Martial Arts for All
But later, when a young girl can't remember if the uppercut or hook punch came first during a punching sequence, Breslau motioned with her until she got it right. He's patient. "Good," he said.
Breslau is the founder, director and co-coordinator of the nonprofit TKD360 Foundation. The organization gives kids with limited means on the Upper West Side opportunities to participate in a sport that has been a huge part of Breslau's life since he started at West Side Taekwondo at age three and a half.
"Living here you can kind of see the range in economic diversity," Breslau said. "And growing up, taekwondo helped me so much to become the person who I am today and help me focus more and calm down a little bit. So I wanted to see if I could give that back to kids who maybe couldn't afford it.
"On average, Breslau said taekwondo lessons can cost around $1,200 per year plus an extra $50 for uniforms. But thanks to fundraising and Breslau's long relationship with West Side Taekwondo, kids at TKD360, ages 6 to 10, participate for free.
"It's really rewarding because when you're teaching you can see the transformation," he said. "Sometimes they come in slow and lethargic and they leave talkative and more energetic so it's really nice to see that."
"Just to watch your son teach kids, and these kids to look up to him and to see the determination these kids have to prove themselves and show him that they know what they're doing," she said. "It was very enlightening for me because I was proud of how he's transpired over the last three years."
Breslau is looking to the future now that he's getting ready for college. He's not sure yet where he'll go, but he'll most likely study international business and he plans on bringing TKD360 to the college he attends by linking up with university taekwondo clubs and community clubs.
He wants his Upper West Side classes to continue while he's at college and is looking for replacement leaders in the meantime.
Breslau also hopes his efforts will encourage others his age to give back to the kids in their communities.