Founder & Lead Instructor, Guardians Circle
2,500+ Students Trained | 30+ Years Experience | International Martial Arts Coach | Certified Firearms & CCW Instructor
I don't teach people to live in fear. I teach them to be prepared.
I'm John "Jay" Henderson Jr., founder and lead instructor of Guardians Circle. For more than 30 years, I've dedicated myself to martial arts, personal protection, firearms education, coaching, and helping everyday people develop the skills and confidence to protect themselves and the people they care about.
Throughout my career, I've had the privilege of training more than 2,500 students — from complete beginners who had never handled a firearm to responsible gun owners, parents, professionals, martial artists, instructors, and competitive athletes.
I created Guardians Circle because I believe owning a firearm is only one part of being prepared. Buying a gun doesn't automatically make someone safer. Neither does earning a concealed carry permit.
True preparedness comes from training. It means developing awareness before a situation happens, making sound decisions under pressure, understanding when to disengage, knowing how to safely and responsibly use the tools available to you, and having the confidence to act when necessary.
My goal has never been to make people afraid of the world around them. It is to help ordinary people become more aware, capable, responsible, and prepared.
Preparedness over fear. Responsibility over bravado. Training over assumption.
My approach to personal protection is shaped by decades of experience across multiple disciplines. Firearms are an important defensive tool, but they are only one piece of a much larger personal-safety strategy. Effective protection begins long before a weapon is ever drawn.
That is why my training emphasizes situational awareness, avoidance, de-escalation, responsible decision-making, practical self-defense, firearms safety, and realistic preparation. Whether I'm working with someone purchasing their first handgun, a parent concerned about protecting their family, a concealed carrier developing greater confidence, or someone who simply wants to feel more capable in everyday life, the objective remains the same: give people practical skills they can actually use.
My approach to training has been shaped by more than three decades of experience in martial arts, self-defense, firearms education, personal protection, coaching, and international competition. My professional training, certifications, and leadership experience include:
As an international martial arts coach and the current Head Coach of USMAT Team Carolina, I have had the opportunity to coach athletes competing beyond the local and regional level, including international competition. That experience has reinforced a principle that applies equally to martial arts, firearms, and personal protection:
You don't rise to the occasion simply because the moment demands it. You rely on the quality of your preparation.
That principle is central to how I teach at Guardians Circle. Training should build more than technical skill. It should develop awareness, discipline, sound judgment, confidence, and the ability to perform responsibly when it matters most.
I am also the founder and Chief Instructor of Legacy Martial Arts & Fitness, where I have spent years teaching and developing children, adults, families, martial artists, competitors, and future instructors.
In 2026, I was inducted into the World Fighting Championships Black Belt Hall of Fame, receiving the Silver Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of my contributions to martial arts and training. My work and community impact have also been featured by QCity Metro.
Guardians Circle exists to help create responsible, confident, and prepared protectors. You don't have to be law enforcement. You don't have to be military. You don't have to be a lifelong martial artist or an experienced shooter. You simply need to recognize that protecting yourself and the people you love is a responsibility — and that responsibility deserves proper training.
Whether you are beginning your journey with firearms, pursuing your concealed carry permit, improving your defensive skills, or looking for practical personal-safety education, my goal is to meet you where you are and help you become more capable from there.
Be aware. Be trained. Be prepared. Welcome to Guardians Circle.