My son attends karate classes at War Horse and also celebrated his birthday there. He absolutely loves it and looks forward to his classes every week! read more

See all

My boys have been coming here for a few months now, and it's been great so far. Both kids love coming to class, and they are amped up and completely dialed in for the entire session. It's wonderful to watch. Mr. Tong leads the group with a dynamic energy the kids really respond to, and the way he keeps things moving from one activity to the next speaks to long experience and facility working with kids. My oldest son in particular is a bit of a wild card, and, depending on the attitude of his teachers in school, is either "strong-willed" and "challenging" or frankly a burdensome pain in the butt. He gets into trouble fairly regularly, and has a cheeky attitude that can difficult to manage. He's genuinely sweet and wholesome, but ruled by wild energies that make his path in the modern world more difficult to navigate. I say all this because I've been so pleased and delighted by the attitude shift I've seen in him over just a few short months at Warhorse. Instruction focuses as much on character development and respect as martial arts. The belt system requires students to achieve milestones in character development, and parents have the power to either sign off on these advancements, or not. One of the early tasks was to complete chores and maintain self-care (cleaning and showering, putting things away etc.) "without being asked" which was incredible. My oldest no longer needed to be prodded and cajoled to do things, he started doing them in his own, not for fear of consequences (which he hardly cares about), but due to interest in getting that next belt! Fulfilling his character development! Both boys became actively interested in how to show respect to others and themselves. The transition has been remarkable. Warhorse has an app to communicate out events and updates, and let you know what equipment may be needed for the week. Mr. Tong is also very responsive via text. Parents are not allowed inside to watch, which I thought was unfortunate at first, but after having been in the dojo and speaking with Mr. Tong about this, I am very grateful for. Having been to several kids soccer games it makes sense that a big audience of parents in a small space would detract from the environment he's built inside, where the kids are dialed in to a single instructor. With that said, there's ample opportunity to watch from outside, which many parents do, and there's a little community vibe out there as well. Standing for long periods can be uncomfortable, so practical suggestion maybe wear good shoes or take rest breaks in your vehicle, or bug out and do some shopping nearby. Great location easy to get to in the Valley. read more

Warhorse Karate Jiu Jitsu - Karate Near Me - Spokane Valley, Washington

My son started with Mr. Tong last September. My son is not the same child as he was when he started. My son was struggling to regulate his emotions at home and school. He was getting into fights every single week, had zero frustration tolerance, didn't know how to control his hands, angry and as a Mom I was desperate for help. He needed an outlet. We tried soccer, flag football and team sports are just not his thing. He has been thriving at home and school ever since starting Karate. It took a bit, had some adjustments but with Mr. Tongs help we are on the other side. He has learned self control, self discipline (still working on it) but is taking accountability for what he can control and as a Mom I have seen a huge change. I too have learned how to show up for him. How to hold him accountable and stop enabling certain behavior. He listens and is motivated unlike anything I've seen. I can't thank Mr. Tong enough for teaching our kids respect in a way I wouldn't be able to. My son is excited to attend classes every week and as a Mom it has been the best investment, just wish I had started it sooner. If your kiddo has adhd, neurodivergent, focus, emotional regulation issues try it out! Mr. Tong is the best! read more

My son has loved his time at Warhorse. He's been there a couple months shy of a year. This is the first activity that he's done that he's stuck with. The various weapons they teach keep it interesting. Master Tong has a great way of teaching that encourages the kids to try their best and gives them a lot of confidence. My son had a period where he was struggling and Master Tong really stepped up and helped him through it. read more

My son has been attending War Horse for two years now. He LOVES it! It has been a game changer in his attitude, confidence, and even behavior at home. He is learning self discipline and respect combined with really cool karate and jiu jitsu instruction. He especially loves when he gets to learn new nunchucks and bo-staff routines. Master Tong is a fantastic teacher. I highly recommend his program. read more

Great place to give your child the confidence booster she/he might need. Mr. Tong is a great instructor. My daughter was leery about doing karate/jujutsu, when she comes home now, she says she likes it! Mr. Tong also teaches discipline and respect and gives out great gifts with the tickets that are handed out! read more

My son has been going here for 4 months and absolutely loves it. Mr. Tong creates an environment where he is encouraged, learns and has fun! It has been a joy to see the confidence and growth he has gained! Very greatful to have found Warhorse!! read more

my son was invited to a friends birthday party at warhorse! The two instructors were very nice and friendly. They briefly educated the kids the history of martial arts. The atmosphere was nice and the children had such a great time learning to use nunchucks, kicks and other little things and of course, the birthday boy was excited he was able to break a board with his hands. Warhorse also provided cups, plates for cake and the kids loved watching the instructor cutting the cake with a samurai sword :-) read more

My son had always wanted to try karate so we gave War Horse a try. We were concerned because my son has development delays as well issues with cognitive. I informed a young instructor at the War Horse of the issues that my son was having with his development and informed me that they have thought students with special needs that have gone on to gain black belts. We proceeded with the enrollment where War Horse sold us a Century gi for $50 (They are $20 on Amazon) and my boy began his first day. He was scared at first and even cried, but he overcame and completed his first class. We could see his confidence grow almost immediately at home. He was talking more, making his bed, doin almost anything let me take him to Karate. So on his last day of the free trial, the instructor dropped him from the class in front of everyone. He cried all the way to the car and cried himself to sleep that night. Although he was learning, he wasn't learning quick enough and we were told that he wasn't ready so we should bring him back later on. Why would I bring him back to a place that gave up on him so easily? I understand that he wasn't quick with learning but he was learning and I thought that is what was most important. My son is currently in boxing and he has flourished. His coach saw that he need some extra help and took my boy under his wing. His coach showed him patience and as a result, my son's confidence is through the roof both inside and outside the gym. read more

They are great with kids! Teach useful self defense skills in their training. I'm really impressed with the character skills they teach along with jujitsu skills. They are making a big difference with my son. read more

Training is pretty good - good motivation, and they stress other life-skills in addition to the martial skills. Be careful with the contracts though - we are moving out-of-state and ended up paying 400.00 for training that we will never be able to use. read more

Prices for lessons and equipment are pretty high, especially if you have more than one child. They have a great way to keep the kids motivated but it also means constantly buying overpriced belts. Again, it all adds up very quickly if you have more than one kid. I understand the need for a contract in order to get parents to commit and not flake out right away but who can afford over $1,200 on the spot?! I love how the instructors teach the kids character lessons and keep things interested. My kids have been a lot more respectful and disciplined. They don't get to use the weapons a lot so they can't remember the routines and have to almost start from scratch every 6 weeks or so. I really don't like the front person at the Valley dojo. He is always trying to pick up babies and he touches all the little kids and he thinks he's funny. He doesn't stop even when told. He also thinks he's funny, trying to mess with parents and students when getting their cards. At the end of the day, I don't need someone pushy to badger me. He jokes around with the students but when he teaches, he is very harsh and mean with the kids. I'm all for respect and a firm hand like the other instructors but he takes his "power" a little over the top. I cringe and want to leave when I see that he is teaching class. Some of the reprimands are unjustified, and I'm not talking about my own kids. There is a difference between being firm and bullying. In short, I love the classes but don't like the front person. I dread him every time we go to class! read more

We celebrated our Son's 5th Birthday at War Horse, and it was fantastic! They are super friendly, and you honestly just have to show up and bring a cake. War Horse provided invitations, a karate outfit for the birthday boy, a group karate lesson, and foam nunchucks for all of the guests. They even give you thank you notes, and write down which guests have which presents. The best part was when our son cut the cake using a sword (with supervision, of course). At least 3 of our guests were interested in signing up for future classes. read more

My grandson has been attending class here for just over a year now and although he has learned some discipline it seems the same basic techniques are still being taught each class. I understand repetition is necessary but how many times do you need to explain the "swim move"? I have also noticed that not all of the children are getting corrected when they do a technique wrong. The instructors tend to either focus on the front row, especially the main senior instructor, while the younger instructors stroll around the back row. I watched several kids using poor techniques without the instructors correcting them. And at one point, an instructor glanced at a kid pressing down on another students rib cage with his knees but did not say anything. This could have resulted in a serious injury, especially since the child on top was larger than the one having his ribs crushed. I am actually considering moving my grandson to a different dojo. We are paying a lot of money to have our children learn from this place and expect much more from the staff. They are teaching our children to be good citizens and need to practice what they teach. Be more observant of what every child is doing. If there are too many kids in a class and not enough instructors to provide the expected instruction to each child, maybe consider putting a number limit to each class. Quality of training over quantity in profits should be the priority. On a good note, the Asian gentleman at the front desk is kind and professional. read more

They do a good job with training, but be wary of getting into contract with them. They rip you off. They make you sign a contract for a year, which is fine. The catch is you have to buy everything, all gear from them. If you don't then you don't train in that discipline. Once they have you in the contract they completely overcharge on gear. It's downright robbery. We are in a year contract with them and now need to buy sparring gear. We have two kids currently enrolled. They are charging $170 for foam rubber sparring gear, per child. That's $340. Ridiculous! Look on amazon or anywhere else, most expensive I could find for hand/foot/head gear is $80, $160 for both kids, big difference. Beware. read more