We were lucky enough to find Sensei Maile during the height of the Covid pandemic lockdown. Our…read moreboys, twins age 6, began private lessons with her outside at our house. This fall, they have been able to attend classes and private lessons at the newly opened Kachi Karate dojo on S Beretania. The boys LOVE Sensei Maile. She is calm, patient, fun and a super skilled expert. She also happens to have a daughter their age, so she really "gets" kids and knows how to motivate them. My husband and I love that she emphasizes the mental discipline, including doing well in school and being respectful of your parents, in addition to the physical discipline. I cannot recommend Sensei Maile and Kachi Karate highly enough! We are so happy to have found this wonderful place for our kids to learn and grow.

First of all, I knew nothing about karate other than what I saw on the Karate Kid, and when I…read morepictured kids taking karate I pictured a hard ass teacher yelling at his students just like that mean teacher at the Cobra Kai dojo. So when my father-in-law suggested my daughter try a karate class near our house, I was a bit hesitant...she was only four, REALLY tiny, and not the most aggressive kid; but she was coordinated and definitely could use the discipline; so we decided to try a free class with Kachi Karate. When I met Sensei Robert him and heard how he spoke to my daughter as he took her aside to teach her some basic things before class, I could see he was a really nice guy who had a special way with kids...and my anxiety about this whole thing just went away. In the beginning, my daughter had a hard time following along as a lot of the class had been taking karate for at least a few more months. After the first couple of classes, she wanted to quit, but we convinced her to stick with it for just one month and told her she could quit if she didn't like it by then. Sensei Robert had always made it a point to make sure the higher belts in the class take care of and teach the younger ones. This helped her a lot, to feel like the older kids were supportive of her and not going to make fun of her. it was also a great lesson in responsibility for the older kids as well. At home, she kept practicing and practicing, and one day was able to get some of the moves from the kata she was learning. From achieving that, it ignited her confidence and commitment to the class as a whole. So much so that she has kept up with this for over year a year now! I also really like the fact that there are two female teachers - Sensei Maile and Sensei Shannon. They are both so good with the kids and I am grateful that my daughter gets to see at an early age that women can be both feminine and strong at the same time. And now, I see karate in a whole new light. It has kept my daughter physically and mentally fit, but also instilled in her important life values. She started kindergarten this year at Aina Haina school and I truly believe that Kachi Karate has helped her transition into this new chapter in her life more seamlessly. It is evident not only in her work ethic, discipline, and respect for others, but also in her ability to make new friends, try new things and be a more confident person overall. Sensei Robert has also expanded his dojos around town and even has a karate class for 3-5 year olds that my 3 year old son will be trying soon! I think it's great what he is doing for the communities around here and I would highly recommend his classes for any child, boy or girl - as they will be getting much more than self-defense skills - you'll be surprised at what they can accomplish and what kind of person they will become!

A great extra curricular activity for kids. TKD teaches discipline and self control. I grew up…read morelearning various martial arts and I am very happy with this program for my 7 year old son. He has been attending for almost 3 years since he was 4 years old in the Panther program. It is rare to see the main or head instructor train children. Normally left to other high degree belts but GM Cho leads every class. We are so lucky to have him still teaching and even more so that he is teaching children. GM Cho is famous among the martial arts community and we are lucky to have him here in Honolulu.

Master Cho's Academy is one of the best ways to help children take control of their emotions and…read moregives them a safe physical outlet that instills self discipline, confidence, and commitment.

Full disclosure: this is a biased review because I have been training here for almost 5 years now…read moreand am an official member of the #wushuohana. That said, if you are looking to train in contemporary/traditional external wushu or internal wushu (taiji quan, bagua Zhang, and qigong) on Oahu, this is a good place to do it! The Wushu Center's team of volunteers do their best to provide a wushu training atmosphere full of aloha spirit. We offer quality wushu instruction to all skill levels, with after school programs suitable for children 5 and up. Contemporary competitive wushu is the biggest draw for the younger students, as it is often featured in the movies and TV (Jet Li, Kung Fu Panda, Avatar: the Last Airbender, Jackie Chan) and it is a fun and challenging way to get and stay in shape, make friends, and participate in an internationally competitive sport with surging popularity and modern appeal. Many older youths and adults also enjoy the "internal" wushu classes in Taiji Quan and Bagua Zhang (eight-trigram Palm), which offer excellent holistic wellness and fitness routines while also teaching and building useful and effective self defense skills. The Hawaii Wushu Center is also one of the few places in the US that you can find authentic Yin Family Bagua Zhang, which is pretty special, if you look into it. ;) Ok, I'll wrap this shameless plug up now with another welcome: Aloha E Komo Mai: come join our Wushu Ohana!

Fitness kickboxing from a non-martial arts place is like giving a starving man cotton candy. It's…read moreinsubstantial, fluffy, and not particularly good for you. So years ago on one of the work trips here, I knew I needed to sustain an illusion of regimen, but I couldn't bare to take myself to one of those pansy aerobic classes. I came across an old article (http://www.midweek.com/content/columns/onthemove_article/fitness_kick/) and went to the Chinatown Cultural Plaza location. Not only can the one-hour class be a gut-wrencher (and a quadricep crusher and an arm-twister), you get to jump rope, do mountain climbers, and hit/kick pads on a rooftop under a Hawaiian sky. Doesn't get much better than this. The instructor Danny keeps the class moving from jump-rope drills to warm-ups to partner exchanges. The drop-in rate is only a jaw-dropping $10. Bonus: The class right before is the cute little kids' class (yes, as opposed to the ugly little kids class). Nothing like seeing a bunch of eight to whatever year olds getting a little discipline, and seeing girls and boys hit each other without shrinking.

If you are looking for a great martial arts program for kids then Kempo Unlimited is the place…read more Most places teach only one type of martial arts especially children's programs. Here, they teach traditional values like respect, honor and discipline but are up to date and progressive in their martial arts techniques. Very rare to find in a martial arts school that combines the best of both traditional and modern. The kids program includes Jiu Jitsu, grappling, stand up techniques as well as self defense techniques. Also, they incorporate fun and innovative drills for kids. All in all, a great martial arts school.

If you are local or just visiting like I was, and you want a fantastic place to train, make this…read moreyour destination. The BJJ family is always welcoming and these guys were no exception.

Trained here for a month while visiting my mom and it was an awesome experience. The professors…read morewere able to explain drills and concepts extremely well, gave specific feedback during drills, specific training and sparring and were also mindful of any injuries that training partners needed to be reminded of (shoutout to Professors Sean, Don, Diego and Coach Geno!!). Not only were the instructors great, everyone was so welcoming. The facility is clean and well maintained. I look forward to returning there next summer!

Took a gap for a while due to baby sitting schedule... I am returning soon ... these classes are…read moregood for everything!!! Focus , balance and a calm outlook on life and dealing with the stressors of everyday life! Sifu Janet has a calm demeanor and you feel comfortable learning!!'

If you would like to learn taichi or qigong from someone, don't look any further. Janet Jin is the…read morereal deal. She is very knowledgeable about taichi and qigong. She explains and demonstrates each move clearly so you can follow her correctly. She always reminds us to do what you can and modify if you need to. Janet stresses how important breathing is while we practice. Her class always begins with engaging conversation and ends with a positive message! She always greets you with a nice smile and asks how you are doing. She mixes up the lessons so you do something a little different every week too! Her classes have helped me with my strength, flexibility, stamina, balance and focus. My stiff hips feel so much better after her class because her warm up includes lots of leg and hip exercises. I almost forgot to mention that she records each session and emails it to us so we can practice during the week. Janet Jin is committed to helping her students!!! She is a positive person who will influence you in a positive way.

Had a great time training here for a few months when I lived in Hawai'i. Very high level…read moreinstruction and a good community. When I'm back in Hawai'i, will have to stop by.

I was visiting the island and I'm so glad I decided to came by. If you want to have a real jujitsu…read moreexperience this is a place you want to checkout.

My friend and I signed up for the free trial and everyone was so nice and helpful to us when we…read morefirst got there. I was still a beginner so I I didn't really know much of what they were doing but some of my classmates helped me and I did pretty well! If you join this class, you will learn how to be polite and some interesting new skills such as punching, drills, sparring, and some twist and turns when you are kicking. Everyone there is very friendly and kind to new people so don't worry that much.

This place is just awesome they have taught me so much about taekwondo and how to fight properly…read moreagainst bad people