Certifications
- American Karate – Seventh-degree Black Belt (Grandmaster J. Pat Burleson & Iain Abernethy Sensei, World Combat Association)
- Aikido – First-degree Black Belt (Sensei Bill Sosa)
- Tae Kwon Do – Second-degree Black Belt (Grandmaster Seung Dong)
- Hapkido – First-degree Black Belt (Grandmaster S. Yang)
- Cane-Jitsu – Black Belt (Grandmaster Mark Shuey)
Biography
Christopher Folmar began his martial arts training in Hawaiian Jiu-Jitsu with his father when he was seven years old. After moving to Keller in 2001 he saw an opportunity to open a school where practical self-defense, fitness, and traditional martial arts blend to form a supportive community in the heart of Keller. American Defensive Arts Academy started in the Keller Senior Center in 2003 and was the first program offered at The Keller Pointe when the facility opened in 2004. For 20 years, Mr. Folmar has enjoyed working with the City of Keller to lead fun and challenging martial arts classes through the Parks and Recreation Department. Since American Defensive Arts Academy has been around for so long, he’s now training the children of some of the first young students he taught at the Senior Center decades ago!
His love of martial arts and the town of Keller drives how Mr. Folmar approaches teaching, “When people are laughing together, they are learning together.” He and Mr. Martinez believe that a strong sense of in-person group connection and positive reinforcement are more crucial than ever in our modern society where we live much of our lives online and apart.
The partnership with the Keller Pointe provides members and non-members alike a great place to train. Those members of the Keller Pointe can make use of the facility while their students are in class, and the Keller Pointe offers an easy-to-access location from anywhere in the Keller, Southlake, North Ft. Worth/Alliance, and Mid-Cities areas. When not teaching classes, Mr. Folmar leads technology development programs helping small and mid-sized businesses develop products and platforms for digital markets.
He and his wife, Robyn, have lived in Keller for more than 20 years and have one son at Keller High School and one KHS graduate who now attends Southern Methodist University studying Finance. You will find them cheering on the world-renowned Keller High School band program on the weekends (Go Big Blue!)