Martial Arts South Florida | Bushido Ryu Martial Arts

How to be Accepted as a Student at the Bushido Knights Ryu

The Bushido Knights Ryu, Academy of Martial Arts is considered to be one of the finest martial arts schools in the south Florida area.

As with any top school or organization we are very selective in who we will admit as a student.

The people you choose to train and the people you allow to train with your students will greatly influence the character of your school.

Because of this it is important to have admissions standards to be sure that the people who are accepted as students at the Bushido Knights are high quality people.

In addition to our admission standards we also have a commitment to keeping class sizes small to give our students the highest levels of instruction. Because of this can only offer admission to a small number of qualified people as space in the classes becomes available.

Preference is given to people who are being given a referral by one of our current students. If you are being referred be sure to mention it when you contact us.

If you do not have a referral there is still a path for you to become a student here.

Read through the the material below and see if it resonates with you. If it does then contact us and we will check availability in our free admissions program.

The free introductory program allows you to come and take lessons at our school for free (for up to 2 weeks) so you can experience the training and so we can determine if you are a good candidate for admission to our school.

We do have some spaces available for qualified people so if you have been searching for an outstanding martial art school and you believe you are a good candidate to be a student then please contact us.

10 Reasons why the Bushido Knights offer an exceptional Martial Arts training experience

1) REAL MARTIAL ARTS FOR ADULTS

We are one of the very few schools in America that only teaches adults. The youngest we will accept a student is 15 years old. The majority of our students are 25-45 years old.

This distinguishes the Bushido knights from most martial arts programs that specialize in teaching younger children (12 and under). We do not teach young children because we focus exclusively on real martial arts for adults, martial arts as it was originally taught and intended.

Children's martial art programs are excellent for teaching kids confidence, coordination, respect etc, and we recommend that people get their children involved in the arts, but kids martial arts (even when they are retooled into an "adult" program) are not right for adults who want more serious training in the same way that many serious adult subjects are not appropriate for children.

We recommend you first take a class at all the other martial arts schools in the area that interest you and then come and see our school.

When you have seen the type of training that is commonly available and the very high percentage of young children taking classes at most schools you will have a better appreciation for the outstanding quality and uniqueness of the teaching you will experience at the Bushido Knights Ryu.

2) BUSHIDO vs. BUDO

When you visit all the martial art schools in the area you will find that many of them do what are called "Budo" arts.

Budo arts are either "Martial ways" or "Martial sports"

MARTIAL WAYS

Martial ways are derivitives of the original martial arts that seek to remove much of the "Martial" aspects of the arts but still retain the personal development aspects.

We believe that removing the core "martial" elements from the Arts is a mistake because those elements are the main mechanism that drives and causes all the growth in mind, body & spirit that martial artists achieve.

Martial "Ways" seek to improve the mental and spiritual development of the practitioner through the practice of aesthetically attractive techniques that have been derived from the original martial arts.

By focusing on perfecting the movements they strive to improve the person. Martial ways modify the original techniques based on the appearance of the technique rather than its functionality. The major drawback of these modifications is the techniques are not as effective as the original and much more likely to fail in a self defense scenario -or even in vigorous training.

For example when striking a solid object with power the most commonly used punching techniques in the budo karate systems (Karate-do) can easily result in a broken wrist or a fracture in the radial or ulna bones of the forearm unless it is performed perfectly.

The same technique executed the way it was originally taught is not as aesthetically pretty but it is much more powerful and is structurally much stronger and will work even if it is performed imperfectly.

Secondly, when the original martial arts techniques and concepts that form the nucleas of real martial arts have been removed or modified you lose the essence of what made the arts great and what made them effective. It would be like removing all the weights from a gym but leaving all the cardio equipment. You would still get results but it would only be a shadow of what you could previously accomplish.

Without those essencial core elements the arts are much less effective for self defense and they are also not as effective as a personal development tool.

MARTIAL SPORTS

"Martial sports" use derivatives of martial arts to create a sport version of the arts that can be competed in for the enjoyment of participants (esp younger kids) and spectators.

Martial sports remove much of the original martial art techniques that are too functional and effective because these techniques can't be used safely in sport competition.

Martial sports also add in some non-functional, flashier techniques to give their competitions more spectator appeal. Jump spinning kicks for example.

Martial sports also use some techniques that take advantage of the rules of their sport. For example competitors in sport karate will sometimes partially turn their back to the opponent because the back is not a legal target area under the sport rules. This conceals the legal targets on the front of their body and will possibly force the opponent to draw a penalty if they do strike the exposed back area.

There is nothing wrong with playing the rules to your advantage in sport competition but in real life of course exposing the back (spine, kidneys etc) to an aggressor is an extremely dangerous and foolish thing to do. Under stress you will react the way you have practiced. If you have developed non-functional habits from your sport training you could be in trouble.

Many of the techniques that sport martial artists practice don't work well outside the sport environment and they are never taught many of the techniques that DO work or they are taught non-functional sport versions of the techniques.

BUSHIDO

Bushido is translated as "The Way of the Warrior" and we use the term literally to refer to the ancient warrior arts.

The Bushido arts (also commonly called "Jutsu" or "Jitsu" Arts) are what the newer Budo arts are based on.

These arts are the parent arts to the "Budo" systems. Like the Budo "martial way" systems they develop students in mind, body and spirit -creating strong, dynamic self-disciplined individuals.

We have found that the Bushido arts are even much more effective at this.

The Bushido arts are extremely functional and effective because the founding Masters of these systems lived in a time where they needed to be able to protect themselves and if their art failed them they were unlikely to survive to teach the next generation.

We teach these arts because they are much more complete than the arts that were derived from them and offer a great deal more to the people who study them beyond even the great self defense skills.

Look at the other types of martial arts available and see for yourself.

3) LEARN FROM ADVANCED BLACK BELTS

The instructors at the Bushido Knights are advanced Black Belts, with 25+ years of training, who do martial arts full time and have focused their lives on doing and teaching the best martial arts.

There are very few schools where a brand new white belt gets the opportunity to learn from senior Black Belts with this level of expertise.

At the Bushido Knights if you are accepted as a student the majority of the classes available to you are taught by the head instructor.

There is a huge difference between learning from a master teacher with over a quarter century of experience as opposed to being in classes run by a junior Black Belts who may have been teaching for only a year or two.

4) SMALL CLASS SIZES WITH MORE INDIVIDUAL ATTENTION

The Bushido Knights offer smaller class sizes than big commercial schools which may have 30-40 people in a class.

Our class sizes are kept small, generally 6-12 people per class, so our students get a lot of individual attention from the head instructor.

We limit the number of students we will accept to maintain the smaller class sizes and the high quality of instruction our students receive.

5) FIRST CLASS DOJO

We have one of the finest Dojos equipped with the very best training and safety gear. Superior equipment allows you to learn faster and train safer.

In martial arts as in other important areas of life we believe it is important to go with the best .Training in an outstanding martial arts program will make huge positive changes in you as a person and the quality of your life.

People always talk about "Reaching your potential" but no one shows you how to do it. Good martial arts will teach you how.

The peace of mind, confidence and self-respect that comes from knowing you can defend yourself and your family will make you feel great.

If you are ever in a situation where you are forced to defend yourself or your family having the best martial art training and skills will be the most valuable thing you have ever done for yourself.

If "good enough" in martial arts is good enough for you or if you don't understand the value of learning great martial arts then we advise you to look elsewhere for martial arts instruction. Our school is not the place for you. If you agree with our philosophy of always going first class in important matters then contact us.

6) DYNAMIC, FUN & FUNCTIONAL CLASSES

Our classes teach real martial arts in a very functional way but the classes are also designed to be fun and challenging so our students learn faster and to find it easier to be motivated to train more.

We teach in a very "hands on" fashion where you get to actually work the skills in realistic scenarios. This allows you to learn and internalize the skills much quicker than schools that use less functional methods (i.e. line drills, all kata, kicking air etc)

We spend a large percentage of our training time on perfecting our students techniques and on what is traditionally known in Budo arts as "Bunkai" (or the application and meaning of the techniques -usually as found in "kata")

To be a great martial artist you need to have great skill in your techniques but you also need to understand how and why those techniques are best used.

Otherwise it is like owning the best set of tools available -but not knowing what can be done with them or how they can be optimally used.

This is why the average 12 year old Black Belt from a sport martial arts school does not compare to an older Black Belt from the Warrior arts.

The 12 year old may have great physical abilities (speed, flexibility, clean technique etc) but he will not have the mental skills needed to have a deeper understanding of the techniques, the "way of strategy" etc.

The physical techniques must be mastered but it is the mental abilities and knowledge combined with that physical mastery that separate the good "technician" from the great martial artist.

7) REAL CHALLENGE

Because we are teaching real martial arts and not "martial sports" we offer serious training in a non-competitive but challenging learning environment. We train hard together so each student is individually challenged and improves their skills.

New students at the Bushido Knights find it easier to learn because they are in an environment where everyone is trying to help them learn and improve and no one is trying to beat them -or beat on them.

8) LEARN ALL THE BEST OF THE WORLD'S MARTIAL ARTS

The Bushido Knights teach a much larger variety of martial arts skills than are commonly taught in other martial arts schools (Most styles focus on only 1 "range" or type of skill (i.e. just kicking or just grappling -the Bushido Knights teach all of the 4 "ranges").

To learn all the skills that are taught here you would have to simultaneously study at least 4 different Martial Arts styles that specialize...and then put all the skills together.

Go and see for yourself.

Attend a class at all the martial arts schools in the area and look at the teaching method, what type of students take classes there and the curriculum they teach.

Then compare it to classes at the Bushido Knights.

One of the difficulties in choosing a martial arts school is that you have to decide which type of skills you think you need and then hope you don't end up in a situation that is outside the scope of the Art you have chosen.

For example if a Black Belt in Karate ends up on the ground in a grappling encounter they would be in trouble because none of Karate's kicks or hand strikes work well unless they are standing up -preferably three to six feet away from the attacker so they can kick and punch comfortably.

A Black Belt in a grappling system such as Brazilian Jujitsu could easily handle an encounter on the ground but they would be in trouble if they faced multiple attackers -or any situation where they could not grab the opponent and go to the ground such as a knife wielding opponent.

The Bushido Knights students don't have to worry about ending up in a scenario that is outside their skills because our students are trained in all the different martial skills not just one or two.

9) FREE TRIAL PROGRAM & THE ADMISSIONS CRITERIA

Many martial arts programs will only let a new student try one free class and many schools will accept anyone that agrees to sign up.

At the Bushido Knights we have a free admissions program that allows prospective students to train with us for up to two weeks while they are being considered for admission to the school.

The intro program lets new students experience the outstanding quality of the martial arts taught here.

Because we go through this extensive admission process and we are very selective about who we will accept as a student you will find that the other students you get to train with are a very high quality of people. Training with high quality people makes for better training and a better martial arts experience.

10) REAL SELF-DEFENSE SKILLS THAT HAVE BEEN PROVEN EFFECTIVE

While there are many benefits to training in the arts besides self defense most people who start martial arts do so because, in addition to all the other benefits they want, they also want the peace of mind that comes with being able to protect themselves.

Over the years we have had over 30 students that have needed to defend themselves (see the many testimonials at the bottom of this page), all of our students who have needed to defend themselves have done so successfully and most of them had less than 6 months of training at the time.

It is worth noting that none of our students received any significant injuries and none of them found it necessary to severely injure the aggressor

None of them had any legal problems due to their self-defense actions.

Many times our students have avoided potential self defense situations due to superior awareness and because aggressors were dissuaded by the confidence they displayed. Criminals look for easy targets and are drawn to weakness.

A well trained martial artist is neither of these things.

Our students many success stories illustrate the effectiveness of the Bushido Knight's martial arts teaching methodology and also shows how quickly the students develop the skills needed to protect themselves.

What good are self-defense skills if you need to train for years before they become effective?

An Honor and a Privilege

Because of all the above reasons we consider it to be an honor and a privilege to be accepted as a student at the Bushido Knights Ryu.

As a martial artist there is an obligation to the Sensei who taught you and the previous generations of Masters to pass on your knowledge to other quality individuals in the same way as it was passed on to you. You repay your teachers generosity, patience and willingness to share their knowledge with you by doing the same for your students.

You show respect for the arts and your teachers by being VERY selective in who YOU will teach, being sure they will use the skills in a positive way and making sure your students get the very best instruction so they will receive all the tremendous benefits that training in the martial arts offers.

The Bushido Knights Ryu
Admissions Criteria

Read through the criteria below and do an honest self-evaluation. If you feel that you are solid in all the categories then contact us and we will be happy to let you take some classes with us and give you an opportunity to be admitted to our school.

So if the information on this site strikes a chord with you then TAKE ACTION and contact us.

What we are looking for when deciding
whether to admit a new student:

Enthusiasm for the Arts
We want someone who is enthusiastic about the chance to train as a martial artist. A person who realizes that the Bushido Knights offer a unique martial arts experience and is happy to be offered the chance to train at an outstanding Dojo. If doing martial arts is just a passing whim then this is not the place for you.

Positive Attitude
We want a student who is a positive person with an open mind to new ideas. A person who is enjoyable to teach and to train with, a person who can leave their ego at the door and focus on enjoying the process of improving themselves as a person and as a martial artist.

Courtesy and Respect
We want a person who has a good attitude, good manners and treats others with respect. At the Bushido Knights the most advanced Black Belts will treat the newest White Belts with courtesy and respect -to be considered for acceptance as a student we will expect and require the same courtesy and respect from you in return.

Positive Intent
Martial arts is about mastery over yourself not control over others. We want a person who will use the skills they will gain in an ethical manner, for the defense of themselves and others. Our school teaches real martial arts and people that train here develop formidable self defense skills that will allow them to physically dominate an aggressor. We won't accept you as a student if we feel you will use our skills maliciously to abuse or manipulate others.

A Need for the Training
Training at the Bushido Knights gives our students very significant benefits in mind, body and spirit. We will give preference to people we feel have a larger need for the many benefits our martial Art offers (self-defense, self-development etc).

Commitment
Some people do martial arts for life and some just do it until they reach certain goals they want (such as being able to to defend themselves) in our admissions process we feel either of these paths is acceptable. We want a student who will be disciplined and train regularly for as long as they choose to be in the arts. We are not looking for someone who just wants to do martial arts for a few weeks or wants to come do a class every once and a while.

Decisiveness
When determining whether to accept a new student we give preference to someone who is decisive and is willing to make a commitment to themselves to start training in the arts.

If you are looking at this web site then you have probably had an interest in the Martial Arts for years now. If you are ready to stop thinking about getting into the arts...one day...someday...and decide to stop letting the years go past and do it now then contact us, you have a good chance of getting into our school because we have respect for anyone who can make a strong, committed decision and take action.

A Referral from a Bushido Knight Student or Instructor
We are a referral based school. When accepting new students we prefer to admit people who are recommended by our current students. If you are being referred to us by one of our students be sure to mention that when you contact us because it will put you at the top of the admissions list. If you don't have a referral it is still possible to become a student here.

What you Don't Need to be
accepted as a student

Previous Martial Arts Experience
You don't need to have any previous experience in the arts -many times it can be easier to start with a blank slate, without bad habits that need to be unlearned. At the same time we have many students who have Black Belts in other systems who now are students at the Bushido Knights because they wanted to expand their skills and become better, more well rounded martial artists.

Excellent Strength / Fitness
The training will make you strong and fit. You will be able to start where you are physically. Waiting to get stronger or more fit before you begin is not necessary and is just as backwards as someone who wants to get stronger before they go to the gym. Start where you are right now.

Superior Athleticism
Being a better athlete is a good thing but there are many other factors besides athleticism such as effort and consistency in training that will determine your progress in the arts. There are even times when being a great athlete can make starting in the arts harder than for a non-athlete. We have trained professional athletes who initially found it difficult to be a beginner in a physical activity because they were used to performing at a high level of skill.

Main Benefits of Training in Martial Arts at the Bushido Knights Ryu

Self-Defense.
The Bushido Knights will teach you extremely effective martial arts fighting skills that have proven themselves many times over when our students have found themselves in harm's way (see our many testimonials below). If you need to defend yourself, you will have the skills. Knowing you can take care of yourself and your family because you are extremely well trained will give you peace of mind and confidence.
Many of our students have avoided violent conflicts and the need to physically defend themselves simply because the aggressor saw that our people were confident and seemed well prepared. Predators look for weakness and fear to help them choose prey that will be easily targeted with minimal risk to themselves. When you don't display the expected fear and weakness you don't look like a good target.

If they choose to continue their aggression anyway, they will do so facing a well trained person who is fully prepared to counter any of their attacks. This is the essence of "peace through strength". One of the ironic things about training in the martial arts is that the better your skills become the less likely you are to ever have to use them in a violent conflict.

Martial Arts South Florida

Personal Development/Fitness
Excellent Martial Arts training will change your life for the better. Training in the martial arts will cause you to grow and become stronger in mind, body and spirit.
The way that the training will do this is by challenging you in all these areas. If you go to the gym and lift significant amounts of weight you will cause your muscles to grow and get stronger. Martial arts causes personal growth using the same "challenge-adaptation response" dynamic that is utilized in weight training to cause muscle growth

Martial arts is superior to other forms of training because it challenges and strengthens all of your mind, body and spirit simultaneously. Martial arts also improves each area in more than one way. For example in the physical area you will get stronger but you will also improve your speed, your timing, your power, your reflexes, your hand-eye coordination, your stamina, your balance, your flexibility, your agility, your body tone and more.

You will get the same multifaceted growth in the areas of mind and spirit including: self-discipline, focus, awareness, confidence, motivation, self-respect, stress management, concentration, self-control, personal growth, goal setting, leadership skills, public speaking skills, persistence, emotional control, fear control, rapid decision making and more.

Positive Associations
Martial arts attracts a very high quality group of people to it. This is especially true at the Bushido Knights because of our requirement that prospective students go through an admission process. Being involved with the arts will give you the opportunity to work out with and be around a very high quality of people.
The people in your life influence you and effect the quality of your life. Being around negative people and situations will drain you and your life of the positive things you want and need. Being around positive people and situations will do the opposite. Spending time with top quality people similar to yourself is one of the easiest ways to raise the quality of your life.

Martial Arts Culture and the Bushido Code
The martial arts culture and the environment of a good school put a lot of emphasis on developing dynamic, strong people who live by a code of conduct that includes self-discipline, integrity, personal responsibility, self-respect, respect for others and a commitment to improving themselves and their life. We tend to value strength in others and we like and respect ourselves most when we are strong and self-disciplined.
The codes and culture of the arts have endured for so long because they offer people a way to develop these positive attributes in themselves and allow them to live a better, more enjoyable, more elegant life. Having a code that you believe in and the self-discipline to follow it is like having a map to where you want to go and the willpower to make the trip.

Try the Classes

The only way you can determine the quality of a particular martial arts school, and decide if you will get the benefits you are seeking from taking classes there, is to go in and experience the training for yourself.

If a school is high quality they should be very willing to have you come out and train at their Dojo for at least one class for free. If you know your teaching is really excellent then you want prospective students to come and spend time training at your school so they can see it for themselves.

At the Bushido Knights Ryu, as a requirement for admission to our school, we have all prospective students come in and try our classes Free of charge (with no obligation) for up to 2 weeks so they can really get an understanding of our school and system.

We can offer this free trial because we have total faith and confidence in our system. The free training will show a prospective student the high quality of the teaching offered here.

The free trial period also let's us get to know a prospective student better so we can see how well they fit in at the Bushido Knights

Bushido Knights Admissions Process

The Free trial period is part of our admissions process. To maintain the high quality of our classes and student body, our commitment to smaller classes and because of the extreme effectiveness of our Art:

We do not accept everyone who applies
for admission to our school.

We want to be sure accepting you as student here is a good fit both ways -training at our school will be valuable for you and give you the benefits you want and need, and you are the type of quality individual we would be honored to teach and have as a student.

The next step is for you to reserve yourself a space for the free introductory session.

Introduction to the Bushido Knights

After you reserve your space we will make an appointment with you to come in for a brief informational session (15 - 20 minutes), which is held before your first class. We will show you a video demonstration of our system, answer your questions and give you an info book that tells you all about the school -different programs, schedule etc.

The info session is strictly to answer questions and educate you about the Bushido Knights.

Note: This is not any kind of "Sales" meeting. You won't need your wallet because there will be nothing for you to buy. All you need to bring is yourself and some comfortable clothes.

If after participating in the free trial classes you are offered admission to the school THEN you will be given the opportunity to become a member of the academy. Most people who are accepted as students go to two or more classes before they are offered admission.

After the intro conference you will start your first free class.

While you are going through the info conference and the Free classes you should ask yourself the following questions:

Do the Bushido Knights deserve their reputation as one of the best martial arts schools in south Florida?

Do they display the highest levels of martial arts knowledge, technical and physical ability -and do they have the teaching skill to develop those same abilities in me?

Are the skills I am learning obviously extremely effective and something that I know would work immediately and even better as my skill grows?

Is training at the Bushido Knights going to give me all the benefits I want and need from martial arts, and more...?

Do I like the instructors, the teaching methodology, the Dojo facility, training equipment & the other students?

Are the Bushido Knights very obviously interested in doing well by me and giving me the best possible martial arts instruction?

If I were offered admission to the Bushido Knights would I be happy to be a student at such a high quality school?

Be sure you can answer "yes" to these questions before you consider being admitted to the Bushido Knights -or any school you are applying to.

In martial arts, as in other important areas of life, you need to seek out the highest caliber people you can find. Quality martial arts training will make huge positive changes in your life -and may save your life. Evaluate martial arts schools as stringently as you would a doctor, lawyer or other professional who will have a profound impact on you and your life. Don't settle for second best or "good enough".

Take Action

So if you are serious about getting involved in martial arts then now is the time to do something about it and take action.

Remember that in life Knowing what to do is not as important as Doing what you Know.

So if you know that you want to study martial arts then we encourage you to take action now and begin. Remember back to when you first decided you were interested in martial arts. How much time has passed since then? A month? A year? Five years?

Years from now you are going to look back at this moment in one of two ways:

As an extremely skilled martial artist and highly confident person knowing that getting into the arts was one of the best decisions you made in your life. A decision that changed and shaped your life for the better, well beyond the self-defense abilities.

With regret for letting the opportunity slip away. Don't be one of those people who is so busy making a living that they forget to make a life. You are drawn to martial arts for a reason, do something about it.
Remember that "discipline weighs ounces, regret weighs tons"

"The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step" -Lao-Tsu

Best of luck in your training,

Sensei Knapton

Bushido Knights Ryu,
Academy of Martial Arts
130 NE 1st Ave (N. Dixie Hwy), Hallandale, FL 33009
954 455-1005

Sensei Gerry Knapton -Head Instructor
Sensei Robert Liani

Email The Bushido Knights

More Testimonials

"Two guys were after this girl and when I told them to stop they both attacked me. The fighting skills I learned at the Bushido Knights worked great and I was able to stop them easily"
--Edgar Rodrigues, Lab Tech

"I liked that the self defense skills I learned at the Bushido Knights were effective from the first class and did not require years of incremental training"
-Rosemary Mackay-Camp, Maritime Engineer

"I know I made the right choice in joining Bushido Knights academy of martial arts "
-- Pedro Cheas, Department of Homeland Security

"Me and some of my friends were out and we heard all this yelling, we looked and it was these five skinhead gang members beating and kicking this younger kid. We yelled at them to stop it and they ran over to their truck and got clubs and came after us. One of them attacked me with two sticks, one in each hand. All the weapons defenses and disarms we do at the school paid off. I got inside his range did a throw like we are taught, knocked him to the ground and took away his weapons. Thanks Sensei for the great instruction."
- -Adamo Tomassi, Cafe BelleVista

"This is a really excellent martial arts school. The teacher is very good and style is very practical"
-- Katia Bordy, Owner, International Roots Gallery

"I have been in the martial arts for over 25 years, have Black Belts in 2 different Karate systems and the Bushido Knights are one of the best instruction I have seen. I always make a point to come out and train there when I am in south Florida"
--Doug Carter, Pilot, American Airlines

"I had confronted one of our independent sales reps about some false claims he was using to sell my program and asked him to not sell our products anymore. He got very angry and threatening and said he was coming to my office. This guy is very big 6'2" -240lbs and aggressive. He likes to intimidate people with his size and gets into a lot of fights. He showed up at my office and got in my face and started threatening me. I was surprised at how totally calm I was. I knew exactly what moves I would do if he attacked me and had them all set up. Finally I just told him 'you do whatever you think you need to' and he looked at me and saw how relaxed and prepared I was and just totally backed down. It was great! This is the best martial arts school I found in South Florida"
--Jose' Valero, President, Soft-Aid Inc

"I have thoroughly enjoyed my experience at the Bushido Knights martial arts. Having joined several months ago without any idea what to expect, I have already grown and developed both physically and mentally. Sensei fosters a very supportive environment and provides great martial art instruction. Being able to handle yourself in a difficult situation and the peace of mind that comes with having the skills is priceless."
-Scott Singer, Ryder Integrated Logistics

"I went into a club down on the beach in Hollywood and as I walked in this guy fell into me I caught him then walked around him. As I did he punched me in the back of the head. I turned blocked his next punch and put him down before he could try to hit me again. Then two of his friends jumped me from behind. We ended up going down to the ground, I used an escape and got to the top of the pile. After that the fight was broken up. It was no fun but my martial arts training from the Bushido Knights came through for me and I was OK"
-- Greg Chouinard, Whole Foods Market

"This is a really excellent martial arts school, I have learned a lot since I have studied at the Bushido Knights and had fun in the classes"
-- Julie Guthrie, Project X Media

"I feel like I've made a ton of progress. Mentally, Spiritually, and Physically, I am better than when I started. I feel more prepared to deal with situations, increased coordination and flexibility, and of course all the specific self defense skills that I have learned"
-- Jaron Gilinsky, Film Maker, Lane 8 Films

"One of the few schools in the south Florida area that you can learn Mixed martial arts hands on. Thank you Sensei for showing us Bushido -the WAY OF THE WARRIOR!!"
-- Sergio Cortella, Owner, Hollydogs

"This is a excellent school, the best I found in south Florida. I really enjoy the classes and am learning a lot"
-- Cassandra Michel, Surgical Tech

"My experience at Bushido Knights was amazing. This was the only school I found in the south Florida area that taught real life martial arts"
-- Adam Fleisher, High School Teacher

"When I first joined the Bushido Knights my goal was only to learn effective fighting strategy and skills, in addition to achieving my original goals I have also learned some very valuable and effective mental concepts and psychological principles. These concepts have already helped me through some very stressful situations. I highly recommend the school"
-- Shamon El Canaan, Chef

"I have been involved in martial arts throughout my life and found the Bushido Knights to be excellent. The best school in South Florida"
-- Dr. Alan Streigold, Podiatrist

"I came out of my house and found this guy vandalizing my truck. I yelled at him and went to chase him off but he came at me and tried to punch me in the face. I blocked and countered putting him down. He then got up and ran off. I thought he was leaving but he went next door and got a shovel then he came back and tried to hit me with it. I jammed and did a basic weapons defense like Sensei teaches which took the shovel away and finished him for the day"
-- Rio Hardy, Computer tech

"I have been involved in the martial arts for over fifteen years. For the last three years I have been a judge (sanctioned by the Florida Boxing Commission) for mixed martial arts events. Having competed in martial arts events, and unfortunately been in street fights, when I was younger and now having witnessed some of the best fighters in the world in my duties as a judge I can say with confidence that Sensei Knapton's training and techniques will prepare anyone for a self defense situation. In particular, their reliance on simple and effective techniques that can be applied without hesitation or thought make their system extremely effective for self defense. I give the Bushido Knights the highest marks."
-- R. Timothy Vannatta, Attorney

"Before joining The Bushido Knights I searched a very long time for the right school and more importantly the right teacher. I found both in Sensei Gerry Knapton. The Bushido Knights have a no-nonsense approach to the martial arts and Self Defense that anyone can do, no matter what shape you are in or prior training you may have had. In addition to a great workout, you leave class each time a more confident and stronger person."
--Craig Shapiro, Raymond James Financial Services, Inc.,

"I have spent the last 10 years training in the martial arts, in several schools and styles. Without hesitation I can say that the martial arts as taught through Bushido Knights is the most realistic and practical training I have experienced to date. Coupled with Sensei Gerry Knapton's training style, a no nonsense down to basics street survival technique, this is the system that prepares you for thugs and predators. With today's heightened security risks, I need every advantage. Bushido Knights delivers"
-- George Lago, Architect, Architecture 6400, Inc.

"My occupation takes me to some of the most dangerous countries and cities in the world. The exceptional real-world, streetwise training I have received at Bushido Knights martial arts allows me to walk the streets of of places like Mumbai, Durban, or Detroit with a lot more confidence and awareness.
-- Michael Camp, Merchant Marine Officer

"I was at my house when I heard a big commotion at my door, it was this couple who were fighting. I managed to get them stopped and calmed down. I was turned slightly away from them trying to get some of the mess off my floor (the girl was bleeding) when the guy started up again. He quickly punched the girl in the face and punched me in the head. I turned and struck him several times took him to the ground, stunned him and put him in a submission hold and told him to stop, which he did.
-- Omar Plummer, Stock Broker

"Extremely satisfied and glad I decided to enroll. I cannot get over the fact that EVERY student I have met so far is friendly, cordial, fun and willing to help me learn. The atmosphere is fun yet serious and educational"
-- Harish Narain, Computer Tech

"I think the school is very good overall. The classes are very practical and relatively simple to implement"
--Tommy Shnitzer, Financial planner

"I went to Winn-dixie and parked my car, when I got out this guy pulled up and started swearing at me because he wanted the parking spot. Then he pushed me and put up his fists like a boxer and came at me yelling "what are you going to do?" So I gave him a roundhouse kick to the shin. He started hopping up and down on one foot holding his shin so I pushed him and he fell over. The training I received at the Bushido Knights martial arts really worked great "
-- Alex Meneses, Federal Express

"I hope I never have to use my new found vital information, but I sure am glad I could call on it if I had to. I am especially impressed by your willingness, patience and genuine desire to teach the useful and helpful knowledge you possess to us. Your generosity in sharing it has really meant the world to me and my family. Thanks so much for helping me feel safe"
-- Connie Cacace, SLS Assistant

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