About Our School

Your instructors: Lynn Schoenfeld (left), Renee Jenkins (center), and Mark Blake (right).

Mark Blake, owner and chief instructor, began training in martial arts in 1976, and studied shotokan karate, a traditional Japanese style, for 27 years, earning the rank of 5th degree black belt in 1998. Mark graduated from two instructor training courses and was an official instructor, examiner and tournament judge with the Japan Karate Association (JKA). He competed in individual and team sparring and kata, representing the U.S. in the international "Shoto Cup" competition of the JKA three times.  Mark taught karate for 19 years at his own school in Connecticut, and has cross-trained in kickboxing, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Tai Chi and Pekiti Tersia Kali. 

Mark's interest in Krav Maga began in 1998, when he began attending seminars offered by Krav Maga Worldwide to promote and expand their network of certified Krav Maga instructors and training centers throughout the U.S. He took a strong interest in the reality of how people are commonly assaulted, realizing that traditional martial arts training alone does not provide a complete and practical self defense solution to deal with the brutal violence of today's streets. Mark is engaged in ongoing training and instructor certification at the Krav Maga National Training Center in Los Angeles, where he has passed the Expert 1 phase of Krav Maga (civilian branch) instructor training. He has been a certified Krav Maga instructor since May 2003.

Lynn Schoenfeld was born and raised in Beaverton. He graduated from Beaverton High School in 1986. He obtained a Bachelor of Science in Electronics Engineering from Oregon Institute of Technology, and an MBA from Portland State University. Lynn became a certified Krav Maga instructor (civilian branch) in February 2007. A law enforcement officer in Clackamas County since 1992, he has also passed Series I of the Krav Maga Force Training Division - the law enforcement branch of Krav Maga in 2006, certifying him to instruct law enforcement officers in the specialized Krav Maga techniques developed for their needs. He has been a SWAT team leader since 2000 and a SWAT team member since 1996. Currently, Lynn is assigned as a sergeant in patrol and SWAT. He has supervised a narcotics investigation unit and was a member of the Gang Enforcement Unit. Lynn has been training law enforcement officers in tactics, officer safety and investigations for over 15 years. He holds an Advanced and Supervisory LEO Certificate at the DPSST in Oregon. He is currently an officer in the Oregon Tactical Officers Association.

Lynn is a living testament to the benefits of Krav Maga training. When he began training in 2005, he weighed 250lbs, often feeling tired, run down and irritable. He now weighs 199lbs, (with less than 10% body fat) less than he did as a star high school and college football athlete back in the 1980's. He credits Krav Maga training not just for his outstanding physical transformation, but also for giving him a much more positive attitude and general outlook on all aspects of life.

Renee Jenkins began training in martial arts as a teenager. She later specialized in teaching women's self defense. Renee worked as a law enforcement officer for several years before beginning her current career in the insurance industry as a LAN administrator. She passed the first phase of instructor certification with Krav Maga Worldwide in August, 2007 and teaches several beginner clases weekly. The high energy and enthusiasm she infuses into her classes take her students to new levels of conditioning and proficiency.

People interested in Krav Maga often ask instructors, "Have you ever had to use it?" Mark's answer is along the lines of "Mentally, I use it every day". Although he has not had an opportunity to test Krav Maga techniques physically, other than in training, he firmly believes that because of his training, he continually operates with a heightened awareness of potential conflict and danger. There have been a number of incidents (road rage, aggressive behavior by people under the influence of alcohol or drugs, attempted mugging) which he successfully avoided or deescalated using a combination of common sense, awareness, confident body language and verbal boundary skills. He regularly includes teaching these aspects of "mental self defense" in his lesson plans.

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