About Us

You might be like most of the students that want to join Glendale Fighting Club. You may have been bullied in school and it had a negative impact o your self-esteem and mental well being. You are an immigrant and came from a culture where martial arts are a important part of daily life and want to join our studio as a way to connect to your cultural heritage. Or you just want to stay physically active, develop coordination, balance and flexibility.

Whether you have been bullied, an immigrant thats gravitating towards martial arts to connect with your cultural heritage, or you just want to stay physically active, develop discipline, focus, and self confidence we would love for you to join our family and experience the amazing benefits our students have been getting since 1998.

About Founder/ Head Trainer Edmond Tarverdyan:

Edmond’s Story

I, Edmond as an immigrant who came to the United States may have been introduced to martial arts by my parents at the age of eight as a way to connect with our cultural heritage and stay active.

I grew up watching martial arts movies and was always fascinated by the discipline and skill required to master the art. When we moved to the United States, I found myself missing the sense of community and belonging that I had felt in Armenia. My parents searched for a local martial arts school and found one that offered classes in my favorite style, Karate.

I began attending classes regularly, and over time, I became increasingly dedicated to the sport. I trained hard and quickly became one of the top students in my class. I started competing in local tournaments and soon began winning medals.

As my skills and confidence grew, my Sensei decided it was time for me to take the next step and take over a few classes and then take over his martial arts school. With some money I had saved and with the help of my family and friends I was able to take over the gym in 1998 and decided that I would do whatever it took to welcome new students regardless of age, income and heritage and help them achieve their goals, and soon my school became one of the most popular in the Glendale area. 

My success as a martial arts instructor led to more opportunities, such as coaching teams, coaching world champions and working as a personal trainer to some of your favorite Hollywood stars.

Eventually, I was able to turn my passion for martial arts into a successful career. I was able to share my love for the sport with others and help them achieve their goals, all while staying connected to my cultural heritage. 

In summary, I, Edmond, as an immigrant from Armenia, got into martial arts as a way to connect to my cultural heritage and stay active. Over time, I became increasingly dedicated to the sport and started competing in local tournaments. Eventually opened my own school and turned my passion for martial arts into a successful career coaching some of the worlds best athletes.