“The best thing I ever did for my kids was start them in karate classes at The American Black Belt Academy.”

A Message From Master Terry Bryan, Hanshi and Head Instructor

Dear Parent,

Wouldn't you like your child to develop amazing self-discipline, a positive attitude, and an unstoppable "can-do" level of confidence?

It can happen with children's martial arts classes at the American Black Belt Academy!

Experts agree that martial arts is one of the very best ways to help children gain self-discipline, respect and confidence—essential traits for success in school, at home, and in life. At The American Black Belt Academy your child will achieve these traits plus:

Martial arts classes also offer a great way for kids to relieve stress. I've seen so many kids join who were so stressed they had stomach aches, trouble sleeping, and even grouchy attitudes. The great workouts and the lifestyle lessons have made a big improvement in their lives—and made their parents' lives much more peaceful, too.

See for yourself why The American Black Belt Academy was chosen "Best Martial Arts School In America" by Success Magazine

Children who study martial arts are happier and healthier.

Celebrating our 33rd year anniversary teaching in America, The American Black Belt Academy has grown into one of the top martial arts schools in the country. We're home to over 7500 students around the country through Master Bryan's students who many now have their own schools. Newspapers, TV shows and other publications have praised us for our high-quality instruction and the positive results that our students are achieving.

Our students achieve life-changing positive results because we focus on the traditional inner teachings of martial arts: the development of a strong mind, body and spirit.

In keeping with the 1500-year-old traditions of Chinese and Okinawan Clasical Martial Arts emphasizes the cultivation of:

Of course our Martial Arts Program also teaches kids great self-defense and combat skills. Many of our students are top medal winners every year at one of the nation's largest and most competitive tournaments, and have won Regional, National and World events.

But at The American Black Belt Academy fighting skills are never regarded as more important than the cultivation and improvement of one's character. We teach our students never to use or display their skills unnecessarily.

As head instructor I'm often asked if I've ever had to use my martial arts skills. My answer? I use my martial arts skills every day! No, not the fighting part. I haven't had a physical confrontation since I left the military and my work as a police officer.

But each day I enjoy reduced stress, greater relaxation, improved physical fitness, better tolerance and understanding, a more positive and generous spirit, and so much more. And these skills are a direct result of my martial arts training.

One of the top martial arts programs in the United States

You'll see your child build strength and flexibility.

By any measure - curriculum, facilities, number and quality of students, success of our students - The American Black Belt Academy ranks among the top martial arts schools in the country.

Our Teaching Approach

Though all martial arts schools teach kids how to kick, punch, block and grapple we focus on the inner teachings of martial arts: the development of a strong mind, body and spirit.

I've been in the education field almost as long as I've been in martial arts, earning a Masters in Education and a Ph.D in Public Administration. I can speak with some authority when I say that your child's biggest challenge likely doesn't come from physical threats at school or in the neighborhood (although our martial arts classes will give your child the confidence and skills to cope with that).

The challenge comes, instead, from battling the forces within. Often your child's greatest enemy is his or her own lack of confidence and self-esteem.

I've watched more than one student start out painfully shy and insecure, eyes glued to the floor, afraid to make a move. As they're guided and nurtured over the days and weeks and months, as they start to achieve real progress and feel their own strength, they're like butterflies emerging from cocoons. In fact, two of our most popular young instructors were themselves once hopelessly shy students in our children's program!

Take a look at this list of just some of the important lessons that await you and your child with our program:

• The difference between discipline and self-discipline, and the secret to getting your child to WANT to do what you want her to do
• Five key actions that every child must know to protect against predators and strangers
• Our six proven steps for shy and timid children to turn into brave and confident go-getters
• Why it never works to tell your child to ignore bullies—and the strategies that do work most often
• The 11 Essential Principles for becoming a successful leader in school and in life
• The hidden reason that 1/3 of children struggle to get good grades in school, and a simple strategy that will help your child overcome those struggles
• The behavioral habits that nearly all top athletes share, and how they can become your child's habits
• The common strategic errors that even many martial artists make in a real self-defense situation—putting their lives or the lives of loved ones at serious risk
• The 12-step Karate path to cultivation of greater wisdom and compassion that has been practiced by Zen masters for centuries
• How to turn a disrespectful child into an angel—well, at least into a respectful child—in 60 days or less

Optimal Class Structure

Children as young as three love martial arts.

Our children's classes are divided by age groups and by level of experience to ensure that each child progresses at an optimum pace: the little dragons run from 4-7 years of ageg and we teach age specific skills for that group of studnets.

Top Martial Arts Styles

The styles we teach include China's 3000-year-old Tai Chi Program, and clasical Okinawna karate. Because of Master Bryan's credentials, any student earning a rank at the American Black Belt Academy will be recognized in over 140 countries around the world. 

A recent Discovery Channel documentary on martial arts styles chose Okinawa Karate as the Number One style in existence!

Today nearly every strip mall has a commercial Tae Kwon Do or Karate school, but it remains difficult to find authentic and traditional Okinwan and Classical Chinese martial arts programs with its rich history and true mind, body and spirit emphasis. The American Black Belt Academy is one of the few schools in American that is recognized by the ministry of Education in China and the Japanese government.

What's included when your child joins our classes?

Your child will enjoy a number of benefits and special services that go far beyond just the great classes we teach.

Weekly and Monthly Interactive Take-Home Lessons
Your child will receive Character Building Take-Home lessons that encourage active parental involvement in your child's development. Lesson topics include:

A Carefully Developed Curriculum
Your child will follow a carefully thought out curriculum that leads all the way to the Black Belt level. We'd be delighted to show you exactly how we will help your child develop the mental, physical and emotional skills needed to advance all the way from novice White Belt up to advanced Black Belt!

Boys and girls who earn their Black Belt stand head and shoulders above their peers when it comes to confidence, self-esteem, success skills, leadership skills and a positive view of themselves and the world around them.

Think how important that confidence and positive self-image are for kids to be able to Say No to the negative peer pressures they face every day, and Yes to the positive challenges that lead to success in life. Martial arts really can change your child's life forever!

Our Student Creed

As a student of USA Karate,I will train my mind, mybody and my spirit.
I will develop self-confidence so I may becom a leader among my friends and in my community.

I will develop self-discipline in order to bring out the best in myself and my fellow man.

I will use my self defense skills only in defense of myself, my family or my country. 

in myself and my fellow man.

Students in our Children's Program enjoy all of the following:

• Exciting and fun classes with our skilled professional instructors
• Private tutoring classes available to give your child the extra attention he or she might need
• FREE use of studios and all training equipment for practice 7 days a week
• FREE monthly newsletter
• FREE testing for colored sash (belt) promotions

As students progress we offer advanced Black Belt and Leadership Clubs where students enjoy additional intensive training in Anti-Bullying,  Demo Team, Leadership Skills, Success Principles and Strategies, and much more.

Our training facilities are unsurpassed in Texas

How we compare to other schools:

• Size: The American Black Belt Academy is in the top 1% of martial arts schools in terms of quality of instruction, credentiuals and facility.
• Amenities: The American Black Belt Academy is in the top 2% of schools in terms of value of equipment and facilities.
• Experience: The American Black Belt Academy is in the top 2-5% in terms of the collective number of years of experience of the instructors.
• Enrollment: The American Black Belt Academy is in the top 5% in terms of number of active students.
• Longevity: We just celebrated our thirty-fifth year anniversary, even though fewer than 5% of martial arts schools even make it past five-years.
• Stability: The American Black Belt Academy is in the top 5% in terms of gross revenues, which helps ensure that we will be here for many, many more years to come.
• Affordability: Even though we are in the top 5% of schools in each of the above important categories, our average per-student tuition falls somewhere in the 40th-60th percentile.
• Popularity: Our average annual retention rate is more than double (and closer to triple) the standard for martial arts schools, meaning our students are two to three times more satisfied training here than students at most schools.
• True Value: The American Black Belt Academy is among the less than 1% that offer the life-changing benefits of authentic Classical Karate and Chinese Martial Arts.
• Lineage: The American Black Belt Academy's lineage traces its techniques and autenticity back over 1500 years. What you learn at the Academy is the real deal, handed down from teacher to student forover 1500 years.

When your child enrolls in our program, he or she will be training as part of a highly-motivated and dedicated group of children.

We don't accept students who aren't dedicated, motivated and enthused about martial arts training.

Martial arts is a full-time, family-owned business for us. We could easily take in much more revenue if we accepted any student who walked in off the street. Most martial arts schools do just that: They'll take anyone's money.

Top professional instructors lead our Children's Program Master Terry Bryan The authentic and traditional classes offered at The American Black Belt Academy are all taught or supervised by Master Terry Bryan, 9th degree black belt, founder and full-time head instructor of The American Black Belt Academy since 1973. Master Bryan has spent over 45 years training intensively in traditional martial arts and is probably best known for his apperance on "Ripley's Believe It Or Not" where he accepted their challange of catching a 135 MPH arrow show at him with his bear hands, and then went on to amaze the world audience as he did it blindfolded showing his amazing mental skills. He is expert in several classical internal and external forms of martial arts, and has proven time and time again his amazing skills and the use of his mental powers that true martial arts produces.  Master Bryan is one of only a handful of people in the world to have been awarded the master certification form both the Chinese and Japanese government, and in fact was titled "A Living Legend" by the Butokukan in Japan. He served as the General Secretary of the United States National Karate Federation through the US Olympic Committee and currently sits on the board of directors for several international governing bodys.  Master Bryan is a legitimate three times World Champion and two time cancer surviver. He began his martial arts training in Tae Kwon Do, but quickly switched to the Okinawan style because it was a reality based system that would work on the street. Later he traveled to china to understand the internal arts and the grandfather of Okinawan karate. Today he is a known around the world and saugyt after speaker and teacher on the history of classicla martial art principles and how they are applicable in today's world. Master Bryan travels around the world given seminars on success in business and personal matters. He has written and produced several books, articles and video tapes on using classical principles to help achieve anything in life Children's Program Instructors

We carefully screen every application, and do our best to weed out the non-serious students and families. Why? Because your child can't reach his or her full potential without the support and example of other highly dedicated students.

I understand that The American Black Belt Academy can't be the right school for everyone

It's possible that we are not the kind of martial arts school that some parents are seeking for their child. We're not a babysitting service, nor do we give away Black Belts to anyone who pays tuition. Your child will have to work hard at real martial arts training in our classes, and must develop the physical, mental and emotional qualities that a skilled martial artist is known for to be promoted to Black Belt.

We are a top quality, full-time school offering authentic martial arts at a great value. We are competitively priced with other quality full-time martial arts schools.

Frequently Asked Questions

I've been teaching martial arts for a long time, and I hear many of the same questions from parents. Here are the some of the most common:

Can martial arts turn my child into a bully?
No. Martial arts training will do just the opposite. Children are taught respect, tolerance, harmony and compassion. The use of physical force is always reserved as a last resort, and only for self-defense.

My child has special needs. Can your program help?
We have students with ADHD, mild autism, physical disabilities, and other challenges. Martial arts is one of the best activities for children with challenges.

One of my favorite success stories concerns a boy with autism who came to us a few years ago. He acted out at home and at school, getting extremely angry and hitting other children. His parents were in despair. It might seem paradoxical that a child with hitting problems could find the answer in martial arts, but he did. He learned that if he couldn't control his impulses he couldn't attend the classes he clearly loved. The staff worked closely with him and his parents and we're all delighted to see how much he's progressed. In fact, he was recently named Student of the Month!

My child has tried other activities like music and sports teams, but always quits after a short period. What happens if my child wants to quit martial arts?
We understand the psychology of children, and we use scientifically proven methods to motivate children that many educators and coaches are not aware of.

Usually children want to quit an activity because of one of four reasons:
1. They find it is too hard early on and they become discouraged and intimidated.
2. They find it is too easy and lacks challenges, leading to boredom.
3. Something negative happens with a classmate or the instructor and the student prefers to avoid the class rather than resolve the issue.
4. They fail to get encouragement and participation from both the instructor and the parent.

With our program, kids get tons of encouragement and feedback, and they really have a blast in the classes. In fact, while the average retention rate for sports teams and other activities is under 10%, almost 80% of our students choose to renew!

Is your school's emphasis on competition and winning trophies, or is it on the development of my child?
Your child's development always comes first. And unlike with most sports teams, there are no bench warmers sitting on the sidelines. Every student participates fully in every class. For those students who wish to compete at tournaments, we offer comprehensive training for all major divisions. Our students consistently finish among the top medal winners at every major regional and national tournament we attend.

How to apply NOW for membership in our Children's Martial Arts Program

Legendary Martial Artsists: Terry Bryan, Zempo Shimabukuru and Dan Smith

We would love the opportunity to meet you and give your family a Two Free Introductory Classes and a Free Tour of our facilities. During the tour we will explain all of the features and benefits of our program, show you our facilities, and answer any questions you might have about our program.

The American Black Belt Academy accepts children who demonstrate good character, who want to have fun and enjoy the life-changing benefits of martial arts, and who have strong family support for our program. We accept students with or without previous martial arts experience, regardless of race, religion or similar factors.

Currently, due to the tremendous demand for our programs, we are pre-screening all applicants before scheduling the Free Introductory Tour and Classes.

To apply for your Tour and Classes, simply fill out the Application Form below. We generally respond to on-line applications within 48 hours to inform you whether your pre-screening application has been accepted, and to confirm your reservation for your Free Introductory Tour and Classes. Confirmation of your tour date, time, driving directions, etc. will be provided when we notify you of your application's preliminary approval.

Receive a great gift if you invite a friend or family member.
Training with a sincere and dedicated friend or family member can be supportive and extra-motivating for many children. If your child has a friend or family member whom you think might benefit as much as your child from our classes, have them also go online and fill out the application form. If both children are accepted then both families will receive a fantastic gift when you enroll—plus it can be great for car pooling!

I sincerely hope you've enjoyed reading about The Peaceful Dragon and learning about the many benefits of our Children's Martial Arts Program. I look forward to meeting you and your child!

Sincerely,

Terry Bryan, Hanshi and Head Instructor
American Black Belt Academy

P.S. Don't forget to inquire about our family discounts for two or more children in the program, or for our great classes for parents and teens in martial arts, tai chi, karate, Zen meditation and more!

P.P.S. We often run special tour discounts—be sure to ask the instructor if one is currently running while at your tour!

P.P.P.S. I know there are many reasons to put off applying for your child, but please go ahead and apply now.  Without the confidence, self-discipline and positive attitude that a program like ours offers, your child potentially faces too many scary and unpleasant obstacles:  Poor health and fitness, susceptibility to negative peer pressure, a worsening of focus and concentration leading to poor performance in school, and lack of self-defense skills that could be vital to save your child's life some day.