From Struggling Student to Martial Arts Head Instructor: Professor Beane’s Journey
When Your Child Isn’t the “Natural Athlete”—And Why That Might Be the Best Thing That Ever Happened
If you’re a parent in Bradley, Bourbonnais, or Kankakee watching your child struggle while other kids seem to pick things up effortlessly, this story is for you.
Maybe your child is the one standing on the sidelines during games, the one who needs extra help with coordination, or the one who gets picked on because they’re smaller than their peers. Maybe you’ve wondered if martial arts could help—but you’re worried they’ll fall behind or feel discouraged.
In Episode 4 of The Tri-Star Podcast, Professor Duane Brumitt sits down with Professor Chris Beane, the head instructor at Tri-Star Martial Arts Academy in Bradley, IL, to share a story that will change how you think about your child’s potential forever.
Because Professor Beane wasn’t a natural athlete. He wasn’t the kid who picked things up quickly. He was the one who had to stay after class to practice while other students played games.
And today? He’s a master instructor who’s been teaching martial arts for over 26 years—the only career he’s ever known.
Want to dive deeper or listen on your favorite platform? Click here to listen or watch this episode on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube!
The 11-Year-Old Who Needed Confidence – Martial Arts Helped
Chris Beane started martial arts at age 11 for the same reasons many Bradley-area parents bring their kids to Tri-Star today: he was small for his age, he was getting bullied at school, and he needed confidence.
“I got picked on a fair bit in grade school and middle school,” Professor Beane shares in the episode. “My parents thought martial arts was a good idea.”
His first class was a “street clothes night” at the studio. He remembers doing roundhouse kicks with his partner, Trinity Stewart, and feeling the energy of the room. But what stood out most wasn’t how easy it was—it was how challenging it felt.
“I was not naturally gifted at martial arts by any stretch,” he admits. “A lot of times the kids were playing games, and I didn’t always play the game. When I got out early, I would stand to the side and review and rehearse the things that everybody else already had down.”
While other students were having fun, Chris was putting in extra work just to keep up.
And that made all the difference.
The Student Who Worked While Others Played – Martial Arts Journey
As Chris progressed through the ranks at Tri-Star’s Bradley location, something became clear: he wasn’t going to coast on talent. He was going to have to earn every belt.
Between green belt and green-with-white belt, he joined Black Belt Club (now called the Leadership Program). At the time, Tri-Star was transitioning to its current location at 275 N Industrial Dr in Bradley, IL—and Chris was right there, soaking up every lesson.
By the time he was a brown belt, he joined Storm Team, Tri-Star’s special team of role models who assist with classes and mentor younger students.
“I really liked being at the school,” he says. “I liked being there with the people. Being on Storm Team gave me an opportunity to be at the school more, to interact with more people, and to share that passion.”
At age 14, Chris was hired as an instructor—his first job, and the only job he’s ever had.
But here’s what most people don’t see: Chris wasn’t the best student in his class. He wasn’t the most flexible, the fastest learner, or the most coordinated.
He was the most dedicated.
The Scale Story: Why Grit Beats Talent Every Time
Professor Brumitt shares a powerful analogy in the episode that every parent needs to hear—especially if you’re comparing your child to others in class.
Imagine two students start martial arts at the same time.
Student A comes in at a Level 6—naturally talented, picks things up quickly, looks great from day one. By the time they test for black belt, they’re at a Level 7. They’ve improved, but not by much. Natural talent carried them.
Student B (Chris Beane) comes in at a Level 3—struggles with coordination, needs extra practice, has to work twice as hard. By black belt, they’re at a Level 6. Then by second-degree black belt, they’re at a Level 8. By third-degree, they’re at a Level 9 or 10.
Who improved the most?
Student A went from 6 to 7—a one-point improvement.
Student B went from 3 to 9—a six-point improvement.
“Usually people that have natural talent don’t have the grit to improve because they’re riding on their talent,” Professor Brumitt explains. “But when you have to work for everything, you develop the discipline and mindset that carries you far beyond where talent alone can take you.”
The naturally talented student plateaued. The struggling student became a master.
Curious to hear more examples and stories? Listen or watch this episode now—available on all major platforms.
The Lesson for Bradley Parents: Stop Comparing
If you’re sitting in the lobby at Tri-Star’s Bradley studio watching your child and thinking, “Why can’t they do it as well as that kid?”—you’re missing the point.
Professor Beane shares a quote from psychologist Jordan Peterson that changed his perspective: “Don’t compare yourself to somebody else today—compare yourself to who you were yesterday.”
As a parent, your job isn’t to measure your child against the student next to them. Your job is to notice their progress:
- Are they more confident than they were last month?
- Are they trying harder, even when it’s difficult?
- Are they showing up and refusing to quit?
“When you’re watching your kid, don’t compare your child to the other children in class,” Professor Beane advises. “See where they were yesterday compared to where they are today. That is the right way to look at it.”
Because the backstory matters. You don’t know where the other kids started. You don’t know what challenges they’ve faced. But you do know your child’s journey—and that’s the only one that counts.
How Parents Can Reinforce Martial Arts Values at Home
One of the most powerful insights from the episode is the role Chris’s parents played in his success.
“My parents continually reminded me: ‘Are you doing things that Mr. Brumitt would approve of? Do I need to call Mr. Brumitt?’” he recalls. “They reinforced what was happening on the mat at home.”
Here’s how Bradley-area parents can do the same:
1. Use the language from class. When your child holds the door open for someone, say, “That’s exactly what a leader does.” When they show respect to a sibling, tie it back to the studio: “That’s the discipline we talk about at Tri-Star.”
2. Don’t allow a quitting mentality. Chris’s parents never put quitting on the table. “Quitting school wasn’t on the docket. Quitting martial arts wasn’t on the docket. It just wasn’t something we talked about.”
3. Praise effort, not just results. When your child works hard in class—even if they don’t get it perfect—acknowledge the grit. “I saw you keep trying even when it was hard. That’s what matters.”
This bridges the gap between martial arts being something your child does and something they are—a martial artist with confidence, discipline, and character.
From Struggling Student to Master Instructor
By the time Chris was 19 or 20, Professor Brumitt offered him the position of head instructor at Tri-Star’s Bradley location.
“I said, ‘Yeah, I’d like that,’” Chris remembers. “And that’s all he needed.”
But Chris admits he had no idea what he was signing up for.
“I was so naive thinking you just stand there and do karate,” he laughs. “It involves so much more.”
Over the years, Chris has developed skills far beyond kicks and punches:
- Reading body language and emotions
- Connecting with students across different ages and personalities
- Managing time, quality of instruction, and team dynamics
- Teaching with empathy, patience, and emotional intelligence
“There’s psychology, communication, management—all kinds of skills at play in just a regular class,” he explains.
And those skills? He now uses them with his own children.
“The skills my students allowed me to learn—how to connect on an emotional level, how to read people—I get to use with my kids,” he says. “Without martial arts, I would have had to learn those things with my kids. But I already had that skill set ready to go.”
The First 540 Roundhouse Kick—By Accident
Here’s a fun fact: Professor Beane was the first student at Tri-Star to land a 540 roundhouse kick—a spinning jump kick that requires incredible coordination and timing.
And he did it by accident.
“I wasn’t trying to do that,” he laughs. “But because of the grit, the hard work, the focus—I was able to do things I didn’t even know I was capable of.”
He’s also not naturally flexible. “My daughter can put her feet on two chairs and have her butt touch the ground. I am nowhere near that flexible. I’m flexible because I stretch and force myself to continually be flexible.”
His talent isn’t physical ability. His talent is grit: the ability to see a goal and do whatever work is necessary to achieve it.
And that’s a talent that can be developed in any child—including yours.
Why the “Struggling” Students Often Become the Greatest Success Stories
If your child is struggling in martial arts—or in life—don’t panic. Don’t compare them to others. Don’t assume they’re “not cut out for it.”
Because the students who struggle early are often the ones who develop the grit, discipline, and resilience that lead to the greatest success.
Professor Beane is living proof.
He started as a bullied 11-year-old who wasn’t naturally talented. He had to work harder than everyone else just to keep up. But 26 years later, he’s the head instructor at Tri-Star Martial Arts Academy in Bradley, IL—a master of his craft, a mentor to hundreds of students, and a father who uses martial arts principles to raise confident, disciplined kids.
“Anything I have now, I know was not a God-given talent,” he says. “The talent God gave me was the ability to work and to see a goal and do the work to get there.”
Ready to Give Your Child the Gift of Grit?
If you’re a parent in Bradley, Bourbonnais, or Kankakee and you want your child to develop the confidence, discipline, and resilience that will serve them for life—even if they’re not a “natural athlete”—we’d love to meet you.
Tri-Star Martial Arts Academy offers a FREE 2-week trial (four classes) so your child can experience what it’s like to be part of a program that values effort over talent, progress over perfection, and grit over natural ability.
Visit us at:
Tri-Star Martial Arts Academy
275 N Industrial Dr, Bradley, IL
Click here to claim your free trial: tristarkarate.com
Because your child doesn’t need to be the most talented kid in the room. They just need to be willing to show up, work hard, and refuse to quit.
And we’ll be right there with them every step of the way.
Listen to Episode 4 of The Tri-Star Podcast to hear the full conversation between Professor Duane Brumitt and Professor Chris Beane—and discover why comparing your child to others misses the point entirely.
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