Kick Start Martial Arts,

1565 Cliff Road, Eagan, MN 55122

"Amazing place!! Our two kids have attended the family owned martial arts studio since 2013. Both my Son and Daughter attended the after school program and our Daughter continues taking martial arts classes getting closer to test for her 2nd degree black belt. We are very fortunate to have found Kick Start Martial Arts because they value family, relationships, learning, discipline, honesty and so many other important principals in life. We know that our kids matter there and they are not just a spot on the mat. Thank you Paul and Kellie for being so professional, caring and everything you do! Riascos Family"

"This review is for their after school program solely and not just straight karate lessons. I would not recommend anyone to sign up for the program. As expensive it is; You don’t get the bang for your buck. The thing I liked about it was the hour of karate instruction received. That was the main reason I signed up was for him to get an hour of instruction a day. For 400 a month, you get 4 lessons. The down side is that they run specifically on the school calendar. So when school is out for a week or even two, if the school is closed they don’t run the program without parents paying quite a bit of additional money. I inquired about bringing my son just for a lesson on these days and that was not an option. The major turn off I believe is their cancellation policy. This is the first business I have came across that require a month notice to cancel, but will not even let your child use the service until the end. So basically, you have to fork out 400 dollars for nothing. I signed my son up at the beginning of feb and gave notice at the end of the month for another competitor. So basically for 800 dollars my kids attended for maybe 3 weeks after school from 4 to 5:30. During a pandemic I believe their cancellation policy is harsh and unprofessional and not family friendly. It does not have families in mind. Daycares and other business require a notice but they allow you to use the service until your time is up. You pay until a certain period after a notice is given in case you just leave spontaneously. I wanted to have him attend until the end of March but it’s not allowed. The notice is to maintain enrollment as the business tries to replace the spot lose....to demand payment but to not allow it to be used is just ludicrous and makes it seem like they care more about money then providing a good quality service that families pay for and can’t even use. I’m paying for unlimited lessons at a competitor for both of my kids for less money then what I get here for my kids to come for an hour and a half after school. It you sign up, double read the terms and conditions before you sign. Their cancellation policy is extremely harsh. Owner and staff are very friendly however."

"Our two daughters have attended this karate school for over 6 years. They've joined the night/weekend classes as well as the after school program. They have learned a lot, grown in strength and created great friendships. The sessions offer both karate content as well as good life skills and perspectives. The community of families has also been valuable to be part of."

"My son was new to martial arts when he started at Kickstart. We attend about 4 classes a week and my son has achieved the rank of green belt in about 6 months. He loves the whole experience and has made some friends there. He truly looks forward to it every day. The instructors are excellent with the kids. They are very generous with their positive remarks when the kids do something good or are clearly focused on the tasks. They also have good disciplinary practices when a person gets out of line or isn't focused. The instructors are very patient though and do not lose their cool, but as stated, they are quick to straighten a person up if needed in an appropriate way. They are very active in helping the kids with their techniques and in whatever way that is necessary. Typically there is a good balance of technique (forms) training and practice, along with more physical practice (punches and kicks) as well as stretching and the whole experience is a workout. Not always aerobic but they utilize each minute of the sessions. After 6 months my only minor complaints are that the seating area is way too small and typically only about 3 or 4 people are able to view the activities with much clarity. They are planning on remodeling which would double the viewing area size and hopefully provide ample seating and viewing room. I do wish the website was kept more current as well. It should have the current months calendar, etc. Also a full description of available options (for signing up) should be defined; probably a quick 1 page description of options would be nice. When I signed up, I was not aware of some minor things that would have led to about 300 $ in savings annually which I certainly would have done. I was only made aware of these contract options by overhearing somebody else talk about it. (You save by paying for 12 months with just 1, lump sum, payment). Overall we are very happy with everything at Kickstart. I get just as excited as my child and it so a joy to see the kids learn, and become more confident right before your eyes."

"Kick Start has been a great dojang for my daughter. She has a great time there, receives lots of positive reinforcement, and gets excellent training. The husband and wife who run the company do an amazing job working with the kids and reinforcing core values of courtesy and respect. I am usually one to only review places if I am disgruntled, so a positive review from me should be taken as an immense compliment!"