Karate teacher Jesus Flores is also a lifelong learner

He was the “Karate Kid” back in the 1970s in Oxnard.

Jesus Flores, 56, continues to learn a variety of styles since he earned his ninth-degree black belt in Kenpo Karate.

His brother Refugio, now 55, became a world champion kickboxer and a member of the Ventura County Sports Hall of Fame in 1987.

It was older brother Rene Flores who invested in karate lessons for his two brothers.

Over the years, Jesus Flores has had a strong passion for teaching. The avid learner added to his knowledge from the late Ed Parker, who was the man behind Kenpo Karate. Since Parker died in 1990, Flores has tried to learn different styles of martial arts from the best instructors around.

“I don’t know what else to teach you,” Flores says, quoting what other standout teachers have told him.

“Since Parker passed away, I think on my own and know the answers,” said Flores.

Flores wife Lori said her husband has stayed true to teaching Kenpo Karate.

“I don’t water it down,” he said.

“There’s no instructor in Kenpo to learn under,” he said because they have either retired or passed away.

Flores and fellow studio instructor Craig Husband have been learning Filipino martial arts once a week from Dan Inosanto of Marina del Rey. Inosanto is best known as a student of the late Bruce Lee.

Flores has been training under Inosanto for the past 17 years and Husband joined Flores in the sessions 2½ years ago.

Flores remembers in the early days, there was a tiny karate studio in Oxnard and Tracy’s Karate Studio on Main Street. Flores trained under Paul Wagner back then.

By 1977, the Flores brothers bought their own school, and several of their own alumni, Elgin Betancourt in Santa Paula and Paul Perce in Fillmore, are owners of Kenpo Karate studios. Betancourt, Perce and Husband are all seventh-degree black belts under Flores, who has promoted 100 in-house black belts.

“He’s definitely been a big inspiration,” said Perce, 42. “I’ve enjoyed working, training and learning from him.”

Flores led a seminar in Fillmore on Saturday for youth and adults in Kenpo Karate. Participants came from Santa Paula, Fillmore, Newbury Park and as far away as Lompoc.

Flores also has a second-degree black belt in Kali Karate, stick and sword fighting for Filipino Martial Arts.

Oxnard’s Serena Mumford has 100 months of perfect attendance and is one of the teens with a first-degree black belt.

Christina Clare was 7 when she took up karate and five years later had her black belt. The 15-year-old is a second-degree black belt.

Lori Flores said her father Neal Hendricks was 78 when he studied Filipino Martial Arts to help with his flexibility in 2010. Hendricks passed away last year.

Dennis Ruiz of Oxnard was serving in the Navy when he earned of one of the first black belts with the Flores brothers in 1982.

Oxnard’s Florence England was celebrating with a brown belt at 86 in 1997, A hip injury 10 years ago ended her training days. The inspirational lady who would walk to the studio continues to enjoy life at 100.

Saad Fahouri has been with the studio since 2003, He’s a 16-year-old second-degree black belt instructor.

Minh Mach is a fourth-degree black belt with 20 years experience with the studio.

“All the instructors volunteer their time to teach the students,” said Lori Flores.

Tony Garcia was teaching Jesus Flores back in the 1970s and has returned to the school where he has achieved a first brown belt in Filipino martial arts.

John Moreno, a sixth-degree black belt, is another instructor with 30 years training at the studio. David Gooding is another instructor with nearly 20 years experience and Esteban Lopez is a first-degree black belt teacher.

Michael Crawford is a fourth-degree black belt and another instructor Marissa Mach, Minh’s wife, met her husband doing lessons at the studio.

“There have been so many good people involved with us over the years,” said Flores.

Jesus and Lori spend six days a week at the studio, Other instructors volunteer to give them a day each week to get away from the business.

It was two years ago when Ventura County Supervisor John Zaragoza gave Flores a proclamation for his dedication to Karate and the community.