I went to this beginner self defense class a little unexpected of what was going to go on during the class and how I would feel have afterwards.It turned out that the class was amazing, our instructor Silvia was even more amazing as well as the group of women I was with in the duration of the class.We learned so much valuable information to use in every day life that keeps use aware and alert plus some techniques that could help in a more serious situation. Felt comfortable the whole time in all the exercises from the verbal to the physical portions.I would love to move onto the next class with Silvia, she made me feel completely comfortable the whole class. You can tell Silvia really loves what she does and I believe that really makes the class the reason why it’s so amazing. Thank you so much Silvia and Naga for such a great experience and amazing tools I get to use in my life now.

I took a self defense class with my teenage daughter thru Naga in April 2021. The class was exactly what I was looking for! It was informative, empowering and fun! Sylvia and her staff are very knowledgeable and really help create an environment that feels very safe and inclusive. I walked away feeling more confident, more prepared and more aware of my own strength.

Amazing self defense and martial arts training for ages 4 and up. Inclusive and welcoming. Great training for adults of all fitness levels.

We started here about a month ago and have been deeply impressed. The whole Naga team has been so welcoming and enthusiastic about our daughter joining. They manage to meet each student where they are, introduce appropriate challenges, and have fun at the same time. I can clearly see how much they care about empowering my daughter. I am so grateful to have found the Naga family and look forward to the adventure ahead.

Great class and community. I highly recommend their self-defense class. I took my 13 year old daughter and it was appropriate for her too!

I cannot say enough good things about Naga: Martial Arts | Self Defense | Community. Wonderful and talented instructors, warm and welcoming community, and an emphasis on self defense. A fantastic place for children and adults! I highly encourage you to check it out! And, if you arent sure about going on a regular basis, try out the Ladies Fight Night, Kids Power Up! Classes and Summer Camps.

My time with Naga has truly been a blessing. I was searching to learn self defense/martial arts as a way of growing both physically and mentally. After contacting Mas Guru Silvia, I was set up for Private lessons with Mas Eric. I have thoroughly enjoyed learning and working with Mas Eric. He is very instructive, and always makes each lesson enjoyable. Mas Guru Silvia has also been incredibly welcoming, and the environment at Naga is very positive. I would highly recommend Naga to anyone looking to learn/improve on their self defense and/or martial arts.

Our daughter attended summer camp last year, and she fell in love with Naga. Shes been training since the fall, and often tells my husband and I that it feels like her second family. She has become more confident and assertive, has taken on leadership roles with younger students, and has learned so much about physical and mental strength and well-being.Our son joined Little Monkeys about a month or so after his sister started training, and he leaps out of bed every Saturday to get to the studio. He loves Silvia and Jeff, and as an educator myself, Im impressed at how they handle a roomful of high energy kiddos! Naga has helped him channel his emotions productively and connect with a warm and loving community.We cant wait to see what the next year brings!Thank you!

Silvia,My daughter absolutely loved her 1st class. She came over to me 3 times and said this is fun!I also wanted to tell you that I think the way you teach this class is absolutely amazing. I dont often get to sit and watch anymore, but after a year (for anyone reading this review, we have another daughter who has been in this program for over a year) Im still impressed! Youre one of the most welcoming people Ive ever met, (which has been passed down to all of the senior students and black belts - Im super impressed by the teenage black belts in particular), and the way you can make new students feel at home, let the students have fun and express themselves, and then be able to silence that room with a single word is truly remarkable. For our daughters (and sons) to see women in leadership roles commanding that kind of respect and admiration is whats going to change the world.Sincerely,Kris Gillmore

Great experience for the entire family! A dedicated community of martial arts professionals and novice, who provide a disciplined, yet warm family friendly environment, suitable for all age groups and walks of life. As a frequent traveler, I appreciate the focused training days for my son during the week and opportunity to train with him and others during the all school workouts on Saturday morning.

Our daughter has been training at Naga for two years. We are believers of it takes a village; and are blessed and honored that Naga and the teachers here are part of our village. Naga has created an amazing community that builds strength, esteem, compassion, interconnectedness, and support. We love that we landed here!

I took a self defense workshop taught by Silvia Smart to a group of women ages 40-65ish. Smart is a superb teacher. The class was energizing and empowering. I would recommend this class to all women. We walked out of the dojo standing taller and with more confidence.

My 9 year old daughter joined almost six months ago and its been an amazing experience for her. The program has improved her athleticism, coordination, confidence, mindfulness and energy levels in all of the best ways. I cant endorse this program enough. Sylvia and her team are the best!

My son started Little Monkeys at Naga last summer after training for a year at another school. Mas Sylvia and Mas Jeff provided a welcoming environment and did a great job affirming what he already knew while encouraging him to challenge himself in new ways. Little Monkeys has boosted my son’s confidence and, most importantly, he is having a ton of fun. Highly recommend.

Silvia provided a private group self-defense class consisting of adults and teens in a non threatening, safe environment that provided just the right amount of instruction, demonstration and levity. I certainly appreciated her insight, experience and expertise in educating women to become more empowered and confident when confronted with uncomfortable or threatening situations. I highly recommend Silvia/NAGA.

My daughter started at age 5 at Tulen Center (Naga) and trained with Sylvia and Jeff for a number of years. I believe she benefited immensely - she felt power in her body, stretched her physical capabilities, as well as retained a sense of calm and confidence practicing with both adults and kids. Power to you both, Sylvia and Jeff!

Our son started class last month and absolutely loves attending. Im thankful for the self defense skills hes learning. Mas Sylvia and Mas Jeff made every effort to welcome our family. Were very lucky to be a part of this community.

Kids took a self defense and I took the womans self defense classes. They were all awesome. Silva was incredible instructor. I plan to take again to refresh what I learned and take to next level. (3 more classes to expand on what you learned). Class sold out, every woman showed up to my class. Wine, bubbly apple, and cupcakes to celebrate after. Wonderful time

The class was packed with helpful information and practical responses to common attack strategies. The two hours were a perfect blend of fun and ferocious!

Amazing instructors with a deep sense of respect, kindness and thoughtfulness. While watching my daughter take their childrens self defense class, I had tears in my eyes as I watched they way they empowered the kids.

Our family is so grateful to be part of the Naga family! It’s truly a unique gem where encouragement, support and good vibes are freely given and shared!!

Great teamThat has become like familyOur girls are healthier both physically and emotionally because of these wonderful beings

My family has nothing but positive things to say about NAGA and its staff!! We found them when we moved to Portland from the Midwest several years ago, and the NAGA community has become such an important part of our sense of community here, in addition to our familys fitness. The instructors work very skillfully and lovingly with both children and adults, which encourages both children and parents to train, really reinforcing the closeness of the group. My kids also LOVE their summer camps. I cant recommend NAGA more highly.

My children LOVE the programs at NAGA so much. If we didnt live in Ridgefield now I would have my kids there 5 days a week! I cant recommend Jeff and Sil enough, for children or adults their programs are superb. I have taken my coworkers to their womens self defense classes as well - just the best!

Mas Sylvia and Mas Jeff are wonderful with kids. My son loves them and he has learned so much!

I dont lightly give things a full 5 stars. But Tulen Center certainly deserves it. Considering that when I first signed up I just wanted a workout and a little stress management while doing student teaching its a little hard to believe how good this community has been for me. Despite my intitial thought to just give it an honest go for 3-6 months, I will have been training here for 5 years come Feb 2014. And (crosses fingers) I will be working toward the last leap from my brown sash to a black belt.Tulen Center teaches Poekoelan, and Indonesian style of martial arts that focuses on flowing whiplike strikes. Ive always been a little curious about martial arts so I first tried this in college at Lewis and Clark and came back when I found out there was a Poekoelan school near me. Now, off and on since I was a kid (much more off than on) I have trained in a couple of different styles of martial arts. I did karate as a kid at age 10 with my Mom. I did Tae Kwon Do a little...also in college and as a younger adult living in Washington DC. Some of my martial arts experiences were just okay. Most of them were good. Poekoelan at the Tulen Center, by a wide margin, has been the best experience for me by far.The biggest reason is because there is a real community based around the school at Tulen SW. So when I come to work out I am also hanging out before and after class with a lot of good friends. Of both genders. And of a wide range of ages. Goeroe Jeff and Goeroe Silvia (Goeroe =Guru) run the school. They have a deep knowledge of the art and have both been training for over 20 years. And even more imporatntly they are both very good people. There are also two other Poekoelan schools in Portland so there are more cousins practicing nearby on the other side of the river and you also get to meet and train with them at special events.If you do decide to try out Poekoelan at Tulen SW, the first two weeks are usually free. The beginning levels (called Cun Tao) focus on the practical side of self defense. It is a bit more like judo than what Ive personally thought of as traditional Karate/Tae Kwon Do style martial arts. But the Cun Tao holds remain one of my favorite parts of the art. After mastering about 100 holds you move on into Thrid Phase training.

Awsome

Great community!