As the wife of the chief instructor of The Empty Hand Family Karate Studio and the mother of seven…read moreof the children who train and teach there, as well as someone who trained briefly herself with other instructors as a college student, I feel that I have a unique take on our school from multiple perspectives. Having said that, there are few things that I believe more fervently than that The Empty Hand offers a student who truly wants a high-quality karate education exactly that. Parents of our students, competitors from other dojos and their directors have all approached me frequently over the more than 25 years we have been in business, whether at our dojo during classes or at tournaments and other competitive events, to remark about how The Empty Hand kids seem to stand out. This goes not just for their outstanding athletic performance, but shows in their sportsmanship, the respect they show to other clubs and instructors, their sense of comradery and the fact that while taking their karate seriously, they also seem to genuinely be having fun in competition. That kind of spirit gets built class by class, day by day, at this karate dojo that I would recommend wholeheartedly to anyone looking for a superior karate experience for yourself, your child or your whole family.

Great place to learn self defense and have fun doing it!…read more My son, Conor started training with Sensei Todd Elliot at the age of 7. I thought this would be a passing phase but after 5 years he still enjoys training. I think all the instructors have a great balance between teaching and training the skills of self defense and making it fun. Conor also likes being with the other kids. They work together and help each other. This is truly a "family" karate studio. After about 2 years of taking Conor to the dojo, I decided to join him in training. It is something we can do together and it provides me with time to exercise. I have limited range of motion in my legs, so I was concerned about being able to do this. The instructors have shown me how I can effectively execute a technique and defend myself even with my physical limitations. The adults who train are supportive and encouraging of one another. If you or your child is interested in learning self defense, this is definitely a place to check out. It is hard to describe, so I would encourage you to come by and see for yourself.

So proud of my husband baby you are doing an awesome job with the school and the children at the…read moreschool keep up the good work they love you and so do I aways.

My husband is severely morbidly obese. He reached out to Craig and I must admit…read more.. We are kissing obesity goodbye! Craig was kind, patient and knowledgeable in his craft.

Action Karate Newtown is like a second home to our family. It has been so inviting since we…read moretransferred from the Parkwood location since we moved. All of the instructors are well trained and dedicated to go the extra mile to help you achieve your goals. We chose Action Karate for physical fitness as well keeping my boys focused and build confidence. Both of my boys started training when they were three years old. My husband, older son and myself are all currently advanced degrees. My older son is also a member of the senior demo team where he shows off his talent using his weapon of choice nunchucks. My younger son is on his way to earning his senior black belt as well. I highly recommended Action Karate !!!

My grandson had his fifth birthday party at Action Karate where he attends classes. As a…read moregrandparent of course I was looking forward to it, but I wasn't expecting to be impressed. As it turns out, not only was I impressed, but it was the best child party I ever attended! The staff is amazing, they keep the children entertained and engaged. They taught some basic Karate moves, had a "challenge" activity that was fun to watch and each child was able to "chop"a board in half! They also had a costumed shark character, their mascot, show up! So cute! The children were thrilled! The party was so well run and they played Star Wars music as that was my grandson's party theme.I would highly recommend Action Karate for any age child's party!

At the recommendation of two friends, I took my son to try an introduction to karate at Phoenix…read more His first two lessons were free. After the first lesson, he was given his white belt and beamed from ear to ear. Now it is a few months later and he still loves going there. Next month he will graduate to his yellow belt! The environment is friendly and casual. This is very much a family business. There are often three or four instructors for each class, which is great for the younger students. The class splits into various belt colors (white, yellow, orange) to suit their different skill levels. They play, exercise and practice respect and self defense. They also offer classes for adults, kids summer camp, host patents' nights out and birthday parties. They are pretty awesome.

Owner is a wonderful person! Would recommend patronizing. Have only heard great things about this…read moreplace and the owner himself.

I've been taking the adult Monday/Thursday class offered by Guy for several years. I highly…read morerecommend our class for adult learners of all skill levels. I started as a white belt and am now working toward yellow.

This is such a great class. We started by sending our kids only, and then realized it would be…read moregreat for the whole family. Guy manages to teach to all levels in the class at the same time. I see progress every class, across our whole family. It's a bright spot of our week!

We have 3 kids attending classes here and it's great. Master Nather is terrific with the kids and…read morethe adults. Sometimes with the youngest kids, I am not sure who is having more fun. It really is impressive to watch the seamless switch between handling different age groups. Each class feels really appropriate for the student's level. The studio is comfortable, the environment is friendly, and our kids really do learn a lot of valuable life skills beyond hitting an opponent. There has been a huge confidence and positive attitude boost from all 3 of our kids attending classes as compared to when they first started (some needed it more). I have seen progressive improvements in other students as well. I do wish I would have had the chance to meet Master Marvil. His legacy feels like it lives on here, even though I have only seen pictures and heard stories. We will never force our kids to continue studying martial arts. They do have the choice of other activities in it's place, but all 3 continue to stay and advance through the belt levels here and hope to do so for the years to come. One day, I may have to start attending classes myself. Although, I did always want to attend a rival school so I can face my children in a competition cobra kai style, but I'll hold for now.

Master Marvil is amazingly good at teaching and skilled himself. His staff of several other adult…read moreblackbelts are all excellent in several areas as well. Worth every penny and more, whether you have a toddler or teen or young adult or are an adult yourself interested. This is not a belt mill. You will learn and grow and improve, and you will find that you want to! There are a number of young blackbelts for kids to look up to, plus the adult staff. They've clearly earned what they have, and continue to improve.

I have been going to b2 Krav Maga now for a little over 3 months. I must say that the instructors…read moreare great and friendly they provide a great atmosphere for learning. B2 Krav is also very knowledgeable in martial arts as well as weight training exercises . I would happily recommend them to any friend or family.

Incredible place to train with great instructors and people who want to help you succeedread more

I've been training at Alliance Jiu Jitsu for about 2 months and I've loved every minute of it. This…read moreis one of the few real Brazilian Jiu Jitsu schools around this area (they also do Muay Thai and Kali, but I haven't gone to those sessions). Instruction takes place every day of the week except Sunday. Most days, training is done wearing a gi (the uniform) and one day is reserved for no-gi classes. I can't recommend this place enough. Alex is an encyclopedia of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu knowledge and the other instructors are also well-trained and friendly. Alliance is the most prominent team in North America having won the world championships several years in a row. There's really no better team to train with in the country. Alliance's American headquarters are in Atlanta, but this is the only Alliance school within this area. Even if you have to pay a bit extra and drive a bit further, it's worth it because their reputation is unmatched. I did Taekwondo for a couple of years prior to Jiu Jitsu and I can honestly say I've found Jiu Jitsu to be on a different level. It's much more demanding physically (which is great because it helps you lose weight and condition your body) and is incredibly technical. It's also very difficult to fake being good at grappling, so you can see your progression very clearly over time. It will require patience because it's a complex, technical art, but you'll begin to notice results both in terms of your technique and your stamina within a few weeks. You will probably continue to get your butt kicked in class for a while, but you'll feel more confident in yourself and your ability to use self-defense techniques. The people here are also generally a friendly group. There's no "macho" vibe going on and everyone is very helpful in getting you to improve your game. Every day I finish class, I leave with a feeling happy and with a sense of accomplishment. There are people of all ages and all levels here. Give it a try!