CONGRATULATIONS TEAM KIFFMANN 2024 US OPEN SPARRING COMPETITORS
Three of our top athletes fought in a black belt Olympic qualifying world event and brought home 3 medals.
Lesili Bertelsen (juniors/men -48kg) - GOLD
Amerie Otake -(youth/girls -35kg) - GOLD
Lucas Pacson -(youth/boys -30kg) - BRONZE
SINCE 1993
Elevate your martial arts skills joining our Olympic Taekwondo school, the longest running Martial Arts school on Maui.
Our family operated school features all World Taekwondo/Kukkiwon certified master instructors. We offer free trial classes for ages 3 thru adult. We guarantee better focus, fitness, confidence and discipline in every student that joins our program and commits to weekly required classes.
Although we are the only school on Maui to have produced and coached athletes who were US National team members and have won major international tournaments/Olympic qualifiers for the past 30 years, it is the positive life changes we see in our students that we are mostly proud of.
Every student's reason to join us maybe different, but the benefits affect all equally. Taekwondo is the ultimate force in keeping the student centered and focused on important goals. Our students greatly improve in areas of scholastic endeavors, fitness levels and emotional balance. By learning self defense and state of the art kicking and striking techniques greater self-confidence levels arise in the student, giving them the motivation to achieve success in areas they did not believe possible. Join our Ohana Today!
Kids (ages 6-12)
We are a “Life Prep” school. We give kids the tools they need to be successful in life. The youth of today need to be focused, empowered and confident. Being able to stand up to bullies and defend yourself against predators is crucial in times like this.
Teens/Adults ages 13+
Our teen/adult program is for ages 13 and up and also includes a Lower Impact Taekwondo Class designed for beginners/intermediates, adults and seniors.
LITTLE DRAGONS ages 3-5
By learning focus, basic motor skills, self control and respect for others, each child will accelerate at his/her own ability.
BULLYING
Bullying continues to be a big challenge for kids and adults alike. Taekwondo empowers the student to higher levels of confidence which is revealed in their everyday behavior.
LIFE CHANGING BENEFITS FOR ADULTS
But Taekwondo is NOT just for kids. In fact, adult membership in Taekwondo has increased exponentially over the past decade due to the amazing benefits available. The adult student can gain significant levels of fitness, cardio and energy; while experiencing a reduction in stress, depression and menopausal symptoms in women.
DEPRESSION AND TAEKWONDO
According to the ADDA, depression, anxiety and/or similar disorders effect an estimated 20 million people in the US per year’ and the numbers continue to climb.
Our recipe for success in Taekwondo by Master Kathryn
Taekwondo is a fun martial art. It’s also a challenging martial art to master. It requires fitness, power, flexibility, endurance, and a strong desire to train. Most students can achieve these attributes with regular attendance and discipline. Some students will have challenges at the beginning of their training as the techniques will seem difficult, but this is normal. No reason to worry. No student is expected to jump into our program like they’re Bruce Lee. To be a member of our school, we require the following:
- Responsiveness: All students must be able to follow instruction as well as follow all Taekwondo rules. This is required out of safety for the school and to avoid interrupting class. *
- Attendance: Students should participate in at least 3 classes weekly to improve at an effective rate. If the student doesn’t maintain regular attendance, it’ll be a challenge to improve and advance; and eventually, the student will lose interest out of insecurity from falling behind. Give your child the best chance possible by maintaining their attendance.
- Courtesy: We require all students to have courtesy toward others. Our dojang rules are simple, easy to follow and will increase camaraderie between students as well as instructors. Students are required to bow before stepping on the mat as well as to Master instructors and blackbelts.
For students to get into the flow of training, it’s important to have consistency. If the student is taking three classes a week, they’ll begin to feel comfortable about their training in no time. The goal in martial arts is autonomy; the ability to self-motivate and internally regulate one’s actions and behaviors in a positive way. This can’t be done without training consistently. A student who maintains consistent training will feel an increase in confidence and knowledge.
From Extrinsic Motivation to Intrinsic Motivation.
Beginners receive motivation and praise (even “stars” in the Tots’ program) to feel comfortable as soon as possible within the training environment (extrinsic motivation). Eventually, the student must develop an internal mechanism—intrinsic motivation—that drives them to personally succeed toward becoming a blackbelt and beyond. In other words, they have to enjoy what they’re doing enough to motivate themselves onward. Its’ possible not to develop intrinsic motivation in Taekwondo and still reach blackbelt. However, statistically, students without strong intrinsic motivation in any given discipline, will quit their training soon after reaching certain goals. Success often requires intense effort and personal drive. Success also, often requires failure, trial and error, and personal reflection beforehand. The student who is resilient to errors and failing, and is accountable for their shortcomings, will be an empowered adult who will bounce back from most challenges. Life on earth has become exceedingly challenging. Help yourself—and your child—in manifesting resilience.
*Students with challenges that prohibit them from group training, may be eligible for private training with myself. My schedule is tight during my semester at OSU, however, feel free to contact me. For students having technical or athletic challenges, and require a one-on-one session, please contact Master Miles.
Congratulations Sili for winning team trials and becoming the 2023/2024 AAU JR. fin weight National Team Member. Watch Sili and Master Miles on Hawaii News
NEWS MEDIA
Maui News Article -2024 US Open
San Agustin captures gold for USA at Canada Open -MAUI NEWS 10-17-19
Congratulations to Master Miles & Jerico for making 2019/2020 AAU National team -MAUI NEWS 9-24-19
Maui News Article-2019 AAU Nationals, Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Please visit our dojang anytime to observe a class
Our studio is located at 261 Lalo Street, Suite H2, Kahului, HI 96732 ( behind Outdoor Living ) Phone:808-877-4311 email:info@kiffmanntaekwondo.com