Frequently Asked Questions

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The best way to find out is to stop by and try out a class for yourself! Classes are typically an hour long. While instruction varies from instructor to instructor (you can find out more about our instructors here), a typical class starts with active warm-ups and stretching, followed by a review of basic forms, kicks, punches, and blocks. After that, it is up to the instructor. Each instructor has a different area of expertise.

Maybe - instructional needs and physical capabilities vary greatly by age. However, we will work with you to find the best possible solution.

No! You're never too old to start learning! At EWC, we work with people of all ages.

While being physically fit can certainly help your study of martial arts, it's important to keep in mind that studying the martial arts can help keep you physically fit! At EWC, we work with people of all fitness levels and abilities and provide a path to help them be their very best.

We would love to have you join us for a trial lesson! Click here to contact us and schedule your free trial program or give us a call at (414) 425-2971!

EWC offers two children's Karate classes. Juniors Karate is for children ages 8-14 and Tiger Tots for children ages 5-7.

Karate, like most martial arts, can be a transformative experience for your child! Among the benefits you'll see are:

• Increased Self-Confidence
• Increased Self-Control
• Increased Motivation, Focus, and Self-Discipline
• Increased Physical Fitness
• Increased Ability to Defend One's Self
• Decreased Resistance to Rules/Authority Figures (like parents) / Impulsiveness

Don't believe us? Check out these articles from Parenting, The Huffington Post, and The National Institutes of Health!

At EWC, we provide structure and discipline so that students can learn to work together safely. We celebrate accomplishments and push our students to succeed. We help your child set goals and provide the training they need to achieve those goals. Your child is never just a number at EWC - our instructors will routinely evaluate your child's progress to help them advance. We do this in three ways:

• Formal Testing - as students advance, they test for the next "belt" or "rank"
• Informal Testing - as students demonstrate particular skills, they earn various "stripes" to indicate progress toward their next rank
• Feedback During Classes - our instructors take a great deal of pride in helping your child learn and grow. During classes, our instructors constantly walk around and provide individual attention and feedback.

Our instructors have spent a lot of time developing and refining an age-appropriate curriculum. As students progress, they will learn new techniques and forms in a very systematic way. Our instructors track student progress and can provide you information on what your child will learn next and what they need to work on to succeed.

Class typically begins with an active warm-up, followed by stretching, and then review of basic techniques and forms. Class topics vary each week, but in a typical month, students will learn new forms, practice self-defense techniques, spar with other students, and work on their fitness level to prepare them for higher ranks.

No. While students are free to attend tournaments, and we encourage participation in our intra-dojo tournament, students are not required to attend tournaments or place as part of any rank test.

A black belt is simply a piece of fabric unless someone has the knowledge, skills, and abilities to back it up. At EWC, black belts are earned through hard work and practice - there are no short cuts.

In several ways! First, and foremost, be supportive. Some of the most powerful words you can say to your child are, "I love to watch you practice." Second, stay to watch your child's class. While we will provide the lesson and discipline during class, your presence can be really important to your child. Third, ask child if they had fun after class. If they didn't, and they have concerns, relay them to the instructors. We want to make sure that your child learns something, but more importantly, that they had fun. Finally, get involved! Karate was traditionally passed down through families and doing Karate together is a great family activity!

If the Okinawan martial arts were a cart, Karate would be one wheel and Kobudo (weapon arts) would be the other. The study of Kobudo will deepen your understanding of Karate and further sharpen your focus. EWC teaches Yamashita-Matayoshi Kobudo (Zen Okinawan Kobudo Renmei). As part of our curriculum, we teach use of the bo (6' staff), jo (4' staff), sai (truncheon), tonfa (side-arm baton), nunchaku (flail), nunti-bo (spear), eaku (oar), tekko/te'chu (fist-loaded weappons), and kuwa (hoe).

At EWC, we begin by teaching you hojo-undo (basic exercises) with bo and sai. In Yamashita-Matayoshi Kobudo, the bo, sai, tonfa, and nunchaku are taught as primary weapons, and knowledge of those four weapons will allow you to understand and use the rest.

Rank is not as much a consideration as being able to effectively move your body. Typically, Kobudo students have studied Karate for at least a year. Since the stances and techniques are similar to those learning Kobudo, a basic knowledge of Karate is very helpful.

Sure! If you've already studied another type of Karate and want to enhance your training with Kobudo, we would be happy to teach you!