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Our story

A legendary
lineage.

For over 35 years, Legends Academy of Martial Arts has been a cornerstone of Richmond's Northside: a place to learn, grow, and belong.

Legends Academy is more than a place to learn self-defense. It's a center for personal development. We've spent three and a half decades teaching students of every age and skill level, from first-time kids to seasoned adult competitors.

Our roots run deep. The academy's lineage traces through the world-renowned Inosanto Academy, and from there back to Guro Dan Inosanto and Bruce Lee themselves. The instruction you receive here is authentic and held to the highest standard. When you train at Legends, you're not just signing up for a class. You're becoming a branch of a living tradition.

We specialize in Muay Thai, the art of eight limbs, and Kali / Filipino Martial Arts, a practical weapons and empty-hand system. Our youth program blends these arts with Silat and more for a well-rounded foundation. Our instructors hold certified black-belt instructorships and have taught across all age groups, abilities, and special needs.

Parents tell us their children leave with more than technique. They gain focus, confidence, friendships, and a sense of belonging. That community spirit, as much as the skill on the mats, is what makes this place legendary.

Founder & chief instructor

Meet Genelle Gaudinez

Genelle Gaudinez, Founder & Chief Instructor

Genelle Gaudinez

Founder & Chief Instructor

Genelle Gaudinez began her martial arts journey in Taekwondo before finding her home at the legendary Inosanto Academy of Martial Arts, where she took a deep dive into Jeet Kune Do, Filipino Martial Arts (Kali), and Muay Thai.

That training places her in a rare lineage. The Inosanto Academy is led by Guro Dan Inosanto, the protégé Bruce Lee personally certified to teach Jeet Kune Do, and the man most responsible for bringing Filipino Kali to the world. The same academy carries an authentic Muay Thai lineage rooted in the Thai Boxing tradition brought to America by Ajarn Chai Sirisute.

From that foundation, Genelle founded her own Muay Thai group, Bua Muay Thai. Fittingly, “bua” means lotus in Thai: the same flower at the heart of the Legends crest, and a symbol of growth, strength, and rising from humble roots.

Today she brings that knowledge home to Richmond, teaching Muay Thai and Kali to students of every age and ability with the same spirit of inclusion, exploration, and respect she learned on the mats.

The lineage

  1. 1

    Bruce Lee

    Founder of Jeet Kune Do

  2. 2

    Guro Dan Inosanto

    Lee's protégé; foremost authority on JKD & Filipino Kali

  3. 3

    Inosanto Academy

    JKD · Kali / FMA · Muay Thai (Ajarn Chai lineage)

  4. 4

    Genelle Gaudinez

    Bua Muay Thai → Legends Academy, Richmond

Genelle Gaudinez on the Martial Arts Lifestyle Podcast

Genelle on the Martial Arts Lifestyle Podcast.

What we stand for

Our values

Discipline

Respect, focus, and hard work on the mats translate directly into everyday life.

Authenticity

Time-tested systems taught faithfully. Muay Thai and Filipino Kali as they're meant to be.

Community

A welcoming, supportive family where students push each other and grow together.

Inclusion

All ages, all abilities, and special needs. Everyone has a place on our floor.

Find us

Richmond Northside

3421 Hawthorne Ave
Richmond, VA 23222

Wheelchair-accessible parking · welcoming to all