A great family run local business that teaches kids and adults. The teachers are very experienced. My kids and husband have a lot of fun there. Their summer camps are great read more

Amazing Taekwondo studio! The teachers are the perfect combination of kind while also supporting the students to learn and advance in their skills. Also, the Summer Camp program was a huge hit this year with my kids. Very warm and welcoming community with quality instruction and leadership. read more

My 7 year old son started taking lessons at Core Taekwondo in January and I have seen a huge amount of growth in his skills, focus, and confidence! He loves all of his instructors, has made great friends, and looks forward to every lesson. The studio has a very familial vibe and we instantly felt welcomed and excited to join. We just finished a week long summer camp, and it has been his favorite camp of the summer! Miss Anita and Master Brynn made the camp so special and full of fun! read more

Core Taekwondo, master Maggie's camp was incredible. My 3 boys aged 9, 7, and almost 5 went and they would wake up at 7am saying they wanted to go (camp didn't start until 9). Today (last day of this session) they did an incredible Taekwondo dance performance , amazing crafts, picnic park lunch and just all around confidence and summer fun experience. I wish I could do the second week , but it's full! Darn! Next year ! We LOVE LOVE LOVE this dojang community! Parents are all so cool too. Great spot to meet other parents or have a break downtown to run an errand. My boys adore her and 2 of my sons have special needs. She gets adhd and anxiety and SPD and understands my other son who wears a hearing aid. She just gets kids and builds them up. She's amazing with all ages and keeps kids engaged and always wanting to rise to their full potential all while making them feel valued just where they are and meeting them there. Now that is rare in teacher ! Her assistants are insanely amazing too! Young kids, great role models ! read more

Core Taekwondo - My sons first belt testing - Summer Camps Near Me - San Mateo, California

Our family has been going to Core Taekwondo for years, and that includes both kids and parents. The training is fun, but it's the people who make it worthwhile. Most of the students are kids, but adults are welcome and encouraged... and made to feel at home when training with people a fraction of our ages! Meggie is a phenomenal teacher - always coming up with drills and exercises that keep things interesting, but also tailoring activity to the class and the individuals. Her deep technical expertise is a huge asset, and her ability to convey that knowledge to a wide variety of learning styles (in the same class) is impressive. When the pandemic first hit and they weren't allowed to conduct business, they immediately pivoted to online curriculum and lessons, and changed their after school program into a 2-day/week Maker program that even my kids love (and they hate "after school programs"). This program encourages kids develop a business idea and see it though, donating proceeds to charity. Core Taekwondo is a family business, and students are made to feel like family. The pandemic has been hard on small businesses, but they exemplified resilience and determination as an example for us all. read more

Classes are very chaotic due to lack of leadership. They take holiday weeks off completely, but still charge. Also, they cancel in person classes at the drop of a hat, yesterday they canceled classes because it rained hard. The master, while nice enough, isn't super focused on teaching and frequently has her baby in arms or is chasing her toddler around during the classes she is supposed to be teaching. She appears to have three of her own small children running around constantly during classes. This leads to poor instruction for the students. My recommendation is to find a studio where the teacher is focused on the pupils during class. read more

My 7 year old son has participated in Core Taekwondo for the past school year. Masters Meggie, Hiro, Craig and all the instructors are wonderful at working with kids at differing abilities and many with limited attention spans. We have seen a remarkable difference in my son's ability to focus and in the other core tenets of Taekwondo including courtesy, integrity, perseverance and self control. Most significantly, the belt system provides my son a goal and a reason to continue to improve. He was so proud of himself when he got his yellow belt and has risen to the challenge of having advanced a level when in class. He loves the community and jumps at the chance to attend the regular Parents Night Out and enrolled in Spring Break Camp this year. The high school students who run the Parents Night Out are a lot of fun and great role models for the younger kids. We're sorry to be moving and leaving Core this summer. I highly recommend Core to any family and especially to those with children who are working on their focus and self control. read more

My kids have been coming for a couple of years now and we love it. The classes aren't too big, Master Meggie and Craig are phenomenally patient teachers who are working to instill wonderful values in our girls in addition to teaching the martial art. My kids look forward to classes every week and they love watching the older kids as well. Thanks for the phenomenal environment! read more

I have to be honest, I was a little hesitant to start Taekwondo as a guy in his thirties, but Master Meggie made me feel right at home. Core Taekwondo does such an amazing job of balancing exercise, learning and having fun. After only a couple months I feel like I have already learned so much....not to mention finally getting myself back into shape. Taekwondo isn't just for kids. If you have ever wanted to start but felt like you might be too old....I would highly recommend you check out Core Taekwondo. read more

We enrolled our very active (often rambunctious) five year old son in Master Meggie's class after sampling several taekwondo classes in the area and wow after several months we have seen tremendous positive changes in him including more active listening, respect for himself and others, and self confidence. What we absolutely love about Master Meggie and her classes is the philosophy and values behind her teachings - this class is not just about self defense and mastering taekwondo technique, it's all about the social values we want to instill in young people (and in ourselves frankly) to continuously strive for better, to get up when we fail or miss the mark, to expect high standards from ourselves and others, to applaud ourselves not just for achievement and results but also for effort and true hard work. Master Meggie does not subscribe to doling out random applause evenly without seeing effort and improvement, and that disciplined approach has my son believing more in himself and looking forward to this class every week as a staple in his life now, and for parents this amazing community of practitioners and parents is now a staple of my life for connection and support! Do your family a favor and sign up!!! read more

I sent my 9 year old son to their October camp. On the second day I wrote an email telling Meggie (the owner) my son had a doctor's appointment and would be late. When my husband arrived to drop off my son, nobody was there, there was no note (that they were in the park), and nobody answered the phone. So my husband was not able to go to work. My son has Asperger's and even though Meggie told me she had a lot of special education experience, she did not handle my son well at all and did not seem to understand some of the basic issues related to Asperger's (regarding my son's rigidity). When he did not want to play tag (because he has physical limitations that make it difficult) and did not want to do the other activity (because it was hurting his arm), the teachers refused to let him sit and read his book! When I complained she told me that they refused to let him read (a calming activity for him) because he had been yelling at the teachers (but nobody ever called me or my husband to ask us to come get him or ask us for advice about how to manage my son, at the time that this happened). When I asked for a refund for the three days my son missed (one because nobody was there) and two because my son refused to go back after the final incident (with the reading), Meggie refused. read more

Over the span of 10 weeks from August 1, 2013 to October 18, 2013 the following is what I observed at this martial arts school: 1. On a VERY POSITIVE note, the instructor-owner, "Miss Meggie or Master Meggie", engages the youngest students 3 years old and up exceptionally well. She is great at keeping the children mindful of their self-control and discipline for their own good and for the good of those around them through concepts of "body focus", "eye focus", "ear focus", and "mouth focus". She emphasizes good listening skills. Miss Meggie's "Little Kickers" classes are for the youngest 3-5 year olds, where they learn body-mind coordination skills that will lead towards success in all forms of martial arts and other sports. 2. A word of caution: One or two of the warm up stretches that Miss Meggie teaches have been recognized as unsafe and may lead to low back vertebrae strain with long term spinal health implications. Unfortunately, her version is a controversial Yoga stretch that introduces an unnatural rotation and side bend of the upper body while the hand of the outstretched arm reaches for the foot of the opposite straight leg. Miss Meggie says that she is able to do this twisty version of the stretch because of her own contortionist genetics and circus performer background -- Kudos to her for this ability. However, this is precisely the reason why her stretch is a risky prescription for the general population of kids and adults just starting out their martial arts experience and in many cases just starting out getting to know their own bodies and physical limitations. The student should be allowed to choose & perform that one which feels safer: BOTH VERSIONS: https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc3/1398057_227838574045038_1195367661_o.jpg SAFE VERSION: http://taekwondo-training.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/Taekwondo_Left_Leg_Box_Split_Stretch_opt.jpg 3. Regrettably, the curriculum of this school defers teaching the most basic kicking technique known as the "ball of the foot front snap kick". The practical consequence of neglecting this fundamental kick to a beginner is that they become extremely limited early on in the choice of actions they have during sparring or worse during an actual self-defense incident in the street. Several Taekwondo (Korean Karate) and Japanese Shotokan Karate black belts and instructors that I have discussed this with feel that neglecting this most important and basic kick is a disservice to paying students that are looking to learn the most effective techniques earlier rather than later in their martial arts experience. Reference photos of this kick below: https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/1399437_227542177408011_51183472_o.jpg https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/1410877_227542427407986_1914470091_o.jpg 4. This school dedicates every Friday (each week) to sparring for all ages. However, I would advise a parent to be cautious at considering participating in their sparring classes, because the sparring fundamentals here lack "touch control" training for beginners. The lessons need to be broken down further into more motion-constrained drills so that the beginner students learn in a measured and choreographed action-reaction approach rather than what is currently going on, which is mostly free-sparring where the mantra is to indiscriminately "kick kick kick kick kick" at each other continuously for 90 seconds. Unfortunately this unrestrained, free-sparring approach has caused my witness to a fair amount of banged up, teary eyed, frustrated little children. Yellow - Orange belts should NOT be permitted to free-spar for 90 sec. Better to rehearse attacks & counters in a stop-and-go point-sparring format until they acquire fluidity in a half a dozen discrete evade / block and counter drills. Examples: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Peaceful-Mind-Martial-Arts/227484764080419 5. Exercises are done either with no targets (air strikes) or with target paddles that make a nice loud popping sound when struck properly. However, the large kicking shields are virtually NOT used which leads to undeveloped impact conditioning. Reference photos provided below: https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/1399041_682158895141657_1957071736_o.jpg CONCLUSION: The "Little Kickers" program is a GREAT VALUE. This teacher really knows her stuff on how to engage 3-5 year olds. However, the curriculum pertaining to safe stretching, front snap kick, and sparring NEEDS FURTHER BREAK-DOWN AND REFINEMENT. The "poomsae (forms), basics (blocks, strikes, kicks), and street self defense" portion of her curriculum is indeed WELL ORGANIZED in stages for the belt-rank progressions; It is just that the "sparring" component of this school lacks "touch control" foundation training from a hierarchical drill structure for the student's safety, especially at the yellow and orange belt levels. This promising school has a lot of potential. read more

My son has been attending classes at Core TaeKwonDo and he loves the classes. He can't wait to go to class. The classes have boosted his self confidence and taught him respect. . I am so proud of my son. He is working hard to become a black belt. We looked at other TKD schools before we chose Core and know we made the right choice. Meggie is a super teacher and truly cares about her students. read more

As a beginner adult, it's been difficult to find a martial arts class where I'm not surrounded by children. After all, one doesn't need to be a kid to want to try something new. At Core Taekwondo, I'm learning strategy, memorizing forms, strengthening, varying my boring elliptical routine, and having fun with like-minded adults! Masters Maggie, Hiro, and Cheryl Lee offer superb individualized instruction and tips. Highly recommend. read more

We've had a wonderful experience with Meggie. She's terrific with kids and our 6-year-old loves to attend her classes. She truly takes the time to get to know each student; something we've appreciated tremendously. Highly recommend! read more

We tried a few other Taekwondo classes which I won't name. One was just too packed that he just didn't get anything out of it. The other place was too intimidating for my shy sensitive little guy. Sparring occurred on his 1st day. Not for his personality. We found Core by doing a drive by. It's very close to our house. Master Meggie is fantastic!! The way she teaches is awesome. My son just loves her. He always has a blast and looks forward to class every week. Another cool thing is you pay a flat rate a month and then can come as many days in the week as you like! And my son is LEARNING. He's pretty uncoordinated (like me, mom) but he's picking up the moves! He's anxious to get to the next belt. Master Meggie came over and told me how proud of the progress he has made in just a short time. Cheryl is the other teacher and she is sweet and great as well! I even signed my son up for a few weeks of summer camp at Core. I hope this dojo doesn't get too big. I like the small feel class. read more

The instructors there have captured my heart. They are energetic, fun to work out with, and extremely knowledgable. It's been a good 15+ years since I've studied, and they are helping me get myself back in shape. Big thanks to them!!! Also, really great studio for kids!!!! read more

My son loves his TKD classes and their camp is fantastic. I hesitate to write this review as I worry that the camp will be hard to get into once the secret is out. Master Meggie and Mister Hiro are great with instructing kids. I love that they emphasize that their teachings go beyond this class and apply to every day life. read more

I could write a whole novel on how good Core Taekwondo is and about the amazing Master Meggie. My son has been attending for almost a year and I could not be more pleased. Master Meggie is a former school teacher who has an amazing way with the kids. She communicates with them effectively and instills a strong work ethic, discipline and integrity all while having fun. Our son is learning Taekwondo and more importantly, he is learning valuable life skills. The most impressive thing is the sense of community which she has created. Everyone at Core feels like they are part of a family. With their recent move to a new, larger location on 3rd Ave. it clear that Core will be around for a very long time. We explored many options for our child and are thrilled that we went with Core! read more

I've learned from Core Taekwondo and Master Meggie on and off. The training is absolutely top-notch, and I learn something new in Taekwondo every time. It's a style associated with World Taekwondo Federation, the one backed by the Olympics. It's partly Master Meggie's ability to anticipate needs, and her focus on the small details that make the training worthwhile. read more

Been attending for over a year in the adult classes. Great instructors, good people and really enjoy the other adults who attend.

My son has been taking taekwondo at Core for almost one year. In addition to attending weekly belt classes he finished two weeks of camp this summer. Core TKD is top on my son's list of camps for next summer. The camp is run by the owner, Meggie Presti. She is an amazing teacher; in addition to being a master black belt, she has a degree in and previously taught elementary education. Not only does taekwondo teach my son discipine, courtesy, integrity and perseverance, Master Meggie applies her teachings far beyond the walls of her dojang to school, family, friends, and life. As a parent, I couldn't recommend more highly her class and camp to boys and girls of all ages! read more

The school is great, what I like about Master Maggie's method of teaching is that her teaching is based on the individual's strength and weaknesses (even in the same age group) & She knows her students very well. Great environment for young children and great instructor read more