Building Judo Again: Jonah Ewell Takes His Next Step in Waco, Texas

Judo United Staff
16 hours ago
5 min read

For many people in the Northern California Judo community, the name Jonah Ewell will immediately bring back memories of Oakland Judo and later 510 Judo in San Leandro.

For more than a decade, Jonah did something American Judo needs more of: he built.

He built a club, developed students, created a community, learned how to make a Judo school financially sustainable, and ultimately built something he was able to pass on.

Now, after moving his family to Waco, Texas, Jonah is doing it all over again.

From The Karate Kid to Judo

Jonah's introduction to martial arts started like it did for a lot of kids growing up in the 1980s.

"My brother and I saw The Karate Kid, and we had to do it."

The martial arts school around the corner from his home in Berkeley happened to teach Judo and kung fu. Jonah started at eight years old under Dr. Alex Feng.

After a short break from training, he returned at age 12 and continued through high school and college, eventually earning black belts in both Judo and kung fu.

He competed throughout Northern California, attended Junior Nationals, wrestled in high school, and later trained periodically with Oishi Sensei in New York and at Sawtelle Judo in Los Angeles.

But it was when Jonah returned to the Bay Area in 2012 that Judo became more than something he practiced.

It became his profession.

Building Oakland Judo and 510 Judo

When Jonah moved back to Northern California, he noticed there was very little Judo available in Oakland.

Dr. Feng still had some mats at his Oakland facility and gave Jonah an opportunity to use the space.

That became Oakland Judo in 2012.

In the beginning, it was simple. Two classes a week. A small group of students. Low overhead. No sophisticated membership software or sales systems.

Jonah also quickly learned that some traditional Judo customs do not always work well when you are trying to pay commercial rent.

"I kept a rule I had grown up with: black belts don't pay," Jonah said. "The problem is when the club consists of five black belts and one green belt, and you still have to pay rent."

That lesson stuck.

Today, Jonah's rule is simple: everyone pays unless they are a paid instructor, a trial student, or an honored guest.

By 2014, Jonah decided to see whether he could turn the club into a real profession.

"At the time I only knew of two people doing Judo full time as a job: Dan Augustine and Chuck Jefferson," Jonah said. "I thought to myself, if they can do it, why not me too?"

The club grew slowly and steadily.

More students.

A children's program.

More classes.

More space.

Eventually, Oakland Judo outgrew several locations before moving into its own facility in San Leandro in 2019, where it became 510 Judo.

Jonah operated the program for a total of twelve years, from 2012 until 2024.

Making Judo a Real Business

One of the most interesting parts of Jonah's story is that his dojo did not have to become enormous before it became financially viable.

Once he committed to doing it full time, the business became profitable relatively quickly because his expenses were low.

"It just wasn't very much profit in the beginning," Jonah said. "Beer money, as they say."

But it proved an important point.

A Judo dojo could work as a business.

With good instruction, controlled expenses, steady growth, and consistency, Jonah turned a small two-night-a-week club into a full-time profession.

His biggest lesson from the experience is surprisingly simple.

"You can just do things. You don't need anyone's permission."

Jonah says money, luck and hard work all matter, but relationships matter even more.

"Life is about the quality of your relationships."

He credits Dr. Feng and several other martial arts mentors with teaching him not only about technique, but about people, teaching, professionalism and the business of martial arts.

A New Chapter in Texas

In 2024, Jonah sold 510 Judo and moved his family from California to Waco, Texas.

But leaving California did not mean leaving Judo behind.

When asked whether he always planned to open another school, Jonah laughed.

"This is the only thing I'm good at, so I kind of have to. I'm only sort of kidding!"

For roughly the past year, Jonah taught Judo inside Triune of Texas BJJ, led by Professor Jimmy Arroyo.

The arrangement gave him an opportunity to establish himself in Waco and begin developing students.

But the long-term goal was always to have his own space.

Now he does.

Judo in Waco

Jonah's new dojo is officially open.

The facility is approximately 2,200 square feet, with around 1,200 square feet of mat space and a spring floor built specifically to make Judo training more comfortable for beginners and experienced players alike.

Some of the students Jonah developed while teaching at Triune have followed him into the new location.

For now, Jonah is handling most of the instruction himself.

"If there's anyone with a Judo black belt within an hour's drive of Waco, PLEASE reach out because I would love to meet you and practice with you."

Over time, he expects to develop his own instructors and potentially bring in additional experienced coaches.

And while this is Jonah's second dojo, he says the formula has not changed much.

"The basics are all the same. Good customer service, clean and inviting facility, fun and challenging classes."

Bigger Plans

Jonah already knows from experience that around 130 students is the most he can effectively manage by himself.

Growing beyond that will require instructors and staff.

And he is thinking bigger.

"If I can find or develop excellent instructors, I would absolutely love to open multiple locations throughout Texas."

He sees opportunities throughout the state, especially in growing cities and communities that already support successful Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu programs but have limited access to Judo.

His belief is straightforward:

"Any town that can support a full-time Jiu-Jitsu gym can also support a full-time professional Judo dojo."

Jonah has also been impressed by the Texas Judo community and specifically credits Texas Judo Inc., Hieuy Nguyen, and Bob Perez of Texas A&M Judo for making him feel welcome.

The Judo Entrepreneur

At Judo United, we believe Jonah's story represents something important for the future of American Judo.

Competition results matter.

Championships matter.

Olympic medals matter.

But the long-term growth of Judo also depends on people willing to open the doors every afternoon.

People willing to sign a lease.

Buy mats.

Teach beginners.

Talk to parents.

Market their program.

Develop instructors.