Kensho Kids Martial Arts
Kensho Mixed Martial Arts, 1030 W. North Ave., 3rd Floor, Chicago, IL 60642
About
Kensho Kids Martial Arts includes activities such as martial arts, boxing, kickboxing, Muay Thai, Savate, Mixed Martial Arts, Kali weapons, yoga, story time, games, interval training, wrestling, Judo, Jiu Jitsu, Krabi Krabong, and Pilates. The program also offers training in Kali / Filipino Martial Arts, JKD / Jun Fan, Silat, and MMA as part of Kensho Mixed Martial Arts.
• Ages: 2–12 years old
Kensho Kids Martial Arts is part of Kensho, which is described as a Chicago Style Mixed Martial Arts gym. Kensho’s kids programs are described as helping children build focus, discipline and respect. Lil Heroes toddler martial arts classes incorporate children’s martial arts with the support of a parent or caregiver in a fun, playful environment, and use music, games, yoga, story time and basic martial arts. Kensho’s toddler martial arts is described as a parent child play class where parents and younger kids can interact in a fun and playful atmosphere to establish basic martial arts technique and personal development, and the Lil Heroes program is described as an awesome bonding experience for parents and kids 2 and 3 years old. In beginning level classes, students do partner drills specifically designed to develop skills quickly, and Kensho’s comprehensive boxing and kickboxing curriculum has been continually developed and refined to build students’ skills quickly. Students can earn ranks through instructor level in Muay Thai, Savate Boxe Francaise, Kali / Filipino Martial Arts, JKD / Jun Fan, Silat, and MMA through Kensho Mixed Martial Arts. Kensho’s Kickboxing classes use a state of the art MYZONE system which makes it easy for students to get the most from their training time and track their progress.
Kensho’s philosophy is described as closely aligned with Bruce Lee’s Jeet Kune Do concepts, and the concept of Kensho’s Mixed Martial Arts system is to become a complete martial artist, effective in any situation, with a weapon or without. Kensho Chicago’s Lil Heroes classes and Mixed Martial Arts classes are promoted as accessible to people from neighborhoods including Lincoln Park, Lakeview, Bucktown, Wicker Park, River North and the Gold Coast.
Roger Luri is the Founder and Head Instructor at Kensho Martial Arts – Chicago. He is a 7th Degree Black Belt, a former Kickboxing Champion, and a former head instructor under Grand Master Fred Degerberg at the Degerberg Academy of Martial Arts – Chicago. He has been training in Muay Thai since the early 1980s and has been a certified Muay Thai instructor since the mid-1980s. He is a Red Ring Master Instructor under the United States Thai Boxing Federation and United World Muay Thai Council and is the former Director of the Chicago Branch of the Thai Boxing Association of USA under Ajarn Surachai Sirisute. He was awarded his Silver Glove (highest rank) in Boxe Francaise Savate by the French Federation of B.F. Savate in Strassburg, France in 1990. He is a two-time United States Heavyweight B.F. Savate Combat (full contact) Champion and twice United States heavyweight Kickboxing champion. He is the current President and a Founding Member of the United States Savate Federation (USSF). He is an instructor in Lameco Escrima under Punong Guro Edgar Sulite, an associate instructor under Guro Ron Balicki’s Martial Arts Research Systems, and received his apprentice instructorship in both Kali and Jun Fan/JKD under Guro/Sifu Dan Inosanto in 1989.
Degerberg Academy of Martial Arts – Chicago, where Roger Luri previously served as head instructor, was awarded “Best Overall School” by Black Belt Magazine in a 2006 worldwide vote.
Last updated July 30, 2026.
• Ages: 2–12 years old
Kensho Kids Martial Arts is part of Kensho, which is described as a Chicago Style Mixed Martial Arts gym. Kensho’s kids programs are described as helping children build focus, discipline and respect. Lil Heroes toddler martial arts classes incorporate children’s martial arts with the support of a parent or caregiver in a fun, playful environment, and use music, games, yoga, story time and basic martial arts. Kensho’s toddler martial arts is described as a parent child play class where parents and younger kids can interact in a fun and playful atmosphere to establish basic martial arts technique and personal development, and the Lil Heroes program is described as an awesome bonding experience for parents and kids 2 and 3 years old. In beginning level classes, students do partner drills specifically designed to develop skills quickly, and Kensho’s comprehensive boxing and kickboxing curriculum has been continually developed and refined to build students’ skills quickly. Students can earn ranks through instructor level in Muay Thai, Savate Boxe Francaise, Kali / Filipino Martial Arts, JKD / Jun Fan, Silat, and MMA through Kensho Mixed Martial Arts. Kensho’s Kickboxing classes use a state of the art MYZONE system which makes it easy for students to get the most from their training time and track their progress.
Kensho’s philosophy is described as closely aligned with Bruce Lee’s Jeet Kune Do concepts, and the concept of Kensho’s Mixed Martial Arts system is to become a complete martial artist, effective in any situation, with a weapon or without. Kensho Chicago’s Lil Heroes classes and Mixed Martial Arts classes are promoted as accessible to people from neighborhoods including Lincoln Park, Lakeview, Bucktown, Wicker Park, River North and the Gold Coast.
Roger Luri is the Founder and Head Instructor at Kensho Martial Arts – Chicago. He is a 7th Degree Black Belt, a former Kickboxing Champion, and a former head instructor under Grand Master Fred Degerberg at the Degerberg Academy of Martial Arts – Chicago. He has been training in Muay Thai since the early 1980s and has been a certified Muay Thai instructor since the mid-1980s. He is a Red Ring Master Instructor under the United States Thai Boxing Federation and United World Muay Thai Council and is the former Director of the Chicago Branch of the Thai Boxing Association of USA under Ajarn Surachai Sirisute. He was awarded his Silver Glove (highest rank) in Boxe Francaise Savate by the French Federation of B.F. Savate in Strassburg, France in 1990. He is a two-time United States Heavyweight B.F. Savate Combat (full contact) Champion and twice United States heavyweight Kickboxing champion. He is the current President and a Founding Member of the United States Savate Federation (USSF). He is an instructor in Lameco Escrima under Punong Guro Edgar Sulite, an associate instructor under Guro Ron Balicki’s Martial Arts Research Systems, and received his apprentice instructorship in both Kali and Jun Fan/JKD under Guro/Sifu Dan Inosanto in 1989.
Degerberg Academy of Martial Arts – Chicago, where Roger Luri previously served as head instructor, was awarded “Best Overall School” by Black Belt Magazine in a 2006 worldwide vote.
Last updated July 30, 2026.
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