A Passing of the Torch
CMA Founders and it's History
CMA Founders and it's History
CMA Founders and it's History
To understand CMA today, you must understand it's rich foundation. Contemporary Martial Arts, Inc. (CMA) was founded in 1996 by Chuck and Carolina, alongside Carolina’s children, Dave Martin and Tanya Martin (now Tanya Hudson). Together, they built the foundation for what would become one of the Southeast’s most comprehensive Martial Arts
To understand CMA today, you must understand it's rich foundation. Contemporary Martial Arts, Inc. (CMA) was founded in 1996 by Chuck and Carolina, alongside Carolina’s children, Dave Martin and Tanya Martin (now Tanya Hudson). Together, they built the foundation for what would become one of the Southeast’s most comprehensive Martial Arts programs for both kids and adults.
From the beginning, CMA made its presence known. Students competed across sport karate, grappling, and full-contact kickboxing, quickly earning recognition throughout the Martial Arts community.
On the South Carolina Sport Karate Circuit, CMA students captured dozens of State Championship titles, with competitors ranging from white belt all the way to black belt. Championships were earned across nearly every major division, including freestyle and traditional forms, musical forms, weapons, musical weapons, and point sparring.
Within just three years of opening, CMA was ranked by NBL/SKIL among the Top 25 Sport Karate Schools in the World, reaching #15 worldwide. CMA remained in the Top 25 for the next four years and climbed as high as #12 in the world during its final year of sport karate competition.
During that chapter of CMA’s history, the school also produced more than a dozen World Champions across forms, weapons, and point sparring.
Nearly three decades after its founding, that same commitment to quality instruction, well-rounded training, and developing confident martial artists remains at the heart of Contemporary Martial Arts.
Photo Source: Stephanie Crump
A Legacy that Lives On
CMA Founders and it's History
CMA Founders and it's History
Words can hardly capture the impact Mr. Chuck Cawthon had on the people around him. To those who knew him, Chuck was far more than a Martial Arts instructor. He was a passionate student and master of his craft, a dedicated mentor, and someone who formed a genuine connection with each of his students. He had a gift for seeing the best in o
Words can hardly capture the impact Mr. Chuck Cawthon had on the people around him. To those who knew him, Chuck was far more than a Martial Arts instructor. He was a passionate student and master of his craft, a dedicated mentor, and someone who formed a genuine connection with each of his students. He had a gift for seeing the best in others and loved his family—and those he considered family—deeply and intentionally.
One of the many examples of Chuck’s lasting influence includes one with a timid 7-year-old boy who walked into Contemporary Martial Arts for the first time, hiding behind his mother’s leg. His name was Ryan Peace.
Ryan could never have known then how much that moment would shape his life. Over the years, Chuck became his instructor, mentor, and hero, and the two formed a bond that extended far beyond martial arts.
Nearly 30 years later, that story came full circle when Chuck entrusted Ryan with something incredibly meaningful: the opportunity to become the new owner of Contemporary Martial Arts and carry his legacy forward.
Today, CMA’s leadership may have changed, but the heart of what Chuck and his family built remains—impacting lives through Martial Arts, believing in people, and creating a community that feels like family.
Future Outlooks
CMA Founders and it's History
Future Outlooks
In October 2025, Ryan and I, Erica Peace, became the new owners of Contemporary Martial Arts, beginning a new chapter while remaining deeply rooted in the legacy Chuck and his family built.
Our mission is to continue connecting with people personally, and use martial arts as a tool to help kids and adults build confidence, reach their goal
In October 2025, Ryan and I, Erica Peace, became the new owners of Contemporary Martial Arts, beginning a new chapter while remaining deeply rooted in the legacy Chuck and his family built.
Our mission is to continue connecting with people personally, and use martial arts as a tool to help kids and adults build confidence, reach their goals, and empower themselves.
Having experienced the impact of Martial Arts in our own lives, in our own ways, Ryan and I are passionate about sharing those same benefits with as many people as possible. At the heart of everything we do is a commitment to honor the legacy of Contemporary Martial Arts while carrying it forward for it's next chapter. We want to thank everyone in advance for their patience in us as we navigate this new endeavor.
In addition to CMA in Hartwell, Georgia, we own and operate it's sister school, named Upstate CMA, located in Pelzer, South Carolina. We split our time of in-person instruction between both locations throughout the week. Upstate CMA opened in 2022, and was made possible by the guidance and teachings taken from Mr. Chuck, and CMA, in Hartwell, Georgia.
A Word from Ryan's Eulogy Honoring Chuck
“He was always trying to make you better, even in the smallest of ways.
I have a ton of memories looking back. I think the coolest thing about Chuck is that he was able to teach you subconsciously, and you didn’t even realize that you were learning in the moment.
I remember being a kid and learning how to do flips and stuff in karate. Chuck didn’t know how to do it, so he bought some VHS tapes, and it was a lot of: pause, rewind, take notes. Pause, rewind, take notes.
And then he was like, ‘Okay...’—I was the guinea pig for most stuff, right?—so he would say, ‘Ryan, go out there and try this.’ Then it was, ‘Ehhh... okay, no, no. Come on back. Let’s redo it.’
And, you know, this would be on a Friday afternoon after school. Most kids would be off at their friends’ houses or playing video games, but I was in there for three or four hours with him.
And that’s where I wanted to be.
So, I’ll close with this. I’ve said this before—I’m a creature of habit when it comes to repeating myself—but I took breaks a lot in karate. I would do karate in middle school, then take a year off. Then I’d take karate again in high school and take a year off. After we had our daughter, I took a few years off.
He would always make a joke and say, ‘Man, you know you always come back to karate!’
But... I don’t think it was a passion for karate.
I think it was a passion for him.”
