what a team! they help create well rounded balanced healthy and super strong kids. one more chore with each belt they earn!

My 6 year old son, who we homeschool , ABSOLUTELY LOVES Kicks Karate. In fact, it is the one lesson he never wants to miss and always engages in the class (unlike, for example, Soccer- which he usually wants to leave after 15 minutes). The teachers are so fantastic with the kids, and Mr David, who leads the class manages a perfect balance of discipline, while making it great fun. The Little Ninjas class is 6 days a week (of which he attends 2 nights), which allows for a decent amount of flexibility. If you miss a class or two (or more - we missed 5 over the holidays due to scheduling and sickness), you are welcome/encouraged to make up the days each week until the student is caught up. Honestly, I cannot recommend this class enough. read more

My 7.5 year olds have been at Kicks Karate for 2 years now in the Little Ninjas program. We all love Kicks. As a parent I love the scheduling flexibility, we can go to any age appropriate class any two days of the week. They are very flexible about make ups, as long as you are within the 8 classes per month. Mr Justin and all the coaches are great with the kids and keep them engaged and developing. I do sometimes wish that the student/assistant instructors would be more proactive about correcting form or movements. We plan on sticking with Kicks for the long haul! read more

My son got a sprarring gear for a long time according to their requirement, but never used, the class is becoming more and more boring. To tell the kids "never give up" is like an empty mantra. Of course they don't want you to quit easily, when you want to quit, they will still deduct money from your account for next month because they said contract shows you have to tell them a month before.....it doesn't show a good reputation for a business, if I were them I would just stop the contract whenever my customer wants to go....besides we've been with them for several years. read more

Mr Justin and Mr David - and the whole team at Kicks Karate Bethesda are just a stellar group for my little Ninja. High quality execution every time - my kid goes 2-3 times a week and loves it. Instills discipline and makes kids earn their kudos in performance - while still having a fun time. read more

My family loves Kicks! All of the instructors do an incredible job with the kids. It's a wonderful activity for kids to build confidence, listening skills, strength, and friendships. read more

This place is a very positive environment for children. I have never seen a group of more dedicated and friendly staff. Every time I come here I see everyone given a warm personal greeting making you feel welcome and appreciated. Every class is well run and perfectly timed having the kids move from one activity to another without confusion. The instructors are great role models with a perfect splash of humor. The children have so much fun when they are here. I have seen so many different types of children benefit from their classes. The shy children open up, the clingy children at the beginning of every class are showing such confidence and the children who had trouble focusing and becoming disciplined. The facility is always clean, there is plenty of parking and they are always having some sort of seasonal activity. My child (4 years old) looks forward to coming here. He is making friends and I am seeing better behavior at home because of things he is learning. I wish I felt nearly this positive about some of the other activities I signed up for in the past. read more

Funny!! this place is called KicksKarate, but there is a Korean flag on the wall and they ask the kids to count 1 to 10 ... in Korean! .. FYI: Karate is from Japan. TaeKwonDo is from Korea. Don't get mixed up between the two Another funny thing was that, they organized an event to watch together as a group a movie called "The Karate Kid" (2010), played by Jackie Chan. And the movie is about Kung Fu in China !! It is important for them to tell the kids that "Karate is from Japan" not Korea or China, otherwise our kids might grow up knowing incorrectly that all Asian countries are the same. And yes, it does matter to know this read more

Kicks Karate Bethesda is one of the best places for kids to develop and grow. Mr. Justin is fantastic and we miss him after graduating to Mr David's and Mr. Ndimby's class. Aiden is now in a big league with older kids, solid belts. He was slow to like it in the beginning, but now he loves it and can't wait for his ultimate prize - the black belt! I wholeheartedly recommend to try out Kicks Karate! Your kids will thank you later! read more

Kicks karate Bethesda is the best! The instructors are really great with the kids, and the kids have fun! Also have classes for adults, karate and kickboxing. read more

Instructors are personable, devoted, and professional. My son has thrived here for the past year and a half. Couldn't be happier with Kicks!! read more

To the people who are upset about the cancellation policy, I can only say that you should know what you signed. I don't think it's fair to say you feel robbed when you signed the contract. My son's experience at Kicks has been tremendous. It is a well run school that is a very positive enviornment. The staff is amazing. We recently transferred from the Bethesda school to the new Glen Echo school -- but I cannot say enough good things about both locations. The instructors are top-notch and they really care about your kids. read more

My son has been taking lessons at Kicks for six years since he was a little 2yr old toddler. He's now on the black belt track and loves coming to karate each time. We've hosted multiple birthday parties here and have enjoyed all of the amazing instructors especially Mr. Justin, Mr. David, Mr. Ndimby, Mr. Iggy and Ms. Joelle. Can't say enough great things about this team and the impact on our son! read more

We love this place! Staff is always friendly and energetic! My kid's favorite activity.

Kicks Karate has been a life changer for both me and my daughter. After years of being inactive and out of shape I decided to try kickboxing for the first time. I was scared and intimidated by the idea of trying something new. What I found was an environment that was supportive, comfortable and best of all FUN! Not only do I feel better but my body has been transformed. After watching me do kickboxing, my daughter asked to do karate. She was a little awkward and clumsy. After a few months of karate she became stronger and more confident. Even her teacher remarked about how much my daughter has changed. The staff at Kicks Karate are invested in each and every student. They are never intimidating only motivating. I feel lucky to have found such a wonderful place. read more

Totally think that Kicks Karate does itself a HUGE disservice with its cancellation policy. For shame. You know kids don't give their parents 90 days notice. Very disappointed and recommend not signing the agreement. read more

You should never sign your child up for a 9 month contract! This review has both negative and positive. I've also listened to a few parents talk to the instructors. I don't think anyone would disagree with what I have written, unless you haven't missed a session Contract I signed was for 9 months, attend twice a week, anytime. Anytime? Amazing?Not really, for 9 months in a row, impossible. You will be paying for unattended sessions.I did sign the contract, I will suck it up, but you shouldn't have too. The Negative: 5 months in, it becomes hard to get my daughter to go, among 1 or two weeks of vacation, throw in a sick week or two, and maybe 1 or 2 busy weeks. BOOM you are 8 sessions behind within the 1st 5 months. When I signed the contract, I asked what happens if she doesn't enjoy it any more? (9 consecutive months, twice a week, is a long time) The answer, "we will work through it." This means, you will pay extra for them to make your child like it. And you are still going to have to deal with getting them there. 1-Belt test, $40 and your kid gets excited about moving up, 2-You are behind on sessions, we will do a private lesson, 3 missed =1 private. Yip you re still paying for it.Instead of paying $18 /30 min, its now $52/30 min for a 4 year old. The Positive All the staff are great with the kids, they are firm, but keep the class fun. My child has enjoyed probably every class, once I have convinced her to go. I rarely see a child not like it. And if a child is shy or afraid, they will do everything they can to make them enjoy it. Naughty kids are put in their place. Conclusion My experience: I will never sign my child up for anything for 9 months, because I end up suffering. My daughters experience: After a few months its hard to get her there, but she enjoys every session. After 9 months they will do anything to keep you coming back. A friend just finished his 9 month sentence and they tried to get them to stay with monthly options and once a week options. Where were these options when I signed up? read more

It is true, the instructors are AWESOME. Mr. Sheldon in Gaithersburg is one of those rare people who always says the right thing to kids and can motivate even the most shy or rambunctious child. HOWEVER, the contract policy is OUTRAGEOUS and the staff is left to uphold and completely ridiculous and confusing contract. The Kicks Honcho should be ashamed and should also realize that MANY people will not register a child for a 9 month contract, even if it is the best gig in town. The way they push you into a contract and act so cagey about details really leaves you with a bad feeling. Just a note, not sure if she is still there, but we also attended Bethesda classes and had some bad experiences with the teacher who does the 3-4 year old classes. She had ZERO patience and was very rough with a few children who just couldnt understand simple instructions due to their age. I dont know why those moms didnt speak up, but I was outraged and begged off future parents from going to Kicks with their toddlers due to this instructor. If you have a young child, make sure you dont bring them to the morning sessions. Totally awful. Kudos to Kicks for finding great instructors (on the whole), but this place could be something great if it was better run. Parents are people too. read more

It is a great place but beware of the cancellation policy = 3 months notice. I have been paying for 3 months for classes after my kids finished. If you plan to stop, think about your decision 3 months ahead!! Ridiculous. It was a great experience for the kids, but just because of this, I only give it one star. I feel robbed. read more

Great karate classes for the kids. My kids love coming here and they get an awesome workout. The instructors look like they are having a blast and they can keep the energy up as they go from class to class. So far we've seen nothing but awesome instruction in the last month we've been going here. read more

Parents: READ THE CANCELLATION POLICY. There is a 90 day cancellation policy. You must pay for three months after you or your kids decide to take a break or quit Karate regardless if you attend classes or not. Do not trust what you are told by the employees or management. I was told our last eligible date to attend class was Dec. 15, therefore I assumed my last payment was Nov 15. However, I was turned over to a collection agency for not paying the Dec. 15 to Jan. 15 month which would put my last eligible call as Jan. 15, 2015 and not Dec. 15 as I was told by management. When you sign up, it's not really communicated up front about the 90 days (or at least it's not a big highlight of the sign up process). I have learned a valuable lesson, and I want to be sure other parents are accurately warned up front about the 90 day cancellation policy. I was also treated rudely by management when I called to find out what was going on. I also had a very rude email exchange with management and didn't receive a response to my final email. The only response I received was a harassing call from the collection agency looking for the last month payment. Parents beware!! I would never recommend Kicks with out full warning to all parents about the cancellation policy and the potential rude response from management. The minute your kid(s) start to show disinterest...submit your cancellation and make sure management and you are on the same page as to when your last payment and last eligible attendance date. Is it good for kids? Sure, but be prepared for crowded classes which can take away from the experience and overall "karate time". Is it good for parents? Not so much. read more

Beware of the contract and sales approach. Sales approach is to get your child into a karate uniform, give them a lesson, then slide a contract across the desk. They use a 9 month contract that you cannot break, and after that period you need to give 2 months notice to quit, which is outrageous. Our child lost interest, and we had to pay $200 in unused sessions to get out of their contract. read more

My son is 10 and has been going to Kicks Karate since he was 5. Mr. David, Mr. Justin, and Mr. Ndimby are wonderful- they are patient, knowledgeable, and great with kids of all ages. They even have adult karate classes and kickboxing. We look forward to going each week! read more

The teaching is good nothing special. but their contract ... they have 9 month contract, and within a week time frame of expiration of the contract, you need to provide a cancelation notice, otherwise it will be renewd authomatically, for another 9 month. on my case my child did the nine month, and we notified them. because we had probelem with our schedule. and verbaly agreed to continue(try it) for another month... but... after a month we could not continue. they made us pay 2 month extra. they penalize us and denied the verbal agreement. We had no idea that the contract renew authomatically. we had completed the 9 month. Becareful. they are after your money....., Read the fine prints. very disaapointed with them, after 2 month we will be back to our normal schedule, but we will enrol him in other karate school never with kicks karate.... read more

I too am not happy at all with the cancellation policy. An establishment that actively caters to very small children - whose interests and tolerances change in the blink of an eye - should have an option of monthly contracts, not just 9 or 12 month unbreakable contracts. My 4 year old son loves the idea of karate, with Kung Fu Panda, etc. and calls himself a "ninja". However, after going to the Kicks classes a few times, he did not want to go any longer, refusing to put on his uniform and crying when we pulled into the parking lot. He is used to activities - like soccer, music and preschool - where the kids are the same in each class. He did not like that since the Kicks class schedule is rolling that the kids were not the same each time he went, and for a 4 year old meeting new people twice a week is very scary. I recognize that other children his age have a very positive experience and that the Kicks staff is "dedicated and friendly" and that classes may be "fun" but not for him. So, I asked if I could either "postpone" or delay the classes for my son, restarting when he is 5 - NOT asking for a refund for the amount I have already paid - or terminate early, with a month penalty or something of that nature but the answer was a flat no. There is a contract, it cannot be broken, and I will have to continue to pay for classes my son will not attend for the next 6 months. No options, no postponement, no apologies, no understanding. Just "I deal with this problem all the time." Clearly, I am not the only parent who does not want to pay for A YEAR for an activity that terrifies their small child. Maybe for older kids this "commitment" is a good idea, but for younger kids DO NOT GO TO KICKS. They will lock you into a long term payment commitment without any flexibility. read more

I sure hope Yelp! Doesn't filter out this comment too like it has so many others. If the filtered comments were included in the rating Kicks would be down to 1.5 stars. Come on Yelp! Those reviews are important. If I'd have seen the other reviews I might have been spared the cost and frustration so many other have experienced. Kicks Karate isn't really karate- it's play time. Since my 10 year old daughter was new to Karate they put her in with the new kids- none older than 8 which was very frustrating for her. No help in getting that resolved except that they said that she could move up when she became a teenager. We went with the 2 sessions a week. Anytime is a joke. They have only a few sessions for each level which meant we ended up with a lot of missed sessions. I found the instructors enthusiastic- over the top enthusiastic and a little creepy. And then of course there's the cancellation policy. My wife called no fewer than 6 times to find out how to cancel with no response at all. I called an additional two times. Each time we got a message that they must be in class and would call us back but we NEVER got a response. We finally dug through our files to discover the dreaded terms. Ridiculous. I understand about the need for notice. Companies need to be able to plan staff and other services but I can't imagine a situation where they need anything like 90 days. Gym membership cancellation terms are typically 30 days! They'll be in to us for 2000 before we're finally out. I am considering my options on further action. I'm hoping this keeps someone else from getting taken. read more

I agree with complaints about contract and cancellation policy. They hook you in for 9 months! Getting your kid all excited with a red uniform. What 7 year old can committ to anything for 9 months! Insanity! Don't get me started on the kickboxing classes. 135 month for sub par mediocre kick boxing classes. Promises of other teenage girls for my daughter and the classes remain empty and filled with older people. Most instructors are so interested in there own work out they neglect INSTRUCTING the people in the class. Terrible! Its just cardio not real kickboxing. BUT the price is for real kickboxing. Don't do it. Many other places to go that aren't used car salesman sign you life away with contracts!!! The administration end of this business is a nightmare- paperwork like handcuffs!!! JUST SAY NO! read more

I can't say enough positive about Kicks Karate Old Georgetown Rd. Bethesda Location. Our first experience for our 2 kids was with Mr. Justin. I've never seen a sensei / teacher able to get the attention of (15) 6 years while maintaining a fun, caring environment. I enjoy going just to hear some of the jokes; some inside. Like Robert De Niro in Taxi Driver, I laugh hysterically like a crazy man through the entire hour. Our daughter, who didn't want to go initially; loves Karate now. Mr. Justin did a great job in building her confidence and makes all the kids feel good about themselves; but he also requires discipline which is so important. I've yet to see, through so many toddler and adolescent sports; any coach or teacher who can get the attention and focus of kids better than Mr. Justin. He really makes it fun for little kids who many are in their first athletic classes. He teaches them focus and they progress incredibly fast during those formidable years. Both our son and daughter have graduated now to Mr. David; another rare and incredible individual. A place like this is not about the brick and mortar or even the name; its about the teachers and people who work there. Mr. David is one of the most caring; special teachers we have seen during many, many soccer, karate, basketball, and baseball seasons and coaches. Not only does he teach Karate but he teaches the kids about life which is as equally important to us as the Karate. Every class, they go home having learned a lesson about how to be a responsible, disciplined, dedicated, hard working, respectful, and caring human being; all traits he possesses. Our son has battled a serious health condition this last year. Mr. David and Mr. Justin have provided tremendous care and support and when our son was able to make it to class, Mr. David treated him with incredible respect and encouragement. Mr. David even visited him in the hospital several times on his free time. That's the kind of people who teach your children. That's the kind of people who build loyalty to a school like Kick Karate. We have been very blessed to attend Kicks Karate and have our kids learn from Mr. Justin and Mr. David as well as all the other teachers as well. There's not one teacher there who we leave saying, "Wow, why did they hire them." While Mr. David and Mr. Justin are in a league of their own, all the staff are above average and excellent. We left an incredible school in California and feel very fortunate to have found another here in Bethesda. There should really be separate yelp sections for each location as I've yet to find anything negative to say about Old Georgetown. read more

I agree that this place's business practices are beyond unethical!! They don't give a care about your kid's martial arts development, they want your money!! A three month advance notice is ridiculous!! Take your kids to another marital arts studio that cares more about your kid than just making you pay for services you no longer want! read more

Kicks Karate has a great potential to create a safe and positive environment for kids. However I have to say it has been very inconsistent regarding quality, expectations and leadership. I think it is harmful to the children that one day it is all nice and respectful and the next day based on the director's mood it is the opposite. One day he encourages kids and very positive and the next day he openly shames kids for their mistakes and reprimand staff in front of the whole class. I am not sure what the reasons are but many of the great instructors have left Kids Karate Glen Echo. The prices are also ridiculous adding gears, monthly fees and exams altogether and it is very painful financially to quit the place. Too bad as we love the place but had to start to search for alternatives. read more

I would never send your kid to Kicks Karate unless you are ABSOLUTELY sure you will give them THREE MONTHS notice before quitting. Their 90-day cancellation policy can cost you over $400 per kid, depending on the age of your kid. If you plead with them, they may reduce the charge, but based on my experience with them, they will still charge you about $150. Don't expect them to waive the fee. THEY WILL NOT BUDGE. To those of you who say I shouldn't have signed the contract, you're absolutely right! I shouldn't have. It's a fundamentally unfair policy because it's keyed to the behavior of your kids. I thought it would be possible to give 90 days notice if my kid ever quit, but it recently became obvious she was miserable and badly wanted to quit. Kicks Karate's cancellation policy does not allow this. Their policy requires you to either make your kid keep going for 90 days or pay a substantial penalty for the privilege of quitting!!! That's silly because young kids frequently change their minds about what they want to do, often on a daily basis. Karate, dance, gymnastics, football, basketball, baseball, hockey, lacrosse, etc. They repeatedly start and stop new activities. Kicks Karate knows this, and their cancellation policy takes advantage of it. Kicks Karate knows that few kids will give their parents 90 days advance notice of their rapidly changing desires and that some will want to quit on short notice, but even if the kid stops the next day, they will still get another $150-$450! The fact that Kicks Karate's cancellation policy depends on the behavior of young children is what makes it different from other cancellation policies and unfair to parents, who should not be penalized if their children did not give them adequate notice under Kicks Karate's cancellation policy. Karate should be FUN, and if it's no longer fun, I think most parents will say it's OK to stop. To penalize parents for that is completely unjustifiable. Other kids sports companies are far more reasonable. Your kid goes for a few months and, IF your kid likes it, you sign up again. You are not penalized if your kid stops. Kicks Karate does not agree with that philosophy. BE CAREFUL IF YOU SIGN UP!!! I would stay away from this company and go somewhere more reasonable. read more

I don't care for the high pressure sales, long term contract, absurd cancellation policy, and preferential treatment offered to children that bring friends to their sales pitches. As an example, today, the children that brought friends were able to break boards, but the ones who did not, were not given the opportunity to break a board...my son was very disappointed when he could not participate in the same manner as all of the other kids. As for the nine month commitment...I refused and was able to get a three month "contract" but based on what I saw today I don't think we will continue at this location (Old Georgetown Rd.) at a minimum and frankly, would prefer to find a better facility that is more professional in their sales approach. read more

We began our relationship with Kicks Karate when our son became a Little Ninja. He absolutely loved taking classes. His self esteem grew immensely and he was always extremely excited for class and of course his belt test where he would break a wooden board......amazing!! The staff is amazing with the kids and they are all well trained black belts. I can not say enough good things about the location, the staff and the teaching style. We are proud to say we are part of the Kicks Karate family. read more

DO NOT JOIN, it is really hard to cancel. They can be awesome, depending on the instructor but over years of being loyal customers (since March 2011) my 2 sons had mostly very positive experience ... until we decided to cancel. Cancellation policy is the most ridiculous I saw with any gym or service provider! In addition to a 90 day notice, you can ONLY DO IT IN PERSON (or by certified mail). No e-mail, written note, any other means are accepted!!! My kids stopped using it in June 2015. I work in DC and could not make it to the location so I called in July 2015 to start my 90 day period, no action was taken, I continued to pay till November 2015 but was billed after November and now my account is with the collection agency. This is after almost 5 years of being a really good customer and multiple phone and e-mail notices of cancellation. read more

this is the best place and the karate teachers are very nice

Read the contract carefully. They never verbally told me that my 8 month contract would automatically renew, or that I had to cancel in writing and then continue to pay for an additional 90 days after cancellation. I would never have signed a contract like that if I'd read it carefully. Guess it's no coincidence that they're very chatty and friendly, while you're signing the contract. If your business is a good one, there should be no need for these tricks to keep charging you. My fault entirely...expensive lesson learned. read more

Kicks Karate is the gymboree of karate. If you just want your kids to have fun and not really learn anything, then I would go to them. But be warn!! They make you sign up for a 10 month membership and then require you to give a 3 month notice after that. They are great about signing you up but man, it's really hard to get give notice that you would like to withdraw. They are also constantly trying to get you to sign up your friends and by doing that you can get a "special" reward. In addition, they use high school kids to teach the class. The instruction is terrible. You get at most 10 minutes of instruction time with the main instructor when your kid is in the children's program. They are so busy trying to grow their practice and to sign up as many people as possible, I don't think they will be able to retain the students. It got crazy crowded and I had complained. There are 2 rooms but they are not big rooms. There would be more than 30 kids in each room. So the kids waste a lot of time waiting for their turn. In addition, they are constantly giving out "belt tests". It's a great money maker for them because they charge you an additional $40 each time. Overall I would stay as far away from this place as possible. Try other karate places with more reputable business practice. read more

Do not go here. I began taking classes at the Old Georgetown Road location over 3 years ago, but recently decided I wanted to quit. They pick favorites here, and those are the only people that get any attention. But once you say you want to quit, they immediately start talking about how much potential you have and start pressuring you into continuing. This didn't just happen to me, it happened to my brother and many more people. And then once you say you quit, you have to keep on paying for 2 months. It is absolutely ridiculous. When I said that I wanted to quit because my schedule was too busy and it was becoming to become to hard for me, one of the instructors started talking to my parents about me losing weight which is completely ridiculous. And also, it is completely overpriced. Find somewhere else to go where the staff will actually respect you, and your money is actually going to use. read more

I will mirror the same thing that many others have said about the contract. It is a total scam from the moment you walk in. It's expensive, sure but we were ok with that. I will say the instructors were generally very good and we were willing to deal with the expense and the extra "nickel and diming" of $80 every 3 months (on top of the $300/month) for the 2 kids to stay "motivated" and move through the belt tests. My child committed to this at 5 years old and stuck with it for 4 years. When she decided she wanted to try something different, we were stuck with paying an additional 3 months from the time we gave notice to quit! She hasn't attended at all in at least 6 weeks, she no longer enjoyed it and wasn't happy, but when she made the final decision and we cancelled we were still held to the additional 60 day cancellation policy (which is not clear at all in the contract) plus an additional month because even though we gave verbal notice before the beginning of the following month, we didn't sign the paperwork until 4 days later so that month "didn't count" (this was only because this was when we finally got a call back to tell us that's what we needed to do to cancel). It's such a shame bc I think the majority of the staff actually do care about the kids, but when I get fed garbage like "the 60 day cancellation policy is to keep the kids motivated" I really get offended! It's really disgraceful that a company that's supposed to be about motivating and encouraging kids feels ok with this policy of ripping off the parents! Shame on Kicks and Mr. Ricky for trying to feed the parents this garbage! It makes me really question his integrity as well. read more