New Martial Arts School Offers Unique Mix of Techniques

One of Fort Lee’s newest businesses, may seem like just another martial arts school in an area where there is no shortage of options for people looking to learn. But its owners, husband and wife Elisa Cho and Master Jay Kim of Palisades Park, say it’s much more than that.

Located in the back of the building at 1282 Palisade Ave. but with its own small, private parking lot, Power Martial Arts is not the easiest place to find, but for those looking for something special in a dojang—or martial arts training hall or school—finding it and paying the new business owners a visit is well worth the effort.

Cho said the dojang, which offers a unique mix of martial arts training and instruction, opened at the end of November with little fanfare or promotion apart from the website Cho put together and word of mouth and is still in “pre-grand opening” mode. Still, the couple has already managed to sign up 35 to 40 people, and is hoping faith, Master Kim’s abilities as an instructor and some upcoming promotions and an open house will get them off and running.

“We’re like the complete underdog, I think, for a small business because it’s not like we have a massive amount of dollars to invest in this,” Cho said. “We were ready for this school; it was a goal for us. But we were kind of challenged by some of our mentors. We were told just have faith in what you’re doing, and people will start coming. We’re just trusting in [Master Kim’s] teaching and what goes on here, and hopefully people will talk about it.”

For now, Kim, who grew up and was trained in Korea as a high-level bodyguard, is leading all the classes himself for children starting at age three and adults. He teaches not just Taekwondo, but rather a mix of Taekwondo, Hapkido, Judo, Jujitsu-style grappling, the use of weapons in martial arts, Tai Chi and more, often in one training session.

Kim, who has a degree in physical education and also majored in security, said he has been training in all of these areas since he was six years old.

“Because he has that background, he had to learn all the martial arts because you never know what the enemy is going to come at you with,” Cho said of her husband. “It’s not just one particular thing that he studied, which I think is also a large reason why we have more students who are coming here—because they can see it in his teaching. It’s not just kicking and punching.”

Kim characterized his own teaching style as “totally different” than that found in other martial arts schools, which typically focus on one discipline, or at least one at a time.

“I mix everything [in one class] because we cannot separate them,” he said. “Every martial art is connected, but if we practice just one thing, our harmony will be broken.”

He added, “During kicking, we must think about weapons, punching and other dangerous situations too. We cannot separate Taekwondo, Judo, Hapkido, Karate, Kung Fu. Every martial art is the same. First we must protect our body. Second you protect your family. Third is to protect your country. We must focus again on what real martial arts means. My goal is to mix everything so I will make good harmony. That’s the perfect thing.”

For Cho, who was born and raised in New Jersey, it’s her first time being a business owner, but she does have a background in health, training and martial arts. She was a manager at a martial arts school in Nanuet, NY, a personal training director for Bally—“so I kind of know it from the corporate aspect as well,” she says—and she also has served as a program marketing administrator at Eastwick College and the HoHoKus Schools.

She said that while Kim’s unique approach to teaching martial arts is a major strength, some of the biggest challenges the couple faces as new business owners are also what they see in part as some of their other strengths.

For example, they like that they’re located behind the building on Palisade Avenue and have private parking because it creates a private, quiet and safe atmosphere in which students can really focus on what they’re learning without being distracted by what’s going on outside.

“But at the same time, we’re not on the street, and we’re not in everybody’s face,” Cho said. “So it’s kind of like the yin and yang—like the Korean flag.”

Another major challenge for any new business owner is opening up during a bad economy, but there again, Cho said the couple’s faith remains unshaken.

“It’s just having faith in what we do and what we know and what we believe and seeing that carry out,” she said. “That’s the main focus.”

Kim, who had experience in his native Korea doing side work in construction, did much of the building work on the school himself.

“Everything is our own personal touch, and more so his, and he’s constantly thinking about how to make it better,” Cho said. “He really slaved over this.”

Power Martial Arts offers group classes for adults of any age; they can fit up to about 15 students comfortably. They also offer classes for kids starting at age three in groups of as many as about 20. And Kim can even train individuals or small groups for competitions, whether it’s in Judo, Taekwondo, UFC or other disciplines—he’s trained with Olympic medalists in many of them and can customize a program based on the specific discipline, the individuals’ goals and the competition rules.

Open House, Yoga and Promotions

On Thursday, Jan. 26, Power Martial Arts is holding an open house, complete with a yoga instructor, offering four one-hour sessions: 8 a.m. to 9 a.m., 10 a.m. to 11 a.m., 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. The Hatha Yoga sessions are $10 per spot.

Cho said for group classes, the school charges a monthly fee, but that during their “pre-grand opening” period—they’re planning to hold a true grand opening toward the beginning of spring when the weather gets warmer—they’re offering 40 percent off on monthly memberships and unlimited classes for the time being. A uniform is included in the membership fee, but you have to buy your own shoes, because, Cho said, “in Korean culture you’re not supposed to give shoes away or else that person will run away.”

Also, if you sign up two people, the third one is free during this period.

Yoga classes will be set up differently, allowing people to pay per session, Cho said.

“I think we have a good thing going here, and it’s just a matter of time,” she said. “Hopefully more people are going to come in and check it out.”

For more information on Power Martial Arts, visit their website, call 201-224-5789 or stop by for a visit at 1282 Palisade Ave. The entrance is just off the parking lot in the rear of the building.