Reviews of Goo's Dojo

Children related to either the owner or assistant instructor are allowed to run rampant throughout the dojo, on the mat and off, screaming and playing without restraint or supervision. SEVERAL TIMES, the instructors had to stop AND WAIT for silence in order to be heard. I couldn't believe they just stood patiently waiting for the children to be disciplined by "grandma". My first thought about the "4-year olds" was, "THEY'RE in charge here?!?"

Class structure is non-existent. Line-up takes 2-4 minutes every time its' requested; even at that, it looks like a Chinese fire drill with the constant re-alignments and adjustments. The assistant instructors DON'T EVEN KNOW where to stand at the start of class. Watching them casually mill around each other, they're like slo-motion Keystone Cops. .. and there were only three of them. You'd think they'd know how to start class at brown and black -belt levels.

There is constant chatter between spectators, students and instructors with no focus on "karate" when it occurs--at one point, 20 minutes into the class, the banter was about a future family outing; another time, the subject was a concert; the third time, there was an extensive discussion about a bar I'm unfamiliar with. These topics took (minimally) at least 90 seconds-2 minutes while the rest of the class stood around waiting.

The owner/"head instructor" represents himself ON THE MAT in tennis shoes, blue jeans, the top half of a gi ("uniform") and a baseball cap. He never demonstrated, only calling out drills for his assistants to lead.

He's got one slick hustle going here. I would be completely embarrassed and ashamed to have to admit to my friends that this dojo is where I trained. This may have been the worst regimented group training I've ever witnessed. I kept thinking (no matter the rank performing)- "do they really believe they would successfully defend themselves with that (move)?"

This is a "participation" "dojo" at best.

My girls enjoy this school. They are like a little family. They have been accommodating and nice. My girls have learned some pretty awesome things and have even won some tournaments. I only have a couple things I am not a fan of. They put all belt classes together. I wish that they could find a way to divided it up so that my girls with yellow belts were able to learn something new instead of learning the same white belt moves over and over again. I also wish that they would make it a drop your kids off and go type thing. I only say that because they currently do not have the space for the students and parents. Plus a lot of parents will bring their other children with who just run all over and again they just don't have the space for that. They could do a once a month invite parents to one practice so that they can see what their kids are learning but other then that don't let parents in until they are able to get a bigger space. Those would seriously be my only two complaints other then those two things we love the school and are very excited to see all of the progress our kids have made and all of the wonderful things they are learning.

People get black belts as fast as most people get their yellow belt. Their self defense is so bad that if you use it to save your life, you’ll end up in a body bag.

Kids running around everywhere. No organization throughout the entire school. The "Sensei" doesn't ever show up. When he does, he doesn't dress out. Kids whine and cry to get out of anything physical. Belts are handed out like candy at Halloween. They always take the "good enough" approach.