Karate

Probably! Movement students come from all different backgrounds – some use karate as a way to cross-train for other sports, while others use martial arts training as a way to get off devices and start being physically active. Amazing things happen when kids start training in martial arts – they become more disciplined, more focused, and better athletes all around as well!

Martial arts build an amazing foundation of athleticism for any child. Training this way teaches them balance, coordination, speed, agility, and builds their strength. These fundamental skills make them better athletes no matter what sports they pursue later on. Plus, a core principle of our programs is the character we instill – our classes are a ton of fun while also teaching kids respect, confidence, and discipline and giving them the tools to defend and stand up for themselves.

Absolutely not. One of the most important things that we teach kids when we teach them to defend themselves is that there is a right and a wrong time to use martial arts. Kids will build the confidence and situational awareness that keeps them as safe as possible in dangerous situations, but we instill in them that physical conflict should be a last resort. We’ve seen over and over again that when kids have a safe, constructive place to channel their energy, they become less aggressive and less likely to seek out fights.

Our style is American Karate – it’s a contemporary version of more traditional martial arts that’s designed to be as effective and fun as possible for kids. Think of it as boxing from the waist up, kickboxing from the waist down, with elements of wrestling, jiu-jitsu, and tactical self-defense. We also focus heavily on building kids’ overall athleticism, strength, and speed, in addition to developing strong character and values.

The beautiful thing about martial arts is that every student moves at their own speed. Our curriculum is designed to give kids the perfect balance between challenge and reward. They’re constantly working to learn and perfect new techniques in the short term, earn new belts in the medium term, and working towards their long-term goal of Black Belt.

Typically, the process of earning a Black Belt takes 4-5 years, but can be a little longer or shorter depending on how consistently students attend class and how quickly they pick up on the curriculum.

The most important thing we teach kids is that they’ll never simply be given anything here at Movement – just like in life, they’ll have to work hard to earn the things they want to achieve. We believe that lesson carries over into every aspect of their lives.