I have so many great things to say, but I'll try to keep it brief. If you're reading this review…read moreand seriously interested in the Martial Arts, stop by and check out a class. You've made it this far, keep going! The outside dojo is unprecedented! I called for an initial visit with my three daughters several years ago, and we are still engaged and challenged every night. Red Dragon is a friendly family dojo which maintains a high degree of professionalism. The instruction is traditional and focused on the martial arts, while also adapted to the times. Shidoshi TJ has poured his heart and soul into this school for years and it shows!

As a family man, my wife and daughter are my whole world. We love coming to Red Dragon because is…read moreit time we can spend together doing something meaningful. Since I am 48 years old, I worry that my physical conditioning will not allow me to protect them if I had to. My personal motivation is to better myself both mentally and physically so I can be a better person and father. Red Dragon pushes me to accomplish this, and Sensei TJ is an effective motivator. I have been a teacher with ASD for over 20 years, so I have been around all types of people young and old. Sensei TJ is as "real" as they come. He says what is on his mind and he will not lie to or coddle his students. He absolutely loves martial arts training and physical fitness. He is a wealth of knowledge about first aid, all types of weapons (including firearms), traditional Chinese forms, boxing, wrestling, and practical applications for self-defense. Sensei loves to tell stories about his past and the lessons he learned growing up in Alaska. He wants to make sure that the young people in his school make good decisions and are accountable for their actions. Red Dragon is not a "black belt factory." It is not a dojo that is motivated by money. Instead, the focus is on training and consistency. Sensei TJ always tells us that life is about choices, and you either choose to dedicate your time and train hard or choose not to. I am a busy person just like everyone else, but I make time to come 2 to 3 times a week. The dojo itself is beautiful! Sensei has spent a lot of time and effort to make both the inside dojo and the outside dojo very functional and visually stunning! We all take pride in helping to maintain it. The inside has mats, tons of equipment, a weight room and dummies. The outside has obstacle courses, climbing wall, ropes, zip line, weight equipment, weapons, dummies, and the ever-popular throwing star target. You cannot find another martial arts dojo like it anywhere else in Anchorage. It is truly one-of-a-kind. My family has been going for about 2 years now and we don't ever plan on quitting. It really is a special place, and I hope it continues to thrive!

This is 100% a covid era review and your results may differ. I signed a 6 month contract at a…read morediscounted rate after seeing the champs crew at a local event. I was led to believe their south location would reopen around September 21 and I aligned my contract start date to that timeline. It's now January 22 and the south location is still not open, reportedly due to staff shortages. I find this slightly surprising as the staff seems to be mostly adolescent champs students or family members. This necessitates a much longer, and frequently with Alaska road conditions unsafe, drive. Based on inexperience my child was placed in the toddler group, although they are older. After a month the instructors began to tell my child they could move up into the little dragons group! (If I would sign a non-discounted contract for another year, and buy another slightly different $50 uniform) I've declined to date, in spite of the guilt trips after every class from my child, but would consider renewing if the south location is reopened. More likely we'll move to a different school with more of a focus on the martial art. Positives: my kid enjoys the classes, relatively convenient class times Downsides: location (for us), emphasis on inflexible contracts, no indoor sitting area for toddler/little dragon parents, expensive uniforms, guilt marketing that weaponizes your child

Be careful when signing your contract. It is for 12 months with no cancellation for lessons. We…read morewere going to have our son in after school program but found other care. We were able to cancel that contract. Our son started at Champ but due to work schedules changing we needed to cancel. We were obligated to pay off the remainder of it. Big waste of money for us. Don't sign unless you know it fits in your schedule and your child is able to attend.

My daughter LOVES this place. She had a couple of bullying issues at school and we wanted to build…read moreher confidence while also instilling discipline, respect, and skill in defending herself. She has gotten all of these things in spades and more from Sensei Okamoto and Shane. I cannot praise this facility enough for their commitment to their students and keeping their standards high. Kids with positive adult role models in the home and outside the home generally do better in life. The studies are there. The proof is in the pudding. It's calculable and observable. My kid was a good child before the classes (or at least that's what many have told me) but it doesn't hurt to continue to foster their good traits and positively reward that behavior with a fun activity. Big plus is that she's active physically and learning about health and wellness. She has made awesome friends in class, has an amazing time, and leaves with a huge smile.

I studied with Okamotos since age 15. I earned my first degree black belt there and later went on…read moreto become the instructor at the Eagle River location for awhile. Okamoto's instilled in me the values of self discipline and determination. The school also helped me develop my competitive edge. I later went on to become the lead singer of the multi platinum rock band FUEL for a number of years, and now I'm a first year medical student. I owe much of my success to Okamoto Sensei!

We started my daughters at this school after 2 years at another school. At their first school, the…read moreinstructors said they were almost ready to test for their black belts. While they enjoyed the first school and learned some things, I didn't think they could defend themselves if necessary. TKD Elite is much more well rounded. Master T and Master Kristi and their team of instructors not only cover pumse and skills, they also incorporate adjusting for different fighting styles, self defense techniques, and weapons. Instruction is very detailed. My daughters leave class sweating profusely, tired, and sore every time. And for my daughter's first turnament she got a gold and silver medal! All her other teammates did very well, too. Both girls have acheived an impressive level of confidence and ability to protect themselves and they've made so much progress in so little time since joining TKD Elite. Just like any team, they all win together. While martial arts is not for everyone, we believe that giving our daughters the skills to be safe is important. I know they wouldn't be as safe anywhere else as they are with Master T and Master Kristi.

This is a wonderful place to train for Karate and Jujitsu. Our sensei is a very welcoming person,…read moreand takes every new student under his wing. All of the students are great and are helpful towards each other and make classes 10 times more fun! Best of all? We go out to dinner, have movie nights and even go to Boston in summer. Come join us!