Team Kralj Martial Arts Studio Debuts on 235th Street

The Kralj brothers are planning to teach Douglaston’s residents to protect themselves, respect others and get in a great workout in the process.

Team Kralj, located at 40-35 235th St., is a that is opening its doors Thursday.

Brothers and co-owners Hrvoje and Kresinir Kralj said the studio, which is located between and , will offer Tae Kwon Do, Jujitsu, kickboxing and physical fitness classes for adults and youths in the community.

“A lot of kids don’t have a place to go,” Kresinir Kralj said. “They may be frustrated about being bullied in school. This is a place to relieve yourself. It will open your mind to a different culture. We encourage our students to show respect to others.”

He said the studio’s classes teach students a variety of martial arts techniques without having an emphasis on fighting.

“There is no contact,” he said. “Students come in and train and they hit shields. But you won’t be hitting each other. The object is not to beat each other up, but to learn ways to defend yourself. We want to build confidence levels.”

Hrvoje Kralj said the classes provide great cardio workouts.

“If you push yourself, you can lose 800 calories per class,” he said. “You don’t need equipment, just your own body weight. We’ll help you burn fat and tone muscles.”

Team Kralj offers classes in four different age groups: “little warriors” who are between ages 4 and 7, juniors between ages 8 and 12, ages 13 to 18 and above 18 years.

Classes for youngsters run 30 minutes, while ones for teens are 50 minutes and classes for adults run 55 minutes.

During the week, the first classes of the day begin at 4:35 p.m., while weekend classes are held between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Team Kralj is open Monday through Saturday. Lil Warriors, juniors and kickboxing classes are held every day of the week, while instruction for teens is held Monday through Friday.

Mixed martial arts programs are held Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. Adult Tae Kwon Do is available on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.

As part of the grand opening rate, adults will pay $99.99 for classes and receive a free pair of gloves.

Those taking Tae Kwon Do classes will be given a free uniform once they sign up.

“People tend to think these are hard classes, but they are only as hard as people are willing to push themselves,” Kresinir Kralj said.

On May 20, Team Kralj will take part in a martial arts event at the Holy Cross Greek Church of Whitestone, located at 150-05 12th Ave., from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

For more information about Team Kralj, call 347-408-4180.