Instead of writing a "review," I am copying part of an email I recently sent Elite Martial Arts in SW Austin, TX bc we are just so pleased to have found them: "...Your dojo has been a shining light for us. I know I've said it multiple times, but I wanted to express it again - I only wish we had come to your dojo when we moved to the area years ago. You have something very special. From each of the very dedicated staff & student volunteers, to the way you emphasize technique, encourage the development of strength & power in fun, competitive (but not-harsh) ways & games, expect & follow-through with respect of all, focus on the positive, have high expectations, challenge everyone to work for the "clubs," & explain the "why" behind the directions (like, "break outward with your hand bc it will block your opponent's possible punch" etc). Thank you for making your program financially affordable. Thank you for explaining things in simple, understandable ways as well as demonstrating them yourselves. Thank you for giving students a voice. Thank you for allowing student volunteers to help - it gives the kids someone to look up to & envision themselves one day being able to do that. Thank you for repetition so that new skills/information are learned & old skills/information retained. Thank you for allowing my son, who has found a positive "passion," to come to your dojo so many days a week & multiple classes a day. We appreciate all of you & value your hard work, commitment, & time. Gratefully, Jenny D. read more

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We have been coming here since my son was three. We moved away for a year and the entire time my child wanted to go back to the REAL martial Arts class. He loves his teachers, Mr Herman, Ms Sarah and of course Sensei. Their way with the children is so amazing, helping the overactive ones focus, bringing the shy ones out of their shell, and doing it all while having fun. I love how they respectfully interact with the kids and at the same time teach them manners, discipline and focus. If I could give them 100 stars I would. They earn it every time, we've never had a less than stellar experience here read more

My son has been going here for 2 years and looks forward to every class! The teachers and staff are experienced and patient with the kids. read more

Elite Martial Arts - Martial Arts Near Me - Austin, Texas

My 9 year old loves it here. It's the first activity we've found that my kid consistently likes going to. It's fun and they keep the classes interesting by mixing it up a lot, and the instructors are really engaging with the kids. It's the right amount of challenging and my kid is learning to push himself, which is not something he naturally does. Also it's well lit, lots of windows, clean, chairs for the parents, and extra parking in the back. I highly recommend this dojo if your kid is interested in a martial arts class. read more

Here are the things I have noticed about Elite Martial Arts, roughly in the order in which I noticed them: - Adult classes four nights a week at different times. - The facility is clean, brightly lit, climate-controlled, well-equipped, and features high quality mats on the floor and on two walls. - Diverse, friendly, very welcoming group of students. Ages 13 to 38 (best guess), both genders well-represented, multiple races/ethnicities. Everybody smiles and says hi, and not in that creepy-cult kind of way (you know what I mean). - No meat-heads! Crazy, right? Find me a mixed martial arts class without a single macho-ball meat-head. Yeah, oh, look at you go! You just found Elite Martial Arts. - Sensei John Roberson is an experienced martial artist and talented instructor. Helpful, encouraging, and enthusiastic. Students want to (and do!) push themselves and allow themselves to be pushed as a result of these qualities. No drill-sergeant garbage. - The self-defense techniques taught are practical. There is no far-east mystical death-touch pressure point stuff happening here. - Tuition is very, very reasonable. - No long-term contracts. - No per-week attendance limit -- come to as many classes as you want. - Very safety-conscious atmosphere. Good prices on quality gear to back that up. - Sensei Roberson is really excellent with kids too. The Disclosure Part: I'm a 32 year old male and have been attending adult classes here for under two months. I have eight-plus years of combined experience in Taekwondo and traditional Hapkido. I came to Elite after over three years of being out of training, so I'm rusty and out of shape, but you can believe me when I say: This place is fantastic, and you should check it out. read more

What a beautiful, empowering, and addictively energizing experience. Also the sweatiest most exhausting workout I've ever had. Sensei John keeps it fun but still pushes you further than you thought you could go. I haven't been this excited about my own potential in a long time! Thank you Elite! read more

Just for thought: Be fierce but kind. Strong but gentle. Powerful but humble. These are some of the traits of a true warrior. These words greeted me on the whiteboard mounted in the corner of the dojo last week, and it's the perfect example of what I've learned in my year of training at Elite Martial Arts under Sensei John and his warm, welcoming community of martial artists. Integrity, honor, perseverance, friendliness, community, intelligence, fun. These are the elements I discovered at the dojo. I caught a glimpse of them during my first workout, a free trial class where I ran through basic self defense drills helped along by some of the more experienced martial artists. As a 30-year old adult with next to no relevant experience in martial arts, I was immediately impressed by Sensei John, both in the way he instructs students of all ages (calmly, clearly, and with a warm heart), and the way his dojo facilitates instruction by allowing for the higher, more experienced belts to teach the less experienced belts. As a lifelong learner -- a teacher and student myself -- I intuitively felt that I'd stumbled onto a special school. And it is -- Elite Martial Arts is an incredibly special school. The training is always safe, the dojo is well lit, clean, and spacious, and classes constantly leave you feeling like you've learned something new and had a good workout. In a year of training on average 2-3x/week, I've progressed from white to orange belt, have improved my sense of balance and coordination, and have learned valuable, practical self defense skills while keeping fit. I also medaled in a team martial arts tournament. But best of all, I've gained a terrific group of new friends and an extended family. I'm humbled by the powerful experience I've had training at Elite Martial Arts, and can't recommend it highly enough. It's the perfect home for a complete beginner or martial arts veteran. KI-YAH! read more

I just noticed that my last review of this school was two years ago already! We still continue to attend classes weekly here. The only difference is now, my daughter attends and I started over a year ago now! The adult program is comfortable for me because you go at your own pace. You can push yourself with a super hard workout and slow it down for any moves that are tricking you up. It is a very motivating program that has me making goals I never thought I would ever achieve and then, did. I love that my children are learning how to handle tough situations with confidence. The skills my older son (now 7) has learned show up in his other sports and I have seen his confidence build in school as well. read more

Sensei John is great. The group of people that attend his class are also very welcoming and enjoyable to work with. I wish I could spend more time there, however I was in Austin for only 2 weeks in January. Luckily, I was able to spend time with him and his students. A little bit about his class: Sensei John comes from a traditional martial art background, but infuses many techniques/skills into his class. So, you get to learn striking, grappling, and ground work. Not to mention, its a real good work out. Relax the body and mind, and strength the body and mind. I will be back when I return to Austin! read more

My five year old has been studying at Elite for about six months. She gets a lot of good stuff out of it. Focus, self-discipline, and perseverance; vastly improved coordination, balance, and confidence. The staff are amazing with the littles. I call it the "drunk puppy" class because there's always a kid wandering off, rolling on the floor, or generally ignoring what's going on. Sometimes it's my kid :) Sensei and his staff are patient, but they really challenge the kids to keep going. It's one of the best things I've done for my kid. It's also competitively priced and there are multiple classes each week. Highly recommended. read more

What a lovely academy! My son who had just barely turned three years old and was a little wild went there last summer and had such a fun time. Sensei Roberson was amaaaazingly patient and kind to him. I was so impressed during our visit. We went there twice during our trip to Texas to give my boy something fun to do since he liked it so much. What a wonderful experience! AMAZING FOR KIDS!!! Kindness and patience! read more

My young son has been going here for a couple of years. He adores it and so do I. Sensei John Roberson is amazing with children. He provides structure without being overly strict, and has a gentle way of gradually bringing kids' behavior around to where it should be. It's very obvious that all of his students adore him. read more

This place is PERFECT! My 5 year old son is learning how to focus his energy in a positive way. The Sensei has the patience of a saint yet is stern and confident in his teaching. I recommend this place to all of my friends and can say with 100% confidence that it has made my kiddo a better listener and more focused than I ever thought possible! read more

My family couldn't be happier with Elite Martial Arts. My husband and I are both educators and know what a great teacher looks like -- it's Sensei Roberson. He has created a perfect atmosphere for kids to learn health, self-defense, self-esteem, respect, and of course, mixed martial arts. The dojo is a warm and welcoming place for people of all ages and backgrounds. Students are held to high expectations--they work hard, are expected to practice, learn to help and care for one another, and must demonstrate respect for themselves and others at all time. My husband and both my sons (12 and 14) have been attending for over a year. They all love it and the whole family's fitness level has gone WAY up. We live on the opposite side of Austin but Elite Martial Arts is well worth the commute. It's a great dojo! read more

My son has been going here for a few months now, and he and I both absolutely love it! John and Herman are both amazing with the little kids. There is kids as young as three years old in the class, and they keep it structured, fun, informative, and most importantly teach respect. I love my son's attitude because of this class. We try to take him four times a week (the maximum) because he can't get enough... Keep up the awesome work Elite!!! read more

Great place for kids to learn self defense and to get their energy out . The Sensi is just awesome with the kids. They now have Saturday classes for the 7+ ages. read more

My 5-year old son has been taking classes for about 6 months at Elite Martial Arts after a friend recommended the school, and we absolutely love it here. Sensei Roberson is a patient, fun, positive and skillful teacher and I highly recommend him. He teaches all of the kids classes himself but very skillfully lets the older students take on leadership roles within the class. The atmosphere at the school is very welcoming, the prices are very affordable, the instruction is fun and yet he pushes the kids to do their best. And Sensei Roberson makes the training for the kids fun with creative games and gadgets that keeps things interesting. I can't wait till my younger son is old enough to start taking classes there as well. read more

Such a great dojo with patient, caring and strict when necessary teachers. A great martial arts program for young kids looking for a good mix of fun and discipline. read more