Martial arts promotes discipline and sequential learning to all practitioners. Students learn discipline and structure from the onset of their first class. In a warm and family styled/ group setting, students learn self- control through simple and routine practices such as standing at attention in order to begin class or to practicing small steps in order to learn their forms. Students understand very early in their journey that there is a process, a sequence and a fundamental building block in order to achieve the goals that they want in class. In turn, academically students are able to develop better focus and listening stamina. In the classroom and at home, students learn routine, structure and processes in order to get a desired result. Students learn and develop perseverance, patience and discipline, even in small steps and this translates directly into the classroom. Several studies over the years in the Journal of Sports & Health Medicine, Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology and others attest to this transformation in students.

In short, no. You develop as you practice. Where would you learn and practice martial arts, before you go to a martial arts school? Sounds a bit strange right? You grow as you go. You tone muscle, increase flexibility and learn techniques as you practice. Wherever you are in your fitness journey, a beginner, experienced, you name it- you are always in the right space to begin. All you need is a made up mind. Come drop in on us!

Nothing. If you’re reading this you are probably already curious/ interested and that is more than enough to get started on a fun and engaging martial arts journey! Wear comfortable clothing, and bring a bottle of water. The rest is on us!

The best day to get started was yesterday. The next best option is today! Western society often tells us lies of you need to be “young” in order to start something- whatever that means. The music industry tells us that we are old once we pass 30 years of age. Or perhaps you’ve ready crazy stories of beginner students being used by black belts as training subjects to get tossed and slammed around. All of these claims are ridiculous! As younger students practice, they develop balance, control, strength and dexterity that will last them a lifetime. Students seldom come with these abilities, you develop them in time, through practice. As an adult you develop these same skills in your adult body that society tells you no longer exist. Whatever your health goals are, martial arts is an awesome way to reach them. It's always you versus you! You are never in competition with anyone around you. In small steps you grow day by day to be just a little better than you were the day before. The beauty of martial arts is that there is never “too young” or “too old” to begin. (Click here for more).

No. One of our core tenants at Uhuru Martial Arts is self- control. We never just teach a bunch of violent moves for students to go try out on friends at school or siblings at home. Instead, we pride ourselves on character development. Without our character development, as a martial arts school, we are not developing better citizens. Instead we are teaching courtesy, integrity, perseverance, self- control and indomitable spirit through a safe and controlled martial arts atmosphere that makes each of us better and better day by day. As martial arts sharpens our moral compass we unhealthy needs of being accepted by peers, lack of confidence, and eliminates bullying and instead develop strong moral fiber that guide our daily behaviors and the direction of our lives.

Martial Arts is unique to many other sports/ activities as we take the time to warm up and stretch to decrease the likelihood of injury. As with any physical activity the risk of injury is always present, to say otherwise would be untruthful and I cannot make such a claim. However, in my many years of practice, I have personally have had very few injuries and my students have had none in class. We take cautious preventative measures to ensure that students are warmed up and stretched at the very beginning of every class. This means that your body is warm and loose and your blood flow is increased. The likelihood of injury is decreased in comparison to other sports/ activities. Come drop in on us to see!

We earn Black Belts. On your journey to earn a Black Belt, there is no one set answer to the amount of time to achieve such an accomplishment. Students come from all experiences, backgrounds, abilities and most importantly lengths of practice. To guarantee that you will earn a Black Belt in (X) amount of years would be a false and dangerous statement from us. Please beware of such programs/ claims out there. False promises and claims such as these are also dangerous. Consider the consequences of a student being prematurely promoted and creating a false sense of confidence. What sort of real danger might that premature Black Belt face that they do not perceive? Would you want a surgeon or pilot to graduate from their respective studies prematurely? Your martial arts journey is just that- a journey! What is the outcome if a student only comes to class once per week. That student may miss one week and in total only makes it to class (3) days in a month. Consider if a student is involved in several different activities (i.e.- Boy Scouts, Youth Choir, Swim Club, Soccer Team and 5 other activities along with martial arts). How well would that student retain and learn what is practiced in class? How proficient would they be even, with their absolute best efforts? Reflect on your goals, how often and diligent your practice is. Again there is no one answer, however your best outcome will be from what you put the most effort and time into. In a world where things change so rapidly and we can get a desired outcome in an instant, when it comes to martial arts it simply takes time and continuous effort - there is no substitute.