Frequently asked questions
How old does my child have to be to start Kempo?
At Ridgefield Kempo, we begin teaching lessons to children as young as 2 1/2! At that age our lessons are more focused on building their gross motor skills and learning how to follow instructions at the studio and at home. This is a great age to start developing performance physically, and hand-eye cordination.
Can I take lessons if I have a health condition or limitation?
One thing we are passionate about here at Ridgefield Kempo is being able to help everyone, especially those in need. Also part of our criteria here is teaching our students this as well. We believe everyone deserves a chance to experience activities that involve self growth and physical improvement. We make sure that we accomodate those with health issues, beause physical activity is incredibly beneficial despite health conditions. It also creates a healthy state of mind as Martial Arts greatly impacts one mentally and emotionally. We want to be able to provide the most comfortable and versitale atmosphere for anyone and are more than willing to work with those who have health issues or disabilities. Please come in, let us know your concerns and we can set up a special plan for your path here as a student.
How often can I attend?
Depending on your commitment, you can come as often as you'd like! We understand everyone has other activities going on, so everyday of the week we offer all age classes throughout the schedule time-line, so you can have the chance to flexibly come when you please.
What if I try and don't like it?
Good for you for being open-minded and trying! We understand that not everyone might enjoy Martial Arts, however we do encourage that it is for everyone to enjoy! So come in and try it out, meet our team and other students. We do have short term commitments, for you to experience a trial here at Ridgefield Kempo. If you complete a short term commitment and don't feel passionate about it, then you are not obligated to continue, and we hope to see you in the future. Please call us for more details regarding.
If I've attended Martial Arts elsewhere, will you honor my belt?
Culturally this is not a valued way to honor the ranking systems in Martial Arts. However we understand that your need to switch from one facility to another is based on your desire to receive more informative instruction and education; and willing spirits, we cannot deny, as that is the exact attitude we encourage here at Ridgefield Kempo. Please come in and we can discuss your continuing Martial Arts journey with us.
Do you have students with Special Needs or Development issues?
We have many students who come to us with special needs. Learning to quiet the mind, control your breathing, use your physical performance efficiently, helps those develop hand-eye coordination, motor skills and strengthen all these abilities. We have seen great improvment in our special needs students. We feel it is our duty to provide the guidance to those in need, because if it can improve their state, there should be action taken to do so, and we want to be a part in helping in every way that we can.
What age is too old to join?
This is a great question. We joke a lot with our parents here at the dojo who feel it's silly at their age, or that they are not qualified to participate. Yes you are qualified, no it is not silly! We encourage all ages, health issues or not, injuries or not. We make sure we leave the door to possiblity wide open, to touch the lives of those around us. The more, the better! Take a family class, learn something about yourself, develop better breathing, or build your strength. This is always a great opportunity for you to use Martial Arts to positively affect other areas of your life!
Will my child enjoy Kempo? Is it fun at all?
Yes! We only want our students to experience a fun, welcoming and comfortable vibe here. We feel this is the best way to retain education and dedicate oneself to this commitment. In every class, we provide fun drills, share about our days and get in a good laugh, so long as we've also learned our material, and put in the effort and hard-work for the day, in order to receive that reward. We believe anything you do, you should enjoy! Don't expect to come just for karate class, we welcome you to our Ridgefield Kempo family!
Will my child use Kempo outside of the Dojo?
Do I need to be in shape to participate?
If anyone ever needed to be in shape for any activity, no one would have the chance to begin. We encourage those to use our committed program to advance physically, and stay in shape. Martial Arts will improve your balance, breathing, flexibility, strength, coordination and over all physical performance. It is a great for those who have interest in advancing their physique. The only way to develop is to start!
Does Kempo teach self defense?
Absolutely. Learning how to use your body's performance to properly execute techniques can help you in any self defense scenario. In our world today, there are many cases where self defense saves lives, and we especially make sure our students learn how to use their material to succeed in situations like this. We also provide a sparring class in which our students have the chance to experience sparring against others to develop a practical state of mind in real life encounters. We encourage all of our students to participate in the sparring classes. Learning your material is one thing, but performing it with an opponent to protect yourself trains you to effectively understand your material and allows the ability for your mind and body to unify in performance.
Is it Expensive?
There is no price that represents the benefits Martial Arts can provide. However, the cost of the standards targeted physically, mentally and spiritually are extremely valuable because your education here is infinite. What makes Martial Arts programs worth it, is that they are a lifestyle.
Kempo goes beyond kicks and combinations by incorporating the appropriate balance of morals such as discipline, patience, open-mindedness, self-control, stress-management, compassion and more. Our programs ensure that you have the possibility to reach your highest potential as an individual.
The combined effort provided by us and submitted by you makes our program 100% worth it. We’d like our students and members to view our service here as a crucial investment for building character and a healthy lifestyle. We promise that your commitment to us will improve and impact all areas of your life.
Why Choose Kempo? What are the differences from other Martial Arts?
One of Kempo's strongest traits is using the “soft tissue” technique, which means instead of focusing on striking with force and strength, focusing on striking at specific angles and points of the body that will effectively weaken and cripple the opponent.
Will Kempo make my child violent?