Christopher Pennenga: Sharing A Lifetime Of Martial Arts

Behind every martial arts business is a lifetime of countless hours and dedication.  Christopher Pennenga, fourth degree black belt and owner of Black Belt Training Institute in Groton, has been a dedicated student of Tae Kwan Do for over 30 years.

Originally from Long Island, Pennenga was bullied as a youth and got involved in martial arts for self-defense.  He had no idea then how the sport would shape his life with fulfillment and personal rewards. 

Martial arts at that time, according to Pennenga, was taught with a focus on discipline and respect much like today; however, it was much more brutal.  Bruises, bloody knuckes and yelling were all acceptable forms of teaching and learning 30 years ago.  

With newly-garnered confidence attributed to his martial arts training, Pennenga joined the Coast Guard after high school, where he was a law enforcement officer for the next 20 years. 

“I was stationed in New York and (got) in touch with one of the worlds most famous martial artists, John Chung and had the benefit of some phenomenal training for 12 years,” said Pennenga.

He moved around the country while with the military, but always held a committed passion for martial arts.

“I knew when I got out of the military what I wanted to do and it was open a school,” he said.  

In 2001, toward the end of his 20-year military career, Pennenga was stationed at the Coast Guard Academy in New London.  With an impending urge to grow roots, he opened his first Tae Kwan Do school in Oakdale and left his military career six months later.  His school eventually led him to his current school in Groton, opened in 2005.  

Black Belt Training Institute began predominantly teaching adults, but has changed over the years.  Now the school consists of a wider youth following, which is a testament to his love for teaching children and his ability to help transform their character. 

“I like watching kids grow - coming in as a white belt and leaving as a black belt. I’m proud of that and I like to see drastic changes in their self-esteem and confidence,” he said.

Pennenga has seen many dedicated students, including his own daughter, achieve black belt status and move forward in life to excel.  Black belt status, according to Pennenga, is when the learning really begins.  

Now the school currently focuses on Tae Kwan Do, a Korean kick boxing martial art and Jiu Jitsu, a Japanese Brazilian hybrid of ground based self-defense techniques.  Pennenga also offers fitness kickboxing for adults and self-defense classes for women. 

Eventually, his goal in the next 5 years is to expand and open up a 5,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility but for now he is content with what he's created. 

“The main thing that keeps me going is I love what I do. This is not a job to me,”  said Pennenga.  “I don’t go to wor;, I go to a place I enjoy being at.”