About
UC Berkeley Youth Recreation Year-Round Programs include activities such as Martial Arts, Skateboarding, Youth Basketball, Archery, Swim Programs, Pickleball, and Pilates. Participants also have options like lifting weights, playing soccer, swimming, and climbing as part of the recreation offerings.
• Ages: 0–18 years old
The program’s martial arts offerings are part of the UC Martial Arts Program, which began in 1969. The UC Martial Arts Program states that its purpose 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. Instructors are described as leaders in their specialized areas and in the youth recreation field, and the UC Martial Arts Program is described as one of the top producers of martial artists in the country. The program offers classes and training through six martial arts clubs: Judo, Karate, Taekwondo, Taiji, Wushu, and Self-Defense Yongmudo, and all six clubs are described as very beginner-friendly.
The UC Martial Arts Program leadership 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. In 1995, the UC Martial Arts Program received 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 Korean Ministry of Culture and Sports awarded this funding to ensure the program would continue to teach Asian philosophy and culture for years to come. The Universal Locker Room at the Recreational Sports Facility is described as an award-winning facility.
The UC Martial Arts Program reports having nearly 600 members and many more alumni, and it consistently sends student teams to national and international competitions. It has partnerships with Yongin University and Korean National Sport University and is active in organizing and hosting instructional seminars, symposiums, and martial art camps. The program furthers the presence of martial arts in collegiate, national, and world competitions and contributes to martial arts experiences for the campus, local residents, and the international community. The International Martial Arts Research Institute (IMARI) publishes an academic journal of martial arts monograph series with an annual compilation of martial arts papers, and the UC Martial Arts Program is described as unique in its combination of athleticism and scholarship, vision and history, innovation, and tradition.
UC Berkeley Recreation & Wellbeing, which includes these youth recreation programs, offers a wide range of recreational activities, including in-person and online classes, fitness training, stress-relief, and community-oriented activities. Most services are included at no additional cost for UC Berkeley students because they are paid for by student registration fees, while some programs may have an additional fee. The Universal Locker Room is described as an award-winning facility within this recreation system. The Youth Recreation Year-Round Programs page notes a “4 Stars on Yelp!” rating.
Last updated June 14, 2026.
• Ages: 0–18 years old
The program’s martial arts offerings are part of the UC Martial Arts Program, which began in 1969. The UC Martial Arts Program states that its purpose 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. Instructors are described as leaders in their specialized areas and in the youth recreation field, and the UC Martial Arts Program is described as one of the top producers of martial artists in the country. The program offers classes and training through six martial arts clubs: Judo, Karate, Taekwondo, Taiji, Wushu, and Self-Defense Yongmudo, and all six clubs are described as very beginner-friendly.
The UC Martial Arts Program leadership 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. In 1995, the UC Martial Arts Program received 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 Korean Ministry of Culture and Sports awarded this funding to ensure the program would continue to teach Asian philosophy and culture for years to come. The Universal Locker Room at the Recreational Sports Facility is described as an award-winning facility.
The UC Martial Arts Program reports having nearly 600 members and many more alumni, and it consistently sends student teams to national and international competitions. It has partnerships with Yongin University and Korean National Sport University and is active in organizing and hosting instructional seminars, symposiums, and martial art camps. The program furthers the presence of martial arts in collegiate, national, and world competitions and contributes to martial arts experiences for the campus, local residents, and the international community. The International Martial Arts Research Institute (IMARI) publishes an academic journal of martial arts monograph series with an annual compilation of martial arts papers, and the UC Martial Arts Program is described as unique in its combination of athleticism and scholarship, vision and history, innovation, and tradition.
UC Berkeley Recreation & Wellbeing, which includes these youth recreation programs, offers a wide range of recreational activities, including in-person and online classes, fitness training, stress-relief, and community-oriented activities. Most services are included at no additional cost for UC Berkeley students because they are paid for by student registration fees, while some programs may have an additional fee. The Universal Locker Room is described as an award-winning facility within this recreation system. The Youth Recreation Year-Round Programs page notes a “4 Stars on Yelp!” rating.
Last updated June 14, 2026.
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