Charles McManus, Jr. owns Seven Star Martial Arts Academy, a new karate studio at 210 Main St.
He teaches Tang Soo Do karate to both adults and children.
The studio is affiliated with West Haven Academy of Karate.
Valley Independent Sentinel: How many years have you been teaching?
McManus: About ten years at Valley Karate in Shelton. I started as a greenbelt assisting with classes.
Valley Indy: What belt are you now?
McManus: I’m a second-degree black belt.
Valley Indy: Are you still training?
McManus: Yeah. I still consider myself a beginner. You train up to a black belt and then it seems like you start again because the training is different.
Valley Indy: Where do you train?
McManus: I train at Valley Karate where my instructor is or sometimes in West Haven Academy.
Valley Indy: So, I see on your posters that you teach TANG SOO DO style karate. Tell me about it.
McManus: It’s similar to taekwondo with Chinese influence but without so many tournaments. It focuses on the mental and physical aspect of the art.
Valley Indy: How young were you when you started training and why?
McManus: I started in 1993 when I was in the third grade at around age nine. My parents signed me up because I was really, really shy. It helped me with my shyness. It gets you out of your shell. You meet people and make friends.
Valley Indy: Did you watch “The Karate Kid?”
McManus: I just saw it recently. It’s very 1980s.
Valley Indy: Are you like Mr. Miyagi?
McManus: No.
Valley Indy: Why do most of the parents put their kids in the class?
McManus: Sometimes exercise, sometimes bullying, discipline — but actually mostly because it’s something to do.
Valley Indy: Have you seen a difference in just one month with the kids?
McManus: Yeah, their technique is better. They are more disciplined. They were scattered in the beginning and are now more focused.
Valley Indy: You’re not throwing them on the ground and putting your foot on their chest to get them to listen, are you?
McManus: Nooo. I’m not that type of teacher. I use positive reinforcement.
Valley Indy: Jodie Mozdzer, a reporter at the Independent Sentinel, was telling me that she was thinking of taking a class because she has to go out at night. What tips can you give her?
McManus: The biggest thing to defend yourself is to be aware of what’s going on around you. When I teach self defense, I also teach awareness so you can avoid situations.
Valley Indy: Are you expecting women to sign up for your class?
McManus: I hope. I am putting together a women’s self defense class that will teach awareness and everything. I am still developing it so I am not sure if it will be a course or a weekly class.
