Woodbury, Minnesota · Since 1987

Two Disciplines. One Mat. Built to Last.

Excel Martial Arts has trained Woodbury families in ATA Taekwondo for almost 40 years — and now shares its facility with Invictus Jiu-Jitsu. Striking or grappling, kids or adults, your first class is free.

39Years in Woodbury
6th Deg.ATA Master Instructor
8,000Sq. Ft. Facility
2Programs, 1 Roof
Self-Confidence · ATA Songahm

Taekwondo

Forms, sparring, and belt-by-belt discipline for ages 4 through adult — the program Excel Martial Arts was built on.

Explore Taekwondo
Grappling · Invictus Jiu-Jitsu

Jiu-Jitsu

Live rolling, real self-defense, and a program built on the mats for kids and adults who want the ground game.

Visit Invictus Jiu-Jitsu ↗
Your Instructor

Master Dave Niska

Before Excel Martial Arts existed, Dave enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps at 17 and spent over a decade in active duty and reserve service. He opened Excel part-time in 1987 and has taught on this mat, in this city, for almost forty years since.

  • 6th-Degree Black Belt & ATA Master Instructor — started training at age 11 (7th Dan, WTF), ATA member since 1982.
  • 2nd-Degree Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt  under Pedro Sauer — still training, still rolling with students.
  • ATA National Black Belt of the Year  and ATA National Instructor of the Year.
  • 40+ years teaching in Woodbury — Gracie Certified Instructor since 2008.
  • U.S. Marine Corps veteran — 5 years active duty, 6 years active reserve.
Find Your Program

Every Age. Both Arts.

Ages 6–12

Kids Taekwondo

Focus, respect, and self-defense basics through belt-by-belt progression — Excel's original program.

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Teen & Adult

Adult Taekwondo

Sparring, forms, and black belt training for teens and adults starting at any experience level.

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Ages 5–12

Kids Jiu-Jitsu

Invictus's youth grappling program — real technique, real control, on a kid-safe mat.

Visit Invictus ↗
Teen & Adult

Adult Jiu-Jitsu

Gi and no-gi grappling for beginners through competitors, taught on Excel's floor by Invictus.

Visit Invictus ↗

Serving Woodbury Since 1987.

Two dedicated training floors, each built for its discipline — firmer footing for Taekwondo's kicking and pivoting, extra-cushioned matting for Jiu-Jitsu — plus locker rooms with showers and a parent lobby, all in one facility built for families training together as a community.

8,000Sq. Ft.
1987Founded
2Training Floors
From Our Families

Their Words, Not Ours

★★★★★

Hands down, this studio is A+ and worth every cent! Since joining nearly three years ago, our son has thrived on being the best he can be both on and off the mat. He has become extremely focused and goal oriented, confident in his ways, disciplined and he is always working on improving his behavior.

Woodbury Parent — Kids Taekwondo
★★★★★

This is the best value you will find in the Twin Cities, if not the state. There are a variety of training styles offered... all of which have a practical application approach and will help with confidence, self defense, discipline, focus, and physical conditioning for all ages. I have been training there for almost six years. It has helped me become a better person, parent, and has helped me further advance in my career.

Adam C. — Adult Taekwondo
★★★★★

My children flourished under your instruction, and they continue to use the life skills both modeled and taught at your training center. My daughter continues to use her training while away at college and looks forward to re-connecting with her Martial Arts family when home on breaks.

Emily R. — Kids & Adult Taekwondo
Start Here

One Class Away.

Pick Taekwondo, Jiu-Jitsu, or both. Your first class is free — no contract, no pressure, just a real class on a real mat.

Our Guarantee: train with us twice a week for four weeks. If you don't see it working — more focus, more confidence, more skill on the mat — we'll refund your first month. No questions asked.

Class Times

Taekwondo Schedule

Questions

Before You Visit

Taekwondo is Excel's striking program — forms, kicking, sparring, belt rank. Jiu-Jitsu is Invictus's grappling program — live rolling, ground control, self-defense. Both run out of the same Woodbury facility, and many students train both.

Taekwondo starts at age 6 and runs through adult. Jiu-Jitsu starts at age 6 and runs through adult. There's a class for every age in the family.

No. Most students in both programs start with zero experience. Instructors meet you where you are and build from there.

A full class in the program of your choice — just show up in comfortable clothes. No commitment required to attend.

No. Start with a free class and decide from there — schedule your ongoing classes and manage your membership through our GymDesk portal.