This is an excellent martial arts academy that I would highly recommend. My son just turned four…read moreand we enrolled him, and he has been learning quickly. He has gained more focus, attention, and is following along quite well. The instructors are top notch and they take the time to make sure each student understands the moves and routines. My son is excited to go to every class and is really enjoying it. Great for discipline, focus, and character building, not just for self defense!

We tried three other dojos with our five year old before settling on APSK. Even with kids as young…read moreas my daughter APSK teaches actual martial arts skills not just playing around. The classes always go for a full hour with no time wasted getting organized beforehand etc. The student/teacher ratio is appropriate and even with a big class they have enough instructors around so that my kid won't spend most of the class waiting for her turn. APSK is setup so that multiple skill levels can come to class on the same days at the same time. If you have siblings both enrolled they can take class together rather than having to wait through each other's class. APSK teaches the full package. They work life lessons into the program and try to demonstrate proper discipline, responsibility and respect along with defense techniques. My daughter isn't a discipline problem but I still really appreciate the extra help and lessons that have been part of her training. ASPK isn't just a karate class for my daughter. It's a community of role models and friends that she loves hanging out with. They have holiday and birthday parties, they offer after school and summer programs, they interact with parents, and they are the best options if your looking to get your kids (or yourself) into martial arts.

The instructors here are beyond intelligent and talented! They are all passionate, kind, helpful,…read moreand determined. I am quite impressed with their level of patience and ability to organize every class as well. We tried their program using the promotion for 1 month. The program not only consisted of an entire month of classes but also a belt and the gee. The establishment was clean but very small. While the mat is the perfect size for the class, it does not have enough space for the parents to sit and the little space that is designated for the parents is far too close to the mat and the little kicks, punches, and loud yells. I loved the story time implemented into every class, and how active they are with the students and their families outside of class (they have weekly events that are fun, engaging, and creative!) **The only issues are as follows**: - The deposit when enrolling/signing up after the promo is $399.00. - The monthly fee is $199.00. - The classes are only 30 minutes each and I believe they can only go to two classes a week.. 1 hour of classes a week for $199.00 a month is not ideal. - Testing. The parents and the children were not made aware that they were testing for their "tip" until the day of. It would have been nice to have that information ahead of time so the child(ren) can be better prepared.

Personalized attention to each person in class is unique to this place. My 12 year old feels…read moreimportant and talented in his class. His self esteem and confidence grew quickly and he is making friends because everyone is kind. The company is well organized and the instructors are uplifting with boundless energy. Everyone seems to love their jobs.

We love, love, LOVE Arizona Goju Karate school!…read more We attend the Tiny Tigers class every week, and we see a difference in our son. Sensei Steve teaches the children respect, manners, coordination, strength building, endurance, discipline, vocabulary, history, and they are having fun all the while! My son can't wait to go back to class. My five year old says to say "Sensei Steve is the best of the best!" We highly recommend his classes to every age and ability. I have also taken adult self-defense classes from the sensei before. He instructs equally well to adults and children alike. Every class is uplifting, inspiring, and challenging. Sensei Steve is no doubt a very gifted instructor, born to share this art with the world. Thank you, Sensei Steve, for sharing with us your passion.

From the owner: Teaching Martial Arts to Men, Women, and Children of all ages…read more Specializing in American Goju Karate we teach: - Balance - Respect - Coordination - Self Control - Self Defense - Self Confidence - Physical Fitness

Amazing Sensei, great training, and I've heard his comp team does amazingly well…read more The only two things that are a huge challenge for our family are: 1. Sensei keeps switching the schedule weekly or monthly, therefore our family, having many other commitments can't make it to class, I've never heard of any academy that changes schedules so much, so often. Our other children (we have 5) have all been in martial arts for years without a single change in schedule. Pandemic is over, not sure why it keeps changing, and they oftentimes tell us the day of, or the day before, or that week, when we have our whole month planned out. Keep the schedule as is and don't change it, please! 2. Neighborhood doesn't feel safe at all, run-down shopping center... Other than that, amazing Sensei!

My son has been attending Arizona Shotokai for over a year now and I could not be more pleased with…read morehis achievements and with his Sensi Ralph Palomino. He is truly one of the best instructors I have ever seen. We are so blessed to have found him. I highly recommend this dojo if your child is interested in karate. It is by far the best in the valley. Thank you!

We tried karate at Mesa Martial Arts on a recommendation from my son's teacher, to see if it might…read morehelp him with his behavior issues.... On the last night of his trial he was asked not to return tonight. The Sensei Nick even went so far as to tell me they just don't have the resources to handle special ed kids. I guess ADHD is something that bars children from karate at this Dojo. Save your money. Go somewhere else.

Update... I love the owners but as a marketing & sales professional I'll leave them with this…read morethought. It takes more money, time & effort to gain a customer vs. keeping a customer. We quit the program because the classes got too big, pockets seemed to have gotten too deep. In our last class there were 5 lines of kids, 15 deep for one class. All messing around with no discipline & goofing off. I was hoping, as a single mom, that he would see and listen to authority there. But in the end there wasn't any and he lost interest. When we first started and the classes were smaller, my son was engaged & wanted to go back. That died down. I hope Darrell & Shannon can see & feel the need for making a difference in the life of a child. Good peeps, need to reevaluate your motive for growth.

Instructor is incredibly knowledgeable and a talented teacher. Such a pleasure to train with!read more

My daughter and I have taken eight Krav Maga classes with Gene. We…read more must really like it - for we both keep coming back!

My child enjoys Ninja Trix every week we attend. The kids are always learning new tricks and…read morecontinuing to master the tricks they are already have been trying to perfect.

We signed our son up for this camp and he enjoyed the first week. We then had to pull him out…read morebecause they didn't have room for him for 2 months. We found another solution and had called to cancel our membership. We were told the membership was canceled and all set. We then received a charge of $230 after we canceled so we called again. We were told that someone missed something and that it was now for sure canceled. We receive another $230 charge so we call again. We were told it was a mistake and that they had notes it was canceled. We wait a week and now we are being followed up with and saying we have to cancel formally via this form. I'm sure there will be another $230 charge any day now. Complete and utter incompetence at your business.

My daughter has been going here for a while now, it's a really great place. The sensei's really…read morecare about helping the kids grow in more than just karate (but also karate). Gaining confidence, discipline, friendships, body awareness, mental and physical strength... it's been amazing to watch the journey. A major benefit of this dojo is that there are several different sensei's all with their own unique styles so in the end you're left with a wonderful balance. I've also taken the Women's self defense course here and highly recommend. It helped me learn some really great quick and easy techniques on how to fight back if the worst happens.

Casey is great! He's kind and patient, and I highly recommend Gilbert Defense Arts for your child…read morethat wants to learn Karate.

We signed up for a month-to-month membership for my 5-year-old daughter. Unfortunately, all…read morechildren are placed in the same class regardless of age or size, which made the classes developmentally inappropriate. After about three weeks, my daughter quickly became bored and lost interest. Class times are also very limited--only 5:00 PM on weekdays and 9:00 AM on Saturdays. Most importantly, be aware of the hidden costs: there are upfront fees, and even if you cancel, you'll still be charged for 60 days. Be sure to read the fine print before signing.

We were told that we were on a month to month plan but when my 5 year old daughter decided that she…read morewanted to try another activity. We were informed that we had to pay for 2 additional months before we could cancel our "month to month" membership. Beware of this company.

We normally go to the location in Tempe. I think the mat…read moresize is larger in Tempe and I like the seating arrangement better but this location is pretty cool. I like the decor here and the people are super cool. I believe it's the nature of the sport. Respect and discipline. The location is far from us but I don't mind when they are doing the soaring events.

We've been loyal customers for years, and my son's growth has given us all a sense of full…read morefulfillment! Each instructor takes the time to ensure the kids learn, and it's amazing to see how far my boy's come.