Dragon Gym Children's Martial Arts and Summer Camps
Martial Arts School, 267 S Whitford Rd, Exton, PA 19341
About
Dragon Gym Children's Martial Arts and Summer Camps offers children's martial arts, kids martial arts classes, kids jiu jitsu, kids Muay Thai, and summer camps, along with options for birthday parties. The program also operates within a broader training center that includes adult Taekwondo and Hapkido, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Muay Thai kickboxing, self defense, personal training, kettlebell training, and fitness programs. For children, it includes a Pee Wee Program and a Junior Traditional Martial Arts Program that use age-specific classes and a 3-Class Quick Start Program with all needed gear.
• Ages: 3–14 years old
• Schedule: Pee Wee Program classes for ages 4 to 6 are 30 minutes long and meet two times per week, with options between 4pm and 5:30pm Monday through Friday and on Saturday mornings; Junior Traditional Martial Arts Program classes for ages 7 to 14 are 45 minutes long and meet two to three times per week, with options between 5pm and 7:15pm Monday through Friday and on Saturday mornings.
Dragon Gym was founded in 1973 and has served Chester County’s martial arts, self defense, and fitness community for more than 50 years. The Kids Martial Arts program includes age-specific classes for children ages 3 through 14 and uses a Pee Wee Program for pre-K through early elementary school-aged children with fun, game-based classes, and a Junior Traditional Martial Arts Program that focuses on self-defense, bully prevention, athleticism, leadership, self-discipline, and confidence, with the next step being to earn a junior black belt. The 3-Class Quick Start Program includes three lessons, a uniform, boxing gloves, or a BJJ Gi, and offers a full refund if a student decides martial arts is not for them after the first three classes.
The leadership team includes head instructors Somnath Sikdar (7th Dan Black Belt), Lonnie Beck (6th Dan TKD, Muay Thai Head Coach), and Chris Taylor (Black Belt BJJ, 4th Dan TKD), with Dragon Gym’s founder Chae Teok Goh holding a 9th Dan. Additional instructors and leaders include Tom Palmer (COO, BJJ Black Belt), Joe Grubb (4th Dan Black Belt, Taekwondo Master Instructor, Head Instructor), Karen Butala (4th Dan Black Belt, Taekwondo Master, General Manager DG Exton), Kim Mukalian (6th Dan Black Belt, Master Instructor), Kevin L. Barr (Head Instructor, 3rd Degree BJJ Black Belt), Cesar Castro (2nd Dan Black Belt, Head Instructor Dragon Gym Phoenixville), Matt Pinkney (Muay Thai/Kickboxing Coach), Paul Teter (3rd Dan Black Belt, Taekwondo, Head Instructor DG Malvern), and Sandy Grulke (BJJ Coach). Personal training and strength staff include John Lauber (Kettlebell Instructor, BJJ Black Belt), Eric Duong (Strength Coach, AAAI, Strong On Level 1), and Cody Dunn (Personal Trainer). Dragon Gym has a trusted reputation and has won multiple awards for being the best martial arts studio in the area.
Parents have shared that instructors engage kids while building confidence and discipline for 4- and 7-year-old students, and that DG Berwyn played a role in one child’s emotional, mental, and physical growth, with instructors described as genuine, caring role models. Other parents report that their children are learning a lot, that instructors are dedicated, kind, and engaged, and that the facility is very clean with scheduling that is convenient for busy families. Families mention recommending the gym to friends, describe it as a place to challenge oneself physically and mentally in a welcoming environment, and say they have had a great experience and look forward to continuing with Dragon Gym.
Last updated July 12, 2026.
• Ages: 3–14 years old
• Schedule: Pee Wee Program classes for ages 4 to 6 are 30 minutes long and meet two times per week, with options between 4pm and 5:30pm Monday through Friday and on Saturday mornings; Junior Traditional Martial Arts Program classes for ages 7 to 14 are 45 minutes long and meet two to three times per week, with options between 5pm and 7:15pm Monday through Friday and on Saturday mornings.
Dragon Gym was founded in 1973 and has served Chester County’s martial arts, self defense, and fitness community for more than 50 years. The Kids Martial Arts program includes age-specific classes for children ages 3 through 14 and uses a Pee Wee Program for pre-K through early elementary school-aged children with fun, game-based classes, and a Junior Traditional Martial Arts Program that focuses on self-defense, bully prevention, athleticism, leadership, self-discipline, and confidence, with the next step being to earn a junior black belt. The 3-Class Quick Start Program includes three lessons, a uniform, boxing gloves, or a BJJ Gi, and offers a full refund if a student decides martial arts is not for them after the first three classes.
The leadership team includes head instructors Somnath Sikdar (7th Dan Black Belt), Lonnie Beck (6th Dan TKD, Muay Thai Head Coach), and Chris Taylor (Black Belt BJJ, 4th Dan TKD), with Dragon Gym’s founder Chae Teok Goh holding a 9th Dan. Additional instructors and leaders include Tom Palmer (COO, BJJ Black Belt), Joe Grubb (4th Dan Black Belt, Taekwondo Master Instructor, Head Instructor), Karen Butala (4th Dan Black Belt, Taekwondo Master, General Manager DG Exton), Kim Mukalian (6th Dan Black Belt, Master Instructor), Kevin L. Barr (Head Instructor, 3rd Degree BJJ Black Belt), Cesar Castro (2nd Dan Black Belt, Head Instructor Dragon Gym Phoenixville), Matt Pinkney (Muay Thai/Kickboxing Coach), Paul Teter (3rd Dan Black Belt, Taekwondo, Head Instructor DG Malvern), and Sandy Grulke (BJJ Coach). Personal training and strength staff include John Lauber (Kettlebell Instructor, BJJ Black Belt), Eric Duong (Strength Coach, AAAI, Strong On Level 1), and Cody Dunn (Personal Trainer). Dragon Gym has a trusted reputation and has won multiple awards for being the best martial arts studio in the area.
Parents have shared that instructors engage kids while building confidence and discipline for 4- and 7-year-old students, and that DG Berwyn played a role in one child’s emotional, mental, and physical growth, with instructors described as genuine, caring role models. Other parents report that their children are learning a lot, that instructors are dedicated, kind, and engaged, and that the facility is very clean with scheduling that is convenient for busy families. Families mention recommending the gym to friends, describe it as a place to challenge oneself physically and mentally in a welcoming environment, and say they have had a great experience and look forward to continuing with Dragon Gym.
Last updated July 12, 2026.
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