Name of business: Unleash It Martial Arts

Type of business: Martial arts school

Location: 2247 Geer Rd., Turlock

Hours: 3:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 5:15 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday

Contact information: 209-277-8542

Specialty: Self-defense and fitness

History of business:

It was less than five years ago that Unleash It Martial Arts owner Joey Moser realized his lifelong dream of opening his own karate school, and now the business has already moved on to bigger and better things.

Unleash It upgraded to a bigger location on Geer Road to start 2020, moving from their smaller, former home on East Canal Drive into a bigger studio that provides 600 more square feet. The school previously shared a hallway with other businesses, like Gymnastics Unlimited, but now shares a spacious parking lot with the likes of Olde Tyme Pastries, Dale’s Guitar and more.

“It’s a bigger spot. It’s been awesome,” Moser said. “We’re less distracted. There’s not as many people walking in and out from gymnastics, so now we’re in our own world which is nice.”

Self-defense, physical health and a strong body and mind are key components to Moser’s practices at his nontraditional karate school, where he offers group classes and private lesson programs for men, women and children with instructors that offer cutting edge classes to improve overall health.

Moser prides himself on teaching a little differently and including aspects that he feels improves the atmosphere compared to traditional karate schools. Classes at Unleash It include endurance type exercises that involve cardio, but still allow the kids to learn self-defense and empower themselves by getting a stronger body and mind that translates to martial arts.

“We stick to the big three: energy, mobility and strength. Some people do it for health and attitude, other kids do it for flexibility and fitness, and other kids do it to be strong,” Moser said.

While self-defense is one of the core concepts at Unleash It, Moser’s classes also help students — no matter what their age is — learn to understand the consequences of movement.

“I think some parents think it makes their kids meaner, but it’s the opposite. It makes them nicer and it creates empathy,” Moser said. “It gives them respect for movement and helps them learn that things hurt. It does that to them naturally.”

For those that are curious about martial arts but may have their doubts, Moser insists that seeing is believing.

“Don’t call, come check it out for yourself,” he said. “Don’t listen to what people tell you — believe what you see.”