My kid is going to this place for almost 3 years. Mr. Raeberg is a 5th degree black belt and very…read morepatient man. He is not only a karate instructor but also a great motivator. He gives his students little lessons on homework and discipline. I do like it. The facility is not real big, just the right size. Sometimes it is little crowded with all the students and parents. My kid loves his karate class. He loves to get rewarded for doing his chores at home ( they earn stripes). I think the recognition is the best motivator. Great idea. I think the only thing that is steep is the cost. But at the end keeping my kid focused and interested can't be measured by money. He likes it a lot and he likes his teacher. He is earning his black belt tomorrow and he is excited. So if you are looking for a great karate school, you should put this place on top of your list. They are sincere and great for kids. By the way, if you sign up 2 kids, mom and dad is in for free.

This is a great place for kids to learn respect, discipline get in shape and have a great time!…read moreHighly recommend!

I have trained at Midwest Karate (Art of the empty hand) for several years ever since graduating…read morefrom the University of Minesota under Sinsai Fusaro( in 1973 where he taught). When the dojo opened at Dayton's Bluff, I continued to train under Sinsai Forest,Joe, and Anita. The oraganization has a strong reputation for integrity, flexible class schedules, and reasonable rates. As Master Ginchin Funakoshi stated in the preface to his 1975 book,"Karate-Do, My Way of Life," Karate-do is not merely a sport that teaches self defense blocks, strikes, and kicks but a continued training discipline that promotes strong mind/body to help provide a defense against illness and disease as well. Thanks to his devotion to Karate-do, he never had to take medicne or consult a physician. Shotokan karate's traditional training system of stretching, basics, kata, and kumite (sparring) provides an outstanding opportunity to gain self confidence, strength and balance to feel more comfortable in any self defense situation that may arise. Tom Wiblishauser

I've been going to Midwest Karate in St. Paul for almost two years, and it's an excellent dojo!…read more Senseis Joel Ertl and Anita Bendickson are extremely knowledgeable, helpful and pleasant instructors. Both have been national champions and teach karate every day, so you can't do much better than that for instructors. Both have a little different teaching style, so it's good to take classes with both if you can. I attend frequently with my 12-year-old son, and this is what many adults with older/mature children do, so think about starting *with* your child instead of just watching them on the sidelines. For the younger children, there is a children's program with child-only classes, starting at age 5. One huge thing that sets Midwest Karate apart is the availability of instruction times. There are day and evening options for all belt levels. I don't think the senseis are ever ill or absent. If you show up at a time, they'll teach you whether you're with 25 other people or alone. They accept everyone and work with them at their level, no matter what that is. There are many different people with many different fitness levels and ages, so don't worry about being too out of shape or old or whatever. They'll tell you when you're ready to test for a belt or go on to a higher class. The other members are welcoming to new people, so no worries! Go there! Joel and Anita and the other Midwest dojos feel very strongly about only awarding belts to people who have worked hard and deserve it versus some of the more "chain"-y karate places whose function is to make money by handing out belts every 3 months whether you deserve it or not. This is a positive thing, and there won't be a mystery if you should test for your belt or not---they'll let you know if you should or not. Sometimes they'll tell me to do it, sometimes they'll tell me to wait. Other tidbits include frequent seminars focusing on different topics such as practical self defense (eg. "Defending against knife attacks"), specific katas, etc. There isn't a huge focus on tournaments at the lower levels, but there is an annual children's tournament and open adult tournament at the U of MN that allows all levels to compete. Feel confident about joining Midwest Karate!!!

This is a fantastic spot for both children and adults to learn JuJitsu. The instructors are patient…read moreand humble. Before starting my child here I took a class and experienced the techniques first hand. As someone with a lot of prior experience in other martial arts, I can confidently say that this style is extremely effective and the instructors are great. There are multiple instructors in the kids class and even the toddlers class is very organized and the kids are engaged. Very reasonable pricing. My child has grown a lot since he started here. It's built his confidence and provided a lot of self discipline. I am very happy for the instruction that Rio JuJitsu has provided to my son and I highly recommend it.

Rio Jitsu is a great place to train for people young and old. The instructors are super friendly…read moreand it is a very non-intimidating atmosphere. My daughter started training jujitsu there in the little kids class when she was 4 years old. She is now 8 years old and still loves training and practicing her new moves with her friends.

The owner and lead instructor is incredible. A champion martial artist who elevates the game of…read moreeveryone who trains with him. The school is perfect for students of all backgrounds and skill levels.

Great instructors and program offerings for kids and adults! I have attended a women's kickboxing…read moreprogram, a self-defense course with Moms and their daughters, and my kids have attended birthday parties and short programs. We love the variety of options available in addition to traditional martial arts belt programs.

I moved to the Twin Cities in early June, so I haven't been here all that long. But I have spent a…read morelot of time at a bunch of other martial arts places including FLO MMA in Chicago and Pacific Ring Sports in Oakland. So when I say this place is something special, I really mean that. For the boring setup stuff: The do jahng itself is effectively in a converted loading dock, so there's a crazy amount of space for classes to be held. The flooring is setup using semi-foam stuff like children's playmats, but it's almost as solid as normal wood flooring or carpet without being hard if you were to actually fall. Easy to jump on stuff, that kind of thing. Standard blue mats are brought out for added safety and comfort for falling / rolling / throwing when those particular drills come up. Various equipment that you'd see in any other boxing or martial arts studio, with weapon racks for the upper-belt forms and training (Not touching without permission kinda goes without saying). There's also a pretty good viewing area for parents to see their kids in class if they would like, but please be mindful of people working in the space, since your voice does travel. For the KSW-specific stuff: SBN Steffen and SJN Nicki are pretty great people in general with a pretty nice sense of humor about, well, everything. As someone who goes primarily to the adult class at night (Which starts at 8PM, so even if you get stuck at work it's fairly easy to get to, I don't interact with the kids that often, but the kids themselves are surprisingly well behaved during things like belt tests and the monthly promotion potluck. Which goes into the atmosphere. One of the things that I never really received in my other martial arts classes was something beyond, for lack of a better phrasing, form and technique drilling. KSW here has a strong emphasis on the traditions of KSW as well as making sure you're generally just a good person. Adult class specifically (I'm pretty sure the kids do this too, I just can't speak from experience) starts off with a discussion of the topic of the month (Last month was integrity, the month before was courage), and SBN typically breaks the topic down in small parts over the course of the month while relating it to something either personally relevant or more topical (The last integrity discussion he read The Oatmeal's Columbus Day comic, citing Matthew Inman as his integrity hero). It's actually my favorite part, and I have a feeling it's what contributes to the overall controlled tempo of the environment. The last reason I love this place relates more to my wife than anything else. She has spent a large portion of her life doing and teaching group fitness and personal training, yet after a fairly poor Tae Kwon Do experience at our undergrad, she refused to even entertain martial arts (in short, higher-belts exerted poor control when sparring and there was "punishment" not by pushups but by belt hitting and punching). So the first week I went, she was completely terrified about starting martial arts again. What if they were mean? What if it's too hard (Which I find weird, because she invents absurd tabata workouts all the time for herself)? Since we started going, she absolutely loves the workout intensity, bringing a lot of the things she has learned into her own workouts. Both of us completed our first belt test this weekend. She's excited to do more, and is more than willing to keep going even if I'm not there. Seeing that change is more than a simple 5-star review.

I had a great first workout at St. Paul Kuk Sool Won. Compared to other schools I've tried this one…read morewas very organized and the classes were a lot of fun.

Super friendly forms drop in, great teachers and space. Would definitely go back if I was in the…read morearea

Tag: 5 star all around experience - Coaching, Community, and Facility…read more Bottom Line: Our family has been training with Max and Mark Kafka since February 2017. The Grappler Station is one of the few places I'd give a true 5-star rating. Facility: The facility is excellent, everything is new! The mats that lie on top of a sub-floor supported by styrofoam provides an awesome surface for the kids and adults learning to throw, fall and grapple (even this 40+ 200lb dad). Coaching: Sensei Max is an outstanding coach and teacher. He has a lot of competition experience to share from his time on the mats and his time spent training with Olympic athletes and coaches. As an instructor, he possesses excellent command and charisma. My kids love his style! He keeps it fun but also makes sure the students are working hard and learning. Besides being an extremely technical judo athlete and coach, Sensei Max also emphasizes strong values in his curriculum such as leadership, motivation, nutrition and toughing it out. As a parent, this is great, as the kids learn this from another adult whom they respect which makes mom & dad sound less crazy and supplements our message as parents. Community: The group of parents, students, and adult practitioners have been great. We've met some awesome people through judo and Sensei Max & Mark provide a strong foundation for the culture of the gym. Some of the fun has been for birthdays, sledding parties, and movie nights. Overall, I feel extremely fortunate as a parent and martial artist to have found The Grappler Station and Sensei Max Kafka. The quality and level of instruction are superb. Minnesota is lucky to have a Judo Coach and leader of this caliber. Highest Recommendation!

John is an incredible instructor & inspiration to many. He is always striving for excellence &…read moreworking hard at being better and better for himself and his students. Jiujitsu is more than just a hobby & business -- it's a way of life at Underground