In 1.5 years my son has gained skills, discipline, and respect and we will be forever grateful to…read moreMaster Lee. Thank you for being such a positive influence in my son's life. Master Lee's program goes far beyond just Taekwondo and has improved nearly every aspect of my son's life. Looking forward to the lessons to come! It's the largest taekwondo gym in Portland.It's a such a nice place to even do a basic run in rainy Oregon.

Master Lee has not provided the Black Belt Kukiwon level certificates that have been paid for…read morebefore and after passing Black Belt level testing. I have experienced this issue twice in the last 8.5 years of having my sons attend 3 days a week during that time period. Master Lee has promised multiple times to fix the issue with no resolution, but asked for more money. I would not recommend attending the TKD Studio based on my experience. I wish picked a different TKD studio and instructor and spent my time and money elsewhere.

This dojo is run by a husband and wife team. The husband is the senior Sensei and has been studying…read morekarate for most of his life. His wife has also bee a long time student. The atmosphere is very focused, respectful and encouraging for all levels. I enjoy the classical structure of the class and the drills. It is no-frills and focused on foundational principles as well as practical applications. Out of 8 classes per month, there is 1-4 sparring sessions which range in intensity appropriate to one's level. Every class focuses on dachi and kihon (stance and basics). Three quarters of the classes have some focus on kata. I prefer the strict kata learning system in this dojo to other dojos I have been in. Each belt is associated with at least one kata. The Sensei-student relationship is strong, supportive, but unflinchingly focused on excellence. Finally, the group of students are top notch. Nobody is out I prove a point, women are respected and it is never about ego or domination. Even when it gets a little hairy sparring. I recommend Portland Shotokan completely.

Traditional Japanese Dojo. Excellent instruction and variety. I have been training there for 3…read moreyears. Karate is great for fitness and confidence. I recommend Pacific Renbukai to serious karateka of all levels and ages.

They aren't kidding when they say things like "ego free" or friendly. Definitely want to sign up…read morewith them. Went with my teenage daughter and she was into it too. I'm glad they exist!

I highly recommend Lightning Hand Academy because they teach techniques that can be used for…read morepractical, real world self defense, it's a great workout, and the school has very good, supportive community feel. Full disclosure - I studied with Lightning Hand regularly from early 2016 until August 2017. In July 2017 I met someone in Washington, dated long distance, then moved so I wasn't able to make time for martial arts. I thought I had written a review for LHA 4 years ago and just found that I had not, so I figured late better than never! I was primarily interested in practical self defense and a good workout. I was afraid of making the mistake of "studying the wrong martial art". The Wing Chun approach seemed practical to me - techniques are all standing up, emphasis is on close range & punching technique, early techniques are very simple which makes them faster to cement into muscle memory. Wing Chun doesn't do high kicks, which are flashy but high risk and in my opinion unlikely to be used in a real life self defense situation (by the time you know someone intends to actually attack you, not just posturing, they are inside kicking distance). LHA's class approach creates a good training loop in my opinion - warm up, discuss ideas and theory, practice smaller skill subsets - agility or striking drills, then integrate smaller skills into practical fighting application by sparring, repeat. Enough variety in techniques and drills to keep you from getting bored, but also comes back to basics frequently to make sure they are solid in your muscle memory. There can be BS (or fear of BS) around martial arts, but I felt LHA was a very low BS environment. All humans have egos, so Ray would regularly talk to the benefits of overcoming your ego, because it gets in the way of learning. Students are expected to teach each other by being good training partners, and held to this expectation. I was once corrected by Ray in I thought a very skillful manner. I was doing a drill with someone that is supposed to be about sensing and technique, but I was using muscle to overpower my partner. Neither of us were learning what we were supposed to be. Ray came over and swapped my partner out, and did the same exercise with me. He was pushing me all over, but I could feel that he was using better posture and technique, not muscle force. I was tiring quickly and he was barely exerting effort. He asked if I still feel strong. This was pointed enough that I understood his meaning clearly - knock it off! But also conveyed one to one so I was not embarrassed in front of the class. I got really clear from this teaching moment that I was responsible for helping others learn and resolved to be a better training partner. COVID has made a lot of things difficult, but I believe LHA is still operating, doing remote training. There is a lot in Wing Chun you can learn practicing solo with minimal equipment - forms teach correct movements, you can practice striking with a wall bag full of rice that will cost less than $30. The best training experience will still need another person, but maybe you can recruit a friend or significant other to train with you? If you're feeling cooped up and would like to try learning a new skill, there is no time like the present!

We love MUSA and Master Lacey. He does a great job working with kids! We have two young boys in…read morethe Little Warriors class. They love going, playing games, and learning Taekwondo with their friends. He does a good job of teaching them age appropriate life lessons. I highly recommend MUSA!!

My son went to the spring break camp, enjoyed the first day, but on the second day was told by…read moreMaster Lacey that he was raising his voice to him, and that if he ever did that again, he would be thrown out of the camp. He was sent to time-out for the rest of lunch and half of another activity. Instead of trying to help my son work out whatever issues were going on, he left him there in time-out while he was crying, and didn't explain to him how long he would be there nor what he would need to do to get out of time -out. My son has a naturally loud voice due to some neurological issues and didn't realize he was raising his voice or being disrespectful. My son didn't want to go back to spring break due to this harsh treatment. We asked for a refund which he agreed to, and called again about it, but he never returned our call.

I've been an adult student with Mr. and Mrs. Simpson for 13.5 years. Sure it was awkward to start…read morein a class with kids much younger than me. But going through the color belt ranks, I did have other adults and teenagers to look up to. I made it to first-degree black belt... and then I kept going. I just tested for my fourth degree. Being a martial artist is a journey and there is always more to learn. I'm impressed that our black belt class keeps growing. We haven't had this many before and that is very encouraging to see. Being a black belt isn't easy, nor should it be. The expectations are high; so are mine of myself. I'm always finding ways to incorporate the life skills and black belt attitude into my personal and professional life. Heck, I'd say I've learned more about leadership in black belt class that I have in formal classes. I can only echo what other parents have said. I'll be bringing my kids here for martial arts training when they are old enough.

This place is awesome…read more My wife and I want our kids to know a martial art for self-defense. We put our oldest in different Taekwondo place. They taught him the moves, but not much else. They did not care if he goofed off in class or not. There was little instruction past the forms. I was disappointed and thought I would never find the right place. Karate for Kids is way different. They care about what the kids learn and carry with them for life. It is much more than teaching moves. They teach self-disciple, respect, focus and instill the true reason for martial arts (self-defense only.) My oldest was getting bullied in school by several kids. Karate for Kids run a free "Bully Proof" seminar every so often on Saturdays. All kids and their parents are invited. I was skeptical at first, but took my kid. He applied things he learned in this class. Soon after the kids stopped picking on him. In fact, one of the kids became friendly towards him. This is all because Karate for Kids cares. You won't find a better Taekwondo school for kids. I would give them more than five stars if I could. Try them out. You'll be glad you did.

I have grown up training with Instructor Ferrito at Ferrito Martial Arts. He has taught me to…read moredefend myself and confidently use my voice as a young woman. The strength and confidence that learning martial arts gave me as a young teen translated to confidence in the rest of my life and helped me to stand up for myself in many scenarios. As a young female college student living alone in a major city, when I am able to visit home and attend a class at Ferrito Martial Arts, Instructor Ferrito listens to my safety concerns and works with me to find defense techniques that are specifically tailored to my needs. This includes defense techniques for public transportation and other places and unique situations that I regularly feel unsafe in. Instructor Ferrito works patiently and kindly with people of all ages -- I began attending classes as a late middle schooler and am delighted to be returning to this wonderful class during college breaks. Students hold deep respect for each other and Instructor Ferrito because of the respect that he shows us. I cannot more strongly recommend trying a class at Ferrito Martial Arts, you will be warmly greeted and leave with practical tools to for self defense. This Dojang (martial arts studio) is especially great for young women. I have learned realistic defense techniques that can be used in real-life scenarios, including boxing, grappling (wrestling), knife and stick defenses and so so much more.

I was lucky enough to find Ferrito Martial Arts about 3 years ago, it's been a blast. Instructor…read moreFerrito is a wonderful teacher, during busy classes managing to be able to give one on one instruction on a wide range of techniques. I have found Instructor Ferrito to be a very patient teacher whether he is working with a beginner adult or a blue belt pre-teen, he fits his teaching to the student. This class has been great at giving me a good work out while providing vital self defense techniques. Farang Hapkido uses an effective mix of joint locks, strikes, grappling, and weapons to develop a self defense style that can work for any body type and is flexible enough to be adapted to any situation. I feel fortunate to have found a martial arts family with this school.

I don't usually write reviews, but this place definitely warranted one…read more I've got a shy, timid 9-yr-old boy, and this place has been FANTASTIC. My son's been going for three months now and I've seen a huge improvement in his coordination and memory, he's got a longer attention span, and he's not afraid to speak up for himself. From his very first class, they were teaching him important values such as: 1) how to stay calm and concentrate when there's chaos around you 2) how to defend yourself from physical harm 3) how to set clear goals and work towards them All the instructors have mastered how to correct the children while still keeping the class fun and light. Highly recommend!

My family has been attending Ernie Reyes' World Martial Arts for over 2 years now, and we look…read moreforward to many more. What keeps us there? The people. Owners Kjn Dan and Kjn Gwen treat everyone like family and create a genuine community. The classes are fun, with a wide breadth of martial arts styles represented. The multiple martial arts (MMA) serve to keep the classes continually interesting and challenging. They teach a wide variety of skills. The MMA format is based on Taekwondo, but also draws on kickboxing, grappling, and Escrima (Filipino stick fighting). For those who want more, you can sign up for weapons classes, fitness classes, and, for kids, kicknastics and the demo team. The Lil' Dragons is a fun beginner class for the youngest children that does a great job preparing them for the later color belt system. One of the things that we truly valued about the school is their mindset and culture. They teach respect and discipline, but they do so in a way that welcomes kids and families together and invites people in. They are not like military drill sergeants who demand respect...they are great teachers who cultivate respect and discipline. It's been great to watch as kids grow up in this environment and become the next generation of MMA teachers and leaders in the school. We have watched not only our daughter grow in this area but other kids as well. The school has higher ranking students teaching younger, even if that means a 12-year-old is teaching someone who is in their 40's. It's a great way to show that they value mastery of the arts as a way to respect each other. Overall, we'd highly recommend this school to anyone who is looking. Far and away, they are the best in town.

To be honest, I wasn't originally interested in TKD. I showed up here to do Jujitsu, but the class…read morewas canceled. I ended up doing a private lesson with Master Park and was so impressed by his teaching that I decided I didn't care what it was he was teaching. I knew I wanted to learn from him. It's been an honor to witness his passion and skill over the last few months. With his encouragement I've grown in strength, stamina, flexibility, and confidence. Now I'm addicted! His ability to connect with children and inspire them to do their best is phenomenal. My children have also learned so much in the short time they have been taking lessons here. They are more disciplined and respectful, and I'm so proud to see them have a goal to improve their skills. This place feels like a second home. Everyone who comes here is friendly, encouraging and make this place a joy to come to. I'm here as often as I can be, and I'd recommend it to anyone who's interested in a positive change in their life.

What a great studio, enrolling our kids in taekwondo was the best thing we've ever done. Such a…read moresupportive good program for kids! Highly recommend.