Berkeley Martial Arts

I cannot praise this martial arts academy enough. Three years ago we were looking for a physical activity for my then 5.5 year old daughter. She is high functioning on the autistic spectrum and my husband and I thought that martial arts would be perfect for her. It provides the structure that she thrives on as well as the physical activity that we wanted her to have. Three years later she is still attending three times a week and having a great time. Through the guidance of the instructor, Master Thomas Brewer, she has really developed physically, with a marked improvement in her balance, coordination and ability to cross midline. In addition, we have noticed an improvement in her overall ability focus and concentrate, both in the martial arts studio and out. Master Brewer works so well with all of his students, both kids and adults, and is always willing to revise his teaching approach to accommodate each particular student’s unique way of thinking and learning. He runs the classes with a firm yet gentle approach, emphasizing both discipline and respect. Master Brewer (who is a 7^th degree black belt) is an exceptional, inspiring martial artist who possesses a natural ability to teach.
After sitting in the waiting area watching my daughter do the classes, I couldn’t hold back anymore and signed myself up as well. I am now completely hooked! My 6.5 year old daughter has also now been participating for the past two years. Watching her older sister do Kuk Sool since she was 2.5 years old, she couldn’t wait to sign up. She wanted to start when she was 3.5 years old, but she had to wait until the start age of 4 years old. When she was 4 she started in the Mighty Mites class (for 4 – 5 year olds), and then eventually graduated to the beginners class, and now is in intermediate/​advanced classes with myself and my older daughter.
We are able to enjoy Kuk Sool as a family because most of the classes are for both adults and kids. The kids generally stand in the front and the adults stand in the back of the studio. Master Brewer directs most of his instruction toward the kids, yet teaches in a manner that is still instructional, interesting and challenging for the adults. I have never felt that I was an adult participating in a class for kids.
Give Master Brewer a call for an intro class and give it a try. You will not be sorry!

Fantastic place for a Ninja-​themed birthday party for my 7-​year-​old son and 21 of his closest friends. The space is huge and welcoming. The kids were active nonstop, in a mix of playful, less-​structured activities and beginning-​level martial arts instruction — kicks, punches, leaps. It was an action-​packed hour-​and-​a-​half. Thomas is a powerful teacher who exudes calm and commands respect from his students. The party was exactly what we’d hoped for. Many of the kids were excited about the free class vouchers they received at the end and are planning to go back, as is my son.

I took my son there for a trial class a little over a year ago. Signed him up after the class, paid $ 300.00, and… my son who was almost 4 at the time decided he wanted NOTHING to do with karate. I tried getting a refund (or even a partial refund), and was told «maybe he’ll change his mind, he can always come back». Fine, sure, let’s see what happens. Now, over a year later, he still doesn’t want to go. However, I’m told we can’t get our money back. So basically, I paid $ 300.00 for a ghi (good Halloween costume, I guess). Sorry, but I think that’s asinine. For adults, I can see it. But kids are fickle. That should be taken into consideration.

Woohoo! As good as it gets!
I came here 10÷4÷2010, and since then I have lost one foot around the middle, and have seen the place changed from frumpy old gray carpet to exciting new padded floor and snappy up to date interior.
As a senior citizen, I was out of the martial arts for over 40 years. I didn’t expect the level of training to be so high or precise, or so personalized to cater to the needs of every even remotely serious student, yet it is and does, without causing bad trauma or injury while practicing there and following directions. «The first rule of falling is: don’t hit your head!» and so on.
And Master Tom patiently teaches us — from learning first to lean over and fall from sitting down, all the way up to (someday I will) flip spinning in the air and falling light as a feather — WHUMP! but without damage.
Master Tom Brewer, 6^th degree black belt, knows how to get the best out of you and give you the most wonderful and enjoyable time of sweating off the pounds.
He always gauges the training according to the needs and ability of the student, patiently guiding them along on their way to their own personal goal.
And it’s not about a competition of egos; rather one of striving to best your current best self, while growing stamina, strength, speed, and mobility that crosses over into the rest of your day and life and gives you that something extra to carry you through.
The family atmosphere here and the sense of camaraderie among working people, doctors, lawyers, and business people is amazingly egalitarian.
I see families slowly add more members as they progress, and see them and their children pretty happy about it all.
I went to my first tournament here, in 2011, and though old and somewhat stiff, the respect I got as a red belt there was unexpected and wonderful.
I never did compete in the 1960’s brutal tournaments in Judo, or Tang Soo Do, back East, as it was discouraged.
Contrasting that, I found today’s Kuk Sool Won masters from other cities and Aussie and British contingent to be infectiously cheerful and friendly and helpful at the tournament with courtesy and chivalry.
As a timekeeper at the 2012 tournament, I found the students from Wisconsin, as well as the students from Sacramento, and Gold Country, to be equally smiling and friendly, and the training by the Grandmaster’s sons, Sung Jin Suh, 8^th degree, and Alex Suh, 7^th degree masters to be straight forward and easily understood.
I have been to three Super Seminar events at Berkeley, with the Grandmaster, In Hyuk Suh, and 9^th degree Master Barry Harmon, who practiced sword technique with us each personally, and like every one of the masters, is really warm and friendly — The Grnandmaster is more friendly each time he sees me, stopping to shake hands and talk, and gives encouragement and ways to exercise better, even to someone not yet a black belt!
All this is no accident. The Grandmaster has pulled together many martial arts and 24 different royal court weapons to be taught with great forms and techniques to strengthen the body, mind, and character, and to promote world peace.
I have tried 21 different martial arts schools over the intervening years after Tang Soo Do in Detroit, with Sang Kyu Shim, who was 6^th degree in 1964, but found no one teaching up to that level to the public until now with Master Brewer. I just let it go until I found something I felt I could do without hurting myself.
If you don’t want to work, stay away, as it’s not a vacation. If you will work hard and pay attention, the results are more mobility, and for me, it means being able to play the piano and violin again because I can do it without pain now due to the stretching and exercises I could barely attempt when I first came to Kuk Sool Won.
Teaching is uniform throughout the entire system, refined over 50 years under founder In Hyuk Suh
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Kuk Sool Won is in much of the free world today, and all over the U.S. and Canada, most of central and South America; 27 countries overall, and taught at West Point, and in the US Air Force.
Our Academy has changed quite a bit since these pictures were posted — more up to date and streamlined, with better dressing rooms and floor.
I had watched Kuk Sool Won since 1970’s when they were in a huge car dealership building in San Francisco, but waited and watched others before I made the decision to join. Don’t wait that long. I am glad I finally joined.

I can’t say enough about Kuk Sool Won of Berkeley. My 8-​year-​old son and I started in September 2010 and quickly got hooked. Classes are organized by level, with students of all ages learning alongside each other (I’ve been in classes that included 6-​year-​olds and 60-​year-​olds), which is perfect for families (there are quite a few of us) and works remarkably well.
Kuk Sool Won a great, well-​rounded martial art, incorporating kicks, strikes, throws, forms, joint locks, and weapons. Beginners start very simply, with solid fundamental moves that build strength, balance, and correct form. As you progress at your own pace, things get more complex, building in an impressively systematic way.
But the real draw here is the head instructor, 6^th-​degree black belt Master Thomas Brewer (there are only fifteen 6^th-​degree Masters in the whole world). He’s a supremely talented teacher, especially with children. He strikes a perfect balance between gentle encouragement and discipline, with an unerring sense of when kids require some extra patience on his part, and when they need to be pushed a little. He’s excellent with adults as well, giving clear instructions with serious attention to safety, a supportive philosophy regarding individual physical limitations, and the occasional surprising burst of humor.
Come on down and try a free first class. You won’t regret it.

I wanted to discover martial arts and get in there to see if it would fit with my expectations… It’s a great school! I was a very very beginner and practice with Master Brewer and others martial artists makes me discover such a great martial art!
My only regret is that i’ve been there for 5 months only since i had to get back to school and they don’t have Kuk Sool in France… but i still use what i learn in class! Go for it!

My son was interested in martial arts since he was 3 and joined Might Mites at the age of 4. His passion and love for Kuk Sool Won has overflowed so much so his friends and half of his elementary school class have joined and enjoy taking classes from Master Tom. I have seen positive changes in some of his classmates especially in learning and practicing respect something Master Tom instills in all of his students.
Most classes are for adults and kids together, so we (I’ve also joined) get to do it at the same time, in the same classroom and allows me to spend quality time and share my son’s passion.
I used to get very little to no — exercise, because I’d spend all of my «free» time working and when I could come to his activities, I’d sit and watch him exercise (swim lessons, tennis lessons). This is different, both he and I get a great workout together!

Our family (my husband, our almost 9 year old son and me) has been going to Kuk Sool Won classes 3 times a week for the last 3 years. We started going because our son wanted to do martial arts, and now all of us are addicted. Most classes are for adults and kids together, so we get to do it at the same time, in the same classroom.
For individual exercises (warmup, kicks, etc.) the adults stand in the back, and kids are in the front. Then, I usually pair up with my husband, and our son with one of the other kids in class.
I used to get very little — ok, almost no — exercise, because I’d spend all of my «free» time on taking my sons around to his activities, where I’d sit and watch him exercise. This is different. We all get an amazing workout, and share it with each other.
I don’t know of any other exercise or dance schools would allow the families to practice together. This is it! We practice at home, too. It’s so much fun, and feels so good!
It’s been good for all of us, for various reasons. Kuk Sool helped us get more coordinated, stronger, more confident (physically and mentally). We made friends there, and think of the school as of our community.
If you like the idea of physical fun, I highly recommend it. It is indoors, but for some reason even the outdoorsy kinds of people like my husband like it. The teacher, master Thomas Brewer, usually has really good deals for trying out the school, so check it out!

I love this place for my four year old. I feel like I learn something new each time I bring him there. My son loves it too. I love the way teacher interacts with the kids.

I’ve been attending Berkeley Kuk Sool Won with my wife and daughter since January 2007. Before KSW, my wife and I studied Hapkido up in Davis (so here’s a shout out to EC Hapkido and Master Schubert!). We really enjoy Berkeley KSW, and here’s why:
1: Kuk Sool Won is a great style: KSW is a martial arts system that incorporates hard-​style kicks and punches, soft-​style defensive techniques (blocks, throws, takedowns, pressure points), and several traditional weapons (staff, jointed staff [nunchaku], sword, short staff, fan). A typical class usually includes some of each of those things, as well as general body conditioning. You will not be bored by Kuk Sool Won.
2: Head Master Tom Brewer is an excellent teacher: Master Brewer really, really knows his stuff. He has beautiful technique and is able to convey the concepts behind that technique to his students. He can show you how to perform a technique, but more importantly he can tell you when and why to perform a technique. He’s also a really nice guy.
So, you can learn a great martial arts system from a great teacher at Berkeley Kuk Sool Won. Need more convincing? OK, how about: lots of classes (6 days a week) for families and adults; a friendly and supportive group of folks to train with (hey Walter! hey Cynthia!); a convenient location (Sacramento at Dwight — right next to Breads of India and the Homemade Café!); a much more enjoyable way to get a great workout than going to the damn gym again?
All that being said, this school probably isn’t for everyone. It’s a TRADITIONAL Korean martial art. That means you’ll need to learn some Korean terminology. It also means forms (both empty hand and weapon). It also means some old-​school etiquette (we address Master Brewer as «Sir,» we bow to flags and higher ranked students, all that kind of thing). If these things give you the hives, you probably won’t be happy here. Or maybe you will — why not give it a try?
A brief addendum to Cynthia’s review: there is no longer a black belt club. Instead, there’s a much more straightforward fee system based on how many classes you take per week and whether or not you want to get a jump start on weapons training.

I’ve been attending Berkeley Kuk Sool Won for the past 3 years and practicing various martial arts for the past 15 years.
As a seasoned martial artist, this is one of the best schools I’ve found in the East Bay despite the high number of competing schools in the area. The Chief Instructor, Tom Brewer, makes sure to give each of his students individualized time during each class and serves as an excellent mentor to his larger children classes.
Students of all ages are made welcome with a flexible class schedule and level of training (there are classes 6 days a week, and students go at their own pace).
I’d highly recommend this school to anyone (and family) considering enrolling with martial arts.
–Walter