PLANTATION, Fla. (BVM) — When David Camacho was 10 years old, he drew a shark; he was so proud of it that he showed his grandmother, Abuela Bermiz. “I’ve seen better,” she said, and she showed him a Guy Harvey shark portrait.

“She believed I could do better,” Camacho said smiling, and that has made all the difference.

David Camacho, 23, was born in Bogota, Colombia. When he was 3, his mother left him with his grandparents and went to New York to settle in and make way for the youngster.  He moved to New York when he was 5, then to South Florida at 6. Camacho attended South Plantation High School, where he participated in swimming and wrestling. It was during these high school years that he got into fitness.

“The moment that changed me was in my sophomore year,” Camacho said. “Both of my coaches said I needed some muscle, so I started working out in the weight room. By the time my junior year hit, many of the kids, especially the girls, said I looked better.”

Camacho went to Florida Atlantic University for two years, but he was not settled and felt lost, so he dropped out. However, college did impact his fitness career. At the campus gym, two students taught him about bodybuilding and inspired him to compete in a competition, so in 2017, he placed second in the teen division of the Florida Muscle Classic. Soon after, a scapular injury caused him to stop competing.

After Camacho left college, his mother, Jackie Torres, told him that he needed to get out of the house and get a job. He got a job at a taco place close to his home. He noticed this guy wearing MMA shorts and a John Wai Martial Arts (JWMA) shirt would come in regularly for food and sit and work.

He soon discovered this man was John Wai, the owner of JWMA. Wai offered Camacho a free trial and he started with Muay Thai and loved it. After that Wai asked, “Are you good with kids?” Camacho replied, “My mom thinks I am good with babies.” Wai asked him to come in and teach some wrestling moves to a kids class.

“I remember preparing like it was an interview,” Camacho said. “I felt like all the parents and kids were looking at me waiting for me to mess up.”

Camacho was a natural, however, and Wai offered him a job at JWMA.

That was two years ago. Camacho began as a kids instructor and has become one of the head instructors. He teaches classes, works on social media presentations, participates in sales, and conducts private training sessions. He is now trained in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Muay Thai, and kung fu. At first, he was not interested in the traditional Kung Fu practice, but now he has embraced it.

“I enjoy the historical and philosophical aspects of kung fu,” Camacho said.

He wants to ensure he is trained in all disciplines, so he can remain at JWKF and take over responsibilities as needed.

This drive toward continuous improvement was instilled in Camacho by his mother and grandmother from a young age.

“My mother and I never talk about my accomplishments, she is like my abuela, she tells me what I need to improve,” Camacho said.

They taught him that one must put time and proper effort into something to strive; they call this “extraordinary commitment.” He believes that through extraordinary commitment, he and his students can accomplish anything.

Already that commitment has led Camacho to begin a successful fighting career. His record is 4-0 in Syndicate Kickboxing and 1-0 in Xtreme Fight Night (XFN) MMA. He will participate in another XFN MMA fight on Sept. 20 on FloCombat if he can find a worthy opponent.

Anyone who meets Camacho knows why he is successful; he is highly driven, deeply introspective and a natural-gifted communicator. Camacho appreciates the chances that Wai has given him.

“John is one of the most considerate people I have ever had the honor to meet,” Camacho said.

Camacho has also formed a bond with his coach, Eric Morel.

“When I first met Eric, I thought he was crazy,” Camacho said. “But I realized that he is very philosophical and the complex concepts in his mind make it difficult for him to communicate sometimes.”

Now, Camacho enjoys the deep contemplation of higher concepts that he and Eric share. He also appreciates Eric’s candor.

“I can be a little cocky sometimes,” Camacho said, “but he is very blunt with me because he knows that negative reinforcement will work better with me. His directness makes me a better fighter.”

Camacho’s overall strength is striking and wrestling. He also realizes that his kung fu training provides him with flexibility and mobility during training and fighting. His overall goal is to keep fighting and get to the UFC. He is also working as an online personal trainer and coach.

Camacho knows he is also becoming a better fighter through teaching. He likes to work with the kids and help them get to the core of their problems when they get defensive or disrespectful. He says that working with kids is his favorite part of what he does.