In accordance with quarantine regulations, YSK’s physical location is open on a limited basis. Call or email our office for more info!

Karate

Shudokan Karate-Do is an Okinawan style of karate with a strong focus on practical self defense, sustainable lifelong training, and on cultivating community. The founder of Yakima School of Karate, Morris Mack, passed on a deep and abiding passion for the martial arts to his students. Y.S.K. is proud to provide exciting, energizing classes for people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities!

Little Dragons

Little dragons is an opportunity for young children to learn self-defense in a fun and safe environment. Perfect for kids ages 5-6, little dragons teaches life skills that can be used everyday. These skills include fire and water safety, communication, and awareness. This class is a great chance for children to be physically active with the friends they make in class!

Sword

The sword class at YSK focuses on practical and efficient technique with the Japanese sword. We explore and practice multiple styles of training including Batto-do and Eishin Ryu. We have both a youth program and an adult program. While all students begin practice with a wooden practice sword or bokken, the goal of both programs is for students to develop enough proficiency and confidence with the blade in order to train with live steel. Our group uses drills, partner techniques called kumitachi, kata, and the cutting of real targets, a practice known as tameshigiri, to learn and perfect the control, decisiveness, and calm attitude required by our art. First and foremost, safety is our priority. If you are looking to experience a traditional Japanese weapon in a safe environment and with a dedicated group for support and collaboration, come and join us! 

-Elise Holbrook, Lead Sword Instructor 

Aikido

Aikido is a Japanese martial art developed by Morihei Ueshiba. It can be roughly translated as “The Path of Harmony with Life Energy” and the art itself derives from a synthesis of Japanese jiu-jitsu and open-handed variations on weapons fighting. Unlike most arts, the aikido practitioner is not learning to block, kick, or punch; rather, to guide and deflect an attack into a position of safety for the defender. This soft core leads to an art that can be practiced by those who don’t want hard impact but still want to know the principles of defense. The style we practice at Yakima Aikido places greater emphasis on practicality than many others, and encourages “top down” thinking about movement and action. What does any of this mean for the new practitioner? It means come on down, learn to roll with us, and in return you’ll have a better understanding of how to think about conflict, which will allow you to not only perform set techniques, but be able to improvise on the fly while staying consistent with bedrock principles.

- Quinten Bowman, Lead Aikido Instructor