Today we’d like to introduce you to Lowell Johnson.
Lowell, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My martial arts story didn’t begin in a gym. It began in an incubator.
Born three months premature in 1964 The year of the Dragon, and fighting pneumonia through my first six months of life, I learned early that breath is not guaranteed. Survival came before discipline. Resilience came before technique. Long before I ever tied a belt, I was learning how to live.
In the 1970s, while other kids watched cartoons, I watched all the Rocky movies and the television series Kung Fu like was my favorite. The quiet monk who helped people along the journey. I practiced what I could from library books, mimicked movements my cousin picked up from his Minneapolis’s Sefu Mark’s Southern Praying Mantis Shaolin Kung Fu school. I trained alone with imagination as my back-yard. I didn’t know it then, but I was already walking the warrior’s path.
Formal training didn’t come until age thirty-three, when I stepped under the guidance of Master Kevin Kastelle. In 2001, I earned my black belt, but more importantly, I learned a truth that would define my journey: “it’s not about how hard you hit, it’s about how hard you can be hit and still move forward! That’s how winning is done.” To quote Rocky Belboa.
That belief carried me through competition, including a gold medal in Olympic-style sparring at the USTU Nationals in 1999, and into service as a certified referee and instructor. I trained under legendary teachers, including Supreme Grand Master Byung Yul Lee, and an unassuming Aikido instructor named Vasle, who taught me that belts don’t define us, principles do.
Then came the moment that ends many stories. A severe injury in Sandstone, Minnesota shattered my ocular socket and ended my tournament sparring career. But the art didn’t leave me, and I didn’t leave it. In December 2014, I was awarded my fifth-degree master’s certificate, from the Professional Karate Association, and registered my Black Belt with the international TaeKwonDo organization called Kukkiwan marking not just years of training, but a deeper understanding of restraint, purpose, and responsibility.
One year later, in December 2015, I opened East Central Martial Arts in Pine City, Minnesota.
The school was never about producing fighters. It was about building people. Our philosophy is simple: peace through knowledge, strength through discipline, and confidence rooted in character. Today, our doors are open Monday through Thursday to students of all ages, guided by the belief that martial arts is not a destination, it’s a meaningful walk.
We train, we breathe, we grow. Because every day you step onto the mat is a gift. And the journey, if you honor it, never truly ends.
Master
Lowell Johnson
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
No. Growth never is.
Martial arts teaches you quickly that the greatest threat isn’t failure, it’s injury. Our school’s first two rules are simple: protect yourself, and protect each other. I learned that the hard way. Injuries are the number one reason people leave the arts, and I’ve seen talented students disappear not from lack of will, but from bodies pushed past wisdom.
That reality shaped how East Central Martial Arts was built. We train for longevity, not ego. Technique over force. Awareness over aggression. The goal is not to win today at the cost of tomorrow, but to keep walking the path a healthy, capable, and grounded community member, year after year. In the end, the struggle isn’t about how hard you train. It’s about how well you learn to help others.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
My Work: Martial Arts as a Living Craft
At its core, my work is the careful shaping of people through movement, discipline, and intent. I specialize in teaching martial arts as we express our art through techniques and movements. where tradition is respected, and creativity is expressed through control rather than chaos. Every stance, strike, and breath is treated as a form of intent, not just a physical action.
What I strive for, is building systems that last. My teaching emphasizes traditional Tae Kwon Do, with efficiency, safety, and adaptability. This allowing students to grow without breaking themselves in the process. I focus on fundamentals refined over time. A motto you will hear me say “strong tea steeps long.” These principles translate across styles, ages, and abilities. This isn’t a fast-food martial arts. It’s slow craft, built with patience and purpose.
What I’m most proud of is the culture we’ve created. East Central Martial Arts produces confident, disciplined individuals who understand restraint as deeply as power. My students don’t just learn just how to move, they learn why they move, how to read space, manage fear, and act with intention.
What sets us apart is that we don’t chase spectacle or ego. We value longevity over flash, mastery over shortcuts, and personal growth over trophies. In a world that rewards noise, we teach precision. In a culture of excess, we teach balance. That commitment to martial arts as both discipline and creative expression, is what defines east Central martial Arts.
What do you like and dislike about the city?
What We Love—and Struggle With—in Pine City
Pine City, the county seat of Pine County, carries a rare balance. We are rural at heart, surrounded by agriculture, open land, and a pace of life that still allows people to know one another. That is a blessing. It grounds us. It reminds us where effort comes from and why community still matters.
At the same time, rural life brings real challenges. Limited population means fewer resources, fewer options, and a smaller pool of public residents to draw from. Growth is slower here, and opportunity often requires more patience and creativity than it would in a larger city.
But that same closeness is what makes Pine City special. As a small, family-owned dojo, we don’t just teach members—we know them. We watch kids grow up, parents grow stronger, and friendships form across generations. Our students become more than classmates. They become part of our family.
What I like most about Pine City is that sense of belonging. What I like least is that it takes more work to sustain something meaningful here. But maybe that’s the point. The things worth building usually do.
Pricing:
- No long term contracts
- No auto billing
- Never pay when your not here!
- single member monthly access
- $80.00
