek Square Shopping Center
790 Royal St., George Drive, Ste. 106
Naperville, IL 60563 - Website: thewarriorsedge.com
- Phone: (630) 416-1946
- Email: thewarriorsedge@sbcglobal.net
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WarriorsEdge
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