About
Attitude First Martial Arts Academy offers martial arts training that uses the American Kenpo system. The program includes classes where members train in martial arts with instructors who have long-term experience in this system.
• Ages: 4–18 years old
• Schedule: Class options are available Monday through Thursday in the late afternoon and evening, and on Saturday mornings.
• Price: Cost is reasonable.
Since opening in 1985, Attitude First Martial Arts Academy states that its mission is to encourage kids and adults to develop confidence, courage, and commitment to defend themselves, their hopes, and their dreams, using martial arts as the basis for programs that address self-esteem, confidence, and decision-making skills. The organization describes its philosophy as focusing on attitude as the foundation for success and teaching members awareness and problem-solving to identify dangerous situations, use strategies to de-escalate or avoid them, and prepare with skills, confidence, discipline, and respect to protect and defend loved ones and themselves from physical harm. Attitude First describes itself as a “heartfelt, action-oriented, and defense-minded” martial arts training establishment and uses the acronym ACTION, meaning “Absolute Commitment To Improving Ourselves, Now!” with peace as its objective and awareness as a key focus.
Attitude First offers programs called Lil Attitudes (ages 4–6), Youth (ages 6–13), Teens (ages 13–17), and Adult (ages 18 and up). The academy states that it has developed programs that directly address self-esteem, confidence, and decision-making skills, designs classes so kids have a structured place to burn off excess energy, specializes in addressing root causes of behavior issues with discipline, structure, and positive reinforcement, and creates an environment that allows each child to experience martial arts based on their skills and abilities. The organization states that all kids are capable of success with no exceptions, and that it emphasizes awareness to leave before an altercation can occur, to engage before a bad actor gets the upper hand, or to know why and what a person is willing to fight for. Attitude First notes that all of its instructors have grown up through their art and through the American Kenpo system from white belt, that its black belts have 12 through 41 years of experience in the Attitude First system, and that within an industry with fly-by-night schools and for-hire teachers, it has never done that.
Mr. Lawrence Robinson leads the Attitude First organization and is an instructor at the academy. Mr. Robinson has been teaching for 40 years, and the organization states that for the last 37 years he and Attitude First have been devoted to encouraging and preparing children and adults to change their world. Attitude First Martial Arts Academy and Attitude First, LLC reference dates from 2001–2022 in their materials.
The academy offers an exclusive 7-day free membership. It invites people to drop in after 4:30pm to meet them in person and notes that Google Maps has placed them in the wrong location and advises following their own map instead.
Parents in testimonials describe the facility as large, professional looking, very clean, and newly remodeled, and say the instructors are friendly yet firm, knowledgeable, and able to train students of all ages and skill levels. Multiple parents report seeing growth in their children’s self-confidence, motivation, fitness, discipline, technique, thinking, focus, and awareness, and describe the environment as supportive, varied, challenging, no-nonsense, positive, and caring, with everyone treated like family. Long-term students and parents mention training with Attitude First for many years, including one who has trained for over 37 years and another family involved for over 15 years, and several note that Mr. Robinson connects well with kids, adapts to different personalities, and is respected by students.
Last updated January 8, 2026.
• Ages: 4–18 years old
• Schedule: Class options are available Monday through Thursday in the late afternoon and evening, and on Saturday mornings.
• Price: Cost is reasonable.
Since opening in 1985, Attitude First Martial Arts Academy states that its mission is to encourage kids and adults to develop confidence, courage, and commitment to defend themselves, their hopes, and their dreams, using martial arts as the basis for programs that address self-esteem, confidence, and decision-making skills. The organization describes its philosophy as focusing on attitude as the foundation for success and teaching members awareness and problem-solving to identify dangerous situations, use strategies to de-escalate or avoid them, and prepare with skills, confidence, discipline, and respect to protect and defend loved ones and themselves from physical harm. Attitude First describes itself as a “heartfelt, action-oriented, and defense-minded” martial arts training establishment and uses the acronym ACTION, meaning “Absolute Commitment To Improving Ourselves, Now!” with peace as its objective and awareness as a key focus.
Attitude First offers programs called Lil Attitudes (ages 4–6), Youth (ages 6–13), Teens (ages 13–17), and Adult (ages 18 and up). The academy states that it has developed programs that directly address self-esteem, confidence, and decision-making skills, designs classes so kids have a structured place to burn off excess energy, specializes in addressing root causes of behavior issues with discipline, structure, and positive reinforcement, and creates an environment that allows each child to experience martial arts based on their skills and abilities. The organization states that all kids are capable of success with no exceptions, and that it emphasizes awareness to leave before an altercation can occur, to engage before a bad actor gets the upper hand, or to know why and what a person is willing to fight for. Attitude First notes that all of its instructors have grown up through their art and through the American Kenpo system from white belt, that its black belts have 12 through 41 years of experience in the Attitude First system, and that within an industry with fly-by-night schools and for-hire teachers, it has never done that.
Mr. Lawrence Robinson leads the Attitude First organization and is an instructor at the academy. Mr. Robinson has been teaching for 40 years, and the organization states that for the last 37 years he and Attitude First have been devoted to encouraging and preparing children and adults to change their world. Attitude First Martial Arts Academy and Attitude First, LLC reference dates from 2001–2022 in their materials.
The academy offers an exclusive 7-day free membership. It invites people to drop in after 4:30pm to meet them in person and notes that Google Maps has placed them in the wrong location and advises following their own map instead.
Parents in testimonials describe the facility as large, professional looking, very clean, and newly remodeled, and say the instructors are friendly yet firm, knowledgeable, and able to train students of all ages and skill levels. Multiple parents report seeing growth in their children’s self-confidence, motivation, fitness, discipline, technique, thinking, focus, and awareness, and describe the environment as supportive, varied, challenging, no-nonsense, positive, and caring, with everyone treated like family. Long-term students and parents mention training with Attitude First for many years, including one who has trained for over 37 years and another family involved for over 15 years, and several note that Mr. Robinson connects well with kids, adapts to different personalities, and is respected by students.
Last updated January 8, 2026.
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