Karate Kids

The Karate Kids program, the heart of Greg Silva's Universal Kenpo (a derivative of Ed Parker’s American Kenpo), is designed to support the developmental needs of children, particularly the left-right function, while incorporating MAK’s focus on safety and social responsibility. It is divided into three phases—Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced—with the core principles of integrity, concentration, perseverance, respect, obedience, self-control, humility, and indomitable spirit taught alongside the six elements of success: speed, focus, accuracy, intensity, excellence, and power. Students are tested monthly on these elements, with younger children introduced to the concepts and older students evaluated on their demonstration both in training and daily life.

In Phase 1 (Beginner), students progress through four belts (White, Blue/White, Blue/Orange, Blue/Green), where attitude accounts for 75% of their evaluation, shifting to a 50/50 balance by Phase 2 (Intermediate). In Phase 2 (Green/White, Green/Orange, Green/Blue, Green/Red), students begin to experience the reality of failure and recovery, a vital part of personal growth, while learning self-defense, timing, and fear management through increased sparring with protective gear. Phase 3 (Advanced) focuses on preparing students for black belt, with rigorous physical requirements, including a mile run, push-ups, crunches, and finger-tip push-ups, alongside written and oral tests. This phase (Red/White, Red/Yellow, Red/Blue, Red/Tan, Red/Black) emphasizes the student's responsibility for their advancement, with 75% of evaluations based on performance and proficiency, while also fostering the ability to give and receive constructive criticism. Success is seen as a result of overcoming failures, and students who reach this phase are ready for the challenges of black belt training and leadership roles, with opportunities for competitive sparring in "fight club" classes to build confidence and skills in preparation for the future.