About
UC Berkeley Youth Recreation Year-Round Programs include activities such as Martial Arts, Skateboarding, Youth Basketball, Archery, Swim Programs, Youth Competitive Gymnastics, Youth Martial Arts, Youth Skateboarding, and Youth Swim Programs. The instructors are described as leaders in their specialized areas and in the youth recreation field, and they have created unique programs that focus on learning, skill development, friendship, and fun for youth of all ages. The martial arts component offers classes and training through six different clubs: Judo, Karate, Taekwondo, Taiji, Wushu, and Self-Defense Yongmudo, and all six clubs are beginner-friendly.
• Ages: 0–18 years old
Since its inception in 1969, the Martial Arts Program of the University of California’s Berkeley campus has had a twofold mission. The stated purpose of the Martial Arts Program is to preserve the philosophy, techniques, and traditions of martial arts and to develop a scientific understanding of the physical and spiritual implications of human performance. The UC Martial Arts Program is described as an amalgamation of athleticism and scholarship, vision and history, innovation, and tradition, and is held highly regarded as one of the top producers of martial artists in the country. The program’s future was secured in 1995 with a one-million-dollar endowment from the Ministry of Culture and Sports of the Republic of Korea and the World Taekwondo Federation, officially named the Ken Min Endowed Directorship for Taekwondo and the Martial Arts.
The leadership team includes Dr. Russell Ahn, Director of the UC Martial Arts Program, and Dr. Ken Min, who founded the first major university-based martial arts program in the nation in 1969. UCMAP has partnerships with Yongin University and Korean National Sport University and established the International Martial Arts Research Institute (IMARI), which publishes an academic journal of martial arts monograph series with an annual compilation of martial arts papers. During the academic year, the program includes events such as the UC Open, the Chinese Martial Arts Tournament, and the UC Yongmudo Championship. The facilities used for these programs are described as safe places to study martial arts, and the Universal Locker Room at the Recreational Sports Facility is noted as an award-winning facility. The broader community is invited to participate, including UC Berkeley students and people who live or work in the Bay Area, and UCMAP and its six clubs organize and host instructional seminars, symposiums, martial art camps, and support martial arts in collegiate, national, and world competitions. The programs have received a 4-star rating on Yelp.
Last updated March 16, 2026.
• Ages: 0–18 years old
Since its inception in 1969, the Martial Arts Program of the University of California’s Berkeley campus has had a twofold mission. The stated purpose of the Martial Arts Program is to preserve the philosophy, techniques, and traditions of martial arts and to develop a scientific understanding of the physical and spiritual implications of human performance. The UC Martial Arts Program is described as an amalgamation of athleticism and scholarship, vision and history, innovation, and tradition, and is held highly regarded as one of the top producers of martial artists in the country. The program’s future was secured in 1995 with a one-million-dollar endowment from the Ministry of Culture and Sports of the Republic of Korea and the World Taekwondo Federation, officially named the Ken Min Endowed Directorship for Taekwondo and the Martial Arts.
The leadership team includes Dr. Russell Ahn, Director of the UC Martial Arts Program, and Dr. Ken Min, who founded the first major university-based martial arts program in the nation in 1969. UCMAP has partnerships with Yongin University and Korean National Sport University and established the International Martial Arts Research Institute (IMARI), which publishes an academic journal of martial arts monograph series with an annual compilation of martial arts papers. During the academic year, the program includes events such as the UC Open, the Chinese Martial Arts Tournament, and the UC Yongmudo Championship. The facilities used for these programs are described as safe places to study martial arts, and the Universal Locker Room at the Recreational Sports Facility is noted as an award-winning facility. The broader community is invited to participate, including UC Berkeley students and people who live or work in the Bay Area, and UCMAP and its six clubs organize and host instructional seminars, symposiums, martial art camps, and support martial arts in collegiate, national, and world competitions. The programs have received a 4-star rating on Yelp.
Last updated March 16, 2026.
Is this your business? There is no cost, but you will be asked to sign up or log in.