LA Stuntman Calls Columbia Home

 

 When you hear “karate,” you may picture matted floors, punching bags and students with colored belts.

          Rifkin’s Professional Karate Center in Columbia, Missouri, is

highly regarded for martial arts training. It’s not just the trophies,

medals or the dedicated students that earn the Center its

recognition in the industry.

          Master J.D. Rifkin is the heart and soul of the karate center.

         “We are known for being big on detail. We are sharp with

technique, and we recently became known as the school that

doesn’t just hand out belts. We expect a lot from our students so

they truly have to earn their belts,” he said.

          Rifkin found his love for martial arts at 16. He trained

under some prominent grandmasters including Hee-il Cho and

Master Sergio Von Schmeling.

         Karate became a lifestyle for Rifkin. After attending college in Orlando, Rifkin worked at Disney’s Wild West Stunt Show. As a stuntman, Rifkin learned the basics and practiced on-stage combat in front of a live audience.

          Once he got a taste of show business, he moved to Los Angles to pursue stunt work. Opportunities followed: stunt work in several movies including “To Die Quietly,” “Total Force” and “The Ultimate Game.”

          Rifkin said Disney’s “Kaazam” was his favorite; he had a staged-fight scene with Shaquille O’Neal.

          “When I worked with low budget films, they spent one day on a fight scene. Disney spent two weeks because they wanted different camera angles. Working with big-budget producers is nice.” Another perk, “The food is a lot better,” Rifkin said laughing.

          In 2000, he decided to open his own school, Rifkin’s Professional Karate Center. Switching careers from film to teaching wasn’t difficult.

          “Working in film is all about connections and who you know. You gotta go to this party so you can meet this person. Genuine people are around, but they are hard to find. The higher up you get, the less genuine people you find. I didn’t want to be around that. For me, teaching is always something I’ve loved doing.”

          The school is now regarded as one of the top martial arts schools in southern California. Rifkin has a background in Tae Kwon Do, Kickboxing, Aikido and personal fitness training. This training has produced martial artist champions.

                                                                                                                                   Between working in the film industry, teaching martial                                                                                                                                arts part-time and eventually opening his own school, Rifkin                                                                                                                                met the love of his life in LA. After starting a family, the couple                                                                                                                            decided to move to Columbia.

                                                                                                                                    “There’s great things about LA, but it’s expensive. I didn’t                                                                                                                             want to raise my family there because it’s a crazy place. My                                                                                                                                 wife grew up in Fulton until she was 7. I grew up in New                                                                                                                                       England so I missed the change of seasons. My wife has a lot                                                                                                                             of family here so that influenced our decision. It was the right                                                                                                                             time to leave.”          

          They opened a second school in Columbia, Missouri. Rifkin visited the school in LA one week every month. But traveling was difficult, and Rifkin hated being away from his family. He sold the school to one of his top black-belt students. He is still active in the LA karate center and visits once every three months to oversee belt testing and teach classes.

          He enjoys staying connected to his LA karate center. “When I go back to LA, I stay with my buddy and his family,” he said.

          Rifkin enjoys Columbia. The school is growing faster than it did in LA.

          Rifkin has a unique style that continues to enhance his professional reputation.

          His curriculum combines what he has learned as a student and teacher. Students focus on karate technique and finding their mental inner strength. Rifkin hopes his students to develop passion and spirit for martial arts.

          When they come to his classes, they must leave their personal problems outside the mat and focus. Whether teaching karate or life lessons to his students, he is grateful for the opportunity martial arts provides.

          “My family is my life, but martial arts is way of life to keep me healthy and strong. It’s influenced everything I’ve done and accomplished,” he said.