The Dojo American Karate Centers

E Gox

5 out of 5 stars★★★★★

We started at The Dojo American Karate Centers this summer, and it has been an amazing activity for my son! Sensei Schilke and Sensei Bello are patient, encouraging, and truly care about their students. My son takes earning the stripes on his belt very seriously. To earn them, he must follow and complete his Dojo Rules at home. Since beginning karate, he has started doing many things every day that he wasn’t doing before. He is very attentive and always reminds me to mark the things he has completed on his Dojo Rules sheet. I am so happy and proud to see how responsible, disciplined, and motivated he has become. I love how this program combines discipline and personal growth with so much fun. My son truly enjoys every class, and I highly recommend The Dojo American Karate Centers!

Alicia Harrell

5 out of 5 stars★★★★★

We have been going to Abbott’s Bridge Dojo for over five years with our daughter, and now our son has just started as well and absolutely loves it! It has been such a positive experience for our family. I love that they teach so much more than just martial arts. There is a real emphasis on discipline, respect, confidence, responsibility, and other important life skills, while still making it fun for the kids with games and engaging educational activities. Mr. Schilke, Mr. D’Onofrio, Mr. Bello, and the rest of the team are wonderful with the kids. They know how to encourage them, challenge them, and keep them motivated. The dojo is very well run, and I also really appreciate how involved they are in the community and how much they give back. They are offering birthday parties now, which sounds like such a fun addition! After more than five years with Abbott’s Bridge Dojo, we are very happy to recommend them to other families!

Janos Franzner da Silva

5 out of 5 stars★★★★★

My son has been training here for about a year, and he absolutely loves it. Sensei Schilke and Bello are fantastic teachers. They’re attentive, patient, and really know how to connect with the kids. Classes are fun and engaging, but also structured in a way that builds real discipline and confidence. The kids don’t just learn karate, they also learn respect, focus, and practical “street-smart” awareness in an age-appropriate way. You can tell the instructors genuinely care about each child’s growth. This place has been a wonderful experience for our family, and I highly recommend it to any parent looking for a great karate program.

Matthew Robertson

5 out of 5 stars★★★★★

Our son has never shown much interest in organized sports or physical activities, and we never wanted to force him into something he didn’t enjoy. We did, however, feel that he should at least give karate a try, so we enrolled him at American Karate Centers on Abbotts Bridge Road. We are so glad we did. He was a little nervous on his first day at the dojo, which was understandable since this was completely new for him. That nervousness disappeared quickly. Now he absolutely loves going, practices what he learns at home, and genuinely looks forward to his next lesson. We had always heard that a good martial arts program teaches much more than karate, and that has absolutely been our experience here. Along with learning martial arts, the instructors incorporate important life lessons such as how to handle bullying, what to do if approached by a stranger, confidence, discipline, and respect. They do a great job of teaching these things in a way that keeps the kids engaged. I also really like the way the classes are structured. They mix karate instruction with games and activities to get the kids warmed up and moving, and the instructors bring a lot of humor and personality into the training. The kids are clearly having fun, but there is still structure and accountability. If a student becomes too disruptive, the instructors have no problem having them sit out for a bit and regroup. I really appreciate that balance between keeping things fun and maintaining discipline. Their summer camp was especially impressive. Our son has attended several different camps over the years, and this was hands-down his favorite. He came home excited about it every day and enjoyed it more than any other camp he has attended. For a kid who previously had very little interest in organized physical activities, seeing that change has been wonderful. We highly recommend American Karate Centers at Abbotts Bridge Road.

Venkata Deepak Kumar Polavarapu

5 out of 5 stars★★★★★

My 6-year-old daughter loves The Dojo ! The beginner class perfectly balances fun and discipline, and she's so motivated to earn her stripes toward her next belt. It's been a great influence on her - she's more focused, disciplined, and eager to do things on her own. Highly recommend for young kids just starting out!