Our UNSTOPPABLE Mission:
Our focus is on bringing you the best martial arts lessons in the Columbia area to give you the tools you need to defend yourself, maintain great health, and become the best version of yourself for a successful living.
Rifkin Professional Karate Center has earned the reputation in Columbia of being the top martial arts school for enriching our students’ lives and equipping them to face life with the winning edge.
Many people believe the martial arts are about just fighting, but our program is much, much more than that. When you train in our martial arts classes you take advantage of the best self-improvement system in the world.
Children and adults the confidence, leadership skills and fitness that can only be achieved through intense martial arts training.
The Rifkin Professional Karate Center has been offering instruction and training in Karate, Taekwondo, Kickboxing and Aikido for over 20 years. Now located in Columbia, Missouri, Rifkin Professional Karate Center has worked hard to produce champions in life as well as in the martial arts.
Because people begin their training in the Martial Arts for a wide variety of reasons, we have tailored our program to meet these needs. Whether you are interested in getting fit, losing weight, improving your coordination, balance, and stamina…or whether you are interested in self-defense and increased self-discipline, our program is dedicated to reaching those goals.
Owner/Head Instructor
– 5th Degree Black Belt
– 34 years Martial Arts experience
– ISSA Certified Personal Fitness/Athletic Trainer
– Ranked National Competitor/Fighter
– Traveling Seminar Instructor
– Self-Defense Instructor, Central Missouri Community Action
– Medic First Aid/CPR trained
– Experienced stunt fighter/choreographer
– Martial Arts Hall of Fame Inductee 2007
– 2011 Freedom Award Nominee from the Secretary of Defense
Instructor
1st Degree Black Belt
Instructor
1st Degree Black Belt
Team ROGUE/Choreography
Instructor
5th Degree Black Belt
-5th Degree Black Belt
-34 years Martial Arts experience
-ISSA Certified Personal Fitness/Athletic Trainer
-Ranked National Competitor/Fighter
-Traveling Seminar Instructor
-Self-Defense Instructor, Central Missouri Community Action
-Medic First Aid/CPR trained
-Experienced stunt fighter/choreographer
-Martial Arts Hall of Fame Inductee 2007
-2011 Freedom Award Nominee from the Secretary of Defense
With a background in Karate, Tae Kwon Do, full-contact Kickboxing, and Aikido, J.D. Rifkin is a highly regarded and ranked Black Belt Master Instructor and certified private fitness trainer. After studying in the Northeast under Sensei Johnny Payton (Team Paul Mitchell Karate), and fighting extensively in the Florida tournament and full contact kickboxing circuits, Master Rifkin moved to Los Angeles to begin training with Grandmaster Hee Il Cho. He next studied a blended art of Aikido, Karate and Kickboxing under Master Ken Nagayama, where he competed as a member of his “A” Team and began teaching in 1993.
Since then, he has worked both behind and in front of the camera, from fight choreographer and trainer to stuntman and actor in numerous films, large and small. Master Rifkin has also been featured on the covers and pages of various international magazines.
His first school, Rifkin Professional Karate Center, opened in November 2000. After growing his school to be one of the top martial arts academies in Southern California, he moved to Columbia, MO in 2011 to open the newest school. He now runs his Columbia school while acting as President of the Rifkin Professional Martial Arts Association (R.P.M.A.A.) that oversees student training in both the Missouri location as well as the Los Angeles, CA location.
Master Rifkin’s unique teaching encourages students to find their own inner strengths. By emphasizing the “fire” in their training, he pushes students to have enthusiasm, passion and above all, spirit.