Taken from a black belt graduation showing the technique "Evading the Storm"
Have you always thought that doing karate was cool but never knew where to go? Well 7 year old me can tell you that Holden Martial Arts is a great place to start your journey to something as small as getting in shape to something as big as your black belt and soaring confidence. As a sophomore now, I have done karate here for the last 8 years of my life and I wouldn’t be where I am today without it. When I started I was a shy little kid who had just went to an event at the studio. I was hooked automatically, never stopped, and never looked back. Through my time here I’ve found a second home that gave me an automatic in to teaching and landing my first job. No stressful interview, no trying to beat people out, just pure trust in my ability even as a 15 year old.
The karate done at HMA is kenpo mixed with filipino martial arts. For us Highlanders we wouldn’t be with the little kids in the beginner classes, you would be straight in to our adult program with real life scenario self defence and forms that are competed in competition and Olympic level. No prior experience is necessary, just your interest to grow as a martial artist with us.
Now, here at the studio, it isn’t just show up and hit some things, it’s showing up and building discipline, respect, and self control. We can give you all the tools to learn but they won’t work if you don’t use them the way they are supposed to be used. Even though you would be considered adults to us, we still have fun. Instructors get together and talk constantly on ways to make classes for all ages more engaging and exciting from start to finish.
One of the coolest things about our studios is we don’t just stay in the building! We’ve done demonstrations at Worcester Railers’ games, The Bravehearts, and are working to get a demonstration done at THE Gillette Stadium in Foxborough. We have had kids from all ages and belt ranks join in which means if you start with us you could be part of it too!!
Our cycles are 8 weeks each with a test at the end of each week 8 for a stripe. To get a belt takes 16 weeks and each class has a certain number of belts in it’s curriculum. The journey might look impossible at first, but before you know it you’ll be testing for your black belt and discover yourself in a way you never thought possible!