THE ULTIMATE AIM OF KARATE LIES NOT IN VICTORY OR DEFEAT, BUT IN THE PERFECTION OF ITS PARTICPANTS - Gichin Funakoshi
Konnichi Wa!
At Arizona School of Traditional Karate, also known as the Hombu Dojo in Mesa-Gilbert, we teach 'TRADITIONAL' martial arts for adults, kids, & families. Come visit our school in the east valley at 60 W. Baseline Road.Traditional arts are about the individual & their development. We believe it is important to focus on development of kids as a person to build their self-confidence. Thus the only competition in our dojo is with oneself. Kids and adults are judged by how they progress individually.
| Putting on the obi at the Arizona School of traditional karate |
Being this class is restricted, you and your child are required to sign up for evening adult classes where both of you (or your entire family) will train together. When your child reaches a level of proficiency acceptable by the Grandmaster, your child will be invited to attend the Shorin-Ryu Kids Karate Class where he or she will learn karate and kobudo at no extra cost. The class is restricted to a very small number and scheduled on Wednesdays (4-5 pm) (In the summer, the time is earlier - 1 to 2 pm)
Your child will learn the traditions of Okinawan karate - how to bow, when to bow, when to talk, how to address instructors, etc. In a short time, you will find your child will become concerned about being courteous. We will even teach
them Japanese & train them in the basics of karate that will assist them in physical conditioning, self-confidence & building a foundation for self-defense as well as self-esteem.
We teach karate not games. So your child will learn karate. They will learn to kick, block, punch & kata (forms). Kumite (sparring) is not part of the children's class nor do we teach jujutsu to the kids as these area dangerous practices & not only can injure your child, it also teaches improper technique & aggression. After more than 45 years of training & 4 decades of teaching, our Soke (grandmaster) found kumite was over-used in nearly all schools & resulted in lack of focus & power. Your child is developing mentally & physically: it is our goal to be sure that they benefit from karate. They will learn everything the adults learn with the exception of kumite and jujutsu. Stop by and see one of our classes.
Self-esteem is one of the many benefits of traditional karate training. I am reminded of a few students from the past: one in particular - a woman who had no self-confidence & little self-esteem. She would only look at her feet & never into another's eyes. By time she moved from our dojo, she would look anyone in the eye & all of the students had great respect for her. She had earned a sandan (3rd degree black belt) in Okinawan karate, sensei (instructor's) license, & yudansha (black belts) in two of our Japanese arts. This is what proper training can do.
Prior to the age of 6, we feel that children should not take martial arts as there are possibilities of physical damage. So we only accept kids that are a mature 6 & above. We ask all parents to sit in the peanut gallery, observe, and not disturb the children during practice. Being that the kids classes are only 50 minutes, we ask parents to stay for the entire session.
Karate training is about the person - the whole person. We emphasize karate is never used against anyone except in self-defense. If all kids
were trained in traditional martial arts, we would have a better society.
After traditional karate training, your kids will turn into 'tigers'. The more your kids train, the more they will advance. We teach kids traditional karate, traditional kobudo, respect, and even self-defense and we certify them as they advance in this art. Your kids need to learn to be self-confident and learn self-defense. In todays society, it is paramount. We are different from the mainstream Mall karate school in that we focus on karate and not games.
Call 480-295-1001 for additional information. Our instructors are professional martial artists - we are not salesmen and we will welcome you to our dojo without selling you contracts like most other schools. We also display of our certifications. Every parent should be concerned that their instructor is properly certified & certified by a legitimate martial arts association. Many are not.
- If you, your social group, or church group would like to schedule special classes at the Arizona Hombu, please contact us - we look forward to being a positive contributor to the community.
Our training center is open to the public - we focus on Adults and Families. Come learn the traditions of Okinawan Karate & Kobudo. Much of the class is conducted in both Japanese and English to help students learn Japanese. We also teach meditation, philosophy and martial arts history interjected in karate classes. Our schedule is as follows:
- TUESDAY
- Basics, Forms (Kata) & Applications (6:45-7:50 pm) .
- Advanced Kata (7:50-8:20 pm)
- WEDNESDAY
- Advanced Karate Training (3-4 pm) .
- Karate for Kids (RESTRICTED) (4-4:50 pm)
- Self-Defense (6:45-7:50 pm)
- Samurai Arts (7:50-8:20 pm)
- THURSDAY
- Weapons (Kobudo) (6:45-7:50 pm).
- Individual training (7:50-8:20 pm).
We have some of the lowest rates in the East Valley. No sign up fees. Start as soon as you pay for your first month.
| Gassuku (outside training) |

