If you’re looking for an online karate class or physical education class for kids, check out Great Start Karate. With flexible scheduling, different levels of classes, and amazing teachers (Senseis), it’s no wonder our oldest has LOVED it for the past 4 years! Beyond core karate fundamentals, they also teach character and life skills.
Note: I am giving my honest opinion about Great Start Karate. I am in no way compensated by them; I just wanted to share our great experience!!
How We Found Great Start Karate
We came across Great Start Karate when our oldest had an online classmate who attended the GSK online program.Our son, who was 6 at the time, got started with his white belt. With the weekly classes, he soon progressed, earning stripes and belt ranks along the way. Fast forward 4 years, and he’s gone from white belt beginner to intermediate to advanced classes! He’s now working on his Junior Black Belt!
He’s so excited about how far he’s come over the past 4 years, and so are we. Beyond karate skills, his confidence and leadership skills have greatly improved, due in large part to the character and life skills taught alongside the karate fundamentals.
Why Great Start Karate
If you’re looking for online fitness or physical education classes for your kids that fit your own schedule and have small class sizes, check out Great Start Karate! Our son started with Great Start Karate four years ago and has enjoyed learning self-defense and martial arts, as well as making friends along the way. Beyond that, he’s really flourished and now is taking on leadership roles!
Great Start Karate fosters a sense of community among students and provides support to them every step of the way. Students at any skill level are able to join these online classes to further their martial arts abilities. The small classes lend to more direct feedback along the way for each student.
When our son started, he was brand new and had never taken a karate class before. The first training session was free, which was great so he could get a sense of what it would be like. He loved it, and we’ve continued for over 4 years now, and will keep going for years to come. He just started their online black belt course recently and is loving it!
Great Start Karate online classes are high-energy, led by experienced teachers (Senseis), in a supportive environment. Their classes include beginner classes, intermediate classes, advanced classes, and black belt classes!
Beyond learning martial arts, these online karate lessons teach character and life skills, confidence, and leadership. Each stripe the kids earn each month focus on a different life skill that they focus on that month. These are taught in addition to core karate fundamentals that help them progress through the ranks.
Great Start Karate is a great physical education opportunity for kids who are homeschooled or participate in online school, like my kids. Granted, with their diverse range of times for classes, even kids who go to a traditional in-person school can attend!
Great for Kids with ADHD
Our son was diagnosed with ADHD a while ago, the combined type that includes hyperactivity and inattention. We’ve found that giving him an outlet for his energy, namely this online karate class, has helped him immensely. He’s feeling accomplished and proud of himself, as well as getting some energy out along the way.
He’s able to practice on his own time, and we can choose a class time that works with our busy schedule. Great Start Karate offers different days and times for all levels of classes to help all families be able to participate. He’s worked his way from a white belt beginner to a brown belt and is currently a red belt with a black stripe. Now he’s working on his junior black belt!! It’s amazing to see him so excited to earn his stripe each month, and a new belt levels along the way.
He’s enjoyed making friends with the other students, from his early days in the beginner classes all the way to his black belt classes that he’s in now. Beyond learning martial arts, online karate lessons are great for personal development and leadership.
Below is a picture of our son a few years ago after his first tournament.
Pricing and Class Details
One of the many great things about Great Start Karate is that, as an online program, it doesn’t cost as much as most karate lessons because they don’t have the overhead cost of an actual dojo. Your child can attend unlimited weekly classes for one low price per month, as well as 50% off their first month!
The small class sizes ensure students have a great experience and learn the necessary karate techniques with individual feedback and attention. It’s almost like having a personal karate instructor with the amount of feedback they’re able to provide. They provide live instruction with real-time feedback from their senseis, who are both black belts. One is a 3rd degree and the other a 2nd degree! They have additional credentials that you can check out on their website: About & Meet Instructors
My son works with both Senseis every week, as he has two classes a week, and they are both AMAZING! They are so encouraging and great at giving real-time feedback during the lessons. Great Start Karate offers discounts for children in the same family as well. The first child is full price, the second is half off, and the third trains for free!! Each child gets full access to all the lessons from the privacy of your own home. Children can be in the same class or different classes, depending on what works best for them, your schedule, and their belt rank.
Below is a recent picture of our son in his at-home dojo, our family room.
Game Days and Tournaments
It isn’t all work; there is also time for fun and time to show off what you’ve learned!
Through Great Start Karate, there are monthly game days that are free to attend and don’t require any karate knowledge. I mentioned my son took on a leadership role recently; he actually got to be Sempai and co-host a game day last month! He told me later that he was nervous, but he did an amazing job! He’s a self-described shy kid, but he sure didn’t look it. He led it from his room, and we were in the living room where our twins were participating in the game day, and we were off camera, watching to see how he was doing. Super proud of him the whole time.
The game days are typically about an hour long and are different each month. The one that he planned was a Lego Beach day full of time to build beach scenes with Lego bricks as well as conversation, a game of Jeopardy, and other fun activities. It surely is never boring!!
In addition, there are tournaments that all kids get to participate in to show off what they’ve learned. Another perk about it being online, is that you can invite anyone to watch, they don’t have to live near you to attend. This means you can have grandparents and family members in different states tune in to see your child participate in these tournaments. We love it!
The Way it Really Is
What started as a social opportunity for our oldest has turned into an amazing years-long journey, not only in self defense, but also life skills and confidence through each weekly lesson and beyond. Our son looks forward to his karate classes and even made sure to attend when we go on vacation! Having an online course is perfect for our family and we’re so glad that he’s been able to participate from the comfort of our own home. Great Start Karate has been instrumental to our son gaining confidence and skills, which show up well beyond his weekly lessons.
Links to Learn More
They also have a great and informative blog and other resources on their website linked above. I highly recommend checking it out!
As a mom of identical twins and a son two years older, I have gained invaluable experience in the realm, and chaos, of parenting. With a Master's Degree and Education Specialist Degree in School Psychology, I spent years as a school psychologist, helping children navigate through their educational and emotional challenges. Now as a stay at home mom and professional blogger, I combine my areas of expertise to help you in your parenting journey.