I absolutely would recommend American Sport Karate. Mr. P is amazing with children--he inspires…read morethem to work hard, while instilling values like good attitude, discipline, focus, listening, leadership, and teamwork. The students are extremely motivated. After months of watching my 5-year-old son learn (and beg to go to class every day), I signed up to do it too! I love the emphasis on good behavior and character not only in class, but also at home, with lots of fun thrown in. When a Karate Tots class opened up for 2.5-4 year olds, our youngest couldn't wait to start. It's been a game changer in our home.

My kindergartener loves Mr. P's karate class. And I love that Mr. P is teaching him patience,…read morerespect, discipline and karate while making him laugh. And moms, I have to mention the homework sheets - you will never see your kid so excited to help with dishes, clean his or her room, or take out the trash in the hopes of earning a patch for his or her karate uniform. There are fun opportunities for parents to jump in -- including an occasional parent-kid class where you, too, will be challenged and laugh at the same time. And Mr. P offers parents nights out where your child will eat pizza, watch movies, and play dodgeball while you take some time off. Check it out, you won't regret it!

While I don't know much about any other Karate Schools, I can tell you that Seichou Karate is…read moreabsolutely amazing for children. Richard Romero takes a fatherly approach to each child focusing on their mental and physical development. He teaches Karate and life lessons with a passion for making children better not only at Karate but life as well. Additionally, he doesn't give his students anything and makes them put in the work and truly earn their next belts. If you are looking to enroll your kids in Karate, you really should check this Dojo out. Richard Romero is exceptional and the reason we drove 20min plus several nights a week for our kids to attend. I really am at a lost for words on how lucky we were to find this Karate Dojo!

This past weekend we had an awesome birthday party for our now five year old son. He and all of…read morehis guests (and parents) were very impressed by the entire experience the dojo provided. Thank you. We are also thankful for the photos and all the other extra touches the staff and Shihan Romero provided. We will highly recommend the dojo to others.

This is a legitimate Shotokan Karate school. If you are looking for Taekwondo after school care you…read morewon't find it here. I am a brown belt and have trained around the world and have trained here many times. Kata techniques are well instructed here and some sparring techniques on Saturdays. The instructor is the highest ranked on the East Coast and is very fun and entertaining classes but still very effective and serious when needed. This is the only "real" Karate studio in Northern Virginia. They follow the true tradition of Gichin Funakoshi, the father of Japanese Karate. Oss!

My husband and son attend karate classes at this Dojo. The…read moreAdult and Child class is a wonderful chance for them to do something together that they enjoy so much. The sensei here is very knowledgeble and patient with all the students, especially the younger set. But he also pushes them. We've especially seen my son's confidence flourish and I'm convinced it's because of his success in karate at this Dojo. Know that it's a bare bones gym - there's no afterschool programs, childcare but if you're looking for serious karate instruction this is a good program.

Please look into other gyms!! They're not worth it. Communication is horrible, they have too many…read morechildren in one class and it's challenging for your child to get the necessary attention needed. Also, they will take money even if your membership is cancelled and not refund you for it! I HIGHLY recommend looking elsewhere and putting your money into establishments that are worth it.

Just hosted our 5year-olds bday here, today, and I would DEFINITELY do it again for the following…read morereasons: 1) budget friendly--you'd be hard-pressed to find a better deal in this area @ an indoor play-space 2) we had the whole facility to ourselves 3) throughout our entire process, every staff Member was professional, helpful, friendly & communicated effectively w/o exception even w/our last minute questions 4) short drive from our home (Capitol Hill/Navy Yard) 5) ease of parking & general access to place @The Little Gym Proprietor & Staff--keep doing what you're doing! This picky D.C. mama was thoroughly pleased. THANK YOU.

When my kids finally expressed interest in taking taekwondo, we checked out 4 schools and had a…read morelist of criteria: good teachers and classes, clean, good philosophy, and not a black belt diploma mill as most schools are. We found all of that and more in DCSDKA. The teachers and classes are great. The kids not only learn taekwondo but also Krav Maga self-defense, and how to be safe in everyday situations, especially for little kids. The school fosters respect, responsibility and camaraderie and my children have found lots of good friends in the school. I'm very particular about what school they go to since I have experience in taekwondo, and I highly recommend this school.

GrandMaster Sensei Carol Middleton is a world-class martial artist. I get chills when I see her…read moreskills in action. As a student, I love that the dojo is a welcoming and friendly atmosphere, that the values of respect, responsibility and leadership are taught and displayed by the instructors and students and I am thankful for the the precision of training I get. DC residents are lucky to have this incredible resource at their fingertips. I hope others will take advantage of these classes, whether they are looking for self-defense, fitness, social opportunities or just wanting to learn a valuable new skill.

In my opinion, Ahmad Ali Mazhari is a great karate instructor, but if one were truly aware of his…read moreother negative qualities, that person would have to be insane to become or remain his student. I studied for many years under Mr. Mazhari, and for the bulk of that time, I believed him to be a wise, trustworthy mentor of the highest order. In the end however, it became clear that this opinion of him was based solely on his ability to manipulate me and others to suit his own needs. In my opinion, involvement with him is akin to being in a cult; he intentionally increases his influence in people's lives over time until it extends well outside the dojo, and when the influence reaches that point, if you dare question him, you are immediately treated as though you were his mortal enemy.Based on my years of experience with him, the man is a selfish, duplicitous, hypocritical megalomaniac who cares about nothing so much as exerting control over the lives of people around him. Involve yourself with him if you must, but don't say nobody warned you. He is so hypocrite that he gave himself 7th and 8th Dan in less than 4 years.

From the owner: Dedicated to teaching the true art and spirit of Shotokan karate. Established in 1982, SKC NOVA is…read morethe oldest Shotokan karate dojo in Northern Virginia.

I've only taken one class here and have been meaning to wrote a review. I am surprised to be the…read morefirst reviewer, as the class was very good. As a novice, I learned a lot and felt it was a very good introduction to martial arts for me. The instructor was very good and seemed to really know his stuff. I can't recall his name though and I am not sure how many instructors there are. I don't think Karate is for me, but the class was a good experience for trying something new. If I were to continue, I'd definitely do it here.

Trained here for almost four years and was approaching my shodan test. I used to think of aikido as…read moremy organizing principle. That all changed when a third-degree black belt instructor dropped me on my head. He was showing off for his buddy, the chief instructor. Both those men are no longer at this dojo, but regardless I cannot train any more as I used to - following my concussion, I tried to come back (after time off for recuperation). But after weeks/months of headaches, and trying various sorts of accommodations, my doctor strongly recommended that I discontinue training. Aikido may be called the "art of peace" and its practitioners may say that good ukemi will neutralize any throw. But it is still possible for a careless person to injure you badly. I used to think (see my previous review) that if I spoke up, was careful about whom I trained with, and practiced diligently, it would protect me from harm. Not true. Being a good driver does not always save you from the bad drivers. (I decided to update my old review, after much time and thought, so that newcomers will have a more complete picture. It's hard to ask questions of people who have left.) As with any endeavor: caveat emptor. Do your research. Visit multiple places and compare them, before you choose. Ask around - what is the reputation of the place you are considering? What is their record for follow-up when someone gets injured? How long have the most senior students been training at this place? Are classes made up of mostly newbies - i.e., does the student body turn over regularly, or are there a lot of stalwarts? How many black belts come to practice regularly? (an indication of whether the place continues to offer room for growth, once that first black belt has been attained). How often is the chief instructor present and instructing? What precautions are in place when junior (smaller/younger/inexperienced) students train with senior (stronger/faster/aggressive) students? How long has each teacher been teaching? (Being a skilled practitioner is not always the same as being a good teacher.) Pick your partners (and teachers) carefully. (Even if everyone says "but he's such a nice guy!" - if you break a collarbone because he attempted a too-ambitious throw, you will be the one in a sling, not the nice guy.) How often does the dojo host community events? Do senior staff/teachers show up for community events? I have visited from time to time. (I still hang out socially with many friends from here.) With all my heart I still miss the practice and the community I used to have. But I have had to step back from both.

NEEDED to find a social outlet for my 5-year old grandson while he is on an extended visit from out…read moreof state. NEEDED to find a safe, social, in-person way for him to spend time and energy with little people his own size. So perfectly pleased to have found DC Aikido --- perfect fit. He was hooked from the first class. 3x a week - in the dojo - with 30 minute sessions is exactly the right prescription. Right across the street from the Red Line Metro --- and free parking garage for drivers like us. The most important part: The instructors are amazing. Patient like saints but with an eye toward discipline. Great instruction at the 5-6 year old level mixed with discipline and exercise. The classes are very disciplined for spacing, too --- all of the students and staff are good about wearing their masks and keeping the students on "their own square" to keep social distance norms intact. So sorry my grandson is going home at the end of this month. Thank you, DC Aikido!