Having sought out a dojo of this caliber and spoken to a number of parents whose children also attend, Akiyama Dojo is quite a find. I surveyed the dojo and met with Sensei Ken a year in advance of my oldest daughter’s 5th birthday, the age at which she’d get involved in training. Around the time my daughter turned 5, we eased into the dojo community.
In speaking with one of the parents whose children have attended for a few years, they had been bringing their children (4 of them) to class twice a week, 40 minutes each way. They said it had been a journey to find Akiyama Dojo. They had tried out many martial arts “vendors” / storefronts / dojos and settled here as the values, teaching style, and community was just what they were looking for. The father had practiced martial arts throughout his life and trusted his children’s development to Ken. A worthy testimony to call out (not to mention the commitment in travel time)!
When we first started, Ken was up front that not all client/student expectations match the dojo; not a one-size-fits-all arrangement so expect to have a healthy conversation about your expectations and be sure to ask what the training expectations are for you/your child.
Not knowing how my daughter would do in a new environment at the age 5, I was encouraged by Ken’s outside-the-box approach to captivating young warriors-to-be. During class time, which is highly tailored to young warriors, he observes each child throughout the lesson and works to focus the curriculum to ensure each child is engaged and learning. He keeps the tempo of the class from exercise to movements/drills at a pace that keeps the children focused and engaged (not an easy task, but he makes it look easy).
Ken focuses on what works for the class as a whole and normally one of the instructors will work to engage and encourage the students who may need a little more help. Ken has created a team dynamic which is leveraged throughout the class to help motivate and coordinate the young students. By instilling the concept of teamwork and using a team dynamic, Ken is able to focus the class as a single group, all working together for the benefit of each other. It also builds exceptional camaraderie among the students!
I now have 2 of my 3 children enrolled and it has been unique and encouraging. Just the right amount of structure, positive reinforcement, and creativity, the learning environment appeals to my children and leaves them excited to attend and continue training. I’ve seen them develop self-confidence, strength, determination, and, while my younger is still working on honing his focus, there’s been improvement there too!
One thing my wife and I really enjoy is seeing the level of encouragement my son and daughter give one another outside the dojo. As an example, my son was cheering his sister on as she made her first swim to the raft without a swim aid. You would have thought she was competing in the 100m at the Olympics with how much he was cheering for her. This is something I tie back to the dojo and am thankful for!
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