The Karate Studio

06/02/2026

Our summer schedule starts next Tuesday. Be sure to pick up a flyer at the dojo as well as a flyer for our Summer Seminar #1 on June 27th!!

05/29/2026

Another five star review! Thank you for taking the time to submit your thoughts! 😊

05/28/2026

Karate is for life, not for points. --Unknown

05/23/2026

We are beyond proud of these guys who tested this morning for Junior Brown, Brown, and Black Belt. They showed amazing spirit, dedication, and love for the art of Goju Ryu. Congratulations guys!

05/22/2026

Here are some pictures of last night's successful grading of yellow and orange belts. We are so proud of everyone who tested! One more round of testing tomorrow for our black and brown belt candidates. Good luck to them!

05/18/2026

Final questions and a pep talk before testing begins this week. Good luck to all our Yellow and Orange belt candidates on Thursday and to our Brown and Black belt candidates this Saturday!

05/12/2026

Kids test.

A lot.

End of topic tests. Spelling Tests. Math tests. Grade level assessments. DORFS, DIBELS, SAT’s, pSAT’s, ACT’s, EOY’s, AP Exams………

Not to mention the tests you take as you get older: drivers tests, eye tests, hearing tests, medical tests, safety tests, career interest tests---even tests to make sure your printer is set up correctly!

So what does a test actually do?

According to Webster’s Dictionary, “a test is something (such as a series of questions or exercises) for measuring the skill, knowledge, intelligence, capacities, or aptitudes of an individual or group.”

We are a week away from our spring tests at the dojo. Students will have a written test as well as a physical test.

As the instructor, do I know the skill and knowledge of my students? Yes.

Do I know their capacities? Yes.

Can I take everything they have done and wrap it up in a nice, neat package that consists of a new belt color? Also, yes.

Would they be proud of their ‘just hand it to them’ belt? Or would they be prouder and treasure the experience of showing their hard work; going through the pressure and stress of the test in front of family and friends?

That new belt they hope to earn isn’t just a belt. It is a symbol of sweat, effort, and resilience. A symbol of where that student has been and what is yet to come. They will earn the right to wear that new color and represent the knowledge that it will take to get them there.

Trust the process, but enjoy every step of the journey.

05/11/2026

As we are getting closer to our spring gradings, this is more important than ever. Encourage, believe in, and reassure your kids (OR your spouses who are students). We are excited about the upcoming tests and we know that everyone will try their best! :)

The Role of Parents In The Dojo: Support Matters More Than Critique

This is something worth talking about, kindly and openly, because it affects children more than many adults realise.

Every parent wants their child to do well. We know that. It comes from love, pride, and wanting the best for them.

But sometimes, after class, a child leaves training only to face more criticism on the way home.

Not focused enough.
Not sharp enough.
Not trying hard enough.
Not progressing quickly enough.

The problem is, they have already been corrected in class.

That is our job as instructors.
We guide them. We challenge them. We hold the standard. We correct the details so they can improve.

What they need from their parent is something different.

They need encouragement.
They need belief.
They need reassurance.
They need to know that their effort still matters, even on the messy days.

Because when a child gets correction from their instructor, then more disappointment from their parent, it can become a kind of “bad cop, bad cop” experience.

And that does not usually make them train harder.
It makes them train more anxiously.
Anxious children do not thrive.
Supported children do.

Sometimes the most powerful thing a parent can say after class is:
“I loved watching you train today.”
“I’m proud of how hard you tried.”
“Well done for sticking at it.”

Children will lose focus sometimes.
They will wobble.
They will have off days.
They will forget things they knew last month.

That is not failure. That is learning. That is childhood.

Real progress happens when instructors provide structure and correction, and parents provide emotional safety and support.

When those two things work together, children grow in confidence, resilience, and character far more powerfully than through pressure alone.

Parents, your voice carries huge weight.

If you want your child to enjoy training, keep going, and grow into a more confident version of themselves, support will always take them further than criticism.

05/10/2026

We love our mothers! We hope you have the most happiest of Mother's Days today!

05/09/2026

Prospective student at the dojo this morning. I wonder how he will do with mawashe uke?!