Mansfield Kwanmukan Martial Arts

05/06/2026

02/25/2026

Our Samurai class (9-12 years) begins to focus more on traditional karate, although we continue to work on skills required in the other arts in our dojo. We prepare our students for the transition into the adult class as we work on increasingly more practical aspects of martial arts.

02/20/2026

A message for both students and parents:

This meme is put bluntly, but I feel it needs to be said and clarified. In our dojo, we want our students to have fun. We want them to enjoy the classes and to be enthusiastic about coming to the dojo. However, there are times when emphasis must be placed on learning new skills, developing the ability to focus, creating discipline, and instilling determination and respect in our young students. This process is not always fun and easy, and especially with newer students, we may see their enthusiasm wane while we work on the more tedious aspects of creating a complete martial artist. Understand that when a student’s motivation decreases, this is a crucial moment in the process of building fortitude and determination.

Over time, students begin to understand why we do the things we do. This enlightenment is part of the journey of a martial artist, and we all reach this understanding at different points in our journey.

If you or your young student are finding yourselves less motivated, this is natural, so don’t lose heart. It’s part of your journey, and coming to class at times like this will only build your character and discipline!

And don’t worry, we’ll also continue to have fun and play games 😁.

~Shihan McKay

02/20/2026

This past Saturday, we held belt certifications for our classes. We're proud to showcase a few images of testing and give a big CONGRATULATIONS to all who made it to the next stage in their martial arts journey!

11/12/2025

Dig in, people. This is a great book.

09/29/2025

Yesterday Zakiyaa tested for 1st Degree Black Belt, and did a fantastic job!

Her day started at 8am with a 5k run. The first annual Black Belt 5k was a success,raising $300 for Zakiyaa’s charity, the Richland County Women’s Fund. She completed the 5k with her fastest time ever!

She followed that with a 1 hour yoga class. Thanks to Clayton Pittenger for another fantastic stretching and relaxation session!

After that she fulfilled her strength requirements:
50 knuckle pushups
100 kettlebell swings
100 crunches
100 kettlebell squats

Then she finished with her karate requirements. 2 hours of punching, kicking, kata, throws, sweeps, breakfalls, and self defense.

Overall it was an exhausting 7 hour day, and she crushed it! Congratulations Zakiyaa!! We’re all very proud of you!!