REVIEWS . REAL STUDENTS . LIFE CHANGING RESULTS

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I did not grow up learning any martial arts, but came to it later in life as a way to stay fit. 

Having stuck with it for many years, I see I made the right choice. It is a comprehensive physical regimen, that has strengthened my core, & other muscle groups, bringing me good tonality &  better endurance. 

I know that I could not find a better pair of instructors. I’m not sure anyone out there can match the depth and breadth of the knowledge possessed by Masters Chuck and Pam. I could see it from the first class. They both have a fervent enthusiasm to teach, which inspires me to work harder. I recommend the Budo Center to all, but especially those who truly want to discover how far they can take their martial arts training. 

 The Budo Center creates a very safe, challenging, & gratifying environment for the exploration & execution of karate. Master Justice & Master Thornton have done a great job balancing the discipline’s art with practical application; they teach forms, strikes, and combos that will not only make me a good martial artist, but that will prepare me to face real life conflict should it arise. 

At 38 I’m older than most of the students, but I don’t ever feel out of place. Somehow I’m encouraged, corrected & pushed all at the same time, & at a pace that works for me. I saw overall improvements in my movement, balance, & flexibility within the first few weeks, which alone makes it a worthwhile pursuit as far as I’m concerned. I feel like I’ve learned so much in a short period of time, but brief demonstrations by the Masters during training has shown me just how deep & vast the discipline really is. 

Their integrity & respect of the art makes progressing genuinely rewarding, as they will not award belts unless there is proof that form & function have been mastered in accordance with the curriculum; when you get a belt, you wear it proudly because you know you’ve earned it. 

The Budo Center is a great value, suitable for those who want to explore what karate has to offer, as well as for those who want to perform at a highly competitive level.

 Eden & I love The Budo Center. It is our first experience with martial arts & Master Justice & Master Thornton create a very comfortable & motivating class setting. 

I like that my daughter &  I can take a class together, so that we can enhance our bond & grow together as a team. Overall, our experience has been nothing less than positive. Seeing my daughter gain more confidence & self-awareness is so rewarding and I would recommend them to anyone. 

My daughter had no desire to take karate because she thought it was for boys & she wasn't into sporty things. I signed her up at Cat's Cap & it quickly became her favorite class there! 

She absolutely adores Master Thornton & his supportive comments. When the kids mess up, he laughs it off & then gently corrects them. He is the perfect teacher for my daughter. Master Justice is fantastic too. She insists on discipline, respect, & teamwork & I'm so pleased with the self confidence & strength my daughter has gained through the program. There's an expression - "an iron fist in a velvet glove" & that describes Master Thornton & Master Justice so well. 

The kids love & respect them & they're helping the kids more than the kids know. Thanks so much for introducing our family to this wonderful activity! 

 Thank you for conducting your Budo Combatives Courses at the University of Richmond. We feel the course was very successful. Forty participants registered for the course and I noticed a lot of people who came to every session. Many others expressed to me their disappointment in not being able to attend the classes. The classes were upbeat, interesting & informative. You & your assistants did an excellent job thoroughly & carefully demonstrating self defense moves & also explaining safety tips. Your enthusiasm was definitely contagious. Thank you again for conducting this important program. 

I teach Health to 9th and 10th grade girls at St. Catherine's School. The class covers many life issues, including the unfortunate statistic that 25% of all females are sexually assaulted. The reality of violence against women underscores the need for females to be familiar with self-defense techniques. Masters Justice and Thornton have introduced self-defense techniques as part of the St. Catherine's Health Curriculum.  They both do an excellent job providing an overview and key concepts.  I hope our students continue to develop their self-defense skills with Master Justice & Master Thornton. 

Master Justice & Master Thornton came to St. Catherine's School to teach our entire 8th grade Self Defense. Coming into the program, students were hesitant to punch or kick, so learning skills were difficult; however, through creative lessons, the instructors were able to focus students on a specific skill & how & when to perform the skill. As a result, our 8th grade students have learned Self Defense skills, but they have also been exposed to another avenue to maintain lifetime fitness