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Monica Villanueva

Monica Villanueva

Bio

Monica Villanueva began her martial arts journey in 1983 with Tae Kwon Do and later embraced Danzan Ryu Jujitsu while attending the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. After graduation, she joined the US Peace Corps in the Philippines, assigned to the Department of Agriculture, where she spent her free time teaching self-defense. Upon returning, Monica balanced a career in the food industry with her passion for martial arts, earning an M.S.in Food Science from UlUC.

She founded and served as head instructor at the Kodenkan Academy of Martial Arts in Thornton, Illinois, to promote Danzan Ryu Jujitsu. Currently, she supports programs at Chicago Minami Dojo under Shihan Diane Wallander. Monica holds a 4th Degree Black Belt in Danzan Ryu Jujitsu through the American Judo and Jujits Federation (AJJF), and 1st Degree Black Belts in Tae Kwon Do and Hakko Ryu Jujitsu.Certified in the Okazaki Restorative Healing Arts. She focuses on children’s personal safety, women’s self-defense, and first responder restraint tactics.

Classes

Today

    • Hands off!

    Practical, standing self-defense techniques: Learn escapes from grabs, holds, hair pulls, and bear hugs. Practice effective techniques for breaking free from single or double-hand grabs,…

    Continue readingHands off!
    Instructor(s): Monica Villanueva
    Location: 
    TBD

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