Granite State Karate

Avoid this school at all cost! It is required of you to sign an annual contract. This is a red flag right off the bat that this is your everyday McDojo whose ONLY concern is making money. The only thing that could be done to make the school more profit oriented would be to put in a black belt drive-​through. No self respecting martial arts academy would make you sign a contract. If you do so here, you will undoubtedly regret it. The owner may seem nice at first, but I assure you that this is not the case. This façade disappears very quickly after you sign up. He has the temperament of an angry toddler and no respect for anyone but himself. He was disrespectful to both myself and my mother, which is certainly NOT okay.
American Kenpo is an excellent style of martial arts, however… This is NOT American Kenpo. This so-​called «evolved» form of the style is an absolute disgrace! In other words, IT DOES NOT WORK. If you try to use this, you will get yourself hurt. I cannot believe the lack of knowledge even the most advanced students have been given. This is because not even the owner has the slightest grasp of martial arts concepts. Thank you for reading my review. Please, for your or your child’s sake, stay away!

After years of considering both karate for the kids, and for myself, we took the leap of faith. Had to sign a year contract. After a few months in life threw some changes at us. My work travel schedule and the kids time changes. We decided to step away. We were obliged to pay a 90 day outclassed costing us over $ 550 a month as a family. Not a cheap exit clause. In the end a bummer of an experience with the out clause. The gym experience was a good one and the kids enjoyed themselves while there the 3 star only has to do with the cost to exit. In the end will not enter into contracts again, but that is our issue not this studios.

Our mobility therapist suggested our daughter (whom is legally blind) take karate for her balance. We called the studio over July 4^th weekend to hear a recording of the hours. The owner Kevin (we call him Mr. N) called me back from a vacation day while he was in Maine with his family,
We scheduled a class for our daughter and by the end of class we had signed up 3 of our 4 daughters, my wife & I and to all our surprises our 69 yr old in-​laws signed up.
For the kids the studio uses instructors that are of teenage or younger adults. Each instructor has to go through a rigorous teaching skill development course. It shows. Mr. Quinn, Mr. Nick & Ms. Bean have been with Mr. N since there were under 10 and are in their 20’s and all black belts. Our kids attend a few times a week and we would do anything to have them stay in the program, all my kids understand the black belt goal is a journey that will take years of commitment but what it has done for their confidence already is unreal. The instructors are always talking about respect for their peers, and care for their families.
For us parents, jumping into a studio with evening classes and black belts down to white we were really intimidated. Mr. N has a gift from God as his approach with us newbies. We are all so committed to the black belt journey as a family and we owe everything to the way Mr. N runs the studio with the care, attention to details, consistent teachings. What a way for our family to play together and build respect with one another for the journey. Did we mention how hard the classes can be for the physical workout but we leave every class feeling blessed to have stumbled across this Kenpo family. Strongly suggest you «take a trial class or week or month». The studio is a blessing in our life.