Martial arts center welcomes new students

Green Room Martial Arts, formerly located in downtown Austell, has moved to a new location on Veterans Memorial Highway in Mableton.

The new location is more visible, and the facility is larger, brighter, and more conducive to the positive, life-affirming mood that owners, Charles Klughart and Toni McGuire, want to instill in their students.

“The move has been wonderful,” says McGuire. “We had a number of new students register shortly after we moved, and more continue to register.”

Klughart, or “Sensei” to his students, holds a fifth degree black belt in karate, a fourth degree black belt in Aikido, and a first degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do. He teaches a blend of martial arts and self-defense classes that combine Tae Kwon Do, Hapkido, and Shudokon Karate, with a primary focus on self-confidence, respect, and discipline, all provided in a nurturing Christian environment. (Klughart is also a Lutheran minister.)

Green Room Martial Arts specializes in tailoring programs for people with disabilities or challenges. For children with developmental challenges, the Klugharts have found martial arts training to be especially well-suited to helping with focus, confidence, and control.

Students at Green Room Martial arts are also trained to compete, if they wish to do so. At a recent tournament, they won several first and second place positions. Klughart placed first in weapons demonstrating his use of an ordinary walking cane, while wife Toni’s use of the caused audience and competitors alike to stop what they were doing and watch.

Classes are divided into age groups. The “Lil Dragons” class is for ages 5 to 8, “Kid Kick” for ages 9 to 12, and “The Cranes” for ages 13 to adult. There is also a family class, “The Ninjas,” which allows parents and children to train together.

Klughart also seeks to keep training affordable. Enrollment is currently $40 per month, which includes two classes per week. There are limited scholarships available for those who need them.

The new location is at 488 Veterans Memorial Highway in Mableton.

For more information, including class schedules and photos from recent tournaments, visit http://greenroommartialarts.weebly.com or call the studio at 404-683-7632.