This review is a long time coming and given Paresh Martial Arts has opened a brand new beautiful studio on Grand Ave in San Rafael (in the same complex as Starbucks and FedEx!), I thought this was the perfect time to share my reflections.   How can I possibly distill how much Paresh Martial Arts and its fearless leader, Master Kristina Ohlson, has impacted my life and the life of others in our community in a single review? Let me start by saying two things:  First, Paresh Martial Arts is not just any karate studio. It's a community, a support system, and a family, one that extends far beyond the four corners of the studio walls. Second, Master Ohlson, the chief instructor at Paresh, is far from your average karate instructor. She is disciplined, firm and clear in her expectations for each and every student from her four year old Tiny Tigers all the way up to Black Belt. She is consistent and fair, ensuring the same rules and expectations apply to all, but where she truly stands out is the warmth with which she invites each student into the studio space, her sense of humor and her loving nature. She is extremely gifted in working with small children and growing with them as they age. Many of her former students that started with her when they were only five or six years old continue to reach out and seek an ongoing lasting connection with her, even now as they are off in college.  To me, this says so much about how much Master Ohlson invests in her students. She goes above and beyond, and for many of these students, she is like a second parent to them.  There are many karate studios out there that are solely focused on a business model that moves kids through promotions quickly (i.e. instant gratification for both kids and parents) in an effort to drive up the number of times parents are hit with a point of sale (i.e. new gear, new patches, new belts, new weapons). Master Ohlson's approach is quite the opposite. It's about fostering a sense of belonging and inclusion and creating a community of chosen family. It's about maintaining high standards for oneself, working hard, and always expressing kindness, gratitude and respect to others, both in the studio and at home. If your child is promoted at Paresh, it's because they've exhibited self discipline, learned the material and demonstrated a commitment to their training. These are the values your child will learn at Paresh, and they will be supported by a truly compassionate and encouraging teacher every step of the way.  I've seen so many kids and adults go through Master Ohlson's program and they just thrive.  A few other things to mention:  - Paresh is a LGBTQIA+ 100% woman owned business.  - At Paresh, your child will learn the traditional Korean art of Tang Soo Do and join a larger association known as the World Tang Soo Do Association, that sets the standards for the curriculum and offers opportunities for regional and national tournaments where students can compete against and form friendships with students from other studios. So, students not only join a family at Paresh Martial Arts, but also a larger scale family through the association. If all of this is not enough to convince you to give this studio a try, I encourage you to drop in and witness the Master Ohlson magic for yourself. At Paresh, you will find community, your child will be empowered and you will see true transformation. Thank you Master O and Paresh Martial Arts for enriching my life beyond measure. read more

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Master Ohlson is patient, knowledgeable, and makes learning fun!! My two kids are always excited to go to class to see her and their friends. The Tiny Tigers class is totally age appropriate for the 3-4 year old crew who needs train breaks and sometimes a hug mid-class. And the next level up, the Dragons, is super well modified for each student to feel success- those with 1 stripe & those on their 3rd+ belt all work together to create a super supportive environment of learning and fun! read more

Paresh Martial Arts - The Tiny Tigers (ages 3-4) have a blast running and jumping and learning cool moves. - Karate Near Me - San Rafael, California

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my daughters been attending for 11 months now and she's made so much progress! this is by far the best dojang in Marin and surrounding that I know of. Master Ohlson embodies so many characteristics you'd want in a quality instructor and more. my daughter (4 yo) loves breaking boards on test day and she looks forward to attending class. If you have to choose one extracurricular activity for your kid, choose martial arts and choose Paresh! Try to avoid choosing a dojang just because it's so close to your home or your kids school. I did my research all over Marin and chose Paresh. Paresh is worth the extra mile! With your kid in the car, you can use the HOV lane, you'll be fine! read more

We love Kristina and Paresh! Our 8-year-old has taken classes for about two years, and our 6-year-old started last summer. Kristina is exceptional with all the students, both at the studio and when she visits schools and elsewhere. She fosters an incredible family mentality; many of the kids and parents meet up outside of class, go camping, and head to her annual Halloween party. Our boys have learned how to better focus and control their bodies, and they take pride in moving up their ranks. We cannot recommend Paresh enough! read more

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My 4yo loves going to the Tiny Tigers class with Master Ohlson! She is so patient with them, and class is always so fun. He's learning to be more in tune with his body through all the different warm ups & stretches, and, also learning to have a still body and focus when that's required of him. It's such a fun positive class that you won't regret sending your kid to! read more

Paresh Martial Arts - Practicing kicks - Karate Near Me - San Rafael, California

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This popped up as a 2017 FB memory last week so I thought I'd share. It's still very true today! Kristina Ohlson is the best! 2017: I love, love, love my son's martial arts' instructor. I want to send both my boys to live with her for a while so they will come back better people. And I love that this is what she wrote in this month's newsletter to families. "Family. It's what we're all about. Family goes beyond moms and dads, brothers and sisters, sons and daughters. It's about joy and respect for all. We are a Tang Soo Do family. You may be part of a church family, a soccer family, a bike riding family, a green up SF family. Family is community. lt can be small, like the family you live with, and it can be big, like your neighborhood, the city you live in, the state you live in, or the world we live in. Right now all families need kindness, love and patience. Choose a family and care for it." read more

Paresh Martial Arts - Karate Near Me - San Rafael, California

After being mildly traumatized by a czar-like yoga instructor I had way back in college, I was reluctant to start up yoga again, especially in a city like San Francisco where everyone and their mother totes around posh yoga mats in their own bedazzled carrying cases. One night, as the N-Judah was moseying down Irving, I noticed that Paresh Martial Arts was offering 3 yoga classes for only $20 (what a deal!!) and I had been looking for a new way to spice up my workout routine. (Running around Golden Gate Park is only so much fun...) I decided that if I hated the first class, it was only $20, so why not? I LOVED IT! Kristen is an awesome instructor. She's super friendly, knowledgeable and oh-so-flexible - like you'd expect a yoga instructor to be. She's great about telling you individually what you should be doing to improve your poses (not like calling you out in the middle of class like my former instructor, but in that nice, caring sort of way). Anyway I've been going to classes here ever since and can already see the definition in my arms and abs. The classes are all different, so we're not doing the same poses each week, and they're small, so you're not tripping over your classmates. i've also been to a few classes with Cecille, who is also great. She teaches yoga classes in the AM, which can be great if you want to get a start on your day. Her classes are also invigorating and challenging. Finally, I must give a shout-out to Peter's Community Donation-based Restorative yoga classes on Sunday evenings! Peter just oozes zen. He is very passionate about restorative yoga and can tell you all about the rationale for the different poses. And, after every restorative class with him, I sleep LIKE A BABY. It's awesome. And, the classes are donation-based - does it get much better? :) read more

Paresh is a great martial arts studio. I train with Ms. Ohlson in the adult class. I have also observed some of her other classes and she is fantastic with children and a great inspiration to all her students. I also participate in Justin's Core Synergy class on Tuesday and Thursday mornings. He is good at pushing you to the edge and beyond. I am in the best shape of my life thanks to Paresh and its instructors. read more

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Kristen's yoga class here! She is a great teacher... after trying Yoga Tree one week recently when she took a rare week off, my gratitude was redoubled for her attentive, safe class that leaves you feeling spent and relaxed, all at once. Hard to imagine ever going to one of the large classes in the studios. This class is perfect! read more

Here is the official first parent review of this place, because I bring my daughter here, don't go myself (though I'm glad to hear the adult classes are good too, if I ever had the time). We live a few blocks from here, so decided to check it out when it opened. I have 2 girls and have always wanted my kids to take karate. Despite the 2 night/week class schedule (which is DRAINING) and the late night (class for my daughter runs until 630pm which makes bedtime even LATER), I LOVE this place. Kristina, the owner (and instructor of my daugher's class) is awesome. She's energetic, warm, great with kids and seems to really know her karate (I mean, she's a black belt and all). She just threw a halloween party and it was amazing, the kids did a little demo and had a great time. I feel like this is a real find that we got to be a part of from the ground up. read more

I was looking for a new yoga teacher and happened to notice that Paresh Martial Arts was offering yoga classes and I thought that was interesting so I went to their website and booked an appointment to check them and when I went in I met the awesome Clint Kapp. Clint is a great teacher who you can easily connect with and I just felt a really strong aura of peace around him. I'm not a hippy dippy type that goes around hugging people, but it was just a little eerie how I could feel his presence and calmness. This is a great place to go if you need to relieve some stress and Clint is the best teacher I've met and I'll be going back again and again. read more

Kung fu AND yoga! What more could you ask for? I took a yoga class here with Kristen Chew - what a calming, attentive presence! The class was very thorough and well thought out. Carefully attention to form but the class still flowed well. Afterwards there was an open Wing Chun Kung Fu practice for practitioners from any school...a great combination! Highly recommended! read more

Love this place!! Ms Ohlson is great with the kids! Discipline in a caring and tender way! They deserve more than 5 starts

We joined Paresh in June. What an AWESOME and positive place for kids. My daughter has learned so much! Ms. Ohlson is so hands on and patient! She has such an great style of teaching. The way she speaks to the children is stern but kind and I really appreciate that. She definitely covers a different kind of discipline. Oh, and Miss Jenn is pretty awesome too! read more

We tried out Paresh for the shallowest of reasons: (a) we could walk there from home, (b) good reviews on Yelp, (c) son badgering us endlessly about taking martial arts and trying out "kung fu" moves on toddler sister. We figured at the rate we were going either he was going to kill her or we were going to kill him, or maybe both. Given our motivations, we did not deserve to end up in such a great environment, but we did. The Paresh classes have been fantastic. Extra bonus points go to the instructors for reinforcing the message that kicking and punching is for the dojang only. So our son is now trying to teach his sister different stances instead of inadvertently beating her up. Ms. Ohlson is amazing with the kids. My sense is that martial arts programs for little kids tend to draw what you might call a non-random sample. They all have ants in their pants. They are fizzy. Based on conversations with parents of my son's kindergarten classmates alone, I would say that we're all trying martial arts for a reason, and that is the hope that some of our kids' energy can be redirected without the use of prescription medication. This makes for a challenging teaching environment. It is very, very impressive to watch Ms. Ohlson (et al) take these kids in stride and lead them to want to learn. Finally, they have a program to bail you out when your kid's toddler sibling demands to go as well--on Saturday mornings they offer a family class for 2 and 3 year olds with their parents. I wouldn't say that our daughter is learning martial arts, exactly (then again, how would I know?) but she's having fun crawling through tunnels, running and jumping, and yelling while waving her arms around. So we're all happy. read more

Ms. Ohlson is an amazing teacher. My son loves her class and he's always begging to go. My son knows many words in Korean because of her. She inspires a love of movement, physical fitness and martial arts. She does not teach violence instead she offers kids with creative ways to always act peacefully in the world. Her classes are rich, fun and exciting for parents and students alike. read more

My son has been going to Paresh for almost two years now, and I've seen him grow from a wiggly little kid to a mature brown belt, and he's only ten. The instructors at Paresh are tough and have high standards, but it is completely obvious that they love the kids who attend their classes and that they would do anything to see them be successful. I have the pleasure to intermittently sit in on classes, and I love the humor and the kindness that the instructors show to even the most wayward child. My son has gone to a few tournaments at this point, and he plans on going all the way to black belt. Motivating kids to go as far as they can is the sign of a great teacher, and he has had several of them here. read more

I just had my first yoga class here and I am blown away. It was the best yoga class I had since I was in college. Since then I took advantage of the (free) yoga classes offered at Hastings, my former law school. The lady there was very obnoxious and would call you out if you didn't go to class regularly and couldn't do the movements quite as well. She was also really into tricks: handstands, having you stand on your hands like a frog. Not why I do yoga. This place is fantastic. There's soothing music in the background, dim relaxing lighting, and I loved the instructor I had this Monday evening. She has a very soothing voice and goes around the room gently correcting everyone and molding their body into the perfect pose. I loved the individualized attention in spite of the group setting, that she actually came up to me and physically corrected my poses, and that she seems to be very patient with each student. My favorite part was the stretching towards the last 15 minutes. I will definitely be back. read more

i have only one regret writing this review: that Yelp does not allow me to give more than 5 stars! My son has been attending classes with Ms. Ohlson for almost 4 months now and neither him nor I could be happier. Ms. Ohlson is extremely tough with very high standards of conduct and form. She is also absolutely fair and exerts her leadership with a level of grace, humor, respect, and compassion that inspires her students to do their best and that has earned her the absolute trust of both my son and myself. He is enjoying his lessons so much that he has asked for (and gotten) extra lessons each week. My fiancee has been so impressed by what she has seen at Paresh that she too has begun training with Ms. Ohlson and I am getting ready to follow suit myself. Those who are eager and willing to put in the effort and hard work needed to master the art of Tang Soo Do will find no better instructor than Ms. Ohlson, period. read more

Review for ADULT PILATES CLASS - definitely worth getting out of bed for. I take Pilates with Joe on Tues and Thurs mornings. It's 6:30 am so I skip out more than I should, especially because no matter how tired I am I always feel better after going. The class is really small which is nice. Joe is super laid back and fun. He makes sure you are doing all the exercises properly and is really helpful. It's actually a really good time - even for working out at 6:30 in the morning UPDATE: Sadly Joe passed away unexpectedly last month. It's so sad. Not sure about the other adult classes but it might be to sad to go back. read more

Paresh is an amazing martial arts school! The owner, Ms. Ohlson, is a passionate and incredibly competent martial arts instructor, as well as a motivated athlete and martial artist. She has assembled an A team of assistants and fellow instructors. They truely care about helping you become a better person through the traditions of Tang Soo Do. Paresh's curriculum is intensive and fast pace but motified for every individual. Paresh has become a second home for me and I consider myself fortunate enough to be a small part of their family. read more

I'd been wanting to get back on the yoga train for awhile and had been poking around the Inner Sunset hood when I came across Paresh Martial Arts. I'm so glad that I found them! I had my first class with Cecille and she is really great. Her class is challenging and invigorating, but also mellow and centering. I like the relaxed feel of the studio and the instructor and I will definitely be back! I also believe they are slightly less expensive than other yoga classes in the area and with the 3 classes for $20 intro deal, you can't go wrong. read more

Our six-year-old daughter has been taking weekly classes here ever since she made me pull the trailer bike over to the sidewalk so she could watch an adult class, her little face pressed to the window. I continue to be stunned at Ms. Ohlson's ability to keep a herd of children focused, while simultaneously providing individual attention and encouragement; disciplined, yet low-key and effervescently (and contagiously) upbeat, even funny. I would recommend this studio in the highest possible terms to any parent. read more

Paresh Martial Arts is outstanding in every way. I have multiple kids of different ages, and their varying needs are met in ways I could never have imagined. The instructors are incredibly talented at meeting the needs of different children, sometimes pushing them to dig a little deeper, often using humor to keep a warm and safe atmosphere, always offering support and respect as they push the children to achieve new levels. The summer camps are terrific, keeping the children physically active and happily engaging with other children of varying ages all day long. They get out to the park for long stretches of the day, taking advantage of their location right near Golden Gate Park. My children have opportunities for leadership with other students who are new to the martial arts program. Ms. Ohlson is literally one of the best teachers I have ever seen in action. She is funny, playful, serious, demanding, supportive, and challenging in all the right ways. She works hard to understand what her students need on an individual basis. She imparts her great love of Tang Soo Do while giving the kids a larger context to understand the importance of hard work, dedication, honesty, integrity, and teamwork. read more

If you are looking for a place for your child to take Karate (Tang Soo Do Korean style karate, that is), then you can't go wrong with Kick Start. My 3.5 year old daughter begged us to put her in karate class. We were thrilled when Kick Start opened and were are even more thrilled now that our daughter attends 2 x week. Kristin, the owner and instructor, is amazing with the kids. I don't know how she gets half a dozen plus 3-5 year olds to stand in a line but they do it. And, big bonus to busy parents: Kristin sends the parents away so you get 45 minutes to troll around the inner sunset. I usually end up drinking a beer at the Fireside. read more

Fantastic! I don't know about the adult classes, but classes for a 6 year shy boy are fabulous! Kristina is a phenomenal instructor. Besides knowing her stuff karate wise, she knows kids. She blends just the right, age appropriate, amount of fun, discipline, and respect to make this an experience that is both good and good for you! Kudos to you Kristina! read more

We love Kick Start! My son (3 1/2) is learning karate of the Tang Soo Do Korean variation. It's amazing. Kristina is phenomenal with the kids. She knows how to get them focused. The kids aren't just running around - they are progressing. I am happy with the location and the weekly schedule. Signing up w/Kick Start was a great decision. read more

What a fun learning environment! I have only sat in on 1.5 classes thus far as I comtemeplate entering into the world of tung soo do, but I have to say that I am thoroughly impressed with the instruction and culture in the classroom. I think if you are 5 or 45 looking into this, you will be in good hands with these guys. read more

Took my 3 year old here, and I am so very pleased! It feels like a great community of children and parents right off the bat. Also the teacher is awesome! I totally recommend this place. read more

I've learned here almost all my life and the studio and I remember Ms. Ohlson telling me that this is not just a class to learn to kick and block, its a community. If I could choose a third parent, she would be mine. read more

I am taking the early morning yoga class with Clint and I love it. The studio is a nice, clean, place to practice yoga. Clint is a great yoga instructor, taking extra time to help each student individually. His classes are usually small, so it's like having a private Yoga teacher! He is very much interested in helping students with their goals. Highly recommended. read more

I have generally stayed away from yoga because I find it so difficult to find instructors who I can connect with and when I do, their class sizes are overwhelmingly crowded. No more. Clint is new to the studio, a wonderful hands-on instructor, and his class sizes can not get any smaller (I lucked out and was the only one today!). Find Clint. Go to his classes. This is the best kept secret in the Sunset. read more

My son has been taking karate at Kickstart with Kristina Ohlson for almost a year. He LOVES "Ms. Ohslon," and LOVES her "Little Ninjas" class! I have never written a review before but am so thrilled with her classes I feel compelled to share with other parents! Ms. Ohlson is warm, fun, energetic and very good with toddlers (age 2-4 in my sons class). My little guy loves his karate uniform and she gives stripes on their belt for achieving certain milestones (bowing, counting to 10 in korean, learning certain moves, etc.) It is very rewarding and my son is wildly excited and proud when he earns a new stripe! I feel that the classes have really helped my spirited child in many ways. Most importantly, he has a blast! He has learned to be a very good listener, and definitely learned to focus and obey more (any parents dream!) It has also been his first chance to work towards a goal and I have been shocked how motivated he is to acheive new things, and then how much pride he has in himself once he does so! I think it is a great confidence builder for any toddler! read more

Kristina O. is the best. Smart, knowledgeable, great with kids. You can't go wrong with this place.

Ms. Ohlson is a wonderful instructor. She commands respect and teaches the kids how to conduct themselves in the dojang--with each other and with their teachers. Yet, she has such an amazing rapport with them. Silly, patient and really is able to connect with the newest, shyest of students. I cannot say enough good things about how she runs her classes. And I love seeing her influence reach beyond the dojang--my kids now answer me with a "Yes, Ma'am" and love practicing the latest moves they're learning. Next step: making them do push ups for not cleaning their room. Ha! ;) read more

Kristina O. is a natural teacher. She encourages kids, while imparting discipline and training. She is a great mentor and leads kids of all ages through the training, gently, but firmly. She is quick to laugh and joke around with the kids and they love her! The kids are challenged but never beyond their personal limits. They are given much love and encouragement! read more

My daughter has been training with Ms. Ohlson for almost two years now and she absolutely loves it. Ms. Ohlson is awesome. I would higly reccomend this place for kids and adults. read more

Walking in off the street to one of Clint's yoga classes, you feel at instantly at home in the warm, inviting setting he creates. With curtains drawn, heat going, incense burning and soothing music playing, the space is seamlessly transformed from a martial arts studio into a top notch yoga studio. After Clint welcomes you with open arms, he expertly guides you from pose to pose, urging you to explore more deeply within yourself as you go. The overall effect is relaxing, calming and enlightening. If your goal is to breathe hard, sweat buckets and jump from pose to pose, you might not get what you're looking for. But if you want an uplifting, spiritual, peaceful experience, Clint is the teacher for you. Highly recommended. read more

kick start is GREAT! we have three (very different) kids attending tong soo do classes there, and they all love it. i'd never had interest in signing my children up for martial arts - it always sounded so intense - but kristina (owner & teacher) does a great job of blending the fun stuff with the discipline of tong soo do (korean version of karate). important that it be fun, or my kids won't want to go! :) i should add that one of my children won't do any team (or "competitive") sports, but he cannot wait to get to kick start twice a week; so we're thrilled to have found a sport for him that fits his personality. we live in the neighborhood & were thrilled to see a great place for kids open so close! kick start has become a real "center" of the neighborhood for everyone with children -- we've met so many awesome families since joining. plus, compared to my children's other activities, it seems incredibly reasonably priced -- i pay $300 for all three kids (package deal!) for a month of classes (2x / week). add to all of this that (a) it's nice to have a 45-minute break in your day (take a walk, run errands, so much to do around 9th & irving or in GG park...), since kristina encourages parents to leave during class (so kids can focus & not be running over to mom or dad), and (b) it's totally cool to hear your child speaking korean (!), which they seem to pick up right away. all in, it's been a great experience for our whole family & i highly recommend it to anyone looking for a great "out of the box" activity for your kids. read more

My VERY active 3 1/2 year old son LOVES his Tang Soo Do classes with Ms. Ohlson at Kick Start. Kristina Ohlson's warmth and playfulness makes every class so much fun for the kids, all the while teaching them focus, discipline and respect. The studio is bright and airy with these great silhouettes on the wall of the whole family doing stretches, and the kids have a ball zooming around warming up. The kids are challenged and physically and mentally engaged, yet never made to feel uncomfortable if they mess up. The kids are encouraged to learn basic skills and are rewarded by getting stripes on their belts, which is great impetus to practice at home. We just love Kick Start and recommend it highly to other parents. read more