Instructor

Hi, my name is Alan Figueroa, and I the head instructor of DMXMA and I am a lifelong practitioner of martial arts. My journey began with Chinese systems — starting Wing Chun, then moving into Chow Gar Tong Long Pai and Yang‑style Tai Ji Quan in my mid‑teens. These arts shaped the foundation of how I move, how I think, and how I understand the body. Over time, my practice expanded to include Brazilian martial arts, and I trained extensively in both Capoeira and Brazilian Jujutsu. Each of these systems taught me something different: structure, flow, and the ability to stay calm under pressure.

The classes I teach reflect this blend. While DMXMA leans strongly toward Chinese martial arts, every session includes elements drawn directly from the other arts I have practiced. This gives students a broad, adaptable, and practical self‑defence skill set — one that prepares them to move confidently in unpredictable situations.

The way I teach has also been shaped by my formal training in fitness. Before opening DMXMA, I completed the certificate III and IV in Fitness and I spent many years working as a gym and group‑fitness instructor, where I learned how to structure training safely, progressively, and with a clear purpose. That experience taught me to pay attention to how the body adapts over time — how strength is built gradually, how technique improves through repetition, and how rest and recovery are just as important as effort. Principles like progressive overload, time under tension, and the balance between variation and consistency all influence how I design each session. These ideas help me create classes that are challenging but achievable, and that support long‑term growth rather than quick, unsustainable results.

My path into mental health also influences the way I teach classes at DMXMA. When the COVID‑19 pandemic hit and the shutdowns brought the fitness industry to a standstill, I used that time to retrain, completing a Certificate IV and a Diploma in Mental Health. What began as a response to a difficult moment became a new direction in my life. I eventually transitioned from fitness into full‑time work as a NDIS Psychosocial Recovery Coach and Support Coordinator, supporting people through some of the most challenging parts of their lives. That work has taught me to listen carefully, to understand how different people respond to pressure, and to create environments where they feel safe enough to try. These lessons carry directly into the training space at DMXMA. I aim to teach in a way that is calm, patient, and person‑centred — a space where students of all ages and backgrounds can learn at their own pace, without judgement, and with the confidence that they will be supported as they grow.