Children in black uniforms and colored belts holding the same low stance in a row while an instructor stands behind them and watches

Kids' martial arts in Garner

Martial arts for ages 5 to 15

Students line up by belt color and hold the same stance while an instructor watches the row, learning one skill at a time in a gym on Aversboro Road.

Try a class See the schedule

Ages 5 to 15
A teen class of its own

Weekly classes

Find a class by day or age

Little class for ages 5 to 7, kids' class for ages 8 to 12 and a teen class that meets on its own. Classes run 40 to 70 minutes.

Fall session

Monday
- 4:15 pm – 4:55 pm
  Little class
  Gamaliel Manriquez · Main gym
  Ages 5 to 7White to yellow beltOpenTry a class
- 5:05 pm – 5:55 pm
  Kids' class
  Gamaliel Manriquez · Main gym
  Ages 8 to 12White to green beltOpenTry a class
- 6:10 pm – 7:20 pm
  Teen class
  Kit Baumann · Main gym
  Ages 13 to 15All beltsOpenTry a class
Tuesday
- 4:30 pm – 5:20 pm
  Kids' class
  Kourtney Millender · Main gym
  Ages 8 to 12Green belt and upWaitlistJoin the waitlist
- 5:30 pm – 6:10 pm
  Little class
  Kourtney Millender · Main gym
  Ages 5 to 7Yellow belt and upOpenTry a class
Wednesday
- 4:15 pm – 4:55 pm
  Little class
  Gamaliel Manriquez · Main gym
  Ages 5 to 7White to yellow beltOpenTry a class
- 5:05 pm – 5:55 pm
  Kids' class
  Gamaliel Manriquez · Main gym
  Ages 8 to 12White to green beltFull
- 6:10 pm – 7:20 pm
  Teen class
  Kit Baumann · Main gym
  Ages 13 to 15All beltsOpenTry a class
Thursday
- 4:30 pm – 5:20 pm
  Kids' class
  Kourtney Millender · Main gym
  Ages 8 to 12White to green beltOpenTry a class
- 5:30 pm – 6:10 pm
  Little class
  Kourtney Millender · Main gym
  Ages 5 to 7White to yellow beltOpenTry a class
Saturday
- 9:00 am – 9:40 am
  Little class
  Kourtney Millender · Main gym
  Ages 5 to 7All beltsOpenTry a class
- 9:50 am – 10:40 am
  Kids' class
  Gamaliel Manriquez · Main gym
  Ages 8 to 12All beltsOpenTry a class
- 10:50 am – 12:00 pm
  Teen class
  Kit Baumann · Main gym
  Ages 13 to 15All beltsOpenTry a class

Sample classes.

Times change a little each session.

School breaks

Camp weeks when school is out

Full days of drills, games and forms for ages 5 to 12, plus a week for teens. Join for one week or string a few together.

School breaks

Late DecemberOpen
Winter break week
Forms, pad drills and one new belt skill.
Mornings are a full class with a partner drill. Afternoons are games, a form the group learns together and a quiet half hour of stretching.
- Ages 5 to 12
- Mon to Fri, 9 am to 3 pm
Save a spot
Early AprilOpen
Spring break week
A week of stances, blocks and kicks.
Each day builds on the one before, and a student who has never trained can start on Monday.
- Ages 5 to 12
- Mon to Fri, 9 am to 3 pm
Save a spot
Mid-JuneOpen
June week
Summer starts with a full week on the mat.
Students are grouped by belt color for drills and come together for games and a short form at the end of each day.
- Ages 5 to 12
- Mon to Fri, 9 am to 3 pm
Save a spot
Early JulyOpen
Teen skills week
A week for teens, in their own group.
Longer drills, partner work on pads and a form to learn start to finish. The group is teens only, and the pace is theirs.
- Ages 13 to 15
- Mon to Fri, 9 am to noon
Save a spot
Late JulyWaitlist
Summer week
Drills in the morning, games after lunch.
A mix of new and returning students. Belt color sets the drill group, and everyone joins the same game after lunch.
- Ages 5 to 12
- Mon to Fri, 9 am to 3 pm
Join the waitlist
Early OctoberOpen
Fall break days
Two days off school, two days on the mat.
A short camp for the school's fall break: a full class each morning, then pad drills, games and a form after lunch.
- Ages 5 to 12
- Two days, 9 am to 3 pm
Save a spot

Sample sessions.

Bring a packed lunch and a water bottle. Pick one week or several.

The belt path

Six belts, white to black

Each color adds a few skills. Stripes on the belt mark the steps between colors.

White belt
Starting at age 5
Skills
- Bowing in and bowing out
- A basic stance
- Listening to the instructor and waiting a turn
Yellow belt
Skills
- First blocks and first kicks
- A short form
- A firm voice and asking for help
Moving up
When the instructor sees the skills, at a belt test
Green belt
Skills
- Punch and kick combinations
- Partner drills on pads
- A longer form
Moving up
When the instructor sees the skills, at a belt test
Blue belt
Skills
- Combining techniques
- Moving at a distance
- Helping a newer student find the line
Moving up
When the instructor sees the skills, at a belt test
Brown belt
Skills
- Controlled partner work
- Calling a drill for the line
- A form from memory
Moving up
When the instructor sees the skills, at a belt test
Black belt
Skills
- Running a warm-up and a drill
- Every form, from memory
- Helping the instructor with younger groups
Moving up
When the instructor sees the skills, at a belt test

Sample levels.

Belt tests and the year

When tests and sessions happen

Belt tests close each session. Test weeks are posted in class two weeks ahead.

Early December
Event
Fall belt test
Students test in their own class time. Families watch from the bench.
Late December
Closed
Winter break
The gym is closed for the holiday week, and a camp week runs for those who want one.
Early January
First day
Winter session starts
New students start at the beginning of a session or any week with a place open.
Late March
Event
Spring belt test
The test for the winter session. The class list goes up two weeks ahead.
Early April
Event
Spring break camp
A week of drills and games for ages 5 to 12.

Sample dates.

Instructors

Who is on the mat

Three instructors share the week's classes, and all three are on the mat for every belt test.

Kit Baumann
Owner and head instructor
Kit opened Hajime to teach children and teens in one room, each at their own level. She teaches the teen class and runs every belt test.
Gamaliel Manriquez
Instructor, ages 5 to 12
Gamaliel teaches the Monday and Wednesday kids' and little classes and the Saturday kids' class. He keeps the line straight and the warm-up a game.
Kourtney Millender
Instructor, ages 5 to 12
Kourtney teaches the Tuesday and Thursday classes and the Saturday little class, and holds the pads for partner drills.

Questions

What families ask first

How old does a student have to be?

Students can join from age 5 and stay through 15. Little class is for ages 5 to 7, kids' class for ages 8 to 12, and the teen class for ages 13 to 15.

What do we wear to the first class?

A plain t-shirt and loose pants. We lend a uniform for that visit. No jewelry, hair tied back and shoes off at the mat.

Can I watch a class?

Yes. Families can watch any class from the bench along the wall. For belt tests, please stay seated and quiet and keep the flash off.

What is a class like?

Students line up by belt color, bow in and warm up, then practice stances, blocks, kicks and a form. Partner drills are on pads, and class ends with a bow out.

How do belts work?

A student tests for the next belt when the instructor sees the skills.

What happens if we miss a class?

A missed class can be made up in another class for the same age group and belt color in the same session. Tell the front desk ahead.

Start here

Try a class

Choose a class and come in a plain t-shirt and loose pants. We lend a uniform for that first visit.

Try a class

Call or text(919) 555-0118

Visit1210 Aversboro Rd, Garner, NC

Monday

Little class

Kids' class

Teen class

Tuesday

Kids' class

Little class

Wednesday

Little class

Kids' class

Teen class

Thursday

Kids' class

Little class

Saturday

Little class

Kids' class

Teen class

Winter break week

Spring break week

June week

Teen skills week

Summer week

Fall break days

White belt

Yellow belt

Green belt

Blue belt

Brown belt

Black belt

Fall belt test

Winter break

Winter session starts

Spring belt test

Spring break camp

Kit Baumann

Gamaliel Manriquez

Kourtney Millender

How old does a student have to be?

What do we wear to the first class?

Can I watch a class?

What is a class like?

How do belts work?

What happens if we miss a class?