Sensei Grout is great with the kids! My son really respects and listens to him. He makes the class…read morefun for the younger kids. Janice is great too, very helpful and answers emails quickly. They occasionally offer free self defense classes for new students, I believe during the school year. Great if you want to try out Karate to see if your kids would like it. I would highly recommend UKO!

This dojo is really top-notch! Sensei Grout and Sensei Janice have created a fantastic asset to the…read morecommunity and a place where children and adults alike can learn and grow to become better versions of themselves. I was a student here for many years as a teenager and can confidently say that the experience I gained here had a profound effect on my life and I STILL carry myself with confidence and compassion as a result of what I've learned at UKO.

2 kids, completely different personalities. Our oldest loves to try new sports, the youngest not so…read moremuch. Our oldest is a purple belt and has competed in a tournament in Tacoma and got first place in his form in his age. He continues to excel and learn. We set up 2 intro classes for our youngest, one on one with her and Sensei. She was excited after them, then we got to the group classes and she was scared and didn't want to do it. We kept at it and every time Sensei would ask her for help getting things to keep her active. FINALLY he got her to play a game and she fell in line right after with the rest of the kids!! She didn't even realize she was now doing things with the class but she did it!! I can't tel you how proud of herself she was when she got home and so were we (Mom, Dad, and big brother) but the way Sensei works with these kids is just mind blowing! I suggest Aspire Karate for anyone looking for another option to sports for their kids, or themselves. OSS

Sensei Trace is very skilled, has top notch pedagogy, and a great attitude towards all his students…read moreboth young and old. I recently got back into training since stopping 15 years ago and chose to join Aspire, and I look forward to learning more. Great Shotokan school.

My boy is 7 years old, and he was asking for months to do "karate." I finally relented, and WOW! He…read moreloves it. Goes twice weekly, and I am so happy for him. Master Charnley is firm, but humble and so kind. Even in the family class, he takes the time to work on each person's technique. He cares about the child's behavior at home, too. Even has them memorize home rules before they can advance. Highly recommend.

I am a mother of 5, grandmother of 6.When the kids all moved out, rather than being sad about my…read moreempty nest, I decided to do something good for myself. My close childhood friend gently encouraged me to start a class with her that initially I thought was an exercise class... There IS exercise involved, but so so much more. I began taking taekwondo here at Korean Martial Arts Family Centers in July of 2012. It keeps me off the couch and My husband doesn't have to carry my laundry baskets anymore. I love my dojang and can hardly wait for the days I get to go. My instructors are all amazing and very patient with me and the other class members are kind to me and it has actually turned out to be very fun.

Absolutely the best karate school in kitsap! Kids and adults are welcome, very family oriented…read more This school has boosted confidence in kids and adults alike.

To claim that this is a shoto-kan martial arts dojo is not true. First the patch of the fist…read morebelongs to the art of GOJU karate which is totally different from shoto-kan. Both are hard forms but goju uses short motions versus shoto-kan long motions. I have studied the art of shoto-kan for over 55 years along with aikido and judo, even though I am now retired. I was one of the top ten fighters in Hawaii back in the early 70's, owned Port Orchard and Northwest shoto-kan back in the 80's & 90's before moving to Nevada. I have seen many imitations of the art by people whose only objective is money by charging out rageous fees, minimal class time, etc. My classes lasted 5 or more hours every night for adults, two hours for kids, my black belts were required to do no less then 500 kicks, punches, attacks, etc. We trained the same as I did in Japan and Hawaii no less. Softness was not a requirement in my dojo. I trained with the best in Japan Karate Shoto-kan Assoc under, sensei's Asai, Nakayama, Enoeda, Kanazawa, Funakoshi, and more instructors. I also Trained for more than 5 years in Japan. I held the rank of 5th dan for over 25 years and reconnected with Kanazawa sensei back in Hawaii under my uncle 9th dan Shihan Sueo Nishimura, chief instructor for Hawaii Shoto-kan International Federation owned by 10th dan Soke Hirokazu Kanazawa. There are to many fake instructors and others teaching the art today so one must be careful on choosing a dojo to learn in. Research is the key to getting a good dojo to practice and learn. Looking at the pictures a shoto-kan practioner one would never use kung-fu style stances for fighting; fight with an open hand (very dangerous); keep weight on back leg; not practice in the traditional gi; use the wrong patch as symbol of art, (shoto-kan is the tiger-nothing less, Standing Fist belongs to the art of Goju); must train in white gi no other color, not allowed to work out in t-shirts, short, jeans, shoes, etc.; must practice the dojo kun, oath of Shoto-Kan Karate, and must respect all. Sensei Nishimura, 5th dan Shoto-kan Chief instructor

I have great respect for Soke Thomas and the master teachers at the dojo. My children, particularly…read moremy son, have grown tremendously in the year they've been studying there. Not only does he have a chance to focus his energy physically, but he is learning self discipline and respect, and as a parent, I have gained an additional support system.

I've enjoyed this karate school ever since we joined. My kids started in May 2025. I sat through…read moreevery practice I could and saw the love and consideration they had for their students. I also witnessed how they stay true to the tradition of Okinawain Karate. My kids were taught every skill needed for every task. Every practice they contained so much knowledge. I was blown away. I had surgery on my ankle in July 2025 and at the end of August 2025 they welcomed me into class and it was one of the greatest decisions I've ever made. I've learned so much and just continue to learn over and over again. The focus they've given me and the understanding they've given me of Okinawain Karate is mind blowing. This school has brought so much to my family and they have all became part of our family. Words can't even describe the gratitude I have for them. They are so compassionate, meet you where your at, and bring you up from there. I would highly recommend this school. It would be one of the best decisions you could ever make. Thank you for reading! Have a wonderful day and may God bless you and your families!

USMAC is a great activity for kids! My son loves the tumwater location. He has a blast and I love…read morethat they are teaching respect and to listen to adults!

Update: We have now been part of this community for 2.5 years!…read moreReviews written by my kids who attend USMAC: 7th grader: USMAC is such an amazing community to learn discipline, self defense, respect, and self- confidence. It's a great place to find community and all the instructors are helpful and kind. I especially love the Tumwater dojang because of the size and you feel like you are cared for. 6th grader: USMAC is a great place and TKD teaches you skills that are important and will help you become more self confident. The instructors are great teachers and they will teach you discipline. 2nd grader: USMAC is very good and teaches me self- confidence and how to defend myself. _____ Our family is so proud to be a part of USMAC. My husband and three children (ages 11,10,6) all train together. It's incredible that it is so family oriented that each class caters to every age. Doing TKD together has brought our family closer together. Since coming to USMAC, over a year and half ago, I have seen an increase in my children's confidence, skills, and flexibility. In addition, this school not only teaches the physical aspects of taekwondo but the culture and values. They instill values by having "Home Rules" of respect and encourage them to become leaders. This is evident by the leadership of every instructor and master. They are absolutely incredible! You can sense their care, great skills, and training. When you enter the dojang, you will be greeted with a positive atmosphere and be part of a family! Highly, highly recommend!

Sensei Ferguson is amazing, especially with kids! Our daughter has been going to this dojo for the…read morelast 3 years and has loved every minute of it! We met Sensei Ferguson at the City of Everett's karate class at Forest Park (he teaches this class), but there were so many kids in the class that my daughter couldn't focus, so we started going to his dojo. What a difference! He is so patient and kind with little ones! He takes the time to get to know your child and their skill level, and teaches with humor and kindness. We love this place!

I was looking for something, ANYTHING, to get my teenager into. We have a rule in our home that…read moreyou must do something active, one activity at a time, but you have to be doing something. Well this all went out the window when the pandemic hit and our then 5th grader was stuck home for essentially three years. Around the two year mark we tried floating ideas by them, they tried to go back to basketball, nope no interest. So when I found Z-Ultimate I was convinced that this would be another hit and miss - but boy was I wrong. First of all going into this place they were SO warm and welcoming. They focused their attention on my child and not me, and made sure they understood what was going on and what the process would be. When my kid told me this was the place they wanted to be, they walked me through the pricing in a very clear and efficient was and scheduled out our personal lessons on the spot. In addition to all the above they are so cognizant of anxiety and great with personal pronouns. I cannot thank Z-Ultimate enough for their dedication to my child.

Perfection reached.....great instructors, great place, Perfect at rescheduling lesson. ABSOLUTE…read moreCINIMA!

Sensei Dulce is a tremendous man and teacher. I was one of the original black belts when the dojo…read morewas opened and am honored to have been one of his students. Some of the best times of my youth were with the people, training, and friendships at the dojo. I am so blessed to have shared time with Sensei and my fellow students. Thank you to Andre and Washington Shotokan. Excellent organization.

Non-profit Karate organization to learn not just about Karate but teaches you respect, discipline,…read moreself defense and so much more. First experience with belt advancement testing and we were allowed to see how other kids advance to the next levels. It's right inside Safe-lite and Facing East plaza. Ki is about $55- light weight uniform Testing is $45 Patch is about $16 Oss!