Prime Martial Arts

Beautiful school with top notch instruction. The instructors are passionate, extremely proficient in their martial art arts abilities, and great role models for kids.

This is an elite martial arts center with instructors who are kind, patient and consistently respectful. They are amazing with all of the kids - supportive , encouraging and focus on building confidence and discipline. As an adult student, i’ve felt genuinely welcomed from day one and never out of place, even as a new practitioner of the art. it is a positive structured environment where everyone is supported and encouraged to grow and develop at their own pace. Highly recommend to join, no matter your age. See you on the mats.

We enrolled our 3½-year-old son in the Tiny Tigers class in January and couldn’t be happier. Every class and instructor has been excellent. I love that the instructors are homegrown and are now passing along the same values and lessons to the next generation. The instructors do a great job modeling what they teach, engaging the children, and breaking down core values in a way that is both meaningful and effective for 3-4 year olds. Our son is learning focus, respect, and confidence. I’ve also observed other classes and age groups and they are just as impressive. What really stands out is the strong sense of community, with students of all ages helping and teaching one another. Highly recommend Prime Martial Arts in Hawaii Kai! Convenient location, easy parking, and a flexible class schedule that works for busy families

Prime Martial Arts in Hawaii Kai has been such an incredible experience for our family. What makes this place different is that it’s not just about martial arts — it’s about building good human beings. The kids are constantly reminded about respect, kindness, helping others, and doing the right thing, both inside and outside the dojo. Master Rigdon is truly outstanding. He leads by example and genuinely cares about every student. You can see how intentional he is about shaping not just skilled martial artists, but strong, kind, confident kids. He sets high standards, but always in a way that’s encouraging and supportive. One of the most impressive parts of the program is that belt promotions aren’t just about showing up or going through the motions. To advance, each child needs a form signed by both their parents and instructor confirming they’ve been behaving well and living out the values taught in class. On top of that, they’re required to complete 75 acts of kindness. That says everything about what this school stands for. Character matters here. All of the instructors are top notch — patient, professional, and great with kids. They truly invest in every child’s growth. It’s been amazing to see the confidence, discipline, and compassion develop over time. Prime Martial Arts has had such a positive impact on the Hawaii Kai community. It’s more than a dojo — it’s a place that strengthens families and teaches lifelong principles. We’re so grateful to be part of it and highly recommend it to any family looking for something meaningful for their children.

My son and I have been students of the Kailua Prime Martial Arts for a few years. When they were asked by Grandmaster Cho (who is truly a LEGEND!) to continue his legacy at the Hawaii Kai location after his retirement, they were beyond honored and we were excited! In this day and age where it is difficult for small businesses to thrive and grow, Prime Martial Arts has found a way to focus and persevere (which by the way, they teach these concepts to the students on the daily). The staff are VERY skilled in martial arts (muay thai, jiu jitsu, boxing, escrima), bring their various disciplines to the mat, are very empathetic, and ensure that everyone understands that their growing abilities are not to achieve selfish ends but to develop oneself and to help the community. The last 5 minutes of each class is spent on personal development in which a word of the week (respect, discipline, self control, habits, creating goals, perserverance, etc.) is discussed. This has been helpful for my son as many schools don't directly discuss these concepts but, if you don't have these qualities ingrained, one can quickly fall to the wayside (eg. doing homework on time, listening to the teacher or Mom/Dad) and/or be punished. Admittedly, as I sit through these discussions, it's been a great reminder to mind my emotions, drive with Aloha, be nice to my boss =), and to try to give more than I take. A big MAHALO! to the gang at Prime Martial Arts and continued success into the future!