Who We Are

5 Elements Martial Arts and Wellness Center is a family owned business that focuses on building a community of people that care about others. Our Kung Fu school is also known as 5 Elements San Diego. We teach Chinese martial arts not only as a self-defense tool, but also as a way to balance one's physical, mental, and spiritual health. Some of the best athletes in the world are fighters because their training demands that the body is in excellent shape. Cardiovascular strength, muscular endurance, flexibility, speed, balance, and power, are all fitness benefits to this type of training. Of course, you don’t need to be a fighter or ever get into a fight to gain the benefits of the training. At 5 Elements, people train to get into the best shape while also learning practical self-defense techniques that are rooted in Chinese martial arts, philosophy, and medicine. 5 Elements are used to describe the mental, physical, and spiritual approach that we have towards the training in kung fu. We are here to develop the whole body with a very holistic approach to health and well being. Instructors are here to guide a student to an increased state of awareness using Northern Shaolin, Wing Chung, and Tai Chi. Having this knowledge in addition to the martial arts training will enhance the performance and ability of the student to exceed not only in their training but everyday life.

Sifu Mario Mayorga, owner and head instructor of 5 Elements Martial Arts & Wellness Center, has trained in various forms of martial arts since 1993, including Taekwondo, Kung Fu, Aikido, Tai Chi, and Chi Gong. He earned his black belt in Kung Fu in 1999 and has specialized in teaching Northern Shaolin Kung Fu and Zhaobao and Yang Tai Chi Chuan ever since. He has taught kung fu at martial arts studios and public schools throughout San Diego County and has extensive experience at teaching children’s martial arts.

In 2005 he graduated Grossmont College with an AS degree in Liberal Arts and Science and was accepted to SDSU to continue his BA in traditional arts and graphic design. In that same year Sifu Mario had the pleasure of meeting many talented healers in various forms of bodywork, such as massage, acupuncture, chiropractic and physical therapy. After seeing the benefits that massage had on an old injury from gymnastics he decided to expand his knowledge of the body by enrolling at the Internal Professional School of Bodywork (IPSB) in 2007. Sifu Mario has practiced many styles of massage but specializes in Thai Medical Massage and Sensory Re-patterning.

In 2010, Sifu Mario became certified as a Massage Therapist and opened 5 Elements Martial Arts and Wellness Center with Senior Instructor Keith Jacobson. His focus was to combine the Northern Shaolin and Wing Chun Kung Fu styles and to continue his healing bodywork practices like yoga tai chi, chi gong and massage.

In 2012, Sifu Mario finished his Holistic Health Practitioner’s training at IPSB with over 1200 hours. In 2014, he completed a special teacher-training course at IPSB and has been continuing his mentorship with one of his Master teachers, James Stewart. Sifu Mario feels that continued self-development leads to becoming a better practitioner of your craft. He is currently spending much of his time refining his martial arts skills and exploring different martial arts such as Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and training with ICE Urban Combat Martial Arts. In addition to his martial arts training he has spent extra time exploring activities such as yoga, gymnastics, ballroom dancing, hiking and bike riding.

Favorite Quote: "The only wrong time to start training is tomorrow" - Anonymous

Connect with Sifu Mario on Linkedin

Instructor Delenn Brennan began practicing martial arts in 2002, participating in a youth mixed Martial Arts program for eight years. In February 2014 she joined 5 Elements to further her training in Kung Fu, achieving her current rank of adult red sash. Martial Arts integrates well with Delenn’s other physical activities including hiking and rock climbing, as well as fits in with her vocational interests in the fields of health and wellness. Delenn has been working with children for many years in various mentoring capacities, and has been working with 5 Elements youth since 2015. 

Favorite Quote: "What lies before us and what lies behind us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.”  – R. W. Emerson

Instructor Marcus Mayorga started Taekwondo at a young age, but his martial arts journey truly took focus in 2008 while serving in the military where he practiced various forms of self-defense. In 2010 he began to learn Muay Thai kickboxing and then progressed to competing in amateur bouts. In 2011, Marcus switched his focus to learning no-gi submission grappling and Brazilian jiu-jitsu and since then he has made grappling his primary focus, going so far as to compete in tournaments regularly. Marcus also competed in a number of amateur MMA fights in 2013 and continues to be an avid fan of the sport. Some of his other interests include long distance running, powerlifting, and studying nutrition and kinesiology.

Marcus is currently working to expand his knowledge and training of Northern Shaolin Kung Fu, Zhaobao, and Yang Tai Chi Chuan for health and self-defense.

Favorite Quote: ""

Senior Instructor Nick Ruiz has been practicing martial arts with Sifu Mario since 1999, when he joined Sifu's after school kung fu program at Hearst Elementary. He received his black sash from Sifu in 2012, and after training as a Junior Instructor, started teaching full-time in the summer of 2013. Martial Arts is his most vibrant passion, but he also participated in cross-country running and track during his junior and senior years at Patrick Henry High School, and will be certified as a yoga instructor by summer 2016. He is currently majoring in Writing and Literature at UCSD, and plans to pursue a career as an Educator.

Favorite Quote: "All we have to decide is what to do with the time given us" - Gandalf

Instructor Nathan Sims' love for martial arts started as a young boy when he joined an after school program at Hill Creek Elementary in 1998 under Sifu Mario. He later participated in their assistant instructor program, where he first found his joy was not just for martial arts, but also for teaching. In 2009, Nathan was offered the opportunity to test as a Junior but instead chose to continue learning the full adult curriculum. In 2010, Nathan earned his black belt in Zhaobao Tai Chi. After some time on hiatus, he returned in March 2016 to pursue a full time career in training and teaching. Outside of teaching and practicing martial arts, Instructor Nathan enjoys hiking, camping, paintball, and laser tag. He wishes to pursue a college education in bodywork and eventually open his own studio.

Favorite Quote: "Be the best person you can be each and every day." – Anonymous

Marshall Hunt, our Operations & Financial Consultant, has been practicing Kung Fu with Sifu Mario since 2007. He received his black sash in 2009 at a previous studio and upon the founding of 5 Elements, continued his training with Sifu Mario.

Marshall graduated from University of California, San Diego with distinction in International Business. He is currently pursuing a consulting career.

Favorite Quote: "The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity." – Amelia Earhart

Connect with Marshall on Linkedin

Since 1996 Sifu Mario trained under his Primary Instructor, Head Instructor John Nelson. Head Instructor John was the owner of 2 schools before he retired that were located in San Carlos and Allied Gardens. In 1999 Sifu Mario received his black belt and completed Instructor training under Head Instructor John Nelson. During this time Sifu Mario was given the opportunity to learn from Master Troy Walzak and Instructor Mathew Coe. Master Troy and Instructor Mathew Coe were the owners of a brother school called 5 Elements Martial Arts, located in Pacific Beach. Unfortunately 5 Elements in Pacific Beach closed because the Instructors had to relocate out of San Diego due to family obligations. In 2010 Sifu Mario had a opportunity to continue teaching Chinese martial arts thanks to his friend and training partner, Senior Instructor Keith Jacobson. Senior Instructor Keith and Sifu Mario become business partners and opened 5 Elements with many dedicated students that had trained with Sifu Mario. The main focus of our school is teaching a combination of the Northern Shaolin and Wing Chun Kung Fu.