Kids Shōrinji Ryū Karate Program

The Kids Shōrinji Ryū Karate Program includes training in Shōrinji Ryū Karate with striking and grappling, traditional kata, bunkai, and self-defense techniques. Kids also practice traditional Okinawan weapons called Kobudo, including the Bo, Sai, and Tonfa, and take part in drills such as Shaolin Style kata drill, Yin Yang Power Drill, and Stance Balance drill. The program offers mindful breathing, meditation, karate camp sessions, and optional private sessions in a supportive dojo environment.

• Ages: 5–14 years old
• Schedule: Class options Monday–Thursday during afternoon and early evening hours, plus Sunday morning classes, with a free 1-week trial and one-week karate camp sessions from 9am–2pm in 2026
• Price: Free 1-Week Trial; kids program $175 per month; Teen/Adult program $195 per month; 2026 kids karate camp $459 (ages 7–9) and $519 (ages 10–14) per week; private sessions $125 per 60 minutes or $160 per 90 minutes; 4-class and 8-class passes available for kids and Teen/Adult programs

The Martial Arts Academy of Marin is described as a True Lineage School, and Shōrinji Ryū Karate is described as a complete martial art made up of striking and grappling. The kids program includes basic techniques (Kihon), strikes, blocks, kicks, stances, grappling, and movement quality, along with defense and bully prevention training that covers awareness, de-escalation, confident voice and body language, and escapes from grabs, holds, and being pushed. The curriculum treats kata as a living database of principled techniques with full explanation and step-by-step instruction, including the Pinan Kata Series, a progressive set of five short movement sets with different themes, plus bunkai and staged partner training with cooperative, semi-cooperative, and non-cooperative partners.

The program includes a mentoring component where advanced kids mentor juniors, and kids’ home practice drills are themed around Fudoshin (immovable mind). Its governing philosophy includes oral stories that address morality, proper use of force, and de-escalation, and it integrates Zen concepts such as zazen, presence, non-attachment, observing without reacting, and a focus on stillness as a martial skill. The mission statement for the kids’ Shōrinji Ryū Karate classes states that they offer a fun and structured way for children to develop confidence, discipline, physical fitness, focus, coordination, respect, perseverance, self-control, teamwork, and other life skills in a supportive dojo environment.

Sensei Will leads the program, and The Martial Arts Academy of Marin notes that Sensei Will has remained close to his Sensei since 1987 and often seeks his counsel. After the free trial, kids receive a complimentary 30-minute private session with Sensei, and Teen/Adults receive a 60-minute private session with Sensei. The program offers optional 4-class and 8-class passes as a flexible, commitment-free way to continue training after the free trial, and hand sanitizer is available at the front desk.

Families can access a newsletter titled “STILLNESS ISSUE.1 WINTER.2026,” and dojo-branded streetwear such as T-shirts, cinch bags, and water bottles is available for purchase in person. There is a referral incentive in which a student who has a friend sign up for and attend a free week of training receives a Shōrinji Ryū cinch bag.

Last updated March 17, 2026.