Our Families

Words cannot adequately express how completely satisfied we are with this karate program. Our eldest two children attend the program two days a week and look forward to going each and every time. Not only do they learn the physical art of karate, but they also learn many valuable life lessons. They are taught to love and respect others and to think of others first, which for us as parents is a first priority in raising our children. They learn the skills of focus and self-control which will assist them to become well adjusted children/adults. We are impressed with the discipline that is maintained during instruction, which is essential for them to learn, progress and mature. We have noted a significant improvement in their self-esteem and self-confidence.

The Original Okinawan Karate of Holt program is Greater Lansing’s best kept secret. This program is a rare find based on our past experiences. Sensei Mark’s personal integrity is beyond reproach. The combination of discipline, love and care he exhibits is remarkable and so much appreciated. What our children are taught through this program reinforce the lessons we are teaching at home. We would highly recommend this program without reservation and feel blessed to be a part of such a wonderful experience.

Sincerely,

Will & Deb _____________________________________________________________

As parents, we are always looking to expose our children to a variety of activities to enrich their lives. Our children, Thomas and Adam, joined the Holt dojo this fall. We were attracted to karate and the Holt Dojo for a number of reasons. First, karate is a wonderful way to develop fundamental skills such as, balance, coordination, strength, power and focus. While many sports can develop any one or even a few of these skills, karate is one of the few activities that a child can engage in that develops such a complete set of skills. Secondly, character training such as discipline and respect that the Holt Dojo fosters is an extension of what we are attempting to accomplish in our home. In class, the students are held accountable for their behavior, effort, attitude and their respect for others. What more can a parent ask for! Thomas and Adam are required to turn in discipline sheets that rate their daily behavior. These forms are completed each week by me and are given to Sensei Mark. This has definitely changed the boy’s behavior. I never knew they could do so many jobs to help around the house!

Sensei Mark has a true gift for getting the most out of his students. Thomas and Adam are encouraged to achieve the goals that are set for them. The boys are continually striving to reach new levels. They are handed nothing. They have to earn each belt through practice and hard work. This has built a great deal of confidence in our children. They are learning that if they work hard enough, they will be rewarded. We have been very impressed with the Holt dojo to say the least. Our children are challenged but they love it! We never have to ask them to practice even Julia, our 2 year old, puts on her gi and practices right along with the boys. She can’t wait to start!

The atmosphere at the dojo is very friendly. From the moment we came through the door, we have felt a part of this karate “family”. Sensei Mark is truly a remarkable person and an extremely talented man. I know it seems too good to be true, but if you come out to visit the dojo you to will become a believer, just like us!!

Sincerely,

Tim, Melissa, Thomas, Adam and Julia ______________________________________________________________

Our oldest son, Max has been practicing Original Okinawan Karate for over six months. In that time we have noticed a significant improvement in his confidence and his ability to focus his energy and we attribute much of that improvement to Sensei Mark. We have been continuously impressed with Sensei Mark’s ability to instruct, center and encourage a class of four to six year old children in a gentle yet firm method that gets results. Max is delighted to attend class every Monday and Wednesday and I’m repeatedly amazed at his determination to master his newly learned skills. I’m particularly impressed with Sensei’s training in important life lessons such as the value of being a good sport and respecting others. These are the same values that we try as parents, to instill in our children. We would very highly recommend this class to anyone who is interested in learning the same life skills. We hope to be involved with Original Okinawan Karate for years to come!

Our daughter Molly has been a student at The Holt Dojo for only a few months and has demonstrated significant improvement with discipline and in her self confidence.  Sensei Mark and the other instructors go out of their way to make sure each student is understanding what they are learning.  This is carried on through the students as well.  Students will not give it a second thought and jump right in to help a fellow student when needed.  Molly has told us many times that she wants to earn her black belt and be Sensei Mark's helper someday.  Molly can see the willingness of others to help and this has had a huge impact on her. 

Each week every student turns in a Self Discipline Sheet that is required for testing and taken very seriously.  We think it is great that behavior outside of the Dojo is considered before a student can test for their next belt.  Molly takes this very seriously and her respect for herself and family have shown tremendously these last few months.  The Dojo is really like one big family, everyone is so supportive of one another and the positive energy that flows there is awesome!  We want to thank Holt Dojo for giving Molly faith and encouragement in everything she does!

Jerry and Jean ______________________________________________________________

Our son Wayne has been going to karate for 2 years now. This has helped Wayne Lee out so much; he is considered special needs and the great thing is that he has never been singled out by anyone their because of this.

He has grown and flourished so much going to this program. We have never been happier with a program as what we are with Sensei Mark and all of the other volunteers he has to help with the kids. We have enjoyed it so much that my husband has even joined the program at Holt Okinawa Karate and I really do think that it has helped to save his life due to the exercise that he is getting now and the weight that he is losing.

I have never been happier. We are treated more like family than just friends. As I have said, this is the greatest place for any child or adult to be.

Wayne, Cheri & Wayne Lee ______________________________________________________________

Hi! My name is Will. I am four years old. At the end of last year I told my Mom that I wanted to start karate. She asked me why and I told her I wanted to learn karate so I could beat up Ella (my older sister). Mom signed me up but told me I couldn’t use it to beat up my sister.

From the first day of class, I fell in love with karate! I can’t wait until Mondays and Wednesdays so I can go to karate practice. Every day I put my gi on I get better, stronger, and more confident. I love Sensei Mark, who is great at teaching me and my new friends. He makes the class challenging but lots of fun!

Mom says that more important than the blocks, kicks, and punches are the other things I am learning. I am learning how to focus. I am learning to be patient. I am learning how to treat my friends, family, and adults. I am learning about competition and sportsmanship. Finally, beating up my sister would go against the things I have learned, so I will continue to try and be nice to her.

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Our daughter Kelly has been attending classes at Original Okinawan Karate twice a week for almost two years now. She thoroughly enjoys it and has attended every regular class (or make-up session) during that time. She recently began sparring on a third night each week, an opportunity which has allowed her to put some of her kicks and punches to use in a safe setting. She has a blast and gets a great workout at the same time.

While observing Kelly spar with a classmate, a fellow karate mom (who happens to be a Lansing police officer) said, "You can't put a price on that."

What better gift for a daughter than to place her in an educational environment that develops respect, self confidence, self control, and self defense? As a homeschooler, she has also benefitted from the camaraderie of her classmates and from exposure to the combined experience of several teachers, especially Sensei Mark.

Mark McCloud is a rare find, and we recommend him and his dojo to anyone in the greater Lansing area who is considering enrollment (for an adult or child) in a karate program.

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Our family has been through a lot of changes over the past few years and I had tried soccer as a way to help my oldest son, Chance, make friends and gain some confidence. Unfortunately, it had the opposite effect and had him feeling like he wasn't able to keep up with the other kids and like he wasn't "good enough". So, I enrolled Chance in the after-school karate program put on by the dojo at Elliot Elementary. Chance did better with karate almost immediately. After that program ended, we were excited enough about it that we opted to continue on at the dojo.

Thanks to Justin (who taught the after-school class) and Sensei Mark, my son has progressed by leaps and bounds. His confidence and maturity have grown as well as his sense of self and responsibility. He takes more pride in the things he does, is realizing what it means to work hard for something and the satisfaction of achieving it. His success is directly related to his own effort and not how tall he is, how fast he can run or whether or not he's better than someone else. He feels good about himself each and every time he leaves the dojo.

I have rarely seen any business run with as much care, compassion and respect as this one. Sensei Mark is the perfect combination of strength and kindness. The other instructors are also wonderful and the office staff take the time to pay attention to each and every child, including siblings. It was only a short matter of time before we started to feel like part of the family and my youngest son, Gage, wanted to start too. We are truly lucky to have this dojo as part of our community and even luckier to be able to be a part of it.

Allison

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Martial Arts affects most of my life. From all my tests I’ve done, I’m no longer afraid to do things infront of a group of people or under pressure. I also notice that people that go to the dojo also do well in school. This is certainly true for me. I hope I stick with it through my whole life so I can keep my self-discipline.

Benjamin

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