Unity has family plans that allow for three levels of membership based on your commitment and the number of people in your family. But after the third person joins, the rest in the family are free. “We have several families where you have two kids who are taking classes, and one other family member joins, and then all of the family members can go,” he said. Critz has also created a fun, game-based program called Adventure Quest for kids in third to ninth grade, which will build physical and mental prowess as they progress. “The kids feel like they’re playing through an adventure story. They are time travelers, and the way they do well in the story is by increasing in metrics like pushups, multiplication and division problems and things like that,” he said. “So, you’re watching them get stronger and faster, and we’ve been able to stimulate some of the kids we might have otherwise lost to the paradigm of martial arts.” These different classes and styles allow kids to phase in and out of martial arts. Sometimes their passion for it wanes, but Critz hopes to keep them engaged in fitness and the martial arts community. “You realize over time that people are not one thing all the time. If you have a kid in second grade and karate is their favorite thing, they’ll go up in rank quickly, but in fifth grade they may not love it anymore,” he said. “One of the things we’ve hit on is by building a community we can create some stability for them. They might change again, but by having this community of your friends here, there’s other activities going on, they’ll hold on longer until they come to the next shift, and maybe it’s back to being excited about martial arts again.”
If you’re looking for martial arts classes in the Central Arkansas area, several options are available. Some also have classes for kids.
2 Two Training Halls
You can take classes with your child!
or...
Take your own class while they’re taking theirs!
Two sign up for the price of one in January and Feruary!
Come try a free class at 1524 Garreld Dr. Little Rock, AR
(Near the intersection of University and 12th)
501 664-0604 www.unitymartialarts.com
All-Star Martial Arts Seven locations in central Arkansas Karate for kids ages 12 and under, and self-defense classes for adults and teens 13 and up. Danny Dring’s Living Defense Martial Arts Martial arts classes for kids and adults; kickboxing fitness for adults 308 Kiehl Ave., Sherwood 501-834-3537 Impact Martial Arts Adult self-defense classes; martial arts classes for kids and teens Locations in Little Rock and Beebe 501-224-1222 Unity Martial Arts Self-defense classes for adults; tai chi, yoga; martial arts classes for kids and teens 1524 Garfield, Little Rock 501-664-0604 Westside Mixed Martial Arts Jiu-jitsu and kickboxing classes for kids and adults 1021 Jessie Road, Little Rock 501-663-3850 SAVVYKIDSAR.COM | JANUARY 2019
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