Samurai Kids Club

"Children in Our Dojo Develop Character!"

Children at “Chintokan” dojo practice traditional martial arts with an emphasis on consistent personal improvement. This focus helps develop self discipline, self-confidence, and character. 

Our goal for your children at Chintokan is to help them become courageous, courteous, honest, alert, and dependable. 

Children at Chintokan learn the value of perseverance and exhibiting proper etiquette from our classes. Students here gain first-hand experience in the benefits of developing a balanced mind, body, and spirit through our training and they will understand the feeling of confidence and achievement as they earn higher ranks by their own efforts.

Children at Chintokan in our sparring class are taught to compete fairly with others, to strive for victory but also to learn from defeat, and to value good sportsmanships regardless of the outcome. They can learn the importance of showing respect to others and the dojo, and in return to earn respect from others.

For more than half a century, we have successfully taught children to overcome their setbacks and obstacles, and in so doing our children come to know how it feels to savor success when they persevere. This is our way to develop character. As a result of their training, they can also learn the responsibilities of becoming the leaders, to lead others by example, and also to learn from those examples others provide. 

We have been in Jacksonville, Florida since 1991, and at our current location since 2005.

"We take pride in the hard work we put into the training!"

Children's Kumite Class

Our children sum up our training in their own words:

"Apply 150% EVERY TIME, and NOT just sometimes!"
"Don't give up or think of a way to slack, cheat or quit!"
"Know that when you cheat, you are only cheating yourself!"
"Lead others by setting the best example"
"Be Respectful!"

"Balancing Fun & Training"

CHILDREN CLASS

Children studying at "Chintokan dojo" first learn Okinawa Shorin Ryu Karate Do fudamentals, and then later traditional Okinawa and Japanese weapons practice and/or sports Karate from All Japan Karate Do Federation may be explored. All Japan Karate Do Federation represents primarily Shito Ryu, Goju Ryu, Shotokan and Wado Ryu styles of Karate and Chintokan dojo is also rich in this area, as Soke M. Sakimukai was for many years a highly regarded “WUKO” International Kata (forms) and Kumite (free sparring) official, and he was qualified to teach the elite mandatory kata chosen from those styles. 

WUKO is presently known as World Karate Do Federation, WKF. WKF is the exclusive governing body for the Olympics, and only its Kata and Kumite Regulations are applied to the Olympics Karate.

"Bully Proof Strategy"

DON'T LET YOUR CHILD TO BECOME THE VICTIM!

We emphasize the development of self-confidence, self-reliance, and strong character in children thru our time-tested physical activities. We firmly believe that these powerful tools can help children defend themselves against bullying in their interactions with other children.

Also, we focus on not to become bullies in interactions where they are helping another who is being bullied.

Learning to physically and mentally defend or control oneself in a martial arts school is a start, but only just the beginning. Engaging in a carefully constructed traditional and modern program of mental and physical exercise routines, with regularity and persistence, over time helps to develop unmatched inner strength in children.

How does it work?

In our opinion, training with other children at the dojo under the supervision of our instructors, and perhaps even competing in tournaments on the local or even national levels, contribute to enhancing the appropriate knowledge, self control, strategic planning and martial arts skills necessary to win out against aggression, treachery and abusive behaviors by others.

Martial arts training, in the form of basic drills, kata, prearranged self-defense sequences and free sparring, is the vehicle we use to help you to instill these character traits in your children. Having fun learning should naturally be a part of this training. Ensuring that students (especially children) enjoy practicing makes it much easier to engage them, retain their attention, and inspire them to greater efforts. But just as the ultimate goal of traditional martial arts training is not just learning physical skills, but also improving the whole person, Chintokan too emphasizes the development of character. In this way we differ from the majority of other karate schools, and we are quite proud of that difference.

These fundamentals of martial arts have always been our focus, and though they do not develop overnight, we believe that they aid significantly in preventing a child from ever becoming a victim of any kind. In keeping with this, we aim to reduce discriminatory isolation by fostering courageous children.

Similarly, we firmly believe that the state of mind and body required to maintain a sharp focus, plan ahead quickly, exhibit fast reflexes, and engage in strenuous movements for extended periods of time may not be possible to attain under the influence of controlled substances. We encourage constant progression by providing students with tasks that are progressively harder to fulfill, so as to develop the inner strength and mental preparedness necessary to overcome the many obstacles that will be placed in their paths throughout their lives. The spirit of effort and self-determination that this path fosters in children helps to make them confident and reliant on themselves, and therefore less susceptible to peer pressure.

KARATE CLASS FOR CHILDREN / SAMURAI KIDS CLUB – open enrollment all year – To observe a class, make an appointment via email or phone call (leave message)

Minimum Age Requirement: 5~6 years old

Children Class Ages: 5 or 6 ~ 15 or 16 years old
Adult Class starting Age: 16 or 17 years and older

Advanced - Samurai Kids Club (Martial Arts Weapons)

We do provide a traditional Okinawan/Japanese "weapons training" as part of our children's curriculum for students who have achieved the intermediate-level color belt. This minimum level of study is required because, in general, the weapon movements are deceptively intricate and therefore more difficult to learn and remember than techniques involving the hands and feet. Our traditional methods of weapon training develop superior focus, coordination, endurance and agility, and can help increase the ability to learn, by developing the flexibility of the mind, as well as that of the body. However, this takes time and perseverance. Anything of great value does not come easy.

As safety is a primary concern, the first weapon techniques introduced involve the long staff (Bo) techniques using a shorter staff, with progression to longer staff next. Later, after students have become proficient with both long and short staffs, they are permitted to move on to other weapons, if they choose, while continuing Karate training..