Like any superhero, Dr. TJ Cuenca has an origin story. Originally a dentist, the martial arts and weapons expert injured his right hand in a fight. No longer able to practice dentistry, he set upon a path that led him to create the Superhero Foundry.
Yes, this place is a superhero training facility—for real. New recruits test for abilities, such as vision, speed, hearing, pain tolerance and even psychic powers—Cuenca has found that nobody really has the latter—and then train to their strengths. The curriculum includes, among other things, personal development, leadership skills and survival parkour. There’s also a cosplay option, with a superhero makeover and weapons fabrication.
“It’s more than a regular martial arts or knife-throwing school,” says Cuenca, who seeks to help turn so-called disadvantages, such as ADHD or a gentleness that makes students a target for bullying, into abilities. “We celebrate strangeness. We look for people who are unique, very much like the X-Men.”
Nurse practitioner Tammy Collander goes to classes almost every day and learns alongside her two young children. “It’s perfect because my kids can get exercise and real-life practical skills, and I can, too. It’s a family event.” She’s learning how to block attacks and evade dangerous situations. “It’s gratifying when you’re learning a new skill and you can actually master it and remember it.”
Her 7-year-old son James, on the other hand, loves stick sparring. “We have padded sticks and we try to hit each other,” he says. “I really like it.”
Mom sees an additional benefit: “As far as the superhero component, [Cuenca] goes into moral and ethical things as well. He encourages doing good deeds, not for the expectation of return but simply for the good of doing it.” For more info, visit thesuperherofoundry.com.
