Martial Arts Schools near Oregon

“Great after school program overall, and my daughter is also enjoying learning karate!“

“My granddaughter went there 4 her martial art class and she really enjoyed going there and she like it. I'm so glad that I went there 2 see her.“

“I had been interested in studying some type of martial arts for some time, but for one reason or another, never followed through to find a school.Enter Master Carlson. Six months ago I attended a demonstration she was giving and had my first mini-lesson. I left feeling strong and empowered. Less than two weeks later I was a student.As someone who was never very athletic, I had my doubts as to whether I was cut out for taekwondo. But after each class, I felt more confident in my body and my abilities.Master Carlson has put a lot of thought into not just teaching you a series of movements, but also into what is the best order in which to teach them. She's constantly evaluating her curriculum to make sure students learn the applications for each move and that what they learn builds on itself.She had the privilege of studying in Korea under Grandmaster Park Chul Hee, the founder of Kang Duk Won, one of the 9 original kwans or schools of taekwondo, and she passes on his knowledge, passion and respect for the art of taekwondo to her students.According to Master Carlson, Grandmaster Park knew she would open a martial arts school before she did. And her desire to do so stemmed from wanting to create a space where students learned through positive teaching and where she could impart the culture and history of the sport as well as the movements.Fast forward about 4 months after my first lesson, and I was competing at my first martial arts tournament - at 44 - and largely at Master Carlson's insistence that I would do well. Having only just attained my yellow belt and learned the second half of my form about a week before the competition, I had my doubts. Surely these were just encouraging words to push me forward.They were not. I took first that day in my event. And I learned to trust her. Master Carlson is indeed encouraging, but she doesn't give false praise. And she catches the smallest nuances in your movements, slight things that someone less skilled - or less focused - might overlook. Those minor tweaks aren't just the difference between placing in a tournament or not. They are the difference between properly executing a move or possibly hurting yourself because your body wasn't positioned correctly.To quote a parent who has enrolled her sons at Martial Journeys of Madison, "this is something that will help them in life, not just in this sport."That's certainly what I get out of it. Studying under Master Carlson is an exercise in not just what I can do, but how I can be, both in dealing with myself and others. And there's no ego involved, despite her 4th degree black belt and study under one of the sport's founders. When she seems most happy is when her students excel and learn to do what they thought that they could not. Those are the best kinds of teachers.“

“MKG Madison is more than a martial arts gym, it's a family. Josh, the owner and lead instructor, along with the other instructors at this facility are excellent. They are patient, practical minded and very knowledgeable. The other students are friendly and open to teaching new students what they know, which is invaluable. I have gained strength and confidence that can never be obtained at a traditional gym. My entire family takes part in the classes offered at MKG. We find tremendous value because of the quality and personal attention given by the instructors here. Our children have developed fantastic life skills in addition to personal confidence and physical fitness through their MKG Littles and MKG Kids programs. Expect to learn practical real-world applications, without any of the flashy moves. This means even people without incredible flexibility or who have bad knees can learn here and use it effectively. I highly recommend MKG Madison and look forward to continuing my progression in the upcoming years.“

“This place is Great! Lots of classes to take, instructors are knowledgeable and helpful. Very friendly group of people.“