My son Ryan has been going to NRK Karate in San Marcos for one year now. This place is more than…read morejust a martial arts dojo -- it is a school of life. It instills core values, builds strong and resilient minds, and provides life coaching that stays with the students far beyond the mat. The instructors are not only highly skilled in martial arts, but they are exceptional mentors who genuinely care about the personal growth of each student. They foster discipline, confidence, and respect in an environment that is both nurturing and empowering. I wholeheartedly recommend it to any parent looking for a place that combines physical training with meaningful life education.

My kids and I train at this dojo and it's been an awesome experience. You truly do become a part of…read morea family when you join NRK. Renshi McCammon and his senseis have created an environment where each person learns respect, honor and discipline, while having fun.

This truly is an amazing place. I love training here. The instructors are incredible and always…read moreencouraging. Highly recommend.

My son has been taking karate classes at San Elijo Martial Arts since he was 4 1/2. He is now TEN!…read moreWe both love the studio and he loves his instructors. He has learned so much in all those years. The discipline and instruction are simply the best. My son had a hard time staying focused and staying put but now is doing much better. The studio also offers sparring and weapons once you join the black belt club! Kyosanim Salgado and Sensei Emerys are very patient with all the kids. They make you feel like family! You won't regret it for your kiddos!

We love this place. My husband and sons train here. Franco…read moreSensei is an incredible teacher. World renowned. Master in weapons. Asked to teach throughout the world. If you want to learn traditional Okinawan Goju karate, this is the place. His team of team are fantastic. You will not only learn how to defend yourself, but also learn the culture in which it embodies.

After years of searching for the right place to train, I knew moments after walking through the…read moredoors at Bushikan I had found what I was looking for. As the old saying goes, when the student is ready, the teacher will appear! There is a sense of history and tradition at Bushikan that I have found is often absent elsewhere. Here students are taught the correct Japanese terminology, and history of Okinawan karate, which not only helps them to better understand the cultural origins of Goju Ryu, but helps create a sense of deep respect for themselves and others. As I complete my second year of training at Bushikan, what stands out to me is the sense of family fostered by Franco Sensei and Chrisan Sensei. We train hard. Kihon (basics), Kata (imaginary fight), Kumite (sparring), and Hojo Undo (supplementary exercises) set a strong foundation for the students here. The expectations are high, but not without understanding and a strong focus on teachable moments. One does not simply learn to fight at Bushikan, one learns to keep fighting and to conquer the things that keep them from doing their best while helping others do the same. Students are given the opportunity once a year to travel to Okinawa and train where Karate was born, gathering understanding of the unique culture that it sprang from. Likewise, students and teachers from all over the world travel to Bushikan dojo several times a year to gain deeper understanding of Goju Ryu Karate and Matayoshi Kobudo. I can't speak for everyone. One gets out of Karate what they put into it of course. However, this dojo has been a powerful force of positive change in my life and I am thankful to have found it. As a teacher for twenty years I can honestly say that the younger students are some of the most astute and respectful I have ever known. Some of them have been students at Bushikan since they were as young as three years old and are now in their teens and twenties as responsible leaders. The adults are some of the most helpful and giving people I have ever met. If you are looking for a traditional karate dojo, Bushikan is a place for both the young and young at heart. There is a lot more to know, but it is best experienced and not read on a website. I highly recommend you come and see for yourself. You won't regret it.

Sensei is a wonderful amazing teacher mentor and man. My grandson appreciated his words of wisdom…read moreand encouragement with jujitsu. It's more than a class it's a message from the heart and soul and it hits home with him of meeting challenges and working through tough situations. Tapping out is fine and winning is never giving up. Great life lesson. Highly recommend this martial arts location for young boys girls Laureen

I can't recommend this dojo enough! My daughter has been training under Sensei Matt for six years…read morenow. He is awesome with the kids (and adults)! There are so many valuable life skills she has learned aside from just self defense...things like discipline, leadership, character development, organization, high achievement drive, and focus...just to name a few. If you're looking for a new dojo or considering options for yourself and/or your kid, it's definitely worth checking out. Stop by and have a chat with Matt to see how Key Martial Arts should be part of your future training.

We have been with Gracie Vista for 6 months now, and my kid looks forward to every class! We not…read moreonly love the staff but also all the students; this community is top tier.

They're amazing here, super patient and educational!! My son struggles with social skills and…read morethey've helped him with meeting other kids and getting partners!

I have to say this about Master T @ USSD because I am still just so beyond impressed…read more I randomly ended up at a church kids event and saw him doing ASL interpreting and I'm not kidding, I literally moved across the church just to sit closer and watch. I was in complete awe. I grew up with my mom as an interpreter, so I KNOW what I'm looking at and his skill is on another level. So of course I went up to him after like "okay that was incredible." EXTREMELY SKILLED Somehow in conversation he mentions he has a martial arts studio in Oceanside and I just kind of paused like God what? Because I had JUST been talking about finding something like this for my son. So we signed up. And I'm telling you right now this is not just another class. Not only is he a top Tier ASL Interpreter he is truly a master at his skills! I have sat there and watched him run a full room of kids--20+--all over the place, all different personalities, all different needs... and somehow he keeps them engaged, respectful, and still connects with each one individually. It's honestly amazing to watch. Like some magical supernatural superpower! And for my parents who get it kids with energy, ADHD, autism, sensory disorders this is where I was really watching closely. Because my child is full speed, no brakes all days, And somehow... it brings tears to my eyes to see how this is making a huge impact and difference in our lives! Like really trying. He wants to listen. He wants to do better. He wants to earn that respect from Master T and Sensei Elias. That right there means everything to me. Because it's not just kicks and punches. It's discipline. It's self-control. It's focus. It's respect. Character Sincerity Effort Etiquette and so much more! It's absolutely stunning to watch real life lessons being intertwined into these kids lives! I'm just sitting there half the time like... how are you doing this with this many kids?? It's impressive. It's consistent. And you can tell he genuinely cares. I am just so glad we found this place. This is one of those things you don't realize you needed until you see it.

Okay I thought I left a review but I am not above double dipping if it's for the greater good…read more Master Terrell and his team are the best instructors you could ask for. If a kid is struggling for one reason or another he employs patience I don't possess. He encourages them every step of the way without being a pushover. It's not "cheap" given today's reality but a super value for the dozen or so times a month they participate.

So it's a nice enough facility, and the owner is legit and also very nice. That being said, they…read moreare geared to the small kids, like 5-7 at most. My daughter first discovered karate and this school at someone's birthday party, and wanted to join. She was almost 9 at the time. We gave it a year but here's our takeaways: 1) classes aren't enough about promotions. Advancing colored belts and stripes require certain skills and to perform those skills in front of the master. But little to no time in a given class is spent on those skills. They play. They have fun. They run around. Maybe 5 minutes per 40 Minute session is spent on promotable skills. And if your child dare take a test and fail, no help is given to improve, and retesting is like pulling teeth. (Note as we were leaving they changed testing to only once a month on a day we couldn't attend, so was our final straw for leaving the school). 2) membership is flexible, you pay one fee per month and go whenever you want. Which is kind of nice, but it makes class sizes fluctuate wildly from as few as 5 participants to as many as 40. And larger classes rarely have more than one instructor. Leading to organized chaos and back to point 1, No skills being taught or learned. 3) we joined because our daughter was being bullied at high tech (whole other story there, don't go!) and wanted to feel like she could defend herself, mostly against boys who were physically abusive. Maybe it comes later but self defense and acts which build confidence, in my opinion, weren't touched in an entire year of classes. Luckily we moved her to a new SMUSD school which actually had anti-bullying policies, and the problem went away. 4) on the bullying, it happens here too. Little cliques of 5, 6 or 7 year olds who have their purple belts, feel emboldened to pick on, trick, etc white belts. Those with stripes belittle those without, and the cycle continues for every step up. Would expect more from a karate studio. Probably related to a lack of supervision as noted in #2. 5) business is run like it's 1980. No online portal, no way to pay bills easily or setup recurring payments. Invoices are an envelope with an amount, receipts when given are handwritten and vague, cards are charged 3% convenience fee (even debit). School tries to host events, but unless you get the right flyer the right day you have no idea. No online presence, no socials, etc. Conclusion, if you have a 4-5 year old boy, and you want to go 5 times a week for cheap, and don't need a business with an online presence, this might be a good fit for you. Not really a good fit for anyone else if you ask me.

I wholeheartedly recommend Orion martial arts. Master Laura runs a tight ship with her classes but…read moreis very flexible with respect to scheduling for the parents. Our boys started in the special needs class and then moved into the mainstream classes after a few years. Our daughter joined as well and even achieved her black belt. It was an amazing experience for all 3 of them. They learned discipline and hard work but never felt intimidated in the classes. The instructors are all professional and helpful. I can honestly say that it was a healthy and productive environment for all of the students.

Tremendous place to train. Sifu Jiminez knows Kenpo forward and backwards and has the teaching…read moreskills to communicate what he knows. I would highly recommend Vista Kenpo Karate to anyone interested in self defense.

Mr. Jimenez is a great teacher! You can tell he's passionate about martial arts and has a lot of…read moreknowledge. He's super patient and great with kids, but I've seen him work with adults, too. He's very well respected. Totally recommend him for anyone looking for an extra-curricular activity for kids or for adults looking for a new challenge!