This article is part of our Meet Pittsburgh series, where we highlight local business owners. Check out the first interview in our Meet Pittsburgh series with Tom Berna of Berna Construction or our second interview with Luke Romito of Romito Landscaping.
One of the greatest joys of being parents is watching our kids discover their own passions. And for our oldest, Katherine, and youngest, Liam, a mutual passion has been training in kung fu.
Every night they attend class is exciting. Our carpool group chat (appropriately nicknamed Kung Fu Shuffle) buzzes nonstop, and the kids love catching up with friends after class.
Plus, I’ve seen firsthand the confidence and strength that comes from training at Shaolin Studios in Regent Square.
That’s why I’m so excited to feature Shaolin Studios co-owner Master Michele Montag, a 5th degree black belt and a wonderful human being.
Check out her story below:
How Michele Discovered Shaolin Studios
Michele didn’t grow up wanting to own a martial arts studio. Instead, she attended the University of Pittsburgh for her undergraduate degree, then earned her PhD in Anthropology from Binghamton University.
That rigorous focus in higher education eventually helped her realize she loved the administrative side of the university world, and she held positions at Chatham and Pitt for 20 years.
But in her mid-30s, she felt like she was burning out. Her job was stressful, she wasn’t healthy, and she walked by the studio every single day.
She was curious about what happened inside, and she thought it looked like fun—but she was too scared to enter.
But when her doctor told her she had high blood pressure and needed to go on medication, she immediately pushed back.
“I said, ‘Give me six months,’” Michele recalls. “I knew this was the kick I needed to finally step into the studio.”
That first lesson was the most fun Michele had had since she was a kid. “It was an incredible destressor, and it was the beginning of my own health journey. As busy adults, we spend so much time stationary, and we lose so much of the flexibility and capabilities we had as children… The studio helped me regain that mobility and realize just how much my body could do.”
Of course, one of the biggest reasons Michele fell in love with the studio was because of the owners, Senior Masters Steve and Lisa Nakamura. They created a supportive, friendly environment that trained hard—but welcomed everyone.
When Steve and Lisa decided to sell the business a few years ago, Michele and her husband, Joseph Cooper, jumped at the opportunity.
“Steve and Lisa were so thoughtful,” Michele recalls. “They were amazing. We spent two years slowly transitioning the business over. We started by shadowing, and then gradually took over more and more—until we were full owners!”
Although Steve and Lisa no longer live in Pittsburgh, they remain close with Michele and Joe. “They’re our best friends, and we travel to Maine and they travel to Pittsburgh frequently to visit and train together!”
From Left: Steve, Lisa, Michele, and Joe
Shaolin Studios Today And In the Future
Although Michele no longer works in Academia, her work in Anthropology has been surprisingly helpful as a dojo owner.
“Being an anthropologist helps me focus on recognizing the incredible tradition and benefits of what has come from the martial arts through China and Japan. And, from the scientific side, there’s interesting research on Chinese medicine and the martial arts, and it’s helping to bridge the gap between Eastern and Western medicine.”
To that end, Shaolin Studios isn’t just about self-defense (which it does emphasize). It’s also about:
Achieving better health
Achieving better self-control
Achieving better balance
Achieving better mind-body connection
For Michele, that’s what it’s all about: “I’m so proud when I see a kid who was originally so shy finally lead a class. It’s almost like a new perspective on life opens up.”
Long-term, Michele and Joe aren’t worried about popping up additional studios throughout Pittsburgh and the rest of the United States.
Instead, they want to continue providing the best product possible, while carrying on the traditions Steve and Lisa established so many years ago.
“If we’re lucky, we’ll get to pass this on to the next generation, just as Steve and Lisa did for us.”
Contact Shaolin Studios
If you’re interested in checking out Shaolin Studios, visit their website, drop by their dojo in Regent Square (1115 South Braddock Avenue), or follow them on social media (Facebook or Instagram).