Michael Paredas is far from your average salesman that works your traditional nine to five for five days a week. He currently has a new school opening up in Washington Township at the Bethany Community Center. While you might be thinking he provides students with business seminars and other useful information within the field he works in, his classes are quite different from what you would expect. Paredas actually hosts a karate school for all sizes and ages to attend in order to learn self-defense along with the art of the unarmed combat system.
In our interview, #HipNJ’s Lisa Marie Latino talked to Paredas about his love for the practice and how it has shaped his life today. Regarding how he began practicing karate, Paredas said, “I’ve always been interested in it. I’m a small guy, and its always been something on my mind. How do you protect yourself when you’re this big? Once I learned martial arts, I realized there’s so much attitude in it.”
Paredas, who also goes by Sensei Paredas, also noted that certain breathing techniques he learned in karate have helped him relax in everyday situations.
The school is not yet competing, but Paredas’s students have recently promoted from white belt to yellow belt.
His goals moving forward involve creating multiple schools and “bring self-defense to the forefront” for anybody. Paredas said, “If you watch the news and see what’s going on…I always say to myself, ‘Boy, if that person knew some basic self-defense, they could’ve saved their life.’”
If you’re interested in learning more about Paredas and/or joining his karate class, visit warriormartialarts.net or call (551)-404 -2043!
