Arra Jeuneze Corpuz-Asia's 40 Under 40 2026

“If a problem is difficult, I am on the right path. But if every problem is too easy, it will not challenge me or foster growth,” says Arra Jeuneze Corpuz, founder, Arena Fitness Dojo. In her 18+ years of a career that includes professional teaching and coaching across academics, athletics, ballet and public speaking, she combines academics and martial arts in an unusual way. She says that mathematics taught her to see beauty and growth in difficulty. “The frustration of difficult problems is part of mathematics; how we learn to solve them is how we improve,” she adds.

While mathematics taught her how to solve problems, martial arts taught her how to embody the solution. Today, Arra brings the same mindset into martial arts: make each routine more difficult than before, add repetitions, refine techniques, and keep challenging the body and mind. Her work and achievements goes a long way. Arra was appointed as an International Judge by the International Kung Fu Union Federation (IKUF), led Wushu Arena Philippines teams in international Wushu competitions, including medal-winning results in Hong Kong and Chengdu; and is a feature project speaker at the UN ECOSOC Youth Forum Virtual Side Event 2026. Arra discusses more about her work and life in this exclusive interview with TradeFlock.

What decision did you make despite uncertainty that ultimately shaped your journey?

During the pandemic, I was a retired athlete who had become physically unhealthy and uncertain whether I could regain my strength or have a future in martial arts. As a PWD and single mother, I thought academic teaching might be my only sustainable career. Then I was offered a coaching opportunity at Fisher Mall in Quezon City to revive my old dojo and team. I accepted without waiting to feel ready.

What began as a small coaching slot grew into a multi-venue movement and wellness organisation, serving students across ages and abilities and expanding into Wushu, Taichi, Aikido, self-defense, and corporate wellness. That decision taught me that sometimes you do not discover the next chapter by preparing for it; you discover it by stepping into it.

What inspired ‘Movement is for Every Body’, and how has the philosophy evolved?

Our doors have always been open to different ages, abilities, backgrounds, and ways of learning. As a PWD myself, I know how significant movement is to my life. Because I have been privileged to learn these beautiful arts, I want to share their benefits rather than decide who is “qualified” to receive them.

My responsibility is to provide excellent instruction and adapt the curriculum to the individual. My teachers and Sensei are senior citizens; some of my classmates have been stroke patients and cancer survivors. Wushu, Aikido, and Taichi have shown me that movement can be ageless.

The people who need movement most are often the ones traditional systems leave out. That is why Movement Is for Every Body became more than a slogan: it became the standard by which I build.

Which industry belief would you challenge, and why?

I challenge the belief that we should move less as we grow older. We may not have the same metabolism, muscle strength, or energy we had when we were younger, but our bodies continue to adapt to what we ask of them. I was fortunate to learn from masters who aged remarkably well because they never stopped moving. They adapted their practice instead of abandoning it.

Our dojo carries that lesson forward: Movement is not something we grow out of because we no longer have energy. Movement is one of the things that gives us energy.

POWER PROFILE CARD –

Age: 34
Country: Philippines
Industry/Sector: Sports, Wellness, Education & Social Impact
Years in Leadership: 14
Leadership Philosophy: Movement is for every body
Motivation: To help people discover that movement can give them health, confidence, belonging, and purpose throughout life.

What have students with ADHD taught you about unlocking potential, and what do people often get wrong?

As someone who also lives with ADHD, I understand the importance of movement and extracurricular activities as an outlet for energy and a way to engage the mind. ADHD is often viewed primarily through its challenges with attention and executive function. People sometimes overlook the energy, spontaneity, creativity, and intense focus that can emerge when a person finds something meaningful to them.

Because students with ADHD may learn differently, I have seen how movement can help them regulate their energy, develop discipline, discover their talents, and build confidence. This taught me that potential does not always look like conventional academic performance. Sometimes, we simply need to change the environment in which a person is expected to succeed.

Which setback shaped your leadership the most, and what changed afterwards?

One of the greatest challenges I have faced is the assumption that certain bodies do not belong in serious movement practice. I have personally experienced what it means to be underestimated because of disability and physical appearance, and I have watched students encounter the same judgement. That changed how I lead.

Instead of asking whether someone looks like an athlete, I ask what conditions will allow that person to thrive. I have learned that inclusion is not simply opening the door; it is changing the training environment so people can actually walk through it, participate, and belong.