Grandmaster Ken MacKenzie - Taekwondo Times

lenged. I could see he was a great teacher, but
was unsure whether I should start this program
for myself.
I then read an editorial in a magazine, in
which the author stated, “Never mind the style;
pick the instructor.” It was this article that convinced
me to sign up with Master Rifkin. That
was over six years ago. It was a great decision,
and that decision has made me a martial artist
for life.
My son Nick started his training at four
years old at Rifkin Pro Karate; he achieved
junior black belt at age ten. He is the youngest
student to achieve this rank at this school. He
is a great example for his fellow students.
People train in martial arts for many reasons:
health and fitness, weight loss, self-defense,
sport/competition, focus, discipline, and confidence
building. Some schools focus on just
one of these, but the beauty of a traditional
art is that it encompasses all of these elements.
You can be in a class, and although everyone is
doing the same material, they can all be doing it
for their own personal reasons. While you will
all be doing the same material, you can choose
what are the most important elements to you,
and focus on those.
I might be a little biased, but I believe that
Rifkin Pro Karate Center (RPKC) is a step
above the rest. That little dojo in Canoga Park
has been transformed into a top quality school
facility with two huge floors and a weight
room. Not only do we have superb instructors
in Master Rifkin, Mr. Dang, Mr. Layton, and
Ms. Smith, but we have very dedicated students
that are supportive of each other. I truly love
seeing my fellow students improve, and am
inspired by their efforts. I am now a black belt
and an instructor at RPKC, assisting my fellow
students to reach their goals. This is why I
train in a traditional martial art in general, and
Rifkin Professional Karate Center in particular.
Jim with son Nick doing forms.
November 2009 / taekwondotimes.com