I see your classes are held at St. Vincent de Paul Church. Do I need to be a member to take karate lessons?

• No, you do not need to be a member of St. Vincent’s to take lessons with us, nor do you need to be Catholic or any other religion. Everyone is welcome to take martial arts lessons with us. We're not going to preach to you-we're going to teach you self-defense!

What style of karate do you teach?

• Our style is officially Tenshi Goju Kai karate. However, I teach an effective mix of martial arts for self-defense. 

Why don’t you wear a karate gi (uniform)?

• We don’t wear a gi because we believe it is best to practice in clothes you would be wearing if you were involved in a confrontation. 

If you don’t wear karate uniforms, do students still get karate belts?

• Yes, students still earn traditional karate belts in our karate club. They just don't typically wear them to class.

Do you teach traditional karate katas?

• No, I do not teach karate katas in class because I don’t feel katas are effective at teaching the techniques you will need in a confrontation. Among traditional martial artists, I’m definitely in the minority with this opinion, but that’s how I feel. However, I will teach katas to students if they are interested in performing one in a tournament. 

Are any weapons taught?

• I do teach nunchakus on a limited basis. I use nunchakus because I believe they are great for developing left hand-right hand coordination. I also teach katas for students going to tournaments.

Do you ever go to karate tournaments?

• Yes, some of our students enjoy going to a few tournaments every year and are very successful.

Is there contact sparring in your classes?

• Yes, we do spar and initially there is not much contact. We use this time to develop our control so that students do not hurt each other. However, when you are in the advanced class, there will be more contact.

Can I pay with credit card?

• Unfortunately, at this time we cannot accept credit cards. We only accept cash and checks.

Do I have to sign a long term contract?

• No, we do not have contracts. We operate on a month to month payment basis.