Community Update

This school is a poor choice for children. It's an OK school for adults, if you're not bothered by regular references to 'sissies' and 'sissy punches' in the adult classes. The owner is an older European émigré. I'm sure there are plenty of MMA schools with similar attitudes but it may not be your cup of tea.

The children's classes are boring. The kids come in, sit silently and wait for class to begin. Talking is discouraged, for both kids and parents. No one greets you, unless you're new and they want you to sign up. Parents conversing in more than a whisper get shushed. During class the children speak when spoken to. For an extracurricular activity, kids deserve better.

The owner does not teach the kids classes, except every few weeks to whip the kids into shape. The regular instructors are two teenage black belts. They do impressive demos for prospective parents & students. It's easy to look at them and want those skills for your kids too.

But if you see this as a good activity for college applications in a few years, consider a different school. Turnover is high. Most kids leave after a few months because the classes are dull & uninspiring. It's better to start someplace that the kids will want to stay at and earn that black belt.

The classes start off with a warm-up (jumping jacks, etc) before moving onto drills and exercises. They work on the basics and rarely do anything that's fun or engaging. Once in a blue moon they'll do some sprints, leapfrogging or other fun exercises. All of the punching and kicking is into the air, pads are almost never used. I prefer hitting pads regularly because you get real, immediate feedback on whether your technique is working or not - and more of a workout.

Parents are given very little feedback except the occasional 'your kid did good today' kind of thing. There's no actual method for teaching the kids that we noticed, no specific concepts they want the kids to learn or ways to remember what they are learning. If there was, parents are completely out of the loop.

There is no camaraderie or any sort of team-building. This is ironic because the owner runs kung fu tournaments with the motto 'Friendship through martial arts.' We've seen teams of kids from other martial arts schools who cheer and support each other, just like you would in any team sport. There is no way that could happen here with the children discouraged from interacting.

By contrast, at our new school they talk about the philosophy behind their approach and use rhymes to help kids remember concepts and moves. Not surprisingly, the kids learn the material faster and can focus on improving their techniques. They also encourage interaction so the kids get to know each other and have fun at the same time.

In a nutshell: it's boring, turnover is high and if you want your kid to earn a black belt in a martial art I recommend finding a different school.