There are numerous benefits to practicing martial arts! Here are just a few, organized by three founding principles:

Body: Martial arts exercises more than just hands and feet. It’s an activity that builds muscles throughout the body and gives each student more control over their movements. It also improves balance, posture, and breath control.

Mind: Martial arts is not a brainless activity. It requires intense focus and awareness. Whether a student is performing kata (forms) or kumites (two-man routines), the mind must be actively engaged to both perform techniques correctly and to ensure everyone’s safety.

Spirit: Martial arts instills a sense of greater confidence and self-control. There is an art in martial arts, and that art nurtures our spirits. Practicing martial arts encourages students to become lifelong learners and to always strive for growth—not just in the style itself, but in all aspects of life.

Uechi Ryu is a traditional Okinawan style of karate that instills traditional values such as respect and self-discipline. It’s also a highly defensive style that focuses on positioning and body conditioning. Although it may not look as powerful or flashy as some styles, it is a style that, when practiced properly, ensures that you will be able to take a hit and respond appropriately before disengaging. It’s also a style that has non-violent, real-world applications—its Sanchin stance does wonders when it comes to balancing while walking on ice or standing on public transportation vehicles.

While Uechi-Ryu karate is our primary style, our weapons classes consist of a mixture of practical hand-to-hand self-defense, gun and knife defense, and multiple styles of Filipino stick fighting (kali, escrima, and modern arnis). Our instructors are well-established in the martial arts community, and so if you’re interested in a martial art not listed here, we’re happy to try and point you in the right direction!

First off, it’s okay to be nervous! You are getting ready to learn an entirely new skill! That said, no, we are not like Cobra Kai. We do not subscribe to a “strike first, strike hard” mentality, and your instructors are not going to demean, humiliate, or insult you in class. We are, however, going to challenge everyone to grow and to become better versions of themselves, per our mission statement.

Also unlike Cobra Kai, we are a dojo that focuses more on real-world application and less on tournament competition. Students are welcome to compete in tournaments and we are happy to give pointers, but we do not train with tournaments or competitions in mind.

That said, if you’re asking whether or not karate looks cool (like in Karate Kid/Cobra Kai), then yes. We’d say it looks pretty cool.

Yes to all of the above! We have classes specifically for children, classes specifically for adults, and classes that mix the two age groups. We ask that children be at least 6 years old before starting to take classes. As for adults and seniors, it’s never too late to learn a new skill! Practicing martial arts is a great way to stay in shape at a pace that’s right for you. Just make sure to chat with us about any concerns (such as necessary medications or previous injuries) when you register for membership.

It depends on how much practice a student is willing to put in! That said, assuming that a student is dedicating themselves to the practice of the art, the time that it takes to receive a first- degree black belt ranges from 2-3 years. This timeframe usually consists of three distinct phases of learning:

In the first phase (usually the first six months) the student can often feel overwhelmed as they learn a variety of basic techniques. However, with time and practice, a student will grow in confidence with these techniques and will move to the second phase (technique refinement) before finally moving into the third phase of preparing for their black belt test.